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Social brands: Betfair turns to comedy writers for social media
Online gaming giant Betfair has placed experimentation at the heart of its social media strategy, hiring a team of comedy writers to create content for Twitter.
Speaking at the Social Brands Conference in London today, Ben Carter, head of central online marketing at Betfair, revealed the brand turned to a team of comedy writers to gain traction on its Betfair Poker Twitter feed.
"It is something of a social experiment," he explained, pointing to the fact that while much of the content doesn’t centre on poker, it has boosted the brand's social currency.
The @Betfairpoker feed, which has over 15,000 followers, features an array of comedy content, as well as the occasional tweet about poker.
The feed has gained significant traction with influential tweeters including Stephen Fry.
The Twitter experiment is part of a range of social media and viral activity at the brand, which has experienced substantial uplifts in bets via socially seeded odds distributed via Twitter.
Betfair is also investing in proving the social ROI of its marketing activity.
Carter said: "We are effectively paying to acquire fans but how socially sophisticated is this? The real question is what is the exact impact of this activity on our customers."
With this in mind Betfair is currently investing in overlaying social data with customer data to help prove its social ROI.
Thinking Points: Betfair's ingredients for a good social media strategy
- People: "We use strategists in-house who really understand the context of our business and agencies for execution"
- Buy-in: "Getting an executive sponsor is key"
- Involve staff and customers in social media
- Be open and honest
- Experiment: "Reach influential audiences, be open to new ideas and try new ideas"
This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk
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Warehouse club chain Costco took the top spot on Forrester Research's recently published Customer Experience Index 2007 (CxPi), tallied from some 5,000 consumer surveys about customer interactions with a variety of companies, gauging the usefulness, usability, and enjoyability of those experiences.
In addition, retail overall scored higher than any of the sector's eight competing categories (see sidebar).
"While Costco was above the industry average in all three areas of the CxPi, it made it to the top of the rankings based on its usefulness," says Bruce Temkin, vice president and principal analyst, customer experience, for Forrester Research and author of the report. "Consumers gave Costco a much higher score for 'meeting their needs' than any other retailer."
Indeed, Costco beat out its nearest competitor, Borders, by just .3 percent overall. "Costco was top rated because it most frequently met customers' needs," Temkin says. "Consumers have a clear set of expectations when they show their membership card and walk into a Costco warehouse. And, more often than not, they get what they expect. There's a key lesson here for retailers: Develop and communicate a clear value proposition and make sure that you consistently deliver on it."
Consistency has been key to the chain since the company launched in 1983, according to CFO Richard Galanti. Corporate policy mandates that markups be no greater than 15 percent, which, Galanti says, "keeps us honest, because we know we have competitors out there who are offering things that are just as good as what we sell."
Costco, which operates 529 stores in eight countries, is currently seeing the highest membership-renewal rate in its history, at around 86 percent, Galanti says. "We don't cut corners," he says. "Our members trust us emphatically about quality and value."
Galanti also credits low employee turnover as being an important factor in Costco's success. Annual turnover is around 20 percent, which, when adjusted for seasonal temporary hires, drops to about 17 percent, he says.
"It's not just about paying a good wage," he says. "That'll get you there, but it's not going to keep you there. It's more about empowering our employees, who are our ambassadors on the floor, to make them feel like they're part of a company that cares about them and its customers."
The Forrester report recommends that all companies make the customer experience a top priority. "On average, there's a lot of room for improvement," Temkin says. "Only 10 percent of the firms wound up with 'excellent' ratings, and 21 percent were 'poor' or 'very poor.' That's why firms should put customer experience initiatives near the top of their 2008 strategic plans and chart a course toward experience-based differentiation."
Among the report's recommendations:
Look beyond your industry for best practices. "While there are some customer experience best practices in every industry, firms should look for best practices across all industries," Temkin notes. "As a start, take a look at the firms at the top of the CxPi rankings like Costco and Borders. And if you're in an industry that didn't do well in the CxPi-like medical insurers, TV service providers, and Internet service providers-the search for best practices should predominantly focus on top retailers, investment firms, and insurance companies."
Develop an outside-in approach. With key decisions often made on limited or inaccurate views of customers, and with a focus on their own organizations' needs rather than the customers', a concerted effort to systematically incorporate the voice of the customer is crucial, Temkin says.
Assign an executive leader. Improvements need to encompass more than just frontline employees and customer-facing processes, with a dedicated executive leading the effort. "But before appointing or hiring a new customer experience executive," Temkin says, "firms need to make sure that they've established the right ground rules for this position."

domain: news


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Amazon has just surpassed the need to get closer to its users. Amazon Key is what we’re talking about.
The world’s biggest internet business organization on Wednesday uncovered another delivery service that gives clients a chance to get bundles inside their homes. The program, called Amazon Key, marks what might be greatest push by any organization to goad in-home delivery. It dispatches one month from now in 37 US metropolitan zones.
Amazon Key works with the organization’s new Cloud Cam surveillance camera, a smart entryway lock and the new Key application. It will be accessible just for Prime members. Other than deliveries, the administration can be utilized to let in visitors and, in the coming months, will give clients a chance to plan in-home visits from more than 1,200 organizations on Amazon Home Services, including housekeepers and dog walkers.
Amazon Key is not the first one to dabble in this area as Walmart is already trying something similar
The new service could offer a major advantage for city occupants who’ve had bundles stolen from their doorsteps or simply drenched by rain. The two situations are expensive for organizations like Amazon, which at that point need to handle calls from irritated customers and refill lost requests. On the whole, 31 percent of individuals have encountered bundle robbery, as indicated by a review this year from Shorr Packaging.
“A lot of customers want as many choices as they can have for delivery options,” said Peter Larsen, Amazon’s vice president of delivery technology. “And so one option, of course, is to have it on your doorstep, another option is to have an Amazon Locker, and now we have a new option if you just want it delivered inside your house.”
An Amazon Key bundle that includes the Cloud Cam, a smart door lock and an option for free installation which costs from $250 to $320 and goes on preorder Wednesday. The Amazon Key service launches in 37 US metro areas on Nov. 8.
If you are interested in using the Cloud Cam as just a security camera, you can buy that device for $120. The camera provides night vision, full high-definition resolution and two-way audio. It also integrates with the Amazon Alexa voice assistant, allowing customers to view Cloud Cam live streams on an Echo Show, Echo Spot, Fire TV or Alexa-powered tablet.
Image via Financial Express
News source Cnet
RS News or Research Snipers focuses on technology news with a special focus on mobile technology, tech companies, and the latest trends in the technology industry. RS news has vast experience in covering the latest stories in technology.


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The iPhone 14 Pro Max has a screen size of 6.7 inches, which is the largest screen size among all the models in the iPhone 14 series. This larger screen size makes it easier to use the device for tasks such as streaming videos, playing games, or working on documents. Additionally, it is rumored that Apple will be using advanced display technology in the iPhone 14 series, which will likely enhance the viewing experience and provide a more immersive feeling to users.
Video Tutorial:How big is the iPhone 14 Pro to the Pro Max?
Are the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro Max the same size?
No, the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro Max are not the same size. The iPhone 14 has a 6.1 inch display, while the 14 Pro Max has a larger 6.7 inch display. This size difference also translates to the overall dimensions and weight of the devices. Additionally, the iPhone 14 Pro Max features a few extra camera features that the standard 14 does not have.
Is iPhone 14 Pro Max very big?
The iPhone 14 Pro Max features a larger display compared to the regular iPhone 14 model. While power users may appreciate the added screen real estate, some users may find the device too big and unwieldy for their hands. However, the overall size and weight of the iPhone 14 Pro Max are similar to its predecessor, the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Ultimately, the size of the phone will depend on personal preferences and needs.
Is iPhone 14 Pro Max same size as 13?
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is not the same size as the iPhone 13. According to the latest leaks, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is expected to have a larger 6.7-inch display, compared to the iPhone 13 Pro Max which has a 6.1-inch display. Additionally, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is also rumored to have a smaller notch and a thicker and more durable design. However, we should note that these details are not officially confirmed by Apple yet and could still change before the release of the iPhone 14 models.
What’s the difference between the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max?
The main difference between the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max is the size. The 14 Pro Max has a larger screen and a bigger battery than the 14 Pro. The 14 Pro Max also has a slightly better camera, but both models have the same processor and features. If you prefer a larger screen and battery life, the 14 Pro Max might be a better choice for you. If you prefer a smaller size that’s easier to handle, the 14 Pro might be the wiser choice for you. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and your usage habits.
Which iPhone has the biggest screen?
Among the latest iPhone models released by Apple, the iPhone 14 Pro Max has the biggest screen with a 6.9-inch display, while the standard iPhone 14 model has a 6.1-inch display and the iPhone 14 Plus has a 6.7-inch display. The screen size of a smartphone plays a crucial role in determining the user’s experience, as it influences the display quality, viewing angles, and overall device usability. If you’re looking for an iPhone with the biggest display, the iPhone 14 Pro Max can be a good choice for you.


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Looking to stand out from the impending rush of Thai-inspired rolled ice cream and boba stores heading to Las Vegas, Flavyours will debut its “cool, modern and chic shop” starting today.
Located at the Shan Tau Plaza on Spring Mountain, inside a former spa and sitting across from the hard-to-miss Macy’s Furniture outlet, the 1,323-square-foot space will feature “refreshing teas” and the “guarantee” of the “richest and creamiest rolled ice cream in town.”
For the next two days, opening hours will be from 7 to 11 p.m., followed by noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
On the menu, customers can select from 10 “base” ice cream flavors, then choose from more than 70 toppings, 10 sauces and "exotic imported fruits," plus "imported candies, cookies and treats."
The team believes the Flavyours difference will be a result of its research in Thailand, including “6 months learning from street food stall vendors throughout the country from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and all the way to the islands of Phuket and Krabi.”
Another important element contributing to the Flavyours atmosphere will be the “handpicked” soundtrack, featuring “house, trance, progressive, electro, trap, drum n bass and old skool hip hop.”
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This year’s weirdest Halloween costume comes from a pair of 23-year-old Lafayette entrepreneurs. Not everybody who watches It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a slacker. Take Colin Grussing. He was slouched on the couch with his college buddy Jesse Faulk watching the offbeat FX hit on a Thursday night, laughing at the most vain, dysfunctional, self-obsessed friends on TV. It was the episode where Frank (played by Danny DeVito) puts acid in Charlie’s beer while he’s trying to watch Dennis, Mac and Dee try out for the Washington Redskins. A few minutes later Charlie shows up in a stretchy, virulent green body suit, reprising his roll as the most embarrassing high school mascot ever.
“The first time I saw it, I thought Jesse would really enjoy wearing it,” says Grussing, who graduated from Episcopal School of Acadiana in Cade with Faulk. “I figured he’d like to have it for Halloween.” Grussing searched online, but all he could find was one other person who was also looking for the body suit. A light bulb went off. “I’d been looking for a way to make money without working for an hourly wage,” says Grussing. “Buy something, sell it for more, sounded good.”
Then he really did do some work, surfing the Internet for hours until finally, in a YouTube video, he found the proper name for the outfit, made by a Chinese company. Grussing ordered 15 suits, created the Web site begreenman.com and waited for the orders to roll in. Those first 15 sold out in 24 hours. He ordered 200 more and sold them within a week.
Meanwhile Faulk has been making appearances all over Lafayette to drum up business — at the Blue Moon Saloon, Wild Salmon, The Bulldog, and Festivals Acadiens. Orders piled in from across the country, and now 2,000 people are on a waiting list for the suit. With Halloween approaching, Faulk’s hopping on a plane bound for China for another shipment. He’ll courier them back to the U.S. and get them in the mail in time for Halloween.
After pumpkin season, will the pair be able to continue selling from the sofa? “We’re going to get them in other colors to market to crazy sports fans,” says Grussing. Imagine the Superbowl ads this year.
For more info on the Green Man suit, go to www.begreenman.com. To watch back episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Phidelphia, go to http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/sunny/#/home and look for The Green Man episode titled “The Gang Gets Invincible.”


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Global shipments of smartphones grew 1% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2016 to a total of 341.5 million units. In the same quarter last year shipments totaled 338 million units.
The iPhone 6s from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) was the top seller, with 14.2 million units shipped, ahead of the iPhone 6 in second place with 8.5 million units shipped and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge with 8.3 million units.
On a global market share basis, the iPhone 6s had 4.2%, the iPhone 6 had 2.5%,and Galaxy S7 Edge claimed 2.4% of the global market. The top three phones account for less than 10% of the total global market.
Strategy Analytics released the data Tuesday and director Linda Sui said, “Smartphone growth is sluggish at the moment due to ongoing economic volatility worldwide, high ownership penetration in most major countries, and a lack of new innovation from device manufacturers.”
Maybe that lack of innovation will get a jolt on Wednesday, September 7, from Apple’s fall dog-and-pony show for its latest iPhone, dubbed by everyone but Apple itself as the iPhone 7. The new iPhone is expected to have a much improved camera and the 7 Plus may even include a dual-lens camera.
A new A10 CPU is expected with a 2.4 GHz clock, the screen color and sharpness should be better, the Home button may be gone, and the 16 GB option could be gone as well.
The best news, however, may be the price of the iPhone 7. Forbes reported last Friday that a Chinese website had a price of 5,288 RMB (about $792) for a 32 GB iPhone 7. That’s not much more than the Chinese price for iPhone 6s with 16 GB of memory. If the phone is priced similarly around the world there could be a new leader in the league table for the fourth quarter.


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Discover more from Africa Notes: Updates on Africa & EM startups + investments
Note #17: July 15 - August 9 2019
Context and Thoughts
Welcome back dear readers: It’s been a little while since my last issue of Africa Notes! Since then, Africa has seen new world-class datacenters go online and more in progress, subsea Internet cables under construction, accelerators launched, and even more acquisitions and funding. And because as momentum increases it gets harder to track and understand the market, I’m keeping Africa Notes (notes.africa) as a simple, convenient newsletter to help you stay on top of it all.
As always, Africa Notes covers the last ~2 weeks of African tech startup news highlights, focusing on major ecosystem shifts, funding events, startup M&A, and other relevant items.
Looking at a few upcoming investment-related events in Africa, I see the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (one of my favorite investor-focused events) is coming up again in Cape Town this November, and this week is the India Africa Entrepreneurship & Investment Summit in Mauritius.
Keeping an eye on the big picture, the Disrupt Africa Tech Startups Funding Report shows continued growth in African startup investment, with a year-over-year African startup fundraising increase of 71.5% (!) in 2018 for a total of $334m raised. (This reflects particularly strong YoY growth when you remember that 2017’s Africa investment numbers were already boosted by Andela’s relatively large $40mm Series C round.)
Chinese investment in African tech startups is rising, notably with the launch of ShakaVC / Shaka Ventures, a Chinese-backed VC firm based in Lagos and a pan-African investment thesis, who have made 6 investments in the 6 months since their launch.
News coverage on African tech startups is also increasing, notably TechCrunch’s Africa coverage (note the uptick on article tagged Africa over the last 12 months) alongside continued strong coverage from long-standing African tech news sites such as Ventureburn and Disrupt Africa.
Industry and Ecosystem News
South Africa proposes amendments to the Income Tax Act which the 12J Association says would make it harder to both raise and invest 12J capital link
Deals, Startups, and More
The Gambia Angel Investors Network (GAIN) launches with 10-12 local investors and target of funding 8-12 startups/year in The Gambia link


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The Week That Was: FMCG and Retail (07/12/18)
7th December 2018
O2 customers were outraged this week following a network blackout up and down the country. Millions of furious O2 customers endured a day without data, prompting a barrage of angry tweets racking up into the thousands.
Despite calls to put an end to the infamous red lorry, the Coca-Cola Christmas truck has begun to make its way to town and cities across the UK. With plenty of cans at its disposal, Coca-Cola is delighting fans throughout all of December – have you seen it yet?!
A new investigation from Which? has found that broadband customers who stay with the same provider and don’t haggle for a better deal are being hit with loyalty penalties of up to £220 a year on average. Proof that it’s important to shop around and speak with service providers when looking to find the best deal!
Remember it’s famous Pic n’ Mix? Of course you do! The closure of Woolworths is still, to this day, arguably the biggest casualty British high streets have ever seen. A decade on, what can retailers learn from its collapse?
Sign-up here to our monthly FMCG newsletter and access case studies of our work, as well as hearing the latest news and trends from this sector. We’ll share updates on how we are helping our clients make a meaningful impact, create movements and connect in innovative ways with their audience.


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By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden has summoned 18 Cabinet secretaries and agency heads to the White House on Monday to further hash out plans to promote competition in the hopes of lowering prices and increasing wages for Americans.
A White House official said Biden would launch this third meeting of his Competition Council since signing a July 2021 executive order to crack down on anti-competitive practices in sectors from agriculture to drugs and labor.
Biden plans to "preview the actions expected from agencies in the weeks and months ahead that will save families money and lower costs," the official said of the previously unreported meeting.
The council, which last met in January, is chaired by White House National Economic Council director Brian Deese, who said in July that Biden aims to "generate more innovation, greater productivity, more opportunity in the country while lowering prices for consumers and increasing wages for workers."
The administration has taken steps to promote competition in sectors that include the meat industry and among U.S. airlines.
The 18 officials invited include Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan.
Also invited are the heads of the Surface Transportation Board, Federal Maritime Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Rohit Chopra and Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Federal Communications Commission chair Jessica Rosenworcel will attend virtually, the official added.
Last month, the Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids, allowing millions of Americans to buy them without seeing an audiologist and potentially saving individuals thousands of dollars.
The FTC has pushed companies to make it easier for people to fix their own products.
In July, Weber-Stephen Products LLC WEBR.N, the maker of Weber grills, agreed to scrap some warranty rules as part of an FTC settlement over consumers' rights to repair products that they purchase.
The White House noted the FCC has taken steps to lower internet costs by cracking down on exclusivity arrangements in which landlords and internet providers limit tenants to one provider.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Howard Goller)
((firstname.lastname@example.org; +1 202.898.8324;))
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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Calvin Klein rewrites script to give a vision of a turbulent America on the catwalk
3 monthes ago - By The Guardian
New York fashion week runway featuring balaclavas and hi-vis jackets reflects what an all-American icon looks like in a world of fire and fury Popcorn is a fashion-approved snack, so editors in New York for fashion week would have appreciated the invitation for Calvin Klein's show: a bag of popcorn wrapped in a silver envelope.
The popcorn theme continued at the venue, but turned the emoji-friendly symbol for a night at the movies into something more surreal.
Read more ...
Raf Simons Reveals His AW18 Men's And Women's Collections For Calvin Klein 205W39NYC
3 monthes ago - By 10 magazine
Finally we made it to the barn. If you've been paying attention, a barn has been featured in all the latest Calvin Klein campaigns. Inside the barn Sterling Ruby pom poms hung from meathooks and buckets overflowed with popcorn. The runway crunched, so salty, flooded with popcorn. A nod to Andy Warhol's ‘Popcorn' (1976-1986) perhaps? We do know that Raf Simons has got his hands on some unpublished Warhol works. “He captured all sides of the American experience, including sometimes its darker sides,” Raf said of Warhol. Yes, this was the dark side. In Space Race bonnet-like balaclavas the...
Read more ...
A-list gets in the popcorn at Calvin Klein during NYFW
3 monthes ago - By Fashion United
A-list stars Nicole Kidman, Lupita Nyong'o and Margot Robbie flocked to Calvin Klein on Tuesday, wading through popcorn to watch Raf Simons's latest meditation on Americana, where firefighter meets prairie.
The Belgian's stewardship of the iconic US label, now into a second year, is one of the few bright spots in a New York Fashion Week suffering from an identity crisis, thinning schedule and a glut between the passing of one generation and the search for another.
Ruby Sterling again designed the set. Barns evoked the pioneer spirit of the prairies, adorned with work by Andy Warhol - also...
Read more ...
The headlines of TopFash
Dior: Cruise 2019
Giddy up girls, we're in Chantilly and Maria Grazia Chiuri has found the women of her dreams. And ours. They're called escaramuzas, and the word literally means women riding a...
Dior Hydralife Sorbet: Spring 2018
Nike Reworks '90s Trends for ACG-Inspired PG2
Following the unveiling of the Spring/Suymmer 2018 additions to the ACG lineup, Nike continues the retro vibes with a new PG2 influenced by the '90s-minded collection. A...
Raf Simons is moving his men's show back to Paris
New York Fashion Week: Men's has just lost one of its headlining designers. Raf Simons has announced that he will be taking his eponymous label's show back to Paris Fashion...
How designer Matthew Adams Dolan is emerging as a new American talent
How designer Matthew Adams Dolan is emerging as a new American talent Matthew Adams Dolan sits outside of a Lower East Side restaurant with his terrier, Maisie. It's not yet...
Madame Figaro May 2018 Cover
Harvey Weinstein Officially Turns Himself in to the NYPD
Disgraced film executive Harvey Weinstein followed up on his previous announcement and has turned himself in to the New York Police Department at the 1st Precinct in Tribeca...
Meghan Markle's Old, New, Borrowed and Blue Wedding
Meghan Markle's Old, New, Borrowed and Blue Wedding Details The new Duchess of Sussex incorporated the good luck charms into both her looks.
A$AP Rocky drops new album ‘Testing' starring Frank Ocean and more


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Pictorvision’s Eclipse aerial system is flying with the Cameron-Pace Group’s Fusion 3D system on 3D productions, carrying digital cinema cameras.
CPG is the joint venture formed by director James Cameron and his longtime tech collaborator, 3D guru Vince Pace.
The Eclipse first flew HD cameras on the recent 2011 CBS Sports Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
Pictorvision with CPG offers the first aerial Fusion 3D system with fully functional, adjustable interocular and convergence capabilities. “We can now support 3D production with Arri Alex and Red Epic cameras,” said Pictorvision prexy Tom Hallman. “The biggest challenge in taking 3D into the air is that the packages are relatively big, heavy, and there is limited space to move the cameras for perfect convergence.
“It was important to make this happen, so the CPG team stepped up and did the work on their end, customizing their system to fit with our aerial system. The result is a package small and lightweight enough to perform all the 3D functions you expect on the ground – in the air.”
The Pictorvision open-architecture design and engineering allows it to fly with a wide range of film and digital cinema cameras in addition to Cameron-Pace’s Fusion.
“After our success on the 2011 Masters Golf Tournament, CPG is proud to collaborate with Pictorvision’s engineering staff on this innovative new platform for aerial cinematography,” said Pace, co-chairman and CEO CPG. “This now allows us to offer global productions the best 3D solution in aerial cinematography.”


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EA revealed the launch date for Bioware’s action-RPG Anthem at EA Play. Anthem will launch simultaneous around the world on February 22, 2019 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, ad Windows via Origin. Origin Premiere Access subscribers on PC will get unlimited early access starting February 15th. EA Access and Origin Access Basic subscribers will get up to 10 hours of play time with the Play First Trial on February 15th.
EA has also revealed the Anthem pre-order bonuses. Starting today, anyone who pre-orders the game will get a VIP game demo and the unique Founders banner in game. Standard Edition pre-orders also come with a legendary weapon and the Legion of Dawn Armour Pack for the Ranger Javelin. The Legion of Dawn edition pre-orders will come with everything in the Standard Edition along with a full set of Legion of the Dawn Armour Pack, a Ranger Javelin gear attachment, and a copy of the digital soundtrack. More goodies will be revealed in the coming months.


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The emergence of tablets as an alternative to PCs has caught the attention of chip makers, which are preparing next-generation processors to boost application and graphics performance on the devices.
Following the launch of the iPad in April, Apple sold close to 7 million tablets by the end of September, with consumers using them to view video, read e-books, surf the Web and play games. The appetite for tablets has pushed chip companies like Arm and Intel to develop next-generation processors designed to make tablets faster and more power-efficient.
Prominent consumer electronics companies like Samsung, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Research in Motion are joining Apple in a race to gain tablet market share. These tablets run Google’s Android, Microsoft’s Windows, or internally developed operating systems.
Not everyone is convinced there really is a tablet market beyond the iPad. “All these new Android and Windows tablets have yet to prove there’s really a market beyond Apple,” said Roger Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies Associates.
Apple may simply be benefitting from pent-up demand for its products at lower price points. “Essentially, people are able to get an Apple for half of what it used to cost,” Kay said.
Research firm Gartner, however, has pegged tablet shipments to reach 54.8 million in 2011, so there could very well be room for multiple players. Gartner in November said that tablets could displace around 10 percent of PC units by 2014.
The tablet market is in its early stages, poised to grow, and the competition will only intensify with the release of next-generation chips, said Michael Palma, senior research analyst at IDC.
Arm, Intel and MIPS are designing low-power chips with video and communication capabilities to fit the tablet profile. Arm has announced the Cortex-A15, a faster and more power-efficient processor than its predecessor, the Cortex-A9, which is used in tablets such as Toshiba’s Folio 100.
Intel has already announced the Moorestown chip, which will go into tablets next year, and is developing the Oak Trail chip for tablets. The Oak Trail chips are faster and more power-efficient than Intel’s current Atom chips, which are mainly used in netbooks.
On its part, MIPS Technologies has said it wants to push its architecture into tablets, with products perhaps appearing next year.
The current tablets are shipping mostly with chips designed for smartphones, and there is room for improvement, Palma said.
“[Tablets] have special requirements, the processor needs to be small and focused on power conservation while still providing video processing capabilities,” Palma said.
Tablets are not just super smartphones, Kay said. Chip makers are looking at designing smartphone-like chips that generate less heat, but which also integrate voice and stronger multimedia capabilities.
“Basically they need a smallish heat envelope, but not as small as a smartphone, and media decode functions. [Intel’s] Oak Trail has an embedded video decode module, so streaming can be done with very low overhead,” Kay said.
The emergence of tablets is triggering a chip war of the type previously witnessed when PCs became a hot-ticket product during the mid-80s, said Dean McCarron, principal analyst at Mercury Research.
A number of chip architectures — like Apple’s early Motorola 68000, Intel’s x86 designs and initial Arm designs — were competing to be at the core of PCs at the time. The story resonates now, as Arm, Intel and MIPS battle to put their architectures at the center of tablets.
“The processor suppliers today, like those of 25 years ago, are hoping to be designed into a de-facto standard that will provide revenue for years to come,” McCarron said.
The chip battle will spark innovation and pricing competition that will benefit consumers, McCarron said, noting that upcoming chips will bring new features to tablets at different price points. Apple’s iPad is priced starting at US$499, but some low-end tablets based on Arm processors, such as Creative’s Ziio and Velocity Micro’s Cruz, are being priced at less than $300.
Processor suppliers also have to establish the right ecosystem — including operating systems and software — to marry performance, content, and ease of use, analysts said. Apple’s iOS, used on the iPad, and Google’s Android operating system are used on most tablets today.
However, there is no dominant operating system player to drive the tablet market yet, and there will not likely be one any time soon, said Jack Gold , principal analyst at J. Gold Associates.
“As long as the chip companies are supporting multiple Oses — but primarily Android at this point if you are tying your wagon to the rising star — they can play,” Gold said.
For now, most chip vendors are designing chips to support multiple operating systems. For example, Intel is offering support for both Windows and Android on its Oak Trail chip.
Chip makers already established in the smartphone market, however, will continue to have an upper hand in the tablet market, analysts said. Chips based on Arm architecture go into most of the world’s smartphones and tablets, including Apple’s iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab. Arm licenses chip designs to companies like Apple, Nvidia, Samsung, Texas Instruments and Qualcomm, whose chips are being used in tablets.
Much of the Android development revolves around the Arm architecture. That technology ecosystem is growing stronger, said IDC’s Palma, who also noted that it may be difficult for rivals like Intel and MIPS to gain a foothold.
“Intel is challenged as it is just now trying to enter the smartphone market and also given its previous focus on netbooks,” Palma said.
But Intel is in the handheld space for the long run and has the resources and developer support necessary to challenge Arm, other analysts noted. Intel’s chips go into 80 percent world of the world’s PCs, and the company has a larger goal of putting its chips into other devices such as smartphones, tablets, TVs and cars.
Arm also does not support a full Windows OS, which can run on Intel’s Atom chips, analysts said. That is a disadvantage for Arm, considering many PC users are familiar with Windows. Intel is also backing the development of a version of the Linux-based Meego OS for tablets.
“They have an uphill battle against Arm, but I expect them to capture a significant portion of the market in the next one to two years,” J. Gold Associates’ Gold said.


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Indian economy is healing quicker than predicted and may post minor positive development in the second from last quarter, however, attempts should be intensified to battle expansion so it doesn’t hurt the early development driving forces, as per the State of the Economy report in the December Bulletin of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
“Indian economy is pulling out of Covid-19’s profound pit and is reflating at a speed that beats most expectations,” the report said. Even though there are headwinds, “fixed attempts by companions could put India in a quicker development direction,” the report said.
The National Statistical Office’s (NSO) end-November discharge indicated that the Covid-19 pandemic forced conservation of the main quarter was much simpler in the subsequent quarter and the economy was reflating at a speed that beats most predictions. RBI’s nowcasting pattern moreover shows that the economy will post a positive monetary development pace of 0.1 percent in the second from last quarter. The fourth every other month financial strategy in December additionally extended monetary development to be 200 assumption focuses higher than what it had expected in October. It said the Indian economy will clock a development pace of 14.2 percent in the primary portion of 2021-22 on top of 0.4 percent in the second 50% of 2020-21.
“Departures measure by different organizations for the year all in all are being accomplished, and if the current force is kept up, the fall back expected in the last quarter of the year might be more restricted than hypothesized under standard doubts,” the RBI said.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, monetary reserve funds of family units and enterprises have risen, “standing by to be intermediated into beneficial considerations alternatively of the inactive property of Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) and non-SLR paper.” With financial exercises turning, bank credit is gradually picking up space.
In this way, with the arrangement accentuation currently moving towards the more strong drivers of the economy, the private venture should remove its concentration from reasonable and deleveraging plans “to Capex, limit usage and working of new limits,” the report said.
Albeit absolute product trades at $23.5 billion declined 8.7 percent y-o-y in November, non-oil sends out kept up pre-Covid-19 levels for the third successive month. Areas like medications and drugs, horticulture, drugs, and iron metal demonstrated strength, while imports declined for the ninth progressive month however the speed of contraction is directing. Oil imports declined 43.4 percent in November 2020 chiefly because of delicate global rough costs. However, in a sign that request is getting back in the economy, non-oil imports have returned extensively to pre-Covid levels, the RBI said.
The arrival of interest, however, is removing the development front. “A mix of rising global item costs and expanding go through to homegrown fabricated products and enterprises costs, firms endeavoring to recover lost salaries by raising edges, and request normalizing are adding to center expansion pressures,” the RBI said.
“Efforts should be enhanced to abrade the ‘worm in the apple’ – swelling – before it harms the motivations of development that are flourishing. Proficient, compelling, and convenient inventory the board, including checking runaway retailer edges and diminishing the rate of roundabout assessments on shoppers, can crush the spirit of the expansion pressures before they from early on increase and neutralize the goal of financial and money related boosts,” the RBI said.
Since September, India has figured out how to smooth the Covid-19 disease bend, notwithstanding some restricted flare-ups. The recuperation rate is near 95 percent, and immunizer improvements are at a high-level stage. Aligned upgrade measures have additionally figured out how to help speculation and utilization interest, as indicated by the report.
“In general, the over-the-line monetary upgrade will probably help development by near 2 percent of (GDP) in 2020-21. All in all, it is reasonable to look past the unpredictability natural in high-recurrence pointers,” it said.
The year forward income standard for most organizations uncovers improvement in viewpoint. Areas, for example, auto and capital merchandise, which had been hit hard by the lockdown are anticipating a turnaround in sending profit. Medical care, data innovation (IT), and quick buyer products (FMCG) organizations are locating a more grounded profit viewpoint.
“Additionally, inborn strength in the assembling and administration areas is being worked as obligation adjusting limit is getting fortified and influence is being cut down. India’s homestead area is additionally continuing onward, sponsored by pathbreaking advertising changes,” the report said.
Liquidity conditions stay agreeable, and banks have returned Rs 37,348 crore of assets taken under long haul repo tasks (LTRO) and focused on long haul repo activities for less expensive on-tap TLTRO.


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Parties and event nights helped Tiger Tiger bar operator Novus Leisure post uninvested like-for-like sales growth of 2.9 per cent over Christmas and New Year.
Novus said the year-on-year figure, covering the five weeks to January 3, 2009, followed growth of two per cent in the same period last year.
The group said nearly three quarters of its total revenue stemmed from pre-booked parties and events, up 10 per cent on last year.
It claimed its per cent nine-strong Tiger Tiger brand delivered uninvested like-for-like growth of 9.4 per cent in December. The brand averaged sales of £157,000 per venue per week, with food accounting for 37 per cent of the revenue mix.
The company said it flagship Tiger Tiger bar, on Haymarket in the West End of London, had another record Christmas, taking more than £1.3m in the five week period.
Novus owns a number of bars, mainly in London's West End and financial districts; each Novus site averaged £82,000 per week in the period, the group claimed.
Steve Richards, Novus chief executive said: "The business was up against relatively hard comparables so to continue to grow in such a challenging market is encouraging."
He said Novus has resisted discounting on drinks and food, helping lift gross profit margins 0.5 percentage points to 81 per cent.
Richards said market conditions in 2008 were very tough, "and 2009 will be undoubtedly be worse".
As well as Tiger Tiger Novus owns a number of former Soho Clubs & Bars venues in Central London.
In October 2007 Cognetas, the privately equity firm which bought Novus in 2005, admitted it had written down its investment in the business by £60m.


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LONDON — Stella McCartney made history at the Tower of London Thursday as the first fashion designer to create the uniforms for Britain’s Olympic athletes.
McCartney and Adidas, the official sportswear partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB, unveiled a series of environmentally friendly uniforms for Britons taking part in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"You start one way as a baby, but why shouldn't you be able to choose your own path as opposed to culturally people telling you which way to go?" - Thom Browne at his men's spring 2018 show, where he celebrated gender fluidity. #pfw #wwdmens (📷: @delphineachard)
"I think that all anyone really wants in life is to have people understand us for who we actually are, despite everything," says Ruth Negga. The actress talks "Preachers" season 2 and more on WWD.com. #wwdeye (📷: Dan Doperalski)


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The use of OLED panels in portable computers, which has increased last year, will apparently be carried further with Samsung’s new move. The company will offer 10 panels of different sizes.
Offering a rich visual experience to users on smartphones with its OLED screen, Samsung wants to spread its experience in the portable computer market.
OLED experience on laptops
According to the new content published by Samsung, different sizes of laptop panels will be introduced at CES 2021. The company, which will offer 10 different options in the 13.3-16 “range, will open in February with a 1080p 15.6” panel.
According to the South Korean name, the new panels will cover 120% of the DCI-P3 scale, and will be down to as low as 0.0005 nits.
As a striking issue, the company emphasized the image quality of its new solutions. Avoiding any details about the refresh rate, Samsung only emphasized up to 10 times lower response time.


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Gamers who have gotten their hands on a legitimate pre-release copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops II will not have their multiplayer statistics wiped tomorrow when the game officially launches. Treyarch design director revealed the news over Twitter, saying pre-release stats will be maintained, so long as gamers are not found to be a "bad person doing bad things."
Additionally, Treyarch has revealed its ban policy for Black Ops II. The developer's official security & enforcement policy has been posted to its website, revealing a long list of actionable offenses. Treyarch said temporary bans can range from 48 hours to two weeks, dependent on the severity of the issue, while permanent bans are "lasting and final."
Players caught modding or hacking, in possession of pirated content, utilizing unsupported peripheral devices and applications, boosting, glitching, partaking in offensive behavior, or creating an offensive emblem will be subject to possible penalty. Additionally, those who post offensive or unauthorized live stream content also face potential punishment.
For more on Treyarch's security and enforcement policy with regards to Black Ops II, check out the entire document.
Black Ops II is due out worldwide tomorrow, November 13, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, with a Wii U release to follow day-and-date with the system on November 18. PlayStation Vita game Black Ops Declassified also ships November 13.


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Friday’s fiscal event must kickstart an “agenda to boost productivity and make work pay”
Andy Mayer quoted in BBC economic analysis
Mark Littlewood writes for The Times
Matthew Lesh quoted in the Sunday Express
Emphasising the need for Friday’s announcement to “reset the agenda” by focusing on supply-side reforms, Matthew was quoted:
“The cost of living crisis can only be meaningfully addressed with reforms that boost the ability of the economy to produce goods and services and thereby reduce prices; this means addressing how the tax and regulatory system discourages investment and work.”
The article laid out some of Matthew’s key proposals to get the economy growing including the abolition of the 45p tax band and an increase in the stamp duty threshold.
The full article can be read here.


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Other than Apple and Samsung, no phone maker has stirred as much attention and excitement as the young OnePlus. Established as an offshoot of Oppo at the end of 2013, OnePlus began life as a direct-to-consumer online retailer with the immodest product tagline of "flagship killer" for its initial OnePlus One and 2 devices. Now a little wiser and older, the company has reined in its marketing and it’s starting to diversify its mode of distribution, announcing today an exclusive partnership with O2 in the UK.
Having once been available only via an arcane invitation system, OnePlus’ smartphones will now be ranged across O2’s UK stores, which will serve as a platform to expanding awareness of the brand and building it up through collaborative marketing. Speaking to The Verge ahead of today’s announcement, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei said that "just doing online direct-to-consumer might not be the right perspective long term [and] if you have one exclusive partner, you can think more long-term about how to build a brand."
The OnePlus 3 will be the first phone to benefit from this partnership, becoming available in O2 retail and online stores from September 29th on tariffs starting at £28 per month for 500MB of data and no upfront cost. It will also be possible to buy the OnePlus 3 off-contract. The big benefit to consumers is that, in the more traditional mobile retail model, once they buy a OnePlus from O2, they’ll be able to walk in to an O2 store and get support for their device directly from the carrier. This addresses one of the significant pain points with OnePlus’ current distribution and support operation.
"It’s an experiment, we don’t know how things are going to go"
OnePlus already has some positive experience of taking this approach, having launched a similar scheme with Finnish carrier Elisa shortly after the OnePlus 3 release. Pei says the 3 has been Finland’s best selling phone in August, and the effectiveness of the collaboration has been "way beyond" OnePlus’ expectations. The two companies aired TV commercials together, and both aimed to appeal to a young demographic by presenting themselves as digital-savvy brands. It clearly worked there, and while Pei wants to dampen expectations — claiming "it’s an experiment, we don’t know how things are going to go" — OnePlus is already looking for further exclusive carrier partnerships beyond the UK, with the Nordic region being next on its list.
Though OnePlus hails from China, the company’s focus right now is fixed on Western European countries and India as priorities. "We looked at e-commerce shipments," says Pei, "and all the cities where they had very high-per capita usage, and found London is number one in the world. Nordics, countries like Sweden and Denmark, also rank very high." The O2 agreement makes perfect sense, therefore, as a reaction to the customer demand that’s manifested in the UK, and Pei underlines this by saying, "whatever we do in terms of product, we will consider European and Indian users first."


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Ford Invests $1.1 Billion To Retool and Expand Its Kansas City, Missouri, Assembly Plant, Adding 2,000 Jobs
“Customer demand for today’s F-150 is strong and continues growing, the truck segment is growing three times faster than the overall industry, the housing market is strengthening, and we are seeing growth in the U.S. economy,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of The Americas. “Our ‘Built Ford Tough’ F-150 is America’s favorite pickup, and we are going to expand operations in Kansas City to ensure we have enough trucks to meet customer demand.”
Ford is adding 900 jobs and a third crew in the third quarter to build F-150. Ford said U.S. sales of its F-Series trucks increased 24 percent in April and 19 percent year to date. Ford also is adding another 1,100 jobs starting in the fourth quarter to prepare for the introduction of the all-new Ford Transit full-size van in 2014.
Kansas City Assembly Plant produces the Ford F-150 Regular, Super and Crew Cab and will produce the Ford Transit. The plant currently has 2,450 hourly workers working on two shifts and will add a third crew in the third quarter.
The new stamping facility was completed in 2012. The paint shop expansion will include installation of the three-wet paint process, which is more environmentally friendly and requires less time than conventional paint processes.
“Today we celebrate the commitment to excellence displayed every day by the men and women of Kansas City Assembly Plant," said Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president and director of the National Ford Department. “These additional jobs are the direct result of the dedicated effort our UAW members display every day at facilities all across the country and serve as another reminder of the resilience of American workers and our nation's manufacturing sector.”
Ford said its assembly plant expansion has a major impact in the local community. Kansas City Assembly has more than 250 suppliers nationally and more than 10 suppliers locally who will positively benefit from the addition of a third crew. Additionally, when Transit production starts next year, close to 275 suppliers nationally and six suppliers locally will grow their business. More than 18,000 jobs will be created to support the plant, company officials said.
“Today’s announcement is yet another testament to our successful efforts to revitalize Missouri’s automotive manufacturing industry, which continues to gain steam,” Gov. Jay Nixon said. “This third crew for production of the F-150 will create hundreds of additional manufacturing jobs for workers in this region and ensure Missouri continues to lead the rebirth of the American auto industry for years to come.”
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We know we'll be seeing the world premier of Rocksteady's Batman follow-up, Arkham City, BioWare has already teased us with its plan to unveil a new game, THQ is set to show off Saints Row 3 and its new Guillermo del Toro project, and the rumor mill reports Microsoft plans to please core gamers with the a Gears of War Kinect game at the VGAs. So what does Sony have planned? An event invite sent to the press doesn't offer any hints.
Speculation is already running rampant, and Internet forums are abuzz with PS3 players thinking (and hoping) Sony's reveal will be for Naughty Dog's Uncharted 3.
At the 2008 VGAs, Sony and Naughty Dog wowed gamers with their world premier trailer for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. It is rumored Sony will follow the same blueprint, with the world premier trailer for Uncharted 3 at the VGAs, followed by a closer look at the game at the special event the next day.
The Spike TV Video Game Awards is set to air on December 11 at 8 p.m. EST.
Sharkey says: The VGAs are typically a hot mess, but the show is becoming a must-see for gamers because of the growing number of world premiers and unveils that annually take place. As for the Sony event, I don't think there's much doubt the game will be Uncharted 3. It fits perfectly with the franchise's two-year development cycle and I expect we'll learn the next game will arrive in fall 2011.


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London – Indian tire maker Apollo Tyres has appointed Hizmy Hassen to the newly created position of chief digital officer, as part of its so-called “digital journey”.
To be based out of the company’s London office, Hassen will be responsible for leading the strategy and operations of Apollo Tyres’ digital activities, including responsibility for information technology.
“With digitalisation being a key focus area for the company, especially considering the challenges that we face today due to the global pandemic, we have created this position of chief digital officer,” said Apollo vice chairman and managing director Neeraj Kanwar in a statement 5 Oct.
With over 30 years of experience in this area, Hassen can develop and execute the future roadmap and evolve the IT delivery model at Apollo Tyres, Kanwar added.
Prior to joining Apollo, Hassen worked with thread manufacturer Coats PLC, where he helped ‘transform’ the UK group's global technology function and implement a cloud strategy.
“He has pioneered digital solutions achieving very high adoption levels, leading to a total transformation of the Coats’ go-to-market strategy,” said the Apollo statement.
Additionally, it said, Hassen drove the set-up of ‘Factory 4.0’, created an integrated global supply chain with SAP (ERP system) and helped establish advanced supply chain management systems at Coats.
His contribution helped in reduction of net working capital, significant reduction of the supply chain cost base, and improved customer service levels, Apollo said.
“I am excited to be a part of this dynamic and growing organisation,” said Hassen, “My focus would be to challenge and improve upon the existing processes and systems in the company to deliver the best business results.”
Hassen holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the University of Leeds, UK.


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Florida Senate approves wine keg bill
- Staff South Florida Business Journal
The Florida Senate approved a bill on Thursday that would allow restaurants and bars to sell wine poured from kegs, the Orlando Business Journal reports.
The passage of SB 658 would eliminate a ban on wine sold in an individual container larger than one gallon unless sold by a qualified distributors and manufacturers to other qualified distributors or manufacturers, the Business Journal reported.
Supporters of the bill, which must still be signed by Gov. Rick Scott, say the wine kegs would allow businesses to more easily sell large quantities of wine by the glass and the wine would remain fresh longer.
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By Inti Landauro and Myriam Rivet
PARIS (Reuters) – Three weeks of “yellow vest” protests have dealt a serious blow to the French economy with retailers, hotel chains, high-street stores and restaurants all seeing a significant fall in trade, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Monday.
Speaking after a meeting with industry groups and business federations affected by the movement, Le Maire said sector revenues had been hit by between 15 and 50 percent.
While he did not provide a precise breakdown, Le Maire said small retailers had seen a fall in revenue of between 20 and 40 percent, the hotel industry was seeing reservations down 15 to 25 percent and restaurants, depending on their location, had seen takings collapse by between 20 and 50 percent.
“The impact is severe and ongoing,” Le Maire said, emphasising that it was nationwide, although Paris, after riots and looting in some of its most upmarket districts on Saturday afternoon and evening, was particularly affected.
The finance ministry was not able to say what sort of impact the unrest would have on gross domestic product.
(Writing by Luke Baker; Reporting by Inti Landauro, Pascale Denis, Gilles Guillaume, Gwenaelle Barzic and Myriam Rivet; Editing by Toby Chopra)


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Supplier News Breaks
Physicians Formula to go private in buyout
August 15th, 2012
AZUSA, Calif. – Physicians Formula Holdings Inc. has agreed to be acquired by Swander Pace Capital for $65 million.
The cosmetics and skin care company said Wednesday that under the deal, affiliates of Swander Pace will buy all outstanding shares of Physicians Formula common stock for $4.25 per share in cash, a premium of about 15% over the closing stock price on Aug. 14 and a premium of 21% over the one-month volume-weighted average price of $3.50 per share.
The transaction is slated to close later this year. Once completed, Physicians Formula will be privately owned and will continue to be operated by its current management team and employees.
"Our board of directors, following a thorough analysis by its Special Committee, has determined that this transaction offers the best value for our stockholders," stated Ingrid Jackel, Physicians Formula chairman and chief executive officer. "We are pleased that Swander Pace has agreed to purchase our company. The firm has a record of success in acquiring and operating companies in the consumer space, and we believe they will add value to our business as we continue to successfully execute our growth initiatives."
A mass-market prestige or "masstige" beauty care company, Physicians Formula was founded in 1937 by Dr. Frank Crandall. It will remain based in Azusa, Calif.
"The acquisition of Physicians Formula reinforces Swander Pace's investment focus on lower middle-market consumer products industry companies," commented Swander Pace managing director Mo Stout. "Physicians Formula is a pioneer in the cosmetics industry, and we are committed to working with its management team on this next stage of growth and innovation for the company."
More Supplier News Breaks >>


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In “Chinese Whispers”, we share the biggest news stories about the luxury industry in China that haven’t yet made it into the English language.
In this week’s edition, we discuss:
- Taobao as a tool for young Chinese fashion designers,
- Facial recognition technology for YSL Beauté, and
- JD.com's new pop-up store in collaboration with Elle China.
After graduating from fashion design institutions, increasing numbers of young Chinese fashion designers are choosing to launch their careers on Alibaba’s consumer-facing marketplace Taobao. According to a new report co-released by Taobao and CBNdata, more than 20 percent of fashion designers currently selling on Taobao have an overseas education. Many of these have graduated from top-tier institutions including Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, Bunka Fashion College, and Istituto Marangoni.
China’s young designers are thirsty for a healthy online ecosystem to empower their emerging businesses. Taobao, with its complete trading system and a huge consumer database, provides the support needed to help new designers grow and nurture their brands. The report shows that young designers on the platform have now acquired over 400 million fans with high brand loyalty.
In recent years, affluent young Chinese students have flocked to fashion and art institutes thanks to the support of increasingly wealthy families. However, many of them have trouble finding conventional jobs in the industry after graduation, causing them to consider becoming self-made fashion entrepreneurs. Taobao marketplace offers a chance for them to develop their brands in a mature e-commerce ecosystem.
2. YSL Beauté Lures Consumers With Facial Recognition Technology – luxe.co#
French luxury cosmetics brand YSL Beauté recently opened a flash sales store in Hong Kong, promoting its new fragrance product – Mon Paris Couture. The brand has worked with Chinese tech giant Tencent to bring facial recognition technology to shoppers, attracting hundreds of thousands of them to line up outside the store. To gain access to the facial recognition feature, users just have to upload their photos on to the brand's WeChat mini-program.
Facial recognition technology has been widely adopted by the global beauty industry, as a way of improving in-store customer engagement by offering an entertaining and personalized shopping experience. In China, Tencent incorporates this technology into the payment process, which now lets consumers pay without showing cash, card or even their mobile phone. International fashion brands like Jack & Jones and Vero Moda are among the first to introduce it into stores.
In its ongoing quest to expand into the luxury fashion market, JD.com has recently collaborated with fashion magazine Elle to launch a pop-up store named “JD Fashion Space." The store, located in a high-end shopping mall in Shanghai, is divided into six sections to display different genres of brands. Consumers can purchase items directly by scanning the QR code corresponding to each product. The store also boasts built-in virtual fitting rooms, AI advertisements, and other interactive innovations - all powered by the latest technology.
Following its investment in Farfetch and the launch of luxury portal TopLife last year, JD.com has officially become an established player in China’s luxury fashion market. However, having begun as a traditional e-commerce platform specializing in consumer electronics, it has taken JD.com a long time to reposition itself as a trusted seller of luxury.


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Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Day has a date, and it’s June 9.
Keighley published for the first time event back in March, almost immediately after Cancellation of E3 2022 made rounds. The Summer Game Festival begins at 11 a.m. Pacific / 2 p.m. Eastern, including a live show kick off.
In addition to streaming everywhere, you can watch Summer Game Fest live in IMAX theaters for the first time. Tickets will go on sale next week. The new partnership extends to Keighley’s other major event, The Game Awards, which will also be showcased at IMAX this December.
Here is the trailer announcing our new partnership with @imax to bring you all the great game trailers and announcements in the world’s biggest and best cinema format!
Tickets go on sale next week! pic.twitter.com/mhnLqqYR87
– Summer Game Festival – Live June 9 (@summergamefest) May 5, 2022
Naturally, Keighley didn’t announce which games will be at the show, but the IMAX montage showcases upcoming games like Starfield, Sonic Frontiers, Star Wars Eclipseand Callisto . protocol. Before you get too excited, that shot might just be for the hot reel and doesn’t indicate what will actually be shown.
E3 may not be happening, but the summer game event schedule is starting to take shape. Focus on Independent of Double Fine and Iam8bit Developer’s Day starting on June 9, The Tribeca Games Spotlight airs on June 10, and the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase is recently confirmed for June 12.


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General Motors invests in domestic lithium. The company said on Friday it had become the first investor in an Australian firm’s project to extract the mineral, a critical component of electric vehicle batteries, from the Salton Sea geothermal field near Los Angeles. The automaker will have the first rights to lithium produced by Controlled Thermal Resources’ âHell’s Kitchenâ lithium mining project.
The Hell’s Kitchen project is expected to begin producing lithium in 2024. This production would be used in GM’s Ultium battery cells, which are being manufactured in a joint venture with LG Energy Solution, after being validated and tested. While Tim Grewe, general manager of GM’s electrification strategy and cellular engineering, declined to provide details on how much lithium GM is likely to receive, he said the company expects “This is a significant amount of [GMâs] North American lithium.
GM and other automakers will need a lot of lithium if they are to meet their electrification goals. For GM, that includes completely phasing out internal combustion engines by 2035. But this large-scale transition will likely also mean increased competition – not just for customer money, but for the source minerals that make up the parts. essential such as batteries.
Typically, lithium is produced either through hard rock mining or by extracting the mineral from brine deposits. Both methods have been criticized for their impact on the environment. What sets CTR’s project apart is that it will use renewable geothermal energy – produced from the Salton Sea geothermal field, a large area of ââthe Imperial Valley that is already home to eleven geothermal power plants – to process lithium. .
In addition to being powered by renewable energy, CTR says the project uses a direct closed-loop extraction process that returns spent brine to its underground source and leaves no production residue, a sort of waste from the ground. ‘mining.
Most of the world’s lithium comes from a small number of countries, mainly Chile, Australia, China and Argentina. There is only one lithium production site in the United States, a Nevada brine operation owned by chemicals giant Albemarle. But the focus has been increasingly on increasing domestic production of ore in recent years, mainly due to two trends: the forecast demand for the ore, which is expected to increase rapidly in part due to the transition to battery electric vehicles; and a bipartisan focus on maintaining US competitiveness in emerging technologies.
According to the California Energy Commission, up to a third of the current global demand for lithium could be in the state’s lithium deposits. The CTR project is one of several projects aimed at extracting lithium from the vast brine fields of the Salton Sea.


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As samsung prepares to launch its new fall flagship Galaxy Note 20,, the closer it gets to the launch date, the more information about the device. According to the latest reports, although Galaxy Note 20 have added new features and the latest generation of hardware, it may actually be cheaper than previous products.The korean portal Naver quoted industry sources as saying that the Galaxy Note 20 korean starting price may be around $999, but this is likely to be the standard version of the device, Galaxy Note 20Ultra will be sold from $1040.
For Samsung's latest and most powerful smartphones, it's hard to get used to the fact that the rising prices in recent years have fallen this year. On the other hand, considering the market performance of the galaxy S20, this strategy is quite reasonable.
The galaxy S20, launched in February and launched in March, has been a victim of the global health crisis because it relies mainly on retailers. The performance of the galaxy S20 was much lower than expected. Now I believe Samsung is worried that the note 20 will also be affected in a similar way.
A reduction in prices could help make Note20 a more attractive purchase, although it remains to be seen whether this is enough for the company to cope with the impact of the health crisis. we will learn more after the unveiling on august 5.


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Ford to Import New Focus from China, Invest in Kentucky Plant
More than $900 million in upgrades are coming to build the new Expedition and Navigator in Kentucky, while Focus production moves overseas.
Ford announced Tuesday that it is investing $900 million into its Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville for upgrades and that it will import future Ford Focus models from China.
The Kentucky plant is where Ford will be building the next generation Expedition, including the newly reborn FX4 package, as well as the Lincoln Navigator. These trucks will be not only sold in the US, but also exported to 55 countries. This investment comes hot on the heels of a $1.3 billion investment in 2015 to build the Ford Super Duty pickup at this same plant.
Current examples of the Ford Focus proudly wear stickers proclaiming the car's birth in Michigan, but that's about to change as current generation Focus production winds down. Ford said that the next generation of the Focus will be imported primarily from China, rather than Mexico as originally planned. This means that all North American Focus production will cease with the next generation of the car, but American jobs will remain secure at the Michigan plant. The Michigan facility will retool for the return of the Ranger in 2018, followed by the Bronco in 2020.
Ford said that importing the Focus from China will actually save $500 million as compared to importing it from Mexico, on top of another $500 million saved by canceling plans for a new factory in San Luis Potosi. This makes sense when you think about it on a global scale. Americans are addicted to trucks and SUVs, so it is reasonable to build them on American soil where most of them will be sold. Likewise, small cars are not popular in the US, but are more accessible to people in China than our expensive trucks.
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Fans of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time, rejoice. Amazon has finally released the official trailer for the upcoming live-action adaptation of the epic saga. The video introduces us to a world ruled by violence and chaos, where a group of women possesses magical powers to hunt men who can use magic. In addition to a closer look at the young protagonists who will try to change their world, it features the Dark One, the mysterious, evil force always eyeing the Wheel of Time. Much has yet to be seen and revealed, but the recently released footage bodes well. Amazon believes so much in this series’ potential that a sophomore season is already in the works.
You can watch the trailer for The Wheel of Time in the player below.
RELATED: The Wheel of Time Showrunner Teases a Multiple-Perspective Adventure
In addition to the trailer, the producers announced that the first three episodes would premiere on Friday, Nov. 19. New episodes will follow every Friday until the season finale on Dec. 24.
Per the official description, The Wheel of Time is “set in a sprawling, epic world where magic exists and only certain women are allowed to access it, the story follows Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), a member of the incredibly powerful all-female organization called the Aes Sedai, as she arrives in the small town of Two Rivers. There, she embarks on a dangerous, world-spanning journey with five young men and women, one of whom is prophesied to be the Dragon Reborn, who will either save or destroy humanity.”
What do you think about The Wheel of Time trailer? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1)
We are also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program also provides a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.


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Charter Communications, the third largest pay TV provider in the U.S., announced first-quarter earnings marked by an acceleration in video subscriber declines.
The company posted net video subscriber losses totaling 145,000, compared to a net loss of 111,000 one year ago. The company lost 152,000 residential video subscribers this quarter, a 24% increase over the 121,000 residential subscribers it lost in the year-ago quarter. Those residential video subscriber losses were offset somewhat by 7,000 new small and medium business video subscribers being added.
Charter ended the quarter with 15.95 million total video primary service units and approximately 26.6 million customer relationships.
Charter CEO Tom Rutledge said that the negative impacts associated with Charter’s acquisition and integration of Time Warner Cable and Bright House should subside moving forward.
"With the most customer-impacting elements of our integration behind us, we are now focused on growing our business. We are doing that by driving high quality subscriptions, reducing transactions and churn, and maintaining and creating product superiority with a value proposition that our competitors don't provide," said Rutledge in a statement.
As video subscriber declines continued their downward trend, Charter’s video revenues rose during the first quarter. The company posted total video revenues of $4.38 billion, up 2.1% from the year-ago quarter. At the same time, the company’s cable operating expenses rose a near identical 2% during the quarter.
Commercial revenues rose to $1.6 billion, an increase of 4.3% over the year-ago quarter, driven by small and medium business revenue growth of 5% and enterprise revenue growth of 3.4%. First quarter advertising sales revenues of $345 million declined 3.1% compared to the year-ago quarter, thanks in part to lower political revenue.
Growth from both video and internet service revenues helped grow Charter’s overall cable revenues by 5.1% to $11.2 billion during the quarter. The segment’s adjusted EBITDA rose 4.2% to more than $4 billion. The company ended up with net income attributable to Charter shareholders totaling $253 million in the first quarter, up from $168 million one year ago.


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Millie Bobby Brown is growing up before our eyes.
The 15-year-old Stranger Things actress took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a series of shots from her recent Vanity Fair Italy photo shoot. The pictures were a smash hit with her 27.8 million followers, attracting a number of comments about how grown up and beautiful the actress and model looked in the shots.
“Stunning,” one person wrote.
“I’m so proud of you!” another wrote.
The shots showed Millie posing in what appeared to be an empty diner, with the actress wearing a black and white suit in one of the shots as she sat atop the back of a seat. In another, Millie wore a strapless red dress as she leaned back onto a table. The pictures reflected her career evolution from just being an actress to one of the most up-and-coming models since signing onto the modeling giant IMG in 2017.
The magazine hits the newsstands next week, but the images showed up on the Vanity Fair Italy website on Wednesday, including the interview with the actress. Like many fans noted on her Instagram pictures, Millie talked about how fast she’s grown up in front of the camera and how much of a difference she sees in herself when looking back to the first season of Stranger Things.
“Being a teenager means feeling different every day. The body changes so quickly, the eyelashes get longer, the tone of the voice gets lower,” she said. “When I look at myself in the first season, I don’t seem to be eleven but two. I spoke with a small voice.”
It’s been a big week for the teenage actress. Just before she shared the snaps from the Vanity Fair photo shoot, she announced a new beauty brand called “florence by mills.”
Millie announced the new brand with an Instagram video and an announcement about all the work she had put into it.
“Literally the love of my life, I cant begin to explain the love I have for this and how hard but crazy excited I was to create it,” she wrote.
The announcement garnered some viral interest, with celebrity news outlets picking up the story of her launch and fans expressing excitement about when they might be able to buy Millie’s products.


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The COVID-19 pandemic is like a “reagent” to know how the health of all around the world business community is doing? How quickly they react to the crisis, from which they also clearly see the strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities ahead. When the epidemic was pushed to the climax, many businesses took action for their survival.
Therefore, if you are flexible and ready to change in the game, you will understand the times and seize many opportunities. The following article is the “hottest” business ideas during the Covid-19 season for those with small capital, suitable for the epidemic season while still ensuring business ethics.
Online food business
Restaurants are closed according to the Government’s directive, people just stay at home and order food online to take home instead of going out. So why don’t we take advantage of this opportunity to try to practice making a certain dish or drink for business? Social networks and technology are becoming effective tools to help us easily do anything without needing too much capital. And if you are a skillful person, it is even more wonderful, right? So what are the steps to take?
- Choose a dish or drink you can easily make at home
- Search for recipes and how-tos online
- Preparing instruments
A small note is that before deciding to sell a dish, ask a relative or friend to evaluate and comment on the finished product. It is extremely important to get the opinions of others in the food and beverage business. Because we can’t do business based on our subjectivity, can we?
Sales of functional and health-promoting products
Covid-19 is a new strain of virus, there are many mysteries that science has not been able to discover. Until now, doctors around the world still do not know where this virus comes from and have not found a vaccine to treat it. We receive new information every day from a variety of sources, emphasizing its dangers.
The number of infected people is increasing exponentially every day around the world. Even major political officials in the world, celebrities, and football players are infected with this virus. The fear of the people increased unceasingly. Therefore, people always give priority to buying functional products to improve health to prevent disease.
On the market today, there are many different types of functional products for you to choose from. Foods that support vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, etc. to enhance immunity are targeted by many users. These functional products can bring you certain profits and are not too complicated to do business with. You don’t need a lot of capital, as long as you know the origin as well as the quality of the products sold, you can work towards the business of these products.
Currently, functional products are being sold popularly on e-commerce sites, this is a great opportunity for you to do business. If you are a shopper, do not miss the discount codes and coupons available for business on the coupon sites to buy goods at the most favorable price.
Canned food at home
According to a survey just released by Infocus Mekong Research, e-commerce currently accounts for only 5% of retail value in 2019, so far 76% of consumers have shopped at least once within the past 3 months and reached the level of retail sales. growing more than 20% annually.
However, the COVID-19 epidemic is affecting shopping behavior, consumers want to stay away from crowds more, limit going to supermarkets, shopping malls, and online services will become increasingly popular. develop and attract more new customers to their services. Therefore, growth in this industry will have many breakthroughs in the coming time.
However, the report also points out that tourism – hospitality, retail, catering, and manufacturing – logistics are the sectors that are currently suffering major damage. Notably, businesses that are heavily dependent on the Chinese market are most clearly and severely affected.
Yoga Coach, Online Gym at home
If you are an experienced person in Yoga and Gym training, opening an online class will be an option worth trying. Yoga is one of the subjects that not only brings flexibility to the body but is also a source of energy to help you have resistance and strengthen the immune system. The gym is a sport that has been scientifically proven and recognized to have the ability to help people improve their health significantly. Therefore, if you are an experienced person in these two subjects, this is a very reasonable business plan during this epidemic season.
Currently, students and students are having a long vacation due to covid-19, especially in the context of the epidemic becoming more and more complicated, the absence from school maybe even longer. Many schools have been running online teaching programs for students to solve this long-term absence.
Trading in high-quality masks
In addition to hand sanitizer products, masks are a hot item on the market today, if not with huge consumption, it is becoming scarce in many parts of the world.
Many medical facilities and drugstores have sold out of masks in a short time, especially in the market, there are beginning to appear poor quality mask products, or smuggled masks, masks of no origin. then a high-quality mask will be a suitable choice for you.
At a time when the covid-19 pandemic is becoming more and more widespread and complicated, quality products will always be prioritized and accepted by consumers.
Business at home body hygiene products
Body hygiene products are also one of the items to be purchased during this very sensitive epidemic period. Covid-19 has made people pay more attention to daily personal hygiene. Therefore, body hygiene products such as hand sanitizer, face wash, mouthwash, etc. are always sold out.
Hygiene products are a hot commodity in the market today. The huge consumption in supermarkets and convenience stores has led to a shortage of supply in our country. Many shopping places, medical facilities, drugstores have sold out of hand sanitizer and mouthwash in a short time. The market has begun to appear body hygiene products of poor quality, pirated or non-originating products. The business of body hygiene products with high quality and clear origin will be the right choice for you.
In the current complicated epidemic situation, online business from home will be the trend to help people improve the economy during difficult times. Above are the hottest business ideas during the covid epidemic, wish you success.


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Amid the library’s typical morning traffic and clusters of students who gather, a new interest point is drawing an even larger number of students to its lower level.
Bearden’s Dawg House Café has grown in popularity since it opened more than a week ago and is selling an increased number of hot drinks as more students become aware of its existence.
Virtual Enterprise and the library have partnered in this effort in order to raise money for the library as well generate funds for the Virtual Enterprise students’ annual trip to New York. Each student will receive money based on the number of hours they work, which will go toward decreasing the cost of their individual trips.
Librarian Mrs. Kristen Heffern said that running the shop gives these students the experience that they need as they prepare for to compete for a national title in business planning.
“They do inventory and reorder supplies,” Mrs. Heffern said. “They also set their own prices and ensure that they are making a profit.”
The Dawg House Café has been consistently open each morning since it has opened, and VE is starting to open it up some during lunch as well.
In addition to coffee, the shop sells hot chocolate and tea – another element that has been attracting a large pool of students.
“I’m not much of a ‘coffee person’, so the fact that they are selling hot chocolate is huge plus,” junior Cate O’Donnell said. “As we move into the colder months, it will be nice to be able to come and buy a drink to warm up after with a drink that I will actually enjoy, after walking up from the junior lot.”
Senior VE student Mary Lehn, who acts as one of the shop’s managers of operation, said that the increase of students has been hectic, but also beneficial.
“It helps Virtual Enterprise students because students in the class work in a business setting and cooperate with each other as employees,” Lehn said.
Mrs. Heffern said students should equate their experience at the “Dawg House” to that of their favorite bookstore, from the quality of the coffee to the library’s inviting atmosphere.
“We’re like the new Barnes and Noble, instead of a tough study hall that’s going to yell at kids,” Mrs. Heffern said.
“We’re not like that, and I want to continue to perpetuate that reputation.”


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ASEAN: Association of South East Asian Nations to accelerate economic growth through social progress and cultural development.
What do you understand by ASEAN?
ASEAN (/ˈɑːsiɑːn/ AH-see-ahn, /ˈɑːziɑːn/ AH-zee-ahn), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational, and sociocultural …
What are the strength of ASEAN Class 12?
The current economic strength of ASEAN particularly its economic relevance as a trading and investment partner to the growing Asian economies such as India and China makes this an attractive proposition. India signed FTA with two ASEAN members, Singapore and Thailand, and trying to sign an FTA with ASEAN itself.
What is ASEAN and its purpose?
The ASEAN Declaration states that the aims and purposes of the Association are: (1) to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and (2) to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the …
Why do we need to study ASEAN?
The people of Southeast Asia will support regional integration efforts when they see the benefits to them. … Creation of more opportunities for work, travel, business and studies would be important vehicles for greater people-to-people interactions and understanding.
Who established ASEAN?
How did LTTE emerge? Answer: LTTE emerged 1983 onwards on the negligence of Tamil interest by Sri Lanka government. Hence, ‘Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam’ (LTTE) took birth demanding a seperate state for Tamil in Sri Lanka.
How is ASEAN a role model for international organization?
“ASEAN has evolved into a role model for regional cooperation as it celebrates the 50th anniversary year of its foundation this year,” MoS for External Affairs Gen (retd) V K Singh said. … Today, it is appreciated for the stability it has brought to the region and its immediate neighbourhood,” Singh said.
What are the reasons for the rise of Chinese economy class 12?
(i) Remarkable rise in agricultural production and rural income. (ii) Growth in rural industry. (iii) Rise in foreign trade. (iv) Large foreign exchange reserves.
What is the objective of the ASEAN Mcq?
Explanation: The full form of ASEAN is Association of South East Asian Nations. The motive of ASEAN is to promote economic cooperation in south East Asia and ensure economic stability in the region.
What is the mission of ASEAN quizlet?
What is the mission of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)? ASEAN fosters regional cooperation in order to control (rather than be controlled by) external global forces.
What are the achievements of ASEAN?
ASEAN has successfully maintained peace, stability and security in the region through the various frameworks and mechanisms, such as Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) (1971), Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) (1976), and Southeast Asian Nuclear‐Weapon‐Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ) (1995) …
What is the history of ASEAN?
History – ASEAN. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Why is ASEAN important to Singapore?
The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is one of the fastest growing economic blocs in the world – and Singapore offers an ideal base to expand into the region. … ASEAN is the third largest economy in Asia , powered by a rapidly growing middle class and an aggregate consumer market of 628 million people.


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Judge Denies Facebook and Oculus VR’s Motions to Dismiss ZeniMax Lawsuit
A U.S. District Judge dismissed Oculus VR and Facebook's motions to dismiss ZeniMax's federal lawsuit against them over accusations of stolen trade secrets.
According to Polygon, U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis denied Facebook, Oculus VR and company founder Palmer Luckey's motions to dismiss ZeniMax Media's federal lawsuit against them. This means the lawsuit is going forward and will be hitting the courts with Oculus VR on one end and ZeniMax Media on the other. We first started covering this story in May 2014, when Oculus VR was being sued by ZeniMax for misappropriated trade secrets.
ZeniMax claims that legendary game developer John Carmack, known for his work on Wolfenstein 3D and the original Doom, stole ZeniMax's pertinent and copyrighted intellectual property when he jumped ship from ZeniMax Media after finding out they wouldn't be supporting the Oculus Rift VR headset. Carmack joined Oculus VR in mid-2013 as their Chief Technology Officer after working on ZeniMax's yet-to-be-revealed VR project. ZeniMax remains adamant that Carmack took their tech with him to Oculus VR, while Carmack claims that the work he did wasn't patented. Carmack also said that ZeniMax might own the code he wrote, but they don't own his industry know-how of virtual reality tech.
On top of this, six of ZeniMax's other former employees now work at Oculus VR. ZeniMax claims that Oculus is benefiting from its investments into VR tech, and that rather than agreeing to giving ZeniMax a 2 percent equity stake, Oculus began stealing ZeniMax's employees from them.
Mind you, earlier this year we reported that another company is suing Luckey and Oculus VR. Luckey was hired by Total Recall Technologies (seriously, that's its name) years ago to develop a head-mounted display, and that the feedback and information he got from their prototype headset was used in developing the Oculus Rift. Luckey believes that both companies are simply money hungry after Oculus VR was acquired by Facebook for $2 billion.
100 Video Game Facts You May Not Know


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ISLAMABAD: Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan is expected soon.
According to diplomatic sources, Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Pakistan soon. Final dates for his visit are being set.
Sources said that more Chinese investment for C-Pack is also expected to be announced during the Chinese President’s visit. In addition, the changing situation in the region will also be considered important issues.


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- Drop off or arrange a collection
- Shipped via Express services to the USA
- Clears Customs Tax Free
- Delivered last mile by USPS
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