n.244

Mango targets premium clothing in the US to avoid duties


Mango, which aims to reach EUR 4 billion in sales by 2026, said on Monday it would increase sales by 7.6 per cent in 2024 to EUR 3.33 billion. Net profit rose 27 per cent to EUR 219 million. After opening its first flagship shop in New York in 2022, the retailer plans to open more than 60 shops in the States between 2024 and 2025. The company aims to have the US among its top three markets by next year, and Ruiz added that he sees "huge potential for growth", the kind he doesn't see in Russia (after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Mango relocated the 55 shops it had in Russia under franchise)... .. is nevertheless considering a range of higher quality, more 'trendy' clothing and accessories for the US market, said Ruiz - recalling the label's upgrade strategy for its premium positioning in the States. Higher priced items generally have a higher profit margin, which makes it easier to absorb the additional costs.

Non-food
 

n.241

Europe’s borders could change: Greenland elections, centre-right, sovereignist and independence opposition wins


Source. Read more about Russia cuts gas to Transnistria to destabilise Moldova and seeks to extend its influence over states on the NATO border. The news is confirmed by Le Monde, which points out that in a report published on 28 February, the Danish intelligence service (PET) warned of attempts by foreign countries to influence the elections in Greenland. The report mentions Russia, but also the United States, alarmed by the 'dissemination of false information, particularly by American politicians, opinion leaders and influencers'

 

n.239

Amazon and robots


Since acquiring Kiva in 2012 (later renamed Amazon Robotics), Amazon has steadily increased the number of robotic systems in its warehouses, investment in robots and AI systems will be a major part of the $100bn the company will invest this year, suppliers of these systems include companies such as ABB🇨🇭 and Fanuc🇯🇵. The increase in robots is intended to increase productivity, speed up delivery times and reduce the number of monotonous, low-value-added tasks performed by humans. Morgan Stanley estimates that the continued implementation of these systems will generate $10bn in savings by 2030. Source: Inglobando

Amazon
 

n.238

Bird flu: layoffs in US federal agencies disrupt health crisis monitoring


With 978 herds of cows infected with the virus in the past year, the mass dismissals of federal employees followed by equally brutal attempts to rehire them raise fears of disruptions in the monitoring and management of the crisis...' Blocking information at the level of the US Department of Agriculture would be dramatic because it would raise questions about the American strategy, which is a major poultry and dairy producing country,' warns Gilles Salvat, deputy director general of the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Labour Health Safety, responsible in France for the epidemiological surveillance of animal diseases. Meanwhile, in the US, an investigation is being conducted by the Justice Department's Antitrust Division.

AgricultureAntitrustMeat
 

n.236

Two sides of the same coin: 1) USA: political inflation tags. 2) Denmark: tags to boycott US products


In the US, protests against Trump's tariffs and inflation. And "In recent weeks, as also reported by the Post, various forms of boycotts against US products or activities have been taking place in various Northern European countries, including Denmark, Sweden and Norway: they are to be understood as protests against the administration of President Donald Trump, who has adopted increasingly threatening and aggressive rhetoric since taking office on 20 January last." Source The same on the tag below indicates that the product is made in the USA.

Inflation
 

n.234

Biblioteca Ambrosiana : the Giuseppe Caprotti codices can be accessed


The largest and most valuable collection of ancient Arabic texts in Milan, belonging to the Ambrosiana Library, is being digitised using advanced artificial intelligence tools. Since 5 March, almost one hundred thousand pages have been accessible...The Ambrosiana Library's collection of Arabic manuscripts comprises three main funds: the Fondo Antico, 224 Arabic and Christian manuscripts, most of which were acquired during the years of Cardinal Federico Borromeo. Among the Fund's treasures is an ancient copy of the Koran on parchment with gold miniatures, in Sufic script, dating back to the 8th-9th centuries. The Middle Fund comprises 134 manuscripts. Finally, the New Fund, consisting of codices from Yemen collected by the collector Giuseppe Caprotti [mentioned in Le Ossa dei Caprotti], which became part of the Library's holdings in 1909... Source

AILe Ossa dei Caprotti
 

n.233

Europe defies Trump’s duties: illegal pesticides in the crosshairs


The EU is poised to armour its agricultural market with new import restrictions, hitting those food products made to looser standards. A move that echoes Donald Trump 's 'reciprocal' trade policy and could trigger new global tensions... Historically, the Commission has opposed requests by member states, such as France, to impose 'reciprocal' trade policies, arguing that this could violate rules set by the World Trade Organisation. Restrictions are only allowed on scientific grounds Source. An original approach, found here

AgriculturePesticides