text:
Hub Pen’s Colleen Bibby Receives SAAGNY’s Customer Service Rep Of The Year Award
Hub Pen Company’s (UPIC: HUBPEN) Colleen Bibby was awarded the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York’s (SAAGNY) Customer Service Representative of the Year Award. Bibby has been with Hub Pen for three years providing customer service for the company’s customers in New York State and Hawaii.
“It’s an honor,” says Bibby. “I’ve had a good rapport with my customers and feel I’ve always been able to make it work, but I wasn’t expecting this.”
The award was presented to Bibby at SAAGNY’s 60th Anniversary Celebration held at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle, New York. Bibby was nominated by distributor members of SAAGNY for consistently providing superior customer service and reliability; working respectfully and diligently to resolve problems; and providing an example of integrity and professionalism for both Hub Pen and the promotional products industry.
“We are all very proud of Colleen and this great recognition she is receiving—she is the face of Hub Pen and has a ‘can do’ attitude that helped her win this prestigious award,” says Hub Pen President Joe Fleming. “We are also very proud of all of Hub Pen; without a spectacular team behind her, working alongside her and backing her up, this award would not have been possible for Colleen.”


text:
They contend there’s no such thing as a giveaway lunch, though that’s not always a box — quite when a association has an app to promote.
From Monday by Feb. 28, Shake Shack’s giving divided giveaway ShackBurgers to people who download and sequence by a company’s new app, according to a statement expelled by a company.
Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti noted in a matter that a burgers would be accessible during “nearly all of a U.S. Shacks,” with a difference of stadiums, ballparks and airports.
The thought is to get people used to grouping by a app, that will offer pick-up windows as a approach to cut down on Shake Shack’s wait times — which can be notoriously long.
You’ll need an iPhone to take advantage of a promotion: A Shake Shack spokesman pronounced in a phone interview that a Android App is still in development, and they are still determining either a association will offer a identical graduation once it’s off a ground.
Good news, Android users: Even if you’re sealed out of a Shake Shack promo for now, there’s still no reason because we have to go without.
As distant as giveaways go, Feb is a flattering built month.
Money records that both National Pizza Day and National Bagel day tumble on Feb 9th, both of that tend to parent freebies and giveaways during internal establishments — expected including some nearby you.
And afterwards of march there’s Valentine’s Day, a undoubted value trove of buy-one-get-ones and other couple-oriented offerings.
While there’s positively a box to be made that a advent of new “free stuff” holidays is removing a small out of hand, we during Mic take a some-more forgiving stance, generally when food’s involved.
Sign adult for The Payoff — your weekly pile-up march on how to live your best financial life.

domain: news


text:
McDonald’s Corp. plans to reduce the use of antibiotics in its global beef supply in the next few years, a tougher task than removing their use from other types of meat.
The Chicago-based company said Tuesday that it will take two years to decide how much of the antibiotics important to human health it will be able to remove from beef. McDonald’s said it would work with meat suppliers in its 10 largest beef-sourcing markets, including the U.S.
McDonald’s and many other fast-food chains already have eliminated the use of such antibiotics in chicken in the U.S., and McDonald’s is aiming to do so in other markets around the world.
Reducing the use of such antibiotics in beef has been more difficult for McDonald’s, because of the company’s scale and the smaller number of suppliers that produce beef without the medicine.
Cattle live longer than chickens, increasing their chances of getting sick and needing antibiotic treatment. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 43% of the medically important antibiotics sold to the U.S. livestock sector go to the beef industry, compared with only 6% for chicken.
Wendy’s Co., which said it uses beef from younger and healthier cattle, said Tuesday that it sourced nearly 20% of its beef this year from a group of producers that have each committed to a 20% reduction in antibiotics fed to their cattle.
Other restaurant companies including Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., Panera Bread Co. and Doctor’s Associates Inc.’s Subway chain also have either reduced antibiotics used in beef or committed to do so.
The World Health Organization has said that antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to human health globally. Consumer advocacy groups lauded the McDonald’s move, saying that as the largest U.S. beef purchaser, McDonald’s will force the industry to change.
Since Steve Easterbrook became chief executive nearly four years ago, McDonald’s has been making a number of changes aimed at becoming what it calls a “better McDonald’s.” Earlier this year, the company said it was removing artificial ingredients from the buns, cheese and sauce on its best-known hamburgers in the U.S. It also began making quarter-pound burgers with fresh, rather than frozen, beef in the U.S.
Fast-food chains are battling for market share as consumers’ dining options grow. McDonald’s has been struggling to attract more customers to its U.S. restaurants. The company has been remodeling restaurants, while trying to improve the quality of its food and remain price-competitive with rivals. It is also rolling out more premium-priced products, including customizable burgers. A group of McDonald’s franchisees in the U.S. has been discussing forming an independent association to discuss ways to boost the company’s profitability. The chain posted third-quarter U.S. sales growth in line with expectations by charging more for its food.


text:
Earlier, fashion used to be something that found expression on the racks at a mall or an elite boutique. Now, many people buy most of their clothes online. The fashion industry has had to evolve in different ways to compensate for these changes, and here, glamour model Victoria Lee Robinson walks us through these changes.
Firstly, people now want to connect with their favorite fashion brands much more than they did in the past. They follow these companies on social media and make their own posts about the clothing. Brands need to engage with potential buyers to show them their new styles and designs and engage in pop culture to remain relevant. “Maintaining the image of a brand through digital campaigns is no easy task,” said Victoria Lee Robinson. “I manage my own official Instagram handle, and it’s a challenge on its own.”
In addition, fashion designers and brands are able to monitor interest in their new designs in real-time by leveraging social media. This allows them to modify their offerings suited to the customers’ needs. However, sometimes it can also be demoralizing. “You could spend hundreds of hours designing a fashion line, but it could get canceled just like that if it doesn’t get enough attention online. It must be scary,” commented Victoria Lee Robinson.
Lastly, since most people are buying their clothing online, brands need to properly convey the quality and sizes of their apparel. No one wants to buy an expensive dress online only to find issues with quality or fitting and then go over the tedious process of a return or refund. “It’s important to adapt to changes and accurately represent your brand in the digital world, else you might find yourself sinking,” said Robinson.
Victoria Lee Robinson is a model who loves posting on her Instagram. She currently has over 350k followers and intends to grow this number in the future. She is represented by Ford Modeling Agency.
Keeping up with the fashion industry can be difficult. However, with lots of research into social media, it’s more than possible to build a new fashion brand and stand out.
|Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.|


text:
Popstar turned winemaker, Pink, has recently released her first three blended wines made
from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. And, within just a day of
launching, all 114 cases have sold out.
The making of the wine
Pink’s passion for wine sparked when she tasted a Châteauneuf-du-Pape, she told
“That was the a-ha wine for me, the first one. And then it sort of just
became a rabbit hole for me.”
After that, in 2013, she bought a 25-acre organic vineyard in Santa Barbara County,
California, before taking classes with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and UCLA.
Five years later, she then revealed her secret passion for winemaking by launching the Two
Pink named her wine Two Wolves, after a Cherokee parable about the opposing forces of
good and evil and how they battle within everyone.
What do the wines include?
All three wines include a 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (made from 86% Cabernet Sauvignon,
10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot), a 2015 Cabernet Franc (made from 5% Cabernet
Sauvignon) and a 2015 Petit Verdot (20% Cabernet Franc).
They range from $60 TO $90, sold online in nine US states and
Future winemaking plans
Those who missed the first release of Pink’s wine will not have to wait much longer for the
singer’s wine as there are plans for Two Wolves to release a second batch online in April
There are also plans to begin selling wholesale in the autumn with the intention of
potentially becoming more widely available.
What are your thoughts?
Will you be getting your hands on Pink’s wine? Here at Urban Spirit, we certainly will be! Let
us know in the comments below.


text:
Whether you have a loved one currently in a nursing home or rehabilitation facility, or whether you’re shopping for one, you should arm yourself with a list of questions to gauge how safe the environment is. Here’s a guide to those questions, and the answers you should expect.
The FDA allows cosmetic companies to hide toxic fragrance ingredients from consumers. But this fall, California passed a landmark bill to change this.
As Texans head to the grocery store to purchase their Thanksgiving turkeys, TexPIRG has released its first ever “Talking Turkey” guide to purchasing turkeys raised without overusing antibiotics. Turkey producers use more medically important antibiotics per pound of meat produced than any other sector of the meat industry, and studies have shown that routine use of antibiotics in meat production can lead to an increase in antibiotic-resistant “superbugs.”
“Because of the coronavirus pandemic, this holiday season might look and feel different, but one thing will remain the same -- Americans will eat turkeys for Thanksgiving,” said Bay Scoggin TexPIRG’s Director. “Consumers can drive change and protect public health by buying turkeys raised without overusing antibiotics.”
TexPIRG Education Fund’s Trouble in Toyland report has helped identify dangerous toys for 35 years. But 2020 is unique, and as Americans have worked, learned and played from home to protect themselves from COVID-19, children could be more susceptible to certain toy-related hazards.
“This has been an incredibly difficult year, and parents and caregivers are overwhelmed. They might do a quick search online for a toy to entertain their kids and trust that manufacturers and online vendors are guaranteeing their safety. This isn’t always the case, so parents need to be on guard,” said Bay Scoggin, TexPIRG Education Fund’s Director.
Thousands of nursing homes nationwide are dealing with horrific shortages of masks, gowns and other items they need to protect residents, workers and the broader community from COVID-19. And seven months into this pandemic, the shortages have actually become much worse.
At any given time, about 1.3 million people with long-term medical issues or short-term rehabilitation needs are residing in the nation’s 15,000 nursing homes. And too many of them are at risk, according to an analysis of government data by the TexPIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group.
Your tax-deductible donation supports TexPIRG Education Fund's work to educate consumers on the issues that matter, and to stand up to the powerful interests that are blocking progress.
You can also support TexPIRG Education Fund’s work through bequests, contributions from life insurance or retirement plans, securities contributions and vehicle donations.


text:
Japanese electronics giant Sony has initiated talks with an investment fund as it seeks to sell the Vaio brand it uses to sell personal computers. 5,000 jobs will be lost worldwide as Sony will turn its focus to TVs, game consoles and tablets.
Pressure from mobile devices
The investment fund, Japan Industrial Partners, is to create a new company to purchase Vaio’s Japanese branch, according to Reuters. Following the Vaio sale, Sony would want to pull out of other computer markets. The finer details of the agreement still have to be decided, but the deal would be worth 50 billion yen (360 million euro). Sony would still get to keep a small number of shares. For markets outside of Japan, Sony would plan a joint venture with Lenovo.
Sony wishes to leave the computer market, as smartphones and tablets are pressuring computer sales. According to research firm Gartner, computer sales would drop 7 % in 2014, while mobile appliances will increase 5 %.
The gaming division managed to post a healthy profit, mostly thanks to the PlayStation 4, but Sony's CEO (Kaz Hirai) is under tremendous pressure to turn the electronics giant's fortunes around - which means he has to trim down costs and cut jobs. That will result in 5,000 jobs being lost worldwide.
Profit forecast turned into huge loss
Sony had previously predicted a profit this fiscal year, but has turned that prediction around into a huge loss. The company will separate its television business, hoping to improve efficiency and transparency. This branch has to focus on the future in order to become a frontrunner once more with 4K screens.
Vaio was launched in 1996 and managed to sell 8.6 million computers in one year at one point, but last year it dropped below the 6 million marker. The Vaio sale should enable Sony to move more freely towards the smartphone market, but would result in a net loss for Sony - after years of making profits.


text:
Apple has ordered Parler to tighten its moderation tactics and delete “questionable content” from the platform within the next 24 hours or else it will launch from the App Store.
The decision comes the day after Parler’s CEO flaunted the platform’s direct approach to content moderation in the wake of the premeditated chaos at the US Capitol, much of which has been linked to Parler. In an email Apple sent to Parler this morning (Pacific Time) and obtained from Input, the company provided numerous examples of Parler users explicitly invoking violence and referenced CEO John Matze’s comment that ” does not feel responsible for any of this and neither does the platform. “
Apple disagrees. “We want to be clear that Parler is actually responsible for all user-generated content on your service and to ensure that this content meets the App Store requirements for the safety and security of our users,” said the society. “We will not distribute apps that …
- According to this source Apple tells Parler it has 24 hours to clean the house or be removed
- Check the more updates related to Apple Tips and Apple news now.
I hope you love this news please Share your love by following us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest apple news informationon and updates like Apple tells Parler it has 24 hours to clean the house or be removed
from our channels.


text:
A quiet day of trading as the markets slowly approach 5-year highs; the meningitis outbreak grows; Huawei fires back at the U.S. and the IMF slashes forecasts for global economic growth.
The founder of Boston Beer explains to CNBC how they fared so well during the recession, his connection to John Paulson and what he thinks about Mitt Romney.
According to the Alcoholic Beverage DemandTracker, 33 percent of alcohol drinkers who visit restaurants regularly report that they are more likely to order beer when offered a large selection of beer brands.
General Mills can score points with millennials and take advantage of the buzz, says a branding expert
Don't be the first to pass on higher costs, says diner owner Andrew Loucas.
In a relatively a rare move for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chipotle began testing a new menu item Tuesday.
Fast food customers know sometimes the drive-thru just isn't that speedy. Some McDonald's are guaranteeing that won't be the case.


text:
BMW group (ETR:BMW) reported a sales increase of 3.8 percent to 169,538 units in January and BMW an increase of 3.4 percent to 148,400 vehicles.
New and updated car models have been attributed to the boost in their sales with MINI brand sales up 7 percent to 20,929 cars and BMW 5 Series sedan increasing by 39.6 percent.
The luxury automobile brand has been through a transformation in recent years, implementing technological efficiencies but also concentrating in optimising their designs to deliver a better service for new generations.
“We are driving the biggest model offensive in the company’s history and as availability ramps up in the course of the year, this will continue to come through in our sales results,” said Pieter Nota responsible for Sales and Brand BMW.
In 2017 BMW delivered over 100,000 electrified vehicles. January results show an increase in sales of BMW i, BMW iPerformance and MINI Electric vehicles by 36.7 percent compared to the year prior.
A quarter of these sales took place in Scandinavia, traditionally an early adopter of new technologies. Britain and Ireland are also among the strongest consumers of electric cars, representing 11.1 percent of the total of BMW and MINI cooper sales, while the United States only accounts for 5.2 percent.
The car maker led the way with electric cars, launching the i3 hatchback in 2013. In September last year the company announced a mass production of electric cars, promising the introduction of as many as 12 new models by 2025. The company’s goal is to sell 140,000 electric vehicles in 2018.
In addition, results from December 2017 confirmed that the BMW Group is still the world’s leading automotive company. It was the seventh consecutive year achieving its best-ever annual sales, up by 4.1 percent to total 2,463,526.
“As we introduce more exciting new models like the all-new BMW X2 and increase supply of the BMW X3 in the second half of this year, I’m confident this record month is the start of another record year,” Nota said.
Share were down 0.70 percent, trading at 86.67EUR, as of 11:45 (GMT).


text:
NewsXT NETWORK March 06 2024: IndiGo, India’s most preferred airline, has made an announcement that is sure to excite travellers and boost tourism in Chhattisgarh. Starting from March 31, 2024, IndiGo will begin operations from its 87th domestic destination in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh.
The Hyderabad-Jagdalpur route will be the first pair of flights to take off, followed by the Raipur-Jagdalpur route on April 01, 2024. This new destination will offer an unexplored getaway for tourists, especially during the upcoming summer vacations. Mr. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo said, “We are pleased to add Jagdalpur to the 6E network offering our customers an opportunity to explore the beauty of Chhattisgarh, while augmenting the socio-economic landscape of the region. The new flights will not only increase Jagdalpur’s accessibility to the rest of the nation but also to international destinations via Hyderabad. As India’s leading carrier, we remain committed to providing our customers with seamless connectivity through the 6E network and delivering on our promise of providing affordable, on-time, courteous, and hassle-free travel experiences.” Jagdalpur, located in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, is a picturesque city known for its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. It is home to several waterfalls, wildlife sanctuaries, and ancient temples, making it a popular tourist destination. Customers who wish to plan their travel can book tickets via the official website www.goIndiGo.in or through our app.
The post IndiGo announces Jagdalpur as its 87th domestic destination appeared first on OUR INDIA.


text:
German group BMW said Friday that 2009 sales slipped by 4.7 per cent as the luxury car market was hit by the global recession, but added it expected to sell more than 1.3 million autos this year.
Group sales fell to 50.68 billion euros ($A78.96 billion), according to a statement that provided provisional results.
Final results are to be published on March 17, and "we are assured of a pre-tax profit as expected," BMW boss Norbert Reithofer said in a statement.
BMW's sales were particularly weak in its auto division, which posted a drop of 10.3 per cent to 43.73 billion euros, while the finance unit saw a slight increase to 15.79 billion euros.
Germany's leading high-end automobile group is placing hopes for this year in a new Series 5 sedan expected to be released in March.


text:
Specialist beer, wine and spirits logistics operator Europa Warehouse has appointed its first Head of Sales at its ‘best in class’, state-of-the-art £60m facility in Corby, Northants which is set to open this summer.
From Branch Manager to Head of Sales
Sally Watson, who joined Europa as a Senior Account Manager in 2014, has swiftly progressed up the management ladder within the business, first to Branch Manager in Nottingham, then Birmingham and now to Head of Sales for Europa Warehouse. The division is particularly proud of its long-standing and expanding customer relationships with well-known brands in the beer, wine and spirits sector.
Tasked with building relationships with potential new customers to fill the future-proofed 715,000 sq ft 3PL facility at Midlands Logistics Park, Sally has relished the opportunity of meeting key players in the retail, ecommerce and drinks sectors and presenting to them about Europa’s state-of-the-art facility coming soon at Corby.
Corby facility at the forefront of innovation
Sally said: “I’m thrilled to have been promoted to this very exciting new position at a time of such growth and expansion for Europa. Our new facility in Corby is at the forefront of innovation within the logistics sector, so discussing its credentials and contract requirements is proving to be a really rewarding and positive experience as everyone is keen to learn more about it.
“The scale of the build is truly impressive, as you can see from the drone footage we share regularly on our website and across our social media channels. We’ve had a lot of interest so far from business who are considering moving their operation to us, not necessarily to make cost savings but because they want to work with a like-minded business which will offer them the capacity for growth. I’ve noticed this particularly within the ecommerce sector, where businesses are taking off massively and need the option for increased space at short notice.
“It’s a real privilege to be responsible for building sales relationships for our biggest facility to date and I’m really enjoying the opportunity to get out there, network, meet new contacts and spread the word about all the fantastic services we offer at Europa. We can’t wait to welcome our first customers to Corby!”
Doubling Europa Warehouse’s Logistics Portfolio
Midlands Logistics Park in Corby has already created 2,200 local jobs since 2015. Built on the site of a former British Steel quarry and latterly Stanion Plantation, Midlands Logistics Park covers 150 acres. Corby is an established and strategic industrial and distribution location in the heart of the East Midlands, and benefits from excellent connectivity due to recent road network upgrades. Europa is looking to recruit a team of 200 ready for its site opening.
Europa Warehouse delivers a cost-effective solution offering a range of value-added capabilities including e-commerce fulfilment, production services, inventory management, packing, labelling, special deliveries, final assembly, quality control and critical parts management. Europa also has a fully compliant contact centre, offering an extensive range of outsourced customer support by phone and digital platforms.
This new facility will double Europa Warehouse’s logistics portfolio and is being constructed to a high-quality institutional specification, including above market standard 18 metre heights to facilitate three floors of mezzanines. Europa Warehouse already supports a wide range of leading blue-chip clients and this new facility will enable it to enhance its services significantly.
Europa Warehouse Director Maria Torrent-March commented:
“Sally is doing a fantastic job of building up a valuable and diverse database of contacts and potential new customers for Corby. We’re very pleased with the interest to date as we gradually move towards completion of the site in the summer and look forward to welcoming our first customers to their new state-of-the-art home.”
Europa Worldwide Group is the leading independent logistics firm which has gone from strength to strength, reaching a turnover of £180m in the last financial year, with further growth expected for 2020. It has been an exceptional 12 months for Europa Worldwide Group, the best in the company’s 50-year history. Europa employs over 950 staff and was recently featured in The Sunday Times Top Track 250 for the second time.


text:
Today, Tuesday October 6, 2009, the Fashion Club at Cherry Hill East held their first meeting of the year. About 25 students attended the meeting where plans were made for the safari themed fashion show that the club will perform on April 16, 2010.
A documentary was also shown about a teenage girl named Samantha Myers, who has a passion for fashion. Myers has Familial Dysautonomia (FD), a rare genetic neurological condition that affects the sensory and autonomic nervous systems, and causes numerous complications throughout the body. Her story was shared to the club because a portion of the proceeds from the fashion show will be donated to FD research.
The club meets at least twice a month to not only prepare for the fashion show, but also to discuss fashion trends. Many students attend the meeting simply to learn more about the fashion industry. According to Fashion Club member Justin Wachman (‘10), the club is basically the only way for students at East to learn about fashion.
“A lot of kids in the school want to study fashion in college. But besides art classes, we don’t have any fashion related classes at East. The club gives an opportunity for students interested to learn about fashion,” said Wachman. The club will have its next meeting on October 27, where hairstyle, makeup and clothing ideas will be discussed for the show.


text:
Vietnam has enjoyed a record 11-month trade surplus, reflecting a strong second half of the year in firms’ export-import performance.
The General Statistics Office reported that, overall, the economy witnessed a record trade surplus of $2.75 billion in the year’s first 11 months.
This number came on the back of a total export turnover of $193.8 billion, up 21.1 per cent year-on-year. Local enterprises earned $53.1 billion, up 16.8 per cent year-on-year, and foreign enterprises raked in $140.7 billion (including crude oil exports), up 22.8 per cent year-on-year.
Meanwhile, the import turnover reached $191 billion, up 21 per cent year-on-year – with locally-owned firms fetching $76.5 billion (up 18 per cent year-on-year) and foreign firms raking in $114.5 billion (up 23.2 per cent year-on-year).
Foreign enterprises held a trade surplus of $26.2 billion, while local enterprises suffered from a trade deficit of $23.4 billion.
Over the course of 2017, there has been an inversion in the trade situation. In the year’s first half, the economy suffered from a trade deficit of $2.78 billion, with each of the first six months registering a trade deficit.
But the situation got better in July, as a trade surplus of $266 million was recorded in the month. The seven-month figure still added up to a trade deficit of $2.53 billion.
September brought with it a trade surplus of $1.1 billion, making for a trade surplus of $328 million over the year’s first nine months. October’s trade surplus came to $2.18 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $2.56 billion in the year’s first 10 months.
It is expected that the figure will climb higher over the whole of 2017, given the better export-import situation, with export turnover likely to reach about $210 billion.
In the recent past, foreign firms have unwaveringly enjoyed a trade surplus, while that same consistency held for local firms in ringing up trade deficits year after year.
The fact that local enterprises have predictably seen a trade deficit has affected the economy’s trade balance.
Vietnam saw a trade surplus of $2.5 billion last year, and a surplus could also be seen in 2012 and 2014 – when the surplus reached more than $2.1 billion. However, 2015 showed a worrying deviation in a trend of growing trade surpluses, with a deficit of $3.5 billion.
According to experts, the instability in Vietnam’s trade balance showed that the country’s export-import structure remains unstable, that local production remains largely dependent on imported materials, and that the connection between foreign firms and local ones remains lax.
The General Statistics Office reported that 2017’s 11-month export turnover showed key items soaring year-on-year, including mobile phones and their spare parts ($41.3 billion – up 30.6 per cent); electronics, computers, and their spare parts ($23.6 billion – up 38.1 per cent); garments and textiles ($23.6 billion – up 9.5 per cent); footwear ($13 billion – up 11.6 per cent); and machines and their spare parts ($11.5 billion – up 27 per cent).
Meanwhile, the 11-month turnover of many imported items used for production climbed year-on-year, such as electronics, computers, and their spare parts ($34 billion – up 34 per cent); machinery and equipment ($30.7 billion – up 20.7 per cent); mobile phones and their spare parts ($14.4 billion – up 50.2 per cent); cloth ($10.3 billion – up 8 per cent); steel ($8.3 billion – up 14.3 per cent); plastic ($6.7 billion – up 17.8 per cent); and garment and footwear materials ($5 billion – up 8.1 per cent).


text:
Space-Comm Expo will bring together the global space community to discover new technologies, innovations and applications from over 150 suppliers.
The event will showcase the manufacturing supply chain for products, services and solutions supplying commercial enterprises and developments in space.
With the UK contributing 6.5 per cent of the global space market, and ambitions to grow this to 10 per cent by 2030, there has never been a more important time for the industry to meet.
Held at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, the event brings together the entire sector for two days of face to face business and networking.
Tim Peake hails space innovation
Tim Peake, the first British ESA astronaut to visit the International Space Station, said: “Really exciting times, we’ve got some great innovative companies here with technology.
“It’s a case of how do we support them? How do we give them the investment they need? How do we grow the skills workforce so that they can actually grow and thrive in the future?”
Subscribe to the FINN weekly newsletter
Get involved with Space-Comm 2022


text:
Computer equipment financing company ThinkSmart (ASX:TSM) has signed a deal with the UK’s biggest consumer electrical retail, DSG International, to provide consumer financing.
The deal will see ThinkSmart offer consumer financing in over 180 PC World Stores and over 500 Currys stores. The chains had combined domestic sales worth over $7 billion last year.
ThinkSmart had already been providing business-to-business rental financing through the PC World chain.
“The entry consumer rental in the UK is a major milestone for ThinkSmart,” company CEO Ned Montarello said.
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.


text:
Today, Apple Inc. currently, the final upgrade of operating system, namely iOS 14 authorize. Current operating systems running on your iPhone or iPad from Apple, the iOS 13, released on September 19, 2019 is.
One of the features that are brought to iOS 14, the functions of ‘silence’ in the service of iMessages is. According to the report of BGR, Apple is testing the properties of ‘mentioning’, or a mention in the service is supposedly book iMessages.
This feature can call the user, the members of a chat group to your friends using the ‘ @ ‘ symbol.
In addition, iOS 14 iPhone-and iPad allow users to choose Google Chrome and Google Mail (Gmail), the default application. Previously, iPhone users need to. with the Safari browser and E-Mail client E-Mail from Apple
This shows the size of the heart” from Apple will give you a chance, the trade show for developers of other apps to compete with the internal service of Apple.
In addition, iOS 14, a number of new features, one of which is presented as a function PencilKit, this function allows the user to write text, with Apple-pencil.
On the application Notes, there is functionality, hand-written words. But for the rest, in fact, there is no function, the handwriting will convert to text.
To use it, the user simply write the hand. The handwriting will then be converted to the default text before it is sent. To function the ability of OCR (Optical Character Recignition) on the functions of the PencilKit this seems to be on almost the entire area of the text input nothing in iOS.
Artihya, this feature will be compatible in the application like messages, notes, reminders, calendar, Mail and much more.
The plan, iOS 14 will be published between the date of the 14-or 18-September 2020. Timing is in line with the tradition of the iOS always presented in the month of September. For example, the update iOS 9 in 2015, a year later, iOS 10 released on 16 September to 13 September, 2016, iOS 11 on September 20, 2017, iOS 12, on 17 September, and the iOS 13 on September 19, 2019, as reported by the Mac-world.
But this plan may be delayed because of the Corona virus.


text:
£20,000 donation from The Southern Co-operative up for grabs in Wickham
The Southern Co-operative store in Wickham is calling on local good causes to apply for up to £20,000 funding in its new Community Support Card scheme shortly to be launched for 2013.
The Southern Co-operative is a Corporate Partner of Hampshire Fare and the Wickham store prides itself in being at the hub of the Wickham community and supports many community events and fundraising activities. Last year, 1st Wickham Scout Group and Meon Valley Lions Club each received £10,000 from The Southern Co-operative's Community Support Card (CSC) scheme. The store also sponsors local events including Wickham Festival and Wickham Charity Beer Festival, and at the town's Christmas lights switch on, store colleagues handed out hundreds of warm mince pies! As part of its co-operative ethos, The Southern Co-operative also encourages colleagues to volunteer in the local community; in Wickham, they visit Wickham CofE Primary school every week to mentor pupils and help them learn to read, and also visit Ashley Down Nursing Home each month to spend time chatting with residents.
The store's Retail Business Manager, Pete Wearn said: 'It's important for us to be part of local life here in Wickham. We are very open to local groups and event organisers approaching us for help and support with community activities.' Pete added: 'Our CSC scheme is a great way for local charities and organisations such as school PTAs to raise thousands of pounds with the support of our customers. It doesn't cost customers anything; they simply present a green CSC card, which we issue free, every time they purchase goods in-store. If you know of a local good cause which would benefit from a share of £20,000 to be donated this year, do encourage them to visit the store and complete a CSC application form.'
The closing date for CSC applications is the end of March. To find out more, visit The Southern Co-operative in Wickham Square.
Look out for the'Local Flavours'range of food and drink sourced from Hampshire available in the Wickham store.


text:
The Blockchain generation is in constant evolution letting the companies that are building dapps and mobile tools to become more concerned with the decentralized crypto mining taking them to make more partnerships to grant this apps to the public.
The Taiwanese Technology company HTC and the Midas Lab a design Firm that build ASIC Chip partnered to allow mining Monero XMR directly in the EXODUS 1S blockchain smartphone. This partnership was announced this Friday April 10, and the Midas Lab will be responsable to build the App dubbed DeMiner that will be installed in the EXODUS 1s giving permission users to mine directly in a Decentralized way the Monero (XMR) cryptocurrency and will be available to the public in the second quarter of 2020.
The innovative service offered by HTC have advantages in mining crypto thru mobile devices as it will a secure mining pool and will take the cryptocurrency to the masses, and with the DeMiner app the smartphone HTC EXODUS 1s will mine even when it's in regular mode or in unplugged stage from the charger!
Mining XMR with the DeMiner will be more efficiently with the Exodus 1s smartphone as the cryptocurrency focused in privacy is roughly difficult in a desktop earning from the miners almost 0.06 per day by burning 65W of power, which costs $0.156 daily, and with the app will mine at least $0.0038 of XMR per day on average, while the electricity cost is less than 50% being more cost-effective and more efficient than on PC.
We have seen and hear that crypto exchanges (example of Binance) are planning to have they own mining pool well like giants pools example of BTC.com among others are on the mining crypto industry where the hashrate is being secured turning difficult to other ones who have desire to enter the market a very arduous task but with the HTC EXODUS 1s solution more people can have the pleasure to mine their own Monero without fearing to not make any income due to the hash power. And also is giving power to the masses that would be mining without needing to be treated by the Giants and turning mining more decentralized.
HTC is leading decentralization thru other levels using mobile devices, and recently they introduced blockchain router that would allow customers to run a full bitcoin node from their home.
The smartphone from the company also a built in many feature that can make them to easily interact with DEX exchanges, are built in with wallets for BTC, Bitcoin Cash and Zcash, the Binance smartphone powered by HTC is incorporated with a native BNB wallet to reference that EXODUS line are full blockchain mobile devices and the native cryptocurrency wallet in those smartphones are dubbed Zion Vault.
**Image credit courtesy of HTC site.


text:
Mariah Carey keeps trim by following a diet which consists of Norwegian salmon and capers.
Adele is devastated she's had to give up eating pizza to protect her voice.
Actress Blake Lively adopted a caveman diet to boost her strength throughout the gruelling The Shallows shoot.
Would you like a bit of fries with that ketchup? How about some salad with your dressing?
TORONTO -- Two Canadian business leaders want the country's food industry to use more transparent labels so Canadians know just how much sugar they're consuming.
The Canada Food Guide is killing you: ‘The obesity epidemic… really began with our dietary guidelines’
Canadians are a pretty obedient bunch when it comes to eating what the government says we should be eating.
Love salt but don't want the heart attack that comes with overdoing it?
Oprah Winfrey is proudly showing off her weight loss success by posing for the cover of O Magazine.
Former Iowa science teacher John Cisna, who says he lost 60 pounds on a six-month regimen of McDonald's food and daily walks, has sparked outrage among public health advocates for taking his story to U.S. schools on the fast-food chain's dime.
NEW YORK - Seniors trying to assess their fitness do not need to pound a treadmill, grunt out a series of crunches or even break a sweat.
The odds are against obese men and women trying to get to a healthy weight, particularly if they are severely obese, a U.K. study suggests.
The federal government announced on Wednesday the launch of "Carrot Rewards," an app that will use incentives to reward Canadians for making healthy lifestyle decisions.
Alec Baldwin's healthy lifestyle has rubbed off on his model daughter - she's going vegan.
In a small new study, volunteers who were shown chocolate and sports drinks after an exercise workout could not correctly guess how much would be an equal 'reward' for the calories they had just burned.
Top 10 ways to cure a hangover
Nose's imagination could affect weight gain
Shopping for healthier groceries, like whole wheat bread instead of white bread and lean meat instead of fattier cuts, would cost a family of four about $1,500 more a year at their regular stores, according to a new U.S. study.
TORONTO -- Working overtime can take its toll on both body and mind.
The midlife body has been reshaped.
Top beach body inspirations


text:
In the latest Fund Managers' Survey release by Bank of America this week, there was an overarching agreement on what Wall Street's "smart money" believes will be the biggest drive of equity prices in the next 6 months. The answer, as shown in the chart below, is Treasury Bond Yields... ... Show More Summary
According to Donald Trump, his business bankruptcies were tremendously smart things to do, and, if looked at from the right angle, almost a heroic blow against nasty Wall Street types: "These lenders aren't babies," he said during a Republican primary debate last fall. Show More Summary
These days, stocks and bonds are piled on the elevated side of the seesaw. They’re both expensive. The post Where the Smart Money Goes When the Bubble Bursts was originally published at The Wall Street Examiner. Follow the money!
LONDON — Apple's UK flagship store is back after being closed for renovation — and it's had more than just a lick of paint. Mashable got a first look at the redesigned new shop on Regent Street. With its huge windows and smart bulbs,...Show More Summary
Smartphones have made it easier than ever to keep occupied while commuting, but all it takes is a dead battery to make for a tedious waiting game. A recently installed piece of street furniture in the Turkish city of Istanbul, however,...Show More Summary
Yahoo may be playing with the idea of one day scanning people on the street or in their cars through a camera and mic-equipped "smart" billboard. According to patent applications disclosed on Thursday, first discovered by The Mercury...Show More Summary
Received from a reader in Truman Square:"I live at 47[xx] Kenmore and work from home. There are teams of people from Just Energy going down the street ringing doorbells today. They told me it was to check up on a smart meter we just had installed. Show More Summary
Several "massive" cyberattacks were launched last week, with an "army" of security cameras and DVRs being hijacked by hackers, the Wall Street Journal reports. Even famed security researcher Brian Krebs was affected, and saw his website temporarily disabled. The hackers hijacked up to a million cameras, DVRs, and other devices...
As reported by many sources, including the Wall Street Journal, “When Mrs. Clinton said there were years when Mr. Trump paid no taxes, he replied, ‘That makes me smart.’” The reference to taxes was in the context of federal income taxes. Show More Summary
Help keep the neighborhoods and places where you hang out up-to-date.
Flexible Smart Home, 6BR/5BA, Legal Apt + Income 3 Decks, Deep Garden, Views, 2 Car Garage 22 Harper Street San Francisco, CA Wendy Storch, 415.519.6091 Wendy@WendyStorch.com [SOTHEBY’S]
Over his 40-year banking career, James Runde learned that being just as smart and hard working as his colleagues isn't enough. Instead, developing emotional intelligence, or "EQ," is key to getting ahead on Wall Street, according to his article for the Harvard Business Review. Show More Summary
Snapchat is losing the "chat." The company has been renamed Snap Inc., the Wall Street Journal reported late Friday night. Cleaner, right? SEE ALSO: Leaked video appears to show Snapchat's long-rumored smart sunglasses That's not all: The company will also release video-recording sunglasses called Spectacles this fall. Show More Summary
The Snapchat Spectacles are official. Snapchat’s 26-year-old CEO Evan Spiegel says Spectacles are a smart wearable for video-sharing, according to the Wall Street Journal. Since this is the first hardware product offering, Spiegel stated that the company is taking things slow with Spectacles and shall release limited units for $130 this fall. Show More Summary
The classic Wall Street trader is dead. For decades or even centuries, the professional investment markets were characterized by smart individuals buying and selling stocks, bonds, currencies, and commodities based on intuition...
The long arm of the law gets the shortest car on the road. Continue reading The Smart ForTwo hits the streets for the NYPD The Smart ForTwo hits the streets for the NYPD originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Sep 2016 08:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
Smart vehicle technology is being used on the streets of Edmonton, making it the first Canadian city to see cars "communicating" with each other and with roadside infrastructure in an effort to improve road safety.
I got to talk to Jane Jacobs once, toward the end of her life, an interview that is mentioned, in its properly Lilliputian proportion, in Robert Kanigel’s new biography, “Eyes on the Street: The Life of Jane Jacobs” (Knopf). She wasShow More Summary
SO excited to be giving away I’m Judging You. If you don’t read Luvvie Ajayi’s website, Awesomely Luvvie, you definitely need to start — she’s hilarious and smart, and her new book is fantastic and will be right up your street (which should be obvious from the title, right?). THE PRIZE: We’ve got five copies Read More...
Verizon has acquired internet of things (IoT) startup Sensity Systems (“Sensity”), a company that provides smart LED lights for streets, airports, malls, and more. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founded out of Sunnyvale, California, in 2010, Sensity wants to capitalize on a global shift to LED lighting in cities in the coming years. […]


text:
Centrum, World’s number 1 Multivitamin Brand1, marks its entry in India under Haleon (erstwhile GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare). The company announced the launch of Centrum Multivitamin range recognising the difference in nutritional requirements by gender and age in India and offers 4 multivitamin variants tailored to meet the new age nutrition needs of different consumer cohorts5: Centrum Women, Centrum Men, Centrum Adults 50+ and Centrum Kids. The range is vegetarian and by nature gluten free.
Backed by four decades of science6, Centrum is the most clinically studied multivitamin brand in the world2 that the largest consumer healthcare business, Haleon, unveiled to the growing wellness industry of India.
Commenting on the new launch, Anurita Chopra, Head of Marketing, India Subcontinent, Haleon said, “A paradigm shift in consumer mindset to adopt self-care with a focus on holistic wellbeing and strengthening immunity makes India an important market for Centrum. The driving factor of the Indian dietary supplements market is the increasing health consciousness and proactive health mindset amongst the consumers. Launch of Centrum in India will further support us in driving our larger purpose of delivering better everyday health with humanity. Our endeavour is to leverage both the brand’s global nutrition expertise and understanding of Indian consumers to launch best-in-class range of nutrition products made in India and tailormade for India. We are on an incredible journey with Centrum in India and hope to take the Vitamin and Mineral Supplement category to greater heights.”


text: While the news in itself is not a particularly big deal, it does open the doors to speculation. So much discussion has focused on price, we've barely had a moment to talk about the name. While the odds-on favourite is PSP2, we feel like Sony will take the naming in a different direction. We don't think it's going to be a PlayStation Portable at all, instead we think the name will reflect the versatility of the device. PlayStation Versatile, PlayStation All, PlayStation Something-A-Bit-More-Catchy-But-You-Get-The-Idea.


text:
From China Daily:
Mothers on the mainland, terrified of their babies becoming the next victims of the baby milk scandal, are turning to Hong Kong for safe food for their infants.
An official at the customs checkpoint in Luohu, which links Shenzhen and Hong Kong, told China Daily yesterday there has been a dramatic rise in the amount of baby formula being brought in from the special administrative region.
“There has been a huge increase in the number of mainlanders coming back from Hong Kong with milk powder,” the customs’ press officer Wang Jing said.
“Over the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, people were coming back with an average of two boxes, 12 cans, each, which is twice the average before the scandal.”
Read also a comment from John Pomfret about the current trend away from breastfeeding in Chinese society:
…Scratch the surface and China seems to have turned away from breastfeeding just as we in the United States have embraced it. In the ’40s and ’50s American women were inveigled to abandon the breast and replace it with formula. Science! in the form of milk powder and super nutrients would make baby strong! After a few decades, we’d junked those ideas and now in the 21st century we’ve re-embraced the breast. Just the opposite with the Chinese. In the ’40s and ’50s, breastfeeding was universal in China. The country was too poor to afford formula.
But as China grew richer in the ’70s and ’80s, its women turned away from breastfeeding. Now, according to the All-China Women’s Federation, only 47 percent of Chinese women breastfeed and most specialists think that the numbers are actually lower. One study noted that breastfeeding rates around Beijing were as low as 13.6 percent at four months in the 1990s down from more than 80 percent in early 1950s.
Despite a nationwide campaign to encourage breastfeeding, the same call — Science! — has convinced many to do away with the breast pump and embrace formula. In addition, the structure of the Chinese family — more working mothers, the babies raised by grandparents — makes the use of formula so much more convenient. And in this case so much more harmful to the poor children who drank the tainted brew from the Sanlu milk company.


text:
Source: Phil W. Hudson, Atlanta Business Chronicle
The ninth-oldest bowl game in the country's first run as a College Football Playoff Semifinal generated a record economic impact to the Atlanta economy of more than $61.96 million, up from $41.8 million last year.
Atlanta-based Peach Bowl Inc., operator of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, reported the game between No. 1 ranked Alabama and No. 4 ranked Washington also provided $4.7 million in direct state and local tax revenue collected within metro Atlanta.
When added to the $29.27 million delivered by the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game (Georgia vs. North Carolina) to open last season, the two college football games hosted by Peach Bowl Inc. in 2016 combined to drive a total economic impact of $91.2 million including $7.4 million in direct tax revenue.
In total, the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl combined to draw 151,401 fans to Atlanta. In terms of visitors to the city, the two games represent the third and fourth-largest convention events for Atlanta in 2016. More than 23.3 million additional fans watched the games on television.
Peach Bowl Chairman Percy Vaughn said his organizations goal was to maximize the impact of the Semifinal to take full advantage of the opportunity to benefit its home community.
“This is the ultimate example of how powerful major college football games can be to the economic health of our city,” he said in a statement. “These games are some of the largest ‘conventions’ we have on an annual basis.”
Since 1999, college football games hosted by Peach Bowl Inc. have delivered $933.4 million in total economic impact and $51.3 million in combined direct state and local tax revenue generated within the metro area.
Peach Bowl CEO and President Gary Stokan said there is no doubt college football is a powerful and dependable economic engine in Atlanta.
“We take a lot of pride in providing this financial infusion each year, through our economic impact and charitable giving, to support the community we’ve called home since 1968,” he added.
Read the complete article at the link above.


text:
America got their way: Prime Minister Rutte deftly executes President Biden’s order to impose an export ban on ASML’s advanced lithography machines (ASML exports to China are restricted, 9/3). Apart from the fact that the cabinet can do this without the consent of the people’s representatives, I wonder whether (enough) attention has been paid to the following consideration.
In the event of an export ban, China will join forces to develop and manufacture more advanced lithography machines. If China is capable of it at some point, we will no longer know what China is or is not capable of.
What will that do to our economy if China can no longer produce the high-quality chips needed for the Chinese products that the Western world depends on? Stagnation seems to me to be the least of what happens to us.
An export ban could affect ASML, with its investment level and pace significantly reduced. This has a direct impact on Western economies. And, for example, it gives America a chance to catch up with European technology. After all, that’s the goal among Democrats and Republicans in America anyway America first.
Finally, the question is whether the real motive behind the export ban is international security. Blocking or disadvantaging other economies would favor the US in regaining the upper hand. Especially in terms of industrialization, the United States lags far behind Europe and Asia.
A version of this article appeared in the March 13, 2023 issue of the newspaper


text:
Stand Design KBIS 2016
KBIS 2016, one of the world’s most important trade shows in the kitchen design industry, took place in Las Vegas on 19-21 January. This show was a great opportunity to see the latest industry products, trends and technologies. KBIS has been the meeting place for the top companies in the kitchen and bath business for more than 50 years.
Once again, Mestalla is proud to collaborate with a leading company as Consentino in the KBIS 2016, one of the most important exhibitions of the year. Our designers and the whole team at Mestalla did their best to maintain the highest standards in this project and we hope to work with Consentino again in the near future.


text:
So, a new study shows that today’s fruits and vegetables contain fewer nutrients and are also less flavorful than those that grew a generation ago. Could the market’s emphasis on size and unnaturally perfect appearance have something to do with it?
- Pumpkin planting, the standing crop is rye. This is so great to learn about for consumers like me who may not have… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 2 hours ago
- RT @AgBioWorld: Indian cotton seed companies made a killing selling Bt cotton seeds but never invested or fostered biotech research, even p… 1 day ago


text:
Kazakhstan may become an importer of milling wheat
Grain harvest in Kazakhstan is almost over: it was 99.8% complete as of October 30, reports UkrAgroConsult.
Drought was seen everywhere throughout the growing season: high air temperatures and long rain-free periods had an adverse impact on crop condition. The harvest time, on the contrary, witnessed rain in key growing regions that slowed down harvest progress and deteriorated the grain crop quality.
The harsh weather conditions affected the crop quantity as well: it is the lowest in seven years.
Moreover, the situation was aggravated by low opening stocks, which totaled just 1.2 MMT.
The above factors will cause Kazakh wheat supply in the world market to plummet. According to preliminary estimates, the country may ship abroad 30% less wheat compared to a year ago.
We do not rule out that this year Kazakhstan will not only reduce milling wheat exports, but will also be forced to begin importing high quality wheat to meet domestic demand. Most likely, the purchases will be made mostly in the 2020 calendar year, after own stocks in the country start exhausting.
Full version of the article is available to subscribers for Online Analytics “Black Sea Grain” in the new innovative platform AgriSupp.com by UkrAgroConsult. Agrisupp is a reliable
EU suspends all duties on imports from Ukraine for one year
Croatia offers ports on the Adriatic Sea for the transportation of Ukrainian grain
NEW! Ukraine Logistics Trends. Daily & Weekly Report by UkrAgroConsult
Palm oil rose by 2.5%, which supported the prices of sunflower oil
Wheat quotes started the week with new growth
Write to us
Our manager will contact you soon


text:
After a year and a half of contacts with a long line of factors – the mother Nahum Bitan Will be satisfied with a particularly low offer from a group of investors in the lead The Phoenix, Which reflects a decrease in value of NIS 330 million?
The hourglass of the pavilion seems to be running out: the company’s board of directors, headed Shlomo Rodev, Informed the group of investors led by Phoenix that it accepts the low offer to purchase the retail chain controlled by Nahum Bitan.
Rodev Shlomo / Photo: PR
The urgency to accept the Phoenix deal stems from the fact that the group has set a deadline for the acquisition of the chain, which is due to expire on Tuesday night this week. Nahum Bitan now has 30 days with the first right to refuse to accept the Phoenix offer, or to submit a higher counter-offer. Deadline: March 18. If by then Bitan fails to bring another official offer to the table, Phoenix and its partners will take over two-thirds of Bitan Wines shares.
The value shrank after the test
What does the deal currently on the table look like, and how has the value of Pavilion Wines shrunk?
We will start with the latest official offer submitted by the Phoenix-led investor group, the Clearmark Fund, Arkin Investments and Barak Capital. The group is led by Zvika Mans, CEO of Barak Capital Underwriting.
The updated offer is for a relatively small amount of NIS 150 million “before the money”, which includes a transfer of NIS 300 million to the company in exchange for 66% of the shares, compared to the previous offer which included a transfer of NIS 400 million, according to The money “of about NIS 480 million.
Pavilion Wines, La Guardia Branch Tel Aviv / Photo: Kadia Levy
It now turns out that since signing the Memorandum of Understanding, Phoenix has twice reduced the company’s value in the offer. For the first time, the company’s value was cut from NIS 480 million “before the money” to a value of NIS 350 million, against the background of the due diligence. Later, after the tensions in the Bitan Wines group, the loan that was discovered, and other aggressive measures, the Phoenix reduced its value to NIS 150 million.
From the point of view of Nahum Bitan, this amount seems unacceptable, and even lower than the value that Bitan hoped to achieve for the sale of 13 stores to competing chains in the industry, valued at NIS 300 million. This is also why he has been working hard over the past week to find another buyer.
Where has Electra gone?
And what about contacts with Electra Consumer? About two weeks ago, we revealed in Globes that the company has expressed great interest in Bitan Wines, and has begun contacts with the company under the management of Zvika Schwimmer and which is controlled by Elco by the brothers Michael and Daniel Zalkind. The contacts between the parties then revolved around a similar value, but slightly lower than that offered by the group led by Phoenix – about NIS 480 million before the money. In this context, it is said that most of the money that Electra will transfer will flow into Bitan Wines, and some of it will be transferred to Nahum Bitan. Following this, Electra began an accelerated due diligence.
But from that stage it was exposed to data that appeared in the information room, where also the information collected as part of the due diligence of the group of investors led by Phoenix – including a significant reduction in value performed by the finance group. Against this background, Electra Consumer, which was interested in purchasing the network, also significantly reduced the value it would be willing to pay.
As a result, contacts with Electra have cooled down, and some estimate that they have reached a dead end, with the previous value in question no longer relevant, and contacts with it may only be renewed at a value that will be close to what Phoenix offered.
Pavilion naturally tends to prefer a partnership with Electra Consumer, because it is already active in the retail market through electrical warehouses, and in light of the fact that it is in talks to bring the Saban Elban convenience store brand to Israel.
Adi Zim, the controlling owner of SR Accord, together with the Apax Fund, also examined the possibility of purchasing the controlling shares in the network. However, even contacts in this direction have not matured. Estimates are that reports of new interested parties having contacts with Pavilion are in fact an attempt to push the banks to claim that this is a breach of the financing agreement, in order to torpedo the deal with the Phoenix. On the other hand, there are those who claim that the Phoenix acted to torpedo the deal with Electra Consumer, while others argue that the data in the information room speaks for itself.
Tensions within the society are getting worse
Either way, the low price tag that Phoenix has attached to the network that has now been revealed will make it difficult for Nahum Bitan to bring in another buyer in the amounts discussed in the past, and it is mostly a very harsh statement about what Phoenix found in its investigation. This is not the first time that Phoenix is considering investing in a food chain, when about two years ago it signed a deal with the King Store chain.
This reality led to a sharp tension between Bitan himself and the banks and the chairman of the company, Shlomo Rodev. This week, Bitan made a second attempt to oust him from the company and sent him a letter of dismissal.
Rodev’s presence in the company is part of the financing agreement signed by Bitan with the banks – Poalim and Mizrahi – last August, for an additional line of credit in the total amount of NIS 150 million. In the agreement, the two banks also received an option for shares in the food retail company in the amount of 8% each.
The Phoenix is the largest insurance and finance group in the domestic market in terms of market capitalization, with a company value of more than NIS 6.5 billion. The group has a number of institutional entities, including Excellence Investment House. The group’s investments are managed by Hagai Schreiber, and the group is managed by Eyal Ben Simon.
The Bitan-Mega Wine Group has 148 branches, with a sales turnover of close to NIS 3.5 billion.


text:
The relatively warm acceptance of Apple Pay – Apple’s wireless payment system that allows owners of the latest iPhone models to wave their smartphone instead of swiping your card to pay – has probably forced Samsung to look for a competing system using its own line of smartphones. The South Korean gadget giant is reportedly in talks with US payments startup LoopPay to make this happen.
Nothing is final, and neither Samsung nor LoopPay executives would comment on the rumor, but the deal has to be hammered down pretty fast for the infrastructure and the system to be online by the time the Samsung Galaxy S6 comes out – rumored to be in March at the Mobile World Congress in Berlin. The Galaxy S6 – as with its predecessor the Galaxy S5 – will look to have fingerprint recognition in place to make the payments system work.
Apple Pay works pretty much as you imagine a wireless payment system to work – it lets iPhone owners pay for items in stores by placing their phone close to the Apple Pay checkout equipment. Users then complete the purchase by authenticating through the phone’s fingerprint identification sensor.
We imagine Samsung’s process would look about the same as this, only that LoopPay’s current system mimics a swipe with a card – so in theory, it might work in more locations than Apple Pay or even Google Wallet, as it utilizes the same equipment as a swipe terminal for a traditional credit card. Nothing is solid yet, and the deal may yet break down, but Samsung will feel that it is imperative for them to finalize this one in light of flagging smartphone sales.


text:
Breaking: CDC’s recommendation on use of cloth face coverings, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission of COVID-19. Read more at link below.
Recent studies show that a significant portion of individuals with COVID-19 lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.
In light of new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings to slow spread of COVID-19 in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) esp. in areas of significant community-based transmission.
Maintaining 6-feet min. social distancing remains important to slowing spread of COVID-19. CDC also advises use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.
Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
The cloth face coverings recommended to slow spread of COVID-19 are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those critical supplies must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance. https://bit.ly/2Ravt42


text:
We say major, as it is an offshoot of the third-largest cell phone maker globally, Huawei, and has been having moderate success with its Honor line in the USA, especially the budget 7X offering lately.
The event will be streamed live from London on Honor's Facebook page and YouTube channel. The phone made its debut in China about a month ago and will go on sale for the rest of the world after the launch event in London.
Modi, Putin to hold informal talks in Russia
Last week, just after U.S. withdrew from JCPOA, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval visited Moscow for consultations. It said both the leaders will also discuss their respective national development priorities and bilateral matters.
Coming to the features of the phone, the Honor 10 has borrowed heavily from the recently-launched Huawei P20 phones. The OnePus 6 is all set to launch globally tomorrow, that is, May 16, India launch is scheduled for May 17. At this price point, the phone will be pitted against the much anticipated OnePlus 6, which will be launched on May 16, a day after the Honor 10. That is around precisely the exact same price section because of OnePlus 6. In China, the 3GB RAM and 32GB storage variant is priced at CNY 899 which translates to Rs 9,600. The Honor 10 will be quite different from its predecessor, the Honor 9, and will sport a notch display similar to that of the iPhone X.
The phone will be available in three variants. The same colours are expected to come to India as well.
Honor 10 will be the most premium smartphone from the Chinese e-brand yet.
Brazilian gunman's robbery of school kids foiled by gun-wielding mother
A Brazilian mother, who was also an off-duty cop, thwarted an armed robbery attempt on Mother's Day weekend. When the offender began to threaten with a gun she got a gun and shot him in the chest.
The device comes in two variants based on the memory configuration - 3GB RAM with 32GB internal storage and 4GB RAM with 64GB onboard storage. Rest of the features including camera and face unlock are same as the Honor 7C. Just like the Honor 7C, the Redmi Y2 also offers dual cameras on the rear.
The screen will be 5.8-inches with a resolution of 2240 x 1080 pixels. It also gets a 24-megapixel selfie shooter and expect Honor to talk about new AI capabilities baked into the system UI. The phone is powered by a 3,400 mAh Li-Po battery and will come in Mirage Purple, Mirage Blue, Magic Night Black, and Gray Gull colours. Even if who Honor has lined up for the event doesn't tickle your fancy, it should be a good opportunity to see the Honor 10 in action.
Childish Gambino's 'This Is America' Hits No
The track unseats a 15-week reign at the top of the chart from Drake's latest singles, "Nice For What" and " God's Plan ". Gambino, who's the music alter ego of Donald Glover , was able to end Drake's streak on the Billboard Hot 100.


text:
Cracker Barrel Cheese recently unveiled its new uber-chic packaging that helps consumers remember life's simple pleasures -- enjoying some food with friends and family. The rebranding effort was done by international agency BrandOpus to include a sense of luxury and enhance the customer's perception of the brand.
The new packaging includes a black matte background with a red ribbon encircling it, giving off a gift-like aesthetic. The restrained typography gives a refreshed and timeless aesthetic. This new visual identity of Cracker Barrel Cheese evokes sophistication and prestige. The redesign spans the entire collection which includes block cheese, a paring board, and even their frozen food line.
While Cracker Barrel Cheese previously targetted the average consumer, its new dynamic packaging is the epitome of high status while maintaining an accessible price range.


text:
Yesterday, a source confirmed to us that Geely’s stake in NIO is settled, there are no major variables, the amount of investment is not less than 300 million US dollars.
The source also revealed that Geely may plan capacity integration for NIO, and in the future, Geely will produce vehicle for NIO.
For NIO, 2020 would be like a blossoming year.
Yesterday, media reports broke out rumor that Geely plans to invest 300 million US dollars in NIO, we asked Li Bin about this report, he said, “We will not evaluate such market rumours, please use our official announcement as the prevailing one.”
The relevant person in charge of Geely Holdings has also said, “I don’t know about it and would not like to comment on market rumours.”
It is worth noting that although both sides characterized it as a rumour, they did not deny it. On the timeline, this “rumour” is a result of another “rumour” one month ago including Geely, GAC and SAIC, all of which are bidding for NIO with an investment scale of one billion US dollars. Now the promoters are up, and the amount has reduced to 300 million US dollars.
According to the above-mentioned sources, Geely ’s investment in NIO will be similar to the form of Geely ’s investment in Daimler. In other words, it is just the financial investment, Geely will seek power to interfere with operations and aims to promote strategic harmony.
This strategy will greatly reduce the investment risk of Geely, the price of Geely’s equity investment in NIO should not be higher than the previous conversion price of NIO’s convertible bond financing of $3.07, equivalent to 80.79% of the current stock price of $3.80. As of February 18, NIO had a market value of about $4 billion.
Based on this estimate, the US $300 million can buy less than 10% of NIO’s shares.
NIO’s 2018 financial report shows that the largest shareholder is Li Bin, holding 14.4% of the shares; followed by Tencent, 13.3%; followed by Bailie Gifford & Co., 9.7%. At the time, the fourth-largest shareholder, Hillhouse Capital, cleared its positions before the end of last year.
More important than these figures are the related voting rights, with Li Bin accounting for 48%, Tencent’s 21.6% and Baillie Gifford & Co. ‘s only 4.1%. This is not in tune with the number of shares held.
Through the rules, Li Bin’s control is very solid. For Li Bin and Li Shufu, who are highly skilled in financial investment, there will be no problems in the process if there is an agreement. The key lies in how Geely views the return on investment of the entire account.
A month ago, we learned that Geely thinks of investing $1 billion. According to the current market value calculation, the equity ratio is about 25%, and Geely will be the largest shareholder (as mentioned earlier, this role is not too great). At the same time, one of their funding requirements is that Li Bin should be replaced, Geely did not want him to be the chairman and CEO, to ensure that the investment project has more fair costs and profits.
We can’t say that dreams have prices. However, if Geely still thinks of buying shares that can get them the right to speak, the amount of negotiation and funding required will be much greater than the price of being the largest shareholder, much higher than $1 billion. Not to mention, Geely would undertake NIO’s future and destiny.
This is not as good as a strategic investor availing the first opportunity. From the reducing investment amount, we can also see Geely has made the choice and probabily reached a settlement about Li Bin’s position.
Right now is a good time to invest in NIO.
NIO’s financial shortage is almost an agreement inside the industry. In addition to the difficult times, it can be imagined that funds are decreasing further. From the employee’s internal letter released by Li Bin a few days ago, we can have a look at a few things:
“We are not the same as other mature companies. We are still a start-up company seeking survival. Corona virus has added to the difficulty of our work. Please, everyone, recognize that we need every colleague to make a living. “
But from the low delivery numbers, we can feel they are doing their best. In January, NIO delivered 1,598 vehicles, a decrease of 11.5% year-on-year, and a drop of nearly half from the previous month. Taking into account the impact of the widespread coronavirus during the off-season of traditional holidays, the effective delivery date in January was only 16 days, which was 6 days less than the same period last year.
At the same time, the continued good performance of the capital circle can also explain the confidence of the outsiders in NIO. Since the beginning of this year, NIO has completed a total of 200 million US dollars in convertible debt financing, targeted at many unrelated investment funds. On Wall Street, as the delivery improved in the third quarter of last year, the financial report also showed higher than expected capital utilization efficiency, and the depressed stock price was also significantly increased. From the fourth quarter of last year ($ 1.32) to today ($ 3.80), the increase has been more than 87%.
In aspect of Geely, NIO is a light asset investment with manageable risks and expected returns.
The source also provided us with two details:
First, Geely values NIO’s marketing and customer service more than product itself. At the product level, Geely’s view is relatively weak, because Geely believe that Geely’s vehicle is not bad. If you put them in relative price ranges, it may be true. Geely is the king in price range of 40,000 to 200,000 (yuan). But it also reflects another layer of self-awareness of Geely’s products which is not premium enough. In a short term, Geely and even other mainstream auto maker are unlikely to occupy more than market in price that higher than 300,000 yuan.
By investing in shares, Geely eliminated the risk of competitive relationship, and covering the market in price section of up to 300,000 yuan.
Not only in the premium electric vehicle market but also in the luxury SUV market, NIO also has a name, even crossing some second-tier luxury brands. This is a map that other auto companies do not have and find it hard to catch up with.
We can ask another question: why isn’t another company, such as WM Motor, which has a more confusing relationship with Geely. Last year, its annual delivery volume was 16,876 units, ranking second among Chinese EV startups, just behind NIO.
From Geely’s point of view, WM Motor’s product line is more popular and is dependent heavily on the 2B travel market, but this can be done by Geely itself, and with the existing resources and scale, they can do it better. From this aspect, it can be seen that NIO’s brand achievements are unique and are being recognized by the industry.
Secondly, as mentioned at the beginning, Geely may integrates production capacity of NIO, which will be produced by Geely in the future.
This is based on two considerations:
One is the volume of new energy vehicle sales.
Last year, Geely sold more than 113,000 new energy vehicles, with a year-on-year increase of 66.5%. This is a very good result. Compared with the new energy market, it fell 4% year-on-year, which is not consistent. It can also rank among the top three new energy manufacturers in China.
However, by January this year, the situation was worse, and its sales of new energy vehicles were 4,762, a year-on-year decrease of 47.2%. The market was even worse. In January, the total sales of new energy vehicles were 44,000, a year-on-year decrease of 54.4%.
Industry analysts pointed out that the main reason for the decline was the decrease in subsidy and the Chinese Spring Festival holiday. When the corona virus broke out, it had already entered the holidays, which had less impact on January but had a greater impact on upcoming months. This adds to the confusion this year.
The second is that it has extra capacity for new energy vehicles.
In the middle of last year, Gasgoo’s has done statistics that “relying on more than 20 traditional automobile factories, the current Geely new energy vehicle production capacity plan is over 1.8 million units. Also, if Volvo ’s production capacity in China is calculated, after combining fuel vehicle production capacity, Geely Group’s new energy vehicle production capacity may reach 3.2 million units. ”
Even following last year’s high growth power, related production volume has been already stretched. Transfer to NIO and paying-off the cost together is a very bright operation.
NIO does not suffer losses.
The 300 million investment is a great saver. The important is not on the amount of money, but it is invested by Geely.
As a result, Geely’s investment as industrial capital can improve NIO’s ability to deal with risks.
Secondly, as a Chinese leading auto maker Geely could become NIO’s financing support. In addition to the US $300 million, it is easier to find more money.
Thirdly, looking for Geely’s plant may further reduce the production cost of NIO, thereby improving the overall profit level.
According to Li Bin, improving overall profit is a very important work for NIO in 2020. It will continue to improve in three ways from sales, product combination, pricing, and continuous drop in battery price, it is confident that the overall profit will turn positive next year.
If the deal can be achieved, and with the help of Geely, we may be able to get a profitable NIO in 2020?


text:
Aficionados of Apple products can maybe sleep a little easier this week following reports that Foxconn – the company’s top supplier and the biggest electronics manufacturer in the world – has been introducing pay and working condition improvements at its vast plants in China in the wake of an international outcry over suicides and alleged exploitation at those factories.
It can be hard to express slavish devotion to all things iPhone and iPad when you’ve got grim images of slave labour coursing through the old brainbox, and few individuals have done more to install them in the public psyche than the American monologuist Mike Daisey.
Daisey is a self-professed worshipper in “the cult of Mac” who experienced a Damascene revelation of doubt on learning about some test photos left on an iPhone that gave a blurry impression of the production line. It hadn’t occurred to him that these must-have gizmos were assembled by hand and his compulsion to discover more led him to the vast new Chinese city of Shenzhen. What he gleaned there helped form The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs, a fiery one-man show seen by more than 75,000 people since the summer of 2010.
Notoriety attached itself to the piece when it was “exposed” earlier this year for conflating first and second-hand material without acknowledging this up-front. Even if you don’t buy Daisey’s defence that theatre operates by different rules from journalism, the ethical considerations and documented material the work promulgates still hold good.
As redelivered for its first UK run in a bracingly bellicose performance by Grant O’ Rourke, it emerges as a brilliant, sardonic synopsis of Apple’s rise to the top and as an impassioned, witty wake-up call to a consumerist population that seems in zombified thrall to technology and urgently needs to reboot its empathy and compassion for the wider world.
Tickets: 0131 622 6552


text:
Pop icons and star couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z are so passionate about vegan eating, they are offering their fans a chance to win concert tickets for 30 years if fans incorporate more plant-based food into their diets!
Beyoncé posted the contest to her Instagram earlier today for her over 123 million followers. “What is your Greenprint? the caption read. She directed people to click the link in her bio for a chance to win concert tickets “for life.
The Greenprint is a website that encourages people to incorporate more plant-based meals into their routines to help protect the environment. It is also the name of a new vegan cookbook by Marco Borges (Beyoncé’s trainer) with an introduction by Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
This isn’t the first time the über-famous couple has championed vegan eating. Back in 2015, they promoted the 22 Days Nutrition Challenge, which guides people through a course in plant-based eating. They also launched their meal planner, an innovative online service offering personalized vegan meal suggestions and recipes. More recently, last year Beyoncé announced she was eating vegan ahead of her performance at Coachella.
Celebrities have a huge platform, as millions of people look to them for inspiration. So when a truly iconic couple like Beyoncé and Jay-Z promote vegan eating, people take notice. As a result, people consume more plant-based meals and fewer animal products.
With 2019 called “the year of the vegan, there has never been a better time to stop consuming meat, dairy, and eggs in favor of eco-friendly and humane plant-based meals. Need help getting started? We’ve got you. Check out ChooseVeg.com today for recipes, tips, and an amazing online meal planner. Want more vegan inspiration? Head over to our Pinterest page for hundreds and hundreds of recipes!


text:
At the company’s Dreamforce event in San Francisco, Chief Executive Marc Benioff led the unveiling of an enhanced cloud platform that the company says would allow a business customer’s sales reps and executives communicate and collaborate in real time.
A feature of the enhanced platform is called ‘Salesforce Touch’ which allows all the coordination to be done using smartphones and tablets.
To make its pitch, Salesforce brought in high-profile executives and business figures to the event, including entrepreneur Tony Robbins, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt.
Even George Zimmer of Men’s Wearhouse was there to attest to the benefits of the Salesforce platform, saying, “I guarantee it.”
Instead, despite its strong position in the in cloud and the market for Web-based business applications, the San Francisco-based company’s success is not guaranteed by any means.
Rivals led by Oracle Corp. and SAP AG pushing aggressively to expand their cloud capabilities, although analysts say traditional software players are having a hard time trying to make the switch to the subscription-based business model.
Shares of Salesforce rose 1.1% Wednesday.
– Benjamin Pimentel


text:
For a day I watched the psychology of market pressures play out in an ultra-fast game of finding and selling masks in a pandemic-driven market. My assumptions going in changed after getting an embedded view of what's really going on.
The Treasury Department and IRS announced that distribution of economic impact payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people.
#1-ranked industry analyst Patrick Moorhead discusses Zoho as one of the lesser-known enterprise-level SaaS companies and arguably the most successful business software as a service (SaaS) company you have never heard of. Patrick Moorhead looks at what Zoho is doing to make such a statement.
Why Sales and Marketing Can't Go Back to Business As Usual The dramatic events of the first three months of 2020 have taught CEOs, CROs and CMOs that a digital strategy for Sales and Marketing is no longer a “nice-to-have” for global corporations.


text:
México, Saturday , May 30 , 2020 7:00 hrs.
Science & Tech
The rail freight transport sector is increasing
Mexico, Apr (Notimex).- The rail freight transport sector registered an increase of 0.9 percent in 2018, compared to 2017, when it reached 128 million tons, reported the Rail Transport Regulatory Agency.
Of the total, 91.5 million tons corresponded to foreign trade traffic, which represents an increase of 14.7 percent compared to the 79.8 million tons of the previous year.
400 thousand jobs would be created in the first half
Mexico, Apr. (Notimex).- At the end of the first half of 2019, the creation of jobs in Mexico could amount to 400 thousand jobs, according to the recruitment company, Manpower.
It indicated that the manufacturing industry is emerging as the largest generator of these jobs and that the northern states of the country, such as Zacatecaz, Coahuila, Durango, and Baja California, will have the best results.
Mexico retakes collection of tariffs on imports
Mexico, Abr (Notimex). - Mexico resumed a safeguard to the imports of footwear, textile, and clothing when imposing a tariff of between 10 and 30 percent, which will be gradually applied.
Published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), the Secretariat of Economy explained that the measure is to prevent and combat the undervaluation in the import of goods in these sectors and the problems...
The video game industry is a billionaire opportunity
Mexico, Abr (Notimex).- In 2018, the market value of the video game industry in Mexico was 27 billion pesos, an annual growth of 9.1 percent, according to the consulting firm The Competitive Intelligence Unit (CIU).
85.9 percent of sales was the traditional consoles trade.
The consulting firm stated that the growing access and use of Internet modified and continues to change the way entertainment...


text:
HARARE, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has left for Durban to attend the World Economic Forum of Africa conference being held there from Wednesday to Friday.
The conference, which is being attended by about 1,000 government and business leaders from across the world, will focus on the challenges and prospects of the African economy, and its place in the global economy.
The continent has crafted an ambitious industrialisation agenda, anchored on its abundant natural resources, to move away from its present tricky reliance on exports of raw materials which have often left it vulnerable to commodity price swings.
Under the programme, Africa wants to process its natural resources as much as possible to be able to export only finished or semi-processed products which earn more in export markets than raw materials.
The continental agenda, championed by President Mugabe, is expected to bring several benefits to Africa, among them increasing intra-Africa trade, tackling unemployment and lifting the standards of living in addition to increased export earnings.
Africa, under the programme, is expected to fully industrialise by 2063 under a 50-year development initiative adopted by the the continent’s leaders at an African Union (AU) summit in 2013.
The recent global economic downturn, which was more acute in the developed world, only underlined Africa’s vulnerability as a commodity exporter, and the need to move away from natural resource exports. The downturn led to a slump in demand for commodities, particularly by big consumer China, which in turn led to a contraction of commodity-dependent African economies.
Although an upturn in the global economy is now on the horizon, the continent appears to have had enough of its vulnerability, and is determined to power ahead with its industrialisation agenda to lessen its dependence on commodity exports.
The Durban conference provides an opportunity for leaders, particularly from the continent, to renew their commitment to Africa’s industrialisation agenda, and share notes on progress so far achieved, and strategies.
Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK


text:
Cranswick confirmed that a 'limited' number of cooked chicken products at the poultry site, believed to be Benson Park, were infected with the bacterium and discovered during a routine inspection.
They were from lines sold to retailers across the UK to be used as sandwich ingredients. Pret a Manger, Aldi and Sainsbury's are among the buyers who have removed the at-risk products from their shelves.
Cranswick have closed the site and opened an investigation into the source of the contamination and are working with the Food Standards Agency. Cooked chicken production has been outsourced to the company's other plants until further notice.
So far no cases of the illness caused by salmonella infection have been linked to the factory.
Earlier this year Cranswick announced the creation of a new breaded poultry facility in Hull with hundreds of new jobs.
The company has several other plants in the city producing sausages and gourmet food.
The Cranswick brand was founded in 1974 by a group of East Riding farmers producing pig feed. The Benson Park site was acquired in 2014.


text:
Apple has agreed to accept the Chinese government’s demands to run network safety evaluations on all Apple products before they can be imported into the country.
Tim Cook met with the country’s Internet and Information office last December to discuss Apple’s plans in China, and has since consented to the government’s demands that they be allowed screen products for the fabled NSA backdoor. According to a spokesperson who was also present at the meeting, Cook has assured Chinese officials that Apple will fully cooperate with the governments wishes to have products inspected for security concerns.
Cook addressed concerns of a possible backdoor being provided to the U.S. government in iOS. According to a Beijing News report, Cook informed officials in the December meeting. “There were rumors of us keeping backdoors and providing data to third parties,” Cook said. “We have never had any backdoors and never will.”
China’s director of Internet and Information, Lu Wei, told Tim Cook that China recognizes it’s one of the biggest markets for Apple, and that it’s willing to open itself up to technology giants. However, the country is making it a prerequisite that products like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac are run through security checks to ensure information safety and privacy, along with national security.
Lu Wei reportedly told Cook Apple’s products “must pass the inspections done by our network safety officers. We have to then make conclusions and insure our customers.”


text:
We’re still waiting on Cyanide’s Call of Cthulhu: The Official Videogame official release date, but the team have recently released a new gameplay trailer showcasing the game’s protagonist, Edward Pierce, and his efforts to piece together the mysterious death of a family on Darkwater Island near Boston, Massachusetts. As expected, cultists and one of the Great Old Ones begin to reveal themselves as Pierce digs deeper into the mystery.
The game was originally set to be released last year, but development delays have pushed it to this year. As mentioned, we still don’t have that official release date yet, but hopefully that changes soon. Call of Cthulhu: The Official Videogame will be available for PlayStation 4, XBox One and PC.


text:
Following the reveal of the top 100 FIFA 20 Ultimate Team players late last week, EA Sports has revealed all of their overall ratings.
Surprisingly, Lionel Messi will be out on his own as the highest rated player in the game, which contradicts the suggestion in the trailer EA released last week that it was Ronaldo at number one. Cristiano Ronaldo has been downgraded to a 93 OVR ST card instead.
At the time of writing, we’re still waiting for all the ratings to be revealed on EA Sports’ site (they were supposed to release at 10am ET) but you can check them out at FutSpy’s Twitter. Keep checking the EA link though, as they should be there soon.
There top 10 players in FIFA 20 Ultimate Team are:
- Lionel Messi – RW – Barcelona – 94 OVR
- Cristiano Ronaldo – ST – Juventus (Piemonte Calcio) – 93 OVR
- Neymar – LW – PSG – 92 OVR
- Eden Hazard – LW – Real Madrid – 91 OVR
- Kevin De Bruyne – CAM – Manchester City – 91 OVR
- Jan Oblak – GK – Atletico Madrid – 91 OVR
- Mohamed Salah – RW – Liverpool – 90 OVR
- Virgil Van Dijk – CB – Liverpool – 90 OVR
- Luka Modric – CM – Real Madrid – 90 OVT
- Marc Andre ter Stegen – GK – Barcelona – 90 OVR
That’s the top 10, and you can see the full top 100, but you’ll have to wait until FIFA 20 comes to EA Access on the 19th to see all the players in the database.
As you can see from the top 10 and the full top 100, the La Liga and Premier League are the dominating leagues once more. Also, a lot of the top players have had pace downgrades, particularly strikers.
It is also worth noting that face card stats only tell some of the story. We’ll have to wait until the full in-game stats can be seen to work out how good all the players truly are.
FIFA 20 is out fully on Sept. 27 but you will be able to play early with the Champions/Ultimate Editions and by subscribing to EA Access.


text:
TORONTO – McDonald’s Canada says the jobs section of its website has been hacked, compromising the personal information of about 95,000 applicants over the last three years.
The company says the accessed information included names, addresses, phone numbers, employment histories and other standard job application information.
But McDonald’s says the site doesn’t collect social insurance numbers, banking information or health information.
In a statement, McDonald’s Canada says it is investigating and apologizes to those affected.
It advises anybody interested in applying for a job to do so in person at any McDonald’s Canada restaurant.
McDonald’s has more than 1,400 restaurants in Canada and more than 80,000 Canadian employees.


text:
Lifestyle changes help keep weight off after menopause
Anyone who has tried to lose weight after menopause knows how stubborn those pounds can be. Rather than going on a "diet," postmenopausal women are better off changing their eating in a way they can maintain over the long term, finds a recent study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The study included nearly 500 overweight and obese postmenopausal women. The women were randomly assigned to either a lifestyle change or health education group, and were weighed at six months and again at four years. At both points, women in the lifestyle change group who ate fewer desserts and fried foods, drank fewer sugary beverages, ate more fish, and ate at restaurants less often were able to lose weight and keep it off. Over the long term, eating more fruits and vegetables and less meats and cheeses was also important for weight loss. The authors say increasing fruits and vegetables may be more achievable than cutting out sweets and fried foods.


text:
Snapchat owner Snap Inc has ditched development on its Pixy selfie drone just four months after launch.
Existing units will continue to be sold in the US (and France, we believe), but the $230 flying camera will not be upgraded, replaced with a newer model or make its way to other markets.
The Snap Pixy was designed to take off and land on the palm of your hand, in order to shoot video or take photos during a preset flight plan. It would then automatically send the footage to a user’s Memories section in Snapchat.
However, the WSJ reports that the company has ceased its future plans for the Pixy drone device line-up. It cites “people familiar with the matter” for the leak, although Snap itself has so far declined to comment.
Snap had posted disappointing results in its latest earnings reports, which is seen as contributory to this decision.
The Snap Pixy was launched in April this year and features a 12-megapixel camera and 16GB of storage. It can shoot up to 100 mini-videos or 1,000 photos, and battery life lasts from five to eight flights.
It connects to iPhone and Android, so you can connect to Snapchat via either platform, and by all accounts, the small, yellow device piqued a lot of interest in the spring. Sadly though, it seems we may have seen the last of it.
Author: Rik Henderson
This article comes from Pocket-lint and can be read on the original site.