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Residents of Pak’s Bara district flee homes following Lashkasr’s warning

September 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Landi Kotal (Pakistan), Sep 19 (ANI): Following a warning issued by the leader of a terrorist organization, hundreds of Bara residents fled their houses to move to safer places before the last day of Eidul Fitr festivities.

On Friday morning, Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) chief Mangal Bagh issued a warning over his illegal FM radio station, saying that people should take cover as his armed outfit was about to retaliate the military operation in Bara, The Dawn reports.

Earlier, the militant leader had said that his private miltia would not resist the operation in the area.

Traders and shopkeepers of Bara bazaar have shifted their merchandise to safer places, it has been learned.

Meanwhile, the bullet-riddled body of Wahid son of Hanan, who was kidnapped by Lashkar activists a day earlier, was found in Jamrud Khwar area.

A note was found with the dead body saying that anyone found assisting the security forces would meet the similar fate.

Earlier, the FC media cell had appealed the locals to help security forces in their operation against militants. (ANI)

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New flick may make ‘Harry Potter’ one of the most successful franchises

July 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, July 8 (ANI): The latest instalment in the Harry Potter film could help make the franchise as one of the most successful franchises of all time, owing to the huge merchandising that comes with it.

The first five Harry Potter movies have been a massive source of revenue and profit for Warner Bros.

The franchise has earned a whopping 4.5 billion dollars, an average of 897 million dollars, at the box office alone, making it the most successful film franchise of all time, behind James Bond

And it is believed that the release of the new film, ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’, could push the Bond franchise back into second place.

In addition, it has earned 2.7 billion dollars from DVD sales, which makes for 211 million units, reports the Telegraph.

Video games have sold 1 billion dollars, more than 40 million units, while Warner Bros also makes hundreds of millions of dollars from merchandise and other sales such as downloads on iTunes.

After the DVD released of the ‘Half-Blood Prince’ later this year, a Lego video game based on Harry, Ron and Hermione’s first four years at Hogwarts, is due in 2010.

A theme park ‘The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ is due to open in Orlando, Florida in spring 2010.

There is also the inevitable toy and clothing ranges which produce products such as interactive wands, Harry Potter-style glasses, Gryffindor scarves and a raft of action figures.

Mattel are set to release a new version of their popular ‘Scene It?’ interactive boardgames.

Harry Potter lovers can also expect top trumps, sticker albums and costumes. (ANI)

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Here’s how Beyonce Knowles became the Richest Star under 30

June 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, Jun 20 (ANI): A breakdown on how American R and B singer Beyonce Knowles earned her millions, and was named the Richest Star under 30 in 2008, has been provided by Forbes magazine.

Knowles, 27, earned herself the name after she made 87 million dollars in just one year, and each and every penny earned has been justified, reports Hollyscoop.

The breakdown by Forbes is as follows:

Touring and Merchandise: 14 million dollars.

Album Sales: 21 million dollars.

Music Publishing: 8 million dollars.

Film: 5 million dollars.

Endorsements: 20 million dollars.

Tour Sponsors: 4 million dollars.

Fashion: 15 million dollars.

In 2008, the singer had dropped a double album, starred in two movies, performed at both the Oscars and the Presidential Inaugural Ball and embarked on a 110-date international tour.

She also worked on her clothing line, as well as her jewellery and eyeglass line, and even did many endorsements. (ANI)

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Bob Kennedy’s son to run for Obama’s Illinois Senate seat

May 21, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Chicago (US), May 21 (ANI): Chris Kennedy, the son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, will run for the Illinois Senate seat that was once occupied by President Barack Obama.

Kennedy’s pollster John Anzalone confirmed to Politico that Kennedy will soon be entering the race, joining a Democratic primary against state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and, possibly, Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.).

For his part, Kennedy told Lynn Sweet Tuesday night: “I’m keeping my options alive and working through a whole series of issues still.”

Kennedy is the president of the real estate firm Merchandise Mart Properties, and has the resources to at least partially self-finance a campaign.

A Giannoulias-Kennedy primary would be one of the most closely watched in the country, with two powerful names and fundraisers clashing against each other.

According to the Chicago Sun, Kennedy’s decision to run also suggests that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan won’t be running for the Senate, and instead has her eyes on the governor’s race. The only way Madigan would change her plans to run for governor is if Democrats cleared the primary field for her, and Kennedy’s entrance rules that possibility out. (ANI)

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Iron Maiden file infringement suit against comic book company

May 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, May 6 (ANI): British heavy metal band Iron Maiden have sued bosses of a comic book company for using a name which is quite similar to theirs.

The lawsuit has been filed in U.S. District Court, and the band claim that the company is using their name, reports the Daily Star.

The sued American firm Iron And The Maiden, LLC in a bid to stop them from using the “confusingly similar” title on their books, video games and assorted merchandise.

According to TMZ.com, the band is also seeking financial compensation. (ANI)

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IPL merchandise sales take a hit in Kolkata

April 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kolkata, Apr 18 (ANI): With the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches being played far away from home in South Africa, merchandise sales are seeing a slump in Kolkata markets.

The shopkeepers who have invested hugely in IPL T-Shirts of all teams, are ruing the loss of customers.

From the black and gold tees of the Kolkata Knight Riders, to the startling Yellow and Black of the Deccan Chargers T-Shirts, from the Blue and Yellow Rajasthan Royals sports jerseys to the Black and Red Delhi Dare Devils tracksuits, from the Light Blue and Red of Punjab XI Tees to the Yellow and Red with a tinge of Blue Chennai Super Kings Tees and the Sky Blue and Deep Blue of Mumbai Indians tees – all are available in abundance but there are few customers to buy it.

Shopkeepers like Mohammad Salaluddin pointed out that when the matches were being played at Eden Gardens in last year’s IPL tournament, all local fans were going to the stadium after buying the T-Shirts of their favourite teams.

“Most of the sales were of the Kolkata Knight Riders. This time I am not harbouring any such hopes. Even at knocked down prices of Rs. 80 onwards, on the eve of IPL series, there are hardly any customers,” Salaluddin added.

“Our business has been affected a lot after the IPL venue was shifted to South Africa. Last year we did good business as the matches took place in Kolkata, but this year business is very bad. We sold at least 250 pieces of every team last year but this year the sale is very low. Locals used to wear the jerseys to watch matches in Eden Gardens but this year nobody can go there, so who will buy?” he said.

Locals believe buying and wearing their favourite team’s jersey and sitting in front of the television to watch the matches can only be a compensation for missing the excitement of cheering the team from the stands in their team colours.

“It is our bad luck that the IPL has been shifted to South Africa. We cannot go to South Africa so we are now buying T-Shirts in a hope to enjoy matches sitting at home,” said Rajesh, a cricket fan.

Foreign spectators are expected to supplement the local crowds, with 4,000 Indians are likely to attend the matches in the next five weeks. (ANI)

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Dolly Parton finds Cracker Barrel a good fit

April 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

NASHVILLE (Billboard) – In a deal that seems as natural as biscuits and gravy, Dolly Parton and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store have partnered to release “Backwoods Barbie: The Collector’s Edition.”

The project not only propelled the veteran entertainer back into the top 10 of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart but also became the first Cracker Barrel title to be tracked by Nielsen SoundScan.

“Our exclusive music program has grown to the point that participating in SoundScan just makes good sense,” says Cracker Barrel vice president of marketing Peter Keiser.

Released March 24, “Collector’s Edition” debuted at No. 9 on Top Country Albums and No. 40 on the Billboard 200, selling 12,000 copies its first week. Buoyed by Parton’s April 5 appearance on “60 Minutes” and a continued push by Cracker Barrel, the set sold 10,000 units the following week, charting at No. 14 on the country list. The album features three cuts exclusive to Cracker Barrel and new packaging.

“Backwoods Barbie” originally bowed last year on Parton’s Dolly Records. The title track will be featured in the Broadway musical “9 to 5,” for which Parton wrote the score. The musical’s formal premiere takes place April 30 at the Marquis Theater in New York.

“Me and Cracker Barrel have a lot in common: We’re both Tennessee-based and country people,” Parton said during a break from “9 to 5″ rehearsals. “I thought we’d make a perfect pairing, and evidently it’s working.”

In addition to the CD, Cracker Barrel is selling a limited-edition pink rocking chair and collector’s edition photo album. “We’re proud of that chair,” Parton says with a laugh. “We figured they needed a pink one out there. And the picture book is doing great. People like to follow their favorite artists and see what they’ve done through the years.”

Cracker Barrel has partnered with Kenny Rogers, Amy Grant and other artists on CDs, but the Parton partnership is the first to include merchandise.

“Only 1,350 rockers were made, and we sold approximately 70 percent in the first two weeks,” Keiser says. “The collector’s edition photo album has sold more the first week than any book we’ve sold at Cracker Barrel.”

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)

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Aeon likely had $30 mln net loss in 2008/09-Nikkei

April 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

TOKYO, April 11 (Reuters) – Japan’s second-largest retailer Aeon Co Ltd (8267.T) is likely to post an annual net loss of around 3 billion yen ($30 million), its first such loss in seven years and bigger than forecast, , the Nikkei business daily reported on Saturday.

The Nikkei said Aeon’s clothing speciality stores, a U.S. apparel subsidiary and general merchandise stores struggled, while extraordinary losses were likely bigger than expected.

Japanese retailers have been hit hard as the country’s worst recession since World War Two prompts consumers to cut spending on clothing and discretionary items.

Aeon, which operates Jusco general merchandising stores and Maxvalu supermarkets, has said it expects net earnings to fall within a range between 2.5 billion yen in profit and a 2.5 billion yen loss for the year that ended in February.

Aeon’s operating profit probably fell 20 percent to around 125 billion yen, below its outlook for 126 billion yen to 131 billion yen, the paper said without citing sources.

Company officials were not available for comment on Saturday. (Reporting by Chris Gallagher; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)

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India’s exports plunge 21.7 pct in February, 1st Ld-Writethru, AS

April 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

MUMBAI, India (AP) India’s merchandise exports plunged 21.7 percent in February, the steepest annual fall in at least 16 years, as the global slump hit demand for oil and gold. Exports of goods totaled $11.9 billion in February, while imports shrank 23.3 percent, to $16.8 billion, the Ministry of Commerce said Wednesday.

India hasn’t seen double-digit declines in exports since the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s, said New Delhi economist Saumitra Chaudhuri. “It’s rare you’ve had negative growth,” he said.

India relies less on exports to drive growth than China does, but merchandise exports still account for about 16 percent of gross domestic product. Exports have been falling since October.

The country’s trade has suffered from the sharp fall in global oil prices and collapsing demand for diamonds and gold, Chaudhuri said. Exports of refined petroleum products, like gasoline and diesel, account for 20 percent of India’s exports, while diamonds make up about 15 percent, he said.

Falling crude prices coupled with “relatively robust” domestic demand have “put exports of petroleum products down in price and quantity,” he said. Global demand for Indian diamonds has fallen by about half as consumers in prime Western markets grapple with recession, he added.

Falling oil prices have also slashed the value of oil imports. In February, oil imports totaled $4.0 billion, down 47.5 percent from February 2008, the ministry said.

Indians have also stopped buying imported gold. “We are the world’s largest market for gold,” Chaudhuri said.

Last year, India imported $12 billion worth of gold, but since December imports have collapsed to near zero, he said. Cumulative trade figures for the April to February period are rosier.

From April to February, merchandise exports grew 7.3 percent in dollar terms, to $156.6 billion, while imports grew 19.1 percent to $271.7 billion, the ministry said. The resulting trade deficit for the period was about $115.1 billion, up from $82.2 billion during the same period the prior year.

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Patriot Girls don American Flag bikini to raise funds for soldiers

March 21, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, March 21 (ANI): Hundreds of American models dubbed ‘Patriot Girls’ are trying to raise funds for soldiers and their families – in bikinis.

The volunteer organisation, which presently operates in 38 states, is looking to expand the brand to the rest of the states in their American Flag swimsuits.

The fundraising efforts of around 200 ladies include promoting events, posing for calendars, creating military-themed merchandise, waitressing along with washing cars.

Spokesmodel Amy Vitale revealed the criteria to be a Patriot Girl.

“It doesn’t matter if you are for or against the war, we just want to make our men feel important and show them we love them. You have to be all-American and all out there for the troops,” Fox News quoted her as saying.

“And you’ve got to look great in a bikini,” she added.

The money raised by the ladies went to foundations such as Wounded Warrior Project and Operation Troop Appreciation, and their endeavours have won them support of many.

Ex-marine and star of HBO’s “Generation Kill” Rudy Reyes said: Any kind of help for our people serving in the military and their families is good help, especially in these financial times as things are getting tougher and tougher.”

Afghanistan war veteran Alfred Soler added: “What The Patriot Girls’are doing is great, they’re bringing awareness back, and reminding everyone that the troops still need our support.” (ANI)

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London 2012 may become ‘Crime Olympics’

February 23, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Feb. 23 (ANI): British gangsters are planning to leave their mark on the London Olympics in 2012, and turning it into “Crime Olympics”.

Mobsters are reportedly looking forward to the 93 billion pounds event, and are already lining up a series of money making scams, the Daily Star reports.

The villains include fraudsters selling dodgy merchandise, counterfeiters flogging fake tickets and cyber crooks using fake websites to solicit cash and steal identities.

Other schemers could include are people traffickers hoping to infiltrate the 50,000-strong Olympic workforce using illegal labourers, and protection racketeers who may target construction firms and possibly even the athletes themselves.

Security agencies have already shut down a number of bogus websites that have been conning people in search of work, tickets or souvenirs.

The fear of criminalizing the event has prompted a 600 million pound security arrangement to safeguard the biggest sporting event to hit UK shores.

Britain’s version of the FBI, the Serious Organised Crime Agency, has warned criminals from trying to cause threat to the Games.

The agency states: “The Olympic and Paralympic Games will present serious organised criminals with many opportunities.

“Fraud, organised immigration crimes, intellectual property crimes and money-laundering are likely to be the main threats beginning now and extending through the period of the Games and beyond,” it further states.

The agency has also warned that extortion gangs may target construction firms working on stadia and the Olympic village.

The agency stated: “The movements of increased numbers of people into and out of the UK will provide smugglers with cover for their activities, while visitors to the games are likely targets for organised fraud.” (ANI)

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iXiGO.com launches iXiGO9 bonanza

January 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Jan 28 (ANI/Business Wire India): iXiGO.com, India’s fastest growing travel search engine has launched a first-of-its-kind promotional campaign to reward travelers who search airline tickets using iXiGO.com and then click on select airlines and book directly on the websites of these partner airlines with assured gifts and merchandizes.

Speaking on the occasion of the launch of iXiGO9 Bonanza, Aloke Bajpai said – “This is our 2009 new year gift to all iXiGOers – a unique bouquet of free air tickets, t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, calendars, mousepads, keychains, and many more gifts to give away to every iXiGOer who uses our site to book on our partner airline sites. Now, we not only deliver the best value for our users by finding the cheapest air tickets for them and letting them transact directly on airline sites, but also reward them for it!”

iXiGO.com’s launch partner for this campaign is Jet Airways, and the campaign would soon be extended to include more airlines. To win an assured gift, one has to search and compare on iXiGO, click on a Jet Airways flight and book a ticket directly on jetairways.com. Thereafter, by sending his/her PNR information to iXiGO.com, the user automatically becomes eligible for an assured gift.

Dharmendra Yashovardhan, COO, iXiGO.com commented – “We have partnered with Myntra’s merchandise personalization platform for our gifts and merchandize. iXiGOers eligible for the gifts will not only have various designs to choose from but will also have the option of customizing the merchandise and creating their own themed and styled gifts. Such joint promos help innovative companies such as Myntra in building their brand awareness and reaching an extremely targeted audience.”

Mukesh Bansal, CEO, Myntra.com added, “This is a win-win partnership where India’s leading travel search engine will be able to leverage Myntra’s personalization platform to reward its loyal users. iXiGOers will get an opportunity to experience Myntra’s platform and benefit from the flexibility of redeeming their iXiGO9 Bonanza rewards for creating personalized products.”

In a competitive market environment, iXiGO.com has built significant brand loyalty through a focus on product innovation and ensuring consumer delight with every initiative. This creative partnership will not only create a strong brand preference for iXiGO.com among its users, but will also ensure a consistent improvement in quality of leads generated for its travel partners.

iXiGO.com had recently launched the world’s biggest online hotel search, searching real-time rates and availability across more than 220,000 hotels, hostels, heritage properties, serviced apartments, home-stays, guest houses and villas across over 202 countries. (ANI)

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White Sox to release special Barack Obama-themed hat

January 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Chicago, Jan.28 (ANI): Riding the wave of friendly feeling for President Barack Obama, the Chicago White Sox have announced plans to release two new versions of their hat with some Obamanian features on the back and side, reports the Chicago Sun Times.

The Sports Business Journal reports, “The hats have been approved by MLB Properties, and the White Sox now are awaiting a formal blessing from the Obama administration before league licensee New Era goes into production. Both designs will be made if accepted by Obama.”

Any proceeds from the sale of the special Obama hat would most likely be donated to a White Sox-related charity.

Sales of Sox merchandise has boosted 25 percent since November 5 when Obama was elected as the United States’ 44th president, and the team has launched a special section on its official site titled “Barack Obama First Fan.” (ANI)

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Ronaldo fuels fears of shift to Real Madrid by registering his trademark ‘CR9′

January 14, 2009 By Rajesh Leave a Comment

London, Jan.14 (ANI): Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo has registered his initials as a trademark together with the number nine- fuelling fears the Manchester United No7 is off to Real Madrid.

The Sun reveals the digits “CR9″ were copyrighted last month in his Portuguese homeland to be used on merchandise or as the name for a restaurant or bar.
Spanish giants Real Madrid – poised to make a world record 70-million pound summer swoop for the winger – were last night said to have promised him their No.9 shirt.
Ronaldo, 23, revealed he was learning Spanish after he was this week crowned World Player of the Year.

He also has a sponsorship deal with a Portuguese bank giving them exclusive marketing rights if he goes to Spain.

His agent Jorge Mendes registered CR9 at the National Institute of Industrial Property in Lisbon. Ronaldo already has CR7. (ANI)

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Recession not gloomy for merchandising industry selling Obama-branded products

January 9, 2009 By Rajiv Gupta Leave a Comment

London, January 9 (ANI): Amidst the gloomy global meltdown, the US merchandising industry is cheerfully making a mint by selling Barack Obama-branded articles, whose demand has surged in the run-up to the President-elect’s January 20 inauguration.

The looming inauguration of Obama is said to have spawned an industry estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars in clothing and collectibles.

Besides the ubiquitous T-shirts, baseball caps, key rings, pens, paper-weights, mugs, commemorative plates and badges, Obama-branded cigars, boxer shorts, hot sauce, golf balls, lipstick and wristwatches are selling like hot cakes.

While Ben & Jerry has launched its Yes Pecan ice cream, an Obama doll is being marketed under the slogan of “an action figure we can believe in”.

Also available in the market is a skateboard decorated with pictures of the President-elect as a young man.

Adverts for a 22-karat-gold-trimmed Obama Victory Plate bombard TV viewers who are invited to buy “this priceless work of art” for $19.99, plus shipping and handling costs, because “his confident smile and kind eyes are an inspiration to us all”.

Form T-shirt hawkers to sizeable retail businesses all are said to be benefiting from this healthy trade in official merchandise.

The margins are sky-high, with a T-shirt costing between 5-7 dollars retailing for 15-25 dollars.

“There has never been a better time to be in this business. My biggest concern is running out of merchandise. You can’t give Bush stuff away at the moment but anything with Obama’s picture on it is walking out of the store,” said life-long Democrat Jim Warlick, who has just opened his second souvenir shop a stone’s throw from the White House, and is planning to have three more temporary sites operating from next week.

He reckons that the market for Obama products has been worth as much as 250million dollars since the start of the campaign.

“It feels like every entrepreneur in America is trying to make a little money out of this. I have boxes and boxes of stuff being sent to me although some of it, like Obama flying pigs, is in questionable taste,” Times Online quoted him as saying.

The troubled newspaper industry is also seeking to cash in on Obama, with the Washington Post offering bags, clothing and coffee mugs with images of its election victory front page.

The paper is also said to be planning to print a special section that invites readers to send personal messages to the new president at 10 dollars a time.

Obama even features in a special inaguration edition of Spiderman, being printed this week by Marvel Comics. (ANI)

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Becks’ shirts and souvenirs facing mafia piracy threats in Italy

November 4, 2008 By Rajiv Gupta Leave a Comment

London, (ANI): The biggest challenge for David Beckham when he lands up in Italy for his loan period with AC Milan will be fighting merchandise piracy by the Italian Mafia.

Police have warned that the feared ’Ndragheta’ crime clan is all set to cash in on the England star’s popularity by manufacturing a large number of fake Beckham shirts and souvenirs.

According to FBI agents in America, counterfeiters working for the Mafia may soon be churning out fake merchandise to cash in on the Beckham fever.

The source of their information, suspected international drug trafficker Giuseppe Collucio, is said to be a senior underboss of the ’Ndragheta, which operates in the Calabria region of Italy.

After getting arrested in Canada earlier this year, Collucio revealed that the Italian government’s war on the mob is the reason why the racketeers have resorted to less violent but hugely lucrative ventures, including merchandise piracy.

“In Italy, Beckham and his business team are going to find the operation there isn’t run by small-time crooks,” the Daily star quoted a senior FBI agent in Los Angeles as saying.

The official added: “The Mafia has the means and the money to set up elaborate counterfeit rings. And their street sellers had better not sell anything else, including genuine articles, or they will face very swift retribution.”

It is speculated that Italy will see an economical boost by Beckham’s arrival, but the large-scale piracy operation via the infamous ’Ndragheta family, might just cost the Goldenballs a fortune.

Piracy might not even spare Posh’s latest fashion lines, for one might jut see her trendy jeans being sold off in Milan in mob-run sweatshops.

“David’s already a little jittery about personal security over there,” said a source at the LA Galaxy club.

The source added: “But he’s going to be pissed at the thought of racketeers cashing in on his name. Fan fever follows David wherever he goes and I know for a fact that his business team has made big efforts to stamp out piracy here.

“That might not be quite so easy – or safe – if the pirates in Italy are working for the Mafia.” (ANI)

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