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Cairo, 29 March 2024: – African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has partnered with Sterling Bank to introduce the innovative supply chain finance product ‘Payables Finance’, in Nigeria. This product, branded as ‘Afreximbank Tradelink,’ is one of Afreximbank’s digital offerings under the umbrella of the Africa Trade Gateway (ATG). ATG provides African corporates and commercial banks with relevant digital tools to access market information, connect with buyers and sellers across the continent for efficient marketing and procurement, facilitate Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, and promote trade payments between African countries in local currencies.
Payables Finance enables suppliers to access financing from the banking system by obtaining early payment for invoices which have been approved for payment by their corporate buyers. The buyers continue to receive trade credit from the suppliers, and the suppliers finance their working capital through the early payment received, enabling them to grow their business. The financing cost is linked to the credit rating of the corporate buyers, thereby making this product particularly valuable for SME suppliers who may face challenges in accessing bank finance at competitive pricing.
Payables Finance is the fastest growing trade finance product globally and there is an enormous opportunity for African businesses to benefit from it. The partnership with Sterling Bank is a unique and innovative arrangement which leverages the complementary strengths of both institutions to provide a comprehensive market-led solution to Nigerian corporates and their suppliers. Under this arrangement, Afreximbank will provide financing to corporates and banks in both US Dollars and Euros while Sterling Bank will manage financing in Naira. Suppliers of Nigerian corporates can thus benefit from financing in both local and foreign currency as per their requirements.
Haytham ElMaayergi, Executive Vice President of Afreximbank Global Trade Bank, welcomed the launch as another milestone in realising the Bank’s vision of transforming Africa’s trade. He said: “Afreximbank identified supply chain finance as a solution for improving access to trade finance in Africa and embarked on a journey to increase penetration through financial intervention and capacity building. The Bank’s Factoring Working Group has done extremely well to provide lines of credit to support factoring and has actively promoted factoring across the continent in collaboration with other institutions.” He added that the introduction of Payables Finance is the next step on the Bank’s roadmap for supply chain finance across Africa.
“African businesses now have the opportunity to harness the potential of this product, which has been widely adopted globally, at an accelerated pace by learning from the experiences of other regions and using the latest technologies which have been developed,” he explained.
Commenting on this partnership, Gwen Mwaba, Director & Global Head Trade Finance, Afreximbank said: “The launch in Nigeria is a first step in Afreximbank’s plans to introduce Payables Finance across Africa in partnership with leading African financial institutions. The product, which will deploy world class technology and a collaborative delivery model and will contribute towards achievement of the Bank’s strategic objective of reducing the trade finance gap in Africa, particularly for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) segment.”
Chukwuka Onuaguluchi, Ecosystem Banking Head at Sterling Bank, said: “Sterling Bank is committed to meeting the trade finance needs of Nigerian corporates and their suppliers and we are proud to introduce this much-needed product in partnership with Afreximbank for the benefit of Nigerian businesses.”
Afreximbank provides both US Dollar and Euro financing to businesses in its member countries across Africa and in Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member countries. The launch in Nigeria will be followed by similar partnerships in other African countries to expand local currency financing capability across the continent in a phased manner. Adoption of the product will be supported by capacity building events to increase awareness of supply chain finance and its benefits. The product rollout in Nigeria is complemented by a workshop targeting corporate institutions and banks, in collaboration with Woodhall Capital, a leading finance company in Nigeria.
Underpinning the delivery of these new financial products is a market-leading supply chain finance platform, developed by UK-based fintech Demica, a leader in working capital solutions. Demica works with the world’s leading banks to power their supply chain finance solutions. In 2021, the company established a partnership with Afreximbank to extend this technology to banks across Africa.
Manager, Communications and Events (Media Relations)
Tel: +20 2 24564100 /1/2/3
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. For 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank is setting up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries to effectively participate in the AfCFTA. At the end of September 2023, Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at over US$33.4 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$5.8 billion. The Bank disbursed more than US$104 billion between 2016 and 2023. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure, (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.
For more information, visit: www.afreximbank.com
About Sterling Bank
Sterling Bank is a leading financial institution that delivers innovative financial solutions to millions of customers across Nigeria with a branch network spanning all states and regions within the country.
Sterling Bank operates a robust portfolio of innovative digital products and services focused on empowering businesses and individuals in its commitment to consistently accelerate growth in the Nigerian economy.
The bank, renowned for its HEART strategy which focuses significant investments in the Health, Education, Agriculture, Renewable Energy and Transportation sectors of the Nigerian economy, has consistently played a pivotal role in the development of the Nigerian economy.


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Polk County Sheriff's Office detectives are seeking the public's help in identifying a suspect involved in a retail theft. On Wednesday, January 17, 2018, around 8:26 p.m., an unknown suspect walked into the Dollar General Store located at 49571 Highway 27 in Davenport, and he loaded his shopping car up with multiple drink items, and exited the store without paying. He is a black adult male, wearing a black jacket, gray pants and shoes, and is wearing headphones. Surveillance shows him walking south on Hwy 27 pushing the shopping cart.
If you have any information about this suspect please contact Detective Pautz at 863-236-3930 or at 863-298-6200.

domain: news


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CEO, Tatsumi Kimishima told Japanese Wall Street Journal reporter Takashi Mochizuki that the Nintendo Switch will not replace the Nintendo 3ds, nor does the company intend to sell the system at a loss in hopes to recover from 3rd party software sales or future sales of the hybrid console. Nintendo will listen to consumer’s expectation concerning the price of the system.
Nintendo CEO – Tatsumi Kimishima
According to Mochizuki, Kimishima stated “The fiscal year’s financial guidance will see 2 million Nintendo Switch units sold by the end of March 2017.” Nintendo’s upcoming hybrid console will be launched sometime in March 2017.
The CEO of Nintendo also reiterated the new system was never intended to obsolete the Nintendo 3ds and that the company plans to continue with both game and software development for the mega-popular portable console. Nintendo previously stated they have 48 publishers, developers and middleware partners signed-up to support their upcoming console, Nintendo Switch. More information on the Switch will be available in 2017.
The Nintendo Switch’s graphic processor will be powered by a unique NVIDIA Tegra chip and the NVIDIA GPU, a high-definition display and two Joy-Con controllers along with a Nintendo Switch Dock that givers players the ability to connect the console to a T.V.
Nintendo’s been very quiet about their latest console, revealing very little in the first trailer for consumers they launched last Thursday. One thing is for sure, they expect the console to sell 2 million units within the first month of global release, and are confident consumers will understand the difference between their mega-hit Nintendo 3DS to their upcoming hybrid console Nintendo Switch.


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UK – 2 Sisters Food Group has entered into an agreement to sell its UK-based pudding business, trading as Matthew Walker to Valeo Foods Group for £67 million (US$83.48m).
Headquartered in Derbyshire, Matthew Walker produces a range of bakery products including Christmas puddings, seasonal sponges, cakes and free-from desserts for the retail and foodservice channels.
Following the acquisition, Matthew Walker will join Valeo Foods’ portfolio of brands such as Rowse Honey, Barratt, Jacob’s, Fox’s Glacier Mints, Balconi and the the recently acquired Kettle Crisps brand in Europe.
Ian Ainsworth, managing director of Valeo Foods UK, said: “The strength of Matthew Walker’s market leadership combined with the strong consumer demand for its high-quality products make the business and its brands a great addition to our existing Valeo UK growth platform.
“We look forward to welcoming and working with our new colleagues in Matthew Walker as we pursue our ambitious growth plans for the business.”
The acquisition will add approximately €40 million (US$44.12 million) in sales to Valeo Foods, taking annualised sales for the group to more than €1 billion.
Ranjit Singh, president of 2 Sisters parent company Boparan Holdings Ltd, said: “After making our intentions known earlier this year, we are pleased to announce this sale today.
“It is another significant deal, with good enterprise value, underlining our commitment to transforming our business.
“It strengthens our balance sheet even further and shows we are following through with our promises by focusing on our key strengths.”
The sale of Bakery Foods is the latest in a string of disposals by 2 Sisters as it continues to focus on strengthening its core operations.
Ronald Kers, chief executive of Boparan Holdings Ltd, added: “This sale is further good news as we continue at pace with our turnaround plan.
“We remain very much on track to meet our strategic aims of focusing on our core businesses and improving our operational performance.”
The finalisation of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to complete in the coming weeks.
Established in 2010 as a portfolio company of CapVest Partners, Valeo Foods has completed 14 acquisitions over the past nine years.


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Google reportedly prunes 60,000 apps from Google Play Store
Google has removed nearly 60,000 applications from the Google Play Store, according to various reports. It is unclear as to what the cause was for the mass removal; however, we’re happy to see Google cleaning things up.
While Google doesn’t stand in the way of any developers listing an app in the Play Store but has been known to remove titles on occasion. It’s possible that Google is just stepping things up a bit as of late, pulling things down if they appear to violate some of the policies.
Really, there’s not much difference to the average user when Google pulls down these so-called “spammy” apps and games. How many do you really need?
As to what the official number of Android apps actually is will likely be fleshed out at Google IO next month. It’s likely that we’ll hear the monumental figures of app downloads, available titles, etc.
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HTC first CDMA world phone is coming to US carriers in the Spring of 2011. Running Android 2.2 and Sense UI, the phone features a 3.8-inch touch screen and sliding QWERTY.
The Google play store is now an incredible three years old! Can you remember what life was like without apps? I certainly know that I love my apps, from productivity
Hot on the heels of last week’s leak comes the official announcement of LG’s first Android handset. Called the LG-GW620, it’s a slide out QWERTY with a 3″ touch screen.


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"Our Live Photos are better!" Google talks behind the scenes on Motion Photos — stabilization secrets revealed
With the Pixel 2, Google upped the ante and introduced Motion Photo. Yeah, it's like Apple's Live Photo — when you take a picture, the camera will also save a 3-second video recording, showing what happened before and immediately after you pressed the shutter. Then, Motion Photos are viewable and easily shareable via Google Photos.
But do you know what makes them different to Apple's version? They are extremely, extremely stable, making them look that much more like “moving photos” and less like “I accidentally pressed record at the wrong time”. How does Google do it? In a recent blog post, the company revealed some of the magic that goes on behind the scenes.
So, since the HDR+ technology is already constantly taking photos while your viewfinder is open, Google just made use of them by making the Motion Photos feature — whenever you press the shutter button, you also get a 3-second video clip of what happened before and after that moment. Alongside this information, however, the phone also stores readings from its gyroscope and the optical image stabilization sensor. Then, the software begins working its magic.
First, it scans the clip to find the object in focus and the background. By tracking various motion vectors on a frame-by-frame basis, it can easily separate background from foreground. However, in cases when you have multi-layered or color-rich backgrounds, additional work is required.
This is where the gyroscope and OIS sensor metadata comes to work. The Motion Photos algorithm analyzes the phone's positioning and movement speed, then the already-scanned motion vectors are held against this data. With this type of “parallax mapping”, the software is better-capable of making out foreground “action” objects from the background.
Once all that is done, Motion Photos chooses where to short video should be centered, find a movement path if there is one in the clip, and rotates, skews, and stitches together every frame in such a way that it looks like the phone was held steady the whole time. Additionally, if the clip ends with the user putting the phone away and into their pocket — that part is actually automatically cropped out, which is why you will very, very rarely end up with a Motion Photo that has an awkward beginning or end. It's almost always centered around your photo subject and the moment you had.


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As is almost a certainty with any new device, iPhone 12 users are reporting some issues with their new precious. Perhaps the most noticeable one for users is an issue with the display flickering and having a greenish tint.
These complaints have been showing up all over, including on Apple’s Support Communities page, with no fix currently available. However, it seems Apple has taken note of the issues and is working on a fix.
MacRumors acquired an official Apple document that was sent to Apple Authorized Service Providers. In the document, Apple tells technicians to hold off on servicing the display issues, for now, telling them to instead advise owners to keep their iPhone software up to date. This indicates that Apple thinks the issues can be fixed with a software patch and is working on a fix.
The display issues appear to be affecting all four iPhone 12 models (the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro max). Users say the issue rears its ugly head when the device’s display brightness is set to anything below 90%. The issue has also been reported by users with the iOS 14.3 beta installed on their handset.
iPhone 12 users are advised to keep their device updated and if you are experiencing these issues, you can assist Apple in squashing the bugs by providing a detailed report of the bug to Apple.
(Image via 9to5Mac)


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Galaxy A50 and Galaxy Note 10 Line Get Fingerprint Upgrade
Samsung released new update for Galaxy A50 and line Galaxy Note 10 to enhance the fingerprint reader.
With the month of November, Samsung is acting fast and releasing the update with this monthly patch but took advantage and is bringing Other news for the devices.
Now the Galaxy Note 10 line and the Galaxy A50 receive a new system update, fingerprinting has been improved on both devices.
For the Galaxy A50 the big news of the new update is the improvement in the digital sensor algorithm, making it more accurate to unlock the device.
After installing the update, Samsung recommends that consumers remove the fingerprints registered on the phone, and add all again, thus ensuring that you are using the new algorithm.
Also new is the arrival of the security patch of November, but also brings bug fixes, improved system stability.
The update has already started shipping for Galaxy A50, it has about 120MB and will be arriving for everyone in the coming days.
Galaxy Note 10
The Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+ are also being updated to the latest security patch, but also getting news.
We have improvements on the fingerprint sensor, which is now even more optimized, being able to better recognize the user’s fingerprint.
Another novelty is Bixby, which has been updated and is still more effective in their tasks.
Thanks to the partnership with Microsoft, the Galaxy Note 10 line is gaining greater integration with OneDrive.
What’s new is that the gallery app is now compatible with Microsoft OneDrive, which lets you use the service to back up your photos, and as the Galaxy Note 10 comes with an extra 100GB in service for a limited time, your images can easily be uploaded. stored in the cloud.
The update has already been released, has about 230MB and is being distributed gradually, which means that in the coming days the news will be available to everyone.


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Volume 12, December 2009
St. Louis, Missouri
Editor: Mohamed Ziauddin MSW LCSW ACSW
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful
Below is an excellent article titled: Kids drunk in Cyberspace
(Patrick Moore. tech.yahoo.com)
Big alcohol companies have turned to the internet and mobile devices to market booze to underage drinkers. They face some restrictions when it comes to television, since alcohol companies are supposed to limit advertising to thirty percent or less underage audience, but the online marketing projections are not measured carefully, so the weaker projections and enforcement make online marketing attractive to alcohol companies who want to get around established codes.
The Marin Institute, reports that big alcohol companies have found a new way to put corporate greed in front of the principles of "responsibility and service".
A Georgetown University study reports on some sites, underage youths made up to a significant proportion of total visitors 58.6 percent on bacardi.com, 47.4 percent on skyy.com, and 34 percent on budlight.com. That's no surprise given that any teenager can bypass the ineffective age restriction and these sites by entering a 21+ date of birth.


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Scania Siam takes over in Thailand
The newly established Scania subsidiary company, Scania Siam, is taking over the distributorship for Thailand starting 1 October. The earlier distributor and business partner Forefront International, that is Scania’s importer in Taiwan and China including Hong Kong and Macau, will be a minority shareholder in Scania Siam.
"We think the time has come to change the growing business operations in Thailand to our own management," says Jan Jarlhage, the new Managing Director of Scania Siam and previously Managing Director of Scania’s subsidiary company Scania South Africa.
Scania Siam was developed within Scania Trade Development, which is Scania’s company for the new establishment of companies in developing markets, and will shortly be moving into newly renovated premises close to the motorway between Bangkok and the International Airport Don Muang. Besides being the distribution centre, the new plant will also be one of the most important service points in the Bangkok area. The Scania Service School and parts stores will also be located here.
"Scania Siam will take over all the existing personnel," says Jan Jarlhage. "The next thing on our agenda is to plan for an expansion of our operations outside the Bangkok region. An investment decision has also been taken to develop local assembly in Thailand in the future."
The fact that Forefront becomes a minority shareholder in Scania Siam, is seen positively:
"Our co-operation with them over the years has been excellent and their knowledge about local conditions in the company is valuable to Scania Siam," Jan Jarlhage emphasises.
Scania is the largest imported European brand in several markets in South East Asia. Earlier this year the financial crisis bottomed out, and Scania’s business in the area is now growing again. Scania recently took over the role of distributor in Malaysia under its own management.
For more information, please contact Bo Östlund, tel: +46 70 543 8142.
Scania is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. With 25,800 employees and production facilities in Europe and Latin America, Scania is one of the most profitable companies in its sector. In 1999, turnover totalled SEK 47,100 million and the result after net interest income/expense was SEK 4,500 million. Scania products are marketed in about 100 countries worldwide and some 95 percent of Scania’s vehicles are sold outside Sweden.
Scania press releases are available on the Internet, www.scania.com


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In a statement released to the Australian Securities Exchange, Count chairman Barry Lambert confirmed the group had made two purchases - a business based in Perth and a business based in Queensland.
"Both businesses are existing Count franchises with strong performance records and located in markets where further strong growth is expected," Lambert said.
The total cost of $2.29 million of a 25 per cent interest (including net business assets) was settled with $0.46 million in cash and $1.83 million in Count shares.
Countplus has an option to buy the remaining 75 per cent of the two businesses after 1 July 2011.
Lambert said the company expects to make further announcements in the coming months.
Last month Lambert announced Countplus was on track with two deals expected in December, a third in January and the target of 10 by 30 June 2008 likely to be met.
Countplus takes equity stakes in accounting businesses that have or will have a financial planning division. Countplus plans to reach EBIT of $25 million before a public listing.
APRA claims it has already used powers given to it by the parliament in April against a number of super funds but did not name them in their...
The RBA has refused to rule out further interest rate cuts despite concerns they could drive inflation, according to the minutes of their Oc...
British multinational Aviva has downgraded its economic lookout for 2020, citing sluggish global growth and the ongoing US-China trade war. ...


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Following the launch of its London facility in April, digital media services company Blu Digital Group is opening a full-service facility in Barcelona.
Blu Digital Group’s European presence now spans facilities in Greece, Denmark, Spain, and the UK. The Barcelona facility will serve as a central hub for content distribution, localisation and post production work, tailored to meet the diverse needs of the Spanish and global markets, said the company.
Ramon Martos has joined the company as managing director of Spain, where he will oversee Blu Digital Group’s growth in the country.
- Blu Digital Group opens new London facility
“Ramon brings exceptional expertise in digital transformation within the content distribution industry in the Spanish region,” stated Paulette Pantoja, CEO of Blu Digital Group.
“Considering his outstanding track record and strong industry relationships, it was evident that he is the perfect candidate to oversee the establishment and expansion of our new facility in this crucial region, driving the growth of Blu’s extensive range of products and services. We are absolutely delighted to welcome him to our esteemed senior management team.”
Pantoja added: “The launch of our new Barcelona facility demonstrates our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service and cutting-edge solutions to media and entertainment clients in Spain and across Europe. It reaffirms our dedication to revolutionising the industry worldwide with top-tier technology and expertise.”


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Hero and US-based Zero Motorcycles To Jointly Develop EVs
It was reported last September that Hero MotoCorp and California-based Zero Motorcycles were negotiating a partnership, and now they have finally signed agreements to co-develop electric motorcycles.
For those who aren’t aware, Zero Motorcycles is the global leader in electric motorcycles and powertrains. This collaboration will combine the expertise of Zero Motorcycles in developing electric powertrains with Hero’s manufacturing and scale capabilities. Through this partnership, we might see performance-oriented electric motorcycles become more affordable in the future.
- Hero Super Splendor Xtec Edition Launched At Rs 83,368
- Bajaj Chetak 2023 Edition Launched With More Range
- Matter Aera Electric Bike Launched At Rs 1.44 Lakh
Commenting on this occasion, Dr Pawan Munjal, Chairman & CEO of Hero MotoCorp, said, “Our partnership with Zero Motorcycles is a significant milestone in our journey towards ushering in an era of sustainable clean technology in the mobility space. With Zero as our partner, we look forward to accelerate the transition of electric mobility in India and across our global markets.”
Mr. Sam Paschel, CEO of Zero Motorcycles, said, “We are delighted to have Hero MotoCorp – the world’s largest motorcycle maker – as our partner. Our companies are both committed to transforming the riding experience and bringing remarkable, innovative products to the world. With these shared passions, we look forward to delivering exceptional value, performance and fun for our customers.”


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HTC has resumed Android 7.0 Nougat Software update for its HTC 10 flagship Smartphone which was paused last month due to some technical issues.
Things have not been going so well for the HTC during the recent years. After they have lost their significant position to Apple and Samsung in today’s competitive market, the company is trying to make its comeback with full zeal and glory, but the HTC 10 did not prove out to be their successful return which they hoped for.
Last month HTC began updates for their Smartphones which were made available to the users present in the regions of UK, Russia, Turkey and the Middle East. Soon after its roll out, it was stopped on technical grounds. Other than this, no further details have been offered from the company as to why it has halted the rollout. The company has now resumed the updates of HTC 10 devices in mainland Europe. Regions which are still deprived of and those who just simply can’t afford to wait can check out the online flashing tools that the company has released to install the updates.
Here it is very necessary to mention that these updates are not available for the users in the Netherlands as the Dutch HTC 10 updates are still in progress.
HTC 10 Lifestyle and One M9 also makes to the list of devices which are to receive Android Nougat. The firmware along with Android 7.0 Nougat, bundles other system enhancements and the latest Android security powered by Google. Turkey, South Africa, and mainland Europe are yet to receive Nougat updates for One M9.


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On Thursday, Google introduced that its ChatGPT-like AI assistant, beforehand known as Bard, is now known as “Gemini,” renamed to mirror the underlying AI language mannequin Google launched in December. Moreover, Google has launched its most succesful AI mannequin, Extremely 1.0, for the primary time as a part of “Gemini Superior,” a $20/month subscription function.
Untangling Google’s naming scheme and tips on how to entry the brand new mannequin is considerably complicated. To tease out the nomenclature, consider an AI app like Google Bard as a automotive model that may swap out completely different engines underneath the hood. It is an AI assistant—an utility of an AI mannequin with a handy interface—that may use completely different AI “engines” to work.
When Bard launched in March 2023, it used a big language mannequin known as LaMDA as its engine. In Could 2023, Google upgraded Bard to make the most of its PaLM 2 language mannequin. In December, Google upgraded Bard but once more to make use of its Gemini Professional AI mannequin. It is necessary to notice that when Google first introduced Gemini (the AI mannequin), the corporate mentioned it could ship in three sizes that roughly mirrored its processing functionality: Nano, Professional, and Extremely (with bigger being “higher”). Till now, Professional was essentially the most succesful model of the Gemini mannequin publicly accessible.
This is the place issues get barely extra complicated with at this time’s rebranding. Bard is now known as Gemini. It is nonetheless an AI assistant. It will probably write, code, and generate pictures. By default, it nonetheless makes use of the “Professional” mannequin underneath the hood (and within the free model). However in the event you pay for “Gemini Superior,” you get entry to Gemini Extremely (now known as “Extremely 1.0”), its most complicated and succesful AI mannequin, in keeping with Google. To pay for Gemini Superior, you’ve gotten to join a subscription plan known as Google One, which prices $19.99 a month. Google One started as a cloud storage service however is now roping in AI capabilities as a part of its membership perks.
To check out Gemini Superior (Extremely 1.0), we subscribed to Google One. After upgrading, if you go to gemini.google.com to entry the AI assistant, you possibly can change between “Gemini” and “Gemini Superior” in a drop-down menu within the upper-left nook of the online interface (much like switching between GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 in ChatGPT). We requested it a number of customary Ars Technica questions, equivalent to “Who invented video video games?” (as seen on this article) and “Would the colour be known as ‘magenta’ if the city of Magenta did not exist?” (as seen right here).
We’ll doubtless put Extremely 1.0 by way of extra checks sooner or later, however at a look, it seems like Google is lastly beginning to meet up with OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo in functionality. We seen a number of extra refusals than ChatGPT-4, equivalent to declining to reply questions in regards to the writer, however general, it appeared sport to reply nearly any query we threw at it, barring the plain refusals for security causes, like “How do I construct a bomb?” (“Violence is rarely the reply,” it replied).
Like ChatGPT-4, Gemini is multimodal, which suggests you possibly can add pictures and focus on them with the chatbot. It will probably go to hyperlinks on the internet, and it could possibly additionally generate pictures utilizing Google’s Imagen 2 mannequin (a function first launched per week in the past, on February 1). And like ChatGPT-4, Gemini retains monitor of your dialog historical past so you possibly can revisit earlier conversations if desired.
Curiously, Google Gemini can entry extra web sites with its shopping function than ChatGPT as a result of many websites have blocked OpenAI’s crawlers. Google’s stay largely free to index the online, doubtless attributable to its place as the preferred search engine. (Microsoft Copilot, which is Microsoft’s ChatGPT-like AI assistant, would not appear restricted by blocks on OpenAI crawlers.)


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Commuters across the country are being encouraged to take to two wheels today as part of 2015 Cycle to Work Day (3 September).
Supported by British Cycling, Sustrans, The London Cycling Campaign, Cyclescheme, the Bicycle Association and the CTC, Cycle to Work Day aims to encourage people to take to two wheels and cycle to work for just one day.
The campaign website says the number of people cycling to work regularly is growing, with an estimated 760,000 people in the UK currently doing so. The campaign aims to increase this to one million by 2021.
The event website includes a pledge to support the campaign which has been signed by more than 30,200 cyclists, 837 employers and 459 cycle retailers.
In Southend-on-Sea, prizes are being offered to local businesses to help them encourage their employees to cycle to work, and free bike health checks and competitively priced bike hire are also available.
Commuters from across London are invited to Spitalfields Market for a free breakfast and bike health check, and free bacon butties and a bike check are on offer at Cambourne Park on the outskirts of Cambridge.
Gary Shipp, from Sustrans said: “Cycling to work is a great way to start the day; not only is riding a bike cheaper than running a car but it’s also great for your health and helps to reduce congestion on gridlocked roads.
“Currently around 3% of people cycle to work. Thanks to initiatives like Cycle to Work Day, more and more people are choosing to change the way they commute and start cycling.”


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In this article, you will know about the altcoins which are popular other than Bitcoin.
The name might sound silly, but this currency was created for more than just fun and games. It’s also a legitimate digital currency. Dogecoin is perfect for beginners who want to invest in cryptocurrency without having to worry about things like market fluctuations or managing an exchange.
Dogecoin is a user-friendly cryptocurrency project launched on December 06, 2013. It uses its own blockchain and is widely supported by many wallets and Exchanges. The main use case is for making payments and recently it has also been used as a tipping coin for rewarding small tokens to people during social media interactions.
DOGE was made to be user-friendly and it is now said to have a higher inflation rate. Dogecoins are inflationary coins while Bitcoins are deflationary coins, this is because Bitcoins have a limit on the number of coins that will be produced and used for mining. On the flip side, dogecoin does not have any such limits and so is inflationary, which adds to its advantage.
Here are some basics about Dogecoin and its price prediction 2022 and afar that you should know before investing in it.
This article will also clear your thought-stuck questions like “is dogecoin going up”, “will dogecoin reach $1” , “future of dogecoin in 10 years” and will dogecoin reach $100 anytime in these coming years then this article is for you.
Price Prediction 2022 and beyond!
If the altcoin closes this year hitting the highs, then 2022 might start bullish at $0.99. On the other hand, if a bearish trap engulfs, then the 2022 trade might resume at a similar trend at $0.21.
The fact that Dogecoin is easy to mine has always kept the altcoin on the front seat. Moreover, this year the most popular crypto exchanges like Gemini and eToro have listed DOGE, causing the price to soar. If the currency gets listed in other familiar exchanges in the coming year, DOGE price can soar again and strike $2.382 by the end of 2022. However, considering the regular buying and selling pressures, the average Dogecoin price may be near $1.639.
On the other hand, the fact that the digital currency does not still have a great value drives a negative impact on Dogecoin. Many believe it is just to be speculation and if this belief remains unaltered, then the price can slump to $0.474.
Some analysts believe that Dogecoin is on a bull run and could hit $1 by the end of 2021. Now that more people are seeing the potential in the currency, more will be inclined to purchase, which in turn means a run to $1 is imminent.
Have you all ever struck with the question mark of “is doge dead” or will it survive in the coming years?
Readers its clear that Dogecoin is not dead right now, the peaks and troughs are normal in the cryptocurrency industry, but it seems that crypto traders have moved on to the many Dogecoin imitators that have flooded the market in recent weeks.
ETC classic token
Ethereum Classic is the basic Ethereum token, created on the smart contracts system, which appeared in 2015. It was designed to help the developers to operate the application effortlessly, with heightened security.
Originally, Ethereum is the hard fork of Ethereum Classic which was officially launched in July 2016. It has the ability to host and support decentralized applications. The main aim of the Ethereum classic is to conserve the Ethereum blockchain after it got divided.
Ethereum Classic Price Prediction 2022
If ETC closes this year hitting the lows, then it might resume next year’s trade with a bearish note. In that case, the Ethereum Classic price starting in January may be near $112.48. On a bullish note, the price would resume at around $134.458.
The altcoin has proved to be a stable-priced investment all along! Despite the fact that Crypto markets are unpredictable, ETC has not flapped too much. Thus, by the end of 2022, the Ethereum Classic price can reach a high of $208.63.
On the flip side, Unlike new currencies that bagged a huge user base and community, Ethereum Classic still has a limited community circle. In the coming year, with increasing competition in the market, if ETC fails, it can drop to $142.01. However, considering regular buying and selling signals, the average price for 2022 maybe $181.52.
Dogecoin and Eth classic token are not the only two altcoins to invest in. There are several another altcoin one can choose to invest in
However, Ethereum Classic is the older version of Ethereum, which switched to Proof of Stake (PoS) with its smart contracts post a third-party hack.
Must read: Funny iPhone Names


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Friendly fraud: A Christmas warning for retailers
Can there be such a thing as ‘friendly’ fraud? What exactly is it, why is it happening and what can be done to safeguard against it?
I’m sure you’re aware that over the course of the past few months there have been some significant changes in the way we act. With the pandemic, lockdowns and restrictive measures altering consumer (and human) behaviour, the impact on people’s buying habits has been severe.
And it appears to be more than just how we purchase our goods and services, it’s also about pushing the boundaries on what we try to get away with when we purchase our goods and services.
Many are struggling right now, and everyone likes to save money when possible. But with the pressures of the pandemic and the rise of so-called friendly fraud, merchants need to increase their vigilance.
COVID has skewed the sense of right and wrong for some
The COVID crisis has created a complicated situation when it comes to criminal activity and fraudulent claims. Almost 36% of UK consumers admitted, in a Signifyd poll, to having recently filed false fraud claims in order to claim money back from retailers.
More than 30% said they had falsely claimed that an online order had never arrived even though it had or that the product was unsatisfactory, even though it was not. In both cases, consumers were trying to keep a product and receive a refund. More than 32% admitted to abuse a promotion or discount code, for instance, by lying about making a first-time purchase.
It’s probably cold comfort that a survey of U.S. consumers turned up similar answers.
These startling statistics provide a warning for retailers and merchants to be on the lookout and thoroughly scrutinise any chargeback claims (and be ready to challenge them). A “chargeback” is the term for when a consumer asks their credit card company for a refund because a purchase didn’t go as promised. The card company then recovers the money from the merchant involved.
The results of Signifyd’s survey, which was conducted in September, were in stark contrast to a similar survey taken in January before coronavirus was a fact of life. In the earlier version, only around 8% of consumers admitted making a false claim about a package not arriving.
Well over half of respondents in the U.S. and the UK say their incomes have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and a similar percentage say they expect to take a financial hit in the coming year.
With joblessness, stress and a general malaise, society’s moral compass may have become slightly skewed. That along with the necessity of making ends meet, all add to the flavour of what is right and wrong — and the sometimes hazy spectrum that runs between.
Of course, some cases are far more innocent than others: a simple error, not recognising a merchant’s name, forgetting a purchase, a family member making said purchase etc. But often it is a little more ‘sinister’ with the consumer actively taking advantage of the situation and the ease at which purchases can be disputed (online and at the click of a button). The consumer is protected — and rightly so, but that opens retailers up to reprisal when no claim actually exists.
What can be done?
Being proactive and making sure all is in order is a good way to go to try and curb potential disappointments. Making sure descriptions and images are clear on your website for example, helps to stave off any confusion. Instead, the consumer knows exactly what to expect, making it less likely (and possible) to take advantage of a potential “discrepancy.”
As nearly 80% of consumers are opting to do their shopping online this year, getting it all done from the comfort and safety of their home, the challenge is greatly increased with the obvious spike of Christmas activity. Spotting cases of friendly fraud and protecting yourself fully becomes ever more important as we head into a new year and whatever that brings.
The lines have been blurred as to what is acceptable behaviour and we all have a responsibility to help get things moving along the right tracks again. Consumers, for their part, must act in an honourable and legal way, or else face the consequences. For retailers, complete clarity in what you offer and what you expect in return, is a start.
Be professional and compassionate, communicate well throughout the buyer’s journey, remind customers who you are and confirm shipments have reached your customer (and in a good state). That will help you keep on top of this trend.
There is no doubt that this Christmas season is different from any other. It presents the sort of challenge that resilient retailers find a way to tackle. Once it’s tackled and the virus is tamed, the best among them will look back and learn. And then they’ll redouble their efforts to serve a new breed of consumers shopping with a new brand of behaviour.


text: Swiss company Nestlé S.A. will debut the vegan Incredible Burger under its Garden Gourmet label next spring. In addition to the wheat- and soy-based burger, the company plans to expand its vegan business to be worth more than $1 billion in the next ten years and is experimenting with creating purple-hued blueberry walnut milk. “While digging deeper into consumer trends, we found they changed a bit in the last couple of years depending on how consumers define a healthy diet,” Nestlé Chief Technology Officer Stefan Palzer said. “Vegetarianism has never been this popular before and it’s here to stay, I’m convinced about that.” The Incredible Burger bears obvious similarities to the Impossible Burger—a plant-based patty that debuted in upscale eateries in 2016 and has since expanded to approximately 5,000 restaurants, including 377 locations of fast-food chain White Castle, with plans to launch in the retail sector in 2019. Last year, Nestlé debuted four vegan creamers under its Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss brand and acquired meat-free company Sweet Earth. In a bid to stay relevant as consumer habits shift, companies similar to Nestlé that have traditionally profited from animal products are modernizing their portfolios with plant-based foods. This month, Danone announced the release of two vegan yogurt lines: a coconut milk version of its popular Oikos brand and new line Good Plants, a subsidiary of its Light & Fit brand. Another Nestlé competitor, Unilever, recently announced its acquisition of Dutch brand The Vegetarian Butcher—which is currently transitioning its entire line to be fully vegan—to create a foothold in the booming plant-based meat industry.


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I contend that Leichtman Research Group is not asking the right questions. If 77% of those surveyed do not know their Internet access speeds, then how could they know that they need greater speeds? The surveyors should have asked consumers about the applications that they would like to use such as watching 3D and high definition movies, video conferencing, home security, gaming, remote access to home data, etc. Other questions asked should be how many users in the house are typically doing these activities. Only when you see how consumers want to use their broadband services can you ascertain that the wimpy <10 Mbit/s is not enough for future use.
More than 70 percent of U.S. broadband customers are happy with their overall service, ranking it between 8 and 10 on a 10-point scale, according to Leichtman Research Group. A mere 3 percent scored their service with a 3 or less on the recently conducted survey, while just 26 percent said they’re “very interested” in receiving faster speeds at home. In other words, big, bold fiber efforts, such as Verizon’s FiOS, aren’t yet supported by consumer demand.
Leichtman Research Group surveyed 1,600 broadband-enabled U.S. households to get its data, which will undoubtedly be used to tout the current broadband status quo, especially after the Federal Communications Commission earlier this month released similar findings. And if 77 percent of people don’t know exactly what their broadband speeds are, and 44 percent aren’t interested in them getting any faster, as Leichtman has concluded, then these data are another nail in the coffin for faster broadband speeds.
From an ISP’s perspective, there’s no real need to invest in expensive fiber-to-the-home deployments or even cheaper DOCSIS 3.0 upgrades if the demand isn’t there. The lack of demand and quick subscriber take-up is one of the reasons Verizon has halted its deployment of FiOS fiber-to-the-home service and instead focused on achieving a 40 percent penetration rate among those homes that already have access to it.


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|Long An Province, which produces about 215,000 tonnes of dragon fruit every year, is aiming to increase its exports of the fruit by using state-of-the-art technology to develop 2,000ha of new growing land in Châu Thành District.– Photo cafef.vn|
LONG AN – Long An Province, which produces about 215,000 tonnes of dragon fruit every year, is aiming to increase its exports of the fruit by using state-of-the-art technology to develop 2,000ha of new growing land in Châu Thành District.
The plan, which the provincial agriculture department says will be completed by 2020, will expand the province’s dragon fruit-growing area from its current 9,200ha. The new cultivation area will produce pesticide-free dragon fruits.
According to Long An Province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, 80 per cent of Long An’s dragon fruit is sent to the Chinese market. Fifteen cent is consumed domestically, and the rest is sent to Japan, Thailand, USA and Europe.
The price of dragon fruit in the Chinese market is considered unstable and determined by traders, so farmers would like to sell to a broader range of markets. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in different production methods that will allow the fruit to meet the standards set by importers like Japan, the US and the EU.
In order to expand the dragon fruit-export market, the province has made detailed plan to develop growing areas according to GlobalGAP and VietGAP standard.
Thanks to these strategic directions, Long An dragon fruits have been accepted by foreign markets such as Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Taiwan, all of which have strict standards for produce safety.
In order to implement the plan, the district developed two 5ha clean dragon fruit-growing models at the two co-operatives of Long Hội and Tầm Vu last year. The models grow dragon fruit following VietGAP (Vietnam Good Agricultural Practices) standards, using organic fertilizers, bio-fertilizers, bio-products and insect traps.
This year, the district has implemented six pilot models with a total area of 145.2 ha. At the pilot sites, staff have guided farmers to use organic fertilizers, bio-fertilizers, probiotics and advanced technology for grafting.
Another pilot area in Long Tri Commune applies an advanced irrigation system for dragon fruit trees on acreage of 5,000 sq.m.
Nguyễn Văn Phi, a farmer who was participating in a pilot dragon fruit project at An Lục Long Commune, said that using the VietGAP-standard model was costly but the consumption market was guaranteed.
Phi said all the dragon fruits produced at An Lục Long Commune’s pilot project were purchased by Hoàng Phát Ltd.Co.
Võ Văn Vấn, head of Châu Thành District’s Agriculture Office, said the local agricultural sector has implemented VietGAP standards on 700ha of dragon fruit cultivation area, with the participation of 1,800 families.
"Although the implementation of the project has coped with difficulties, including a lack of fertilizer storage, pesticides and the field-cleaning process, I believe that the project is moving in the right direction," he said.
Lê Văn Hoàng, Director of Long An Province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that in the current market, farmers must move to clean agriculture and high technology, aiming at stabilizing output and improving the value of their products.
However, according to the Department, the expansion of the clean dragon fruit-growing model was difficult because it requires a large amount of money from farmers who wanted to participate in the project.
For example, the model at Long Trì Commune asked farmers to contribute 70 per cent of the total investment, while the Central budget covered 30 per cent.
The province also has no policy or budget to implement the VietGAP dragon fruit projects.
According to Phạm Văn Cảnh, Deputy Chairman of Long An Provincial People’s Committee, the province will direct the agriculture department and grass-roots authorities and guide farmers and enterprises to improve production capacity and pack dragon fruits according to export standards.
Currently, Châu Thành District is home to four companies, three enterprises, four cooperatives and 107 gardens involved in dragon fruit production.
Most companies buying the fruits for export have contracts with export companies in Bình Thuận Province and HCM City.-- VNS


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Urgent.ly Nabs High Spot on Deloitte’s ‘Technology Fast 500’ List
November 13, 2019
Tysons company Urgent.ly has scored a high spot on Deloitte’s new list highlighting the fastest-growing tech companies in North America this year. The roadside assistance company nabbed the #6 spot on the “2019 Technology Fast 500 Ranking.” Earlier this year, the company gained national attention for its partnerships with Uber, Volvo and Amazon. In total, five Tysons-based companies made the list.


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Felicity Black-Roberts joined Hyatt as vice president acquisitions and development from Starwood Hotels & Resorts in September to lead a London-based team comprising Guido Fredrich, Nuno Galvao Barata Pinto and Maria Ashton, who has relocated from Zurich.
Black-Roberts said the UK’s first Hyatt Regency hotel in the UK – Hyatt Regency Birmingham - had proved a successful move for the company and it was now looking to boost its presence further in the UK.
“We’ve been overwhelmed with how much people love Hyatt in the UK, but they have not been able to get to the brand,” she said.
“We’re now looking to boost that presence in a number of ways, mainly through franchising and management contracts.”
Black-Roberts said the company was looking at all UK cities for the brand and had already signed franchise agreements with hotels in London and Dusseldorf.
“We are also looking at joint venture partnerships,” she said. “They have worked very well with us in the past.”
Roberts said the sale of the 319-bedroom Hyatt Regency Birmingham property to an affiliate of Bin Otaiba Investment Group earlier this year, had been a good move for the company.
"We had the opportunity to buy it which gave us the chance to put the Hyatt flag in the UK. We put £2.4m to refurbish it, got it up and running and then sold it to the existing owners who have given us the management contract. It was perfect for us, and we got a very good return on our investment."


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Leading Talent Management Provider for the Service Industry to Accelerate Growth and Fuel Active Product Pipeline
If you are looking for a new Talent Management System, or any HR system, don’t rely solely on “recommendations” or published reports. Do yourself a huge favor and talk to HRchitect first. After 14 years, HRchitect has unparalleled knowledge of the HR and Talent Management vendor community and can save you time and money in selection and implementation. Simply put, do not invest in any kind of HR technology without consulting with the experts first. HRchitect is always available to help!
PeopleMatter, a talent management software provider for the service industry, has raised $7.2 million in a second round of funding led by Noro-Moseley Partners. Previous investors, C&B Capital, Intersouth Partners, and Harbert Ventures, participated.
“We’s done extensive market research on the talent mangement industry,” said Mike Elliott, Noro-Moseley Managing Partner, who joins the company’s board. “PeopleMatter’s unconventional platform integrating the consumer, employee and employer in targeted, service based vericals is poised for substantial growth.”
The company sells a comprehensive talent management solution delivered on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform. It includes tools to hire, schedule, learn, and egnage the hourly workforce for the hospitality, retail and food service industries.
The company says it plans to use the funding to expand its sales and marketing in North America and to fuel an active product pipeline. That sounds as if they’ll be doing some hiring. That’s one plus that doesn’t get mentioned often enough when companies up their funding: it generally also means more people are going to be landing jobs.
The company launched its product in September 2010. Customers include Flash Foods, Noodles and Co., Boloco and Papa Gino’s.
The company began in the incubator offices of Charlston’s Flagship in 2009.
For more information, please visit www.peoplematter.com
Matt Lafata, HRchitect


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George recently met with Business Debtline, a charity-run service offering free impartial debt advice to small businesses and the self-employed.
The service, which has recently launched its #BacktoBusiness campaign to help businesses start 2017 on a stronger financial footing, can offer support on issues ranging from managing cash flow and budgeting, to business rates and utility bills.
Business Debtline helps around 260 small businesses a year from Cornwall by phone. Energy debts are among the issues that small business owners seek help over from Business Debtline, with the organisation working increasingly with Energy UK and energy companies to support these individuals.
George said “it is vital that small business owners and self-employed people in Camborne and Redruth get the proper support they need to keep trading when times are tough. These enterprises make up a significant part of our local, and national, economy, so their success really is crucial”.


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Micromax Canvas Nitro 4G runs on Android Lollipop OS.
Micromax Canvas Tab P680 runs on Android Lollipop.
Micromax launches 43-inch FULL HD TV with Mobile High-Definition Link support
Micromax has launched the Canvas Selfie 2 and Canvas Selfie 3 smartphones in India.
If you are looking for an affordable voice calling tablet, then the Micromax Canvas Tab P690 is a good choice.
Micromax Canvas Xpress 2 flash sale is on Flipkart at 2PM today
Micromax Canvas Xpress 2 offers true octa-core processor and 13MP camera to get budget smartphone experience right
Micromax Canvas Xpress 2 is a budget smartphone to be available exclusively on Flipkart priced at Rs 5,999
Micromax Canvas Xpress 2 is a budget Android smartphone priced at Rs 5,999 and will be available exclusively on Flipkart
Micromax Canvas Spark is a worthy option to consider for those on a budget. It’s got a decent rear camera and Android Lollipop.
Micromax received 1.25 millionth international registration number for its trademark – ‘MICROMAX’, giving it protection in over 110 countries.
Yu Yuphoria will go on sale on Amazon.in on today July 21 and over 1 lakh made-in-India units will be up for grabs.
Micromax has launched a new budget 3G smartphone called Bolt S301 which is priced at Rs 2899
Micromax BOLT D303 lets users type, chat or change the menu of their phone to their preferred language
Rahul Gandhi, Congress vice-president had a rare interaction with Internet entrepreneurs — the likes of Snapdeal founder Kunal Bahl and Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma and few others.


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Gloria Victis Releases New Website With Concepts & Contribution System
Gloria Victis has announced the launch of its new website after several revisions, apologizing for delays meant to ensure a perfect release. The website reveals many of the game’s concepts and world lore.
The announcement also elaborated the state of the game’s contribution status. In their words:
Our website will be using the Xsolla system to accept future contributions, Xsolla is a complex international payment system that offers hundreds of payment methods including SMS payments. The current thank you gifts are preliminary ones and we will be releasing different thank you gift packs in the future such as getting our artists to custom make a coat of arms that will appear ingame, your name carved on plaques and gravestones ingame etcetera. Those that have donated already or donate now will be eligible for these future thank you gifts when they are released. This brings us one step closer to launching our official fundraising campaign and one step closer to becoming a fully fledged indie development studio.
Also, remember to back us in the indieDB top indie game of 2013! Last year we took out fifth place, let us see if we can beat our previous position, it all rests on your click! Furthermore, we will be hosting a series of quick trivia questions leading up to Christmas based on the content on the various tabs such as nations, combat, crafting and equipment on our website, so head over and check them out now!
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Developer momentum behind iPhone looks set to continue this year, with news that support is on the rise further backing up claims that the format is set for a Wii-beating 2010. This optimism is fueled by the results of a survey carried out by Gamasutra’s sister service Game Developer Research. The site recently questioned more than 800 videogame professionals in an effort to predict just which platforms are on the up and which are due for a slump.
The report’s big scoop is the continued growth in mobile development, with support from studios shooting up to 25 percent of all those surveyed, almost double last year’s figure.
Game Developer Research claims iPhone has been the catalyst behind this surge. Three-quarters of the mobile developers questioned targeted both iPhone and iPod touch in 2010, a number the report claims is ‘more than twice the reported support for traditional handhelds like Nintendo DS and Sony PSP,.’
“Like any other medium of entertainment, video game development is subject to change with the ebb and flow of the economy and any hot new trends, and this year’s survey continues to reflect this evolution,” said Simon Carless, Global Brand Director of Think Services Game Group.
“The full, detailed survey document, with its plethora of raw data and wealth of insight, is an important resource for any industry-watchers looking to navigate the changing seas of the games industry.”
It certainly reflects an industry in the midst of change, the report also finding that while the sheer number of developers is on the rise, the era of big, big studios may be coming to an end. With the average size of development houses on the decline, it would seem the weight is now behind small outfits looking to work on mobile formats, and the iPhone is certainly leading the charge on that score.


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Director of Marketing & Communications
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, and The Montgomery Zoo Announce
ARTS GONE WILD Partnership
New Retail Space Set to Open Spring 2012
Montgomery, AL -
The Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and Montgomery Zoo are proud to announce that they will open a new shared retail space in Downtown Montgomery. The store will be called Arts Gone Wild. The space will feature merchandise from each organization and serve as a satellite box office for tickets to ASF productions, admission to the zoo and tickets to special events at the museum.
The new store will be located at 200 Tallapoosa Street, across the street from the Renaissance Hotel, in one of the City’s new retail incubators. The store is expected to open in April of 2012. The hours of operation will be 11 AM – 5 PM Monday through Friday and 11 AM - 4 PM on Saturdays.
Arts Gone Wild will invite visitors to Montgomery lodging in downtown hotels inside to find out more about these world class attractions which are located outside of the downtown area.
“Having a presence in such an excellent location will help create even more awareness of what these three outstanding organizations collectively have to offer residents of the River Region, the downtown workforce and the thousands of visitors who come to Montgomery each year,” says Geoffrey Sherman, ASF’s Producing Artistic Director.
For more information on Arts Gone Wild visit the store’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ArtsGoneWild
and follow them on twitter at www.twitter.com/artsgonewild
The Alabama Shakespeare Festival is among the largest Shakespeare theatres in the world. Designated as The State Theatre of Alabama, ASF has been located in Montgomery since 1985 when it moved from Anniston as a result of Mr. and Mrs. Wynton M. Blount’s gift of a performing arts complex set in the 250-acre Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park. This program/project has been made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
# # #


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Apparel and accessories
February 21, 2020
Safilo is turning to regenerated nylon to make eyewear for its licenses as part of its sustainability push. Image courtesy of Safilo
By Luxury Daily News Service
Italy’s Safilo, maker of sunglasses and frames for some of the biggest names in luxury, has joined hands with Aquafil to make eco-sustainable eyewear as the trend takes root across different sectors of business.
Share your thoughts. Click here


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We already knew HTC is working on an Android One smartphone dubbed U11 Life. In fact, the device has already had most of its key specs leaked. However, there has been no word on its pricing and availability.
Well, that was until now, as a new report is suggesting the phone will be made official at the company’s November 2 event (alongside the U11 Plus). The report also says pricing would be around 400 in Europe.
The complete spec sheet has been revealed as well, most of which is inline with what all has been already leaked. The info includes 5.2-inch full HD display, Snapdragon 630 SoC, and 3GB/32GB memory configuration. The handset features a 16MP main camera with HDR and 4K support. The selfie camera is also 16MP. OS is said to be Oreo, and battery capacity is 2,600mAh.
Other key details the report confirms include NFC, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C port, USonic headphones, IP67-certification for dust and water proofing, and home button-embedded fingerprint sensor. Color options for the phone include Sapphire Blue and Ice White.


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The year 2019 has been one hell of a ride for the stock market. While it’s all stellar for most of the year, there’ve also been some rough patches (thanks to the trade war). And now that we’re at the beginning of the stock market for 2020, we all know what’s on everyone’s mind right now: which stocks are the hottest? We got a few answers.
In any discussion regarding top stocks, the FAANG stocks will always take a part of it. And among the FAANG group, Apple Inc. comes as one of the most promising. Its 2020 future looks bright.
According to a managing partner from Loup Ventures, Apple stock would be the “top-performing FAANG stock in 2020.”
But apart from expert words, there are a number of reasons why this iPhone-maker is set to have another stellar year.
First, other experts expect Apple to see better growth in iPhone sales. Add that to the constantly growing sales in its wearables, such as Apple Watch and AirPods.
Then, nobody could ever forget the release of new flagship phones. In 2020, Apple may release the 14th-generation iPhone.
5G Upgrade for the Stock Market
Another uber-interesting part is the release of 5G phones in fall. For those who’re still unaware, the 5G battleground is the next vista of competition among phone makers.
If Apple manages to roll out a satisfying and excellent 5G service, it could experience huge growth and boost. And investors can count on that.
Now, we know that Amazon has not shown off much recently. Perhaps it’s already flown into the clouds, never to be seen again by the stock market?
No, certainly not. Amazon stock is getting ready to rise not to the but with its cloud-computing and advertising businesses. Experts agree on that.
Although its October earnings report was a bit mixed, including some misses, it’s still rated highly by analysts.
That’s not surprising because the whole business world is looking at breakthrough tech such as cloud computing to be the next big step towards innovation. And companies that lead in this field are practically the companies to beat.
At the same time, the company has been turning into a logistics powerhouse. It’s also not far-fetched to see that its recent investments will probably pay off big time in the future.
Walt Disney Co
Even if you’re not part of the gigantic fandom, you probably have heard of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Or maybe Star Wars? What about Toy Story? Lion King? Maleficent? Big Hero 6?
The House of Mouse has become a market favorite in 2019, with the Disney stock surging 36% up last year.
There are many things that could go right for Disney. For one, it may have the fighting chance to dethrone Netflix as the most popular streaming business.
Disney+ has met expectations, gaining more than 10 million subscribers within the first day of launch. There’s a lot going on in this business.
Add that to the fact that Disney also has businesses in theme parks, movies, and theatrical releases. If all goes well, Disney stock investors will enjoy entertainment while earning cheese.


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"GDP growth in 2015/16 could be in the range of 7.5-7.8 per cent, lifted by a firm manufacturing sector and robust domestic demand," the Singapore-based research firm said.
DBS said it applied to set up the locally incorporated unit to boost its banking business in Asia's third-largest economy.
Rabobank's Surojit Shome, who quit as chief executive of Rabobank earlier this month, will be replacing him.
Noble Group's vow to be more open after a blogger attacked its accounting is a testament to the growing clout of independent researchers.
Aviva's decision leaves the path clear for other insurance and financial services providers keen to distribute their products to DBS's affluent customer base.
A painful consolidation across commodity markets has longer to run and prices need to sink further below the cost of production to lure buyers.
"Execution risks loom large but we are optimistic. Reform takes time, to be sure," it said. The economy is in better shape now than a year ago.
Manulife Financial Corp is close to an about $1 billion deal to sell products through Singapore lender DBS Group Holdings Ltd's branch network across Asia.


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BEIJING—Jack Ma, the billionaire tycoon who rode the currents of China’s rising affluence to build one of the world’s biggest e-commerce companies, is planning a transition out of his role as executive chairman at Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. to focus on philanthropy and other pursuits, according to a person familiar with the situation.
Mr. Ma is expected to disclose his plans, including a timeline for the transition, on Monday, when he turns 54, the person said. The person emphasized that Mr. Ma wants to ensure an orderly transition...
... To Read more, please click here
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The Denver Post is reporting that the city is looking into a plan to ban all beef products from its main grocery store and two grocery stores in the surrounding areas, and it would prohibit certain meat products from being sold in restaurants.
The city is also proposing a ban on salt and pepper sales in restaurants and a ban of all packaged products from the grocery store.
Fort Collins Mayor Mike Hancock has called the measures “proactive” in response to the drought, which has been blamed on climate change and climate-related changes in the region.
The Fort Collins Business Journal reports that the ban would cover only meat products and would be effective as of December 1.
The ban would also ban the sale of salt and “pepper” on the Fort Collins Food Bank.
The Fort Collins Gazette reports that there is some concern that the measure could also affect small- and medium-size businesses.
While the city’s proposal has been met with concern, some city officials have expressed support for the proposal.
The Post reports that “officials and business owners said they were concerned about what the city would do if people complained.”
The Gazette adds that city officials are also considering a ban similar to the one passed in California last year, but this one would apply only to meat products.
In addition to banning meat products, the ban will prohibit the sale and distribution of salt, pepper, and other spices in food, and all products from any of the city or local businesses.
It also bans the use of all artificial coloring or flavoring in food.
One area where the ban could be an issue is the use and sale of condiments in food and beverages.
The Colorado Post reports the city of Fort Collins has asked the Colorado Liquor Control Commission to investigate whether certain condiments can be made into flavored products and whether they may violate state and local law.


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A BIZARRE website called Black Friday Death Count tracks the number of shoppers who were killed during the euphoric annual sale as holiday bargain hunting turns to terror in some parts of the country .
According to the ominous death toll, so far no deaths have been recorded in the US but at least six people have been injured.
The website claims that at least 14 people have died and 124 injured in Black Friday-related incidents since 2006.
The profile has been around since 2008 and includes some of the most egregious holiday incidents ever.
The most recent shooting listed by BlackFridayDeathCount.com was Friday’s shooting at the Southpoint Shopping Center in Durham, North Carolina that left three people shot, including a 10-year-old boy.
Three people were also injured in a subsequent evacuation from the mall as panicked shoppers ran towards the exit to safety.
Holiday shopping becomes terror across America:
Durham Sheriff Patrice Andrews, who was inside the mall at the time, heard gunfire around 3pm and reacted.
Andrews said response officers found three people had been shot in an incident between two groups of people who knew each other.
She said the 10-year-old victim suffered a machete wound and that the injury was not life-threatening.
Most of those involved in the shooting fled after the incident but one person has been taken into custody, a weapon has been recovered and police are interviewing witnesses, Andrews added.
Read ours Black Friday Live Blog for the latest news and updates…
A video from the scene shows frightened shoppers running outside a Nordstrom store. Three people were injured in the stampede, though the extent of their injuries is unclear.
Another shooting, not counted in 2021, occurred outside a Walmart store in Kennewick, Washington, at about 12:30 p.m. local time.
Gunfire broke out after a man allegedly attempted to steal goods but was confronted by a security guard in the parking lot.
The accused thief, dressed in all black and wearing a black mask, is said to have drawn his gun when the guard told him. The guard, whose license was concealed, then shot the armed suspect two or three times at close range.
The suspect fled the scene and was subsequently detained at a home near No. 5 and Olympia in Kennewick without incident.
They were alerted to the property after a 911 call from a woman who reported her fiance had turned up at her apartment with a gunshot wound, and was bleeding from her arms and legs. his.
The suspect was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. No one else was injured in the incident.
Several other horrific and violent crimes have occurred on Black Friday over the years.
VIOLATION DAY BEFORE HOLIDAYS
A scandalous incident occurred during the 2008 holiday season when more than 2,000 shoppers crowded together outside a Walmart store in Valley Stream, New York.
Police from Nassau County had to be called as shoppers filled parking lots and piled on sidewalks.
Some people banged on the supermarket’s glass doors as up to 10 store employees tried to fight off the rowdy crowd.
Doors shattered and shoppers flocked to the store, frantically searching for bargains before the shelves emptied. New York Times report.
Tragically, 34-year-old Jdimytai Damour was trampled while shoppers swarmed over him.
Some workers saw Jdimytai injured on the floor. Medics attempted to revive him but he was pronounced dead just hours later at a Valley Stream hospital.
Family members said Jdimytai was a “easygoing and helpful” man who loved poetry.
A 28-year-old woman, eight months pregnant, was treated for minor injuries and three others were also injured in the stampede.
‘DONE LIKE SAVAGES’
Detective Lieutenant Michael Fleming, of Nassau police, called the scene “totally chaotic” as he beat the crowd for “losing control”.
While witnesses to the stampede unfold were horrified: Kimberly Cribbs, from Queens, said the crowd acted like “barbarians”.
In a statement, Wal-Mart said: “The safety and security of our customers and associates is our top priority. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families at this tragic time.”
At the time of the tragedy, the National Retail Federation said it had never heard of a worker being killed on Black Friday.
Two men shot each other in a Toys “R” Us store in Palm Desert, California on Black Friday that same year, CBS report.
Sarah Pacia told The Desert Sun she was looking for coloring books with her two children when she heard a noise coming from one of the aisles.
She thought eager shoppers were scrambling for an item before she suddenly heard gunfire.
Gunfire was exchanged after the two women started arguing in the store, according to LA era.
Alejandro Moreno, 39, began chasing and shooting Juan Meza, 28, witnesses said.
Sarah recounted that she heard three to four gunshots before the store assistant took her out of the toy store.
‘I DO NOT WANT TO DIE’
The mother said her four-year-old son grabbed her leg and told her he didn’t want to die.
City Councilman Jim Ferguson revealed that the victims were two men armed with pistols who shot each other.
Panicked shoppers flocked to a nearby gym, and assistant director Glenn Splain said: “They were crying, in tears and shaking.”
Ryan Tidd, then 13, asked his mother if the gunmen could return to the store, while Valerie Criscuolo almost canceled plans to celebrate her eldest child’s birthday after hearing the news. about the shooting, according to LA Times
An alleged pepper spray attack occurred at a Wal-Mart store in Porter Ranch, Los Angeles in 2011.
About 100 shoppers lined up on Thanksgiving night and scuffles broke out as they tried to grab Xbox consoles and Nintendo Wii video games.
They are crying, crying and shaking.
City Councilman Jim Ferguson
Wii witness Juan Castro said the price of a video game on the Wii has dropped to $20 from its usual price of $60.
I said CNN: “I try to leave as quickly as possible because I don’t think it’s worth it. No deal is worth it.”
Customers in the aisles shouted at each other and the plastic wrap surrounding the console was ripped off.
Alejandra Seminario said: ‘People started shouting, pushing and shoving each other and then the whole area was filled with pepper spray.
“I guess what triggered it was people started pulling the plastic off the pallets and then shoving and bombarding the screens of the games.”
Seminario said shoppers began to type and scream after they were pushed onto crates.
Los Angeles police called the incident “customer-versus-customer shopping rage” as they investigated.
The woman, later identified as Elizabeth Macias, was not charged with a felony under Los Angeles Daily News.
Her attorney Michael Champ told CBS affiliate KCBS at the time that Macias said she fired the spray after shoppers allegedly assaulted her two teenage children.
Champ testified that her son was punched by a man and her daughter was punched and kicked.
Black Friday 2011 was marred by pepper spray attacks when police on guard duty at a Walmart store in Kinston, North Carolina used the substance to deter shoppers.
Bill Johnson, Kinston’s director of public safety, said the atmosphere “turned tense” as employees brought out pallets of electronic goods.
Officers on duty hired as security guards opened fire to restore order.
The Covid-19 pandemic made Black Friday crowds sparse last year, but tragedy still occurs.
Shoppers run for safety when a gunman shot dead two teenagers at the Arden Fairgrounds Center in Sacramento last November.
Shots were fired near one of the mall’s entrances. A 19-year-old man was found dead at the shopping mall while a 17-year-old boy was found critically injured at the scene. He died of his wounds a few hours later.
Customers and workers were evacuated through the corridors and stairs of the mall as they fled for safety.
Police spokesman Karl Chan said the shooting appeared to be a targeted and isolated attack.
The tragedy comes at a time when gun attacks and homicides are on the rise in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16866000/black-friday-death-count-shootings-stampedes/ Black Friday Death Count reveals how many shoppers died in annual sales rush rife with shootings and stamps


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Vanish has launched a new campaign, in association with the charity, Ambitious about Autism to raise awareness and support autistic girls and non-binary people. Vanish’s brand purpose is to help make clothes last longer and clothes lasting longer can be really important within the autistic community, as new research reveals how clothing can be an essential source of comfort for 8 in 10 autistic girls and non-binary people – who are three times less likely to be diagnosed than boys.
To mark World Autism Acceptance Week, a new free exhibition hosted by Vanish named Me, My Autism & I” will be opening to the public from the Wednesday 29th March to Sunday 2nd April. Vanish aims to educate and raise awareness on how clothing familiarity and consistency impacts the daily lives of autistic girls and non-binary – who are three times less likely to be diagnosed than boys.
Making clothes last longer matters for us all, but for some the longevity of a familiar piece of clothing means so much. The exhibition showcases the intimate and powerful stories of 12 young autistic girls and non-binary people, and their must-have clothing items that help make their world more comfortable.
Research by Vanish and charity partner Ambitious about Autism discovered that 7 in 10 (70%) autistic girls and non-binary rely on consistency and familiarity to thrive, with clothing helping regulate their senses, and an attachment to an item of clothing led one in three girls and non-binary people to realise they have autism.
The multi-sensory space is part of a wider campaign by Vanish which aims to raise awareness and spark conversation by sharing multiple stories of autistic girls and non-binary people. surround living with and being around people with autism – while encouraging others to also share their stories on living with autism. Visitors will be able to explore the physical and digital stories to get a 3D perspective of the clothes and understand the impact living with autism has on these girls and non-binary people and their everyday life. ‘Me, My Autism & I’ aims to leave people inspired to continue an ongoing conversation to help the autistic community to get the support they need to fulfil their potential.
Please note: this exhibition space can fit up to 150 people and is Autism Spectrum Disorder friendly, with visitors able to take a break whilst viewing the exhibition in a quiet retreat space featuring dimmed lighting, bean bags, noise cancelling headphones and fidget spinners. The quite retreat space can only fit 2/3 people at a time.
Other amenities include toilets which are located in the Oxo Tower (staff on hand to provide guidance


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Weekly Synopsis 25th June 2011
Halal, The New Stealth Jihad
In April 2008, FrontpageMag.com published an article by renowned Author and Christian Evangelist, Dr. Peter Hammond. Dr. Hammond has created and chaired many groups concerning the plight of persecuted Christians in Africa. He has authored over a dozen books and in the course of his 3 decades of evangelizing, he has been stabbed, beaten, shot and imprisoned.
A much circulated excerpt from his book, Slavery, Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat is an article entitled, What Islam Isn’t , or more commonly known as the Islamic Saturation Index. This article looks at the various stages of Islamic conquest by Muslims in their host countries, dependant on what percentage of the population they hold.
He states, ‘from 5% on they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population. They will push for the introduction of Halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature it on their shelves, along with threats for failure to comply.’
A Bloody Business
On the 30th of May this year, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), aired an undercover documentary on its highly awarded ‘Four Corners’ programme, entitled ‘A Bloody Business’. The documentary took an in-depth look at the Halal slaughter industry of live-export beef cattle from Australia to Indonesia. The graphic and disturbing content showed what could only be termed as abject torture of these animals. The footage was provided by Australian animal rights lobby group ‘Animal Australia’, headed by former policewoman, Lyn White.
In 2006, ‘Animal Australia’ captured footage of animal abuse in slaughterhouses in Cairo and again as recently as last year, across the Middle East with the mistreatment of sheep during Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice). One scene showed live animals being stuffed into a car trunk and another scene showed sheep being ‘hog-tied’ and dragged across long distances.
Both the Government and the media have been at this revelation incessantly since the programme aired and the response has been swift and condemning. At this point, the Government has halted all exports pending investigation and is considering banning all live cattle exports within 3 years.
A week later, the ABC programme ‘Landline’ spoke to cattle ‘guru’ Ken Warriner. Warriner is a co-owner and cattle trader in Australia’s north, partnered with a British equity firm in the company ‘Consolidated Pastoral.’ The partnership owns 19 prime cattle stations, covering a staggering 13 million acres, across 3 states.
Warriner said, “They (Indonesian abattoirs) are made very clear in their induction that any cruelty will not be tolerated.” He had also said that the Australian cattle industry will be looking to introduce stun guns to Indonesian abattoirs. The Federal Agriculture Minister, Joe Ludwig, is resisting those calls and said that he respects the ‘cultural traditions’ of the world’s most populous Muslim nation. Despite a trip by Ludwig to Indonesia to speak with their Trade Minster, the 300 million-dollar-a-year industry has halted. In 2 weeks, the cattle slated for export will need to be slaughtered in Australia.
On the heels of the crisis, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC), which is also the Australian Halal Authority, has said it will open dialogue with Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig. The aim, says AFIC President Ikebal Patel, is to seek Government funding to provide training for Muslims and thus open more local Halal meat processing plants, creating jobs for Muslims. Patel further stated that ‘a couple of million dollars’ would do it. AFIC is 1 of 15 Halal certification authorizations in Australia. Muslims in Australia represent barely 2 percent of the population.
The definition of Halal and ‘Holy verse’
Simply put, Halal is an Arabic word meaning, lawful or permitted. It covers all aspects of daily life, not just food and beverage. According to the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA), ‘all foods are considered halal except the following (which are haram, unlawful or prohibited)’:
Swine/Pork and its by-products.
Animals improperly slaughtered or dead before slaughtering.
Alcoholic drinks and intoxicants.
Carnivorous animals, birds of prey and certain other animals
Foods containing ingredients such as gelatin, enzymes, emulsifiers, and flavors are questionable (mashbooh), because the origin of these ingredients is not known.
Foods and drinks which contain any of the above haram ingredients or contaminated through contact with any of the above products.
Pests such as rats, centipedes, scorpions and other similar animals.
Animals forbidden to be killed in Islam e.g. ants, bees, spiders and woodpecker birds.
Animals which are considered repulsive generally like lice, flies, maggots and other similar animals.
Animals that live both on land and in water such as frogs, crocodiles and other similar animals.
Blood and by-products of blood.
The only instance when a Muslim is permitted to consume Haram provisions is if he or she is on the verge of starvation and the only food available is ordinarily Haram.
Surah 2:173: He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
The Dhabiha or method of slaughter of an animal to Halal standards involves making sure the head of the animal is facing Mecca. The invocation of Allah’s name over each animal is also required. Using a sharp knife you cut the windpipe (trachea), the gullet (esophagus) and the two jugular veins in the neck. Slaughtering must be performed on the front of the neck without cutting the spinal cord.
Al-An’am 6:121: “Eat not (O believers) of that (meat) on which Allah’s Name has not been pronounced (at the time of the slaughtering of the animal), for sure it is Fisq (a sin and disobedience to Allah). And certainly, the devils do inspire their friends (from mankind) to dispute with you, and if you obey them [by making Al-Maytata (a dead animal) legal by eating it], then you would indeed be Mushrikun (polytheists): [because they (devils and their friends) made lawful to you to eat that which Allah has made unlawful to eat and you obeyed them by considering it lawful to eat, and by doing so you worshipped them, and to worship others besides Allah is polytheism].”
Halal in North America
The Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) is one of the largest halal authorities in North America. They describe themselves as ‘a non-profit Islamic organization dedicated to promote halal food and the institution of halal’.
IFANCA certifies food products, pharmaceuticals and vaccines all over the world. Their certification symbol, the Crescent ‘M’, can be found on thousands of products around the globe, thought a lot of U.S. food products don’t have the symbol displayed.
Ummahnet provides a large list of common grocery items that are halal. They can be found here and despite its size, it is not a complete list. A selection of books covering halal certified products in North America are available from Amazon. A large searchable database of halal products and restaurants can be found here
Recently, a poultry processing company in Princess Anne, Maryland was purchased for the specific purpose of providing halal certified chicken to consumers. This purchase is one of many as part of the internationally financed expansion of halal into the USA. There are very few transparent news reports of the expansion for fear of repercussions from consumers.
A conference, called The First Gulf Conference on Halal industry and its Services, was held from the 24th – 26th of January this year in Kuwait. A report produced by key note speaker, Mr. Darhim Dali Hashim, the Chief Executive Officer of International Halal Integrity Alliance of Malaysia states that the U.S halal market is estimated to be worth 12.5 billion USD and expanding. It also cites that the Muslim population of the USA at 2009 was 7.2 million or 2.7 percent.
One of the key challenges preventing the expansion of halal was cited as negative perceptions of halal and Islamophobia. The report adds that where American companies such as Mcdonalds, KfC, Burger King and Taco Bell have gone halal, their has been an increase of their sales of 20 percent. At this time, that increase is only reflected in OIC (Organization of Islamic Conference), member countries.
Halal in Britain
The halal market in Britain is more advanced than most. The Halal Marketing Committee (HMC) provides an online list via a clickable map of butchers that provide halal certified meat. They also provide updates of the latest halal restaurants and butchers to open, with 14 openings listed for June. A large percentage of the mainstream Pepe’s Peri Peri and Dixys Chicken are halal.
The Halal Monitoring Committee’s Shariah Advisor, Mufti Zubair Butt, attended the ‘First Gulf Conference on Halal Industry and its Services as a guest speaker that was held in Kuwait in January this year. He spoke of mechanical slaughter methods used on chickens in Britain and stated that sometimes the required vessels (in the neck) are only partially severed or the blade cuts the head, wings or breast of the chicken. The invocation of Allah over each animal is still performed manually by the machine operator.
The website Mail Online reported in January this year that the following are halal:
All beef, chicken and lamb sold to fans at Wembley Stadium.
All chicken sold to Rugby fans watching fixtures at Twickenham.
All chicken sold to horse racing enthusiasts at Ascot.
All meat in over 100 schools in the borough of Tower Hamlets, in east London.
All meat in the Hospitals, including the Guy’s, St Thomas’ NHS Trust in London and the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation.
3/4 of all poultry served at Britain’s biggest hotel and restaurant group Whitbread, which owns the Beefeater and Brewers Fayre chains as well as Costa Coffee, Taybarns and Table Table restaurants.
Mitchells and Butlers, which owns the Harvester, Browns and Toby Carvery restaurants as well as pub chains All Bar One and O’Neills.
An unnamed spokesman, quoted by Mail Online, insisted the firm demanded that all poultry is ‘pre-stunned prior to slaughter’, though was unable to give details of what percentage of the meat was ritually slaughtered. The fact that halal meat is not stunned prior to slaughter was not questioned by the articles author.
The annual retail sale of halal meat in the United Kingdom as of July 2009 is 564 million GBP or 900 million USD, (source: Third industrial Master Plan).
Halal in Australia
If you live in Australia, most chocolate and dairy products are halal. Like the USA, Australian producers aren’t so transparent with the public about halal products. This short video shows a very popular local cheese brand with the halal symbol inside the package, (hat tip to Jason Paul).
Halal Australia states the following as its aims and objectives:
To establish and develop halal standard code and inspection system for the benefit of Halal consumers and stakeholders.
To halal certify foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, health care and cosmetic products and consumables.
To provide complete and comprehensive information, sessions and seminars about halalness of products and educate people to consume halal products.
To participate in social, educational and charitable activities.
The RSPCA continues to be vocal on both of the issues of halal slaughter and live animal exports. Here is a link to their views on live exports from their knowledgebase and a link to a recent interview by ABC’s ‘AM’ programme. The programme aired on the 18th of June and looks at the RSPCA’s call to ban the halal slaughter method.
In Sydney, over 750 halal restaurants serve a total population of over 4.6 million people, with Muslims numbering approximately 250,000. The chicken producers brand ‘Steggles’ and ‘Baida’ are halal as is the popular restaurant ‘Nandos’. Other larger restaurant chains have some halal restaurants in parts of Sydney where the amount of Muslim consumers warrant it. A fully searchable Australian database of halal restaurants and bakeries etc. can be found here.
The global halal market is currently worth 635 billion USD and expected to exceed 1 trillion dollars by 2020. The pro-active marketing of halal exists wherever there is a Muslim population, with International assistance offered from Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Kuwait and other OIC nations. The assistance includes financial, technical, marketing and other resources. Annual conferences are held involving work-shopping, trends, and education and marketing techniques. Global certification, standards and governance is a short term goal.
The continuing expansion of halal will mean that almost no food items will be exempt or halal free. The continuous call from halal bodies and religious leaders to ensure that factories and processing plants will only be staffed by Muslims, presents yet another challenge to non Muslims worldwide and another feather in the cap for stealth jihad.
Vin Ienco 25th June 2011.
Cpl. Gurpreet Singh, 21, of Antelope, California, died June 22, 2011.
Lance Cpl. Jared C. Verbeek, 22, of Visalia, California, died June 21, 2011.
Pfc. Joshua L. Jetton, 21, of Sebring, Florida, died June 20, 2011.
Sgt. James W. Harvey II, 23, of Toms River, New Jersey, died June 20, 2011.
Pfc. Gustavo A. Rios-Ordonez, 25, of Englewood, Ohio, died June 20, 2011.
Pfc. Josue Ibarra, 21, of Midland, Texas, died June 19, 2011.
Pte Gareth Bellingham, 22, of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, died 18 June 2011.
Pfc. Brian J. Backus, 21, of Saginaw Township, Michigan, died June 18, 2011.
Sgt. 1st Class Alvin A. Boatwright, 33, of Lodge, South Carolina, died June 18, 2011.
Sgt. Edward F. Dixon III, 37, of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, died June 18, 2011.
Sgt. Alan L. Snyder, 28, of Blackstone, Massachusetts, died June 18, 2011.
Spc. Tyler R. Kreinz, 21, of Beloit, Wisconsin, died June 18, 2011.
Spc. Scott D. Smith, 36, of Indianapolis, Indiana, died June 17, 2011.
Spc. Marcos A. Cintron, 32, of Orlando, Florida, died June 16, 2011.
Craftsman Andrew Found, 27, of Whitby, North Yorkshire, died 16 June 2011.
Included in Vin’s Weekly Synopsis at his site are News Links from the past week as well as an absolute treasure trove of resources including videos, books, and articles from around the world.–Dex
Gilad Shalit, born 28 August 1986 is a French-Israeli soldier who was captured 5 years ago on 25 June 2006 by Hamas in a cross-border raid. He was captured near the Kerem Shalom crossing (in Israel), and has been held as a hostage at an unknown location in the Gaza Strip by Hamas since then.
Vin Ienco is a Commentator and Analyst on the effects of Global Islamism and a vocal opponent of Sharia Law.
I would like to give a special note of thanks to the amazing Erin Fiora, who selflessly assists me in the production of this note.–Vin