WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. wholesale prices fell in April, reflecting a big decline in gas and energy costs. But outside that drop, inflation was tame.
The Labor Department says the producer price index, which measures price changes before they reach the consumer, dropped 0.2 percent in April. It was the first decline since December and the biggest drop since October.
Excluding volatile food and energy costs, the so-called core index rose 0.2 percent.
For the 12 months that ended in April, wholesale prices have risen just 1.9 percent, the smallest 12-month change since October 2009.
Modest wholesale inflation reduces pressure on manufacturers and retailers to raise prices. That helps keep consumer prices stable.
Gas prices spiked earlier this year. But they have dropped 5 percent since peaking last month.
Partners Encourage Entanet To Continue Pursuing Progressive Channel Strategy - TMCnet
Partners Encourage Entanet To Continue Pursuing Progressive Channel Strategy
May 28, 2012 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Key partners of leading wholesale communications provider, Entanet, have given their backing to the companys progressive and open channel strategy, and encouraged it to continue driving closer engagement and involvement between service providers and resellers as new technologies start to change the ground rules for the whole channel.At its recent Partner event, held over two days at the prestigious country location, Fawsley Hall in Northamptonshire, the company invited its resellers to participate in a thought provoking two day round table and hospitality event. The event gave them the opportunity to share their views on the impact of emerging trends such as cloud computing and the shift from capex to opex-oriented purchasing amongst customers, while Entanet shared its own strategic direction.
The feedback received from the event was extremely positive, with reseller partners encouraging Entanet to continue following its present course. Elsa Chen, General Manager of the company, stated: Entanet has a clear focus on helping its wholesale and reseller partners to deliver the consistent, reliable connectivity needed to support the growing number of services that are now being delivered across IP-based wide-area networks. As well as data and voice, were seeing significant increases in video and applications traffic as more organisations start to make use of cloud-based services.
We wanted to find out how our partners really feel about the opportunities and challenges they face in todays markets and give them a chance to share and hear from their peers how they see roles and relationships within the channel changing in the future. Having listened to and discussed their views in real depth, were absolutely confident that we are on the right track.
The recent strategic partnership between Entanet and cloud services provider, Outsourcery, provides a clear illustration of the companys direction, Chen added. The dynamics of the market are changing and its more important than ever for channel partners with different skills and capabilities to work together. As a leading communications provider, we see our role as one of providing a foundation, not only for the delivery of new services, but also for the virtualised and hybrid IT infrastructures that are now evolving within organisations. The channel will be delivering and supporting those solutions our connectivity will provide the solid platform they need in order to do that with total confidence.
Adam Cathcart, Head of Mobile and Partner Management at Outsourcery, which was one of the partners at the meeting, said: Entanet deserves credit for creating the environment to share thoughts and ideas. The sands are shifting constantly in the ICT market and all channel players need to keep their fingers on the pulse and constantly review their position and direction. The discussions at the Entanet Partner event helped us and everyone there to do that they were really useful and constructive and have helped to forge even closer and potentially more productive partnerships for the future.
At the two-day event at the medieval house, partners took hold of opportunities to discuss business within groups and individually, as well as enjoy an evening of entertainment and a day of traditional country pursuits including clay shooting, archery and ferret racing, as well as more modern outdoor team activities, such as laser tagging (AKA painless paint-balling).
To view photographs from the event visit http://stellasix.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dbfa681510d9d5e6e8aa5b6ae&id=2d4e816f6c&e=f10ccc00c7. Alternatively to find out more about Entanet and how to become an Entanet partner visit www.enta.net or call 0333 101 0000.
About Entanet Entanet is a leading wholesale voice and data communications provider and operates via a network of wholesale and resale channel partners. Entanet was founded in 1996 by Taiwanese Comms Business channel entrepreneur of the year winner Jason Tsai as part of Entagroup, a leading IT distribution and IP communications group also comprising Enta Technologies and Entamedia. The company employs over 80 staff across a variety of teams, from sales and marketing, programming, systems and network engineers, technical support and customer service operatives through to accounts and personnel. The company is located within a strikingly impressive and authentic Chinese pagoda in Telford, Shropshire, reflecting the companys Taiwanese heritage.
As a wholesale provider Entanet offers an extensive portfolio of services including wholesale and packaged broadband, leased lines and Ethernet, IP VPNs, hosting and colocation, VoIP and traditional telecoms. It is also a member of ISPA.
The company operates its own fully resilient national next generation network from Glasgow to London, with further connectivity into Amsterdam and Frankfurt and covers all of the key aggregation points that form BTs 21st century network (21CN), providing up to 10Gbps capacity. Entanet maintains over 900 peering relationships throughout Europe and manages three state of the art data centres at its Telford HQ.
Entanets high quality services and channel commitment have been regularly acknowledged with nominations in several leading awards programmes including the ISPAs, ITSPAs, CRN Channel Awards, PCR Awards, Comms Business Awards and Comms National Awards. Most recently, Entanets founder Jason Tsai was chosen as Channel Entrepreneur of the Year in the 2010 Comms Business Awards while the company was awarded the title of Best Internet Telephony in the 2011 ISPA awards. Entanets substantial levels of organic growth have also been regularly recognised by the Sunday Times Tech Track 100, Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA, TechMedia Invest Top 100 and Real Business Hot 100.
For more information contact:
Darren Farnden, Head of Marketing Entanet International Ltd Tel: 0333 101 0000 Email: marketing@enta.net
Neville Street Stella Six PR 78 White Hart Reabrook Shrewsbury Shropshire UK SY3 7TE T: +44 (0) 1743 246917 Skype: neville.street Twitter: @stellasixPR F: +44 (0) 1743 291816 M: + 44 (0) 7967 717259 E: nev@stellasix.com www.stellasix.com
((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com.
The big beasts of the dressing room won Chelsea the Champions League - but do any of them have a future at the club? - Daily Mirror
We've all been told, time and again, how strong it is.
The most powerful dressing room in the country.
Too powerful for Luiz Felipe Scolari. The players who did for Andre Villas-Boas.
Indeed, the very men who, in the aftermath of Villas-Boas' exit, were blamed directly by Roman Abramovich for being responsible for the Portuguese manager's failure.
But the men who turned Roberto Di Matteo's vision into Champions League-winning reality, who delivered Abramovich his Holy Grail.
And while the click is ticking on the longevity of the men who have made Chelsea into the force they are, nobody in the Stamford Bridge hierarchy plans to call "Time" on them yet.
Of course, there will be some changes.
Didier Drogba, Jose Bosingwa and Salomon Kalou have been released and there is no certainty yet whether Florent Malouda and Paolo Ferreira will be back to see out their Chelsea contracts.
Then, of course, there is the court case hanging over the biggest voice of all, skipper John Terry. The findings of District Judge Howard Riddle after the Chelsea captain formally enters his "Not guilty" plea on July 9 will have huge repercussions.
For now, though, Terry remains part of the fabric of Chelsea - even if it seems nobody actually knows who "the manager" will be next season.
And while we were led to believe that Abramovich's anger at the players was so great that wholesale change had become a necessity this summer, it does seem the owner has had a partial change of heart.
What Abramovich actually thinks, of course, is always a guess, given his reluctance to say anything in public.
But chief executive Ron Gourlay rarely says anything which does not have the official stamp of approval and asked to discuss the power of the dressing room, he gave a clear insight into the thinking of the club.
Gourlay said: "From my experience in the role this idea of the players having too much power has all been blown out of proportion.
"There has always been big players in the dressing room since Roman bought the club.
"Big players have big views but it has never been out of control at any time.
"We're all in it together and that's where we sit with these things. It's not about player power. We asked everybody that everyone has to step up to the bar and work together. That's exactly what they've done."
The truth may be different, of course. Scolari explicitly blamed Drogba, Michael Ballack and Petr Cech for his exit - strangely enough, he excused himself from responsibility - but Gourlay insisted: "That's why we have big players.
"We have many, many captains in our team and players at international level, strong personalities, but used properly they're very good at ensuring we go out on the field in the right frame of mind and for our young players' development."
Young players like Nathaniel Chalobah and Lucas Piazon are set to be introduced into the first team frame next season, while it does appear as if it might be a make or break campaign, too, for Josh McEachran, who barely got a kick during his four months on loan at Swansea.
Gourlay added: "Chalobah and one or two of the guys, we have to get a programme through which they can play. There's no point in them sitting on the bench every week."
A promise for the future, for a conveyor belt of talent. Then again, at Chelsea in particular, we have heard it all before.
When it matters, understandably, short-term expediency tends to be put in front of long-term benefits. It is only if Abramovich is not going to fund the club's debts for ever that they will have to truly make Cobham a nursery.
In the meantime, it seems the loudest voices in football will be allowed to keep shouting. When they can point to the biggest pot in the game, that doesn't seem too hard a call to make.
The antis are growing in number and force, demanding the club says "No".
For many, unless Chelsea is at Stamford Bridge, it will not be Chelsea.
In reality, though, that is just not going to happen.
The sheer logistical problems that would need to be overcome - let alone the staggering costs - mean a move is essential.
But making public their interest in the potentially available site at Battersea Power Station, with plans for a 60,000-capacity home announced on the eve of the FA Cup Final, Chelsea knew what they were doing.
The local Hammersmith and Fulham Council seem to be doing everything they can to stymie any possible chance of Chelsea finding a home in the borough, which is why the Blues have listened to the blandishments of neighbouring Wandsworth, where the Thames itself is the natural and political boundary.
Suddenly, though, Hammersmoth seem to be changing their tune.
You sense that, if Chelsea had a choice, they would prefer to build on Earl's Court rather than at Battersea, although there is no doubting they wish the south bank option to remain open when the list of remaining contenders is announced.
Chief executive Ron Gourlay said: "We need a 22 acre site and there is not one other than Battersea, Earls Court or Stamford Bridge.
"But it will be challenging. We have even looked at a rebuild here at Stamford Bridge but it just doesn't seem viable. Moving away from the stadium is a major step but to keep the club moving forward is a challenge in itself.
"With Battersea there is a bidding process at this time. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we will get some feedback because we are still working and looking at the Bridge to see if there is anything we can do here.
"It's no secret that mine and the board's preferred stadium is Stamford Bridge and to get the capacity we need to get economically viable plans and major planning applications passed.
"That's why we decided on a three mile parameter for a move. Battersea is within that. Earls Court and of course Stamford Bridge.
"We don't want to lose opportunities if they are there. We need a bigger stadium and we have to work out how to do it.
"I'm sure Hammersmith and Fulham want Chelsea to stay here. But it can only be done if it's economically viable and presently we haven't come up with that model."
Wally goes shopping for your opinion about The Shoe - News-Democrat
There doesn't seem to be a gray area -- you either hate the red shoe or you love the red shoe.
You know the one I'm talking about -- the Delilah Shoe -- the fiberglass statue of a red pump with a stiletto heel that sits on the west end of downtown Belleville where West Main Street splits.
It's about 7 feet tall.
It's a big shoe for a big woman, Delilah, the nationally syndicated night-time radio host. She is not only tall, but she wears a size 11 shoe, which she makes fun of herself. Hence, the name of her production company, Big Shoe Productions.
The shoe was made to honor Delilah for her Paint the Town campaign in Belleville back in 2010 and was donated by Art on the Square.
It seems everyone has an opinion about the shoe. Some see it as a flight of whimsy. Some see it as a dumb looking big shoe.
They like it -- and they don't. Here are some of the things I have heard about the shoe since I started asking people about it.
"It says welcome to the red light district."
"It points the wrong way." (The toe points south. They think it should point toward Main Street, or maybe another direction. I didn't think to ask.)
"They should let everyone climb on it." (Signs say "Keep off the shoe.")
"It's dumb."
"It's hideous."
"It's cool."
"I like it."
"I hate it."
"It beats the cars they used to put there." (Car dealers were allowed to put cars on the spot for advertising purposes.)
For a lot of people sculpture is like any other art. They may not know much about sculpture but they know what they like.
The other stuff in the Sculpture in the City program also draws comments, but nothing like the shoe. The thing is, if you do something, anything, like art and spread it around the city, you are going to have hits and misses. Which is which is opinion.
There is nothing new about controversy and disagreement about sculpture. Experts can't even agree on a definition of sculpture. Some say it needs three dimensions. Some say two will do.
For that matter, there is nothing new about differences of opinion in Belleville. I have yet to find a single subject, question or event upon which everyone has agreed.
If differences of opinion make for a healthy community, we are there.
Personally, I like the shoe.
Have a column idea? Call Wally at 239-2506 or 800-642-3878; or email wspiers@bnd.com.
Shopping mall fire in Doha, Qatar, kills 19 - CNN
(CNN) -- Qatar's government says it's investigating complaints that sprinklers and alarms weren't working during a fire at an upscale Doha shopping mall that killed 19 people, most of them children in a nursery.
The fatalities at the Villaggio shopping mall included seven girls, six boys, four teachers, and two other adults, the Persian Gulf monarchy's interior ministry said Monday. Rescuers were unable to reach the nursery from the inside and had to break into it from the rooftop, Health Minister Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani told the state news agency QNA.
The government has set up a committee to investigate "the causes and circumstances" of the blaze, QNA announced Monday night. The agency quoted Brig. Gen. Othman al-Duhaimi, the operations chief for Qatar's civil defense agency, as saying alarms went off in some shops, and that some of the pipes that carried water for the sprinklers may have been leaking -- and that those issues would be addressed in the investigation.
Christine Wigton, an American living in Doha, told CNN she heard "a buzzer, not very loud" as she walked into the mall, but heard no loud alarms as smoke built up inside. Elementary school-age children were eating at some of the restaurants and no one was trying to escape, she said.
"When I got a little bit closer, I realized the smoke was just increasing and people were still shopping. And the smoke kept getting heavier and heavier," Wigton said. She said she left when the smoke became "too much."
"There were no sprinklers, and there was nothing that would tell somebody that something was wrong," she said.
Built in 2006, the mall advertises itself as "the newest and the largest entertainment center in Doha." The Venice-themed complex features gondola rides down an indoor canal, an artificial sky, a 13-screen movie theater, a theme park, skating rink and a bowling alley.
Qatar's interior minister, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, said the civil defense office reviews safety standards for commercial buildings before they grant a license.
"The investigation will clarify all the circumstances of the incident and find out the shortcomings and question those who are responsible in order to tackle the matter in the future," he said in remarks carried by QNA.
Along with the children and teachers, two would-be rescuers died in the blaze, Interior Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani said in a statement posted on the ministry's Facebook page. Another 17 people were injured, including four children, but most of them were firefighters, he said.
Several of the dead were from Qatar's expatriate community. Four were Spanish nationals, a spokeswoman for Spain's Foreign Ministry said Monday.
And New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said Tuesday that it was "likely" that three of the dead were triplets, estimated at between two and three years of age, from "a New Zealand family."
Key said a consular official based in the Saudi capital Riyadh would soon go to Qatar "to support the family," while the children's grandparents were also heading there as well.
"Obviously, there are some very serious questions that will need to be answered," said Key, who did not identify the children or their parents. "But at the moment, we're really just trying to wrap around all the support we can for a family that will be grieving."
Al Thani said everyone was believed to have been accounted for late Monday.
CNN's Al Goodman contributed to this report.
Anger over new £100 parking fine at Kingston Shopping Centre - Hull Daily Mail
SHOPPERS and business owners are outraged over new parking restrictions introduced on a retail park in east Hull.
Private parking wardens have started slapping £100 fines on cars at Kingston Shopping Centre when people leave the site to visit stores in Holderness Road.
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LOSING CUSTOMERS: David Pacey, owner of Hems Sew Soon, which is opposite Kingston Shopping Centre in Holderness Road. Picture: Jack Harland
UK CPS, which manages the site, says people have started to "take advantage" of free parking and new measures have been put in place to tackle the issue.
Melanie Rimmington, who lives in Victoria Dock, went to visit Hems Sew Soon seamstress across the road from the site and was hit with a fine.
She said: "It is ridiculous. I have never known there to be a problem and I did visit B&M afterwards but still received a fine.
"The seamstress shop is just 50 yards away from the car park and I didn't see the sign until afterwards.
"It is going to affect nearby businesses because there is nowhere else to park."
Melanie, 43, said she wants to warn others who could be stung by the £100 charge, which reduces to £60 if paid within 14 days.
She said: "I don't agree with people parking and walking all the way down Holderness Road but the shops opposite the site shouldn't have to suffer.
"If they are going to change the rules they need to let the public know."
David Pacey, who runs Hems Sew Soon, said he has lost five customers in just two weeks due to the new restrictions.
"People come in and I have to warn them because they don't know," he said.
"They then go to move their car and often don't come back.
"We're just trying to make a living and this is going to kill Holderness Road.
"My son Reece popped across to get some money from me to go to McDonald's and was given a fine which I will have to pay because he's unemployed."
Mr Pacey said although he "appreciates people sometimes take advantage" – local businesses are being penalised.
"The fines are extortionate and it doesn't say on the sign what shops you can visit," he said.
"Trade has already dropped because people can't afford to pay to have their clothes repaired and this will make things worse."
Peter Haswell, manager of UK CPS, based in Leeds, said the restrictions are "clearly signed" in the car park.
He said: "The outlets at Kingston Shopping Centre pay towards parking for visitors and the businesses nearby do not.
"People have been using it as a park and ride to go into the city centre and walk down Holderness Road.
"They have been taking advantage of free parking and visitors can only park in the car park for an hour and a half."
Do you have a story for Up My Street, call Katy Forrester on 01482 315105 or e-mail katy.forrester@mailnewsmedia.co.uk
Qatari shopping centre fire kills at least 19 - Daily Telegraph
The Villagio Mall, which opened in 2006, is an Italianate-themed shopping complex with a hotel, theme park and canal plied by gondolas.
Nairobi blast at shopping complex injures dozens - myfoxny.com
Source: AFP
NAIROBI, Kenya -- A blast ripped through shops in central Nairobi Monday, injuring dozens in what the prime minister called a "terrorist" attack despite initial police reports that it was an accident.Speaking at the charred and wrecked small shopping complex in Nairobi's commercial heart, Raila Odinga contradicted the country's police chief, who had earlier said the explosion was caused by an electrical fault.
"This is terrorism ... this is a heinous act, we are under threat but we will not be cowed," Odinga said.
"The lives and property of Kenyans are precious and must be protected, we condemn the terrorists and tell them that their days are numbered."
At least 28 people were wounded, and four of them were in critical condition, the Kenya Red Cross said.
Kenya has been hit by a wave of grenade attacks the police have repeatedly blamed on Somalia's al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab insurgents or its supporters.
Last month the hardline al Shabaab warned Kenya of revenge attacks for sending tanks and troops into Somalia in October.
The blast ripped the tin roof off a complex of small stores on Nairobi's Moi Avenue and windows were smashed across the street.
Minutes after the early afternoon blast, the pro-al Shabaab Twitter site Al-Kataib reported a "huge explosion in Nairobi" although it did not specifically claim any responsibility.
Wounded individuals were carried from the site of the explosion, many with cuts from broken glass or flying debris.
"I can't explain what I saw, it was just terrible, I saw a woman who was burning and people were trying to get her to hospital, she was bleeding profusely from the head and her lower part of the body," said witness George Mwangi.
Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere had earlier said the explosion was not a grenade or bomb attack, and that "preliminary conclusions" suggested it was an electrical fault.
However state electricity company Kenya Power later said its investigators had found all fuses were intact.
"It is therefore not possible that the explosion was caused by an electricity fault," the company said in a statement.
Copyright 2012 AFP. All rights reserved.
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