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What’s even more troubling is that only 10% of hit-and-run cases are solved “due to an overwhelming lack of evidence,” Flock Safety says. So, if your car was hit while parked somewhere and there wasn’t anyone there to witness it—or a camera to record the culprit—there’s a good chance the person responsible won’t get caught, statistically speaking.
TikToker Antrell (@techbyantrell) was presumably in the “best” case scenario for being on the receiving end of a hit-and-run accident while parked in his apartment complex. His car, a Tesla, has cameras situated all around the front of the vehicle that can be used and operated via its Sentry Mode to record its surroundings.
The parking area that his car was in while it was struck was also outfitted with security cameras that presumably recorded the incident.
However, Antrell details in a series of viral clips that getting footage of the accident hasn’t been that simple. He initially posted about the incident in a TikTok which has accrued over 3.9 million views as of Saturday.
Sorry for the language guys but I-♬ original sound – Antrell | TechByAntrell
“So, I haven’t driven my car in five days and this is what I come outside to,” Antrell says in the clip.
The camera switches to reveal a black Tesla vehicle with a severely smashed front bumper. Pieces of it rest on the asphalt before it.
“Look at my f*cking car. Look at my f*cking car. Someone slammed into my f*cking car,” he says. “I have no idea when. Someone probably came around this corner and slammed into my f*cking car and I just came outside to this. Happy f*cking Saturday.”
One commenter highlighted how Tesla vehicles are outfitted with cameras that allow them to record their surroundings, and Antrell said in a follow-up video that because his car was under a certain battery percentage, it didn’t record his surroundings and only had footage of the last day he drove it, which was June 25.
He added that even though the parking facility had security camera footage of that day, they weren’t allowing him to view it.
@techbyantrell Replying to @Mathew Watung ♬ original sound – Antrell | TechByAntrell
Users couldn’t understand why management at his apartment complex wouldn’t give him access to the security recording.
“How the hell can they refuse to give it to you ?” one person wrote in the comments section.
Another couldn’t understand why one of the most useful features of a Tesla is disabled whenever a vehicle dips below a certain battery life, either.
“The one thing Tesla is good for and they limit the feature due to low battery???” they wrote. “Give it back friend.”
According to Tesla Motors Club, drivers cannot engage remote Sentry Mode or Climate Control when their vehicles are below 20% battery, as both of these actions draw power from the car’s electrical system.
One commenter from another video said that they experienced a similar situation and only gained access to the security camera footage until after they filed a police report.
“File a police report and they should be able to get it from your apartment,” they shared. “Had something similar happen where the owner building wouldn’t give it to.”
One user also couldn’t believe that Antrell didn’t receive a notice on his Tesla application that a crash occurred, which is a feature offered by the auto manufacturer.
“Did you not get an alert from the Tesla app?” they said.
In Antrell’s most recent updates, however, he revealed how he was able to track down the person who allegedly hit his car. According to the TikToker, the person who identified the culprit was in the car with them when they hit Antrell’s vehicle.
Guys… so we were right all along♬ original sound – Antrell | TechByAntrell
Antrell details in a few more videos how he was able to find out that the culprit was a woman driving her boyfriend’s truck, and how she allegedly paid the leasing management staff to keep quiet about the accident.
“I knew all along that the leasing staff was in on it,” the TikToker says. “I could definitely tell something was being covered up.”
Antrell says he has contacted the Los Angeles Police Department and “will definitely be taking legal action.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Antrell via email.


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As usual with April Fools’ Day we got a super-large crop of fishy stories in the general news and a bumper helping on the technology/computer side of the news too. Google appears to have been the chief jester in the technology court with several new technologies which are sadly completely fictional. Let’s have a look at some of the japes...
Google had quite a number of April Fools’ developments in the news. Firstly there was Google Nose. This was a new olfactory search engine using a sense that “been overlooked” until now. The lead engineer on the project promised “photo-auditory-olfactory sensory convergence” with Google’s new online search tool. In preparing the service Google had amassed a “15 million scentibite database of smells from around the world.”
A new project by the Google Maps team was also in the news today. “Archeological analysis” had enabled a new maps mode to sit alongside the satellite view and the street view – a Pirate Treasure Map view. Pop along to maps.google.com/treasure to see it for yourself; a pretty nice effect.
According to the Google Maps blog “The map was found on a recent expedition in the Indian Ocean, as part of a deep-water dive to expand our underwater Street View collection. Captain Kidd was rumoured to have buried his treasure around the world, and tales of a long-lost treasure map have lingered for generations.”
In another Google prank YouTube was set to close at midnight last night as it had got enough creative entries for its video competition. Judging was about to start today and the winner would be announced when the panel has sifted though the shortlisted entries, in about 10 years from now...
Furthermore Google let us in on the “Gmail Blue” project heralded as “the next big step for Gmail”. The new design would bring email into the 21st century, by making everything blue. My favourite quote was: “Brown was a disaster”.
This April Fools’ “joke” was a leaked roadmap showing the launch of various other BlackBerry 10 devices in the coming year. These included a phablet, tablet and a square looking smartphone with a keyboard. Being so dull, several sites seem to have picked up this April fools leak as real news. The origin of the leak was a @BB10Leaks, a kind of evleaks style source for BlackBerry fans.
Twitter announced a “two-tier” service which would allow only paying subscribers ($5 per month) access to vowels. The new service was said to have been developed “because we believe that by eliminating vowels, we’ll encourage a more efficient and “dense” form of communication. We also see an opportunity to diversify our revenue stream”. That sounds like a good idea.
This is not quite so tech related, because it’s not Virgin Media, its Virgin Atlantic Airways. Today Virgin announced the world’s first glass-bottom aeroplanes which would be used on the new domestic London to Scotland route. The new tech would “enable Little Red passengers to appreciate the beauty of the British landscape”. However it wouldn’t be so good for vertigo sufferers and it would probably get just as dirty as the Virgin train windows and spoil the effect...
Did anyone see any other tech-related April fools that I missed?

domain: news


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Pink Samsung Galaxy Note Hits South KoreaToday's Special — By Naveen Vaidhya on April 9, 2012 at 11:36 am
Good news pink lovers, the Samsung Galaxy Note that was supposed to release in pink in February is now official!
Even though the Korean company said that they have officially launched the Pink Note but the phone was not for sale anywhere but now the pink version in now a reality along with pinky S-Pen and folding case to match. It is said that the Galaxy Note will have Premium Suite of apps, otherwise the phone has same specs that of the white and black edition that has 5.3 inch Super AMOLED display with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, 8MP camera with LED flash and 1.4GHz processor. The pink Note will run on Android 2.3 Gingerbread and will soon get the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update.


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Last Valentine’s Day, Aussies spent over $23 million dollars on romance, with millennials putting other generations to shame with how much they’re willing to spend on love.
Figures released by Commonwealth Bank (CBA) show that Australians spent $13.6 million on dinner, $7 million on drinks and $3.2 million on flowers last Valentine’s day. This is 60 per cent higher than the average spending figures for these items compared to “an average Tuesday” last February.
Commonwealth Bank General Manager, Everyday Banking and Payments, Michael Baumann, said “with spend on Valentine’s Day rising 15 per cent on 2016, it’s clear that love doesn’t come cheap anymore.
“Aussies looking to treat their partner with dinner, drinks and flowers should expect to splash out around $136 on the big day.”
Roses are red, violets are blue…
CBA also found that romantic Aussies were spending almost double on a bouquet of flowers ($61) than on dinner ($32). We also spent 66 per cent more at a florist for Valentine’s Day in 2017 than for 2016.
In fact, it appears we’re gravitating towards cheaper eats over fancy food, with the average Valentine’s Day dinner bill falling to $32 in 2017 from $44 in 2016.
For those staying in, alcohol sales on Valentine’s Day were also reported to have increased 8 per cent year-on-year.
Young love: millennials are “putting their parents to shame”
CBA also found that the “most romantic” group are those aged 26-35, accounting for 38 per cent of all florist spend and 36 of all restaurant spend. This was followed by 18-25 year olds, taking up 20 per cent of restaurant spending.
It appears Valentine’s Day participation tapers off the older Aussies get. Those aged 36-45 made up 21 per cent of florist spending, 46-55 year olds made up 13 per cent, 56-65 year olds make up 7 per cent and for those over 66 account for only 3 per cent for florist spending.
Although the over 66 group aren’t as involved in the romantic celebrations, it appears when they do Valentine’s Day they “do so in style”, spending $206 on flowers, drinks and dinner.
“Younger couples aged 18 to 25 spend a more conservative $101 on average,” explained Mr Baumann.
“Overall, men spend more than women, buying up 83 per cent of all flowers purchased on Valentine’s Day, and footing 70 per cent of all restaurant bills.”
How to do Valentine’s Day on a budget:
- Beat the crowds by ordering your flowers ahead online and dining out on 13 February – far fewer Aussies dine out the day before.
- Dining out on the cheap is in, so don’t be afraid to pick an affordable favourite.
- With the cost of dinner, drinks, flowers, and the ride home to think about, set yourself a budget and stick to it.


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Youth perceptions on their education and their future.
This month’s edition of Ipsos Update features the latest research and thinking from Ipsos around the world on creativity and innovation, NATO, Gen Z in MENA and in-depth reports from Australia, Brazil, Russia and the UK.
This month’s edition of Ipsos Update features the latest research and thinking from Ipsos around the world on the future of mobility, world affairs, survey sampling and global infrastructure.
This month's edition of Ipsos Update features recent Ipsos research and thinking on mental health, Black Friday and retail trends, brand-building and climate change.
Ist unser Blick auf die späte Phase im Leben noch angemessen? Reflektionen über die „Neuen Alten“ als vernachlässigte Generation.
Our new paper explores the latest consumer thinking around the three main mobility trends, their impact on the automotive industry, and what this means for the future.
Insights aus der Ipsos Brand Value Creator (BVC) Datenbank
A new approach to Point of Sales activation
Using 100 months of data, we go beyond the headline stats to uncover long-term trends and surprising developments in the reported social and political concerns around the world.
As environmental attitudes and consumer shopping habits change, packaging offers rewards for brands who demonstrate leadership on sustainability


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DUBLIN, July 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Online Payment Fraud Detection Market - Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, Trends, and Forecast up to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The global online payment fraud detection market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.10% during the forecast period 2019-2025.
Widespread adoption of technologies including card-chip and new digital channels are emerging resulting in fraudsters becoming more adaptive and collaborative with the nature of financial fraud which is growing rapidly. Increasing internet penetration and digitization across emerging and undeveloped economies are driving the growth of online payment fraud detection market across the globe. Hence financial institutions, merchants, and payment service providers are adopting the artificial intelligence (AI) technology for managing their online payment fraud incidents and reducing fraud losses, thereby enhancing the customer experience.
The aim of this report is to define, describe, segment, and forecast the global online payment fraud detection market on the basis of solution, mode, and regions. In addition, the report helps the venture capitalists in understanding the companies better and make well-informed decisions. The report is primarily designed to provide the company's executives with strategically substantial competitor information, data analysis, and insights about the market, development, and implementation for an effective marketing plan.
Integration of AI in online payment fraud management solutions is one of the key factors that has influenced the implementation of online payment fraud detection solutions by several institutions. Cognitive systems help in data analysis and provide actionable insights to meet customer demands.
Furthermore, increasing complexity in online frauds is forcing banks and other institutions to deploy several new fraud management solutions to reduce the noise level in the system and meet the customer expectation. Machine learning, predictive analytics, and artificial intelligence technologies are in demand and a major number of acquisitions in the recent years were associated with these technologies and these technologies will dominate the investment patterns in the coming years.
The global online payment fraud detection market is categorized based on the presence of diversified small and large vendors. CyberSource, Ingenico, RSA Security, and Worldpay are among the key vendors increasing their global footprint in this space. However, various vendors such as IPQualityScore and SIMILITY are competing with them in the global market by providing solutions at a competitive price with the customized product offering. The market growth is fueled by key vendors entering into strategic partnerships with suppliers and third-party vendors in the ecosystem to increase the global footprint and customer service capabilities.
Fraud analytics is the fastest growing technology in the global online payment fraud detection market owing to the increasing adoption of AI in online payment fraud detection solutions. Continuous advancements in technologies are leading fraudsters to use sophisticated tools resulting in a challenging environment for enterprises to prevent themselves from fraud incidents. Hence, due to the need for real-time information, vendors have introduced technology-based online payment fraud detection solutions, which are more capable and intelligent.
North America is having the largest market share in the application segment of the global online payment fraud detection market primarily due to availability of huge volumes of data being generated from multiple sources and the need to analyze these datasets for decision making. Mobile banking has become a popular way for money transactions hence, frequently targeted by the fraudsters.
The competitive landscape is a mix of established vendors and niche vendors including Ingenico, CyberSource, NuData Security, RSA Security, and Worldpay. Mergers & acquisitions, alliance formations, and strategic partnerships will boost market growth during the forecast period.
Some of the key happenings are detailed below:
Key Topics Covered:
1 Executive Summary
2 Industry Outlook
2.1 Industry Snapshot
2.1.1 Industry Overview
2.1.2 Industry Trends
3 Market Snapshot
3.1 Total Addressable Market
3.2 Segmented Addressable Market
3.2.1 PEST Analysis
3.2.2 Porter's Five Force Analysis
3.3 Related Markets
4 Market Characteristics
4.1 Market Segmentation
4.2 Market Dynamics
184.108.40.206 Increasing complexity in online frauds
220.127.116.11 Growing need for digital fraud prevention
18.104.22.168 Integration of AI in online payment fraud management solutions
22.214.171.124 High cost of online payment fraud solutions impacting adoption rate
126.96.36.199 Limited awareness about the online payment fraud prevention solutions
188.8.131.52 Increasing demand from emerging economies
184.108.40.206 Growing investments in cybersecurity
220.127.116.11 Implementation of real-time data analytics
4.2.4 DRO - Impact Analysis
5 Online Payment Fraud Detection Market, by Solution
5.2 Fraud Analytics
5.4 Reporting and Visualization
6 Online Payment Fraud Detection Market, by Mode
6.3 Mobile Payment
6.4 Card Payment
7 Online Payment Fraud Detection Market, by Region
8 Competitive Landscape
8.1 Competitor Analysis
8.2 Product/Offerings Portfolio Analysis
8.3 SWOT Analysis
8.4 Market Developments
9 Vendor Profiles
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/w91uoc
Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
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SOURCE Research and Markets
These press releases may also interest you


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Sorry, But Fitness Trackers Might Actually Make You Gain Weight
Nobody thinks that fitness trackers will help you lose weight on your own, but most of us are under the impression that having a fitness tracker will push us to move more, which will make us lose more weight, right?
Well, we’re all wrong, according to a new study published in The Journal of American Medical Association.
The study tracked the weight loss of 500 adults who were instructed to follow a reduced calorie diet. Six months into the study, they had half of the adults start using fitness trackers, and guess what? The 250 adults who didn’t use fitness trackers lost an average of five more pounds than the adults who wore a fitness tracker.
Weird, right? But maybe not that weird.
Making healthy choices generally leads to other healthy choices, but sometimes, we want to reward ourselves for making those healthy choices. For example, if I’ve eaten really healthy all week, I’ll probably reward myself by going HAM on donuts and cheese that weekend.
For the adults in this study, it’s likely that when they saw how many steps they were getting (or how many calories they were burning), they actually overate under the assumption that they were burning enough calories to compensate. Or maybe they thought they were doing so much physical activity that they needed to eat more to give them enough energy, you know?
Obviously, strapping a FitBit on your arm isn’t going to suddenly make you start gaining weight, especially because the fitness tracker used in this study was a super old one that was worn on the bicep instead of on the wrist. But if you’re one of those people who (like me) tend to gain weight when you’re working out a lot because you over-eat, or if you simply hate the idea of fitness trackers, then don’t bother with one!


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WetaM Creative Cloud Service is a subscription service, which will feature over 100 custom tools created by Weta Digital, embedded in Autodesk Maya. Among them creative tools, procedural workflows and AI assisted tools. This release will mark Weta’s launch of software-as-a-service (SaaS) buisness division. The new business arm is an integral part of Weta’s expansion strategy to offer professional and prosumer tools to artists across the global entertainment industry. It is also a new trend, as companies like ILM or Digital Domain are trying to monetize their in-house software and tools.
Weta Digital, which is famous for its Lord of the Rings and Avatar effects, has won 13 Academy Sci-tech Awards for its tools, designed to help artists produce some of the most successful film and TV series in the world. It now claims to be one of the largest single-site VFX studios in the world, drawing artists from over 40 countries.
“WetaM is the first step in the democratisation of VFX and animation production,” said Prem Akkaraju, CEO of Weta Digital. “Weta Digital brings together the most creative minds in the world and has been a pioneering innovator in the visual effects and entertainment industry for decades.”
According to Diana Colella, senior vice president of entertainment and media solutions at Autodesk, the debut of WetaM is a “game changer” that opens up years of Weta’s dedicated animation and VFX research and development resources to users around the world.
Weta’s SaaS offering is a strategy development for the company that will see it garner recurring revenue from software subscription services, in addition to the revenue it makes from its core visual effects business. The company is also moving it’s own operation to the cloud, with retiring most of it’s IT infrastructure in favour of Amazon We Services back in 2020. In the past the studio’s data centre in Wellington regularly showed up in Top 500 list of global supercomputers until fading out in June 2018.
Weta intends to rollout WetaM in a private Q4 beta.


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In time for the London Olympics, New York store and brand Opening Ceremony is opening up a temporary space in London. For the occasion they will of course have plenty of collaborative product in place. One of them is a team-up with premium London eyewear brand Prism.
The two present sunglasses in the Olympic colors, coming in an especially rubber wrapped case. Look out for a release soon.


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Not too long ago, it was revealed that Jordan Brand and PSNY were collaborating once again, and their latest collaboration resulted in the creation of three new premium colorways of the Air Jordan 12. These turned out to be Air Jordan 12 iterations with completely tonal nubuck uppers and matching soles, dubbed “Bordeaux,” “Olive” and “Wheat” All three of them hit the shelves this Summer on June 28th, 2017, but not at the same place. The “Bordeaux” was a Milan-exclusive, the “Olive” was a Paris-exclusive and the “Wheat” was a NYC-exclusive on Nike SNKRS. However, the Air Jordan 12 featured above is not an actual release.
Sneakerheads may recall the Air Jordan 12 “Obsidian” that Jordan Brand last dropped on June 23rd, 2012 and it retailed at a price of $160. That very year, celebrities like Chris Brown, Fabolous, Jadakiss and Stalley Rock managed to add a pair of the sneaker to their collection earlier than others. The Air Jordan 12 “Obsidian” is even regarded as one of the best Air Jordan 12 colorways of all time and also of top Air Jordan sneakers that Russell Westbrook wore during that season. One of the noteworthy things about this particular Air Jordan 12 iteration was the fact that its uppers were made up of leather.
The sneaker featured here does indeed look like the Air Jordan 12 “Obsidian” and it does bear that nickname. However, it is actually a sample variation of the sneaker and instead of leather, its uppers are made up of nubuck, much like the PSNY x Air Jordan 12 releases that arrived at retailers last month. Other than this difference in its construction, this Air Jordan 12 “Obsidian” sample looks just the same, with its nubuck uppers dressed up in a combination of Obsidian and White.
However, this does not that Jordan Brand is now ready to transform this sneaker from a sample to a wider, general release. Rather, this Air Jordan 12 “Obsidian” sample is merely a single pair sized 9 and it is currently available on eBay at a whopping price of $1,499.99.
Air Jordan 12 Obsidian Nubuck Sample


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But then a "lone hacker" who goes by Guccifer 2.0 posted some documents from the "many thousands" he or she claims to have extracted from DNC servers..
Among those documents is reportedly more than 260 internal files largely focused on Hillary Clinton. The documents outline criticism of the presumptive nominee and possible defenses on a number of issues, including the 2012 attack in Benghazi and her email controversy.
CrowdStrike stands by its initial findings. It says that Guccifer 2.0's claims don't necessarily lessen the firm's analysis, at least not as far as a connection to the Russian government is concerned.
Outside parties, like Ars Technica, looked into the documents posted online. One of the documents had metadata that led the publication to believe the hacker going by Guccifer 2.0 may still be tied to the Russian government. And at the very least, the hacker is likely a "Russian-speaking [male] with a nostalgia for the country's lost Soviet era."
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 19: A detail of the Ashley Madison website on August 19, 2015 in London, England. Hackers who stole customer information from the cheating site AshleyMadison.com dumped 9.7 gigabytes of data to the dark web on Tuesday fulfilling a threat to release sensitive information including account details, log-ins and credit card details, if Avid Life Media, the owner of the website didn't take Ashley Madison.com offline permanently. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
The Homeland Security Department headquarters in northwest Washington, Friday, June 5, 2015. China-based hackers are suspected once again of breaking into U.S. government computer networks, and the entire federal workforce could be at risk this time. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that data from the Office of Personnel Management _ the human resources department for the federal government _ and the Interior Department had been compromised. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
FILE - In this Feb. 5, 2015 file photo, the Anthem logo hangs at the health insurer's corporate headquarters in Indianapolis. Insurers aren't required to encrypt consumers' data under a 1990s federal law that remains the foundation for health care privacy in the Internet age _ a striking omission in light of the cyberattack against Anthem, the nation's second-largest health insurer. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
Sony Pictures Entertainment headquarters in Culver City, Calif. on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014. The FBI has confirmed it is investigating a recent hacking attack at Sony Pictures Entertainment, which caused major internal computer problems at the film studio last week. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
FILE - In this file photo made Oct. 6, 2009, employee John Abou Nasr pushes shopping carts in the parking lot of a Home Depot in Methuen, Mass. Home Depot's data breach could wind up being among the largest ever for a retailer, but that may not matter to its millions of customers. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
Shoppers arrive at a Target store in Los Angeles on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013. Target says that about 40 million credit and debit card accounts may have been affected by a data breach that occurred just as the holiday shopping season shifted into high gear. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Graphic shows details of recent notable data breaches by organization; 3c x 7 inches; 146 mm x 177 mm;


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IPRO Celebrates 25 Years in Ft Lauderdale
“Remaining in a Changing Business Environment is the apt theme at this year's conference of IPRO (Independent Professional Representative Organization.)
Mark Valenti, President and CEO of the Sextant Group, was this year's keynote speaker and, in speaking to manufacturers, representatives, dealers and buying groups, presented on the changing needs of today's commercial customers and the new technologies and solutions to meet them. Attendees were riveted as Valenti went into depth on the changing landscape and discussed “pushing boundaries and disruptive technologies."
“As a society we are becoming increasingly comfortable with virtual things," Valenti said. "How is that going to impact you and your business?”


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Recalls & Warnings
ConsumerLab.com is keeping you informed with current product recalls and warnings.
Posted May 20, 2015
Gluten Found in More Than Half of Popular Probiotic Supplements Tested
Tests of 22 popular probiotic supplements revealed that 12 contained detectable amounts of gluten, according to researchers at the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley that can cause bowel pain and increase the risk of cancer in people with celiac disease.


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There's an old saying: A rising tide lifts all boats. Recognizing this, a Plymouth florist has decided to give back to the community that supported her shop during the recession.
"Lori Morrison has been selling flowers for three decades in Plymouth, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit whose name it once shared with a brand of automobiles that has since ceased production. The struggling auto industry gave way to a struggling Michigan, where nearly 15 percent of the population now lives below the poverty line. Wanting to give back to the people who have kept her flower shop running in these financially trying times, Morrison came up with something called a "Good Job Bouquet," a simple reminder that someone in the Detroit area still cares."
Read the rest here


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The non-profit American Automobile Association, beer company Anheuser-Busch and e-commerce company Wayfair failed to comply with ad industry's privacy code, a unit of the Better Business Bureau said Thursday.
Taser, the manufacturer of the Axon body-worn camera and Taser stun guns, filed a lawsuit Feb. 27 claiming “deceptive advertising and fraudulent concealment of a critical defect” in its LE4 body-worn cameras marketed to law enforcement agencies nationwide, including the “Phoenix Police Department and other Arizona consumers.”
A Southwest paralegal with no financial credentials ran companies that defrauded people of nearly $2.4 million with false promises of debt reduction, according to the Florida attorney general’s office and the Federal Trade Commission.
A new study finds that nearly 40% of publishers don't comply with native advertising guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Fair warning – in most cases content will be protected by copyright even if there is no copyright notice and you can find yourself facing a possible copyright infringement claim that results in fines up to $150,000!
The complaint alleges that the defendants employed unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the advertising, marketing, distribution, and sale of FlexiPrin and CogniPrin. That the defendants sold these products directly to consumers, primarily through radio and print advertising nationwide and in Canada, which has garnered in excess of $6.5 million in gross sales.
In a move that appeared contrary to previously released guidance, the FTC action seemed to equate the term “built” with “made” rather than the term “assembled.” iSpring had claimed that its water filtration systems and parts were “Built in the USA,” but the FTC pointed out in its complaint that the products were either “wholly imported” or “made using a significant amount of inputs from overseas.”
The FTC announced that, as a result of a settlement agreement reached with Dr. Mercola and its companies, the FTC is mailing $2.59 million in refunds to more than 1,300 purchasers of Mercola indoor tanning systems.


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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will assess a draft proposal lodged by Australia Post to increase the price of its ordinary letter services, including stamps.
Australia Post is proposing to introduce a basic postage rate of $1 for letters delivered at a new timetable, which allows up to an extra two business days for delivery to occur. Postage stamps for letters delivered at the current timetable cost 70 cents.
The Australian Government recently regulated to allow the introduction of a two-speed letter service by Australia Post, which will distinguish between letters delivered at a priority and regular timetable.
Australia Post’s proposal also includes price increases for the delivery of large letters. They are not proposing to increase the price of concession stamps or stamps for seasonal greeting cards.
“The ACCC’s role is to assess Australia Post's proposed price increases. We will take into account various factors including how efficient it is in managing the impact of declining letter volumes and the extent to which price increases are required,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.
“The ACCC welcomes submissions on Australia Post’s proposal. In reaching its view, the ACCC will consider information provided by industry stakeholders, consumers and Australia Post,” Mr Sims said.
The ACCC does not have the role of approving the proposed price increase. Rather, the ACCC is required to assess the proposed price increase in accordance with the Competition and Consumer Act (2010) and then notify Australia Post as to whether it objects to the proposed price increase.
In addition to the ACCC’s assessment, Australia Post must give written notice to the Minister for Communications of its intent to vary its rates of postage. Australia Post may increase the basic postage rate only if the Minister does not disapprove the proposed increase to the BPR within 30 days of receiving notification from Australia Post.
The ACCC intends to release its preliminary view on Australia Post’s proposal in November 2015 and a final decision in December 2015. Australia Post intends that the proposed prices would take effect from 4 January 2016.
The ACCC will soon release an Issues Paper providing further information on the proposal and review.
How to make a submission: Australia Post - letter pricing 2015.
Use this form to make a general enquiry.


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Normal Planning Commission recommends Rivian plant addition
Electric automaker Rivian easily gained the Normal Planning Commission’s recommendation Thursday for its latest site plan which calls for a 623,000-square-foot addition to the plant's southwest side.
The matter now heads to Normal Town Council; it's expected to vote on the recommendation Nov. 15.
If approved, the new construction would bring Rivian’s building footprint to nearly 4 million square feet. In only a few years, the company has become a leading local employer, and a giant presence in the Bloomington-Normal community — especially with the 2021 start of production of its cutting-edge electric pickup truck.
Industry experts say the company, which will make electric trucks, SUVs and vans at the Normal site could be valuedat more than $50 billion in its initial public offering (IPO), expected this month.
Brett Jones, Rivian production design manager, said he’s confident the council will approve the revisions because the automaker isn’t the only one who wins with the plan's approval.
“It creates a number of jobs and opportunities for the people of this community, as well,” he said after the planning commission meeting.
Jones says the expansion would further improve Rivian’s vehicle line -- with electric drive units, and more space for its battery assembly shop.
Following a mere five-minute public hearing on the matter, which had very little discussion among its members, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the amended plan. That proposal also calls for additional lighting and a sign package for its Normal site.
In 2017, Rivian purchased the 2.6 million square-foot Normal facility — formerly home to Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America. Initially, Rivian demolished several old pieces of equipment and lines, leaving the facility at roughly 2.4 million square feet, according to Rivian's Zach Dietmeier. The electric automaker has made several additions since then, he said, bringing it to its current size of 3.2 million square feet.
Most recently in May, thetown approved additions to the plant's east and northeast sides totaling about 96,000 square feet, as well as a 60,000-square-foot charging canopy. Normal town planner Mercy Davison noted Thursday, however, that an approved access point on College Avenue has not yet begun construction.
In July 2020, the company also had added about 576,000 square feet.
Davison said if the Normal Town Council OKs the latest proposed expansion, Rivian's building footprint will total about 3.7 million square feet.
At Thursday’s hearing, only one public commenter spoke — Mike Raikes, president of McLean County Building and Construction Trades Council. Raikes praised Rivian as a good partner that has brought work to the area's tradesmen and tradeswomen. The group wants Normal to approve the amended site plan, as the growth represents more construction jobs.
The proposed addition would eliminate about 220 parking spaces on Rivian’s west side. But Davison told the commission that it would be resolved by Rivian shuttling employees from a northern parking lot.
As for the sign variances, Davison sees no problem. The town's standard size limits for signs are six feet high, and six feet wide. But, she said for a site as large as Rivian, and because the signs are intended for within its property, town leaders think the larger signs are OK.
“We support the variances they need,” she said, noting the company qualifies for up to 15,000 square feet of signage, but is asking for much less. The company is asking for about 10% of signage permitted for the 510-acre site, according to the town's materials about requested changes.
Commission member Bob Broad said the signs Rivian is requesting seem appropriate, and because they’d be contained to the Rivian property, they'd have no impact on the general public.
This marked the first meeting for new commission members Jay Tummala and Andy Byars. The Normal Town Council OK’d their appointments at its Oct. 18 meeting.
As a matter of disclosure, WGLT general manager R.C. McBride also is a member of the commission.


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For Immediate Release
Visit AHT in Booth #1213 at the AHCA/NCAL Convention and Expo in San Antonio
Jackson, Miss. – October 5, 2015 – American HealthTech (AHT) is spotlighting opportunities for Skilled Nursing Facilities to optimize revenue under evolving payment models at the AHCA/NCAL Convention in San Antonio October 4-7.
In product news, AHT, a leading information technology provider to the skilled nursing industry, will be demonstrating its set of integrated Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) technology solutions aimed to address the complexities of emerging healthcare payment models. The RCM tools are evidence that AHT is delivering on its previously-announced “responsive product roadmap” strategy, aligning technology solutions to industry needs and client goals.


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|Tourists enjoy a traditional activity at a conference promoting trans-regional tourism in the north-west and Mekong Delta. — VNA/VNS Photo|
CẦN THƠ — Eight provinces in the north-west and the Mekong Delta hope to fully tap their tourism potential and offer visitors good travel experiences, a conference held in Cần Thơ City on promoting trans-regional travel heard.
It was held at Ninh Kiều Park on Sunday as part of the “2023 Northwest Tourism Week” for north-western provinces to promote the region’s cultural identities and connect with the Mekong Delta.
The region comprising Hòa Bình, Sơn La, Điện Biên, Lai Châu, Lào Cai, Yên Bái, and Phú Thọ provinces sought to promote local tourism through natural wonders, culture and history.
It has enormous tourism potential with exquisite attractions such as the Fansipan mountain, Mù Căng Chải rice terraces, Pá Khoang Lake, Mường Phăng Sanctuary, Mai Châu Valley, and Mộc Châu Highlands.
Ethnic cuisine is another attraction, and includes unique dishes such as buffalo skin salad and smoked buffalo meat.
The region also attracts tourists through their long-standing historical and cultural heritages.
Nguyễn Thực Hiện, vice chairman of the Cần Thơ City People’s Committee, spoke about the area's many attractions.
The delta has 12 provinces and one city, with an ecological abundance comprising forests, biosphere reserves, national parks, sanctuaries, and land formations.
It is not only the country’s agriculture and aquaculture hub but also one of its main tourist attractions.
Visitors come here for culture and history, traditions, festivals, food, and intangible heritages such as the art of “Đờn ca tài tử” (Southern amateur music).
Tourism in the Mekong Delta has been seeing positive changes, with local businesses being able to provide high-quality products and services.
The two regions plan to develop tourism linkages to expand their markets.
The conference was also a great opportunity for investors in tourism.
The “2023 Northwest Tourism Week” will go on until April 11. — VNS


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The lawsuit that a black teen brought against a high-end department store was just settled and it made this kid rich. The clerk in a Barney’s store called cops when she felt their was a question about the credit card used to purchase a high-end belt. The rest is history until now…the teen just won a half million dollars.
The racial profiling lawsuits are on the rise, and it literally pays to be African-American these days. The Black Lives Matter groups that slam police and white people for being racist and cruel helped to advocate this issue.
Trayon Christian is a student who went shopping on his pay day at luxury department store Barney’s of NY. He bought a Ferragamo belt with his debit card. He wanted this belt because the Harlem rapper, Juelz Santana wears one. After purchasing the belt, undercover employees responded to the sales clerks call that Christian’s credit card may be fraudulent.
After they caught up with Christian about 2 blocks away they took him to the police department. He was there for 42 minutes total for a background check and questioning. They found out that his card was legal and didn’t have any criminal record, so they apologized and let him go. It was a simple mistake and with theft and fraud everywhere out there the clerk was being hyper-vigilant.
Mr. Trayon Christian didn’t like what happened to him, and refused their apology. He attempted and succeeded in winning a lawsuit against the NYPD, Barneys and the city for a $525,000 settlement on the grounds of racial profiling. Barneys paid him an undisclosed amount. Christian said because he was a young black male buying a $350 Ferragamo belt the sales person called the police to report him and accused him of making a fraudulent act. His anger made him rich.
It’s not justice when one takes advantage of the system like this. Anyone of color can do exactly what Christian did and claim racial profiling.
HERE’S THE ORIGINAL STORY BEFORE THIS WAS SETTLED IN COURT:
Read more: DC Gazette


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Google has already made our phones smarter, not to mention our glasses, watches and even our homes. Now it wants to do the same for cars. Vehicles that can drive themselves sound like something out of science fiction, but they are an increasingly everyday occurrence in the city of Mountain View, California, thanks to Google. For those outside of Silicon Valley, a fleet of new cars will also soon hit the roads worldwide with built-in Google Maps and more thanks to Android Auto. Involving over 30 different motor manufacturers as varied as Skoda and Alpha Romeo, we ask the experts if Google’s roadmap to revolutionise the car industry can really be done.
Google’s self-driving car
Self-driving cars aren’t a new concept by any means, but Google is the first to look at bringing the idea for a more widespread consumer release. The development of its own autonomous car has been slow and filled with plenty of problems along the way. Initial testing has been positive though, with Google already securing several American states that are keen to trial Google’s vision of the future. Similarly, the UK is soon to pass legislation to let self-driving cars on its roads, albeit with a whole host of restrictions. “Self-driving cars on public roads is viable,” says Kevin Curran, senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). “The most well known self-driving project run by Google has actually driven over 700,000 autonomous miles already and we can expect increased roadway capacity and reduced traffic congestion when they roll out to consumers.”
It can be expected that self-driving cars won’t be without their faults, however, as there’s still an element of the unknown involved with them, as Curran goes on to explain: “One problem with the famous Google self-driving car grand experiment is the sheer amount of computing power used in both the actual driving and the pre-preparation stage where streets in Mountain View are mapped in great detail recording measurements such as the height of curbs and road signs. The main issue however is deciding who is ultimately responsible when things go bad. I mean in a collision, is it simply the car manufacturer or driver? You see when you really think about it from a legal perspective, you really do have to wonder if they will ever be allowed.”
Working in conjunction with an array of car manufacturers will undoubtedly help Google work out many of the possible mechanical faults that every motorist faces, but it’s still that fear of the unknown, which could restrict the project’s initial success. Without doubt, it’s important that Google first gets users onboard with its new interface, which is soon to be interlinked within many consumer cars and named Android Auto.
Understanding Android Auto
Thanks to the popularity of Ford’s SYNC App Link program, which runs a slick user interface within a range of its cars, Android Auto is Google’s aim to provide a single computer interface for a wide variety of manufacturers. From the outset, it’s very much designed in line with the current style of the usual Android interface, but to abide to current road laws, it remains completely hands-free, apart from the initial connecting and disconnecting between phone and interface.
Users will be able to sync their phone directly to their car and have a quick way of getting their Play Music playlists blasting through the car’s speakers. Similarly, Google’s superb voice function will provide a way for users to listen and respond to phone calls and text messages with their voice, or simply choose to respond later to it. To take it one step further, and to highlight Google’s vision of a more connected future, users will be able to connect many third-party apps from their device onto the new interface, but with certain restrictions.
Again, it’s finding that balance between safety and usability that Google needs to really perfect. Thomas Kurfess PhD, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, believes that Android Auto may have more benefits for the driver than we initially think: “If there is more interaction with the driver, then Android Auto can off-load some of the driver responsibilities onto the vehicle. For example, if the car is driving itself, the driver can view the map in the heads-up display. If a problem develops in front of the vehicle, the car can execute some initial reactions such as releasing the throttle, engaging the brake and tightening the seat belt, which will give the driver time to change their focus from the map on the heads-up display to the situation at hand. I think that if it is integrated into the vehicle appropriately, then it will open up a new realm of transportation.”
Open Automotive Alliance
Holding Google’s vision of the road together is its Open Automotive Alliance. This is a partnership between Google, 28 automotive partners and a selection of specialised technology partners, who are currently working together to enhance every driver’s experience. From Google’s point of view, it’s an invaluable resource for getting the leading players in the automotive industry to become a part of its vision, learning the possible shortfalls that they could face from a mechanical point of view and quashing any worries that manufacturers may have about integrating the Android Auto system into its cars. Both Hyundai and Renault have recently been showing off an early demo of the Android Auto system being used in one of their cars. Each has looked to use it in a slightly different way, but both have fully embraced Google’s connected future.
Although for the time being it looks like we won’t be seeing any newly manufactured cars getting the Android Auto treatment, some believe that existing models could be modified. “I think self-driving features will be added to existing models, much the same way that airbags, traction control systems etc have been added to existing cars over the years,” says Jason Lancaster, editor of AccurateAutoAdvice.com. “It’s hard to imagine that consumers will invest heavily in car-based computer systems, however.” When considering both the positives and negatives of what car manufacturers will get from this partnership, a new autonomous system could have several impacts on them. First and foremost, they have to consider if their base of drivers are ready for such features. It’s okay for those in the know to get involved with Android Auto, but certain manufacturers have predominantly older clientele, who may not be so forthcoming with their support. Similarly, the various safety aspects of having a computer-based interface distracting drivers will be a massive concern to some. There are a lot of things for Google to consider before launching Android Auto and its self-driving car to the market. But if anyone can do it, Google can. (Source: Android Magz Issue 42)


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To help celebrate Opening Day with the Tigers, the Michigan Lottery will launch a new version of the Tigers themed pull tab game. The popular Tigers pull tabs will go on sale Monday, just in time for the start of the baseball season. For just $1 each, the game offers players the chance to win prizes ranging from $1 up to $5,000.
Tigers fans attending the team’s opening day game on Monday will have the chance to visit the Lottery’s mobile outlet to buy the new pull tab game, other Lottery tickets, and play “spin-to-win” on the Lottery prize wheel.
The Lottery’s mobile outlet will be located in front of the Comerica Park Tiger, at the intersection of Columbia and Witherell Streets.
Michigan Lottery pull tab games are available at club game retailers across the state.


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Business magnate Cyrus P. Mistry on Wednesday announced the launch of a new global enterprise, Mistry Ventures LLP, to provide strategic insights and advice to businesses, incubate new ventures and provide seed, early stage and growth capital to startups in India and worldwide.
It will bring in Ashish Iyer, Senior Partner and formerly Global Leader, Strategy Practice at the Boston Consulting Group, to head the new firm, a statement said.
The development comes exactly two years after Mistry, 52 was ousted as the Chairman of Tata Sons on October 24, 2016 in one of the most closely followed corporate wars in recent times. The Irish-born Mistry had been appointed in 2012.
Outlining his vision for the new venture, Mistry said: “The intent to deliver profit with positive socialAimpact will be embedded in each of the ventures we promote or partner with.”
On Iyer, he said: “Ashish has worked with companies across sectors globally and brings deep expertise across domains and capabilities such as Strategy, Go-To-Market, Digital Innovation, amongst others, and I am very excited to have him on board.”
He said Mistry Ventures will do more than just invest in companies. By interpreting some of the major global and local trends and understanding their impact on industries and companies, it would incubate new businesses, forge partnerships and make investments across sectors.
“Mistry Ventures will focus on providing mentorship and infusing unique capability sets to help startups craft the appropriate business experiments needed to validate, scale and bring products and services faster to the market”, Mistry added.
Mistry Ventures LLP is jointly promoted by Shapoor Mistry and Cyrus Mistry of the venerable Shapoorji Pallonji Group, a globally diversified conglomerate with a history of over 150 years, operating in engineering, construction, infrastructure, realty, water, energy and financial services sectors with a presence in over 60 countries.


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eSIM was introduced on last year's Pixel 2, but it didn't gain traction as most U.S. and global carriers stayed away from the technology. The difference today? Aside from the Pixel 3 retaining the feature, Apple's iPhone XS also ships with eSIM support. So there's much more of an incentive for wireless companies to be interested.
Google made an announcement this week that, over the next few months, multiple carriers from around the world will embrace eSIM.
The list has been limited so far. In the U.S., only Project Fi customers could take advantage of eSIM support and link to a wireless network in a handful of taps. Joining the mix will be Sprint in the U.S., Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone in Germany, EE in the U.K., Airtel and Reliance Jio in India, and Truphone and Gigsky in other countries.
Moving forward, Google says it'll also be a lot easier for hardware manufacturers to integrate eSIM support into their mobile devices. The feature will let consumers choose their wireless service on-device rather than relying on a physical SIM card.
The updated eSIM support will be rolled this month and into 2019. With a long list of carriers remaining, Google has to get some momentum and add partners as soon as possible.
The Galaxy S20 Ultra's Space Zoom camera is amazing and a bit creepy
The Galaxy S20 Ultra supports up to 100X zoom, which Samsung calls Space Zoom, but is it any good? Can a phone really product usable photos at 100x zoom? We've got our Galaxy S20 Ultra already so join us to find out!
Win an iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch with the Reader's Choice giveaway!
What's the best phone of 2019? Is it the iPhone 11 Pro, Pixel 4 or OnePlus 7T? What about the best laptop, games console, tablet and more? Vote NOW in the Reader's Choice awards and win BIG in time for the holidays!
Here are the best products from IFA 2019!
Here are the products announced at IFA 2019 that were worthy of our Best of IFA 2019 awards. Also featuring MrMobile's single best product at the show!
Keep your dirty clothes seperate with the best laundry baskets.
Keeping ahead of the piles of laundry is every adult's trial and tribulation. Make it a little easier with our favorite laundry baskets.


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A West London supermarket has been saved from the wrecking ball after residents complained it would have taken away the only shop in the area. A branch of Morrisons in Brentford High Street was due to be knocked down to make way for a 215-flat apartment block.
The demolition has now been delayed until June 2023 following concerns residents, particularly those who are vulnerable, would be left without a place to buy food and groceries. Morrisons is due to relocate further down the high street as part of a new Brentford Project by developers Ballymore. Now the current branch will be kept open until the new store opens next year.
The closest large supermarket to Morrisons is a Tesco Extra 1.4 miles away in Osterley Park. Hounslow Council granted permission for the supermarket’s demolition and construction of the apartment block on the condition developers L&Q found a way to provide residents with accessible supermarket shopping while the new store was being built.
Among options considered by L&Q was the possibility of providing residents with a shuttle bus service to other supermarkets, or offering discounted delivery to residents affected by the closure. Now, L&Q has said it will allow Morrisons to remain at its present location until the new supermarket is built.
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The developers will start with minor building works while Morrisons stays on the site. In plans submitted to Hounslow Council, L&Q will also build a new supermarket on the ground floor of the development, although it may not be Morrisons.
Residents were pleased the store was being saved from demolition for now. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Leisa Goodall said: “I am delighted Morrisons will remain in Brentford, considering all the uncertainty.” Resident Bea Dhillon agreed and said: “Very relieved to hear this news, I live in Isleworth but really like shopping in Morrison and if this had closed where would the residents have gone for their shopping?”
Leader of Hounslow Council Steve Curran said: “I am delighted that L&Q have taken steps to enable Morrisons to remain on their existing site until June 2023. Supermarkets are often focal points for local communities, and I saw first-hand the integral role supermarkets played during the pandemic – supporting the most vulnerable residents in the borough."
A L&Q spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to announce our intention to enable Morrisons to remain on site until June 2023 – the point at which the new store on Ballymore’s nearby development is scheduled to be completed. Local people shared concerns about the temporary loss of a supermarket facility and we’ve been working closely with Morrisons, Hounslow Council and Ballymore to address these.
“We’ll continue to work with the local community to get the best for Brentford from this development and will keep residents and customers updated.”
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Headquarters: Burlington, Mass.
CEO: N. Louis Shipley
New Funding: $7.5 Million
Backers: Globespan Capital, Bain Capital Ventures, Highland Capital Partners
Specializing in software-defined control for cloud and virtualized environments, VMTurbo intends to accelerate its sales and marketing activities, while also investing in product enhancements, through this latest round of funding. The company, which was recently awarded two patents, reports year-over-year growth of more than 150 percent during Q1, tripled its customer list over the course of the year, and has forged new alliances with VCE and NetApp.


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CD Projekt Red shares the exact timing when players can start their adventures with Cyberpunk 2077.
Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter The release of the game for PC and Google Stadia players has revealed that it will take place worldwide at 12:00 GMT on December 10th. For Pacific Time and Eastern Time, Cyberpunk 2077 will be released on December 9th at 4pm and 7pm respectively.
If you plan to play on Xbox One or PlayStation 4, or through backward compatibility on Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, Cyberpunk 2077 will be unlocked at midnight in the local time zone on December 10. Cyberpunk 2077 preload will be available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X / S, PS4 and PS5 on Tuesday, December 8th. December 7th, 3am PT / 6am ET / 12pm CET, Cyberpunk 2077 will be preloadable on GOG, and at 8am PT / 11am ET / 5pm CET, preload will be available on Steam and the Epic Store.
A digital launch party on Twitter to help you wait for the release date of Cyberpunk 2077, the cross-save mechanism between the Xbox One-Xbox Series X / S and PS4-PS5, the story so far, Final preview after 16 hours on Cyberpunk 2077.
Do you have any hints? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@.
Adam Bankhurst is an news writer. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst And on Twitch.


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New cruise ship to be the largest ever built by Fincantieri
Geneva-based MSC Cruises S.A and shipyard Fincantieri, cut the first steel for its new generation of ship, MSC Seaside.
In a ceremony held at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and Chief Executive Officer, Gianni Onorato, along with Fincantieri’s Chief Executive Officer Giuseppe Bono launched the cutting of the first steel of MSC Seaside.
MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “Today, we have witnessed the beginning of the work on an extraordinary new ship, MSC Seaside. It is a ship that revolutionizes industry standards, with an audacious and innovative design that brings guests and sea closer. It is also testament to MSC Cruises’ constant focus on innovation, as it is the fifth prototype ship we designed.“
Moreover, MSC Seaside represents a key pillar in a €5.1 billion euro, seven-ship investment plan that will double our capacity by 2022. It also steps up our investment in Italy and marks our return to partnership with Fincantieri, which is something that makes me particularly proud. In fact, the building of the new Seaside ships as well as our other current project with Fincantieri – the €200 million Renaissance Programme – are just one example of how a global organization like MSC, of which MSC Cruises is part, plays a key role in the Italian economy.“
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, said: “This ceremony is unique for our Group and the Monfalcone shipyard. MSC Seaside will be the biggest ship ever built in our shipyards, as well as the first we have ever constructed for MSC Cruises, whose strength – like ours – lies in being a truly global player in its industry. In MSC Seaside we have developed a brand new and highly ambitious project, and we look forward to building it. In two years we will celebrate with MSC Cruises a magnificent ship of which we will all be deeply proud.“
MSC Seaside will be based year-round in Miami to sail a wide range of Caribbean itineraries. In addition, MSC Cruises’ Miami-based cruise operations – which include from autumn 2015 the stunning 139.072 GRT MSC Divina – will benefit from a newly renovated and expanded dedicated berth and terminal at PortMiami, signifying the Company’s strong ambitions in the North American market and to providing guests with a best-in-class quality of services.
Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises CEO said: “For MSC Seaside, we chose a name that speaks of our vision for cruising in warm oceans and hot weathers, the proximity with the sea, the joy of travelling, discovering the wonders of sunny climates in a unique setting. We also call it “the ship that follows the sun” and it will offer a truly remarkable experience for families, sun worshippers and adventurers.“
“Moreover, MSC Seaside will spearhead our campaign to expand our presence in North America. MSC Cruises has the unique opportunity to provide North American guests with an outstanding ‘Mediterranean Style Cruise’ experience, and guests from around the world a unique setting as it will sail to the most sought-after destinations in the Caribbean.“
With a gross tonnage of 154,000 GRT and the capacity for up to 5,179 guests, this new cruise ship will be the largest ever built by Fincantieri. The ship is set to debut in November 2017, and will be christened the following month in Miami – the first time an MSC Cruises’ ship is christened in the USA.
Source and Image Credit: MSC


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Malaysia, a country grappling with plastic waste management, has garnered recognition for contributing to the global plastic problem. In a recent report by WWF in 2020, it has been revealed that Malaysians have emerged as the highest consumers of plastic among the six Asian countries examined. The study indicates that, on average, each Malaysian utilizes approximately 16.8kg of plastic annually. This finding sheds light on the pressing issue of plastic consumption in Malaysia. It underscores the need for immediate action to address this concerning trend.
In Malaysia, a surge in plastic waste has been observed, attributed to various factors, including population growth, urbanization, and shifts in consumption patterns. In recent years, reports have emerged concerning the influx of illegal plastic waste imports from various countries. This alarming trend has only served to exacerbate the existing issue at hand. The implications have added pressure on Malaysia's waste management infrastructure, resulting in environmental and public health concerns.
IMG VIA NewStraitsTimes
The Malaysian government has taken significant steps to tackle the plastic problem, including implementing more stringent regulations on importing plastic waste and enhancing domestic recycling capabilities. The country has recently become a signatory to international agreements such as the Basel Convention, which aims to effectively manage the transportation and disposal of hazardous waste, including plastic waste.
Much like numerous other countries, Malaysia finds itself confronted with the intricate task of effectively managing plastic waste. Amidst recognizing the issue, there is a noticeable surge in attention toward sustainable waste management practices. This practice includes efforts to promote recycling and reduce plastic consumption among individuals and within corporate and governmental spheres.IMG VIA SAYS
In recent news, there has been a significant increase in usage. In Malaysia, disposable diapers have gained widespread popularity for their convenient use. According to estimates, a single child can utilize anywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 disposable diapers before achieving potty training. The high usage observed in this particular case has been found to contribute to a notable quantity of waste.
IMG VIA DiaperRecycle
In the realm of environmental concerns, one issue that has garnered significant attention is the problem of non-biodegradable materials. According to reports, disposable diapers predominantly comprise non-biodegradable materials such as plastic and super-absorbent polymers. These components, which take up to 500 years to decompose, pose a significant environmental concern. A remarkable testament to their longevity, it has been discovered that even after 25 generations, one can still find today's disposable diapers. In the decomposition process, a disposable diaper has been found to release methane. This greenhouse gas contributes to global warming in the atmosphere. Alternatively, if these diapers are burned, they release toxic chemicals into the air.
In Malaysia, a concerning issue has emerged regarding the lack of recycling facilities and programs for disposable diapers. Most of these items ultimately find their way into landfills, exacerbating water and soil pollution, leading to frequent disruptions in water treatment processes.
Plastic-based disposable diapers, while a blessing for parents pose a nightmare for the planet. In light of Plastic Free July, it is truly remarkable how individuals are coming together to make a conscious effort to reduce their consumption of single-use plastic.
At least four items we can suggest to swap for achieving this effort such as:
1. Reducing disposable diapers by considering using cloth diapers as a better option and saving a lot of money spent.
2. Reducing disposable sanitary pads by switching to reusable pads, menstrual cups, or period underwear.
3. Reducing single-use plastic bags using Heiko's reusable and multifunction wet bags.
4. Reducing single-use bottle by taking along your water bottle from home.
Check our website for the new promotion of this month. Get FREE wet bag, whilst it last.


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For several months, any news about the GPU market had been bad news. But that’s starting to change. Thanks to China’s recent restrictions on cryptocurrency mining, graphics cards are flooding the secondhand market in China for ludicrously low prices. Some cards are even selling below the suggested price.
Chinese miners comprise the majority of miners around the world, and the country’s recent restrictions have pushed them out of the market. China has banned crypto-mining in certain regions to combat money laundering and payments for illegal activity. The price of Bitcoin and Ethereum sank shortly after the restrictions were put in place, causing large mining farms to quickly sell off their assets.
Reports show that mining farms are looking to offload their cards before the prices sink even more. Some RTX 3060 models are selling for as little as 2,200 yuan, or about $340. For context, RTX 3060 models were selling for above $1,100 in parts of Europe only a few months ago.
The exodus of cards from mining farms is good news for the GPU market, but that doesn’t mean you should try to snag a card from China. Most sellers are offloading cards in bulk through in-person transactions. Plus, it’s important to remember that these cards have likely been operating at full capacity for months or even years, so they wouldn’t make a good addition to your next gaming build.
If anything, the news shows that demand for graphics cards, particularly from crypto-miners, is dropping. Changes to Ethereum, a popular Bitcoin alternative, could further reduce demand over the next year.
There are five updates coming to Ethereum over the next several months that would essentially remove graphics cards from the cryptocurrency equation. Coindesk points out two Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) that will make the biggest difference in 2021.
The first is EIP 1559, which changes how transaction fees work with Ethereum. Miners now bid on transactions, which requires a complex fee estimation algorithm. According to the Ethereum Foundation, “these algorithms often end up not working very well, leading to frequent fee overpayment.” This proposal changes fees to a fixed price, which would decrease revenue for miners.
The goa is to make Ethereum less volatile. It would not only change the transaction fee payout, but also avoid the possibility of mining without a reward.
The other proposal is EIP 3554, which is the famous (or infamous, depending on your stance) move to Ethereum 2.0. It moves Ethereum from a proof-of-work model to a proof-of-stake model. Without getting too deep in the crypto weeds, the new model requires less power from graphics cards because the network itself can verify transactions based on a miner’s stake in Ethereum. When it rolls out on December 1, the change will essentially make graphics card mining obsolete.
Small changes around the world are helping to end the GPU shortage, directly and indirectly. Although we still have many months before things return to normal, news of falling GPU prices and changes to Ethereum show that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
- Newegg wants your old GPU — here’s how much you could get
- Modders just changed GPU overclocking forever
- GPU prices and availability (Q3 2023): how much are GPUs today?
- What is GPU sag, and how to avoid it
- No, ChatGPT isn’t going to cause another GPU shortage


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Security distributor e92plus was dealt a double blow last week following the confirmation that its distribution contract with NetScreen will end and Lee Harrison, its business development director, is leaving.
As exclusively revealed by CRN last month, e92plus has been on the hunt for new vendors as potential replacements for NetScreen, which has been in the process of rethinking its distribution strategy.
The firm has also lost four members of staff in as many months. Harrison, the latest to leave, follows Richard Snape, Lee Mepstead and Kash Valgi. The last three have all joined rival Allasso.
NetScreen was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press, but Mukesh Gupta, managing director of e92plus, confirmed the split.
"Our distribution contract with NetScreen has been terminated by agreement from mid-March, leaving us free to pursue deals with other suppliers in that space," he said. Gupta added that the firm will increase its focus on vendors such as Enterasys and Trend Micro.
He said Harrison's departure was amicable. "Lee Harrison was with us for seven years, which is a very long time in this industry," Gupta added.
Harrison said he was leaving the distributor to pursue other interests.
"I had a tremendous time at e92plus, which has culminated in my departure to progress my career," he told CRN. Harrison added that he had been deeply involved in the original deal between e92plus and NetScreen.
Neil Ledger, co-founder of distributor equIP, said the move was inevitable after Allasso was signed up as NetScreen's fourth distributor. "It always said the maximum number of UK distributors was three. There was always going to be a casualty," he said.
But one channel source said e92plus's NetScreen business was big and that the vendor's departure "could compromise e92plus's position in the market".
Richard Snape has been appointed NetScreen director at Allasso. He said NetScreen is "a real focus" for Allasso.
Snape added: "I was brought on board to do this. I am looking for resellers that are new to NetScreen, not just to add existing NetScreen VARs to Allasso's partner base."
Telco also announced series of initiatives to drive digital growth in the UK
Nana Baffour opens up on Getronics' mammoth acquisition of Pomeroy
Analyst predicts SaaS will remain the dominant segment in the market as it grows 17 per cent in 2019
NSS Labs claims vendors are refusing to have their products tested effectively and are trying to restrict its access


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Forex merchants mentioned foreign fund outflows and firm crude oil prices may weigh on investor sentiment and cap the appreciation of the local unit. “Suddenly, everyone seems to be working remotely, information is off premises and other people have entry to highly confidential knowledge on devices, which are not immediately managed by IT departments,” said one expert. Meet two such businessmen making probably the most out of travel restrictions to develop merchandise for the home market, which had previously been imported. Before the pandemic introduced the journey business to a near standstill, the documentsoutlining entry requirements that Kristin Hoogendoorn would hand her clients previous to a trip typically consisted of a single web page. Richard Branson’s rocket ride final weekend went off and not using a hitch, but the billionaire’s house tourism firm has a methods to go to convince investors it’s greater than a moonshot thought. Customers had been welcomed again to restaurants dining rooms, gyms and different indoor companies as Ontario additional rolled again public health restrictions on Friday.
- The crash in worldwide tourism as a end result of coronavirus pandemic could cause a lack of more than $4 trillion to the global GDP for the years 2020 and 2021, based on an UNCTAD report published on 30 June.
- The liquidators of lacking Sydney lady Melissa Caddick’s funding business Maliver anticipate promoting off possessions corresponding to property and cars.
- Asian markets fall on US inflation concerns Asian stocks were mostly lower on Wednesday as one other leap in inflation in the United States took markets by surprise and raised investor issues over the policy path of the US Federal Reserve.
- The looming concern is that the sharp rise in producers’ prices will progressively feed into the final shopper goods basket, translating into shopper price inflation with some lag.
- The NSW Budget is tipped to be back in the black within the next three years after the state suffered its sharpest financial fall in almost 80 years.
As an entire these columns ought to provide the reader an intensive and detailed picture of multiple Indonesian business sectors and be a source of ideas or inspiration to take a position – or not to invest – in specific sectors of the Indonesian financial system. Canadian residence gross sales fell again as the market shifts into a lower gear from the document pace set initially of the year. Sumo’s shareholders will get 513 pence in money per share, Tencent said. The offer is at 43 p.c premium to the Sumo’s final closing worth of 358 pence. The share has risen multifold since its itemizing on LSE’s junior market AIM in 2017 at a hundred pence. Rise in prices – threat of action The rise in cement prices tends to deliver on whether or not the noises that there was cartelization.
AMLO announces the construction of a CFE-Private solar power plant in Sonora, set to be completed by December 2023. The three highest-priced home sales in Amityville last month ranged from $805,000 to $970,000. “Densification,” the thought that humans will more and more live in bustling cities, was one of the great hopes for fighting climate change. But as Canadian cities proceed to sprawl, scientists insist we must discover methods to minimize back the suburban local weather impact. After being steady on Friday, petrol charges have elevated once more on July 17, 2021.
It’s time, yet again, in one of America’s poorest huge cities, to speak about how a lot public cash goes to be spent upgrading skilled sports amenities. In addition to respecting you, Newsfile is revered as an accredited source of business news—making each story we deal with become trusted for retail and institutional investment decisions. Sign up to obtain our press releases by email and learn immediately when a story for a given company or industry crosses the wire. Singapore, Singapore–(Newsfile Corp. – July 17, 2021) – Recently, the world-renowned cryptocurrency exchange Bitdogex has upgraded the safety core of its whole web platform, from web to app, to ensure “bank-grade” security for international consumer transactions. The liquidators of lacking Sydney lady Melissa Caddick’s investment business Maliver anticipate promoting off possessions corresponding to property and automobiles. The NSW Budget is tipped to be again in the black throughout the next three years after the state suffered its sharpest economic fall in almost eighty years.
Bidens Attack On Facebook Followed Months Of Frustration
There has been an “extraordinary” lack of transparency in relation to who was paid JobKeeper, but some firms are giving the money again. A health company in Australia and backed by Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg, wish to list it on the inventory change. Family and pals of former federal NDP chief Jack Layton will host a digital occasion subsequent month to mark the 10th anniversary of his dying. With 5 days to go before the Olympics Games kick off, the Canadian authorities still is not saying whether or not a federal delegation is heading to Tokyo.
A veteran agent in Sydney’s south has been getting frantic calls from shocked neighbours wanting to know why a humble brick house from the 1960s sold for a whopper. The owners of this Sydney house turned down a $2 million revenue when it went under public sale earlier than lastly agreeing to a record sale worth. Ash Hodgkinson struggled at school and was bullied for his obsession with magic tips, but now he has enough cash to enter Sydney’s property market.


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With one large breath, Dandelion is blown out of Crayola’s 24 pack
If there’s ever been a moment to be cliche and say the cat’s out of the bag, now is it.
Crayola, the supplier of colorful art materials, was set to announce the retirement of one of its classic colors in the popular 24-count pack of crayons. The company planned to do the big reveal during a live broadcast on Facebook Friday morning in New York’s Times Square.
Instead, on Thursday, the colorful company announced that Dandelion — that bright yellow hue — is the crayon retiring to the Crayola Hall of Fame, calling the color “an adventurous spirit” with “a case of wanderlust.”
But Dandelion is pretty young for retirement: It was introduced in 1990, after the Crayola Hall of Fame inducted its first eight members. Not to put too fine a point on it, but can you live a fulfilling life and retire before the age of 30? And, if it has a case of wanderlust, how will those adventures happen if it is sitting on a shelf not spreading its colorful demeanor to art projects everywhere?
Right now, it’s unclear why Dandelion’s announcement came a day early; the countdown clock to the big Friday announcement was still on Crayola’s website at 3:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.
Twitter may hold the answer: A user posted a photo of Crayola’s 120-count box of crayons in what he says is a Target store — and the box clearly says “Dandelion is retiring!” This tweet was posted two hours before Crayola made its announcement on the company’s social media channels.
Bye-bye Dandelion. I never thought you were a weed.


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When Jordan Brand announced its “Remastered” endeavor back in 2014, sneakerheads were understandably stoked — quality had seemingly been on a steady decline for years while luxury brands, customizers and the likes of Ryo Kashiwazaki’s Hender Scheme had stepped in to fill the void. Thankfully, that commitment to quality — which was preceded by the welcome introduction of the Nike Air-branded Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG — has seen some of the best Jordan retro releases in years, including the brand’s collabs with Just Don. Now, after introducing the $400 USD Air Jordan 4 “Pinnacle” back in April, Jordan Brand has yet another luxurious Air Jordan 4 on the way. This time around the kicks adopt a predominately white make-up, coupling a stark white midsole and outsole with premium leather and snakeskin. And, like the “Pinnacle” release, the kicks even come with metal hardware as an added bonus.
Packaged with an extra set of leather laces and Flight-branded dust bags, the Light Bone/White-Pure Platinum-Wolf Grey Air Jordan 4 Premium “Snakeskin” is due out May 21 for $400 USD.
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Banks are scary , especially when they go wrong.
The associate costs of any consumer issue that arises with respect to banks and banking transactions are mind-numbingly high in most cases.
This automatically implies that consumers stuck in consumer disputes with banks are the worst of a lot that is otherwise hardly enviable.
The latest in the series of bank troubles that actually saw the light of resolution, courtesy our ever generous consumer forums are two separate incidents reported from Punjab and New Delhi.
In the first incident, a consumer in Hoshiarpur, Punjab had filed a complaint regarding withdrawal of over 32K from his account through 5 unauthorized ATM transactions with his bank SBI which promptly blocked his card. However, despite the card being blocked, further money was withdrawn in two separate ATM transactions amounting to a total of over Rs. 24,000.
We had already stated earlier that if your ATM card is blocked and despite it being blocked, money is withdrawn from your account, your bank will be liable for the loss. See 4 Things You Must Know About Your ATM Card.
This stance was further reiterated by the Punjab State Consumer Forum in this case which ordered State Bank of India to pay Rs 24,056 as compensation to one of its account holders at Hoshiarpur in Punjab, for lapses to prevent unauthorized transactions through his ATM card.
Consumer forum directs SBI to pay Rs 24,056 as compensation to account holder in Hoshiarpur (Contify)
In a separate incident, a consumer from New Delhi, holder of three Citibank credit cards, accused the bank officials of “illegally” leaking and “supplying copies” of his credit card statement to a third party. Mittal, the aggrieved consumer claimed that this confidential information, between November 2003 and January 2009, was produced during a private dispute pending with an unnamed party, and asked for a compensation of 30 lakh.
Upholding the complaint, the Delhi State Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum has asked the branch manager of a bank to pay Rs 15 lakh as compensation for divulging confidential information of an account holder.
Citibank Asked Pay 15 Lakh By A Consumer Forum (Times of India)


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Ahead of the release of its standards for sustainable trade and sustainable trade finance later this year, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has published an analysis outlining the crucial role trade plays in achieving the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Drawing from numerous academic studies, as well as statistics from the OECD, International Energy Agency, World Trade Organization and various UN agencies, the ICC’s analysis begins by exploring how trade can be an engine of economic growth and poverty reduction, thereby addressing SDG 1 – ending poverty, and SDG 8 – promoting decent work and economic growth.
“Countries that are open to international trade tend to grow faster,” the ICC says, adding that by providing access to new markets and improving resources allocation, trade opening has helped spur economic growth. “Evidence showed that countries that liberalised their trade regimes between 1950 and 1998 experienced average annual growth rates that were about 1.5 percentage points higher than before liberalisation,” the ICC says.
The organisation adds that trade can also lead to job creation and increase in real income. “By allocating resources to the most productive sectors, trade involves shifts in the concentration of employment and thus wages in specific sectors,” it says, pointing to a 2009 study of 20 OECD countries that found a 10% increase in trade openness reduced unemployment by nearly 1%.
The ICC then turns its focus to the fight against climate change, which is encapsulated in SDG 13, affirming that trade is “essential” in achieving this.
“While trade in some circumstances may adversely impact the environment, it is also widely recognised as a central part of the solution to climate change,” the organisation says.
It posits that trade can be a “channel for environmental technologies diffusion”, especially for developing economies. “Developing low-carbon technologies is a slow, complex, and hard-to-replicate process. Knowledge and expertise on clean technologies are hard to transfer,” the ICC says, adding that only a small number of countries have a comparative advantage on these technologies – such as China, which holds a greater than 80% share in the manufacturing stages for solar.
“As a result, developing economies often rely on imports to access clean technologies that will support the low-carbon transition. Therefore, trade in environmental goods provides access to technologies with a level of efficiency that cannot be replicated domestically in importing countries,” the ICC says.
However, in its analysis, the ICC recognises that tariffs and non-tariff barriers on environmental goods and services are limiting investment in clean energies and hindering the energy transition from fossil fuels. As an example, it says that tariffs for products on air pollution control, heat and energy management and renewable energy plants are well above the global average and can exceed 20% in island states and economies such as Argentina, Brazil, Ethiopia and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community countries.
Mitigating trade’s potential negative impact
The ICC also recognises that trade can have a negative impact on the SDGs. For example, it says that trade liberalisation may spur environmental degradation, especially when it encourages pollution-intensive activities.
“Globally, CO2 emissions associated with the production and distribution of traded goods and services (8 billion tonnes) constitute a quarter of total global emissions,” the ICC says. “More generally, advanced countries are net importers of CO2 emissions, whereas emerging or commodity-producing countries are net exporters.”
The organisation goes on to acknowledge the potential negative impact of trade liberalisation on employment in some markets, where trade has been seen as a cause of the growing inequalities between skilled and unskilled labour. “High-skilled and mobile workers will benefit more from trade liberalisation,” the ICC says.
Nonetheless, the ICC puts forward solutions such as the inclusion of precise and binding environment-related provisions in regional trade agreements, as well as active labour market policies, to help lessen the potential negative impact of trade on the SDGs.
Measuring sustainability in trade
The ICC’s analysis comes in the wake of a study by trade data and analytics provider Coriolis Technologies in partnership with MEP Saskia Bricmont and the Greens/European Free Alliance in the European Parliament that found the majority of global trade currently contributes negatively to the SDGs.
Released in June, Measuring sustainability & ESG through trade: A wake-up call for policy makers all around the world builds on a methodology established by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. The study takes HS codes – the internationally standardised system of names and numbers to classify traded products – and compares them against the 17 SDGs to identify negative and positive contributions.
The study showed that, on a scale of -1 to +1 where -1 means that all trade makes negative contributions, zero is neutral and +1 means that all trade makes positive contributions, world trade scores -0.58, with 80% of global trade by value being unsustainable.
In its analysis, the ICC rejects Coriolis’ findings, calling its approach “severely misleading”.
“It is unclear how the Coriolis paper addresses a positive or negative relationship to SDGs,” the ICC says.
Although in its study, Coriolis used HS codes at six-digit level, which mean it was able to distinguish between, for example, a diesel car (870332) and an electric car (870380) or, indeed, a hybrid car (870360), each of which have varying impacts on SDG 7 – clean and affordable energy, and SDG 12 – sustainable consumption, the ICC calls for greater granularity when assessing the sustainability profile of goods trade.
“Attributing a basic score of -1, 0 and 1 to HS codes to measure their sustainability is extremely misleading as it underestimates the complexity of trade flows,” says the ICC. “How would one, for instance, rate the sustainability HS codes for hybrid vehicles? Or, for that matter, minerals used by carbon-intensive industries but crucial for the energy transition, such as aluminium, copper, cobalt and lithium?”
In Coriolis’ methodology – which the company itself referred to as a “quick and simple measurement” – the scope to distinguish between, for example, resource utilisation for the same product in different countries is limited: “For example, a fruit such as a strawberry produced in the Middle East requires more water and energy to produce than in its indigenous environment,” Coriolis said at the time its study was published, adding that its intention was to lay bare the enormous amount of work ahead to make global trade more sustainable – but also provide a call to action for policymakers.
The ICC, however, rejects this approach, saying: “Any assessment presenting a highly distorted view of trade sustainability should, in our view, be rejected as a basis for policymaking. Overlooking the complexity of trade and the multidimensional aspects of trade policy is not only puzzling but also could lead to poor policy recommendations.”
Speaking to GTR in response to the ICC’s statement, Rebecca Harding, CEO of Coriolis Technologies, says: “The Coriolis Technologies research was a starting point from which we have continued to develop our sustainability tracking methodology. It’s been a fascinating exercise to map as much world trade to SDGs as possible, including services. However, we understand that there is much more to be done and we hope we can work collaboratively across the sector to do this.”
“Coriolis Technologies is taking bold steps to measure sustainability against a backdrop of resistance in the industry to anything that challenges the status quo,” she adds. “We think it is irresponsible not to recognise the size of the challenge ahead. While we agree that trade and trade finance can be a mechanism for transitioning to a more sustainable economic system, if we want to avoid greenwash accusations from regulators, we have to acknowledge that there is much work to be done.”
Harding says that Coriolis Technologies is continuing to work with its industry working group to drive the adoption of standardised ESG scoring criteria, tools and methodologies for the trade and trade finance industry.
The ICC, for its part, also says it is continuing its work with governments, academics and industry leaders to transform trade into an engine for sustainable development.
“Trade and trade policy are means of implementations of sustainable development SDGs,” the ICC says. “The ICC Standards for Sustainable Trade and Sustainable Trade Finance is a first step in this direction. By defining and setting standards for sustainable trade, the ICC aims to establish a comprehensive framework to measure and assess the sustainability of a given trade transaction. This will help businesses and financial institutions to design their ESG impact strategy and monitor their progress and assess their impact of sustainable development.”
In November last year, the ICC launched a global consultation exercise involving over 200 banks and corporates to create what the organisation says is the first-ever standardised framework and assessment methodology to qualify the sustainability profile of trade transactions.
The results are expected to be produced later this year, providing the industry with a consistent definition of sustainable trade and trade finance and setting out what specifically constitutes a sustainable trade transaction.
The post Trade ‘critical’ to achieving SDGs, says ICC ahead of sustainable trade finance framework launch appeared first on Global Trade Review (GTR).


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Quartix slashes installation and set-up fees
The company is offering the service for £19.50 per month, which it says makes it more cost-effective than other leading products, despite the minimal contract commitment.
The new service has been introduced following the launch of the Quartix pay-as-you-go tracking solution in 2009 and is already said to be receiving a high rate of customer interest – new fleet customers signed up at a rate of five per day in September.
Andy Walters, Quartix managing director, said: 'Customers simply do not want to sign a five-year deal any more, and if a telematics supplier genuinely has confidence in the service and reliability of his product, then he shouldn't need to bind his customer in that way.
'We won tremendous acceptance from customers for our PAYG offering, which offered the right to cancel after three months. But many companies suggested they would be happy to sign up for 12 months if there were no installation charge, and so that is what we have done.'
Mr Walters added: 'Quartix is in a unique position to launch this service in the UK market: it is a strongly profitable company which is owned entirely by its management team and it develops and builds all its technology in the UK – whereas most tracking companies buy their hardware from third parties or overseas subsidiaries.'
The company launched the product with a test offer by e-mail at the beginning of September, and says it will follow this up with advertising and direct marketing campaigns throughout the autumn.


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Levi’s Doubles Down on Gun Control, Donates Jeans for Actors to Wear in Everytown PSA
Levi Strauss & Co. has doubled down on last month’s gun control support by providing jeans for actors to wear in an Everytown for Gun Safety’s gun control PSA.
On September 4, 2018, Breitbart News reported that Levi’s was launching a million dollar gun control campaign. On September 9, 2018, we reported that Levi’s campaign would be carried out in partnership with Michael Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Gun Safety.
Levi Strauss CEO Chip Bergh announced that his company wants to see universal background checks instituted, thereby outlawing private gun sales in America. He did not mention the fact that mass public attackers acquire their guns at retail, via background checks, nearly 100 percent of the time as is.
Nevertheless, Levi’s gun control campaign continues. Teen Vogue reports that the company donated “250 pairs of jeans” for the production of Everytown’s gun control PSA.


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French dough maker bought by Earthgrains
Published 4:00 am, Thursday, July 1, 1999
ST. LOUIS - Bread maker Earthgrains Co. has acquired refrigerated dough maker Patrick Raulet SA. Terms were not disclosed.
Raulet, based in Dole, France, had sales of about $40 million last year.<
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Filed under: Classics, Auctions
We witnessed several million-dollar cars go up for sale at RM’s auction on Saturday night, but across town, the Gooding & Company auction had even more impressive metal crossing the block. Gooding’s two night auction resulted in more than $64 million in sales, including six world records. “We went into this year’s Pebble Beach Auctions with high expectations because of the sheer number of extraordinary cars we had consigned,” said David Gooding, President and founder of Gooding & Company. “Our highest-ever Pebble Beach weekend results at $64.59 Million speak for themselves and I couldn’t be happier.”
The record-setting cars auctioned off by Gooding:
- 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione at $7,260,000
- 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza at $6,710,000
- 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta SEFAC Hot Rod at $6,105,000
- 1956 Maserati 200SI at $2,640,000
- 1951 Ferrari 340 America Spider at $2,530,000
- 1937 Jaguar SS100 at $1,045,000
In addition, several other cars topped the million dollar mark including a 1995 McLaren F1 at $3,575,000, a 1928 Mercedes-Benz S 26/180 Boattail Speedster at $3,740,000 and a 1966 Ford GT40 Mk I at $1,650,000.
Gallery: 2010 Gooding Pebble Beach Auction
[Source: Gooding & Company]
Monterey 2010: Gooding smashes records at Pebble Beach auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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