text:
When it comes to business opportunities in Asia, India definitely has a special attraction towards Singapore. In the recent years, you could have heard about several Indian startups relocating to Singapore. One of the major reasons why people flock to Singapore is due to the city’s strategic location. Perhaps, it has become the leading hub for the Indian investments. Like Hong Kong played a key role in the evolution of Chinese markets, Singapore is becoming one for India.
In the recent official three day visit to Singapore, Indian Prime Mr. Narendra Modi attended an enterprise event organized jointly by ambassadors of India and Singapore. As the result of this conference, it became evident that around 8000 companies have registered in Singapore since the 21 century.
Although this involves different sorts of business categories, yet technology driven and analytics led strategies, typically the tech business is fast growing with the help of A1 Business (leading service provider for the startup companies foreign and local). But what are the actual reasons for the plenty of Indian startups in Singapore?
Why are Indians starting their business in Singapore?
Although a few years ago, Silicon valley in the western hemisphere was regarded as the best location for startups, however there are certain factors that made Singapore more suitable for new startups especially the technology and health care industry
Let us see what are the factors that makes Singapore irresistible for Indian startups?
Easy Registration Process
Starting a company in Singapore is a fairly easy process. New business registration in Singapore usually takes around 3 business days which essentially requires three steps to be followed. Apparently before that, you would in need of a company name. In order to have a company name, you must get the approval from the registered business in Singapore like the A1 business registration in Singapore.
Favorable fund raising atmosphere
Singapore is generally considered as friendly place for startups because their ecosystem is vibrant. Furthermore, the landscape of Singapore private equity has become more robust these days. Even the federal governments offer plenty of business grants for new startups in the industry of science, technology and health fields.
However when you don’t want to go for these options, you have other funding choices like
- Tap Personal Savings
- Use of credit cards
- You can sell your personal assets like house, jewelry, shares etc.
- Go for any loan programs and few others
Corporate Taxing scheme in Singapore are quite friendly
Singapore has a wide reputation for attractive tax benefits that is quite approaching and attractive for the new business owners. Startups are usually charged flat tax rate of 17 percent on its chargeable income. Perhaps this is the highest tax paid by the companies that belongs to certain jurisdictions.
Starting a business has never been easy. There are plethora of challenges that you need to come across to achieve your business goal. Apparently startups leading service providers like A1 business https://www.a1corp.com.sg/singapore-virtual-office-address/ helps the tech companies and other new startups to make more money.
With the help of these service providers, registering business in Singapore is no longer a concern!


text:
A Suffolk company’s investment in a new website and ordering process is paying off, with online orders up by a quarter and now, a prestigious industry award.
ASAP Supplies Ltd picked up the prize for best business website at the recent Marine Trade Association Awards, part of the London Boat Show.
Beccles-based ASAP Supplies distribute boat parts to customers worldwide. In 2014, the company was granted £45,000 from New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership’s Growing Business Fund, towards a £230,000 project to develop a new website, creating 6 new jobs in web design and distribution.
The site went live in early 2016, with new features including higher quality images with a ‘zoom in’ function, improved product search and stock checking and a new ‘live chat’ system.
Shaun Wigley, Managing Director of ASAP Supplies Ltd, said: “We’ve seen a massive rise in customers visiting our site – and not just visiting, but also ordering, with web sales up 25%.
“It’s such of a proud moment. The team has worked so hard to get this right for our customers and now their hard work is paying off. We are always looking for ways to improve the customer journey and we will continue to develop the site with the latest technology to do just that”.
Chris Starkie, Managing Director of New Anglia LEP, said “ASAP’s website project is a continuing success story. Not only did the company fulfil the requirements of its Growing Business Fund grant in creating high value jobs, but their business has benefitted, adding value to the industry and our region’s economy. Their decision to put customers first has rightly been recognised by the Marine Trade Association.”

domain: news


text:
Indian Medical Tech Company Trivitron Healthcare develops COVID-19 PCR test kit for faster testing
The whole world is trying its best to fight the Coronavirus pandemic, And many organisations and startups are putting in efforts to develop something that will help people and the government to fight against the virus.
Under this present situation, to increase the speed of sample checking, a Chennai-based medical technology company Trivitron Healthcare is developing a COVID-19 PCR test kit.
The test kit can test hundreds of samples in a day.
But to enter the market, the company first has to submit the sample and needs the approval of National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.
As per reports, the central government has ordered COVID-19 testing kits from Germany for now.
Dr GSK Velu, Founder, Chairman and MD of Trivitron, says that the kits made by Trivitron would be half the price as compared to imported testing kits.
Also, when compared to other present COVID-19 testing kits, the company claimed that its kits are 50 to 70 % cheaper for labs to test samples.


text:
The 2015 Ford Mustang is already making headlines for the return of a four-cylinder turbo engine, coming in at around 300 horsepower. But a four-cylinder turbo probably won’t be enough to stave off upcoming increases in fuel economy, and one Ford executive has said that all options, including hybrid, diesel, and electric versions of the Mustang are on the table.
GoAuto spoke with Ford’s chief of global powertrain engineering, Bob Fascetti, who is quoted as saying;
“We’re not looking at diesel at the moment, but given where we need to go with fuel consumption we are looking at all our options,” he revealed.
“And diesel is one of those options, along with hybrids and electric.”
Wow. To put that out there in the open, not even a week after revealing the all-new 2015 Mustang, that’s going to hurt some traditionalists. Naturally, I’m even more excited for the Mustang than I thought I could be, as I thought the Mustang was at least a generation away from adopting such radical powertrains. And maybe it still is, though from the sounds of it these options are being considered in the not-too-distant future.
Then again, it only makes sense. With the Mustang going global, Ford has to bend and twist to the demands of markets where gasoline regularly costs $8.00 a gallon or more. Turbodiesels are incredibly popular in Europe and Australia, and are gaining in North America at a surprising rate too.
Specific options weren’t mentioned, but a plug-in hybrid 2015 Mustang with a power boost option from the electric motor is one fun possibility. An all-electric Mustang would be a much harder sell, though it’s hard to gauge how the public might react to a torque-heavy turbodiesel.
I’m game for any/all of the above in a 2015 Mustang, but can the traditionalists get on board too? After all, women think green cars are sexy, and what could be sexier than a hybrid Mustang that out-performs the V8 and gets 50 mpg?


text:
Company Bitspin, perhaps best known for his alarm clock Timely platform Android, and it seems, Google loved the implementation of said application by the Swiss company. The fact is that the Internet giant announced the takeover team Bitspin together with its development.
«For new and existing users Timely will continue to work as before» , – reported Bitspin, adding that the team will continue to develop new products. However, now there is a reason for joy for users Timely – the paid version of the application without advertising is now free.
Those who want to try out the Swiss
digital alarm clock instead of the standard built-in Android can download it from the store Google Play. Timely enough to offer a user-friendly interface, cloud integration (and synchronization with different devices), built-in timer, a variety of color themes and optimization for tablets.


text:
In a previous article, I reported how Kellogg's was shipping boxes of childrens' breakfast cereal with Spiderman toys containing mercury batteries. I pointed out the insanity of including a highly toxic heavy metal (mercury) in boxes of cereal, not just for the health danger to children, but also the impact on the environment. But Kellogg's wouldn't budge: they wanted to leave the toys in the cereal except where it was illegal to do so.
Now New York has made it illegal. A new law, signed by Gov. Pataki, goes into effect January 1, banning mercury from kids' cereal boxes. Of course, if Kellogg's had any ethics to begin with, the company wouldn't have introduced the mercury into the product in the first place. There shouldn't even have to be a law on this: companies like Kellogg's should know better.
Perhaps Kellogg's should change their slogan to, "Kelloggs: we put mercury in your breakfast cereal because, well, it's still legal!"
What happened to business ethics in this country? What happened to environmental responsibility? Shouldn't a wholesome-sounding company like Kellogg's act more responsibly here? And when it was discovered that mercury batteries were in these boxes, shouldn't Kellogg's have agreed to recall the cereal and stop manufacturing more? But no, they fought it. They insisted they were right, and they refused to pull the boxes from store shelves. Two thumbs down to Kellogg's. Most of their breakfast cereals are extremely unhealthy anyway: they're loaded with refined white flour and high-fructose corn syrup (or other similar sweeteners).
About the author: Mike Adams is an award-winning journalist and holistic nutritionist with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, and he has created several downloadable courses on survival and preparedness, including his widely-downloaded course on personal safety and self-defense. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2010, Adams co-founded NaturalNews.com, a natural health video sharing site that has now grown in popularity. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a veteran of the software technology industry, having founded a personalized mass email software product used to deliver email newsletters to subscribers. Adams is currently the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and martial arts training. He's also author a large number of health books offered by Truth Publishing and is the creator of numerous reference website including NaturalPedia.com and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. His websites also include the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the innate healing ability of the human body. Known on the 'net as 'the Health Ranger,' Adams shares his ethics, mission statements and personal health statistics at www.HealthRanger.org
Have comments on this article? Post them here:
people have commented on this article.


text:
DIY chain Homebase is planning to hand over its Burnley store to another retailer, The Range, as early as next month.
Thirty-five jobs are at risk with the announcement that the Burnley home improvement superstore and garden centre is to close its retail warehouse store in Calder Vale Road. Bosses plan to transfer the business’ lease to rivals, The Range and it is hoped staff at the Burnley Homebase store will be able to get jobs with the new owners.
A statement said: “Homebase can confirm the business has entered a period of consultation with colleagues concerning the proposed closure of our store in Burnley.”
A spokesman for Burnley Jobcentre said they are working with the employers and the staff to find them alternative employment.


text:
Sony has announced it will be giving away one free free PlayStation Mobile game per week for the next six weeks in North America. The freebies start today with Samurai Beatdown, the side-scrolling slash-em-up. To get your free game, load up the PlayStation Mobile Store on PS Vita or PlayStation Certified Device. A new game will be released each Wednesday from today through February 19.
Fortnite Early Access has kicked off for those who pre-purchased Founder’s Packs.
Splatoon 2 has released today alongside new amiibo and the SplatNet 2 mobile service.
The Destiny 2 beta is not without its problems. Here’s the latest on error codes and known issues.
Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that starting today, a public preview of Unity for PlayStation Mobile will be made available.
PlayStation Mobile users can download Bike Rider DX and Rock Boshers DX free of charge today.


text:
On Monday, April 29, 2019, Microsoft announced that Bing Ads was getting a new name: Microsoft Advertising.
While not the first time name change for Microsoft’s ad platform (formerly Bing Ads and Microsoft adCenter), this recent rebrand represents one of the biggest shifts in Microsoft’s paid search advertising efforts, emphasizing a more-depth focus on personalization and AI.
According to a blog post
by Rik van der Kooi, corporate VP for Microsoft Advertising, the future of advertising is evolving into “more meaningful, more timely, and more valuable” connections. And this has spurred Bings Ads’ evolution into Microsoft Advertising.
Additional changes include:
Despite these updates, Microsoft is adamant that they will not change “the importance of advancing trust” as they continue to innovate.
“Trust is integral to who we are, and it will always guide our innovation and offerings
,” said van der Kooi.
New Name, More Advertising Products
plans to introduce more advertising products with built-in AI and connected data over the coming months, including:
- Microsoft Audience Network
- Sponsored Products
Microsoft Audience Network
The Microsoft Audience Network
launched last year, and with the use of AI, rich audience intent, and profile understanding, dramatically helps marketers reach consumers in brand-safe environments.
The first major announcement about the Microsoft Audience Network is the deployment of product enhancements, including viewable impressions and image upload and management tool updates to make managing images even easier.
The second announcement is that the Microsoft Audience Network will expand to the UK and Canada later this summer.
will allow manufacturers to promote their products in shopping campaigns alongside their retail partners. This gives manufacturers access to new reporting and optimization capabilities, while retailers get additional product marketing support with a fair cost split.
Currently, Sponsored Products is in beta in the US only.
So What About Bing?
It isn’t going anywhere. Bing will remain the consumer search brand in the Microsoft portfolio.
The search engine has been gaining momentum over the last decade, reaching milestones like:
- 100 months of consecutive Bing share growth
- 500,000 advertisers with access to more than half a billion consumers
- And becoming the exclusive provider of search advertising across Verizon Media properties
Bing will continue to be important to Microsoft’s paid search efforts due to how critical intent data is to driving additional personalization and product innovation.
What Does This Reband Mean For You
As mentioned earlier, the shift to Microsoft Advertising is more than just a name change. It’s a shift to a more personalized AI driven platform.
As a Microsoft Advertiser, this means you will have access to more meaningful, audience-driven data to make observations and optimizations to your ad campaigns. This will also help your future advertising efforts via the Microsoft Advertising Network.
If you’re not currently advertising on Bing
(or on the Microsoft Network), now would be a good time to look into the platform.


text:
Apple has recently unveiled a trailer for the upcoming second season of 'Invasion', set to arrive on Apple TV+ on August 23.
In the two-minute trailer, we get a glimpse into life months after aliens have intensified their attacks, engaging in a full-scale war against humanity.
The season includes ten episodes and will release a new episode every Wednesday until October 25.
The cast of "Invasion" includes Golshifteh Farahani, Shamier Anderson, Shioli Kutsuna, Firas Nassar, Billy Barratt, Azhy Robertson, Tara Moayedi, Daisuke Tsuji, and Sam Neill. This series takes place across multiple continents and tells the tale of an extraterrestrial invasion from various viewpoints around the world.
Apple renewed the series in December 2021.
In 2021, Apple teamed up with popular Twitch streamers in an attempted viral marketing campaign for the series. During the streams, videos would glitch, and streamers appeared to get nosebleeds.


text:
A new video was recently released detailing the next expansion to Stellaris called “Apocalypse.” Right now, Stellaris: Apocalypse is projected to release on February 22nd alongside the game’s 2.0 update, an update that will reportedly be free to all Stellaris players.
From the details provided by Paradox Interactive, Stellaris: Apocalypse looks to add more military-style content to the game such as new rules, units, and an AI-controlled faction known as Marauders.
According to designer Daniel Moregard, Marauders act as “space moguls, a squabbling and warlike society with powerful fleets.”
To help you fight, or recruit, these Marauders, Stellaris: Apocalypse will include a variety of new weapons platforms such as the Colossus, a massive warship with incredible destructive capabilities. What’s more, each of the game’s different empires will boast its own unique Colossus design.
Other new additions include Titans, Ion Cannons, and two new in-game perks. Other changes making their way into Stellaris via the game’s 2.0 update include adjustments in how players take command of star systems.
Once the 2.0 update is live, players will need to create a starbase in order to exert influence. Additionally, starbases will now be able to be constructed as specialty installations like defensive bastions or shipyards.
Pre-orders are currently available for Stellaris: Apocalypse, which is scheduled to release on February 22nd at a price point of $19.99 (USD). Meanwhile, the 2.0 update will launch soon and will be free to all current Stellaris players.
What do you think of the new Stellaris: Apocalypse DLC? Will you be picking it up? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below!


text:
After the Air, Lucid Motors will launch the Gravity SUV. It will have room for up to seven people and they promise it will go further than any other electric SUV on the market.
The tests on the roads in the USA have now begun, and the car has been driven on a track, which we can see a little of here. Gravity is based on the same platform as the Air, and the manufacturer says it will have the same driving dynamics as a sports car. Inside, the new Glass Cockpit screen will be available, along with the next generation of Lucid’s software.
CEO Peter Rawlinson says the following:
I am excited to see the Gravity SUV moving forward so quickly in its development, as it builds upon everything this company has achieved thus far and drives further advancements of our in-house technology to create a luxury electric SUV like none other. The Lucid Air redefined the sedan category, and as our technology continues to evolve and lead the market, we are in a place where the Gravity is positioned to change the world of SUVs.–lucidmotors.com
Reservations are expected to open later this year, and the launch will take place sometime next year.


text:
Why flexibility will be the next big war in cloud pricing
Owen Rogers, a research director at 451 Research, spoke with TechRepublic about the organization’s Cloud Price Index, and how business leaders can better understand changes in cloud pricing.
Source: Tech Republic (Cloud)
You may be interested
How Much Does It Cost To Develop Mobile Wallet Application for IOS and AndroidSreenivas T - Dec 11, 2018
The popularity of e-wallet or payment app is growing frequently due to raising the usage of money. Where before people…
Top Mobile App Development Companies in Riyadh, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaSreenivas T - Dec 11, 2018
As mobility services become more critical for all business benefits and choosing the right mobile app development company in Saudi…


text:
Well, it’s a new year, but the game in Silicon Valley remains very much the same. That game, in essence, involves doing anything and everything to convince you—the global consumer—that whatever hair-brained product Bay Area billionaires have cooked up is a must-have. Unfortunately, the tech industry has bet its money on a lot of stupid shit over the last several years—whether it’s fake internet money that requires ungodly amounts of electricity to generate or NFTs or pizza made by a robot or, more recently, a host of automated tools that you never asked for. As you already know, AI is the hottest industry in tech right now, and, in 2024, that industry promises to continue churning out a host of new, sometimes useful, sometimes baffling, often deeply wasteful and stupid products. Whether its an ever escalating war over who can create the coolest chatbot or attempts to popularize music wholly generated by software, or a race to make human physical labor obsolete and thus kill off yet another upwardly mobile middle class strata of work, the tech industry is sure to be blasting on all cylinders this year. Here’s a little look at what’s been happening so far.
The GPT Store, a marketplace of customizable versions of ChatGPT, is launching next week according to an email OpenAI sent to developers on Thursday, first reported by The Information. The GPT Store is part of CEO Sam Altman’s plan to give everyone AI agents that are useful and is OpenAI’s vision for the future. —Maxwell Zeff Read More
Hey Siri, Does ChatGPT Have Code to Replace You in Its New Update?
ChatGPT gained the ability to listen and talk back in September, allowing users to speak with generative AI. Soon, ChatGPT could replace digital assistants like Siri and Google Assistant altogether. —Maxwell Zeff Read More
Researchers Say There’s a 5% Chance That AI Will Cause Human Extinction
A survey of the leading AI scientists says there’s a 5% chance that AI will become uncontrollable and wipe out humanity. In the short term, researchers estimate AI will become significantly more advanced, able to create a Top 40 pop song and write an NYT bestseller before 2030. So at least our AI overlords will entertain us before they kill us. —Maxwell Zeff Read More
In 2024, AI Will Spark an Indie Video Game Renaissance (and Nightmare)
More people are making video games than ever before, but most games are still designed by teams of professionals. There’s a barrier of technical skills that keeps the average person from making their own game, but in 2024, that’s going to change. AI is going to make game development so easy that you’ll be able to pump one out in half an hour and spend the rest of the afternoon playing it with your friends. There’s a flood coming, and in the next 12 months, an AI-driven indie game renaissance will turn the industry on its head. It’s going to fill the market with an unprecedented number of titles, eliminate thousands of jobs, create countless others, and change our relationship with video games forever. —Thomas Germain Read More
Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked 2024 Will Hopefully Reveal the Galaxy S24’s New AI Chatbot
You can always expect that Samsung will do something to improve the camera algorithms. And with the loud and proud “Galaxy AI” promotion in this year’s Unpacked teaser imagery, it’s clear it’s coming for the new family of smartphones. It will be another year of Zoom, as Samsung is expected to debut its new ISOCELL Zoom capabilities on the Galaxy S24. Samsung is still in first place for the farthest-reaching optical zoom on a mainstream smartphone. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is sharper than its predecessor, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Galaxy S24 Ultra improves even further. That Ultra smartphone might also come in titanium, giving the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max an official competitor in the design game. —Florence Ion Read More
Google Wrote a ‘Robot Constitution’ So Its Machines Won’t Kill You… Hopefully
On Thursday, Google announced a new “Robot Constitution” that will govern the AI that runs its upcoming army of intelligent machines. Based on Isaac Asimov’s “Three Laws of Robotics,” these safety instructions are meant to steer the devices’ decision-making process. First among them: “A robot may not injure a human being.” —Thomas Germain Read More
Microsoft’s big early 2024 AI push has PC makers dancing along to the siren song of big tech’s new big obsession. Along with the newly-announced XPS lineup of Dell laptops, there’s one small tidbit of information that isn’t nearly as engrossing but could prove to be Microsoft and the largest PC maker’s push to redefine how folks use their PC with a brand new “Copilot key” on users’ keyboards. —Kyle Barr Read More
Roku Claims New Pro Series 4K TVs Will Optimize Your Settings With AI
Roku doesn’t want you to consider it the “budget” TV brand you find at all-you-can-shop brick-and-mortar stores like Wal-Mart or Target. The company wants a piece of that premium TV pie, even as it already reigns as the top TV streaming platform for the U.S. and Canada. The company has announced its plans to expand its TV offerings by adding three new high-end options later this year. — Florence Ion Read More
The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans
It’s the most popular NBN speed in Australia for a reason. Here are the cheapest plans available.


text:
Mike Humble: Of all the BL cars born in the 1970’s, one of them fares slightly better in terms of image perception – the Princess. That quirky car that was a wonderful world of wedginess is 40 years old this week, and five decades on looks just as weird and modern as when first launched. Heavily … More Jalopy Corner : The Princess comes of age.
Mike Humble: Well is today the judgement day as reported news arrives that J.C has been ordered to F.O. So does this come as a shock and as surprise? Well not really in all fairness though I’m sure the case hardened Top Gear fans will argue otherwise. In a personal experience, I once had a … More The Humble Opinion: Clarkson – The rumble in the Cotswolds final round?
Land Rover British designer, Sir Paul Smith has collaborated with Land Rover to create a bespoke Defender, which was revealed recently at the designer’s shop at No. 9 Albemarle Street in Mayfair. A longstanding fan of the Land Rover Defender, Sir Paul Smith has owned several of the vehicles over the years. “The Defender is a British … More Paul Smith Defender – Two legends Two Icons.
Mike Humble: Back in the time when I lived about 100 miles or so north of here, I used to be actively involved with Hospital Radio and a spot of co-presenting on the local “beeb” in my spare time. At the BBC Three Counties Radio station at Luton, we once organised a live on air charity … More The Humble Opinion: Animals, Children, Friends and Neighbours.
Mike Humble: Jeremy Clarkson, what are we going to do? Usually when Doncaster’s finest bigmouth says something out of turn or controversial, he gets a smack on the bum and told to be a good boy in future. This time, I feel he is really sitting on a knife edge and the BBC publicity machine … More The Humble Opinion: Clarkson – The end of the road?
Mike Humble: With very little media fuss or hubbub, we have recently seen a very significant milestone in recent railway history – East Coast Trains have passed back into private ownership after a decent stint under the wing of Directly Operated Railways (DOR). If you wondered what DOR actually was, in a nutshell, it’s a … More The Humble Opinion : As the sun sets on the East Coast.
OSV Ltd: Vehicle supply company OSV Ltd have conducted a research report to find the most searched car brands in the UK at the start of 2015. The research report shows that evergreen favourite Ford is still the most popular car brand of UK internet users. This was followed by BMW who captured 2nd place, … More News : Ford is the favourite of UK internet users.


text:
Kingdom Hearts director Tetsuya Nomura knows the Kingdom Hearts 3 release date, but he’s not announcing it just yet.
According to Japanese magazine, Dengeki, he may reveal its launch date at the Kingdom Hearts fan event which takes place on November 3, 2015 at Cinema Ikspiari in Chiba.
Speaking to the magazine, Nomura said: “ We’ve reached an agreement, but I still can’t say anything. I plan to give new information at the Kingdom Hearts Fan Event that will be held on the 3rd of November.”
Square Enix recently suggested that the third main entry in the RPG series, which is in development for PS4 and Xbox One, wouldn’t release this fiscal year, but said that development is running smoothly. Though details on Kingdom Hearts 3 have been scarce, there are rumours that we can expect a seamless game world and online functionality.


text:
Increasing Awareness and Education About the Benefits of Electric Bicycles
By: PeopleForBikes Staff
PeopleForBikes staff are amplifying the many environmental and social solutions e-bikes offer at several events this fall.
As individuals, companies and cities alike search for solutions for the climate crisis, electric bicycles (e-bikes) are increasingly recognized as a valuable tool in the climate mitigation toolbox. PeopleforBikes is helping raise awareness of the powerful solutions that e-bikes offer by engaging in a variety of educational and informational events.
During National Drive Electric Week, Ash Lovell, Ph.D., PeopleForBikes’ electric bicycle policy and campaign director, moderated a conversation titled, “Cars are Overrated: e-Bikes, Buses, and Box Trucks, Oh My!” During the conversation, bike industry leaders and electric bicycle advocates shared the benefits of transitioning transportation habits away from vehicles and towards electric bicycles. During the conversation, participants discussed how replacing car trips with bike rides can serve as a tangible climate solution that individuals can practice every day. Research shows that if 10% of the population were to replace one car trip a day with a bike ride, overall carbon emissions from transportation would drop 10%. With the transportation sector accounting for the largest source of carbon emissions in the U.S., this shift in daily habits could help move the needle toward a more sustainable future.
Whether individuals own or lease an electric bicycle, every time they ride, they are reducing carbon emissions and decongesting urban streets. During a recent CycleBackNYC webinar, Lovell and Noa Banayan, PeopleForBikes’ director of federal affairs, helped organizers explore how bicycle leasing could benefit New York City residents and businesses. As cycling is increasingly embraced as an option for commuting, New York City is interested in building on this momentum by introducing electric bicycle leasing as an affordable alternative for New Yorkers to obtain e-bikes.
As electric bicycles gain popularity worldwide, industry leaders are keen to innovate and adapt e-bikes to future needs and trends. During the E-Bike Future Conference, industry leaders discussed trends and shared innovative ideas for how to adapt electric bicycles for the changing needs of consumers, businesses and municipalities across the globe. Lovell kicked off the virtual conference with a conversation about how electric bikes can help improve our health, connect communities and protect the planet.
In the U.S., some communities are going big for electric bicycles and incorporating them into planning for the future. At the upcoming NWA Tech Summit, Banayan will outline movement on pro-e-bike policies PeopleForBikes is working towards, including updating electric bicycle definitions and laying the foundation for new incentives for e-bikes. With electric bicycle sales and ridership continuing to grow, the session will explore how individuals, businesses and policymakers can embrace the technology of a low-speed electric motor to increase accessibility to the outdoors, enhance efficiency in the workplace and bring more people into the world of biking.
A common theme connecting all of these educational events is that electric bicycles offer a variety of solutions for the environmental and social challenges we face today. PeopleForBikes will continue to share how electric bicycles can help individuals, companies and communities tackle these challenges and explore how we can incentivize electric bicycles so they are more accessible for everyone.


text:
Feb 6, 2015, 6:00am EST
Urvaksh Karkaria, Staff Writer- Atlanta Business Chronicle
A new investor group, backed by Atlanta health industry A-listers including Ray Schinazi, Dennis Liotta and Bill Hawkins, plans to help build the next generation of medtech, biosciences and digital health companies. The BioMed Investor Network will focus on early stage science-based companies that have intellectual property and develop products and services needing U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. BioMed, led by Russell Allen and Frank McDaniel, expects to have at least 75 investor members by year-end, including pharma exec Ed Schutter, cardiologist and entrepreneur Jay Yadav and venture capitalist John Huntz.


text:
PULLMAN, Wash. – Dr. Joan Ellis holds up two white cotton tees printed with state college logos. The t-shirts appear identical, but one is sourced from conventional cotton and the other from organic. Would that difference, Ellis and her colleagues wondered, change the price consumers are willing to pay for the shirts?
As consumers become increasingly conscious of how their purchases influence labor practices and use natural resources, they drive product choices that show concern for people and the planet. And some are willing to pay more. In fact, about 25 percent more for the organic apparel, said Ellis, associate professor of Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles, referencing a pilot study funded by the Washington State University Agricultural Research Center and recently published in the International Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management.
“If the consumer is not willing to pay, then everything upstream—the growing, processing, distribution and selling—has no ramifications. You have to start with identifying the consumer,” Ellis said. “If the consumer won’t buy it, everything else is moot.”
The research team is particularly interested in understanding the relationship between what a person says they’re willing to pay versus what they’ll actually pay at market. Consumers’ intentions often don’t match their purchase behaviors, Ellis said, and everyone has their price. The pilot study was one of the first to use a type of experimental auction methodology to evoke the true price a person will pay for a product.
The team—Ellis and graduate student Emily Hunt from AMDT with Professor Vicki McCracken and former Ph.D student Nate Skuza from the School of Economic Sciences– used a sample of two large university classes. They found students who pay for their own clothing had a lower willingness to pay for both organic and conventional tees than students whose parents, for example, buy their clothing. Meanwhile, students who believe organics are of a higher quality were willing to pay more for both organic and conventional cotton tees. Students who had a history of purchasing organic products were also willing to pay more for the organic than the conventional variety.
Ellis said the pilot study opens up opportunities for continued research into organic apparel and consumer behavior. For example, they hope to look at the influence of social media and social norms, willingness to pay for organic high fashion versus organic low fashion, apparel versus textiles like bedding, or willingness to pay based on consumer interest in fashion.
“The pilot study’s traction definitely shows an interest in consumer behavior and marketing implications for organic apparel,” she said. “It validated what we knew about interest out in the market and the potential to push forward on this particular topic.”
This news release is based on the article by Joan L. Ellis, Vicki A. McCracken, Nathan Skuza, (2012) “Insights into willingness to pay for organic cotton apparel” in the Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 16 Iss: 3, pp.290 – 305.
Seminar series focuses on cotton sustainability
Washington State University will host a series of six seminars during the 2013 academic year focused on the sustainability of cotton. Students and the community are invited to learn about cotton fibers and textiles from the agricultural level to the retail end, said Joan Ellis, associate professor for Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles.
The project culminates with a faculty-led visit to the Cotton Inc. headquarters in Cary, North Carolina this spring. The trip will provide 15 WSU students interested in the future of the textile and apparel industry with the opportunity to meet researchers in the field. They will also observe the testing, production and processing of cotton textiles.
Monthly seminars begin in February and continue through March, April, September, October, and November. The seminars are funded through a Cotton Inc. grant won by Dr. Karen Leonas. Upcoming dates will be available at http://amdt.wsu.edu/.


text:
They not only travel in great numbers but they also spend vast amounts, meet the new big spenders.
China overtook France to occupy fourth place last year in the ranking of the world's top spenders on international tourism, said Madrid-based United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
Chinese tourists splashed out US$43.7 billion (298 billion yuan) on their travels abroad in 2009 despite the economic downturn, propping up other economies by eating out, occupying hotel rooms, shopping and visiting attractions, it said in its latest bulletin.
That compares to US$36.2 billion in the previous year when China was the world's fifth largest source of tourism spending.
Follow the link below to read the full story in a new window: www.thetransitcafe.com/site/the_wrap/archives/2010/05/hey_big_spender_1.php


text:
New home sales were at an annual rate of about 490,000 in November – an increase of 4.3% compared with about 470,000 in October and an increase of 9.1% compared with about 449,000 in November 2014, according to figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The median sales price of a new home sold in November was $305,000; the average sales price was $374,900.
As of the end of November, there were about 232,000 new homes for sale – about a 5.7-month supply at the current sales rate.
Regionally, sales rose 20.5% in the West and 4.5% in the South. Sales fell 28.6% in the Northeast and 8.6% in the Midwest.
“It is encouraging to see new home sales continue to tick upward,” says Tom Woods, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), in a release. “Builders are also increasing their inventory even as they face difficulties accessing lots and labor.”
“Limited gains in new home sales can be attributed to a weak existing sales report,” adds David Crowe, chief economist for NAHB. “People who already own a house comprise most of the new residential construction market, and they often must sell their existing home before making another purchase.”


text:
Chicago restaurant booking platform Tock launched to the public Tuesday, sort of.
Tock is now taking reservations for West Loop restaurant Next, said Nick Kokonas, CEO of Tock and co-owner of Next.
This begins a slow rollout of the online platform, which Kokonas said he expects to see Chicago restaurants Alinea and Aviary — which he also co-owns — join within two weeks. About 20 other restaurants are scheduled to follow in July, Kokonas said. All have been using earlier versions of the system, he said.
Tock is based on a ticket-pricing system that Kokonas created for Next and Alinea, in which patrons pre-order meals the way they would order tickets to a theater performance.
Kokanas said the platform booked about $15,000 in sales in the first 30 minutes of its launch.
Kokonas said Tock won’t be aimed at only high-end restaurants like Alinea and Next and will have options for partial deposits rather than fully pre-paid meals. Deposit money will be applied to the cost of the meal, which customers...Read more
Chicago-based Braintree will play a role in the payments process for ‘buyable Pins,’ a new Pinterest feature announced Tuesday.
Mobile Pinterest users will be able to make purchases straight from the app, starting on iOS devices in the coming weeks and with an Android release expected later.
Stripe will handle the payments, which can be made by Apple Pay or credit card, while Braintree and Apple will keep credit card information off Pinterest servers for security purposes, TechCrunch reports.
“The collaboration with Braintree means that payment information entered while shopping on Pinterest is stored securely in Braintree’s vault,” Braintree general manager for mobile Aunkur Arya wrote on the company’s blog.
Buyable Pins will be marked by a blue button featuring the price of an item. Users will be able to search Pinterest for certain items, then filter by price. They’ll also be able to browse through different colors or styles. Sellers such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, Cole Haan and Poler Outdoor...Read more
The Internet Retailers Conference and Exhibition is in town, and it brings good news about Amazon.
The online retailer has built a reputation for driving down costs, conquering new markets and crushing competitors. Yet Scot Wingo, executive chairman of e-commerce company ChannelAdvisor, said at the four-day IRCE at McCormick Place on Tuesday that Amazon is being increasingly cooperative with third-party retailers.
Seattle-based Amazon sees those companies less as competitors and more as high-margin partners, he said.
Amazon announced early this year that third-party merchants sold two billion items on Amazon.com last year, which reportedly doubled the number from the previous year. The company said those sales accounted more than 40 percent of the total units sold on Amazon.
Industry players say Amazon reaps higher profits from third-party sales than from products it sells itself. It charges a commission, plus fees, on third-party sales, while incurring hardly any overhead...Read more
Techweek Chicago announced its “Techweek100” for 2015 on Tuesday, naming a list that includes a significant increase in women.
The technology conference, newly led by CEO Katy Lynch, selected 164 innovators from 100 Chicago-area companies, including 55 women. That's just over one-third, up from 13 percent in 2014, when 18 women were named to a list of 142.
“This year the Techweek 100 reflects and highlights new groups, new initiatives, and new growth in the Chicago tech ecosystem,” Lynch said in an email to Blue Sky.
Newcomers to the list include Coco Meers, founder and CEO of PrettyQuick; Al Goldstein, founder and CEO of Avant; and Steve Collens, CEO of healthtech incubator Matter.
Techweek came under fire last year for sending a promotional email featuring photos of women in provocative outfits, prompting several of the 2014 Techweek100 to ask be removed from the list.
Techweek, which hosts its Chicago conference June 22-28 this year, says it aims to honor people who have had a “significant...Read more
YouTube has turned people into celebrities. Some have become millionaires thanks to advertising and even brand-sponsored videos.
Emily Eddington has grown her “Beauty Broadcast” channel on the Google-owned platform without taking direct deals with marketers. A former TV news anchor for WSIL-TV in southern Illinois, she began posting makeup reviews and how-tos on YouTube on the side in November 2007.
Her most popular episode, "Walgreens HAULgreens," posted in August 2012, drew 1.29 million views. By year-end, she had quit her job of six years to run her video channel full-time from home in Carterville, near Carbondale.
Eddington shares how she has found success on her own terms.
Q. How did you get into beauty “vlogging,” or video blogging?
A. I started my channel back when there weren’t thousands of beauty channels. There were great makeup artists putting out wonderful information, and I just loved watching it.
I get so much enjoyment out of using makeup, so I thought maybe I have something...Read more
It offers only six bouquets. They’re designed to order, wrapped in burlap and delivered by bike messenger, with prices starting at $35. The company donates 25 percent of its profits to a local charity each month.
That’s Flowers for Dreams, an online flower-delivery startup whose founders aim to add a cool, modern twist to flowers, that most traditional of gifts. “That’s how we designed the whole brand,” says Steven Dyme, 24, CEO and co-founder of the West Town-based company. And, he said, they are focused on building a brand in an industry that lacks brand swagger: “Nobody brags about their 1-800-Flowers bouquet,” Dyme says.
Flowers for Dreams “skews weirdly young,” attracting millennials, especially young women who send flowers as “a fun gift,” Dyme says. Social media — particularly Instagram, where the company has 12,800 followers — have helped sales grow to about $1.5 million this year, triple that of 2014. Floral sales overall were $26.6 billion in 2014, according to the Society of...Read more


text:
CBIRC’s new motor pricing regime may strain small insurers’ profitability: Moody’sJanuary 18 2023 by InsuranceAsia News Staff
- April 17
The industry needed to define its positions on whether the battery fire is an operational risk for users, or a product liability risk, especially in the case of thermal runaway.
- April 12
The insurance-focused investor believes that the winners in South-East Asia’s largest digital economy will be those that can steer away from an asset-light broking model, as it backs insurtech PasarPolis in ramping up its underwriting capability.
- April 9
Electric vehicle owners will need to get insured via additional provisions for damage caused by battery combustion, according to the Financial Supervisory Commission.
- March 27
China's largest P&C insurer saw net profit for the financial year drop 15.6% and its combined ratio edge up to 97.8%


text:
Digital Content | News
Pearson Integrates Equella Digital Repository with Echo360
Pearson has integrated its Equella digital repository with Echo360, according to a statement released this week by Pearson. The new integration allows instructors to capture and store lectures, which are then "coded into different formats, and published into Equella." The system detects all Echo360 content, extracts its information from the system, and tags it to the content. The references can be linked to any learning management system or portal that's integrated with Equella. Instructors can publish the content to a course from the digital repository. The media streams from Echo360 where it's stored.
The Echo360 attachment is scheduled for release next month in Equella 6.1. Additional information about the integration is available at www.equella.com.
Kanoe Namahoe is online editor for 1105 Media's Education Group. She can be reached at [email protected].


text:
The fall conference season is a business time for us in the industry research business. I’ve finally recovered from a hectic week in Geneva, where I met with over 40 banks, technology companies and consulting firms to discuss what’s happening in global transaction banking. This year’s Sibos theme was ‘Transforming the Landscape’, organised around four themes:
A selection of Sibos session recordings is available on the Sibos website. With my research focus of corporate banking, my discussions focused on three key topics.Swift’s global payments innovation (gpi) initiative. Swift announced that it had successfully completed the first phase of the gpi pilot, surprising some bankers with its ability to meet the first milestone so quickly. The initial objective of gpi is to improve the speed of cross-border payments (starting with same-day) and improve transparency with new end-to-end payment tracking. Swift staffers roamed the exhibition hall with iPads demonstrating the gpi’s new payment tracker. It remains for banks to integrate the new payment type into their corporate digital channels and to determine product pricing. PSD2, along with the UK’s Open Banking API Framework. Looking beyond mere compliance, providers and banks are developing value-added services to capitalise on the significant disruption arising from opening traditional banking capabilities to third-parties. Blockchain in corporate banking. After publishing a Celent report on use cases for blockchain in corporate banking earlier this year, I was heartened to hear “real world” blockchain announcements from the big tech companies, touting their banking collaborations. Swiss bank UBS is working with IBM on a project to replicate the entire life cycle of an international trade transaction. The FX settlement service, CLS, is building a payments netting service that will enable cash trades on IBM’s Fabric blockchain. Bank of America and Microsoft announced their intent to build and test blockchain applications for trade finance.
Although much progress is being made by blockchain consortia, banks and technology providers, most people I talked to believe that significant adoption of blockchain for corporate banking use cases is still a few years in the future.
READ NEXT: Sibos 2016 – fintech on the main stage
– This article is reproduced with kind permission. Some minor changes have been made to reflect BankNXT style considerations. Read more here. Main photo: fuyu liu, Shutterstock.com


text:
Apart from investing heavily in blockchain research, banks have been wary of dealing with bitcoin-related companies. The anonymity and potential illegality of some of the transactions, as well as the generally unregulated nature of bitcoin as a “currency”, have led banks to close down accounts that they suspect of dealing in bitcoin, and to deny accounts to new bitcoin startups. Although the banks themselves would not be holding bitcoins for their clients, the (generally unfounded) fear of being caught without verifiable transaction records in the event of an audit has been stronger than the desire to capture new business.
This may be about to change.
Technically, Bitcoin is not anonymous, it is pseudonymous, and transactions are often traceable. It can be anonymous with extra effort, re-routings and mixing solutions, but for most Bitcoin businesses, that’s not an issue. Often it’s not even a feature that they offer their clients. It’s the possibility of untraceable transactions that spooks the official institutions, although they are reluctant to publicly admit this. The Bitcoin sector, and regulators, are starting to openly protest. Just last week Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission launched an official investigation into banks’ policies regarding digital currency clients. Their findings will most likely be totally confusing.
Enter the Bitcoin forensics. Chainalysis offers the service of Bitcoin transaction tracking. Their website declares that “We built Chainalysis to spot connections between digital identities”, which means that they use transaction data to link addresses and to thus decipher the originators of certain bitcoin transactions.
Chainalysis is, as far as I know, the first to publicly offer this service, attracting considerable controversy. Its tracking methods have been accused of distorting network latency, and its de-anonymization purpose is rubbing freedom decentralists the wrong way. But, it is a service that will end up being necessary if official banks are to start opening their doors and their credibility to Bitcoin startups.
Just over a week ago Chainalysis signed a collaboration agreement with British bank Barclays, to add a layer of compliance onto digital currency transactions. This could pave the way to Barclays becoming the first large commercial bank to officially accept Bitcoin clients. This would not only be very good news for the startup sector, but it would also enforce Barclays’ reputation as being quite “with it” when it comes to Bitcoin. In June it signed a collaboration deal with bitcoin exchange Safello to try out various bitcoin-related services. And earlier this month it signed a contract with blockchain trade finance facilitator Wave.
This does not mean that Barclays will necessarily be holding bitcoins for its clients. But back in September they did say that they were looking into the possibility of helping their charity clients to collect and disburse bitcoin donations. Until bitcoin is officially declared a “bankable” currency, it is unlikely that we’ll be able to open a bitcoin-denominated account at our local branch. But regulators do seem to be heading towards declaring bitcoin official tender. Just a few days ago the European Court of Justice ruled that, for tax purposes at least, Bitcoin should be considered as money.
Hopefully, with Barclays scooping up the potentially lucrative market of Bitcoin businesses eager for respectability, other banks will take a similarly progressive stance and realize that Bitcoin is not about illegal activity, any more than cash is. And from what I gather, banks have never had any problem accepting and storing cash.


text:
Console Game of the Month: Call of Duty Black Ops II
It was always going to be tough to choose a winner this month with all the Wii U launch releases, the Xbox 360 flagship title Halo 4 and Playstation's All Star Battle Royale. But, in the end we came up with a compromise, a game that was released on all three consoles, Call of Duty: Black Ops II.
Now, before you roll your eyes, hear me out. Every Treyarch Call of Duty has seemed to focus far more on experimentation on the singleplayer end than on multiplayerbut this year Treyarch was able to expand the experience beyond the paradigms traditionally associated with the franchise: corridor fighting, linearity and very limited player freedom. With Black Ops II, we received a surprisingly interesting shift with a branching storyline, multiple endings based on player choice and actions, levels that rivaled some of Battlefield's maps in scale and even a new strategic element. While many of the plot twists and turns were predictable, what was presented to us was an entertaining experience whose new elements we can only hope become staple parts of the series going forward.
Other Notable Releases
> Halo 4
> Far Cry 3
> Zombi U
> New Super Mario U
> Scribblenauts Unlimited
> Hitman Absolution
> PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
November Console news
A set-top stripped down Xbox coming next year?
Microsoft is rumored to be building an Xbox set-top box that will be a casual gaming alternative to the next Xbox. It has been suggested that Microsoft plans to release the box as a low-cost alternative to its next Xbox console. The company’s full two-SKU strategy will allegedly be unveiled in 2013, and will release before the year is out. The set-top box is said to run on Windows 8, and will be more of a casual gaming machine that seeks to complement the full Xbox console experience.
The "always on" device will boot quickly and act as an entertainment services hub.
Microsoft is also rumoured to be investigating ways to make Xbox Live run on phones as well as TVs with no console present.
Wii U sells 400,000 in first week
Nintendo has revealed that 400,000 Wii U consoles were sold during the system’s first week on sale. In an interview, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime revealed the figure, also noting that 300,000 Wii consoles were sold in the same week.
Trailers of the Month
November’s finally come and gone, marking the end of the Fall release madness that our bank accounts reel in terror from every year. As we take toll of the financial damage that has been wrought upon us, we can reflect on just what made us question whether paying the rent is something we can afford to do. The obvious elephant in the room is the Wii U but we will get to that in a moment.
November always marks the release period of the biggest profile sequels and, boy, did we have some big ones. Halo 4 proved that life after Bungie is not only possible but also enjoyable. Hitman Absolution showed that a developer with two previous crap titles can still produce a quality experience. All this and Black Ops II mentioned earlier.
The thing that should really be taken away from this November’s crop of releases: Experimentation. Regardless of whether titles succeed or fail we need to more developers experimenting with their games while focusing less on meeting the demands of the most common denominator. We saw this with the three titles just mentioned. Treyarch presented a new take on the roller-coaster Call of Duty singleplayer, Halo 4 retained the classic gameplay we all know while reinventing the cooperative experience with Spartan Ops and even Hitman, six years after the last title was released, introduced elements of stealth gameplay that, logically, should have been a consideration for the series in the first place. Core experiences don’t have to change in order to present a fresh new take on something tried and true: augmentation through experimentation can be of true benefit.
Not Madden though. There’s no hope for that franchise.
Of course, the big deal for the month was the Wii U. The launch date timing is perfect with the lead up to Christmas. Young gamers everywhere will be pestering their parents for Nintendo’s latest offering. But is the Wii U, just a flash in the pan, or is it something that Nintendo fanboys can be proud of?
The visuals, although much clearer than the Wii, are barely an improvement on what the X360 is able to put out. But Nintendo have always danced to their own tune.
The main drawcard to the new console is the Gamepad, a device that is crossed between an iPad and a standard PS3 controller, complete with 854x480 pixel display right in the centre and built in motion sensors. The GamePad can be used for basic tasks such as showing the game map or as a way to set up team formations in sports games. In Zombi U, the GamePad becomes a scanner, through which you get an enhanced version of the environment that reveals interesting objects or possible exits. There is no doubt that developers will learn to use the hardware in various unique ways as the GamePad becomes more familiar to them, as was the case with the Wiimotes.
Stuff we can look forward to in December
December is a real quiet month for new releases, as most publishers will have already released their titles well ahead of Christmas, but there are still a few stragglers.
> Guardians of Middle-Earth
> Lego Lord of the Rings
> The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn
> Mass Effect Trilogy
> Wreck-it Ralph
> 007 Legends
So until next month, happy console gaming. Oh, and Merry Christmas…we hope the console or game you asked Santa for is waiting under the tree on Christmas morning.


text:
Under ownership of the Chrysler group, Lamborghini briefly competed in F1 in the 90s. The carmaker asked it’s engineers Mario Tolentino and Mauro Forghieri to design a Formula One car in the early 90s. Upon completion, the car was named the Lambo 291. However, the history books do not reflect a Lamborghini team ever existing.
This is because the manufacturer chose to compete under the alias, Team Modena. This was done in order to protect brand image in case the Formula One venture failed. While Lamborghini already served as an engine manufacturer in the late 80s and early 90s, this would be their first attempt as a full-time entry. The Lambo 291, only raced 6 times in 1991 with a 7th place finish in the US Grand Prix.
After facing multiple financial hardships, Lamborghini decided to pull the plug on it’s Formula One program, as they did not want to invest further into a failing team. The Italian car maker stopped supplying engines after the 1993 season. It seemed like the manufacturer had given up on their hopes of competing in the pinnacle of motorsport.
Is Lamborghini eying a comeback?
While it would be perfectly logical to see one of the most prestigious car makers in the world compete against the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes in the pinnacle of motorsport, Lamborghini is not interested in a return to Formula One. Lamborghini is unwilling to put it’s brand image at risk by producing a subpar machine. It is also incredibly expensive for a new team to enter F1. The costs associated with F1 makes it a risky investment.
In an interview with ArabianBusiness, CEO of Lamborghini, Stephan Winkelmann expressed his disinclination towards investing in a Formula One program. “There are no plans to go into Formula 1 business. For us, it is more seen as an activity linking us more to our customer… We do gentlemen’s drivers clubs around the world and they are pretty successful and that is the way to go. The cars you see on the road are much the same as the ones we put on the racetrack.”
Lamborghini’s parent company, Volkswagen seems keen to enter Formula One with it’s subsidiaries. Lately, Audi and Porsche have made the headlines due to suggestion that both the companies will be competing in F1 soon. While Porsche plans to be an engine supplier and is set to enter in 2026, Audi will set foot in F1 as a team, taking over from Sauber. Fans will be excited to see if Audi and Porsche’s future success in F1 is enough to entice Lamborghini to rejoin.
In case you missed it:


text:
Unless you wrap your mobile in cotton wool or have Spiderman-esque reflexes, the chances are you've broken an iPhone (or five) in your time.
And while the latest iPhone 7 model is waterproof; it's not shock or crack proof — which is exactly what Tech Stuff report Apple are hoping to introduce to the next phone they create.
The website says Apple received a patent on April 4th to create a phone with shock absorbers - and a mechanism which means the phone floats — in a bid to prevent cracked screens and water damage.
More From Seventeen
Apparently, this will involve 'bumpers' that pop out from each corner of the device to cushion impact, as well as creating a buoyancy aid, to stop the phone whacking a hard surface or sinking in water.
If this is true and Apple can make it work, it will make nights out SO. MUCH. EASIER.
According to the patent, the technology will be based on sensors (such as the 'accelerometer', which is already present in most smartphones) that can detect when the device is in "free fall".
Tech Stuff report the patent reads:
"The length of time in free fall may be used to calculate the height and velocity of movement, and thus to make a determination whether the device has been dropped or merely set down.
"Devices may sometimes be exposed to elements such as water and may even be dropped into water environments such as a lake, ocean, or even a bathtub or sink within the home."
So, when the software decided the phone has been dropped rather than put down? The corner bumpers will spring out to cushion the fall, as well as enable flotation.
Dusty Baxter-Wright (she/her) is Entertainment Editor at Cosmopolitan UK across print, digital and video. Heading up the team’s celebrity, TV and movie coverage, she has interviewed everyone from Zac Efron and Zendaya to Eddie Redmayne, Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, and is a keen binge-watcher of shows like Bridgerton and The Crown. Dusty has been in the industry for the best part of a decade, and you can follow her on Instagram here.


text:
According to new reports out of China, the highly anticipated Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 could be announced on the same day as the Apple’s iPhone 8 which was previously rumored to be made official on September 12th.
Bearing in mind that the current Xiaomi Mi Mix was announced back in October last year, there is definitely a high possibility that the Chinese company may choose to unveil their latest powerhouse slightly earlier to compete with the iPhone 8 and perhaps the Huawei Mate 10 as well.
Earlier this week, Chinese site Anzhuo also claimed that th Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 had already received 3C certifications in the home country which signals the device’s imminent release. Likewise, Mi Mix 2’s designer Phillippe Starck had also begin teasing the device with a conceptual video showing off the rough outline and design of the new flagship.
According to the rumor mills, the Mi Mix 2 will be coming with a smaller display size of around 6-inches as opposed to the current 6.4-inches screen. Similar to the Xiaomi Mi 6, this handset will also be running on the Snapdragon 835 SoC.


text:
SCA has decided to acquire an additional 5 percent of the shares in the leading Chinese tissue company Vinda. The purchase price is around 600 MSEK.
The seller in the transaction is Fu An, a company majority owned by Mr Li, the Chairman of Vinda. SCA’s share in Vinda after the transaction will be 22.6%.
Vinda is one of the most successful tissue producers in China, the second largest tissue market in the world. Currently Vinda commands strong brand recognition in the country and being the third largest player in the China household paper industry in terms of market share and production capacity. The company has eight production facilities with a total production capacity of 470,000 tons and targeting to reach 1 million tons in the coming years.
“The market for tissue products in China continues to grow well and continues to consolidate with the larger players, like Vinda, growing at a significantly faster speed than the market. We intend to be among the leading players in China and we have for this reason taken the decision to increase our ownership in Vinda”, says Jan Johansson, SCA’s President and CEO.
The transaction is subject to receiving consent from some of Vinda’s lending banks. Vinda is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Stockholm, Sweden, 10 April, 2012
For additional information, please contact:
Pär Altan, Vice President Media Relations, phone +46 8 788 5237
Johan Karlsson, Vice President Investor Relations, +46 8 788 5130
This information is such that SCA must disclose in accordance with the Securities Markets Act.
The information was submitted for publication on April 10, 2012, at 11.55 CET.


text:
Soy Vey! Should you eat it or not?
For immediate release:
The data is confusing and contradictory, but there are soy-savvy guidelines you can follow.
One sit-down review of the current research on soy can leave you with information as mercurial as a teenager’s emotions. Soy is a hot topic—and sometimes a controversial one—among researchers and consumers alike.
One moment, you’re told you are doing your preteen daughter a favor by giving her soy because it reduces her risk of getting breast cancer at an older age by a whopping 58 percent. The next, you hear that soy may stimulate the onset of early puberty. Which is true?
The answer lies in how you interpret the data. It’s not uncommon for studies to yield contradictory conclusions about whether soy consumption helps prevent or causes chronic disease.
Bottom line, most scientists try to avoid anecdotal evidence despite many soy enthusiasts out there shopping the grocery aisles. Then comes a pecking order of sorts in interpreting the researchers: The first stop is animal studies, followed by human studies.
Food scientists most often interpret animal research as just that: True for the animals, and perhaps indicating the need for human trials. Human studies, then, are the most relevant when it comes to fully understanding the effects of soy on overall human health.
And—drum roll, please—it turns out that, so far, the majority of those studies suggest soy is a safe addition to your diet.
Soy Yes: Good for your cholesterol ratio and for lowering breast cancer risk among teen girls.
Non-fermented whole soy is a complete protein. This, above all else, is its primary benefit. It contains omega-3 fatty acids in a form similar to that found in flax seed rather than what’s found in fish. Because it is an excellent source of protein, soy can replace foods in the diet that are high in saturated fats.
“The amino acid balance is excellent—and for a plant source of protein, that is rare,” says John Erdman, professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “It is relatively low in saturated fat and it contains no cholesterol. Soy versus other animal sources of protein can reduce serum cholesterol levels [your LDL or “bad” cholesterol]. Some studies show you may even see an elevation of HDL [your “good” cholesterol].”
The American Heart Association recently concluded that soy, once thought to have an enormous effect on cardiovascular health, instead has a modest effect. Soy proteins are thought to lower a person’s bad cholesterol somewhere between 3 percent and 5 percent.
“We used to think that it lowered cholesterol by 10 percent,” says Mark Messina, an associate professor at Loma Linda University who has worked with the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, and now consults as a soy expert. “Now we know that number is lower. But even though soy protein lowers cholesterol less than we previously thought, since every 1 percent decrease in LDL lowers heart disease risk from 2 to 4 percent, even a 3 to 5 percent decrease is relevant.”
Another benefit of soy appears to be that of preventing breast cancer when consumed by adolescent girls.
“There is very exciting data indicating early soy consumption reduces breast cancer risk,” says Messina. “There have been four epidemiologic studies that have looked at this relationship. The latest study, from the National Cancer Research Institute, found that women who consumed the most amount of soy at 5 to 11 years old were 58 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than women who consumed less soy.”
Soy What? Soy is a top allergen, debate about estrogen-like effects and why there are soy warnings in Great Britain and Israel.
Soy is one of the top eight allergens, along with milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish and wheat. Soy is a hidden ingredient in so many foods that it can be difficult for those with soy allergies to eat a balanced diet. Some individuals who are allergic to soy don’t always know they are eating it. Soy is often found in baked goods, canned tuna, cereals, crackers, sauces, soups, some peanut butters and infant formula. Soy as an allergen is a point agreed upon by all.
One point of major debate is the effect of the isoflavones soy contains. The issue with these plant-based estrogens is whether they affect the human body the same way true estrogen would. So far, studies done in rats, using high doses of soy different than that found in whole soy foods, show that isoflavones could have the same effect as estrogen. But remember the hierarchy of research: Human studies indicate that isoflavones do not mimic the negative effect of estrogen unless a cancer tumor is already present in the person eating the soy.
Health organizations in Israel and Great Britain have issued warnings to limit soy consumption for children up to age 18, based on estrogen-mimicking study results in rodents. Soy researchers note, however, that rats and humans process isoflavones differently, and rat studies don’t offer information on how isoflavones affect people.
“There is no human evidence indicting isoflavones [in a supplement or food form] have adverse effects,” says Messina. “Rodents metabolize isoflavones differently than humans and most often these toxicologic studies use pure genistein [a type of isoflavonoid derived from soy products] that is injected. They are not examining soy foods.” Erdman agrees that these studies do not indicate soy is unsafe for humans, given the differences between how rats and people metabolize plant estrogen.
Soy What? Part 2: Potential for easing menopause symptoms, the “Internet issue” of fermented versus non-fermented soy, and how you might be blocking minerals from your body.
The jury is still out on whether soy has any meaningful impact on helping ease menopause symptoms, or on reducing cancer risk for adult soy consumers. The confusion between eating fermented versus non-fermented soy, says Messina, has been discussed a lot online, but lacks any research to back up whether fermented soy is a healthier choice.
And there have been no human studies that prove soy causes precocious puberty in adolescent girls, a reduction in sex drive for adult men and women, or an increase in risk of thyroid cancer—all health issues red-flagged by anti-soy experts.
Phytates and trypsin inhibitors both are found in soy foods. Phytates are antioxidants, but they also inhibit mineral absorption. Messina says calcium absorption from fortified soymilk is similar to the absorption of calcium from dairy milk, despite the phytates. But—and this is an important “but” to some people—phytates do lower iron and zinc absorption.
Trypsin also is a mineral absorption inhibitor. It is inactivated by heat, so it’s better to consume heated tofu rather its raw counterpart. This means don’t blend raw tofu into a smoothie or a dessert treat and expect to yield the same nutritional benefits. And be sure to heat your edamame (the bean inside soy pods) before popping it in your mouth.
Soy Now: How much soy is right for you?
Moderation and variety are rules of thumb when it comes to good nutrition. These guidelines are no different with soy, and as with most foods, researchers suggest you consume whole soy products rather than processed soy products.
That means edamame or tofu rather than soymilk, just as it is a healthier choice to eat apples over applesauce, says Messina. The less processing—and fewer added ingredients—the better.
Experts who raise red flags against soy suggest adults and children eat soy infrequently, perhaps no more than a couple of times a week. One reason is that soy might be present or “hidden” in other processed foods.
Pro-soy experts suggest adults eat up to 25 grams of soy protein and 100 milligrams of isoflavones daily. This translates to about two to four servings a day. A serving is 8 ounces of liquid, such as miso and soy milk, or about half a cup of solid soy such as tofu, tempeh and edamame.
“I don’t believe there is evidence that exceeding these amounts is harmful,” says Messina. “But because common dietary advice is to get nutrients—and protein in this case—from a variety of sources it could be argued that consuming more than 25 grams of soy protein would be putting too much emphasis on one food.”
For children, no more than two servings of soy per day is recommended, equal to the half-cup of solid soy or 8 ounces as a soup or milk. Be sure to monitor how much sugar your child is getting with the soy. Often there can be as much as 16 grams or higher per serving added to make soy milk taste better. The effects of too much sugar? That’s a different story and research hierarchy.


text:
As one of the fastest-growing emerging economies in the world, India has a huge demographic dividend and is expected to catch up with China to become the world's most populous country. Coupled with its solid training in scientific and technological talents and its advantages in English, it has attracted a large amount of foreign investment. India is considered will become the new world factory.
In response to the supply chain challenges brought about by the epidemic, the layout of the supply chain will become more resilient-oriented, that is, willing to sacrifice some of the high cost and efficiency indicators in exchange for the flexibility and resilience of supply chain management.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and its rapid global spread, the global auto parts, semiconductor, and electronics industries have been exposed to highly uncertain risks. Global supply chain logistics is an issue that everyone has had to reexamine.


text:
Amending San Francisco’s plastic water bottle ban was the subject of a recent Board of Supervisors’ hearing. As of October 1st, events with access to onsite water have been prohibited from selling bottled water.
Some San Francisco supervisors are calling for a hearing to look into the city’s policy making property owners responsible for maintaining city-owned trees.
A San Francisco supervisor wants retail stores to give their employees more predictable work schedules.
In an effort to regulate short-term rentals—made popular by services such as Airbnb, San Francisco passed its first legislative test Thursday at City Hall, where the planning commission gave tentative approval a controversial proposal after a four-hour long public hearing.
A new proposal before the Board of Supervisors would give significant tax breaks for property owners willing to set aside their empty lots as urban gardens.
Airbnb began collecting hotel taxes Tuesday for all of its reservations in Portland, Oregon and is expected to soon do the same in San Francisco.
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee on Tuesday afternoon introduced a proposed measure that would gradually bump San Francisco’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by July 2018.
Two San Francisco supervisors will face each other in a runoff race for one of the city’s state assembly seats this November following Tuesday’s primary election.
558 solar panels were installed on the roof of Davies Symphony Hall, as part of the GoSolarSF incentive that aims to shrink the city’s carbon footprint and conserve energy.
As the popularity of online services like Airbnb have risen, legislation was introduced in San Francisco on Tuesday to halt people from converting their apartments into short-term vacation rentals.


text:
National Expands Its Global Transportation Service
National Expands Its Global Transportation Service Footprint to Offer Premium Daily Passenger Charter Services between the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan
December 30, 2013
National, a premier global multimodal, cargo, and passenger flight service provider announced today that it is expanding its market reach and footprint to include enhanced daily charter passenger service in the Middle East. The service expansion coincides with the launch of a refreshed brand identity and improvements to the company’s online booking and tracking capabilities. National continues to provide decades of proven experience moving precious cargo and mission-critical supplies, enhanced by accessible web and IT solutions, delivering “Destination Excellence” to customers around the world.
“We are excited to announce this next generation of National’s innovative approach to excellence in customer experience, and celebrate the significant achievements and expansion of our capabilities, both in the market and online,” stated National President and CEO Chris Alf. “It all serves to showcase National’s relentless commitment to delivering mission success on a global scale.”
Over the past 20 years, National has earned a superb reputation as a trusted partner to government, military and Fortune 500 companies by delivering people and supplies to locations both challenging and routine under mission-critical timelines. From subsistence shipments, to medical supplies, to transporting servicemen and symphony orchestras, National has empowered clients to achieve mission success, no matter the challenge.
To accompany the expanded passenger and multimodal service offerings, National has revitalized its digital presence with the launch of www.GoNational.com. This central destination provides visitors with easy access to the reengineered www.NationalAirCargo.com and www.NationalAirlines.com. The sites feature the latest advancements in user experience and user interface, including interactive booking and tracking tools. The new websites empower users to quickly and easily book a flight, move cargo and track shipments in real-time.
National President and CEO Chris Alf commented: “We’re delivering the same unrelenting service and unrivalled solutions that our customers have come to depend upon. Now, we’re just doing a better job through our web-presence of showing the world what we’re made of.”
National is a premier global multimodal, freight forwarding, and passenger flight service provider, with corporate headquarters in Orlando, Florida. At National, we set a new standard of excellence by delivering unrelenting service, unrivalled solutions, unmatched agility and the utmost care, all with unparalleled speed in order to elevate the total customer experience, anywhere in the world. Learn more at http://www.GoNational.com.


text:
If you have a Chromecast order pending from Amazon, I have some bad news for you. The retailer has recently announced that there has been a pretty lengthy delay on Chromecast shipments. According to reports received by ChromeSpot, the retailer is putting a shipping window of 2-3 months on all of its Chromecast orders from this point forward.
Some of those who have already ordered the devices are being affected as well, with Amazon telling those who had shipments scheduled as early as August 21st that they won’t be able to get their device until October 17th-30th. Fret not, though — Google Play still has a backorder window of 2-3 weeks, and while Best Buy’s online stock has been coming and going quite fast, you might still be lucky enough to find these in a store near you.
We’re not sure what’s the cause for such a huge delay, but two things come to mind. For starters, Google probably wants to make sure their direct customers are taken care of first. We also suspect Best Buy is eating up a good chunk of the supply chain — with a physical retail presence all across the United States, they are bound to get first dibs on huge batches of shipment.
That’s not to say stock can’t normalize and Amazon can’t speed things up before that 2-3 month window hits, but for now you’d be better off ordering from Google or trying your luck with Best Buy. Has your Chromecast order been delayed?


text:
The annual inflation rate in Bahrain stood at a six-month low of 0.1 percent in February of 2020, amid lower prices of housing & utilities (-0.4 percent vs -0.7 percent); recreation & culture (-5.2 percent vs 2.3 percent); communication (-2.4 percent vs -1.6 percent) and furnishings (-1.9 percent vs -2.2 percent). In addition, prices slowed mostly for alcoholic beverages & tobacco (0.8 percent vs 3.8 percent), transport (3.3 percent vs 3.5 percent) and miscellaneous goods & services (1.9 percent vs 2.5 percent). In contrast, food inflation picked up (2.1 percent vs 0.2 percent), pushed up by prices fish & seafood (6.9 percent); vegetables (21.1 percent) and fats & oils (12.1 percent). Also, prices rebounded for restaurants & hotels (1.1 percent vs -0.2 percent). On a monthly basis, consumer prices edged up 0.2 percent, after being flat in the previous month.
Inflation Rate in Bahrain averaged 2.05 percent from 2008 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 5.22 percent in January of 2009 and a record low of -2.06 percent in March of 2011. This page provides the latest reported value for - Bahrain Inflation Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Bahrain Inflation Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on April of 2020.
Inflation Rate in Bahrain is expected to be 1.40 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Inflation Rate in Bahrain to stand at 2.90 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Bahrain Inflation Rate is projected to trend around 2.60 percent in 2021, according to our econometric models.


text:
European regulators are preparing what could be a stern challenge to Google's mobile software business in the coming months after a nearly four-year investigation into the company's web search practices left rivals and European politicians dissatisfied.
Two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said that with a new antitrust chief taking over in November, European regulators are laying the groundwork for a case centred on whether Google abuses the 80 percent market share of its Android mobile operating system to promote services from maps to search.
The Commission has stepped up inquiries just in recent weeks, sending companies questionnaires that seek far more details than previous queries on the matter in 2011 and 2013.
In one questionnaire, respondents were asked whether there was a requirement set by Google, written or unwritten, that they not pre-install apps, products or services on mobile devices that compete with Google software like its search engine, app store and maps.
Companies must provide emails, faxes, letters, notes from phone calls and meetings, and presentations stretching as far back as 2007 related to such deals with Google, suggesting the European Commission wants to know if Google’s behavior has been long-term. Respondents have been given until early September to reply to more than 40 questions.
While any company is free to use Android as they choose, mobile handset makers that want to use the newest version must sign a contract that stipulates a minimum number of Google services be pre-installed on devices, according to a third source, a former Google executive with knowledge of the matter.
The impending Android inquiry adds to a growing list of regulatory challenges that complicate the company's ambitions in a vital market. Europe accounted for more than US$30 billion in digital advertising spending in 2013.
The European Commission is likely to start a formal probe into Android once it wraps up an investigation into whether Google ranks its own services higher than those of its rivals in search results, according to the two people with knowledge of the matter.
One of the sources said going after Android would help stem a growing chorus of complaints.
Google struck a deal with Outgoing European Commission antitrust chief Joaquin Almunia in February by agreeing to display rivals' links more prominently, but the preliminary settlement was criticised as inadequate by rivals such as Microsoft, consumer review site Yelp and German and Spanish publishers, as well as some European politicians.
Almunia may decide to open a second case against Google at the same time he announces the closing of the first, the source said.
Google faces criticism in Europe about everything from privacy to tax policies, and is wrestling with a European court’s ruling that requires it to remove links from search results that individuals find objectionable.
Android's 80 percent market share is at a level akin to Microsoft's Windows, itself the target of a long-running European investigation.
At the same time, the company has grown so large as to inspire distrust in some corners, with a chorus of public criticism from politicians and business executives.
"They are in a stormy patch at the moment" in Europe, said Alasdair Young, a professor at Georgia Tech’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs. “It’s pretty unusual for a company to be hit by so many big policy threats at the same time.”
The search investigation is not a done deal, with the Commission having indicated it may seek more concessions from Google before making a final decision in September.
But the real fight may be shifting to mobile.
Android represents a crucial channel for Google to extend its search engine into the mobile world. Regulatory action that impedes Google’s ability put search front-and-centre within Android could threaten its primary money-making service.
Handset makers such as Samsung and LG may also benefit by being freer to pre-install or alternative online services on devices. That may in turn grant better shop-window placement to rival services from Microsoft and Yahoo.
A Google spokeswoman said Google is committed to keeping Android open and that "anyone can use Android without Google, and anyone can use Google without Android."


text:
Samsung Electronics has announced a record quarterly profit thanks to an increase for their memory chips.
Top South Korean Tech Company has announced an operating gain of 14 trillion won ($12bn; £9.3bn) in the space of three months to June, and it will rise to 72% in the next year.
Demand rose to 18% to 60 trillion and was boosted by sales of smartphones along with the new flagship Galaxy S8.
Analyst’s reports indicate that Samsung has regained from the devastating Galaxy Note 7 memory. That handset fell after a battery defect led to few devices catching fire.
Also on Friday, Samsung unveiled its latest phone in South Korea adopting fraction from the Note 7 to “reduce the environmental influence” on its previous high-profile mistake.
However, few research firms foresee that Samsung is bent on beating Intel as the top ranked world biggest chipmaker by purchase this year.
It has advanced from both hike in sales and financial value for memory chips, or semiconductors which are applied in computers and smartphones.
The Note 7 crashes affected Samsung’s image and lead to drop of its spot as the Top ranked world’s biggest smartphone builder in the first quarter.
Rise In Competitor’s Market Share
Competitors like Xiaomi, Oppo, china’s Huawei and Apple expanded its market stake due to a subsequent memory from Samsung earlier mistake.
The South Korean tech giant Samsung has also detected that its image dint by the detention and continuous trial of de-facto chief Jay Y. Lee over a political extortion gossip. However, which Mr Lee rejects all charges.


text:
By John Patterson
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers busted a shipment of 60,000 counterfeit Samsung earbuds at Dulles Airport. It was a big haul for CBP; the earbuds, if they were genuine, would hold a list price of around $360,000.
The shipment of 120 boxes came from China and was in transit to Brazil. The customs manifest listed the cargo as headsets, but when CBP opened up the boxes in April, they found 500 earbuds with Samsung branding on them. Inspectors detained the shipment and contacted CBP’s Electronic Center for Excellence and Expertise in Los Angeles. CBP has 10 centers across the nation specializing in different products. The report came back from the West Coast: the earbuds were Samsung in name only.
“Customs and Border Protection will continue to work closely with our trade and consumer safety partners to identify and seize counterfeit and inferior merchandise, especially those products that pose potential harm to American consumers,” said Wayne Biondi, CBP port director for the Port of Washington Dulles in a press release this morning.
This bust is a larger example of CBP’s increased activity at Dulles. In fiscal year 2016, CBP seized more than 31,560 shipments suspected of violating Intellectual Property Rights, a 9 percent increase from FY 2015. CBP seized around $3.8 million of counterfeit goods on an average day. The busts led to 451 arrests, 304 indictments, and 272 convictions by ICE Homeland Security in FY2016.
According to the U.S. Homeland Security Intellectual Property Rights Statistics for FY 2016, 45 percent of seizures were Chinese products, and 16 percent of seizures were of consumer electronics.


text:
“THQ confirms that the company will not be publishing Devil’s Third,” the publisher told Eurogamer. “All of the game’s IP rights have been returned to Itagaki-san and the Valhalla team.”
According to Itagaki, speaking to the latest issue of Famitsu Xbox 360, the game is in its “final stage” of development. The team needed to spend “a great deal” for advertisements, but “it wasn’t fit for [THQ’s] mid-term plan.”
Hopefully, Valhalla will find a new publisher soon.


text:
Infosys Ltd, the once-bellwether-now-beleaguered software company, has named Vishal Sikka as its new CEO and managing director. Sikka is a 47-year-old former executive at SAP.
This is a historic moment. Not only is Sikka the first CEO who has not been a founder at India’s second-largest software exporter, but, even more significantly, the founders are getting out of his way.
- N.R. Narayana Murthy, the company’s first CEO who was brought back from retirement last year to run the company, will step down on 14 June. He will be named chairman emeritus in October.
- Murthy’s son, Rohan Murthy, who was working with his father in chairman’s office, will also leave the company.
- CEO S.D. Shibulal will resign on July 31, and will resign from the board on the same day.
- Executive vice-chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan will step down on June 14 and continue as non-executive vice-chairman till October.
With the exit of Murthy, Shibulal and Gopalakrishnan, no Infosys founder will remain in the company’s management. This is a critical shift for the 33-year-old company that has always had founders in key management roles. K.V. Kamat will continue as non-executive chairman.
Sikka headed products and innovation at SAP, where he earlier served as the company’s first chief technology officer. The Vadodara, Gujarat-born Sikka holds a PhD in computer science from Stanford University. His background at SAP gives Infosys a significant edge as IT companies look to gain a foothold in more profitable areas like cloud computing, big data, robotics, and artificial intelligence.