Latest news with #Barnes
Business Upturn
11 hours ago
- Business
- Business Upturn
How Passengers Are Using On-Train Wi-Fi in 2025: Insights Revealed for World Wi-Fi Day
By GlobeNewswire Published on June 20, 2025, 13:00 IST Gothenburg, Sweden, June 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Google tops the on-train Wi-Fi bandwidth league table, with Instagram, Facebook, Netflix and TikTok close behind, confirming rail passengers now expect a home broadband experience while on the move. Insights are drawn from the anonymised Wi-Fi traffic of more than two million daily users travelling on thousands of trains in service across Europe and North America over the last 12 months. Rail operators are trialling low-Earth-orbit satellite technology – such as SpaceX's Starlink – to boost onboard Wi-Fi speeds and reliability for passengers and day-to-day train operations. Icomera Rail passengers increasingly expect onboard Wi-Fi to mirror the always-on, content-rich experience of their home broadband. New figures from connectivity specialist Icomera – published today on World Wi-Fi Day – indicate that Google, Instagram and Facebook are absorbing the biggest share of on-train Wi-Fi bandwidth. Key Findings Passenger use of Google is the single largest consumer of on-train Wi-Fi bandwidth. Image- and short-video platforms Instagram, Facebook and TikTok followed close behind. Long-form streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video all feature in the top 10, alongside music-streaming leaders Spotify and Apple's iTunes. WhatsApp was the most widely used messaging app; Snapchat appeared in the North American top ten but not in the European list. 1. Google 2. Instagram 3. Facebook 4. Netflix5. Spotify6. YouTube 7. WhatsApp 8. TikTok 9. Amazon Prime Video 10. Apple iTunes From Email to Entertainment 'When on-train Wi-Fi was first offered in the early 2000s, it primarily attracted business passengers with the promise of improving their productivity by allowing them to send work emails while they travelled' says Paul Barnes, Chief Marketing Officer at Icomera, a subsidiary of Equans, a global leader in the energy and services sector. 'Today we see a typical user consume 100 megabytes during a Wi-Fi session, which would be enough for those early 2000s business passengers to send potentially 1,000+ emails over the course of their journey – but most of that data is now being used for streaming video, music and social media. All passenger groups want the home broadband experience on the move'. This raises the question of how rail operators can keep pace with the constantly evolving digital landscape. Starlink Enters the Mix Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks are emerging as a viable solution for meeting increasing passenger expectations and evolving rail operator requirements. Icomera signed an authorised reseller agreement with SpaceX's Starlink in December 2024 and is trialling the service with operators on both sides of the Atlantic. 'We've seen impressive early results when adding satellite into the mix alongside the 4G and 5G cellular networks that trains are already connecting to' Barnes says. 'Even in remote rural areas the performance is comparable to an inner-city 5G connection. This will benefit both train passengers and operational systems such as live video surveillance or remote diagnostics.' 'With data-hungry passengers and operational systems now sharing the same digital path, reliable high-capacity connectivity is fast becoming as essential to rail travel as the tracks themselves.' —ENDS— Notes to Editors Methodology: Icomera's analysis covers the period from 28th May 2024 to 27th May 2025, drawing on the anonymised Wi-Fi traffic of 2.2 million daily users categorised by service types from thousands of trains in Europe and North America. Rankings are based on total data volume per service type. Passengers' personal information was not collected. World Wi-Fi Day is a platform to recognise and celebrate the significant role Wi-Fi is playing in cities and communities around the world and understand how Wi-Fi is helping to reduce digital poverty through innovative projects that will 'connect the unconnected'. World Wi-Fi Day is a unique worldwide initiative organised by Wireless Broadband Alliance under the leadership of Connected Community Forum (CCF). - PRESS CONTACT: Paul Barnes, Chief Marketing Officer, Icomera: +44 (0)7837 917611 – [email protected] About Icomera For over two decades, Icomera has been the world's leading provider of onboard connectivity solutions. We enable millions of passengers to connect every day with the fastest, most reliable and secure Internet connection currently available to a moving vehicle. Today our networks have the power to fully integrate tens of thousands of vehicles into the cloud, paving the way for a vibrant new world of smart, connected transportation. In the future, our network connectivity will empower a bold new generation of safer, more efficient and sustainable transport solutions. We aim to be the partner of choice for those on the smart, connected journey that lies ahead. A wholly owned subsidiary of Equans, Icomera is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, operating across Europe and North America with key offices in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the United States and Canada. About Equans and Equans France Equans, a subsidiary of the Bouygues group, is a global leader in the energy and services sector. In France, Equans France draws on its historic brands Ineo, Axima, and Bouygues Energies & Services and its strong local presence to support businesses, local authorities, and industries in meeting the challenges of the energy, industrial, and digital transitions. With the ability to operate at every stage of projects' lifecycle, Equans France brings together 35,000 employees to design, install and supply tailor-made solutions that optimize clients' equipment and usage, enhancing infrastructure performance and energy efficiency. Its expertise spans electrical engineering, HVAC, refrigeration, fire safety, Facility Management, multi-technical maintenance, IT & Telecommunication, and digital solutions. On a global scale, Equans operates in 20 countries, with 90,000 employees across 5 continents and a turnover of 19.2 billion euros in 2024. Following a similar dynamic, its subsidiary Equans France achieved a turnover of 7.2 billion euros in 2024 and operates in nearly 30 countries. | Attachments World Wi-Fi Day 2025 World Wi-Fi Day 2025 Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Shocking moment Magaluf doorman floors Brit tourist, 25, with flurry of punches after being bottled in horror bar attack
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THIS is the shocking moment a Magaluf doorman floors a British tourist with a flurry of punches after being bottled in a horror attack. The bouncer was left with a nasty gash that needed at least 20 stitches - and the Brit has been convicted over the assault at Plaza on the bustling Punta Ballena strip. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 The bouncer holds the Brit with one hand and draws back to swing with the other Credit: Solarpix 5 He unloads a series of skilful punches on the customer, who has just bottled him in the face Credit: Solarpix 5 The bouncer was left with a nasty gash Credit: Solarpix CCTV footage shows the Lithuanian bouncer exploding at Max Barnes, then 19, who he has up against a wall after the drinker bottled him. He unloads a series of sharp jabs in the packed nightspot, acting in self-defence. The customer dodges as many as he can but some of the blows land home. They spill over into the middle of the bar, when the bouncer delivers one more clean whack that sends the customer sprawling onto the floor. read more in world news CRASH RIDDLE Air India chief reveals major update on crash investigation & engine theory He then brings his hand to his blood-covered face and neck to inspect the damage. The 34-year-old doorman was left with a gash wound needing 20 stitches, according to public prosecutors. Prosecutors had demanded a five-year prison sentence for Barnes, now 25, who was held on an international arrest warrant after being bailed and going awol. The Brit, a teen at the time of the July 2019, claimed after his arrest by Civil Guard officers that he himself had acted in self-defence following a previous assault. But this week he was handed an 18-month suspended prison sentence after admitting the unprovoked attack as part of a plea bargain deal. Barnes, who had already paid his victim nearly £35,000 in compensation, admitted his guilt in a trial where he spoke briefly via video conference. Shocking moment UFC thug Conor McGregor pummels club reveller with TWO brutal punches in packed Ibiza nightclub The trial judges said they took into account his confession and compensation payments in their decision to keep him out of jail - as long as he doesn't re-offend. The obtained CCTV footage did not show the moment Barnes used a broken bottle to disfigure the doorman. But it did show the run-up to the attack when the Lithuanian man, in a tight white T-shirt, could be heard arguing with the Brit after telling him to leave due to misbehaviour. The Brit was held in the UK on an international arrest warrant after initially paying £13,000 bail to get out of prison and flying back home. Officials in Majorca issued the arrest order after he failed to respond to court communications. 5 The Lithuanian doorman can be seen with a patch of blood growing across his white t-shirt Credit: Solarpix 5 The bouncer puts his hand to the deep gash on his face Credit: Solarpix Public prosecutors said in their pre-trial indictment they had uncovered no evidence of the previous attack Barnes had alleged took place and claimed he was defending himself against. A female British soldier was involved in another horror glass attack in a Magaluf nightclub in November 2023. Bus driver's daughter Sydney Cole was arrested when her pal, Scots-born Lance Corporal Sarah Garrity, was left in intensive care after losing four pints of blood and needing 14 stitches to a neck wound. Cole was warned initially she could be jailed for three years after being charged with a crime of wounding by Spanish state prosecutors, despite her victim's refusal to press charges. However, she ultimately escaped prison and was let off with a £780 fine. Cole, now 25, initially insisted after her arrest that Sarah was hurt in an accident. She claimed to have thrown the the glass on the floor during the fight, and said shard flew up and hit Sarah in the neck. However, she later confessed to the assault as part of a plea bargain deal.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Shocking moment Magaluf doorman floors Brit tourist, 25, with flurry of punches after being bottled in horror bar attack
THIS is the shocking moment a Magaluf doorman floors a British tourist with a flurry of punches after being bottled in a horror attack. The bouncer was left with a nasty gash that needed at least 20 stitches - and the Brit has been convicted over the assault at Plaza on the bustling Punta Ballena strip. Advertisement 5 The bouncer holds the Brit with one hand and draws back to swing with the other Credit: Solarpix 5 He unloads a series of skilful punches on the customer, who has just bottled him in the face Credit: Solarpix 5 The bouncer was left with a nasty gash Credit: Solarpix CCTV footage shows the Lithuanian bouncer exploding at Max Barnes, then 19, who he has up against a wall after the drinker bottled him. He unloads a series of sharp jabs in the packed nightspot, acting in self-defence. The customer dodges as many as he can but some of the blows land home. They spill over into the middle of the bar, when the bouncer delivers one more clean whack that sends the customer sprawling onto the floor. Advertisement read more in world news He then brings his hand to his blood-covered face and neck to inspect the damage. The 34-year-old doorman was left with a gash wound needing 20 stitches, according to public prosecutors. Prosecutors had demanded a five-year prison sentence for Barnes, now 25, who was held on an international arrest warrant after being bailed and going awol. The Brit, a teen at the time of the July 2019, claimed after his arrest by Civil Guard officers that he himself had acted in self-defence following a previous assault. Advertisement Most read in The Sun But this week he was handed an 18-month suspended prison sentence after admitting the unprovoked attack as part of a plea bargain deal. Barnes, who had already paid his victim nearly £35,000 in compensation, admitted his guilt in a trial where he spoke briefly via video conference. Shocking moment UFC thug Conor McGregor pummels club reveller with TWO brutal punches in packed Ibiza nightclub The trial judges said they took into account his confession and compensation payments in their decision to keep him out of jail - as long as he doesn't re-offend. The obtained CCTV footage did not show the moment Barnes used a broken bottle to disfigure the doorman. Advertisement But it did show the run-up to the attack when the Lithuanian man, in a tight white T-shirt, could be heard arguing with the Brit after telling him to leave due to misbehaviour. The Brit was held in the UK on an international arrest warrant after initially paying £13,000 bail to get out of prison and flying back home. Officials in Majorca issued the arrest order after he failed to respond to court communications. 5 The Lithuanian doorman can be seen with a patch of blood growing across his white t-shirt Credit: Solarpix Advertisement 5 The bouncer puts his hand to the deep gash on his face Credit: Solarpix Public prosecutors said in their pre-trial indictment they had uncovered no evidence of the previous attack Barnes had alleged took place and claimed he was defending himself against. A female British soldier was involved in another horror glass attack in a Magaluf nightclub in November 2023. Bus driver's daughter Sydney Cole was arrested when her pal, Scots-born Lance Corporal Sarah Garrity, was left in intensive care after losing four pints of blood and needing 14 stitches to a neck wound. Advertisement Cole was warned initially she could be jailed for three years after being charged with a crime of wounding by Spanish state prosecutors, despite her victim's refusal to press charges. However, she ultimately escaped prison and was let off with a £780 fine. Cole, now 25, initially insisted after her arrest that Sarah was hurt in an accident. She claimed to have thrown the the glass on the floor during the fight, and said shard flew up and hit Sarah in the neck. Advertisement However, she later confessed to the assault as part of a plea bargain deal.
CNBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
'Tariff engineering' is making a comeback as businesses employ creative ways to skirt higher duties
Would you be bothered if your coat was officially classified as a windbreaker or a raincoat, or your shoes as slippers? Businesses do care though, as classifications under a preferred category can help them pay lower tariff rates. As U.S. President Donald Trump imposes duties on friends and foes alike, manufacturers are increasingly rethinking the classification of their products and resorting to "tariff engineering" to incur lower duties, several customs lawyers, supply chain and shipping experts told CNBC. Tariff engineering — a practice that precedes Trump — involves changing an item's materials, altering its dimensions or compositions so that the finished products can be justified to fit in a different "harmonized system code," legal experts said. Although most new tariffs added during Trump's second term are broad-based, the U.S. government has carved out exemptions for certain products, leaving doors open for companies to benefit through tariff engineering, trade lawyers pointed out. After Trump unveiled sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs in April, several overseas manufacturers moved to bundle steel and aluminum elements into their final products to qualify a lower 25% duty under Section 232, said David Forgue, a partner at Chicago law firm Barnes, Richardson & Colburn. Things, however, changed quickly in June as Trump jacked up tariffs on all steel, aluminum products and derivatives to 50%, except those from the U.K. "Now that the duties are reversed, we're now seeing companies remove those elements and ship them separately again," Forgue said. There is "nothing inherently illegal or even untoward about leveraging strategic design choices that result in creating different products that are subject to different tariff classification and duty rates," said John Foote, a customs lawyer at Kelley Drye & Warren in Washington D.C. "Tariff engineering is one of the few things you can do to try to get it right and reduce your duty liability." There are over 5,000 different product classification codes that U.S. customs authority uses while assessing tariffs. These tariff classifications were determined through decades of negotiations between governments and industry bodies, often varying by product category. Winnebago Industries, an American manufacturer of motorhomes, or recreational vehicle, said in its quarterly earnings call in March that it planned to "work with outside experts to develop and implement effective [tariff] mitigation strategies, including tariff engineering and deferrals." Aneel Salman, chair of economic security at Islamabad Policy Research Institute, described the act as "clever art of outsmarting customs," as importers and manufacturers tweak products "just enough" to qualify for lower duties. "I was talking to somebody recently and they were showing me their lapel pin," said Kelley Drye & Warren's Foote. The pin, tacked onto the person's suit, featured a "festive design" with pieces of cubic zirconia at the back, Foote said. The inclusion of cubic zirconia helped the company that manufactures those pins avert a 14% tariff, as the item no longer fell under festive article category but got classified as jewelry, Foote subsequently learnt. "The value attributable to the cubic zirconia was significant enough [and] it was a relatively easy manufacturing change," Foote said. The practice of tariff engineering can be traced back to 1882, when an importer coated sugar with molasses to avoid higher duties imposed on lighter-colored sugar. In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court ruled the act perfectly legal: "so long as the goods are truly invoiced and freely and honestly exposed to the officers of customs for their examination, no fraud is committed." Since then, companies, big and small, have continued to play chess with the U.S. tariff classification system, with several household names successfully implementing strategic product tweaks to save on tariff costs. For instance, Columbia Sportswear has never been shy about its use of tariff engineering. "I have a whole team of people that work together with designers and developers and merchandisers and with customs, and to ensure that during the design process that we're considering the impact of tariffs," Jeff Tooze, the company's vice president of global customs and trade, told Marketplace during Trump's first term. Among its alterations, the company added small zippered pockets below the waist on women's shirts, allowing them to be exempted from higher duties under the U.S. customs rules. Similarly, footwear maker Converse adds fuzzy-felt fabric on the soles of its signature All Stars sneakers, rather than the typical full-rubber one, to be categorized as slippers rather than athletic shoes, helping it cut tariff drastically. Snuggies, the fluffy blanket with sleeves imported mainly from China, nearly halved its tariff costs by winning a lawsuit in 2017 classifying it as a blanket, not an item of clothing. Fast-moving consumer good and garments, apparel and footwear sectors can find it relatively easy to implement tariff engineering, said Andrew Wilson, supply chain strategist at consultancy Supplino Inc. For more sophisticated and "heavily-regulated" sectors such as automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical devices, "it's especially challenging ... because even minor changes may require extensive validation and approval," Wilson said. "You might be looking at another 12 to 24 months of testing, certification and validation in order to get that done," Wilson added, as it requires extensive collaboration across departments including design, engineering and legal team. Companies have to tread a fine between between redesigning their products and fraudulently misrepresenting product classifications. A case in point illustrating the challenges with tariff engineering is Ford Motor. The automaker had for years imported its Transit Connect van as a passenger van, then removed the second row seats to sell them as cargo vans. In doing so, Ford circumvented a hefty 25% tariff and only paid a 2.5% import duty. The U.S. Justice Department said in its ruling last year that Ford was "misclassifying cargo vans" and that the back-row seats "were never intended to be, and never were, used to carry passengers." "The article must be a 'commercial reality' at importation. The risk is that customs [may] find the changes to be "fraud or artifice," [that case] the tariff engineering may be rejected,' said Forgue. "In some cases changing certain things about a product doesn't change the essential character of what the good is," said Derek Scarbrough, founder of Global Logistical Connections. "If you add something to a shopping cart, it's still a shopping cart," he added. U.S. Customs and Border Control has developed a so-called "binding ruling" system where companies can obtain official determinations on product classifications and HTS code before importing. Adam Lees, an attorney at law firm Harris Sliwoski, who has helped clients prepare such ruling letter requests, described it as "a way for companies to get CBP's official blessing" before shipment. For businesses, even "small percentage savings can be meaningful," Lees stated, as volumes shipped could be substantial.
Sky News AU
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Jimmy Barnes' missing teen family member found after Aussie rockstar's desperate plea for 14-year-old's whereabouts
A missing teenage family member of Jimmy Barnes has been found after the rocker made a desperate plea for his whereabouts. A spokesperson for The Hills Police in Sydney's northwest took to Facebook on Sunday with the news that Blake Powell, the nephew of Barnes' son Jackie James, was located after he went missing on Friday. "The 14-year-old boy reported missing from Castle Hill has been found and is safe - thanks to everyone who shared our appeal for help!" the status read. Family member Sean Powell expressed his gratitude, revealing more than 6,000 people had shared the initial missing persons report. 'Facebook Fam, Blake is home. We're so relieved!' Powell wrote. He thanked the concerned Sydney siders who on the weekend spent hours driving, on trains and in shopping centres trying to find the teen. 'To those who rode the metro, drove around and did laps on foot of the shopping centres — no words can describe our love and gratitude," Powell wrote. "It felt like a needle in a haystack to find him. 'Life's not a smooth run. Hug your little ones tight tonight.' The news of Blake's safety comes hours after Barnes reshared the initial report in the hopes his fans would help find his family member. "Please help us find Blake, Jackie's nephew," the Aussie rockstar wrote. The report said Blake went missing in Castle Hill on Friday and hadn't been since 4 pm that afternoon, with a description of the teen. "He is 185cm tall, of thin build, 70kg, Caucasian appearance with an olive complexion, brown hair and eyes," it read. The report also stated Blake regularly travels by public transport and spends time in shopping centres. "Police and Family hold concerns for his welfare given his young age." "Any information - please call Crime Stoppers on 1800333000 or Castle Hill Police." Blake's uncle, Jackie James Barnes, is a drummer and the third child and only son of Barnes and his wife, Jane. He has sisters, Mahalia, Eliza-Jane 'E.J.', and Elly-May Barnes; a half-brother, singer David Campbell, from Barnes' teenage relationship with Kim Campbell; and three half-sisters from his father's other relationships. The Cold Chisel star is in the midst of his Defiant tour in Australia, which celebrates the release of his 21st studio album of the same name, following a series of health issues which sidelined him from performing. Barnes underwent open-heart surgery in 2023 after a bacterial infection spread to a heart valve. In August of that year, while on his Hell of a Time tour, the infection reached his hip and saw him be treated in intensive care. Although he was initially fitted with a temporary hip, the 69-year-old singer later had a second surgery to replace it with a permanent joint.
