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Choicepoint data breach
At first, the choicepoint security breach seemed not only ordinary but almost insignificant. The firm will pay another $5 million into a fund for consumers affected by the data breach choicepoint announced last february that it had been targeted by a scam in which fraudsters posed as legitimate companies to gain access to choicepoint's massive credit database – normally used by. Choicepoint, the international poster child for data breaches, has agreed to a settlement with 43 states and the district of columbia as a result of the incident in 2004 in which 145,000 consumer. Rip, swype: thanks for all the sor--speec--speedy texting data broker choicepoint was yesterday fined $15m over a data security breach that led to at least 800 cases of identity theft choicepoint agreed to pay $10m in civil penalties (a record fine) and $5m to compensate consumers as part of a. Choicepoint inc, the data broker that set off a national debateafter disclosing a data breach early in 2005, will pay us$15million in fines and other penalties for lax security standards,the us federal trade commission (ftc) announced thursdaychoicepoint's $10 million fine is the largest civil fine in theftc's.
Choicepoint ceo apologizes for security breach smith said the data broker has taken a the security breach that choicepoint discovered last fall in. Explore privacy rights clearinghouse's chronology of data breaches. The massive data compromise at choicepoint earlier this year has made the alpharetta, ga-based data aggregator something of a target for those calling for tougher data protection laws. Few companies know as well as choicepoint the consequences of failing to secure the personal information of consumers a provider of information used in background checks, choicepoint was involved in a data breach more than two years ago that compromised the records of 163,000 people -- but has.
View homework help - choicepoint data breach from nt nt1210 at itt tech choicepoint data breach choicepoint is a data broker it merges public records, credit reports, and demographic data to. The data breach involved thieves posing as small business customers who gained access to choicepoint's database choicepoint collects data on individuals. Choicepoint and sony, an ethical analysis the choicepoint data breach: on september 27 of 2004, choicepoint,a company that aggregates and stores personal.
The professional liability implications of data breaches submitted by: commission, as a result of its data breach choicepoint also agreed to contribute $5. Read the latest news about the data aggregation company choicepoint, including information on data breaches, its buy-out deal, and more.
The choicepoint data security breach february, 2005 what is choicepoint atlanta-based company spun off from equifax (cra) in 1977 one of the largest data aggregators and resellers in the us compiles, stores and sells information about virtually every us adult 19 billion records where do aggregators get information. A timeline of key events surrounding the choicepoint data breach. Choicepoint inc (cpsn) has settled with 44 us states over a 2005 data breach that resulted in criminals potentially having accessed personal information from more than 145,000 consumers.
Consumer data broker choicepoint, inc, which last year acknowledged that the personal financial records of more than 163,000 consumers in its database had been compromised, will pay $10 million in civil penalties and $5 million in consumer redress to settle federal trade commission charges that its. Choicepoint inc, one of the nation's consumer data brokers, agreed to pay $275,000 to federal regulators as a result of a data breach last year that exposed social security numbers and other personal information on 13,750 people. In january, the federal trade commission levied a $15 million penalty against data broker choicepoint because the company allowed criminals. Choicepoint inc, the data broker that set off a national debate after disclosing a data breach early in 2005, will.
Data broker choicepoint, the victim of a 2004 data breach affecting more than 160,000 us residents, has agreed to strengthen its data security efforts and pay a fine for a second breach in 2008, the us federal trade commission said mondaychoicepoint, now a subsidiary of reed elsevier, will pay us$275,000 to resolve the newest ftc complaint. This paper focuses on a choicepoint data breach that received wide publicity and was the subject of legal action by the federal trade commission. Choicepoint, the data broker hit with the largest fine in federal trade commission (ftc) history, has now settled with 44 states over a 2005 breach that compromised the personal information of 163,000 people.Get file


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52 Week Range
As of on the Tokyo Stock Exchange ∙ Minimum 15 minute delay
United Arrows Ltd <7606.T>:Says it completed share repurchase disclosed on Oct. 28, 2016, with a result of 1.9 million shares repurchased for 6.00 billion yen.
Nikkei : United Arrows will likely report a 2% rise in operating profit to more than 6 billion yen in the October-December quarter - Nikkei . For the March-December period, operating profit For United Arrows Ltd likely fell 18% on the year to 8 billion yen - Nikkei .United Arrows Ltd's sales are seen growing 2% to around 107 billion yen for the March-December period- nikkei.
United Arrows Ltd <7606.T>:Says it plans to buy back up to 3 million shares(equal to 9.9 percent) for no more than 6 billion yen during the period from Nov. 7, 2016 to March 31, 2017.
Corrects 2nd bullet to say it plans to sell the company "in multiple transactions between Dec. 2016 and Dec. 2024", not "on Oct. 1".United Arrows Ltd <7606.T>: Says it will set up new limited liability company Chrome Hearts JP on Oct. 1, to take over Chrome Hearts business .Says it plans to sell the limited liability company to CH Holding Company, which is managed by starters of CHROME HEARTS brand, in multiple transactions between Dec. 2016 and Dec. 2024.
United Arrows Ltd:To retire 7,586,324 shares (20.06 pct of outstanding) of its common stock on Nov. 20.Says the total shares outstanding 30,213,676 shares after the retirement.
United Arrows Ltd:Completes repurchase of 1,630,300 shares for 5,999,726,481 yen in total, from Feb. 6 to April 27.
United Arrows Ltd:To repurchase up to 2,400,000 shares (7.5 pct of outstanding) for up to 6 bln yen, from Feb. 6 to April 30.
United Arrows Ltd:Lowered full-year consolidated outlook for fiscal year ending March 31, 2015.Full-year revenue outlook of 130,000 mln yen lowered from 135,914 mln yen.Full-year operating profit outlook of 10,800 mln yen lowered from 14,119 mln yen.Full-year ordinary profit outlook of 11,000 mln yen lowered from 14,200 mln yen.Full-year net profit outlook of 6,100 mln yen lowered from 8,257 mln yen.Full-year earnings per share outlook of 191.56 yen lowered from 259.31 yen.Outlook lowered due to increased product cost and sales discount.FY 2015 revenue of 132,020 mln yen and net income of 7,260 mln yen - Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.Reaffirmed year-end dividend forecast of 58 yen per share, for fiscal year 2015.
United Arrows Ltd:Says Osamu Shigematsu will resign from chairman of the board, on June 24.
United Arrows Ltd:To pay year-end dividend of 47 yen per share, above the latest dividend forecast of 41 yen per share, for fiscal year 2014.Record date March 31 and effective date June 25.
Quote and financial data from Refinitiv. Fund performance data provided by Lipper. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes.

domain: news


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- Daimler Trucks hands over first all-electric FUSO eCanter trucks to customers
- Daimler launches new DENZA electric vehicle for the Chinese market
- Pride Tour 2018: Daimler supports tolerance and diversity worldwide
- Cortec® Introduces EcoShield® Super Barrier Paper and Linerboard
- Amey and Sersa, as part of the S&C North Alliance, win Infrastructure Achievement Award at National Rail Awards
- Industry calls for urgent clarity on EU workers as survey shows recruitment crunch looming
- Rimac opens 100 new jobs
- Covestro expands global capacity for polyurethane dispersions
Transport and Logistics
A pilot study to test silent overnight deliveries has been launched at six McDonald’s restaurants in Stockholm, Sweden using a hybrid truck from Scania operated by HAVI.
The Kuehne + Nagel branch in Toronto, Canada, recently obtained KN PharmaChain seafreight certification, being the 200th certificate globally.
We move to cities and do internet shopping: that destroys the market for private cars and boosts demand for buses and delivery trucks.
In response to the House of Commons vote in the UK, Dr Detlef Trefzger, CEO of Kuehne + Nagel International AG, emphasises the importance of open markets.
Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation has received an order for traction system electrical equipment for 520 cars for commuter trains (52 trains comprising 10 cars each) for the Taiwan Railways Administration.
Mace has appointed Sean Gray as Director of Transportation to deliver the next phase of growth for its transport consultancy team.
At the yearly ceremony in Amsterdam, the Supply Chain Finance Community awarded Kuehne + Nagel’s supply chain finance solution as the best program in the category Transport & Logistics. Kuehne + Nagel has leveraged its existing Tradeshift e-invoicing platform by adding a Supply Chain Finance (SCF) layer on top.
Ordering goods online for home delivery is now a firmly established method of shopping throughout the Western world. In 2016, 65 billion parcels were delivered to homes worldwide.


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GM Launches Japan's First Commercial FCV
General Motors Corp. (GM, Detroit, MI) and FedEx Corp. marked a first in Japan by delivering packages in a fuel-cell vehicle (FCV), the first approved for commercial use in the country. As part of the Japanese government's initiative to explore the viability of FCVs, the GM and FedEx will operate GM's HydroGen3 vehicles on FedEx Express's regular routes in Tokyo.
"In addition to giving General Motors lots of data from how fuel cell technology handles in real world situations, it's also another step toward true commercialization - when fuel cell vehicles can be sold to consumers at prices they can afford and auto companies make a profit from them," GM representatives said.
By storing liquid hydrogen on board the vehicle, the HydroGen3 can run for 400km (250 miles) before refueling. That is about 100km more than FCVs developed by Toyota and Honda. The Japanese government wants to lay the groundwork for full commercialization of FCVs by 2005, with the aim of having five million of the vehicles on the road by 2020.


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Next month will bring fireworks and the celebration of our freedom. It’s also a month of some great national food holidays such as baked bean month, blueberry month, grilling month, hot dog month and ice cream month.
Celebrating a food holiday can make a normal meal fun and exciting and potentially offer an opportunity to talk about why certain food items are costing more to put on the dining room or patio table. Last month, US Department of Agriculture put consumers on notice that they might encounter sticker shock as they prepared for Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of America’s grilling season.
It didn’t take the Memorial Day holiday for me to have such a conversation. While feasting on an Easter dinner two months ago that featured deviled eggs, turkey and lamb, family and friends inquired why the price of pork was so high. I also had a conversation with a cousin addressing questions about rising beef prices.
Are you prepared to have such conversations over the grill or at the picnic table while passing the mustard, ketchup or relish? Below are some stats about rising food prices to help you with those conversations.
– There are fears that a 10 percent decrease in the pork supply may mean going without bacon, but according to economists at the University of Missouri, bacon lovers have nothing to fear. While it’s true that frozen supplies of most pork cuts were down in April compared to a year ago, the exception was pork bellies, which were up 47 percent from a year ago.
– USDA says the consumer price index for U.S. beef is up almost 10 percent so far in 2014, reflecting the fastest increase in retail beef prices in 11 years. Prices, even after adjusting for inflation, are also at record highs.
– Beef and veal prices for the whole of 2014 are now forecast to increase by 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent, a sharp advance from a previous forecast for a 3 percent to 4 percent rise.
– Pork prices are set to rise by 3 percent to 4 percent, up from a 2 percent to 3 percent advance expected earlier this year.
– Compared to a year ago, both fresh beef and the pork retail prices are up by about 13 percent.
– Egg prices are also climbing — up 15 percent in April alone — and are expected to rise by 5 percent to 6 percent on the year.
– Higher milk prices are feeding through to other products in the dairy case, particularly cheese.


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Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. is recalling certain Sprint GT, Tiger 800 and Tiger 800 XC motorcycles to fix a flaw that could allow an accessory cargo carrier called a top box to detach from the bike.
On the affected models the top box locking handle is missing a clip on the locking mechanism. As a result the box could loosen and fall from the bike onto the road and possibly hit another vehicle and increase the risk of a crash.
In a document filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the company said the problem affects 134 bikes built from June 2010 to June 2011. While the total number of bikes is small, the company says they have the potential problem and need to be repaired. Triumph says the problem part has since been redesigned and tested to make sure it locks properly.
Under the recall, dealers will install a new clip to the top box locking handle spindle to align the mechanism to prevent disengagement. The recall is expected to begin this month. Owners may contact the Triumph customer service department at 678-539-8782.


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Purebred cattle sale in the Black Dog fight
The auctioning of a purebred Charolais at IGA Perth Royal Show will push one farmer’s mental health fundraising total towards $100,000 this year.
It has been eight years since Dardanup stud and commercial producers Peter and Judy Milton first auctioned off two charity steers at Perth Royal Show.
The Hereford and Hereford cross, Winston I and Winston II, fetched a collective price of $8050 and marked the start of the farmers’ journey raising thousands for Black Dog Ride.
“I have had such a fortunate life, but one in four people are affected by depression in their lifetime,” Mr Milton said.
“These steers have seen Black Dog Ride benefit by $65,000.”
Since then, the farmers have auctioned a steer each year at the Perth Royal Show, with buyers including Goodchild Meats, Harvey Beef and Borello Meats, among others.
The nine steers and one heifer have raised a hefty amount totalling more than $73,000.
Each steer prepared by the Miltons is named Winston, after former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who suffered depression.
Fittingly, the heifers are called Clementine, after Mr Churchill’s wife.
All of the cattle are donated by other farmers before being prepared for lush pasture at the Miltons’ Copplestone property.
This year’s cattle, a Charolais steer named Winston X is expected to fetch thousands of dollars. He was donated by Jim and Belinda Quilty, of Elgin Park Charolais Stud.
Winston 10 will be auctioned off at Perth Royal Show on Monday morning, during the Hoof and Hook competition.
This year, Mr Milton tried something different in his crusade promoting open dialogue about mental health.
He and his brother Steve Milton, who runs commercial cattle at Balingup, made a 9500km return journey to Kununurra and back in four weeks.
The pair stopped in at several regional towns, using their travelling companions — two heifers named Clementine II and Clementine III — to spark conversations along the way.
“We spoke to hundreds of people in men’s sheds, shopping centres, main streets, anywhere,” Mr Milton said.
“People would say ‘why are you standing there with a cow’, and I would say ‘if I didn’t have a cow you wouldn’t be talking to me, would you’.”
Clementine I will be auctioned off at the Landmark Springing Heifer Sale in Boyanup in December.
Clementine III will be semi-retired and mated before being sold next year. Clementine II was auctioned electronically at Droughtmaster Australia’s Rockhampton National Bull Sale on September 10, fetching $7750 for charity.
The winning bid was given by Vern Williamson of Daybreak Downs Droughtmaster Stud in Waterloo.
“We picked Rockhampton because it’s never been done before,” Mr Milton said.
“This is a really big event for her breed and it just works. It’s pretty special to be able to electronically sell a heifer from my paddock in Dardanup.
“To garner support for a stud heifer in WA being sold in Queensland and being available to potential buyers in all States in Australia may seem a challenge, but Doug and Danni Giles from Newdegate called me and offered free transport anywhere in Australia.”
Support has poured in for the Miltons’ project.
The Forrest family, which owns Harvey Beef, secured the $8000 top price last year.
The 526kg Murray Grey was donated by Alastair and Jenny Murray, of Tullibardine Stud in Albany and prepared by Mr Milton. Next year’s Winston 11 and Clementine IV have already been promised.
The Red Angus steer will hail from Graham and Trevlyn Smith at Kildarra Red Angus in Albany.
Perth Royal Show will be held September 22 to 29.
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If an app called ThirdLove has anything to do with it, you’ll never need to wear a too-tight, loose, or lumpy bra again.
ThirdLove cofounders Heidi Zak and Dave Spector have developed an iPhone app they say accurately measures women via smartphone photos in order to sell them bras that actually fit. And today, in the wake of 400% growth in sales from 2014 to 2015, the company has raised $8 million in financing from New Enterprise Associates, a venture capital firm, and a slew of retail executives, such as former Spanx CEO Laurie Ann Goldman and REI Chairman John Hamlin.
Zak and Spector, a married couple, started the business together after leaving their jobs at Google and Sequoia Capital. Spector says investors have become increasingly open to entrepreneurial couples (some venture capital firms are notoriously averse to the idea.)
What’s unique about ThirdLove is its half-cup sizes. The company doesn’t just sell bras in the standard A through E size range. According to Zak and Spector, about a third of women who get measured using the app fall somewhere in between sizes. To measure women, the app uses advanced image-recognition technology. A competitor in the bra-fitting space, True & Co takes a more analog approach: an online quiz.
Within minutes of ingesting the images, the app will spit out a size using ThirdLove’s numbering system. From there, users can peruse and purchase a bra.
But ThirdLove isn’t just a technology app. The company designs and manufactures its own undergarments, which makes it a growing threat to giants like Victoria’s Secret. With its new round of funding, the company plans to start selling its bras–including its signature half-sizes–in retail stores across the U.S.


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27-Aug-10by Annie Byrne
The foundations of the Ideal Home Show have wobbled of late, but for the first time in a while, the future is looking brighter for the exhibition. The 101-year-old show, which in its heyday introduced the public to the microwave oven, the fridge and even a solar-powered robot lawnmower, has had its title deeds passed to Media 10 following a deal (brokered by Mayfield Media) with former owner DMG World Media for an undisclosed sum.
Media 10, the organiser behind UK consumer building exhibition Grand Designs Live, has announced its best year ever. The company, steered by MD Lee Newton, made a turnover of £16 million in 2008.
Speaking exclusively to EN, Newton says he is convinced he can take The Ideal Home Show, back to where it once was. It has seen over 60 million visitors since its inception in 1908, but has suffered dwindling numbers in recent years. More than 167,000 fewer visitors entered the doors of the show in the period between 2002 and 2007 and more recently the show has been trading at a loss.
“Ideal Home Show has been in limbo for a long time, with no focus. We know where the exhibition has gone wrong; DMG was trying to be too clever for its audience,” says Newton.
And he singles out the ad campaign for last year’s event as a “real mistake”.
“It was being marketed as a day out experience rather than a home show, the marketing was all wrong. Organisers were spending too much time trying to copy Grand Designs Live, which launched with a big bang and they lost their direction.”
Newton admits that Ideal Home Show hasn’t always been in his sights, and he is quick to point out that Grand Designs Live is very different and he didn’t buy the show simply for its database. While there is a 20 per cent crossover of exhibitors to the two shows, he says there is hardly any crossover of visitors. He also admits that when he signed the dotted line, his nerves did take over, as he wondered: “What have I just done? Maybe DMG has tried and tested all my ideas and they had failed.”
But so convinced is he now that he can turn the show around that he says: “Buying the show was a no brainer for us. Media 10 is a small company but we make decisions quickly and we also change our minds very quickly. It is our money we are gambling with, we are 110 per cent sure this is going to work. We wouldn’t risk our reputation if we had any doubts.
“The show has been running at a loss recently, but in the past it has made an immense amount of money and we will be making in-roads to the task in the next six months, we want everyone to think wow!” he says. “We want to put the ideal back into the home show.”
He doesn’t rule out moving the show away from Earls Court in the future either. But it will remain at Earls Court in the near future as a 17 day show and all staff will keep their jobs. Instead of re-inventing the wheel, Newton is going to bring back the 12 sections dedicated to different 'phases of home life' such as construction, cookery, furniture and decoration, that were synonymous with the first ever show in 1908. “There’s lots of research to do, but we are going to redefine the show’s history,” says Newton.
With such a broad history it is hard to believe that the Ideal Home Show should suffer such criticism in recent years. It was set up by Wareham Smith, the advertising manager of the Daily Mail and predominantly targeted the middle classes to help boost sales of the paper. More recently it has become the ‘Prime Minister’ of the exhibition industry, with everyone thinking they could run it better.
“Ideal Home Show has become the whipping boy,” says Newton. “It has been beaten up time and time again, by us included. But putting things into perspective it attracts 250,000 visitors every year and over 300 exhibitors.
“The show really excites us.”
And with so much enthusiasm, what could possibly go wrong? Surely an ideal match made in Media 10?


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Kalona Organics, which markets the Kalona Super Natural brand, contends a voluntary recall of its whole chocolate milk last month was not justified and says its products are safe.
On Sept. 20, the state requested a voluntary recall of whole chocolate milk that had expiration dates of Oct. 5, 2013, and Oct. 7, 2013, due to concerns that at least some of the product may not have been properly pasteurized.
“Our initial understanding is that the state lab equipment used to test the milk was not calibrated correctly for our minimally-processed, non-homogenized milk,” said Bill Evans, Kalona Organics CEO. “We are actively working with the FDA, lab equipment manufacturer, and the state of Iowa to address this issue and prevent any further errors.”
Responding to a request for comment, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship stood by its decision.
“The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship followed all FDA protocols in requesting a voluntary recall by Farmers All Natural Creamery in Wellman,” the state agency said in a statement. “FDA-approved tests showed the milk positive for phosphase, which is an indication of improper pasteurization, making a recall appropriate in order to ensure consumer safety.”


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Without regulatory viewers, it can claim to be money and property at the same time. Now the Internal Revenue Service has opened up the package, as well as the virtual money’s condition is developed – a minimum of for government tax obligation objectives. The IRS just recently issued assistance on how it will deal with bitcoin, and also any other stateless digital competitor. We additionally describe better the usage for online casinos as well as additionally for various other areas. This is an extremely amazing currency.
How is Bitcoin made?
The short answer: as home, not currency. Bitcoin, along with various other digital currencies that can be exchanged for lawful tender, will currently be dealt with most of the time as capital property, as well as in a couple of scenarios as supply. Bitcoin holders that are not dealers will go through capital gains tax on rises in value. Bitcoin “miners,” that open the money’s formulas, will need to report their finds bitcoin as income, just as various other miners do when drawing out a lot more typical resources.
What is Bitcoin?
Though this decision is unlikely to cause much turbulence, it is worth keeping in mind. Now that the IRS has actually made a call, investors and also bitcoin fanatics can progress with an extra exact understanding of what they are holding. A bitcoin holder who intends to comply with the tax obligation regulation, instead of escape it, now recognizes just how to do so. Below we describe further concerning just how to utilize this currency as well as exactly how whatever deals with the wallet and where to best get your own purse.
Just how did Bitcoin begin?
I believe the IRS is appropriate in establishing that bitcoin is not money. Bitcoin, and also other digital currencies like it, is also unpredictable in value for it to reasonably be called a form of money. In this era of drifting exchange rates, it’s true that the worth of nearly all currencies modifications from week to week or year to year relative to any kind of specific benchmark, whether it’s the buck or a barrel of bitcoin mining oil. However a crucial function of money is to act as a shop of worth. The worth of the cash itself should not change substantially from day to day or hour to hour.


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Fluz Breaks $100k CrowdFunding Milestone.
Revolutionizing cash back apps through social earning networks.
New York, NY (June, 10 2020) – Fluz App Inc. (Fluz) is joining the ranks of hot crowdfunding campaigns surpassing the $100k marker.
“Fluz is the most innovative cash back app currently on the market and equity crowdfunding helps everyday people invest and buy shares in startups and fast growth companies.” said Maurice Harary, Founder. “We’re utilizing crowdfunding as a strategic mix of raising capital while simultaneously attracting new customers to our platform. I couldn’t be more excited.”
Mr. Harary had been in the Ecommerce space for over 7 years when he began Fluz as a side project. After a successful pilot, he decided to go all in on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Maurice built his team with strong, experienced leaders in each of their respective fields. From experts in Artificial Intelligence to influencers and artist marketing. Together they’ve built an exciting new take on cash back apps. Social earning that reaches far. Creating a network with the possibility to earn at an exponential rate.
Unlike the other cash back rewards, Fluz offers a lifetime benefit from its inviting system. Members earn money when they shop where they already shop and keep earning whenever their friends or friends’ friends shop.
Fluz believes that all consumers deserve to sincerely profit from their purchases and built their model to reflect the strength of the social networks that consumers provide. Fluz is uniquely positioned to take advantage of a social world in which each person’s network is part of a larger cooperative.
This is not a solicitation. Offering and related materials may be viewed at https://www.startengine.com/fluz
For more information, video or to arrange an interview contact Maurice Harary | [email protected]


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This article contains affiliate links. Newsquest can earn a commission on any sales generated by them.
الدی۔ It will open 100 new stores in the UK in the next two years and has announced where it hopes to open in Sussex.
The supermarket has pledged to invest 1.3 billion euros by 2023 to further expand its retail estate, as it moves forward with plans to open an average of one new store a week.
Areas of Sussex where they are currently looking for sites are included. Brighton, Eastbourne, East Greensstad, Little Hampton and Hastings, among others.
الدی۔, Which now has more than 920 stores across the UK, is looking for a freehold town center or Age of Center sites suitable for property development.
The supermarket says it is looking for sites that can accommodate 20,000 square feet of shop and about 100 parking spaces, preferably on a prominent main road and with good visibility and accessibility.
Furthermore , الدی۔ We will also invest in the development of new and expanded centers.
Richard Thornton, Director of Communications. الدی۔ The UK said: “We continue to have even more customers – more than 60% of UK households shopped with Aldi last year.
“Our focus is on expanding our store estate, ensuring that Aldi is accessible to as many of these new shoppers as possible across the country.
“Looking forward, we’re excited to provide millions of new customers with access to LD’s award-winning quality and unbeatable value as we create more space and more ways to shop.”
Where will الدی۔ Building new stores in Sussex?
Here is a complete list of possible Sussex destinations:
- Becks Hill
- Bagnoor Regis.
- Burgess Hill
- East Green Stud.
- East Bourne
- Hayward Heath.
- Every evening
- Little Hampton.
- New paradise
- Peace Haven.
- Yuk Field.


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News Archive from January 30, 2014
Visa, SAP Partner on Corporate Payments Solution January 30, 2014The new solution is designed to help corporations who want to move toward electronic business-to-business payments.
Amazon Planning New P2P Payments and Kindle Point of Sale Systems January 30, 2014The company is looking to hire help for a new P2P payments system to go head-to-head with PayPal, and is accelerating a Kindle point of sale project. Barclays Denies Reports That It Will Close 400 Branches January 29, 2014A day after it was reported that the bank would close hundreds of branches, Barclays stated no such plans exist. but left the door open for future closings. Banks Must Evolve Business Model or Die: Report January 29, 2014A new report from KPMG says the industry is at a crossroads and needs to re-focus its business strategy on selling products and services.
D+H Rebrands, Unifies U.S. Operations January 28, 2014The company acquired Harland Financial Solutions last August.
Banks Beware: Companies Seek Growth Across Traditional Industry Boundaries January 27, 2014New research from Accenture identifies financial services as one of six "digitally contestable markets" ripe for disruption from competitors in other businesses. How Citi’s New ATM’s Will Enable New Branch Formats January 27, 2014Citi’s recently unveiled ATM upgrades will help Citi experiment with smaller branches focused on advisory services. How Mobile Photo Bill Pay Is Helping Community Banks Appeal to Mobile-Only Customers January 24, 2014Allied Payment Network’s Picture Pay mobile photo bill pay solution has helped smaller banks develop relationships with younger mobile-only customers. Celent: Bank IT Spending Will Grow to Nearly $60 Billion This Year January 24, 2014Retail banking will drive IT spending this year, with improvements in digital channels and user experience a high priority for banks. IBM Plans Layoffs, New Investments January 23, 2014IBM says it will "rebalance" its workforce in 2014 after a steep slide in hardware sales, but also invest in cloud, mobile, analytics, big data, and security to fire up growth. Nedbank Limited Selects Oracle Core Solution January 23, 2014The South African bank said it is looking to modernize its infrastructure. VMWare Acquires AirWatch January 23, 2014The move will expand VMWare's mobile services portfolio.
How Accuity Is Helping Increase STP Rates for International Payments January 22, 2014A new integrated platform will allow banks to quickly find routing and referential data to reduce risk and improve customer experience in international payments. USAA Tops Among Banks in Forrester Customer Experience Survey January 22, 2014Overall, the banking industry ranked fifth out of 14 measured.
Online Account Opening Goes Mobile, Research Suggests January 21, 2014New data from Andera shows more consumers are completing new account applications on their mobile devices. Bitcoin Now Accepted Here, NBA Team Says January 17, 2014Pro Basketball Team the Sacramento Kings is the first major pro sports franchise to accept the virtual currency.
Bank of America Will Close More Branches With Increasing Mobile Usage January 16, 2014Increasing mobile adoption has Bank of America planning to cut more branches this year, after closing more than 300 hundred last year. HCL Technologies, CSC Form Strategic Partnership January 16, 2014The two companies are partnering on a delivery network to help companies move to the cloud.
Will Target Data Breach Speed EMV Adoption in US? January 15, 2014Target's CEO Gregg Steinhafel called for a quicker adoption of EMV cards in the United States to stave off future attacks.
Neiman Marcus, Target Data Breaches: 8 Facts January 13, 2014A cyberattack campaign, likely coordinated, breached data from Target, Neiman Marcus, and at least three other retailers. How Market Pressures and Emerging Trends Are Changing The Delivery of Debit Products January 13, 2014A new report from Aite outlines the changes that EMV, the Durbin Amendment and other new factors will have on debit products and branch networks. 3 Best Practices For Regulatory Compliance January 13, 2014Best practices have emerged that financial institutions can use not only to meet new regulatory standards, but to improve business processes and align strategies. BBVA Compass Cuts 600 Positions January 10, 2014The bank signed outsourcing deals with Xerox and Accenture to take over some functions. IBM Breeds New Business Unit To Feed Watson January 10, 2014IBM is investing more than $1 billion in a new business unit. It's banking on a market for cognitive computing services that actually learn and reason. Pitney Bowes Hires Ron Totaro As General Manager of Global Financial Services January 08, 2014Totaro will lead Pitney’s global payments and leasing business and work to develop new offerings for financial services customers in those areas. See more news


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The company will now trade under the name ‘Xue Lü Jia’ in China, which translates to “home for a student’s journey”.
“Previously, our name in Chinese literally translated as ‘overseas student apartments’,” Joanna Zhu, head of brand and social marketing at student.com in China, told The PIE News.
“It was a natural decision for us to create a more unique identity for our company”
“It was more of the description of the products students can book through our platform, but not a real brand name. With our rapid growth in China, it was a natural decision for us to create a more unique identity for our company.”
The company has also announced a partnership with Chinese travel platform, Qyer, to offer scholarships for students to travel and work abroad.
The 2017 Youth Project, which aims to ‘support young people to explore the world’, is offering a number of monetary prizes for students to go towards their overseas study experience. The top prize will see one student win 20,000RMB.
Other prizes include, vouchers worth 1,000RMB and 500RMB for booking on Student.com.
Other organisations involved in the project, include Zhihu, a question and answer online community website, and Ofo, a bicycle sharing app.
At the start of last year, Student.com received a large chunk of investments totalling $60m from venture capital firms.
In total, the company has seen $70m of investment since its inception in 2011.
The company traded under the name Overseas Student Living at the time.
Student.com now lists properties from over 400 cities worldwide.


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Appetite for a better world
We strive for a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is better for humans, animals, and our planetWhat we do
Help Stop the Veggie Burger Ban
Add your name to the ProVeg Petition to the European UnionSign the Petition
School Plates UK
ProVeg is helping schools across the UK improve the health of their pupils, save money, and help the planet – all at the same timeLearn More
Many of the world’s most urgent problems share a common cause: our food choices.
ProVeg is dedicated to raising awareness of how we can tackle these problems through diet.
Our food choices are a multiproblem solution.
Food 29 November 2019
Tasting planet-friendly salmon at the Cultured Meat Symposium 2019
ProVeg attended a cultured-fish-tasting event at Wild Type’s test kitchen to try out some planet-friendly, cruelty-free salmon during an offshoot of the Cultured Meat Symposium 2019 in San Francisco.
News 29 October 2019
The Plant Milk Report: towards a healthy and sustainable diet
ProVeg’s first report on plant milk shines a light on the top-selling product in the entire plant-based alternatives market.


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Yelp has updated its iOS app with a new feature that automatically translates foreign-language reviews to a users’ native tongue. The feature is powered by Microsoft’s Bing translation service. It currently works for 15 languages, according to a Yelp blog post:
The translation feature works for all 15 officially supported Yelp languages: English, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, French, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish, and Japanese.
The update doesn’t appear to have rolled out on the App Store just yet, but the company says it will be available later today. The Yelp app is free for iPhone and iPad.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Running a profitable business is always hard work, and unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic has made it even harder. The number of businesses that have filed for bankruptcy has skyrocketed since lockdowns began, and the rate has shown few signs of slowing. Business bankruptcy filing rates this year have been the highest since 2013 and surging cases of Covid-19 across America point to the elevated rates remaining high for the foreseeable future. If you own a business that is struggling with debt due to the coronavirus pandemic, it may be a very stressful time for you. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take in order to protect your business.
State-wide lockdowns have had the most detrimental effect on businesses, but they have not been the only cause of reduced business. Even in the reopened state, high unemployment leads to fewer people spending money, and the risk of infection leads to fewer people going out for unnecessary reasons. Federal programs so far have only been able to provide limited relief, with rollout being flawed at best. Programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) have been first-come, first-serve rather than need-based, leading uneven distribution of funds.
Chapter 11 Filings
Chapter 11 bankruptcy is a particularly attractive form of business bankruptcy because it allows the company to continue operations while they reorganize their debt. It can also allow them to qualify for new financing which can go a long way in helping a business survive.
In the post-coronavirus economy, several well-known corporations such as Hertz, Crew, C. Penney, Chesapeake EnergyGold’s Gym, and Cirque Du Soleil have all filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Others, like AMC theatres, are reportedly on the verge of filing as well. Entertainment companies, gyms, and travel-related businesses are all heavily at risk during the pandemic as they are some of the first required to shut-down in the event of a state-wide lockdown.
Looking to the Future
The highest rates of chapter 11 bankruptcy filings came during the 2008 financial crisis and recession. However, current rates of business bankruptcy may soon overtake that record. For comparison, the first have of 2020 has seen almost the same number of chapter 11 filings as the first half of 2008. With no clear end in sight for the coronavirus pandemic and a potential second wave on the horizon, filings will most likely continue to increase. If a second wave results in further lockdowns, businesses that survived the first wave may be forced to close permanently.
Chapter 11 bankruptcy is more likely to affect small businesses than large corporations, a trend which has been noted by Business Insider. According to a recent report, larger companies are more likely to be in a position to borrow money in order to survive the decrease in business. They have particularly taken advantage of Investment Grade Bonds, which hit $1 billion in sales in May of this year, setting the record for annual sales. The pandemic has led to a decrease in loan interest rates, making many businesses more willing to take on loans. Smaller companies, on the other hand, may not be able to take advantage of loans and are more likely to file for chapter 11. They may also need to liquidate all of their assets.
What are Your Options?
Filing for business bankruptcy can be difficult, and exact circumstances will determine whether filing for Chapter 11 protections or liquidation is best for your business. If you are considering filing for business bankruptcy, Weller Legal Group can help you determine the best way to file for your set of circumstances. Reach out today to discuss your options with one of our experts.
Picture Credit: Freepik


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Take a look at the beta version of dw.com. We're not done yet! Your opinion can help us make it better.
If you’re buying medications online, beware. Some 50 percent of the drugs sold in online pharmacies could be fake and Russia is fast becoming one of the cybermarket’s main suppliers, writes Fiona Clark from Moscow.
The last thing the neurologist said to me as I hobbled toward the door with my prescription for painkillers in hand was "be careful where you get that script filled, the market is full of counterfeits." He also told me which pharmacy he thought I should use "because they've got a reasonably secure supply chain."
Normally the cynic in me would think the doctor had a stake in the business, but then I remembered a friend telling me about her diabetic husband's life-threatening experience after slipping into a hypoglycaemic state (low blood sugar) on his way to work. She watched as he injected himself with a glucagon pen but it didn't work. Fortunately she was with him in the car and when she saw he wasn't responding she dashed into a nearby shop and bought some sugary sweets to raise his blood sugar again. Had she not been there he could have slipped into a coma and maybe even died. And then there was my own experience with a medication that clearly contained no active ingredient, but luckily my condition wasn't as serious as his. So, I knew the doctor wasn't joking.
It's not known exactly how many medications sold in Russia are counterfeit. The government says it's as low between 3-4 percent while random surveys of drugs on pharmacy shelves across the country have shown that as much as 27 percent of the medications stocked are fakes.
While the extent of the problem isn't clear there is no doubt that it's a lucrative business. In fact it's said that you can make more money selling drugs like Viagra than you can selling narcotics. Back in 2006 the Russian market was estimated to be worth $250-300 million (224-269 million euros) according to the Russian Health and Social Protection Minister at that time. These days globally the market is thought to be worth anywhere between $70billion-$200billion.
The biggest manufacturers are China, India, various Latin American countries and Russia. China and India have long been global suppliers while Russia generally only supplied eastern European markets. But according to #link:http://www.pfizer.com/products/counterfeit_and_importation/counterfeit_importation:Pfizer# VP and Chief of Global Security, John Clark, that's changing with the rise of online pharmacies.
“I believe there are a lot of rogue online outlets operated out of Russia and Eastern Europe. We do a lot of work on tracing these and working with local authorities in various countries and sometimes you can shut these down by either diverting traffic or interfering with their payment processing systems, but it's not always easy in Eastern Europe especially if the banks they're using won't cooperate,” he says.
And it's virtually impossible for patients to tell if they've got the real thing or a fake.
The real deal?
"The Russians have historically done a great job with packaging, it's very hard to tell it's not the real thing," he says. And unless you really know what you're looking for the tablets themselves can look authentic.
Another thing that makes manufacturing counterfeits attractive, aside from the lucrative returns, is that often the penalties are quite low. In some cases there are fines or short jail terms. The reason why, according to Clark, is that there's no visible body count.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that around 1 million people die as a result of coungerfeit medications - mostly in Africa due to fake anti-malaria tablets. While reports abound about various poisons being found in the drugs, ranging from floor wax to anti-freeze, the vast majority are benign. They often contain too much or too little of the active ingredient along with cutting agents like baking powder.
Because they may contain some or none of the active ingredient, patients might get a mild relief or no relief, but instead of thinking there's something wrong with the medication the response is often put down to the individual's reaction.
"The doctor's don't ask, 'where did you buy them from' so no one is joining the dots," says Clark. As a result governments don't rate counterfeiting as seriously as the narcotics trade and the law and the penalties they apply to manufacturing or selling the fakes are weaker, he says.
A #link:http://pharma.bayer.com/en/therapeutic-areas/products/beware-of-counterfeits/index.php:statement from the pharmaceutical company, Bayer,# says "Counterfeiting of medicines is not considered as a top priority by Russian enforcement bodies" but adds they are cooperative when cases are brought to their attention.
Ivan Glushkov, Head of External Affairs Department at STADA CIS, goes further saying the Russian laws are "weak." While they signed up to the Council of Europe's Medicrime Convention which aims to strengthen laws against counterfeiting in 2011, they haven't passed new tough legislation, he says.
But there have been some tough sentence. In 2012 a raid in Rostov netted more than 700,000 packages of anti-cancer medications worth more than 12 million euros ($13 million). The ringleaders were convicted last year and received sentences of 5-12 years.
Diversification is key
What is also interesting about that example is that shows manufacturers are diversifying. They're no longer just producing the so-called block buster drugs like Viagra and the cholesterol medication, Lipitor, but are now making more than 100 types of drugs ranging including blood pressure and other heart medications, painkillers, anti-inflammatories, cold and flu drugs to name a few.
And with the growth of online pharmacies, the sky is the limit for the manufacturers, with WHO estimating that up to 50 percent of drugs on the net are fakes.
"We would agree with [the] WHO," Bayer says in its statement. "It's well known that online crimes are very difficult to investigate and it makes online trade perfect tool for cheaters. In our experience and knowledge of current situation, we could expect an increase of counterfeits not only of well-known brands but also of so-called magic pills (like a miraculous pill to treat cancer, AIDS etc) that present a real threat to patient's health."
Clark's message for customers buying online is be beware - if the price is too good to be true, you can virtually guarantee you're not getting the real thing.


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This has either been the longest or shortest six months ever.
But six months it is. Remember back in February when we were all so innocent, going to work each day without a care in the world?
Those were the days.
When writing a list of what happened in the first six months of 2020, the term COVID-19 and social justice take center stage. They have defined this year in every aspect of our lives and culture. And that’s what we’ll all be talking about years from now.
Yes, we’re all working through a global pandemic and societal strife. But we are
still working. And despite COVID-19’s best efforts, TMNA team members got a lot done in the first six months of the year.
We all deserve a round of applause for how we’ve handled this crisis as a company, never missing a beat for our customers. That’s something we can all take pride in.
Not intended to be exhaustive, here’s the short list:
Business and Team Members
Hi Ted! TMNA got a new CEO!
Toyota ranks Top 10 in diversity
Mazda Financial Services is born
SmartPath sure came in handy during the pandemic
Who’s the No. 1 automaker according to Fortune Magazine? You know the answer.
Toyota completes $1.3B investment at TMMI, creates another 550 jobs
Call centers thrive at home
Toyota made a documentary about the Highlander
Toyota Canada team members made a better ventilator
TILT Lab Takes on COVID-19
Toyota opens new Parts Distribution Center in Phoenix
Four words: The Venza is back (above)
2021 Sienna redefines the very concept of a minivan
And both were revealed virtually
Speaking of virtual reveal, have you seen the new Lexus IS?
And maybe project the IS onto your living room floor?
Supra gets more power, special edition
Corolla Hatchback goes red in special edition
Black Line Special Edition GS is the best ever
TMMWV produces Toyota’s first hybrid transaxle in North America
Prius turns 20 with special edition
LC Convertible nabs $2 million at auction
Lexus takes on Chicago Auto Show with new color for LC
All Wheel Drive comes to Camry, Avalon
Seven Toyota special editions highlight Chicago Auto Show
Mobility and Technology
Two words: Woven City
Toyota is all THUMS: Human-modeling software free starting January 2021
TRI tackles human decision-making in AI
A dealer breaks through mobility barriers
Lexus takes on moon mobility
Community, Marketing, sports and other stuff
Toyota steps up in time of COVID
Toyota Marketing’s message to customers: “We’re Here for You”
Toyota goes silent in support of social justice.
TFS makes CIVIC 50 again; commitment to community honored
Toyota donates cars to aid COVID-19 relief
And $500,000 to United Way
Toyota USA Foundation issues $2.5 million in grants to nonprofits
Lexus creates ride-on vehicle with Cerebral Palsy Foundation
Cobie Smulders, Highlander save the day in Toyota Super Bowl ad
Reeling it in! Toyota sponsors Major League Fishing
Lexus teamed up with Malcolm Gladwell for a podcast series


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Italy’s administration began to ease its severe lockdown measures in the first week of May. Giuseppe Conte, the Prime Minister of Italy has said that “the contagion curve could rise again” but the country could not afford to wait for a vaccine, so they are taking a “calculated risk” in relaxing the restrictions.
The Prime Minister announced early this month that travel to and from Italy, and between the country’s regions would be allowed from 3 June. Gyms, Swimming Pools and Sports Centers will reopen on 25 May and cinemas and theatres on 15 June. Also, travelers from the European Union will be able to enter Italy without going into a two-week quarantine.
The newly announced sets of orders are a massive step in the country’s attempt to revive its economy after more than two months of lockdown. Italian representatives say that 31.763 people have died from COVID-19 in the country, the third-highest figure behind the US and UK, but Italy’s infection rate has fallen abruptly in recent days.
Nationwide, the number of active infections fell by 1.424 cases, going from 66.553 to 65.129 total infections, according to the Civil Protection Department. Tuesday’s number of deaths bounced from Monday’s total of 99, the first time Italy’s daily casualties were lower than 100 since March 10. The country also registered 813 new cases of infection nationwide in the 24-hour period.
The Italian General Confederation of Enterprises, Professions, and Self-Employment (Confcommercio) reported that the almost 800,000 businesses that reopened after over two months of lockdown have “passed the test” in terms of compliance with new anti-coronavirus regulations. Of Italy’s many outdoor neighborhood markets, 60% have reopened so far and the rest are still struggling with “organizational and logistical difficulties” stemming from the new security protocols.
In a recent report Confcommercio said that consumption in restaurants, coffee shops, bars and agritourism facilities has fallen by an estimated 80% compared to the same period last year. According to experts, this was due to a combination of new Anti-COVID safety protocols that demand fewer tables in restaurants in order to guarantee social distancing and also the total absence of tourists, both foreign and domestic.
As different governments ease their Social Distancing ordinances, at We Shield we work hard to create a safe and clean environment for our front line workers and individuals at most risk of contracting COVID-19 by sourcing and distributing top-quality personal protective equipment and safety supplies at the best pricing on the market.


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When DC recently announced their Digital Comics platform, they made sure to make one of their biggest announcements amidst their flurry that creators will be getting royalties for the digital sales of their comics. Given that Marvel had not really come forth with anything of the sort, this was a major deal to the industry that sparked a strong defense from Marvel and much speculation from analysts. Did Marvel really not have royalties for their creators worked into their digital roll out?
Not so much.
In CBR’s regular Cup O’ Joe column, Kiel Phegley spoke to Joe Quesada about just that. They discussed all of the ins and outs of this program, why they didn’t announce it before, and how it all came about, and you can read all of that below. The thesis of the argument is this though: all creators (exclusive or not) are receiving royalties for their work that is sold digitally, and they didn’t announce this previously because it is not something they’ve done in the past as it isn’t perceived as a big deal to the public. Which is fair.
Read the rest after the jump, as I’m sure this is just another salvo in an ongoing volley between the Big Two as the world of digital comics just becomes more and more prevalent.
Kiel Phegley: Well, the big talk as far as Marvel is concerned is this hubbub over royalties from digital sales. There seems to have been some Twitter push back against the perception that DC is the first company to offer payments to creators from digital sales. Marvel’s C.B. Cebulski Tweeted that said idea was untrue and got some Retweet love from yourself, Brian Bendis and others, and later on Tom Brevoort made his own statements to that effect. To take all the issues surrounding this piece by piece, has Marvel been paying royalties to its creators on sales of digital comics?
Joe Quesada: Yeah, I sort of came across the DC announcement a bit later than everyone else, so it felt like a lot had already gone down and been said on our side. That’s why I merely retweeted something C.B. had already posted.
But this is all really just a tempest in a teapot, to me. Going pretty far back, in discussions about electronically/digitally distributed comics, our publisher Dan Buckley stated at several convention panels and in interviews that we would be paying incentives for creators of these books. We just didn’t put out a press release about it, and I guess some folks just didn’t catch it when he said these things. But there you go, welcome to the world of the Internet.
Kiel Phegley: To clarify the specifics of Marvel’s plan a bit more, why did the royalty program take longer to get in place than the digital comics sales platforms?
Joe Quesada: Well, that’s just the thing; it hasn’t. Like all incentive programs, whether paper or electronic, sales are tabulated, math is done and then, eventually, checks go out. If you want specifics, okay I’ll give you one: our first incentive checks for e-comics will be going out sometime right after San Diego Comic-Con. Announcing this, now maybe DC can put out a press release saying that they’re going to pay their incentives the week before San Diego. Cool, if they do that, then they’ll manage to be the first at something in the digital arena. [Laughs]
I’m kidding of course. But the reason I think this was so important for so many staffers and freelancers at Marvel to address individually online was because of the inaccuracy of the statements made and the fact that it struck at the core of something that we value and take very seriously, which is our relationship with our creators. There’s a reason the top creators in the industry come to Marvel and choose to make it their home year in and year out, and that’s quite simply because of the way we treat them. Are we perfect? Absolutely not, no company can be perfect — especially companies the size of Marvel and DC. But within the context of what it is that we do for a living, the huge number of freelancers that we deal with, and the tremendous amount of content that gets produced within a company the size of ours, I think we do an amazing job of keeping our talent happy and are always looking to manage their careers in the best ways possible.
So the long and short of it is that just because we didn’t put out a press release announcing an incentive program doesn’t mean that there isn’t one in place.
But, let me be clear here; the whole realm of digital comics is brand new, so there will always be hiccups along the way and this will be true of any comics company. We’re just going to continue to do the best we can to continuously improve what it is that we do, and if that means learning that someone else has found a better methodology, then we’ll look into improving ours as well — just as other companies will look at us to find out how they can improve. This is the essence of business, the competition is good for everyone.
Kiel Phegley: The talk has been that Marvel’s royalties will only apply to exclusive creators. If true, what’s the reasoning behind this, and will that plan expand out to all creators whose work is sold through Marvel’s digital platforms?
Joe Quesada: Wow, the Internet strikes again. I don’t know where you’ve heard this, but it’s not true. Incentives will be paid on the sale of e-comics regardless of whether a creator is exclusive or not.
Kiel Phegley: I think, really, the question people have been asking most about in terms of this is why Marvel hasn’t been publicizing their plans for royalties in the same way DC did? Is there some specific reason why these issues aren’t made public knowledge?
Joe Quesada: We just didn’t think it was an issue. When we made our announcements that we would have electronic comics on the iPad, iPhone and PSP, that, to me, was the only real announcement that was important for the public to know. Internally what creators make, whether it be their page rate or incentives, wasn’t really an announcement for the general public. The only time I guess an announcement like that would be important to make publicly would have to be if you’re trying to win some sort of public relations war, which I kind of get in some ways. But when we announced our e-comics, the whole incentive issue wasn’t anything we felt we had to advertise. What was important is the fact that we are now in that domain and looking to succeed beyond anyone’s imagination and continue to preach the gospel of the world of comics. You know, now that I think about it maybe my initial answer to your first question was wrong – there might be something to learn here. Next time we announce a new publishing initiative, I’ll see if our marketing team can make it a point to announce that we will be paying creators page rates, incentives and every other little thing we do behind-the-scenes. [Laughs]
Kiel Phegley: Lastly on this issue, this whole thing has brought up the general difference between Marvel and DC in terms of incentives and royalties for talent, from supposed expiration dates on rights to foreign rights and all sorts of other things. I’ll admit that I know very little on the specifics of this, and I doubt most others who aren’t creators do either, but rather than hash out contractual matters in the public space, I think the question I’d have for you is whether you think there’s any kind of difference or disparity between Marvel and DC’s royalty programs and whether those programs can affect either publisher’s ability to recruit and keep talent happy?
Joe Quesada: There are differences I’m sure. I’m not privy to DC’s entire incentive plan as I’m sure they’re not privy to the entirety of ours. But at the end of the day I’m sure we are better in some areas than they are and they are better than we are in some others. However, I think when you add it all together and you push and pull the numbers, it all breaks down to be about the same. It’s just coming from different pools. However, the big difference is the Marvel books on average and across the board sell more than DC books and that affects incentives in a very, very big way and it’s obvious that Marvel’s iPad announcement really helped cement us as the industry leader.
Speaking of which, have you checked out the Marvel app on the iPad and iPhone! Wow, it’s just amazing. I live on my iPad now, I can’t put the darn thing down…Damn You, Jobs!
See what I did just there?


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The global malt drinks market is expected to reach USD 26.81 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2017 to 2025. The rising popularity of malt drinks as a source of nutrition which regulates appetite and keeps bones and skin healthy and malt-based health drinks are expected to be among the factors driving the demand.
Malt extract beverage is also gaining popularity as an effective alternative to high-calorie soft drinks. Consumption of malt beverages as sports drink among gym professionals and athletes will also add to the increasing consumption in the coming years.
North America is a leading region in the global malt drinks market, which accounted for a share of more than 25.0% in 2017. The U.S. is the leading country in North America for malt-based beverages. In the U.S. flavored malt beverage (FMB) has become significantly popular in the past few years.
Smirnoff Ice and Mike’s Hard Lemonade are the famous brands of FMBs in the U.S. In the past few years, craft beer market has witnessed considerable growth in the U.S., which has accelerated the growth of the alcoholic malt drinks as the majority of the craft beers are malt-based beverages.
The Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing region, where the demand for malt-based health drinks is expected to grow considerably. The Middle East & Africa, on the other hand, is expected to reach more than USD 2.80 billion by the end of 2025, registering a CAGR of over 4.0% from 2017 to 2025.
Shifting inclination by the governments of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar towards promoting investment in food & beverage sectors to expand the manufacturing output is expected to open new market opportunities. Also, population growth and rising disposable income in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya are projected to spur malt drinks manufacturers to establish strategic partnerships with distributors over the coming years. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is predominantly a market for unfermented clear malt as alcoholic products banned in many MENA countries.
Alcoholic malt drinks command a high market share, however, growth in non-alcoholic malt drinks is expected to supersede that of alcoholic malt beverages. Non-alcoholic is gaining traction as a healthier alternative to alcoholic drinks and is witnessing increasing consumption in the Middle East countries where these are associated with higher living standard and are halal certified. Consumption of non-alcoholic malt beverages among the consumers across the various age group as it does not contain alcohol has also added to the growth of the market.
The global malt drinks market is highly competitive with the presence of established companies such as Anheuser-Busch, Asahi Breweries, Bavaria Brewery, Heineken N.V., and COORS BREWING COMPANY. Over the companies are expected to innovate products especially for growth markets in the Middle East & Africa region. Innovation is expected clear malt where new flavors are expected to be launched in the coming years. In October 2018, United Breweries (UBL) launched a new non-alcoholic malt beverage, Kingfisher Radler for the Indian market.
Access full report or request for free sample at: https://www.hexaresearch.com/research-report/malt-drinks-market
Hexa Research has segmented the global malt drinks market report based on product, distribution channel and region:-
Segmentation by product
Segmentation by distribution channel
Segmentation by region
• North America
• Asia Pacific
• Central & South America
• Middle East & Africa
Key players analyzed:
• Asahi Breweries
• Bavaria Brewery
• GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd
• MondelÄ“z International
• The Kraft Heinz Company
• United Breweries (UBL)
• Heineken N.V.
• COORS BREWING COMPANY


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Archive for January 3rd, 2014
Now that both Star Wars and Marvel are one under the Mouse, it is no surprise that today Marvel announced that the license for Star Wars comics will return to Marvel, where it began in 1977 and lasted for 9 years. After a break, Dark Horse picked up the license in 1991, and has been publishing Star Wars comics ever since, including some highly acclaimed stories, and most recently, “The Star Wars #1”, based on George Lucas’ original rough draft. Marvel will publish new comics starting in 2015.
From the announcement:
The Walt Disney Company’s Lucasfilm Ltd. and Marvel Entertainment are joining forces to bring new Star Wars adventures to readers across the galaxy, with Marvel granted exclusive rights to create and publish Star Wars comics and graphic novels beginning in 2015.
The agreement marks a homecoming for the Star Wars comic books. Marvel Comics published the first Star Wars comic book, STAR WARS #1, in March 1977, which went on to sell more than 1 million copies. Marvel Comics published its STAR WARS series for nine years. In 1991, Dark Horse Comics took over the license, publishing fan-favorite titles like Dark Empire and Star Wars: Legacy. Last year, Dark Horse released The Star Wars #1, an adaptation of George Lucas’ original rough-draft screenplay for the film, garnering rave reviews and national media attention and ranking among the top-selling Star Wars comics of all time.
“Dark Horse Comics published exceptional Star Wars comics for over 20 years, and we will always be grateful for their enormous contributions to the mythos, and the terrific partnership that we had,” said Carol Roeder, director of Lucasfilm franchise publishing, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “In 2015, the cosmic adventures of Luke, Han, Leia and Chewbacca will make the lightspeed jump back to Marvel, to begin a new age of adventures within the Star Wars universe.
“We here at Marvel could not be more excited to continue the publication of Star Wars comic books and graphic novels,” said Marvel Worldwide Publisher and President, Dan Buckley. “The perennial brand of Star Wars is one of the most iconic in entertainment history and we are honored to have the opportunity to bring our creative talent pool to continue, and expand Star Wars into galaxies far, far away.”
“We’re incredibly excited by this next chapter in the Star Wars saga,” said Andrew B. Sugerman, executive vice president of Disney Publishing Worldwide. “Bringing together the iconic Lucasfilm and Marvel brands to tell new stories will allow us to continue to thrill lovers of the original Star Wars comic books and entertain generations to come.”


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Representatives of a “small store in the region” of Russia said that one copy of the iPhone 14 Pro Max intended for Russian consumers was found in the latest shipment of Apple smartphones. This was reported by the Rozetked resource.
The packaging of the phone contains inscriptions in three languages: Russian, Kazakh and English. The importer is Apple Rus LLC, the Russian representative office of Apple, which, according to the open data of the Unified State Register of Legal Entities, is an operating organization with two co-founders registered in Ireland: APPLE DISTRIBUTION INTERNATIONAL LIMITED (99.5% share) and APPLE OPERATIONS EUROPE LIMITED (0. 5 %).
In early March, Apple stopped deliveries of its products to Russia and closed its own online store in the country. At the end of September, it became known that the company moved its Russian workers to Kyrgyzstan, and some received places in the UAE and the UK.
The appearance of iPhone copies intended for the Russian consumer can be explained by the fact that they are now supplied to Kazakhstan and other CIS countries. It is also possible that the phone packaging was printed even before the company left Russia.
If you notice an error, select it with the mouse and press CTRL + ENTER.


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The Postal Corporation of Kenya (PCK) and Seagate, an American logistics company have partnered to enable Kenyans ship purchases from international e-commerce companies to their doorsteps.
As a result of the partnership, online shoppers in Kenya will buy from firms such as Amazon and e-Bay then Seagate will ship to Kenya. Once in the country, PCK will deliver the goods to homes.
PCK noted that the deal will also help offset the trade imbalance as establishing a link between the two companies will allow buyers to procure goods from Kenyan merchants.
The Postmaster General Dan Kagwe said “everybody is getting into the internet and buying stuff from China, the US and everywhere but nothing comes from us. Seagate brings in and opens the doors for Kenyan SMEs to access the market in the US. It opens that logistics presence for PCK into the US which is also an extremely big achievement”.
BSK Global Technology is in charge of developing the IT solutions required to streamline the online processes. The technology firm will make sure the new shipping option is available to users as they browse e-commerce sites.
PCK and Kenya’s Ministry of ICT have been pushing for the growth and development of e-commerce infrastructure. A report by the United Nations Conference and Trade Development said Kenya had 2,614,000 online shoppers, coming third in Africa after Nigeria and South Africa.
The percentage of internet users shopping online rose to 24 percent from 16 percent in the 2017 e-commerce index.
The United Nations’ Universal Postal Union also revealed it was interested in a partnership with Kenya to establish a regional e-commerce hub.


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YouTube ads drive way more searches per impression than television ads
Despite the fact that it faces growing competition from Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, Google-owned YouTube is still one of the most popular online video destinations, and the company is increasingly making a play for ad budgets that have historically been dedicated to television.
At the Advertising Week conference this week, Google will be trying to persuade advertisers that it deserves some of the dollars that are dedicated those budgets.
Among the ammunition Google is using to make the argument is the fact that, according to Google data from initial tests, “YouTube generate[s] almost two times the searches per impression than TV generates.”
To help advertisers compare the efficacy of their YouTube ads to their television ads, Google is debuting an updated version of its Brand Lift solution, which “measures the moments that matter—from initial impression to final conversion—with the metrics that matter, like brand awareness, ad recall, and consideration.”
Using the new functionality present in Brand Lift, agency VaynerMedia, for instance, was able to determine that YouTube ads for the CNBC show West Texas Investors Club drove five times more searches per impression than its television ads and produced twice as many searches per dollar spent.
At Advertising Week, Google is also unveiling a number of other new features that are designed to give advertisers better tools for reaching consumers and measuring the impact those ads are having. These new features include:
According to Brad Bender, Google’s VP of display and video advertising, “the loop is now officially closed.” If the search giant can convince advertisers of that, and prove that digital ads are offering more bang for the buck, it could see some of those television dollars shift to digital.


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Electronics Production | June 06, 2007
April chip sales grew by 1.6% from 2006
Worldwide sales of semiconductors of $19.9 billion in April were 1.6 percent higher than the $19.6 billion reported for April of 2006, but 2.1 percent lower than the $20.3 billion reported for March 2007, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported.
Total sales for the first four months of 2007 are up 3.7 percent compared to the same period of 2006. “A very competitive semiconductor market, with declining average selling prices (ASPs) in major industry segments, contributed to a sequential decline in worldwide chip sales," said SIA President George Scalise. “Several of the largest segments of the semiconductor market – microprocessors, DRAMs, and NAND flash – are all experiencing ASPs that are declining more rapidly than historical patterns, offsetting growth in unit shipments. Average selling prices for microprocessors have been under pressure for the past year, as clearly shown during the first four months of this year. January to April sales were down by nearly 2 percent from the same period of 2006, while unit shipments were up by nearly 10 percent." The numbers for DRAMs and NAND flash reflect a similar pattern of lower ASPs and higher unit shipments. DRAM unit shipments grew by nearly 50 percent compared to April of 2006, but total sales grew by 27 percent in the face of declining ASPs. NAND flash unit shipments were up 54 percent compared to a year ago, while total sales declined by nearly 1 percent as a result of price attrition. “Consumer spending on electronics products appears to have held up reasonably well despite a slowdown in economic growth in some regions of the world," Scalise continued. “Unit demand for semiconductors remains strong. ASPs have declined more than historical patterns, contributing to global sales that are lower than expected but still ahead of last year's record level," Scalise concluded. The SIA noted that total semiconductor capacity utilization grew slightly in the first quarter of 2007, reaching 87.6 percent compared to 86.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2006. Foundry capacity utilization declined to 79.8 percent in the first quarter compared to 80.9 percent in the immediate-prior quarter. According to iSuppli, an independent market analysis firm, excess semiconductor inventories are increasing, reflecting expectations of growing demand in the second half of the year.
Mycronic receives order for an SLX mask writer Swedish equipment provider, Mycronic AB, has received an order for the new SLX mask writer from a customer in Asia. The customer already has mask writers from Mycronic.
A new production unit for mirror segments for ELT Safran's new production unit at the company's Saint-Benoît facility near Poitiers in central France will make the primary mirror segments for Europe's Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).
A more sustainable approach to semiconductor manufacturing Reuse; that is the key to driving environmental sustainability in global semiconductor manufacturing, says Steven Zhou, CEO of Moov Technologies.
Teslas German venture comes to a halt following court order A court in Germany has ordered the US electric carmaker to stop clearing the forest at its future location outside Berlin.
Marposs expands with acquisition of Stil Precision metrology equipment supplier Marposs has acquired STIL S.A.S., a French company specializing in research, development, production and sales of optical measurement instruments.
Z-AXIS shares good news from 2019 Electronics design and CMS provider Z-AXIS Inc. released 2019 data showing showing robust revenue growth as well as an expansion to its workforce.
Fluidra reaches a deal to acquire Fabtronics Fluidra, a company within the pool and wellness equipment industry, has acquired Australian electronics manufacturer Fabtronics to strengthen its R&D capabilities and to incorporate complete, efficient and cost-effective electronics design and manufacturing solutions.
Garz & Fricke acquires Keith & Koep Hamburg-based Garz & Fricke Group has acquired Keith & Koep GmbH, located in Wuppertal, Germany. With this move, a new powerhouse for ARM-based embedded technologies in Europe has been formed.
ABB to close Hungarian plant – 1’000 jobs lost The power and automation company will close its production facility in Ozd, in northeastern Hungary, by the end of the year.
AT&S' plant Chongqing II back in operation Austrian PCB manufacturer, AT&S, announces that the Plant II at its Chinese location in Chongqing will resume operations.
Arçelik A.Ş files IP lawsuit against LG Arçelik A.S, owners of the Beko and Grundig brands, filed a lawsuit against LG Electronics and its subsidiaries in Germany and France for patent infringement in relation to the unlicensed implementation of the company’s direct drive technology in LG Electronics’ “6 Motion” washing machines.
Seagate unifying workforce at green Fremont site Data storage and management solutions provider Seagate Technology plc is consolidating its San Francisco Bay Area workforce by relocating the company’s Cupertino operations to its existing sustainable Fremont facility.
Coronavirus afflicts more electronic supply chains With the epidemic arriving at dawn of 5G’s mainstream deployment phase, the coronavirus has the potential to disrupt the progress of the next-generation wireless standard, as the crisis slows or threatens to slow the production of key smartphone components, including displays and semiconductors, according to Omdia.
Solid financial improvements for Kitron EMS provider Kitron could show off solid financial improvements, both for the fourth quarter and full year 2019.
Zollner resumes operations in China The German EMS provider Zollner says that its plant in Taicang is reopened. Work continues under strict safety conditions and not to the full extent.
Step-by-Step: Foxconn makes progress in WI Next construction phases of vertical construction, including steel placement, have commenced at Foxconn’s 296,000-square-foot Smart Manufacturing Center at the Wisconn Valley Science and Technology Park (WVSTP).
Eaton boosts offerings with acquisition of PDI Inc. Power management company Eaton has struck a deal to purchase Virginia-based Power Distribution Inc. (PDI), a supplier of mission critical power distribution, static switching, and power monitoring equipment.
BASF to set up cathode active material production in Germany BASF is planning a new battery materials production site in Schwarzheide, Germany, as part of its multi-step investment plan to support the European electric vehicle (EV) value chain.
Shipment from China to GPV sites worldwide has restarted Some of GPV's most important suppliers in China are back in operation which means that important shipment to GPV sites worldwide has restarted. However, not all supplies might be complete, the company says.
Orbit One expands with new test team in Poland The Swedish EMS provider is launching another test team within the group.
Volvo and Geely considers a combined company Volvo Car AB and Geely Automobile Holdings Limited are considering combining their businesses to create a strong global group, which would accelerate financial and technological synergies between the two companies.
Cepton nails major funding from Koito Lidar technology specialist Cepton Technologies Inc. has secured USD 50 million in Series C funding from Koito Manufacturing Co. Ltd., a Tier 1 provider of automotive lighting systems.
RoboSense obtains IATF 16949 certification Automotive LiDAR manufacturer, RoboSense, has obtained the IATF 16949 certificate in the automotive field, which now fully qualifies it to supply to automotive customers.
Manz to deliver assembly lines to Akasol for battery production Manz AG has received an order from the German Akasol AG for assembly lines to produce lithium-ion battery modules. The placing of the order with a total volume of up to EUR 20 million euros has been split into several tranches.Load more news


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Suzie Dingwall Williams is a Guest Contributor and this post was published yesterday on Venture Law Lines.
When US VCs grow introspective, it’s almost never good for Canada. Which is why we should all be concerned about the self-reflection now taking place south of the border.
In recent months, US VCs have cottoned on to the importance of immigrant entrepreneurs to an innovation economy. This used to be Canada’s exclusive domain; thanks to historical inclination and demographics, we’ve long known we need foreign innovators in order to grow our economy.
Now, US venture capital is catching up. Their zeal is fueled by a recently released study by the NVCA, which notes that (a) immigrants have started more than 25% of U.S. public companies that were formerly venture backed, and (b) more than 50% of the employment generated by U.S. public venture-backed companies has come from immigrant-founded companies like Intel, eBay, Yahoo!, and Sun.
The New York Times has also taken note, citing Harvard Law professor Vivek Wadhwa’s claim that 52.4% of today’s Silicon Valley startups have at least one foreign founder. US VCs are figuring that, to expand domestic deal flow, they need to expand the immigrant entrepreneur base.
As a result, US VCs are now actively lobbying the Obama administration to increase the number of specialty worker visas (referred to longingly by Canadians with dreams of a Silicon Valley life as H1B Visa).
This is not the best of news for Canada, unless you are a young entrepreneur who believes his business would get more and better financial backing if only he could relocate to California. The limited number of H1B Visas in the US has driven high tech growth in Canada, in some respects; in several cases, American businesses who cannot attract or sponsor adequate numbers of high tech professionals have near shored that work to Canada.
In a larger sense, there is an active competition heating up for innovators from outside of North America, one which Canada can ill afford to lose. Canada has some immigration programs for entrepreneurs which are laudable, but not spectacularly effective. There is a need to think and plan for how to capture this desirable talent pool, before new market entrants steal our thunder.


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Last year, one in six businesses met ransom demands of cybercriminals, according to the most recent Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report.
In their analysis, Hiscox polled 5,569 respondents across Europe and the USA, noting that more than 6% of respondents paid a ransom, filling the pockets of attackers with over $380 million.
“The most dramatic figures concern malware and ransomware infections,” the report said. “350 firms reported paying a ransom following a malware or ransomware attack (16% of all firms attacked).”
While the percentage of businesses facing cyber incidents dropped from 61% to 39%, the report shows that cyber losses surged from $1.2 billion in 2018 to $1.8 billion.
The UK financial industry suffered the most, with the highest reported annual cyber loss, of $87.9 million, attributed to a financial services company. The highest loss from a single cyber incident was also seen in the UK, costing one professional services company over $15 million.
More than 51% of companies with over 1,000 employees said they suffered at least one cyber incident. Belgian and German firms appear to be the top targets of cyber events, with median figures for incidents of 100 and 80, respectively. Financial services, manufacturing and technology, media and telecoms were the most heavily targeted sector, with 44% of businesses reporting at least one cyber event or breach.
“Some 63% of businesses with fewer than ten employees said they had suffered no cyber incidents or breaches,” the survey noted. “But almost half (49%) had no defined role for cyber security – suggesting they could well have blind spots.”
However, 11% of respondents claimed that they did not know how many times they had been targeted by cybercriminals, and 15% of the ‘don’t knows’ were large enterprise companies with over 1,000 employees.
Additional highlights of the report mention that 15% of targeted companies claim they had “reevaluated the cyber security of their supply chain (up from 8% the previous year) or been subjected to increased evaluation by their own customers (15% compared with 10%)”.
Company reputation was also harmed by bad publicity. 14% of respondents said that their brand name was affected, and 13% experienced a reduction in business performance.
Alina has been a part of the Bitdefender family for some years now, as her past role involved interfacing with end users and partners, advocating Bitdefender technologies and solutions. She is a history buff and passionate about cybersecurity and anything sci-fi. Her spare time is usually split between her two feline friends and traveling.View all posts
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Fairmount Santrol announced results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017. Second-quarter 2017 revenues were $233.2 million, up 35 percent from $172.6 million in the first quarter of 2017 and up 104 percent from $114.2 million in the second quarter of 2016.
Total company volumes sold were 3.3 million tons for the quarter, up 22 percent from 2.7 million tons sold in the first quarter of 2017 and an increase of 68 percent from 2.0 million tons in the second quarter of 2016.
For second-quarter 2017, the company had net income of $10.5 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $11.6 million, or $(0.05) per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2017. Net loss for second-quarter 2016 was $87.9 million, or $(0.54) per diluted share.
Jenniffer Deckard, president and chief executive officer, said, “Our second-quarter results demonstrate our ability to capture growth, in both raw sand and coated proppants, from improving conditions in the oil and gas markets and to deliver solid, steady growth in our I&R segment. We have prudently added capacity in our Proppant Solutions segment as customer demand has strengthened and pricing has improved, and we have leveraged our logistics network to deliver strong profitability growth in the second quarter.”
The company recently announced plans for a new facility near Kermit, Texas, in the Permian basin that is expected to add 3 million tpy of proppant-sand production. The Kermit facility further broadens the company’s product portfolio, and with the re-opening of the Shakopee, Minn., mine, will enable the company to capitalize on growing market demand.
For the second quarter of 2017, Proppant Solutions volumes were 2.6 million tons, an increase of 24 percent compared with the first quarter of 2017 and up over 100 percent compared with the prior-year period. Raw proppant sand volumes were 2.4 million tons, a 25 percent sequential increase and a 95 percent increase compared with the same period a year ago.
As incremental capacity was brought online from Brewer and Maiden Rock, the company was able to capture additional market demand, which contributed to overall volume growth. However, supply remains tight, particularly for finer grades. Coated proppant volumes were 193,000 tons, a 20 percent increase compared with the first quarter of 2017 and a 133,000-ton increase from the prior-year period.
Proppant Solutions revenues were $198.8 million in second-quarter 2017, a 41 percent increase compared with $141.0 million in the first quarter of 2017 and a $117 million increase compared with $82.1 million in the second quarter a year ago. Proppant Solutions revenues were positively impacted by higher volumes and pricing, as well as by a mix shift toward in-basin sales.
Proppant Solutions gross profit increased to $54.4 million, or $21 per ton, in the second quarter of 2017 compared with $27.3 million, or $13 per ton, in the first quarter of 2017. Second-quarter 2017 Proppant Solutions gross profit includes $1.5 million of costs related to plant start-ups and $3.2 million of freight charges to move 1,200 railcars to the company’s active fleet.
Average raw proppant sand pricing in second-quarter 2017 increased more than $8 per ton as compared to first-quarter 2017, based on a consistent mix.


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(JW Insights) Feb 22 -- Japanese trading house Sumitomo Corp. plans to supply rare earth elements for electric vehicles without involving China, the world's biggest supplier of rare metals that are key to producing clean-energy systems, such as electric vehicles and wind turbines, Nikkei Asia reported on February 22.
The company currently relies on Chinese smelters to extract rare earth elements, such as neodymium and praseodymium, from ores mined by MP Materials, a company based in the U.S. city of Las Vegas.
But growing concerns about a possible geopolitical crisis involving China have led many companies to look for ways to supply rare earths while bypassing China.
Under the new arrangement, MP Materials will handle not only mining but also smelting of ores and separating various elements from them. Those elements will be further refined by companies in Vietnam and the Philippines, before being shipped to Japanese magnet makers for use in final products.
The new supply chain arrangement is set to start operating in July, said Nikkei Asia.
As of 2022, China accounted for about 90% of smelting and about 70% of rare earth production, according to data from research institutes including the U.S. Geological Survey.


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Jharkhand plans diesel tax hike to raise fundsNovember 11th, 2008 - 2:05 pm ICT by IANS
Ranchi, Nov 11 (IANS) The Jharkhand government is planning to increase the sales tax on diesel by 3.5 percent to 18 percent to generate additional resources, a senior government official said here Tuesday. According to the official, the Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Stephen Marandi has cleared the proposal to increase the sales tax on diesel to 18 percent from the current 14.5 percent.
A few months ago, when the central government had increased the prices of diesel and petrol, the Jharkhand government had decreased the sales tax by 3.5 percent to give some relief to consumers.
“The sales tax increase will generate an additional Rs.1.4 billion revenue per year for the state government,” the official told IANS, adding: “In Bihar and West Bengal, the diesel sales tax rates are 17 and 19 percent respectively.”
At the beginning of this year, the sales tax on diesel was 20 percent in Jharkhand. The Petroleum Dealers Association in the state had then protested the high rate. Consequently, while presenting the state budget in March this year, Marandi had reduced the sales tax on diesel to 18 percent.
“In two phases, the state government reduced the sales tax rate by 5.5 percent and this is causing a loss of around Rs.2.10 billion per year to the state’s coffers,” the official said. The proposal to increase the sales tax is likely to be cleared by the state cabinet soon, he added.


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The Egyptian capital Cairo has been ranked as the “cheapest” big city in the world according to Swiss bank UBS “Prices and Earnings 2018” report covering 77 metropolitan areas across the globe.
The Swiss cities Zurich and Geneva are still the world’s two most expensive major cities according to the recent UBS ranking.
The survey focused on the “cost of living in cities around the world,” basing its calculations on purchasing power and earnings as well as the affordability of goods and services representing general spending habits including dining out, going to a coffee shop, seeing movies, having a haircut and renting a place.
Egypt has been going through a strict three-year economic reform program since late 2016, starting with local currency floatation to contain dollar shortage followed by austerity measures, energy subsidy cuts and tax increases, which led to price hikes and high inflation rates.
Egypt’s economic reform plan is supported by a 12-billion-dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund, half of which has already been delivered to the North African country.
“Despite the difficult economic conditions Egypt is going through over the past few years, the country is still the cheapest in the world in terms of expenses at both the individual and economic levels,” said economic expert Mohie-Eddin Abdel-Salam, a financial consultant for several corporations.
He added that Egypt is still an investment-attractive country and a good destination for visitors due to the cheapness of the Egyptian products and services as well as the low cost of living in the country.
“Although the government is lifting subsidies on some fuel and energy products amid economic reform, the basic commodities are still subsidized for Egyptian citizens and they are provided to visitors at the same prices without distinction,” Abdel-Salam told Xinhua.
The UBS report said that oil-rich Norway has the highest gasoline prices and that a person can buy 5.2 liters of gasoline in Cairo for the price of 1 liter in Norway’s capital Oslo.
However, Abdel-Salam declined the comparison as unfair for the incomes in Norway are much higher than those in Egypt.
“Incomes in Egypt are still lower than those in Europe despite Egypt’s noticeable economic improvement in the past year and the declining inflation rates. So, we cannot compare the prices of commodities here and there,” the expert told Xinhua.
The UBS rankings also showed that New York is the most expensive city in North America, Tokyo in Asia, Tel Aviv in the Middle East and Dubai in the Arab world.
Nigeria’s Lagos is the second cheapest big city in the world after Cairo, according to the UBS.
Photo of city of Lagos from google images


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Today, Kirkland’s, Inc. posted net income of $13.8 million, or 77 cents per diluted share, for the 53 weeks ended February 2 versus $19.1 million, or 95 cents per diluted share, for the 52 weeks ended January 28, 2012. Net sales for the 53-week fiscal 2012 increased 4.2% to $448.4 million versus fiscal 2011.
On a 52-week basis, year-over-year comparable store sales, including e-commerce revenues, decreased 3%, the company said.
For the 14 weeks ended February 2, Kirkland’s posted net income of $14.3 million, or 82 cents per diluted share, versus $15.2 million, or 78 cents per diluted share, for the year-earlier period. Results for the 2012 fourth quarter included a one-time year-over-year after-tax benefit of three cents per diluted share. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, Kirkland’s pointed out that it had a one-time after-tax benefit of four cents per diluted share.
Fourth quarter net sales increased 9.2% to $162.9 million versus $149.1 million for the prior-year period. On a 13-week basis including e-commerce revenues, comparable store sales decreased 2.6% from the fourth quarter of 2012.
Kirkland’s said it opened 42 stores and closed 28 during fiscal 2012.
Robert Alderson, Kirkland’s president and CEO noted, “The fourth quarter results were slightly better than our expectations with sales at the higher end of our guidance and margin on plan. We still have some work ahead of us to return some key categories to their previous levels, but our core merchandise assortment is improving. Consistent with broader retail trends to date, we have started the year off on a more cautious note and expect that outlook to continue in the first half of fiscal 2013. As the year progresses, we expect to see more improvement due to better merchandising, a more productive and better scheduled real estate plan and continued focus on tight expense controls.”