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A new coalition of cloud companies on Tuesday published a code of conduct to keep European data inside Europe, just as the issue looks set to become one of the most hotly contested points in the controversial Trade in Services Agreement (TISA).
Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) is a newly formed coalition of more than 20 cloud infrastructure providers including Arsys, Art of Automation, Aruba, Daticum, Dominion, Fasthosts, Gigas, Ikoula, LeaseWeb, Lomaco, Outscale, Seeweb, and UpCloud.
Its new code foresees “the ability to exclusively process and store data within the EU or EEA territories.” This so-called "data localisation" option requires signatories to “provide to the customer information about the region and country where its data is stored and processed by or on behalf of the CISP (cloud infrastructure service provider), including if the CISP sub-contracts part of the processing to third parties. For security reasons, only a general location (such as a city or city region area) needs to be provided. This general description shall, at least, allow the customer to identify which EU member state has jurisdiction over the customer for processing performed by the customer using the service.”
Those that sign up will be identified by a “trust mark” and customers will receive “the assurance that providers of cloud infrastructure services do not process their personal data, for their own benefit or for the resale to third parties, such as for the mining of personal data, profiling of data subjects, marketing or similar actions.”
“This is the first industry-wide Code of Conduct to do so. It gives customers the assurance that their data always remains in their control and in their ownership. Customers from industry or software vendors procuring cloud infrastructure services can control where their data is processed and stored physically,” said CISPE chairman Alban Schmutz.
The voluntary pact will also ensure that companies comply with Europe's new General Data Protection Regulation and that any transfer of data to the US falls under the Privacy Shield regime.
MEP Eva Paunova and French digital affairs minister Axelle Lemaire were keen to support the initiative. But their position is under threat from many of those supporting the TISA deal.
TISA is currently being negotiated as a replacement to the mostly defunct WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) from 1995, and a final agreement could be reached as early as next year—the latest talks are scheduled for December.
The proposals in the TISA text have raised alarm bells among privacy advocates. UK based Global Justice Now warned last month that “big business” wants to use the agreement to gain “more control of the Internet and flows of data.”
“A number of countries, including the US, support text that says 'no Party may prevent a service supplier of another Party from transferring, [accessing, processing or storing] information, including personal information, within or outside the Party’s territory, where such activity is carried out in connection with the conduct of the service supplier’s business.' Although TISA stipulates that privacy laws have to be applied in the receiving country, it is not clear how this will be guaranteed, respected and enforced,” said the organisation in a statement.
Earlier this month a coalition of international service providers pressed for “strong and clear TISA provisions on data localisation.”
“As businesses around the world compete in the global market, the free flow of data across borders has become the lifeblood of trade. All trade in goods and services—from the placing of an order to confirmation of delivery—now involves the electronic transfer of data. This means that forced data localisation policies and practices, where they exist or are proposed, have emerged as a major trade barrier, threatening to disrupt the continued growth and success of trade and commerce worldwide,” said the Global Services Coalition in its manifesto before urging TISA negotiators to “redouble their efforts to prohibit forced data localisation.”
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NEW DELHI: The American public got their hands on it in September this year. So powerful was its lure that in just three days, Apple delivered five million iPhone 5s to eager buyers. More than two million of those were pre-orders - people who put down their cash even before getting their hands on one. By comparison, the previous blockbuster iPhone 4S only had a 'paltry' one million pre-orders.Page 1 of 2
Apple chose to roll out the iPhone 5 in many more countries in record time. As many as 50 countries were included in the next few phases of launch, India being one of them. Now, a full month has passed since the official launch in India, but not too many people have gotten their hands on official India units.
Indian retailers say that the device reaches them in such low numbers that they sell out almost as fast as they arrive. ET spoke to some popular retailers of the coveted device in the capital to get a fix on why the iPhone 5 so hard to get.
"Many interested consumers keep calling or coming by to ask for it. Some also put down a deposit, so when stocks come, units are automatically kept aside for them" said an authorised retailer for Apple in a posh South Delhi mall, requesting anonymity.
At iWorld in Gurgaon, an Apple premium store, a salesperson informed us on condition of anonymity that they have not been getting devices for the past 20 days, even as demand stays at an all-time high. "We have stopped taking a booking amount from customers since we are not sure when stocks will arrive" said the salesperson.
At Future World in Connaught Place, an Apple premium reseller, Dipankar, confirmed the shortage of the iPhone 5. "We don't have any units right now and have no idea when it'll be available. I can confirm that even our store in Kanpur does not have iPhone 5 in stock. Your best bet is to check back every week."
Meanwhile, desperate buyers who want a unit with an Apple India warranty and are willing to pay a premium can head to shopping sites like eBay India. Here, a 16GB iPhone 5 sells for anywhere between Rs 48,000 to Rs 50,000 - Rs 2500 to Rs4500 over the maximum retail price.
Brands return to Bollywood brigade to ride out slump
Texas Instruments firing staff in India
Placement: MS, Google arrive at newly minted IITs
Unlike Apple's tablets or personal computers, Apple iPhones do not have an international warranty by default - their warranty is valid only in the original country of sale. Apple tracks this using unique serial numbers on each device - which means that even if you purchase an 'officially' unlocked iPhone from any country, even from an Apple Store, it will not have a valid India warranty.
On one hand, it's easy to understand why the iPhone 5 is so popular and so scarce - numbers are limited. However, it could very well be an artificial scarcity created by some sellers, who have hoarded stocks, hoping they can sell them for a premium. That's more likely. The device is hugely popular and the seller will mostly succeed in getting a premium. If not, the device will nonetheless sell for the official MRP at any point.

domain: news


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HONOLULU - Hawaiian Airlines will let its customers redeem frequent flier miles for a COVID-19 test kit before traveling.
The U.S. carrier said Thursday that members of its loyalty program can use 14,000 HawaiianMiles to order a mail-in test kit by Vault Health. The program is “for a limited time only.”
The test kit is available for travelers of all ages, including children. Customers will self-collect their saliva sample with help from a testing supervisor in a video call, the airline said. The kit is then express-shipped to a lab, with results expected electronically within 24 hours of receiving the sample.
“We remain dedicated to making testing for our guests as convenient and accessible as possible, so we’re incredibly pleased to extend our partnership with Vault Health to allow our HawaiianMiles members to purchase their at-home test kit with miles,” said Avi Mannis, senior vice president of marketing at Hawaiian Airlines.
Hawaiian Airlines is among several U.S. carriers that have announced testing programs for Hawaii-bound travelers prior to flying. Those who test negative for the novel coronavirus within 72 hours before their flight to Hawaii can avoid a mandatory 14-day quarantine in the state.
Travelers must show proof of a negative test result from one of the state’s “trusted testing and travel partners,” which it lists here.
United Airlines offers a rapid test at the airport or self-collected, mail-in test for customers flying from San Francisco International Airport to Hawaii. The carrier will also soon offer free COVID-19 testing to travelers on select flights between Newark Liberty International in New Jersey and London’s Heathrow Airport as part of a four-week pilot program.
All passengers over age 2 on select flights between the two destinations will be given free rapid tests, part of the carrier’s effort to boost passenger confidence about the safety of flying amid the global pandemic. Those who do not wish to be tested will be able to change their flight in advance without change fees, United said.
Roughly one-fourth of the U.S. passenger airline fleet has been inactive for at least 30 days, according to Airlines for America, a trade representing major U.S. airlines. The group said that despite a recent uptick in air travel, passenger volume remains down 65%.
This story was reported from Cincinnati.


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Photo by Hans Luiggi on Unsplash
Peru’s fruit exports rose to $3.8 billion in 2020. Grapes, blueberries, and avocados drive Peru’s fruit exports, followed by citrus and mango. Although Chile remains the dominant Southern Hemisphere exporter, Peru has now caught up with other major suppliers Ecuador and South Africa.
Event report from Perishable Logistics Africa event
New freight tax is ‘unacceptable’ and is hitting perishable shippers hard


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For those who can’t wait for the first story update, Shattered Space, good news might be on the way soon. New changes to Starfield Steam page make it look like this long-awaited DLC might be on the way. There is a good chance that Shattered Space will be out soon. Let’s look into the details.
The Strange: The Unknown app has arrived on Starfield Steam page.
This week, an odd “unknown app” showed up on Starfield’s Steam page. This made a lot of people talk even more about the game. There was a lot of talk about this sudden arrival in the game community. A lot of people thought that Shattered Space was going to be out soon. Even though we don’t know much about the DLC yet, the fact that this secret app exists has gotten people excited and interested.
Signs That Shattered Space Exists is part of the Premium Edition Bundle.
Bethesda has kept Shattered Space a secret so far, only giving out a few facts about the add-on. But some people noticed right away that the DLC was first shown off by coming in a premium version package of Starfield. This made people want to know more about Shattered Space and how it might change the world of Starfield.
Getting ready for Steam: is there an add-on coming?
There are a lot of new posts on Starfield’s Steam page lately, which means that an add-on is being worked on. This game might be coming out soon. Bethesda hasn’t said much about the specifics, but the buzz around the secret app makes it look like they might be about to make an official statement. People who play Starfield can’t help but wonder what new stories, tasks, and adventures Shattered Space could add to the game’s huge world.
Are you looking forward to hearing more? Bringing Light to Broken Space
People who are interested in Shattered Space can’t wait to learn more, and the fact that Bethesda is hiding the DLC has made them even more excited. Seeing the unknown app on Steam is like a tantalizing teaser; it makes people want to know what the update is and how it might change the Starfield experience. The thought of adding to the story makes things even more interesting, and it makes people want to see more of the Starfield world.
What to Expect from Shattered Space and How It Works
We don’t know much about Shattered Space yet, but the title makes it sound like it will be an interesting and maybe even hard addition to Starfield’s story. “Shattered space” is the idea that players can find their way through broken worlds, strange celestial events, and cosmic secrets. Fans of Starfield can look forward to a new and exciting part of the story as we learn more about what will happen.
The Quiet at Bethesda: A smart move or a secret that should stay hidden?
There have been a lot of talks in the gaming community about why Bethesda chose to keep Shattered Space details secret. Some people think it’s a smart move that makes people more excited and lets them see for themselves how magical the growth is. Some people don’t know if Bethesda is hiding something that will change how Starfield is played. The Shattered Space puzzle now an important part of the story and makes it more exciting, no matter how it solved.
Speculations in the community: As of now, there aren’t any real facts about what Shattered Space might bring to the table, so people in the gaming community have been making up what it might be. People making up their own ideas about what the expansion could include, from new challenges and jobs to parts of the universe that haven’t explored yet. The fact that everyone in the community is excited and creative shows how lively and team-based the SLOT GACOR TERBARU game is.
As a conclusion: Can’t wait for Shattered Space to come out.
People who play video games can’t wait for Starfield’s Steam page to show off Shattered Space. Things will keep getting more and more exciting until then. Because Bethesda has been purposely quiet, people are more excited about the unknown app, which could mean more adventures are on the way. Players are ready to start a new story and find out what secrets lie in space, whether it’s a broken space full of cosmic wonders or a plot twist that changes the world of Starfield. Get ready for a thrilling trip, because the world is about to see Shattered Space!


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The OnePlus One smartphone might be finding its stride, just in time for the holidays. Last week, current owners of the low-cost smartphone finally received a few invites to share with their friends and family (or with buyers at online trading sites).
Now, this still isn't a free-for-all to push high volume for OnePlus One sales. The company is still managing its supply and demand equation with a very careful hand.
For starters, this batch of sharable invites comes with an expiration date -- my own trio of invites is valid until Tuesday, Dec. 2. Furthermore, all invites are for a single specific variation of the handset -- the 64-gigabyte SandStone Black variety. Buyers in search of smaller storage with even lower prices or even just a white phone will still have to hold their horses.
So the OnePlus crew doles out limited numbers of its most popular model. It's unclear whether the recipients of these shared invite tickets will get their own sharable invites, which could start a viral invitation wave and quickly change the volume math. For that reason, I'm guessing that the new OnePlus One owners won't be endowed with invite opportunities, at least not right away.
The viral invite strategy is a tried-and-true approach -- when you want to start small and scale up interest very quickly. Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) perfected this tactic with Gmail a decade ago, and still uses it for new products like Google Inbox. Being an early adopter, I'm sitting on a few invites to that service as well.
But if I'm right, the OnePlus approach should be a bit different. This company isn't trying to drum up huge interest -- that's already in place. Instead, OnePlus is managing its ultra-tight product supply by keeping a stiff thumb on the nozzle of its supply hose.
Last month, OnePlus founder Carl Pei said that his company had shipped about 500,000 handsets, and was hoping to double that figure by the end of the year. Will this sharable invite promotion be the final push to reach that goal?
Look behind the smoke and mirrors
If you think OnePlus will drown in an avalanche of shared invites, let me assure you that many invites will go unused despite heavy demand on the handset buying side. For one, many OnePlus One owners can't, won't, or will plainly forget to share their invites. For another, receiving this golden ticket to low-cost, high-quality smartphone bliss is not at all the same as buying the phone.
Consider the case of the humble gift card. Theoretically just as good as cash in your pocket, an astonishing amount of purchased gift cards go unused. According to gift card sharing site Gift Card Granny, Americans spend about $30 billion on gift cards every year, mostly around the holidays. But more than $41 billion of gift card value went unclaimed and unused between 2005 and 2011, which amounts to about $7 billion a year. That's more than 20% of purchased gift card value going to waste -- or rather, becoming pure profit for the companies selling these cards.
Now take that 20% figure and modify it for the OnePlus One invite. Rather than free money, recipients are being asked to shell out $349 for a new smartphone, with no layaways or installment plans available. The sticker shock of far more expensive phones is often swept under the rug by chopping the sticker price up into manageable 24-month payment plans, and OnePlus doesn't do that.
And the invites have very short expiration dates. Buy now, or forever hold your peace. Many potential customers -- including those wishing and hoping for a OnePlus One invite -- will get cold feet as the invitation shows up in the middle of holiday shopping. Or maybe they decide that their old phones are good enough for now, or the invite gets picked up by an overly strict spam filter, or swamp gas from a weather balloon was trapped in a thermal pocket and reflected the light from Venus, and there's another invite going unused.
You get my point. The vast majority of these invites will not translate into OnePlus One handsets sold, especially since there are strict time limits on these invite tickets. This promotion may look like a massive volume booster, but is actually still a very tight trickle of expanded access.
So not much has changed, and OnePlus One will still be a very rare beast in 2014 -- and beyond. If you want one of these affordable handsets while they're available, be sure to ask a OnePlus One-wielding friend for an invite, muy pronto.
Anders Bylund owns shares of Google (A shares). The Motley Fool recommends and owns shares of Google (A and C shares). Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Economic Crisis Leads Customers to Want Home Services Bundled, Study Says16 Apr, 2009 By: Chris Tribbey
In these rough economic times, consumers are demanding more for less when it comes to their home connected services. And in an effort to keep their consumers happy, those offering subscription TV, Internet and phone services need to keep one word in mind: bundle.
A new report from research firm Yankee Group finds that consumers are more likely to keep services if they’re getting them from just one source, and new consumers can be drawn in by attractive deals that bundle services.
“We believe the deteriorating U.S. economy — and plummeting consumer confidence —will drive profound change in how people pay, and how much they pay, for these services,” wrote Christopher Collins, senior analyst for Yankee Group.
Progressively since 2006, Americans have spent more and more on subscription TV and Internet services, with cellular spending holding steady and landline services progressively dropping, according to the study. In total, the average American home is spending about $3 more per year on all connected services, for three years running, to a total of $226 annually in 2009.
Companies that offer all four services are the most likely to be attractive to consumers (according to 23% of survey respondents), the study said, and broadband Internet is the single-largest draw among all respondents (93%).
For more information about the report, visit www.yankeegroup.com.


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Poojara Telecom becomes the Official Associate Partner of Gujarat Giants in Pro Kabaddi League 2023
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], December 5: Poojara Telecom, a leading & one of the most trusted mobile & tech retailers in west India with 350+ experience stores across Gujarat, Maharashtra & Rajasthan, are proud to announce its association as an official partner of the Adani Sportsline-owned Gujarat Giants team in the Pro Kabaddi League 2023 (PKL). The PKL is India’s premier kabaddi league, attracting millions of viewers across the country.
The partnership with the Pro Kabaddi League reaffirms Poojara Telecom’s dedication to fostering a sense of unity, athleticism, and entertainment within the community. Kabaddi, being deeply rooted in Indian culture, aligns perfectly with Poojara Telecom’s values of connectivity and community engagement.
“We are excited to partner with the Adani Sportsline-owned Gujarat Giants team and support their journey in the Pro Kabaddi League season 10,” said Mr. Rahil Poojara, Director of Poojara Telecom. “Kabaddi is a great sport that promotes teamwork, agility, and fitness. We believe that this partnership will help us connect with our customers and promote healthy living in Gujarat.” He also added “Kabaddi holds a special place in the hearts of millions of Indians, and we believe in the power of sports to bring people together. This collaboration not only strengthens our commitment to the community but also allows us to connect with a diverse audience across the nation.”
“The Pro Kabaddi League is one of the best competitions in the country and it has helped elevate the profile of the sport. It is a story of dedication, hard work and enterprise, and of course entertainment. And the Gujarat Giants welcome on board Poojara Telecom as the Official Associate Partner, who have always displayed a penchant for putting all hands on deck while in pursuit of a goal. Our paths clearly have more than a common connect, and we are hoping this partnership stands the test of time,” said Sanjay Adesara, CBO, Adani Sportsline.
The partnership was stitched together by ITW Catalyst, “There was a natural synergy between Poojara Telecom and Gujrat Giants with both having the same commitment towards building community and connecting with the people of the country at a grassroot level, we at ITW always aim to create meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships and we are proud to have played part in executing this collaboration.” added Paroksh Chawla CEO, ITW Catalyst.
The Pro Kabaddi League, known for its high-octane action and widespread popularity, attracts a massive fan base across all age groups. Poojara Telecom’s association with the league is a testament to its dedication to connecting with diverse communities and contributing to the cultural fabric of India.
Entering its milestone 10th season, the Pro Kabaddi League stands as a dynamic force, securing its place as the second most-watched tournament in India. The league starts from 2nd December 2023 in Ahmedabad with 12 talented teams competing for the coveted trophy. The tournament kicks off with an exciting showdown as the Gujarat Giants take on the Telugu Titans in the opening game.
Poojara Telecom stands tall as the fastest-growing and most trusted mobile phone and tech retail chain across Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, boasting over 300 experience stores. Spearheaded by the visionary founder Shri Yogesh Poojara, the brand has flourished, amassing a loyal customer base of over 1 crore satisfied individuals across 28+ years of stable performance in the mobile retail industry. The team’s unified vision drives them to deliver personalized and innovative products and services. Upholding values of genuineness, honesty, transparency, and commitment, these principles are not just Poojara Telecom’s culture but also the pillars that support its growth.
For more information, visit – https://www.poojaratele.com/
If you have any objection to this press release content, kindly contact firstname.lastname@example.org to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 24 hours.
The post Poojara Telecom join hands with Gujarat Giants as Official Associate Partner in Pro Kabaddi League 2023 appeared first on OUR INDIA.


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Piazza del Quadrilatero at the Portrait hotel in Milan.20 October 2023
The Jimmy Nelson Studio is thrilled to announce the public exhibition of Jimmy’s art at the Portrait Milano, the city’s new premier luxury hotel, in the heart of Milan’s fashion district. This exciting open-air event will take place at the iconic Piazza del Quadrilatero, a prime location that is set to captivate both residents and visitors alike.
Portrait Milano, a haven of authentic experiences in the city center, is known for its commitment to celebrating art, culture, and creativity. The new walkway, a majestic Baroque gateway, serves as a vibrant connection between Corso Venezia and Via Sant’Andrea, guiding visitors through the splendid piazza, an undiscovered gem in Milan, that was closed to visitors until the recent opening of the hotel.


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20th January 2022, Kathmandu
Electric bikes made in Nepal have been exhibited by the Jaishnavi Group. Jaishnavi has launched the Yak bike in Nepal, in collaboration with Chinese electric two-wheeler maker Benelg.
Its goal is to create Nepal an environmentally friendly vehicle by lowering vehicle fuel consumption. The company’s slogan for these electric bikes is ‘Smart City, Smart Ride.’
The organization has stated that it will employ and train up to 500 people, with a focus on low-income and unemployed individuals.
The attempt to bring electric bikes to the Nepali market, according to Jaishnavi Group Chief Executive Officer John Khadka and Chairman Smriti Palikhe, will benefit both the economy and the environment.
“Environmental sustainability involves maintaining the environment and relying largely on the resources we use today, with the expectation that today’s resources will be spent on management,” Jaishnavi Group explained.
The company claims to have brought electric vehicles appropriate for Nepali soil with the intention of assembling them in Nepal to reduce petroleum imports.
The company has also come up with a plan to set up an electric charging hub in major places of Kathmandu Valley.


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Chinese beverage chain Luckin Coffee replaced founder and former chairman Charles Lu with its acting CEO, Guo Jinyi.
Luckin apologized to its employees for the upheaval following its fraud admission in early April, and on the same day removed its CEO and COO.
Luckin is being investigated in the US for defrauding investors amid pressing concerns to recoup a dropoff in sales as a result of Covid-19.
The default followed almost immediately after Luckin disclosed that its head of operations had fabricated billions of RMB worth of sales for most of 2019.
If the deal proceeds, Luckin founder Charles Lu and his family will receive up to HK$1.37 billion, likely to be put toward the company’s cash crunch.


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The Latest on Google's product event (all times local):
This week, the Gadget Lab team is taking a look at new products from HTC, Google and Amazon. Phones, apps and the (potential) destiny of your long-reading future. What more can you ask for?
Today, Tuesday October 4th is Google's biggest event of the year. Here's what you can expect: from Amazon competing devices, to new phones, and more.
The tech giant introduced two new phones, the 5-inch Pixel and the 5.5-inch Pixel XL, at a San Francisco keynote event Tuesday.
Google is expected to unveil its latest phones at an event in San Francisco, but a VR headset and Chromecast update could also be on the agenda.


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Three international food companies have taken steps to remove lead from candy sold in the United States and Mexico, as part of a settlement announced by prosecutors Thursday. The companies also agreed to pay nearly $1 million.
Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, who joined California state Attorney General Bill Lockyer in the litigation leading to the settlement, said it already had resulted in the reduction of lead in "Mexican-style" candy found in Los Angeles supermarkets.
"What we have accomplished through this litigation is nothing less than a fundamental shift in the way this candy is produced \u2014 a shift that will give untold hundreds of thousands of children a chance at a better life," Delgadillo said at a news conference announcing the settlement.
The agreement settles allegations that California's Proposition 65 was violated when consumers were not warned about dangerous amounts of lead in candy produced in Mexico by Effem Master foods, a subsidiary of Mars Corp.; Grupo Lorena, a subsidiary of Hershey Foods Corp., and Vero Cos.
The companies agreed to reformulate their products and to change manufacturing practices to keep lead out. In some cases, acidic contents of the candy caused lead in the packaging to leach into the treats, Delgadillo said.
Robert Falk, an attorney for the three companies, said they have taken steps to ensure that lead is not contaminating candy.
"The companies don't agree that any candy they ever sold would be associated with lead poisoning," he said.
High levels of lead can cause birth defects, learning disabilities, hearing loss and cancer. Delgadillo said 22 other candy makers are allegedly selling candy with unhealthy levels of lead, and they have been given permission to enter the settlement if they choose.
The nearly $1 million to be paid by the three candy makers will be used to help other companies conduct lead testing on their products.
The lead in brands of candy produced by the companies was brought to the attention of authorities by groups including the Environmental Health Coalition.
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Recent years has seen a boom in the demand for organic products as consumers become more aware and knowledgeable about nutrition, farming methods and its impact on the environment. One product, in particular, that has seen a huge surge in demand is organically sourced formula milk.
In response, one of the world’s leading and largest dairy cooperatives and experts, FrieslandCampina, is launching a new ultra-premium organic milk formula Organic FRISO PRESTIGE® BIO, and it has chosen Hong Kong to be the first market to launch the product.
Indeed, the growing demand for organically sourced formula milk products is not unique to Hong Kong. According to Innova, in 2019 alone, more than 5,000 organic Baby & Toddler products were launched globally representing a growth of 200 per cent compared to 2015. Organic milk formula was shown to lead the charge reflecting a growing interest amongst parents for organically sourced formula milk.
Added to this, according to FMCG Gurus, 20 per cent of people globally are looking for an organic statement when buying a product, and 36 per cent of them said that this would influence their purchasing behaviour. And of all the food categories, the Baby & Toddler category has shown the strongest growth in organic products launched over the past year.
CREATING AN ORGANIC PRODUCT
As such, FrieslandCampina decided to capitalise on its almost 150-year Dutch dairy heritage and expertise to create an organic product that not only gives parents peace of mind, but also ensures a good living for its farmers, while creating a sustainable natural environment for now and generations to come.
Mr. Berndt Kodden, President FrieslandCampina Specialised Nutrition said, “Organic solutions are crucial, but it is never easy to develop organic products and meet the stringent requirements of our unique from grass to glass process. Massive efforts have been contributed to ensure that our dairy farms and production plants are organically certified.”
When it comes to organic, the company isn’t just paying its customers lip service, empowered by its unique control from grass to glass, FrieslandCampina ensures that only the highest quality and best safety standards are applied throughout the entire global supply chain, from its own organic dairy farms right through to consumer distribution. And better yet, consumers are invited to be a part of this process through technology.
“As well as putting extra emphasis on the scientific benefits of our products in maintaining good immune system, we also focus on our innovative TrackEasy# to address consumers’ concerns on food safety and traceability,” Ms. Helena He, Managing Director of FrieslandCampina (Hong Kong) Limited said.
In a first of its kind, FRISO® TrackEasy# is a smart packaging that enables consumers to access and trace the complete product journey of Organic FRISO PRESTIGE® BIO from milk collection at its own organic farms in the Netherlands, right through to packaging, final quality checks, export permissions and all the way to the date of arrival, giving consumers great transparency and peace of mind regarding its products.
As a premier dairy farming company, FrieslandCampina prides itself on its organic farming practices.
“For generations, my family has been committed to working closely with nature,” said Mr. Pier Swierstra, the 4th generation member farmer of FrieslandCampina. “We practise organic farming so that we pass on only the best things to the next generation. We work hard every day to maintain a healthy and biodiverse ecosystem to nurture strong and healthy cows that produce natural and nutritious organic milk.”
Indeed, the family’s dairy cows enjoy a minimum living area of six square metres per head and permanent access to open air grazing areas if weather condition allows. Dairy cows are also given 100 per cent organic feed. Any preventive use of antibiotics, hormones, mineral nitrogen fertilisers or growth enhancers are therefore strictly prohibited thereby adhering to the EU organic certification standards. All these organic farms also choose to comply with Aanvullende Normen, additional stringent requirements initiated by Dutch organic dairy farmers themselves to guarantee the high standard for ecological dairy farming with an extra focus on animal welfare, use of medicines, outdoor grazing and biodiversity.
“This has contributed to a healthy ecosystem with rich biodiversity at FrieslandCampina’s organic dairy farms, enabling to achieve around 50 varieties of living things△,” Dr. Marchel Gorselink, Director Development FrieslandCampina Specialised Nutrition said.
While the brand has been working hard to sustainably develop an organic product that can meet rising consumer demand, it has also been mindful to respond to the way parents now shop. According to research company Nielsen, over 50 per cent of the people interviewed would shop online more frequently now compared to six to nine months before the pandemic started. As such, aside from the FRISO® Easyorder e-shop, the brand has also rolled out dedicated online promotions with major e-commerce platforms, while actively bringing the conversations online.
“We are the first milk formula brand in Hong Kong to leverage chatbot technology in conducting pre-natal classes and digitalising our engagement with healthcare practitioners,” Ms. He said.
Appropriate intake of growing-up formula can be part of a balanced diet.
Breastfeeding provides the best nutrition for healthy growth and development of babies.
#Trace every step of FRISO® products in the process from milk collection in own farms in the Netherlands, through packaging, final quality checks, export permissions and all the way to the date of arrival.
△Refer to the living species commonly seen in the Netherlands.


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In March 2018, 56% of skincare PR mentions were generated on YouTube…
In this week’s report, we look at PR mentions for the skincare category in the UK and Ireland. We analyse print and online for PR mentions as well as social media for social actions. The skincare category is the second biggest category after cosmetics and includes face care (non-medicated), body cream and lotions, lip salves, tanning, hand care, skincare gift packs, male face care, sun care, face care treatment, skincare hardware and baby care products.
Looking at March 2018, we focus on brands and retailers that have performed well and trends against key metrics such as mentions, earned media value (EMV) and social engagement.
This report highlights a clear trend for non-medicated face care products in March 2018. Light and easily absorbable moisturisers in particular have received a high number of mentions and engagement across all media channels. This comes as no surprise given that in March spring has finally sprung and the focus shifted to maintaining glowing and fresh-looking skin. This week’s report also presents the media’s favourite sunscreens – a selection of the best sun creams for hot and sunny spring days.


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Researchers exploring the flavour thresholds of orange juice have
made strides towards designing more precise flavour profiles for
better quality citrus juices that will ultimately cut costs for
beverage manufacturers and provide...
Duvel Moortgat, the Belgian brewing group, has sold its fruit juice
operation Freya's Deli Fruit to compatriot Konings for an
undisclosed sum, a move precipitated by the need for urgent
investment in the company.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has warned consumers
that any health or medical claims appearing on products containing
noni juice - extracted from the fruit Morinda citrofolia - are
A number of new ingredients targeting the bakery and beverage
markets in particular have been launched this month, helping bakers
improve volumes, reduce costs and lift product safety or improving
both the look and mouthfeel of juice...
Per capita consumption of juice in eastern Europe is a healthy 13
litres, well ahead of that in other emerging markets, but there is
still some way to go before consumption levels reach those in
western Europe. But with a number of...
The European Commission has announced a new set of measures to
limit the presence of the mycotoxin 'patulin' in fruit juices,
particularly apple juice, and other foods containing or derived
Nicotine-containing fruit drinks could soon be available as an
alternative for people trying to stop smoking, says a Los
Angeles-based firm, which has received exclusive rights to market


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[INSIDERS] The 5 Tech Info You Shouldn’t Miss
- Snap is going to spend $ 1 billion on Amazon’s cloud services.
- Alibaba is still hungry.
- A quarter of companies believe the data they collect is a major asset.
- Digital tools, less and less managed by IT departments.
- The nominations: Pradeep Sindhu, Jérôme Beaufils, Karen Noël, Eric Dessertenne…
Online workshop: Email Marketing: 5 predictions for 2017.
February 28 at 11 a.m., with Emarsys and Return Path.
Snap continues to grow in the cloud. The parent company of the ephemeral messaging application Snapchat plans to spend $ 1 billion on Amazon cloud services over the next five years. The deal will cost Snap $ 50 million this year. In the following years, the American company will increase its spending to reach 350 million dollars in 2021.
Separately, Snap has already reached a $ 2 billion deal with Google, also for the cloud, for the next five years. Going forward, Snap says it might choose to build its own cloud infrastructure. Snapchat’s parent company is expected to go public next month. On this occasion, Snap hopes to raise $ 3 billion to reach a valuation of around $ 25 billion.
Read also: Snapchat: a $ 3 billion IPO to fight back Instagram
After acquiring MoneyGram a few days ago, Alibaba is raising $ 3 billion in fees in the form of debt, according to the site. The Information and Bloomberg. This financing is done through its subsidiary Ant Financial, owner in particular of MyBank and AliPay. This money should enable it to make new acquisitions; the gaze turned towards the United States, where the giant made its last size catch.
Read also: Alibaba spends $ 880 million to seize US MoneyGram
At the heart of many business models, the use of data collected for strategic and marketing purposes is still in its infancy. Barely a quarter of companies indeed consider them to be major assets, while 65% of the data collected by companies is not used for analytical purposes at present. This is what emerges from the infographic “Analytics and customer knowledge: towards a data-driven business»Produced by IDC and Cohéris, a CRM and analytics software publisher.
Two-thirds of French executives find that digital tools are being managed less and less by IT departments, according to the results of a VM Ware study.
For 63% of the participants in the study, this phenomenon would encourage innovation within the companies concerned. A little more than half of them admit despite everything that the loss of control of IT experts over the tools used comes with an increased risk for the company.
Pradeep Sindhu becomes Chief Scientist at Juniper Networks
Pradeep Sindhu is stepping down as CEO of Juniper Networks, a start-up he co-founded, to become Chief Scientist. With this new function, he wants to free up the time to invest in his new start-up Fungible.
Jérôme Beaufils appointed director of tertiary activities and finance at Spie Ics
Spie Ics announces the arrival of Jerome Beaufils as director of tertiary activities and finance. As part of his new missions, he will be responsible for supporting the company’s customers. He was previously Deputy Director at Spie Ics subsidiary, Spie Cloud Services.
Karen Noël joins Partech Ventures as General Partner Legal and Operations
Karen Noel becomes General Partner Legal and Operations at Partech Ventures. She was previously a partner at Gide Loyrette Nouel.
Eric Dessertenne becomes Chief Operating Officer at Biocorp
Biocorp promotes Eric Dessertenne as Chief Operating Officer. He previously held the position of Head of Business Development & Commercial Operations.
February 28 at 11 a.m. with Emarsys and Return Path
Emarsys and Return Path combine their expertise for this webinar and unveil their 2017 email predictions.
You will discover in particular:
The new reading behaviors of your users
The various pitfalls to be expected to ensure maximum deliverability of your email campaigns
The preferred channels to complete your email campaigns.
Technological innovations in terms of personalization, interaction and performance optimization.
The evolution of email from a mass channel to an individualized channel.
To know more.
Submit your application online before March 10, 2016
A major innovation event for the common good, THE STOLEN ESCAPE is a do-tank whose ambition is to encourage useful and radical innovation in order to prepare for the next 15 to 20 years.
Each year, L’ÉCHAPPÉE VOLÉE welcomes a new promotion of Fellows, selecting a dozen projects that use technology in the service of the common good. With a community of more than 120,000 members, L’ÉCHAPPÉE VOLÉE has already supported three promotions of Fellows.
To know more.
Edgar People is looking for candidates (M / F) for a Digital Graduate Program
Will you graduate in a few months or have you had your first professional experience in digital? Do you dream of working in digital?
You have a taste for innovation and know how to offer simple and effective solutions to complex operational and technical problems.
Send us your CV to integrate a Digital Graduate Program in CDI within a renowned company which pursues its digital transformation at a sustained pace.
This program is a real career accelerator!
For example, you can participate in the management of a key project: from the design of the e-commerce site and the back office, to the operational implementation, or the validation of the assortment …, benefit from field experience and ” an apprenticeship in retail, benefit from the individualized support of a mentor throughout the program …


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As per the taxation conferences held below the GST Regulation 2017 by the finance ministry of the federal government of India and the corresponding states, gasoline is exempted from all applicable taxes. The products that take pleasure in this privilege under the GST Regulation embrace
Aviation Turbine Fluids
Based on the newest updates, the petroleum products are totally out of consideration by way of the applicability of VAT and other taxes. Also, it is predicted that with the implementation of the GST 2017, there could be a steep decline in the prices by around 20-30 %.


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New Jersey Blocks Direct Tesla Auto Sales
New Jersey became the third state in the country to block the sale of Tesla Motors’s electric vehicles on Tuesday.
New Jersey became the third state in the country to block the sale of Tesla Motors’s electric vehicles on Tuesday. The move comes in the form of prohibition of direct sales, as opposed to through independent auto dealers or franchises. Shares of the company dipped 1.85 points in response to the Motor Vehicle Commission's action.
A spokesperson for Governor Chris Christie said in a statement, “Since Tesla first began operating in New Jersey one year ago, it was made clear that the company would need to engage the Legislature on a bill to establish their new direct-sales operations under New Jersey law.” The commission that instated the block is composed of three members of Christie’s cabinet and four appointed by the governor.
Tesla currently only has two retail locations in the state to sell its $71,000 electric car, but New Jersey’s high population density and proximity to New York make it a potentially lucrative market. It’s a least far more lucrative than Arizona and Texas, where direct sales have also been banned.
Tesla Motors head Elon Musk described the company as blindsided by the expedited meeting that led to the rule’s passage. He wrote that it is “subverting the democratic process.”
In a blog post on its website, Tesla said:
Indeed, the Administration and the NJMVC are thwarting the Legislature and going beyond their authority to implement the state’s laws at the behest of a special interest group looking to protect its monopoly at the expense of New Jersey consumers. This is an affront to the very concept of a free market.
They also claimed that “we were only able to obtain information about today’s meeting with less than 24 hours notice and in direct contravention of assurances by the Governor.”
On the flip side of the argument is the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJCAR, haha, get it?) who are committed to protect the traditional dealership sales model. They spent $155,000 in lobbying efforts last year in attempts to block direct sales.
Maybe it's time to get started on that hyperloop.


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(NaturalNews) The immensely popular Facebook.com has banned NoStimulus.com, a site that offers an anti-stimulus pack petition. The website allows citizens to let their protests be heard by sending their outcries to their respective representatives, and it ran an ad to let Facebook users know about it. Facebook let it run initially, but it wasn`t until the advertisement started bringing many Facebook users to its site that Facebook suddenly disapproved them for violating advertising terms.
The terms Facebook accused them of violating were those pertaining to profane, offensive content. (You can check out the site for yourself and see if you agree: http://nostimulus.com). Facebook later claimed, however, that it pulled the ad because of "user complaints," neglecting to mention the violation of these terms whatsoever.
It makes you wonder why they haven`t pulled all the "vote Obama" ads off. Many people have been complaining about these ever since the presidential race got started.
But the fact is that the user complaints weren`t even about this particular ad. The complaints were being made about the ads that are using the stimulus pack headline to create a misleading commercial offer. These misleading ads offer a "stimulus check" to get people to sign up for commercial offers. Facebook has used this to excuse the fact that they banned NoStimulus.com as their spokeswoman responded by saying, "In this case, users informed us about misleading offers in many ads with promotions related to the U.S. economic stimulus package, we are in the process of removing ads with these types of misleading offers."
The problem with that excuse is that NoStimulus.com makes no such offers. In fact, they are a completely non-profit organization which simply offers people a place to protest the stimulus pack and sign the petition. And what`s shockingly worse about that excuse is the fact that the for-profit, "stimulus bill" ads like those of http://www.GrantWritingExpress.com and https://www.GrantConnectOffer.com are still running ads on Facebook! Facebook even admitted their fault, but not until after it was too late for the site to make its impact on congressmen.
What`s ironic is that Facebook pretends to be a place that promotes diversity and shuns intolerance. Apparently they embrace diversity and tolerance only when it doesn`t conflict with the accepted line of thought and politics.
But honestly, Facebook isn`t any different than the rest of the major mass media. The cause for Facebook`s censorship probably has something to do with their major sponsors being the ones who are getting the bill passed right now. In fact, one of the founders of Facebook actually resigned to work on Obama`s campaign.
It seems as if it`s become another propaganda tool to manipulate young college students.
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PERTH, Australia, KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia and BUFFALO, N.Y., July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Holista CollTech Limited ("Holista") has entered into a joint-venture partnership with Nadja Foods LLC ("Nadja Foods") -- headed by celebrity food expert, Nadja Piatka -- to promote its low-GI reducer for white bread and baked products for North America.
Holista and Nadja Foods have formed a 51-49 joint venture, Holista Foods ("Holista Foods"). Nadja Piatka -- a former guest on the Oprah Winfrey show and baked goods supplier to major food chains such as McDonald's and Subway -- will assume the post of CEO at Holista Foods with Dr. Rajen Manicka taking up a board seat.
Australia Securities Exchange-listed Holista announced on 12 January 2016 a breakthrough natural formula which, when added to white flour, dramatically reduces blood sugar levels without changing the taste or texture of the final product. It recorded a Glycemic Index ("GI") reading of 53 in tests at a leading University in Sydney, the lowest-ever recorded for a "clean-label" white bread.
Holista also achieved a GI reading of 48 for muffins – the lowest-ever clean-label reading for this product category -- at GI Labs, a nutrition research organization in Toronto, Canada.
Holista Foods will develop and market healthy low-GI baked goods for distribution to fast food companies, retailers, schools and hospitals. Its range of products currently includes white bread, muffins, croutons and brownies.
According to market research by Satistica, the baked goods market in North America is estimated at US$37 billion and growing at 2% a year.
Nadja Piatka, Founder and CEO of Nadja Foods, said: "Consumers are more educated on making healthy food choices and are waiting for products to meet this demand. As the low-GI movement gains traction, Holista's low-GI reducer will revolutionize North America's food industry without compromising taste and quality. After collaborating with Holista the last few months, I am honoured to launch Holista Foods and lead it as CEO."
Dr. Rajen Manicka, Chairman and CEO of Holista, said: "We are excited by this landmark partnership that cements our strategic positioning in North America, the world's largest market for baked goods. As a trusted brand and a preferred supplier to the world's biggest food companies, Nadja Foods is the best advocate of our low-GI products."
For more information:
SOURCE Holista CollTech


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Binance, which is the biggest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, is once again at the center of a scandal.
The Moskowitz Law Firm and Boies Schiller Flexner have filed a $1 billion civil lawsuit against Binance, its CEO Changpeng Zhao, and various celebrities and influencers, including NBA player Jimmy Butler, for allegedly promoting unregistered securities and duping investors.
The lawsuit alleges that Binance paid influencers to promote the exchange, including Butler, a nationally recognized “Brand Ambassador.” The lawsuit also names YouTubers and influencers Ben Armstrong and Graham Stephan as defendants who received compensation for referring users to Binance.
According to the lawyers who filed the lawsuit, Binance partnered with these influencers to promote the exchange and solicit new customers through traditional advertisements on television and social media.
The lawyers allege that Binance could not have achieved its great heights without the massive impact of these influencers, who hyped unregistered securities for payments of millions of dollars. The suit seeks $1 billion in damages after a year-long investigation.
The lawsuit was filed just days after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) separately filed suit against Binance, alleging that the company violated trading and derivatives regulations.
This is not the first time Binance has come under scrutiny for its sales tactics. Last year, the exchange faced backlash for allegedly creating fake trading volumes to attract users.
The lawsuit explicitly mentions Binance’s native token, BNB, which has a market cap of $48.8 billion and is the fourth largest digital asset.
The suit claims that BNB’s “burn rate,” the number of tokens taken out of circulation, is determined by Zhao, representing a classic example of a centralized exchange, which is promoting the sale of an unregistered security.
US authorities have increasingly been monitoring Binance and its operations. The exchange’s involvement with unregistered securities and its use of influencers to attract investors are concerning to regulators.
This latest lawsuit is likely to be a major blow to Binance’s reputation and could have serious financial implications if the allegations are proven true.


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Michael Leven named acting CEO until a permanent replacement is found
Publicly traded Sands China, the Macau arm of Las Vegas Sands, announced the departure of CEO Steve Jacobs.
The company didn't provide a reason, but The Wall Street Journal reported Las Vegas Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson has been critical of public comments Jacobs recently made about the possibility of expanding in Japan.
Michael Leven, chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands, was named acting CEO of the Hong Kong-listed company. He will work with a special committee of the Sands China board in selecting a permanent replacement.
J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Greff said in a research note that investors may be worried since most felt Jacobs was doing a good job.
Sands China owns the Venetian Macao, the Sands Macao and the Plaza Macao.
Sands China searches for new CEO
July 27, 2010


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International Trade Week 2023 will take place 6th-10th November. Building upon last year’s large success, there will be many in-person and online events for businesses to sign up to.
Events range across webinars that focus upon trade in specific countries, in-person events discussing expanding businesses globally, and advice from experts in a variety of sectors.
With an extensive selection to choose from, there will be relevant and vital knowledge for every business. Last year, thousands of businesses from the UK took part- and this year is set to be even bigger!
Sign up here


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Neel Kashkari, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President, believes the whole idea of cryptocurrency is “nonsense”. He said FTX’s case is not just the case of one fraudulent company in a serious industry.
Kashkari said the entire notion of crypto is nonsense. He highlighted that it’s not useful for payments, has no inflation hedge, no scarcity, and no taxing authority. The bank executive sees crypto as a tool of speculation and greater fools. But then, Kashkari has never been a fan or supporter of digital assets. He had previously described it as a giant garbage dumpster.
He had stated in August 2021 that Bitcoin and crypto were 95% fraud, hype, noise, and confusion. Kashkari said he has not seen any use case other than funding illicit activities like drugs and prostitution. Many officials and lawmakers have also expressed concerns about digital assets and the need for regulation. Fed Vice Chair Lael Brainard, earlier this week, said retail investors were taking losses and bemoaned a domino effect of one platform or firm’s failures, spilling over elsewhere.
The Fed’s vice chair for supervision, Michael Barr also warned that Congress needed to pass legislation with strong crypto guardrails to prevent future financial-stability risks. He said while some financial innovations offer opportunities, many innovations also carry risks. It includes runs on deposits, collapsing asset values, misuse of customer funds, fraud, theft, manipulation, and money laundering. Barr believes if the risks are not well controlled, they can harm retail investors and cut against the goals of a safe and fair financial system.


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New Haven Mayor Toni Harp is not discouraged by the state backing Hartford and Stamford’s bid for Amazon’s new headquarters that will house as many as 50,000 employees.
"We’d be a great place for Amazon," she told NBC Connecticut on Tuesday. "But we’re among at least 200 other cities in America that think that."
New Haven and Bridgeport are moving forward with submitting a joint proposal for Amazon’s second North American headquarters.
"We want to partner with anybody that wants to bring jobs and development to this part of Connecticut," Harp said.
The New Haven-Bridgeport region is better suited for the online giant because of location and transportation infrastructure like I-95, ports and the rail line, Harp said.
"We think that we are poised between Boston and New York," Harp said.
Over the phone, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim told NBC Connecticut "this region offers elements that will be critical for Amazon."
Another reason Harp said Amazon should consider this region is the number of colleges and universities, including Yale.
"Mayor Gamin and I went to speak with (Dept. of Economic and Community Development) Commissioner Smith and they’re going to use our world class university to try to get Amazon to come to these other places," Harp said."well, where better to come than where that university is."
Kate Gregory lives in North Haven, where Amazon is already building its third facility in the state, as it was first reported in June.
"You mentioned losing GE and Aetna," Gregory said. "It would be great to have a big company come into Connecticut and bring jobs that we lost."
Even if Amazon decides Hartford or Stamford would be a better destination, Harp said it would be a win for the state.
"Our entire state would be really benefit if any of our cities got this new headquarters," she said.
The submissions for the new Amazon headquarters are due next week on Oct. 19. NBC Connecticut will keep you posted if any cities in the state emerge as a serious contender.


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Montréal-based global fashion tech startup SSENSE is set to announce it has reached a valuation of $5 billion CAD following a minority investment from Sequoia Capital.
This represents the first round of external funding for SSENSE since it was founded in 2003. The size of the investment was not disclosed.
“We are thrilled to become the first outside investor and partner with SSENSE.”
SSENSE is an e-commerce retailer specializing in the sale of designer fashion and high-end streetwear. The company also creates what it calls cultural content that highlights its retailer offerings. The company was created by three brothers Rami, Firas, and Bassel Atallah.
“SSENSE was founded on the principles of challenging convention and using our platform to amplify the voices that are changing the way we see the world,” said CEO Rami Atallah.
“We’ve found a like-minded partner who shares our belief in pushing boundaries as we advance in our next stages of growth,” he said, in a statement to BetaKit. “Together, I’m confident we’ll strengthen the strategic, operational, and technological foundations to achieve our bold aspirations.”
SSENSE claims to have achieved high double-digit annual growth and profitability since its inception. Reporting an average of 100 million monthly page views, the majority of SSENSE’s audience is between the ages of 18 to 40.
“Under the leadership of brothers Rami, Firas, and Bassel Atallah, SSENSE has emerged as one of the leading online fashion platforms connecting brands with Millennials and Gen Z consumers around the world,” said Neil Shen, steward of Sequoia Capital as well as founding and managing partner of Sequoia Capital China.
“We are thrilled to become the first outside investor and partner with SSENSE,” he added.
As part of the deal with Sequoia, venture partner for Sequoia Capital China, Angelica Cheung, is joining SSENSE’s board of directors. SSENSE plans to use the capital to further its global expansion goals. The company has a noted interest to accelerate its move into China.
“Sequoia is excited to support SSENSE in its continued global expansion and China acceleration,” said Shen. “The partnership represents another solid step in our efforts in supporting the fashion industry’s digitalization, backing visionary founders to transform and elevate the global fashion e-commerce experience to a new level.”
With 49 years in the investment landscape, Sequoia’s portfolio companies are said to have an aggregate, public market value of over $3.3 trillion. Its investments span the likes of Apple, Google, Oracle, PayPal, LinkedIn, Stripe, Instagram, Yahoo, and WhatsApp. Sequoia Capital China has backed the likes of Alibaba, Didi, and DJI.


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Affordable solar panel and battery storage systems have officially been launched in the UK by one of the largest retailers, IKEA.
Working with Solarcentury, one of the oldest and most trusted solar companies, they aim to give everyone the chance to invest in solar power technology for their homes, with prices starting from as little as £3,000.
As it stands, most homes with solar panels will use 40% of the energy generated and then sell the excess back to the grid – that is a 60% energy loss! Although some homeowners can benefit from the feed-in tariff, it isn’t as much as the energy is worth.
However, wouldn’t it be better if you could use all of the energy your home has generated?
Solar Energy Batteries
IKEA says that by using batteries, homeowners could cut their bills by up to 70% and become more self sufficient. The batteries installed would be LG Chem with 3.3 kWh, and when fully charged, it would be the same as running 200W of lighting for 14.5 hours.
The average installation time for solar panels and a battery storage system is estimated 1-2 days, with the average installation system size being 6 solar panels, covering 6sq metres.
Battery storage works by allowing you to store that excess energy generated and use it to power your home whenever you want, ultimately meaning you are less reliant on buying energy from the national grid.
IKEA and Solarcentury aren’t just offering their battery to new customers without any existing solar power, but also to those who have solar panels already installed and want to take their energy efficiency to the next level.
How to save money with solar panels and battery storage
With energy bills increasing by 15% this year, more and more customers will be thinking about how they can save money, while not having to reduce their daily energy usage and sacrifice their everyday routine.
The government has also announced its plan to invest £246m in battery technology, recognising the real need for more sustainable options for homeowners to save money and make a difference with renewable energy.
IKEA have said that every household could save up to £560 on their electricity bills every year when using a battery alongside their solar panels, compared to those homes without a battery storage that will only save up to £380.
The IKEA cost
Batteries are not the cheapest household item to invest in, but they are perfect for getting the most out of your solar panels and saving money on your bills.
Those with solar panels already can have a battery system installed into their homes for £3,000. If you choose to install both solar panels and a battery system for your home, prices start from £6,925.
After installing a full solar and battery system, it will take you an estimated 12 years to pay off the cost of £6,925, based on an average annual home consumption of 3,300kWh.
Energy efficiency for every home
“At IKEA we’re always looking for ways to help customers take positive actions at home for both the environment and their wallets. We know that our customers want to live more sustainably and together with Solarcentury, we will help them to get more value from their solar panels and do just that.” Says Hege Saebjornsen, Country Sustainability Manager for IKEA UK & Ireland.
Battery storage for solar energy is not seen as widely available to every consumer, but IKEA is set to change that with their latest partnership, making it affordable for the many, not just the few.
Did you know that the government cut the fed in tariff for solar panels by up 87% in 2016? Read on to find out more…Back to blog


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Circular Plastics Case Competition Plans to Enhance Recycled PET Availability
- 16-Jan-2024 2:32 PM
- Journalist: Motoki Sasaki
The Circular Plastics Case Competition, now in its second iteration, is making a comeback, presenting a platform for emerging business professionals to revolutionize the plastics value chain. Organized by non-profit organization Net Impact in collaboration with Hillenbrand Inc and The Coca-Cola Company, this competition challenges participants to devise innovative solutions that keep plastics within the economy, reducing environmental impact.
In the current competition cycle, participants are tasked with exploring strategies to enhance the supply of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET). The organizers anticipate that the proposed solutions will address the existing challenges in rPET supply, primarily driven by low recycling rates influenced by declining prices and profitability.
As the March 29 submission deadline approaches, teams comprising two to five members, including undergraduate and graduate students, as well as professionals from across the globe, are invited to participate. However, businesses and startups with a current valuation or capital raised exceeding $100,000 are excluded. The finalists will receive guidance from expert mentors to refine their presentations before virtually presenting to a panel of experts at NPE in May. The winning team will secure a $10,000 prize, with $2,500 for second place and $1,000 for third place.
Kim Ryan, the President and CEO of Hillenbrand, conveyed the underlying objective of the competition, stating that they had initiated the competition with the goal of involving the next generation in thinking creatively and devising solutions that advocate for a circular plastics economy. Ryan highlighted the inspiration drawn from the innovative ideas presented in the first challenge and looks forward to witnessing the participants build on that momentum to make a tangible impact.
The inaugural edition of the competition centered around designing solutions to keep plastics within the economy and prevent environmental leakage by employing upstream innovation to reduce plastic waste. Drawing more than 50 submissions from 10 countries worldwide, the competition showcased the global interest in fostering sustainability in the plastics industry.
The victorious entry in the first competition was Ashaya, an Indian-based startup tackling the issue of post-consumer multi-layer plastic commonly found in chip packets. Ashaya transforms this plastic into new products, with recycled sunglasses being the initial venture. The success of Ashaya underscored the competition's potential to identify and support groundbreaking solutions with real-world applications.
As the Circular Plastics Case Competition embarks on its second round, it aims to harness the collective creativity and ingenuity of participants to address the pressing challenge of rPET supply. By fostering collaboration and innovation, this competition serves as a catalyst for the next generation of business professionals to contribute meaningfully to the transition towards a circular plastics economy, aligning with global sustainability goals. The competition's impact extends beyond a mere contest, offering a platform for transformative ideas and initiatives that hold the promise of reshaping the future of plastics in a more sustainable direction.


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GoPro is making a drone and a six-camera virtual reality device
GoPro CEO Nick Woodman announced two new products on stage on stage at Re/code’s Code Conference on Wednesday: A six-camera system for shooting spherical videos and a quadcopter.
Business Insider http://read.bi/1RqCo1n
Opinions & Analysis
How Google and Justin Lin Are Reinventing Movies For Mobile (Exclusive)
A day after leaving the “Fast and Furious” franchise, Justin Lin got a curious phone call. Lin, who had directed four of the street racing-themed action movies, was asked by Google to collaborate on a very different kind of film project: one that would be available only on mobile phones, and force him to give up a huge amount of creative control. “I couldn’t have asked for a better challenge or medium,” Lin recalled during an interview this week.
Streaming Video News
Netflix Bandwidth Usage Climbs to Nearly 37% of Internet Traffic at Peak Hours
Subscription-video leader accounts for more usage than YouTube, Amazon and Hulu combined in North America during primetime, according to Sandvine
Suddenlink Inks Hulu Deal to Stream Service via Set-Tops, While Not Carrying Viacom Nets
Midsize cable operator Suddenlink Communications was unable to reach a deal to distribute Viacom’s suite of 24 networks — but it has just clinched a pact with Hulu to offer subscribers access to the Internet TV service’s premium VOD service.
Facebook to Host Time Inc.’s Fortune Video-Interview Series with Biz Leaders
Facebook, adding another media partner to its burgeoning video strategy, is working with Time Inc.’s Fortune, which is launching a interview series with CEOs and other business bigwigs on the social-media giant’s service.
Backlash Brewing Against Binge TV as ‘Orange Is the New Black’ Creator Speaks Out
On May 28, NBC will jump on the binge-viewing bandwagon, releasing the entire 13-episode first season of Aquarius online while also airing the David Duchovny period drama each week on linear TV. NBC entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt proclaimed that the move — a first for a broadcast network — would “push some new boundaries” and give audiences what they want. But NBC may be serving up the binge just as Hollywood is beginning to ask: Have viewers had their fill?
Netflix Says Streaming Is Greener Than Reading (or Breathing)
Netflix says it’s green — really, really green. So green, in fact, that it says you should stream House of Cards instead of eating a hamburger, reading a book, or breathing.
CMO Today: Why Networks Want to Own Their Shows
THE PRODUCERS: Broadcast networks have always hoped their new fall programming lineups produce a hit or two. Now, they increasingly want those hits to come from the studios controlled by their parent companies.
The Lenovo Cast is a $49 Chromecast competitor
Lenovo has announced its own media streaming device, the Lenovo Cast. Like Google’s Chromecast, it connects to your TV over HDMI and serves as a quick way to beam content like photos and videos from your phone to the bigger screen. Unlike the tiny Chromecast, though, it takes a more traditional puck form factor along the lines of the Apple TV; it’s 70mm across and 15mm high.
The Verge http://bit.ly/1HPayXX
Adult Swim Dives Into Virtual Reality Space With Virtual Brainload App
Adult Swim, the cable network known for animation, comedy and general oddness, is leaping headfirst into virtual reality by launching its Virtual Brainload app on Tuesday available for free download on Google Play.
A tale of two ad products: YouTube’s shoppable ads vs. Google’s click-to-buy button
As the number of Google’s desktop searches declines, the engine has turned its sights on mobile. This month, Google rolled out two new mobile ad products to facilitate faster m-commerce sales: click-to-buy buttons in search and shoppable ads on YouTube videos.
Silicon Valley Races to Make TV the Next Frontier for Apps
After many misfires, Silicon Valley is once again betting it can transform television — this time by letting TVs run apps as diverse as those on smartphones.
Jerry Seinfeld, Online Force
“I’m a pimp. I’m a pimp.” Though these words were coming from an unlikely source, they were unmistakably uttered by Jerry Seinfeld, his excitable voice rising and falling like a car alarm. Working in an editing suite at the Brill Building earlier this month, Mr. Seinfeld was fine-tuning a new episode of his online series, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” recording audio for a segment in which he and Steve Harvey cruise around Chicago in a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible.
Indian music streaming service Gaana hacked, millions of users’ details exposed
Indian music streaming service Gaana, which has over 7.5 million monthly visitors, has been comprised by a hacker and its user information database is now exposed.
The Next Web http://tnw.co/1ckGzvK


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Wired has recently covered a ‘drop shipping’ predicament which is literally polluting e-commerce in an article titled “It’s bullshit”.https://www.wired.co.uk/article/dropshipping-instagram-ads
You may be wondering why does Wired magazine care about someone making money online? If someone is willing to buy a product, that should be OK? Right?
It’s important to highlight the fact that technology is now allowing pretty advanced product visualization, which is far removed from the real thing. Those running the sale machine say they don’t even see the product that is being shipped. There is zero quality assurance. If you are reading this, you are most likely quite sophisticated in how the digital world works. A quick search for the product shows it’s on Alibaba for a fraction of the price – minus the attractive backgrounds.
However under current lock-down, many consumers are for the first time buying products advertised on Facebook. Weeks go by, and by the time you receive your disappointing item – the money you have paid is spent on more advertising.
Apart from the less digitally savvy shoppers, the main issue is with pollution.
It’s not just about the planet – with every product coming with an air mile burden attached to it. There is also the fact that many products are going in the bin due to poor quality. (More on that in the May blog)
There is another kind of pollution to take into account. The commerce kind. With many of the drop-shippers being disproportionately active on the platforms like Shopify, it’s affecting all the beloved artisans and real product developers and small business owners who are genuinely offering wonderful products.
Those contrary to drop-shippers are focusing on developing the product and are looking at online as an alternative to a store to survive the lock-down.
I agree with Wired and hence why I decided to provide my take on the subject. Like Wired, at Flow City, we are passionate about the quality, value as well as innovative engineering.
I trust that the consumers will show their position loud and clear. I am full of optimism for the quality of local brands and I believe that the public will vote with their feet and money.
Let us use the post lock-down time to stop and appreciate the story of the Product Builder and the journey behind that product before it reaches us.


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Release Date Confirmed: Off-White x Air Jordan 5Release: 15 February 2020
In the past month or so, we've seen Off-White reveal their upcoming Air Jordan 5, we've seen official looks, and then we've seen closer looks. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, 2020 is definitely the year of the Air Jordan 5. Virgil Abloh's Off-White have decided to pay homage to the OG 'Metallic' version of the AJ5 and have also put their own little twist on the model in the form of the usual zip ties and branding.
While release dates have been rumoured and thrown around loosely, we have now received confirmation from Team Swoosh of a drop date. ,If you're after these bad boys, prepare for an all-out war and suss Nike retailers on February 15.


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The latest push to regulate the Internet wants to save people from what they say about themselves on social media sites. But with Facebook approaching 500 million users, the people have spoken. Whatever our views about privacy used to be, social media sites have radically changed our expectations.
Privacy advocates this month filed a complaint against Facebook with the Federal Trade Commission, but would-be regulators need to recognize something unusual about privacy expectations on social media sites: The entire reason to use these sites is to trade privacy for other benefits.
Some people give up information about themselves to find long-lost friends or to share pictures—there are some 48 billion photos on Facebook, making it the world's largest photo archive. Others use sites like Twitter to find links to news stories their friends find interesting or to see what colleagues think about the Senate finance-reform bill.
The enormous popularity of these sites—more than 25% of people who browse the Web have been on Facebook during the past month—suggests a sharp break with how we used to understand privacy, as users are making different trade-offs now that technology lets us share information and decide with whom. Constantly updated access to networks of friends and colleagues provides enough benefits to overcome some privacy concerns.
This process is a reordering of a worldview that grew up over the centuries making privacy one of the great rights. In the late 19th century, Louis Brandeis objected to the new media of the era, such as photography and mass newspapers, and proposed a "right to be left alone." Laws including libel and consumer protection were intended to protect reputations and anonymity.
Facebook has been around for only six years, since Mark Zuckerberg founded the service in his Harvard dorm room. He thinks social media have changed how we think about information. "People have really gotten comfortable not only sharing more information and different kinds, but more openly and with more people," he said at a technology conference earlier this year. "That social norm is just something that has evolved over time."
Indeed, a review of recent Facebook history is a time line of changing expectations of privacy. In 2006, Mr. Zuckerberg added a new feature, News Feed, which lets people check for updates by their friends in one convenient place instead of having to visit the profiles of each friend. Many Facebook users, then limited to students, objected that this made it too easy to follow what they posted. Privacy advocates predicted the end of Facebook.
Instead, people got used to it. In 2008, Mr. Zuckerberg told journalist Clive Thompson that the News Feed was an example of "just social norms catching up with what technology is capable of." Today this feed is among the more popular ways people monitor each other's thoughts, activities and what they're reading. Twitter similarly serves this need, which sociologists call "ambient awareness."
Regulators in Washington and Europe are agitating for rules that would somehow define privacy for this new medium. It's true that Facebook has an economic incentive to gather as much information as possible about its users to help advertisers eager to promote goods and services used by friends. The site this year posted more banner ads than any other.
Facebook is also criticized for making it too hard for people to control who sees what about them, with confusion over the levels of privacy defined as "Friends, Friends of Friends, or Everyone." Competitor MySpace (which, like this newspaper, is owned by News Corp.) recently said it will simplify its privacy settings.
As an information medium, the Web has a self-correcting feature more effective than government regulation. A website called YourOpenBook.org searches publicly available Facebook posts to make a point: "Our goal is to get Facebook to restore the privacy of this information, so that this website and others like it no longer work." A search for "stupid boss" yields many posts by people sounding off under their real names.
Other sites, with names like SaveFace and ReclaimPrivacy, offer tools to reset privacy settings to limit access. A new study by the Pew Internet Project found that young people are now more diligent than older people in protecting their reputations online.
In the 1960s, academic Alan Westin analyzed the then-new issue of consumer privacy and data protection. His definition of privacy focused on the ability to choose between controlling information and sharing it. Privacy, he said, is the right of individuals to "control, edit, manage, and delete information" about themselves, and to "decide when, how, and to what extent information is communicated to others."
Technology now allows people to set their own balance between privacy and the benefits of disclosing information. Social media sites should make it as easy as possible to adjust this dial, but regulations can't possibly replace the individual privacy preferences of hundreds of millions of people being social online.


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Gas prices rose to over $ 3 per gallon, their highest level since late 2014 when the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline squeezed supplies.
The price hike precedes what is expected to be a busy summer cruising season, with reopenings and pent-up demand fueling consumer travel.
However, Mark Tepper, president of Strategic Wealth Partners, doesn’t expect this to fail summer road trips.
“If you think about it, a family of four has received over $ 10,000 from the government over the past year. On July 1, they are paid $ 300 per month per child, so you know an additional $ 100 per child for a month or so that they pay at the pump is really nothing in the grand scheme of things, considering what’s going on, “Tepper told CNBC’s” Trading Nation “on Wednesday.
Tepper added that rising airline prices could also force consumers to take road trips via flying to vacation destinations.
“The company I like here is Six Flags. I like the regional amusement park game over the destination parks like Disney and SeaWorld. I think they’re easier to get to, you can go there, you can go on a day trip, you can go for a weekend “said Tepper.
Shares in Six Flags, a park operator valued at $ 3.5 billion, are up 21% in 2021, more than double the earnings for the broader market. Tepper said the stock has room to grow.
“Six Flags is trading at a discount, and I really think expectations and earnings revisions for these people will keep rising over the next few quarters, so I think it’s a buy here,” he said.
According to FactSet, the company is projected to post a loss of 82 cents per share in fiscal 2021, which is less than the pandemic loss of nearly $ 5 per share in 2020. In 2022, earnings are projected to be $ 1.92 per share.
Gina Sanchez, CEO of Chantico Global and chief market strategist at Lido Advisors, likes Six Flags in the short term but says that another game at the amusement park is a better choice in the long term.
“Disney has a few other legs to offer besides the park game as they also have Disney Plus and many other elements in their business,” Sanchez said in the same interview. “We think it’s still attractive because the prospects for these destination parks are still pretty bleak. … Disney was the hottest park in the world before Covid. I think it will still be the hottest park after Covid.”
Disney will report the win after the bell on Thursday. Analysts expect a profit of 26 cents per share compared to 60 cents per share in the previous year. The parks and experiences segment accounts for 23% of total sales.
Disclosure: Lido holds Disney.
Disclaimer of Liability


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Food delivery companies in France have agreed to sign a charter to prevent subcontracting of work to illegal migrants after the French government urged companies to tackle the issue.
Delivery platforms including Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Frichti have all agreed to sign the new charter, which calls for strengthening and harmonizing the ability of the companies to combat those subcontracting their accounts to illegal immigrants or those using false identities.
The companies have agreed to perform monthly checks on their delivery drivers, which must present their identity documents along with identity checks when the account has had a delivery turnover of 5,000 euros and drivers will be made to take weekly selfies to prove their identities, Le Figaro reports.
According to the French Ministry of Labour, several hundred fake accounts have already been identified and deactivated since the government began discussions on how to tackle illegal immigrants using the platforms, while Uber Eats claims it deletes between a few dozen and 300 fake accounts per month out of its estimated 50,000 drivers.
Illegal Migrant Uber Eats Delivery Man Arrested for Rape https://t.co/Rpx5GkBKlG
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) August 14, 2019
Illegal immigrants have been involved in food delivery services for years, with some claiming that couriers have exploited illegal immigrant workers by renting their accounts to them. A 26-year-old illegal from Bangladesh was arrested in Bordeaux in 2019 after being accused of raping a woman while delivering food for Uber Eats.
The migrant arrived at the victim’s apartment at just after 3 in the morning and forced his way in, raping the woman, who had previously taken a sleeping pill.
In other countries, illegal migrant delivery driver numbers have soared, such as Belgium where the majority of food delivery drivers in Brussels are said to be illegal immigrants.
Nada Ladraa, a leader for the Christian Workers’ Movement, blamed the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic for the large number of illegals in delivery work, saying illegals were taking jobs others did not want to do.


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BIThe long-awaited Oculus Rift virtual reality headset begins shipping on March 28, the company announced Wednesday.
Oculus VR priced the Rift at $600 — even though operating the device actually costs much more than that. But at that price point, you get more than just the headset.
Here's what every Oculus Rift customer gets in their $600 package:
First, you get the headset itself. You can use it to play games, watch interactive movies, or visit people or destinations in virtual reality.
The Rift comes with a pair of built-in headphones that boast immersive 3D audio, meaning you'll feel sounds coming at you from all directions like you would in real life.
The headset also has a built-in microphone so you can communicate with friends for games and other activities.
It also comes with a digital "sensor," which sits in front of you while wearing the Rift. It's designed to track your head and body movements in virtual reality.
Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey says the Rift also comes with a wireless adapter for the controller so you don't need to be tethered by wire to your PC to play games.
And finally, everything comes in this beautiful carrying case. Oculus built special cases like this for its first developer kits, but Luckey says the case "is coming back, and doper than ever!"
You can pre-order your Oculus Rift here right now.


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As CBS executives continued to express confidence that combined subscriptions to its CBS All Access and Showtime over-the-top (OTT) streaming services will hit 25 million by 2022, it still makes sense for the company to keep them separate direct-to-consumer (DTC) offerings, according to Wolfe Research analyst Marci Ryvicker.
“Keeping these products separate but OFFERING a bundled price (eventually) is probably the most efficient, most flexible and most consumer-friendly alternative,” she said in a research note May 2, after CBS reported results for the first quarter of fiscal 2019 (ended March 31) and company executives expressed a similar position to Ryvicker’s on an earnings call.
After all, she said: “DTC is all about choice – don’t start forcing DTC products that people don’t want. That is what is killing the cable bundle in the first place.”
But “it would be in CBS’ best interest to take a page out of the Disney playbook and break out their digital investment spending (and revenue for that matter),” MoffettNathanson analyst Michael Nathanson said in a research note May 3. “As was the case after Disney’s investor day, more clarity around CBS’ core performance versus their direct-to-consumer investing would result in … material upside to the stock price” of CBS, he said.
Despite reporting stronger overall revenue and profit for Q1 than a year ago, the 11% increase of revenue to $4.17 billion that CBS reported was weaker than analysts had expected, and company shares were down 1.9% at $49.46 in afternoon trading May 3. Entertainment revenue grew to $3.18 billion from $2.75 billion, while local media revenue increased to $457 million from $415 million and publishing revenue inched up to $164 million from $160 million.
However, cable networks revenue fell to $552 million from $571 million. The company reported profit grew to $1.58 billion ($4.21 a share) from $511 million ($1.32 a share).
Combined CBS All Access and Showtime OTT subscriptions had increased so quickly that CBS early this year boosted its projection for subscribers to 25 million by 2022 from its prior forecast of 16 million by that year.
In the first quarter, DTC subscriptions were up 71% year-over-year, Joseph Ianniello, CBS president and acting CEO, said on the May 2 earnings call. He also expressed little concern over the new streaming video service that Apple recently announced.
“Our two main services, CBS All Access and Showtime, will be anchors for this platform from the outset,” he said, adding: “We’ve already had great success offering our direct-to-consumer services on Amazon, Roku, Hulu and others. And now with Apple getting into the game, we’ve added another distribution powerhouse that will make our content available to even more consumers, which allows our services to grow even faster. So, between our content investment and our expansion onto new platforms, we feel even better today than we did just a quarter ago about reaching our target of 25 million direct-to-consumer subs in 2022.”
CBS has also “already been at this since 2014, so we’ve already been competing against Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, YouTube, HBO this entire time as we’ve been building our service and exceeding our expectations on sub growth,” Jim Lanzone, CBS chief digital officer and CBS Interactive CEO, said during the Q&A. He added: “So, we definitely have a position in that market that’s unique and we definitely feel good about it regardless of who’s coming into the space.”
Asked why, in light of the competition, CBS doesn’t combine Showtime OTT and CBS All Access into a bundle or different package, Lanzone told analysts: “We already offer these as upsells to each user base, so you can already get one service as part of the other. And just – so far, to date — the user bases are differentiated somewhat. It’s not that they couldn’t come together in the future — they could — and we could add more content to that internal bundle.”
Another important reason why CBS isn’t combining the two DTC services now is that “the consumer wants optionality,” Ianniello said, adding: “We’re giving the consumer optionality. They can certainly today buy them together for a discount, and we offer that to them. But [for] some who don’t want to spend in the teens or dollars and only want to spend $5.99, we’re going to give them that choice. Consumers want choice, convenience and control…. So we’re serving that up to them and they will decide. And so, if we combine them, we think we actually could have less subscribers.”
The company’s 25 million DTC subscriber target doesn’t include its international services, “where we continue to increase our footprint,” Ianniello said earlier on the call, noting CBS launched All Access in Canada a year ago and followed it up with All Access in Australia last fall. “Next up we will launch our direct-to-consumer services in Latin America and Western Europe, two regions where we see high growth potential and strong interest in our premium content,” he said. Noting that there’s “nearly 7.5 billion people living outside” the U.S., he said: “The international marketplace presents a huge opportunity for further long-term growth.”
The 25 million domestic subscriber target also “excludes the growth we’re seeing at our ad-supported streaming services” CBSN, CBSN Local, CBS Sports HQ and ET Live, which are a big part of our future as well,” he said, adding: “We will be launching our second local version of CBSN in Los Angeles this quarter, followed by Boston and San Francisco later in the year. So, we are well-positioned in both” the subscription video on demand (SVOD) and ad-based video on demand (AVOD) marketplaces and “we are expanding on platforms locally, nationally and internationally,” he said.
CBS, this year, is “on track to invest more than $8 billion in programming, which positions us competitively with any player in the marketplace,” he also said, adding the company is “confident that increasing our investment in premium content will continue to be the best way to drive revenue growth, led by our fastest growing opportunity, direct-to-consumer streaming.”


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Supermarkets are going to be forced to adapt to using a range of delivery methods to meet sustainability goals, according to a Sainsbury’s executive.
Speaking at the eDelivery stage at InternetRetailing Expo, online operations development manager Max Conrad said the time when one solution would fit all delivery situations had passed due to a combination of legislation and customer pressure.
Conrad said the diesel van had until now been effective at meeting the requirements of an extremely complex business.
“We’re trying to deliver three different temperatures of products in a five-minute window, offering tens of thousands of products and our drivers are brand ambassadors.”
However, this was changing. Conrad cited the proliferation of low emission zones in areas of the UK including London and Oxford as one pressure, alongside increasing demand from customers for sustainability.
“Customers will switch out of your brand if they don’t see it as environmentally friendly,” he said.
He highlighted statistics showing how other sectors have made “substantial strides” in reducing emissions while transport has not. This is important because transport is becoming the retailer’s responsibility, he says.
The supermarket has run trials of electric bicycles with ecargobikes.com but also examined more efficient ways to use existing delivery infrastructure. One of these was green delivery slots, where a customer can select a slot where a van was already in the area in order to make the delivery more efficient.
Other initiatives have included generating solar energy through panels on the roofs of stores as well as switching all lights to LEDs.
Conrad highlighted a range of solutions including hybrid vehicles, electric vans, hydrogen fuel cells and electric bicycles but noted that many of them have limitations. For example, there are no commercially viable hybrid vans on the market while bikes have more limited payloads and may mean more journeys. The diesel van might still have a place delivering to the Scottish highlands but not in central London.
“But now we will need a mixture of delivery solutions potentially from the same location or serving different territories.
“That’s what we have to get our heads round. How do we do this without creating another level of complexity? It’s not just practical but algorithmic.”