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Car news: the biggest motoring stories 2021 - August to September
We take a look at the some of the best news stories featured on Auto Express throughout 2021...
Mayhem on our motorways
In August we reported that almost 18,000 major offences have been committed on UK motorways since 2016.
We surveyed 28 police forces and found that this number of tickets had been issued for dangerous motorway manoeuvres, such as U-turns, driving the wrong way, stopping in live lanes and driving on the hard shoulder. The most common offence was making an unnecessary stop on the hard shoulder.
Morgan CX-T limited edition
Morgan announced a limited-run model this summer: the CX-T. It’s a dramatic off-road performance car in the same style as the Ariel Nomad, with a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine with 255bhp, a manual gearbox, special off-road suspension and a switchable limited-slip diff.
It even has a rack on the back to carry spare tyres, just like a Dakar rally racer, and will be limited to only eight models, each costing around £204,000.
Lamborghini revealed new Countach
The legendary Lamborghini Countach name was revived this year, with the unveiling of a new 803bhp hybrid V12 supercar from the Italian manufacturer. The new model features styling that links it to the classic seventies design, but under the skin it’s one of Lambo’s most advanced models – although only 112 examples will be built. It can cover the 0-62mph sprint in just 2.8 seconds and tops out at 221mph.
The Countach will arrive in 2022 and we can’t wait to get behind the wheel and tell you all about it.
The change to E10 petrol left drivers wondering if their car can use it
This year the Department for Transport (DfT) announced the launch of E10 petrol. It’s a more eco-friendly type of fuel with up to 10 per cent ethanol, and was introduced to reduce CO2 emissions.
E10 fuel is now the standard type of regular unleaded in the UK, replacing the old E5 blend. It’s made using a mix of petrol and ethanol alcohol from low-grade grains, sugars and waste wood. It has the potential to cut CO2 by as much as much as 750,000 tonnes each year.
Yet the introduction of this fuel wasn’t good news for some drivers, because not all cars are compatible with it. It’s a particular problem for older cars, and the DfT has estimated that 700,000 vehicles in the UK are not able to use the new fuel grade. An online tool was launched to help drivers check if their car can use the fuel, but in our report we noted that research by the RAC Foundation indicated 28,000 Volkswagen Golfs, 18,162 Mazda MX-5s and around 16,000 Nissan Micras in the UK are unable to run on E10.
A spokesperson from the UKPIA (UK Petroleum Industry Association) told us: “If an owner of a classic or cherished car is uncertain of their vehicle’s compatibility with petrol containing more than 5 per cent ethanol and is unable to obtain guidance from the vehicle manufacturer, they can avoid potential difficulties by using the super grade [which is classed as E5].”
We also published a Q&A to help you learn more about E10 fuel, including answers to questions about why E10 has been launched, how to find out if your car is compatible, what happens if you fill up by mistake, how the fuel is made and more.
One of the key questions is what happens to your car if you use E10 fuel and it’s not compatible. James Elliott, editor-in-chief of Auto Express’s sister title Octane, explained: “These fuels make short work of rubber and fuel lines in older cars. In fact, it has happened on one of my own classics when a section of fuel line perished prematurely and started spewing petrol everywhere.”
You’ll have spotted that all fuel stations have now switched to E10 fuel, but you should still be able to easily find super unleaded fuel in most places, which is more expensive, but safe to use in all petrol cars, although some classic models will still need an additive to go with it.
Banned number plates
With the 71-plate arriving in September, we asked the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to show us the results of its latest bi-annual meeting to decide which registrations should be banned.
The rather amusing list we received included plates that refer to Covid-19, such as CO71 RNA , and spellings of controversial organisations, such as TA71 BAN. Others banned plates were PR71 CK, EA71 POO and FA71 NNY.
Facelift for Ford Fiesta
While the Fiesta might have lost its crown as the best-selling car in Britain so far this year, Ford will look to wrestle that title back from the Vauxhall Corsa with an updated model going on sale soon.
As we found when we went to see the latest Fiesta, with more technology, improved quality and tweaked styling, it very possibly could regain top spot. Only the lack of a fully electric version could hold it back against supermini rivals.
All-new Kia Sportage revealed
Clever infotainment from the EV6, an upmarket cabin and better practicality, with the potential for more than 30 miles of electric running in PHEV form, meant it became a contender for those wanting a smart family SUV that covers all bases.
Volkswagen ID. Life concept
Affordable EVs are needed to improve adoption, and Volkswagen previewed a major player in the electric small car segment called the ID. Life.
The Polo-sized crossover provided a clear look at a sub-ID.3 model, due to launch in 2025 at a price below £21,000. It featured a 248-mile range and a focus on sustainability, with innovative air-filled fabric material in its construction and a targa-style convertible roof.
Automotive industry bounces back with a showstopping line-up of new cars in Munich
Before the Munich Motor Show in September, we hadn’t seen a full European expo since 2019, so there was an air of optimism buzzing around the halls, even if it was balanced with caution given the ongoing Covid-19 situation. But the Munich show highlighted the global automotive industry’s agility and resilience, with many new models making their debuts.
Renault made a statement on its electric future by showcasing its attractive and tech-packed Mégane E-Tech Electric, one of the first production-ready fruits of the French manufacturer’s ‘Renaulution’ plan, which it unveiled back in January.
Sister brand Dacia announced it would also turn towards electrification, confirming the value-focused firm’s first electrified model in the form of the Jogger Hybrid, on sale next year. However, the Romanian firm also said it wouldn’t go fully electric until it had to, retaining petrol power at the core of its line-up to deliver what it knows its customers want: well engineered, affordable cars.
While many production models highlighted what we have to look forward to in the short-term, manufacturers such as BMW showed what the future holds a little further afield, with cars such as its i Vision Circular concept. Typically “challenging: in its styling, BMW’s bold concept gave us a look at how recycled materials and a more environmentally friendly approach to building cars might look.
If anything, though, rival Mercedes upstaged BMW at its home show, with a flurry of electric and electrified models, including production-ready cars and some concepts. The brand’s EQE saloon broke cover, sitting beneath the EQS, while that car made its debut in more performance-focused EQS 53 form.
It was also our first chance to see the flagship Maybach EQS SUV (which also gave us a hint at how the regular EQS off-roader could look, minus the flashy trim and two-tone paint job), yet it wasn’t the biggest, boldest SUV on Mercedes’ stand. That honour went to the EQG concept, a prototype all-electric version of the brand’s iconic G-Class.
Small cars were big news, too, with Smart showing its Concept #1, a vision of a future compact electric SUV based on a new platform from Chinese partner firm Geely.
But it was Volkswagen that arguably stole the show, with a concept that remained under wraps until its debut. Munich’s best-kept secret was called the aforementioned ID. Life, a small machine based on a new MEB Entry platform for small electric cars that showed VW is finally getting to grips with how to square the circle of compact EV finances. VW boss Ralf Brandstätter confirmed to Auto Express that the brand’s GTX tag will be applied to its ID.3 model, too, meaning we’ll see a sporty electric hatch in the future.
Munich was mostly a success, and although there was a big focus on mobility, with few combustion-engined cars making their debuts, it showed that the automotive industry is reacting quickly to the hurdles ahead of it.
Diversity in the motor industry
At Auto Express, we pride ourselves on tackling important automotive issues, and diversity in the motor industry was one aspect that we were keen to address.
Kia’s UK fleet national contract hire relationship manager Moyosola Fujamade wrote a feature for us, after she had spoken to various people across the industry from under-represented demographics about their experiences.
The conclusion drawn was that there are a huge number of opportunities out there in the automotive industry and they’re open to people of all backgrounds, even if there is more work to be done in making people realise that, such as informing students of the opportunities that are available.
Activists block major roads as part of Insulate Britain’s campaign
We reported on the road-blocking protests organised by campaign group Insulate Britain right from the outset, but the issue really heated up in September. The organisation, which was calling for a taxpayer-funded overhaul of housing insulation in the UK, decided to get its argument across by forming roadblocks; first on the M25 and then on other major roads around the country.
Despite the law prohibiting the wilful obstruction of public highways, an apparent hesitancy in taking strong action by police forces – driven by fears of injuring protestors during the process of removing them from the road – and increasing numbers of roadblocks led to Auto Express conducting an in-depth investigation of the issue.
After we questioned the Home Office and other organisations about why the problem wasn’t being dealt with more swiftly, Home Secretary Priti Patel announced plans for a new “public nuisance” law.
We also pitched the views of an environmentalist and a motoring group against one another. Baroness Natalie Bennett, former leader of the Green Party and current peer, said her party had “great sympathy with those whose lives are disrupted by some of these protests”, but believed “non-violent direct action is often the only way for people to drive change”.
AA president Edmund King countered, saying that Insulate Britain’s tactics would backfire because they alienated “the working public stuck in the chaos”. Describing the protests as “irresponsible and illegal”, he condemned the waste of police time and delays caused to emergency services.
Further action was taken following Patel’s announcement, including injunctions ordering protestors not to block the strategic road network of motorways and major A-roads managed by National Highways. Insulate Britain continued its activities in spite of this injunction, with the breaches leading to the imprisonment of several members of the group.
- 1JanuaryWe take a look at the some of the best news stories featured on Auto Express throughout 2021...
- 2February to MarchWe take a look at the some of the best news stories featured on Auto Express throughout 2021...
- 3April to MayWe take a look at the some of the best news stories featured on Auto Express throughout 2021...
- 4June to JulyWe take a look at the some of the best news stories featured on Auto Express throughout 2021...
- 5August to September - currently readingWe take a look at the some of the best news stories featured on Auto Express throughout 2021...
- 6October to NovemberWe take a look at the some of the best news stories featured on Auto Express throughout 2021...


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The way creatures evolve in a quantum environment throws new light on the nature of life.
The cells might eventually replace the turbines in high-efficiency power plants.
Evaporative cooling plus drying with desiccants equals cool air for less cost.
No other means of storing energy may be able to reach the scale required to run Germany on solar and wind power.
With funding from the Amazon founder and the CIA’s investment arm, the Canadian company D-Wave is gaining momentum for its revolutionary approach to computing.
At CES, where Internet-connected devices abound, Samsung says all its products will be connected by 2020.
Emu mines your conversations and smartphone sensors to add helpful details to messages.
Scientists are developing ways to edit the DNA of tomorrow’s children. Should they stop before it’s too late?
Advanced genetic tools could help boost crop yields and feed billions more people.
Availability: 10-15 years

domain: news


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Following Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard being approved by Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), the Competition and Markets Authority in the UK has detailed its concerns. It initially didn’t approve the acquisition, and in the second phase, it outlined how it would harm subscription offerings, PlayStation, and the game streaming space in general.
As reported by GamesIndustry, the regulator said, “There is a realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition in gaming consoles, multi-game subscription services, and cloud gaming services.” The “network effect” of the market, which causes a console with more gamers to attract more content and thus more gamers, was cited as a concern with any potential exclusivity.
“The CMA is concerned that having full control over this powerful catalogue, especially in light of Microsoft’s already strong position in gaming consoles, operating systems, and cloud infrastructure, could result in Microsoft harming consumers by impairing Sony’s – Microsoft’s closest gaming rival – ability to compete as well as that of other existing rivals and potential new entrants who could otherwise bring healthy competition through innovative multi-game subscriptions and cloud gaming services.”
The CMA also feels that Activision-Blizzard titles could have eventually arrived on other subscription services if this deal didn’t go through. “The CMA recognises that ABK’s newest games are not currently available on any subscription service on the day of release but considers that this may change as subscription services continue to grow. After the Merger, Microsoft would gain control of this important input, and could use it to harm the competitiveness of its rivals.” Microsoft’s Azure cloud service, not to mention its dominance with PC operating systems, could result in an “unparalleled advantage” if its acquisition of Activision-Blizzard goes through.
Of course, Microsoft has responded in kind. It noted, “These unsupported theories of harm are not sufficient to justify a reference to Phase 2.” It also said there were numerous reasons why the CMA’s concerns over the deal’s impact on PlayStation were “misplaced.” Some of these include PlayStation having a market-leading position with an install base of 150 million consoles versus Xbox’s 63.7 million consoles. There’s also the fact that Sony’s market leadership allows for raising the PS5’s price “without fear of losing market share.”
Microsoft told GamesIndustry, “The suggestion that the incumbent market leader, with clear and enduring market power, could be foreclosed by the third largest provider as a result of losing access to one title is not credible.” It also added that if every Call of Duty player shifted to Xbox, “the PlayStation gamer base would remain significantly larger than Xbox.” It didn’t provide any figures to back this assumption up, however.
It further noted Sony’s acquisitions and the fact that it saw more than 280 first and third-party exclusives on PlayStation in 2021, five times that of Xbox’s offerings. “In short, Sony is not vulnerable to a hypothetical foreclosure strategy, and the Referral Decision incorrectly relies on self-serving statements by Sony, which significantly exaggerate the importance of Call of Duty to it and neglect to account for Sony’s clear ability to competitively respond.
“While Sony may not welcome increased competition, it can adapt and compete. Gamers will ultimately benefit from this increased competition and choice.” Microsoft reiterated that it would keep Call of Duty on PlayStation and that taking it away would “alienate” the console’s fanbase and “tarnish both the Call of Duty and Xbox brands.”
As for the decision to bring Activision-Blizzard titles to Game Pass, Microsoft believes this would offer more choices for gamers. While it didn’t indicate whether it would allow Call of Duty to release on other subscription services, Microsoft noted that Game Pass wasn’t on PlayStation. Thus any concerns from the CMA of it “tipping” subscription services in favor of Xbox were inaccurate. It also pointed to the popularity of “buy to play” and free-to-play models that continue provide ample competition for Game Pass.
In the end, Microsoft says, “Should any consumers decide to switch from a gaming platform that does not give them a choice as to how to pay for new games (PlayStation) to one that does (Xbox), then that is the sort of consumer switching behavior that the CMA should consider welfare enhancing and indeed encouraged. It is not something that the CMA should be trying to prevent.”
Regarding streaming, Microsoft feels the regulator’s concerns are somewhat flawed. It noted that Xbox Cloud Gaming doesn’t use Azure, and also doesn’t stream titles from PC hardware. As a result, Xbox would be facing “significant disadvantages compared to rival providers of infrastructure for game streaming.”
“There is no advantage. Indeed, Xbox considers that it faces many significant disadvantages as compared to rival providers of infrastructure for game streaming.” While the CMA feels that acquiring Activision-Blizzard and using it in conjunction with other services could “foreclose” on cloud gaming rivals, Microsoft said this is counter to its objective.
“Consumer adoption of cloud gaming remains low. Harming or degrading rival services would significantly set back the adoption of this technology – protecting market-leading incumbents (i.e., Sony on console, Apple and Google on mobile, as well as Steam on PC).
“Xbox as a platform which is in last place in console, seventh place in PC and nowhere in mobile game distribution globally, has no incentive to do this. Instead, its incentive is to encourage the widespread adoption of cloud gaming technologies by as many providers as possible to encourage the major shift in consumer behavior required for cloud gaming to succeed.”
Preliminary findings for the investigation’s second phase will be revealed in January 2023, followed by a final report on March 1st, 2023. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.


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Just two years after its introduction, Intel is killing off the Compute Card PC.
NexDock was first to signal a warning about Compute Card. In 2017, the company announced the development of the new NexDock based on the Intel® Compute Card. The company became one of Intel’s official Compute Card partners to build the new NexDock from ground up – a docking unit that supports the Intel Compute Cards in 2-in-1 laptop form. A prototype of the device appeared at CES 2018. But the company today says that the
future of Compute Card is uncertain. "Intel might not come up with a new generation Compute Card and their 7th generation CPU might be the last one to be manufactured … we are putting the NexPad project on hold until there is more visibility about the future of Compute Cards, " NexDock said.
Intel also confirmed the bad news for the Compute Cards.
“We continue to believe [that] modular computing is a market where there are many opportunities for innovation,” Intel told Tom’s Hardware. “However, as we look at the best way to address this opportunity, we’ve made the decision that we will not develop new Compute Card products moving forward. We will continue to sell and support the current Compute Card products through 2019 to ensure our customers receive the support they need with their current solutions, and we are thankful for their partnership on this change.”
The Intel Compute Card PC could power IoT-based devices or be used as a standalone computer. It featured a USB-C Plus extension connector for USB, PCIe, HDMI, DisplayPort, processor, RAM, storage, and wireless connectivity.


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Round up: G20 Consumer Summit 2018 in Argentina
On 15 and 16 May 2018, Consumers International and the Argentinian Directorate for Consumer Protection co-hosted the second G20 Consumer Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina.READ MORE
Since 2016, Consumers International has partnered with the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV) and our German member, the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv), to tackle the vital and current issue of building a digital world consumers can trust.
After the G20 Summit the G20 digital ministers released a statement on 7 April. The statement notes the recommendations presented at the G20 Consumer Summit on 15 March, emphasises the importance of building a digital world consumes can trust and invites Consumers International to join further discussions on how to protect consumers in the digital economy under the next G20 presidency.
In their statement digital ministers from the G20 plus Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Singapore and Vietnam said: “Trust and security are fundamental to the functioning of the digital economy; without them, uptake of digital technologies may be limited, undermining an important source of potential growth and social progress.”
On 15 March 2017 (World Consumer Rights Day), we co-hosted a G20 consumer summit, in Berlin, Germany. The summit was part of the official G20 agenda for the German Presidency, and discussed a range of topics including:
At the summit new international research on the most important areas for consumer digital rights and concerns was presented, including the results of a consumer survey conducted in six G20 countries.
This event was a key part of the activity for our World Consumer Rights Day 2017 campaign as well as being a stepping stone for our work on digital.


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Officers in both Rolla and Green County Missouri have seized people’s medical marijuana recently.
A group of protesters pitched tents Thursday evening in front of Rolla City Hall and vowed to not leave until they get an apology from city officials. Leading the group was Daniel Jones, a local medical marijuana advocate and earlier this year a Ward 1 member of Rolla City Council. Jones said the reason for the sit-in protest is a medical marijuana patient he knows recently had their marijuana taken by Rolla police.
Amongst other benefits offered to our Patreons, get free access to our Missouri Medical Marijuana Lease Addendums with your Patreon membership. https://www.patreon.com/PatTalksLaw
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As a shortage of epinephrine pens continues to grip the U.K., authorities are extending the expiration dates on a second injector.
The FDA, which banned products from a South Korean sterile manufacturer last spring, has now followed up with a warning letter.
EU regulators say they have found the same impurity discovered in valsartan in both losartan and irbesartan.
The punishment, an amount rarely seen in China, includes confiscation of illegal gains and a fine three times those sales.
Here is some news of note for the week.
India’s Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories says it will unload its API manufacturing business to the Middle East-based Neopharma.
Shire’s $1 billion plasma fractionation plant in Georgia has gone through three owners but is now officially open.
As the Chinese valsartan maker's shares tumble, the FDA fixed its import alert announcement to show that it applies to only one of its two sites in China.
U.K.-based CDMO Almac is adding to its U.S. operations with a new building at its site in North Carolina where it says it will house 100 new employees.
Israel-based Teva, whose pledge to unload manufacturing plants in its home country sparked strikes, is reportedly close to selling a site there.


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Fact Checking Newt Gingrich’s Food Stamps Claims
Food stamps is the latest program to be targeted by Newt Gingrich, but the 2012 candidate’s assertions about the program aren’t quite on the mark.
Speaking in Iowa on Wednesday, the former Speaker railed against food stamps, one of the federal government’s assistance programs to help low-income and jobless Americans.
“This is the best food stamp president in history. So more Americans now get food stamps therefore and we now give it away as cash,” Gingrich said of President Obama. “You don’t get food stamps. You get a credit card and the credit card can be used for anything. We’ve had people take their food stamp money and use it to go to Hawaii.”
“And you know, they give food stamps now to millionaires. Because after all, don’t you want to be compassionate?” he continued. “You know the Obama model, isn’t there somebody you’d like to give money to this week?”
This isn’t the first time Gingrich has dubbed Obama the “food stamp president.” But the former Speaker’s comments on the program itself are only half correct.
It is true that the number of Americans who rely on food stamps is at a record high. Nearly 46 million Americans received benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — better known as food stamps — this year, the highest number in recorded history. But experts attribute that mainly to the weak economy and high unemployment. Additionally, George W. Bush’s administration expanded eligibility for food stamps to get more Americans to apply, which also contributed to an increase in recipients.
“It’s hard to determine how much blame Obama deserves compared to his predecessor, President George W. Bush, but the experts we spoke to, conservative and liberal, agree Obama inherited a serious situation,” Politifact said in a fact check earlier this year. “The experts we spoke to agreed that both policies began under Bush but were retained by Obama.”
The idea that administrators are not working to cut fraud can also be challenged.
The Department of Agriculture, which administers the program, contracts with a computer firm to analyze food stamp purchases to root out fraud, for which it has received kudos from the Government Accountability Office. USDA says it uses an electronic anti-fraud system to monitor electronic transaction activity and identify suspicious stores for analysis and investigation, which has helped it catch more fraud cases.
The USDA estimates that payment accuracy is at a record high of 96 percent.
The agency “has taken advantage of electronic benefit transfer to reduce fraud, and in response to prior GAO recommendations, has implemented new technology and categorized stores based on risk to improve its ability to detect trafficking and disqualify retailers who traffic,” stated a July 2010 report by the GAO.
As for Iowa specifically, this year it became the fifth most improved state in reining in fraud.
While fraud remains a significant problem, costing taxpayers millions of dollars, the government has made a series of busts recently that were targeted at eliminating practices such as trading food stamps for cash or using that money to buy beer and other inappropriate goods.
The rate of fraud has continued to decline over the last decade, dropping by 56 percent from 1999 to 2009, to a record low, according to the GAO. The national rate of fraud dropped from about 4 cents per dollar in 1993 to about 1 cent per dollar in 2008, the USDA estimated.
But it remains a significant concern, given the record number of people who now rely on food stamps.
Fraud in the program is also not just a federal government issue. The problem also lies within states, each of which has a different requirement for who receives such benefits. In 35 states, people can get food stamps even if they don’t partake in any other assistance programs.
States are also responsible for targeting fraud by recipients, while the federal government monitors such misdemeanors on the retail side.
Gingrich’s comments Tuesday elicited some laughter, but there was one Iowan who wasn’t clapping.
“You don’t always tell the truth, Mr. Gingrich, and that food stamp thing is one of them,” Don Brantz of Mineola, Iowa, said, confronting the candidate as he left the event.
“Iowa already has a computer system. We do not pay money so the people on food stamps can buy beer and anything else,” he continued. “It’s a very specific thing.”
As Speaker, Gingrich supported turning food stamps into a block grant program.
ABC News’ Brian Hartman and Elicia Dover contributed to this report.


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Government officials have been in 'active discussions' with Google
Google UK 'is not a back office support operation'
A cheap USB cable bought via Amazon destroyed Benson Leung's new Chromebook Pixel
'It is up to us, in the role of a responsible parent, to make sure that we reset the ground rules on behaviour'
Veteran MP calls search giant 'arrogant' after its parent company Alphabet revealed an effective tax rate of only 5% in the final quarter of last year
A number of Android users have found that the Facebook app could be negatively affecting their phone's performance
Parent company Alphabet has announced a five per cent increase in quarterly profits
The 15-year-old 'safe harbour' pact between the US and EU allowed American companies to import the personal data of Europeans
The shadow Chancellor said he published his tax return in the spirit of the 'New Politics'
Treasury ministers are reportedly "strongly opposed" to proposed sanctions against Bermuda
On issues like this, Mr Corbyn portrays David Cameron as the defender of big-business tax avoiders
Thanks to Mr Bezos and his obsession with investment over profit, Amazon has become an 800lb gorilla in every market sector in which it operates
Google says it wants to solve problem of how to fly drones safely without endangering pets or other potential obstacles
Today women only hold 26% of all tech jobs, according to an industry gender gap report
Google offered Sanmay Ved a hefty reward for spotting a glitch that allowed him to buy Google.com for $12
Critics claim controversial deal means the internet giant is paying an effective 3% rate of tax on its British operations


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“International companies can survive in Guyana”, Minister Gaskin says as SOL Guyana launches new Fuel Save Gasoline and Diesel
DPI/GINA, GUYANA, Thursday, June 08, 2017
Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, was the keynote speaker at the launch of SOL Guyana Shell FuelSave at the Marriott Hotel Thursday evening. Minister Gaskin spoke to several issues including the need for businesses to constantly improve, investing in research and development, and the importance of authorized distributorship. He also addressed Guyana’s improved customer services; our ability to sustain international companies; and Guyana’s Green State Development Strategy.
The Minister of Business said, “For consumers it’s good to have choices and businesses must provide those choices. In business we must seek to constantly improve – what we do, as well as the quality of whatever product or service we provide. And it is through this constant quest for improvement on the part of businesses that even consumers of fairly standard products, like paint or gas, are provided with precisely formulated new varieties to suit their requirements or preferences.”
Minister Gaskin described Guyana’s ability to sustain international companies is a reflection of the country readiness to conduct business with the rest of the world and the economic opportunities that exist here. He highlighted that
Guyana is entering a new economic era, “One that will expose the country to international norms and standards in the world of business.”
“Guyana is expected to be producing oil by 2020. This is causing a lot of excitement both in and out of Guyana. It is also placing Guyana in the spotlight and this means that we can no longer do as we please without consequences”, the Minister added.
Minister Gaskin said, “One of the best ways to do this is to demonstrate that international companies can operate successfully in Guyana. We know this to be the case. And we need the rest of the world to know this also. It is also a good idea to let businesses understand the long-term vision of a country”.
Minister also wished the Management of SOL Guyana Incorporated success in their future endeavors and their product as well.
Outgoing General Manager of SOL Guyana Incorporated, Orlando Boxill in his remarks said that SOL Guyana’s objective is to offer quality petroleum products and energy solutions and to deliver on the commitment to provide excellent world class customer service and satisfaction.
Boxill noted that the company is proud of the achievements thus far and will continue to make more strides in the right direction, “SOL Guyana Incorporated will continue to serve and the company is enthusiastic about working with the government and other stakeholders.”
He added that the company will ensure that Guyanese motorists reap the benefits of fuel economy and engine maintenance available through Shell FuelSave Gasoline and Diesel.
Incoming General Manager of SOL Guyana Incorporated Liz Wyatt, said that the product’s launch is another tangible demonstration of the company’s determination to ensure that Guyanese motorists benefit from the best available fuel technologies designed to deliver the benefits that they deserve.
She added that many of the company’s core values are shared by the leaders and builders of the nation, “SOL is committed to continue working together with stakeholders to improve the quality of life not just for our customers’ bur for all Guyanese citizens”. These include, she further added, the shared policy of giving back to the local communities and continuing support for culture, education, sports and the arts in Guyana.
By: Gabreila Patram


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CHICAGO (CBS)– Thieves have broken into a cell phone store in Ukrainian Village for the second time in two days.
Police responded to a burglar alarm in the 2300 block of West Chicago Avenue just before 2:30 a.m. Surveillance video shows a man leaving the store with two bags of merchandise.
A smash-and-grab break-in was reported at the Boost Mobile store on the same block Tuesday. Police say one man took two cash registers and an iPad from the store on Chicago Avenue.
No arrests have been made.


text: By Patrick Raleigh, UT On-line/news editorLemforde, Germany-Elastogran GmbH has raised prices by up to 15 percent with effect from mid-May, in response to what managing director Reinhard Leppke describes as "unprecedented" pressures on cost and supply."The whole situation resembles an auction. Raw material prices go up every day," Leppkes said in an interview in the May issue of Elastogran PUR-the BASF AG firm's customer magazine.Prices for petrochemical feedstocks and energy have risen sharply and are about to rise further, said Leppkes, adding that recent PU market developments "far exceed the usual fluctuations and cycles."The Elastogran boss went on to warn about supply shortages due to "unusually high" demand for isocyanate and polyol products. With no new capacities coming on stream worldwide, the Elastogran boss foresees "limited product availability for the foreseeable future." According to Leppkes, Elastogran cannot always guarantee supplies above the level of the first quarter of 2004-even without future production-related supply shortages. "The market situation is completely different from last year. Not only us but our clients have to face the reality of the situation," the Elastogran boss concluded."


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An upcoming Sony Xperia smartphone with the codename ‘Pikachu’ has been leaked on the popular GFXBench database. According to the specs unveiled at GFXBench, the smartphone will aim to the mid-range class, maybe for emerging markets.
The smartphone is leaked to come with a 5-inch display with 720 x 1280 HD resolution, which gives a pixel density of 294 PPI. Powering the ‘Pikachu’ smartphone will be the MediaTek MT6757 octa-core SoC based on the ARM Cortex-A53 architecture, and clocked at a high 2.3 GHz. As for graphics, the chipset integrates the ARM Mali-T880 MP2 GPU, which is expected bring a quite good performance. Also, the octa-core chipset will be packed with 3GB of RAM, which is the standard of a mid-range smartphone launched in 2017. As for storage, the smartphone will come with 32GB of onboard memory, which will be further expandable via a microSD card slot.
In terms of camera, the upcoming Xperia will have a 23MP main camera at the back, with the video-capture capability in 1080p Full HD and an 8MP front-facing snapper at the front, which will also support video recording up to 1080p. About the software, the handset can run on Android 7.0 Nougat, but it’s not confirmed that Sony will launch it with Android Nougat out of the box at the date release.
But unfortunately as it isn’t clear if the ‘Pikachu’ is going to be announced at the MWC event in Barcelona this month. A recent rumor has claimed that Sony would be announcing at least five new Xperia smartphones at MWC this year, including its new flagship smartphone with a 4K Ultra HD display and the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC under the hood. There was no mention of ‘Pikachu’ in that leak, but it talked about the ‘Hinoki’, which appears to somewhat similar to Sony ‘Pikachu’ smartphone.


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Haexagon Concepts has just released their industry report on the film industries in Hong Kong & China. It’s a snappy, well-researched report, and tackles subjects ranging from advertising methods to the emergence of transmedia storytelling in these two regions.
An excerpt about Hong Kong’s advertising quagmire:
“A major problem in HongKong is that there aren’t enoughadvertising platforms to makerates competitive. In Hong Kong,there are only two free-to-air television stations (broadband/cable television networks onlyreach about one million viewers,mainly relying on subscribers for their revenue) and two commercialradio networks (each networkoperates multiple stations). Inother words, the company thatcan afford to pay the most for ad space will dominate the city,making local productions buy upmore space to try and compete with bigger, foreign competition(hence inating budgets anddriving advertising prices up).”
An excerpt about China’s foreign film import limits:
As China becomes an increasingly lucrative market for films, foreign film companies will undoubtedly want a piece of the pie. However, as foreign films are still limited by the imported films quota (recently expanded after negotiations with America’s MPAA), foreign investors are now looking to doing co-productions with Chinese investors to get around the quota. In addition to most Hong Kong films of recent years, “The Expendables 2”, “Iron Man 3”, “Looper” and “The Karate Kid” are all examples of recent American-Chinese co-productions…
SARFT quickly picked up on this practice and vowed in August 2012 to strictly enforce co-production terms, demanding that films include Chinese locations, Chinese actors, and a story that “incorporates Chinese themes”. “Expendables 2” was the first casualty, having its co-production status removed despite a hefty investment by LeVision Pictures. “”Looper” was suddenly pulled from its release date with no official reason and abruptly returned to its original release date two days before it (The opening “dragon logo” stated that it is now classified as an imported film). The announcement even sent a shockwave among Hong Kong filmmakers, who had to go to Beijing for an emergency meeting with SARFT.


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Earlier on Tuesday, President Joe Biden stopped by a picket line at a General Motors Co. facility in a suburb of Detroit and supported the UAW’s demand for a significant salary raise. The union is on strike in opposition to General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis NV, the company that makes Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge models. The union, which has made the unusual decision to go on strike simultaneously against Detroit’s Big Three automakers, has lowered from 40% to 36% of its requests for salary increases in discussions.
There are no unions at Tesla or other manufacturers of all-electric cars, such as Lucid Group Inc. and Rivian Automotive Inc. For a sizable portion of total remuneration, they generally use employee stock purchase programs and restricted stock units. The UAW is concerned that EVs, which usually have fewer moving parts and employees needed to manufacture them, may eliminate employment for them and lower pay.
Musk is not the only person who believes that a significant victory for the UAW may spell trouble for Detroit’s manufacturers.
According to Patrick Kaser, portfolio manager at Brandywine Global, “If the UAW gets everything they are asking for, it will very clearly damage the competitive position of the Big Three companies materially.”
As Tesla struggled to increase production of the Model 3 vehicle, the UAW started organizing workers at the company’s Fremont, California, facility. Nothing is preventing the Tesla crew at our vehicle plant from voting union, Musk tweeted in 2018. could, if they choose, do so tomorrow. But why should I pay union dues and forfeit my stock options?
The union’s campaign at the Fremont factory was never successful enough to go to a vote. In 2021, a committee of US labor board members from both political parties determined that Tesla had frequently broken the law in Fremont, including by “coercively interrogating” union sympathizers and terminating one for his involvement. Tesla is appealing the decision and has refuted any misconduct.
At the company’s facility in Buffalo, New York, the union Workers United claimed in February that Tesla had fired scores of workers in retaliation for a union drive there.
Read more: Tesla Fires Dozens Following Unionization, Document Says
Despite the challenges, Catherine Fisk, a labor law professor at UC Berkeley, believes that big achievements for UAW employees at Detroit’s heritage automakers, coupled with strong public support for unions, may once again spur Tesla employees to organize.
According to US legislation, unionizing is quite challenging, Fisk claimed. “Having said that, despite much greater obstacles, employees managed to unionize in the 1930s. It’s merely a tedious procedure that has happened before and may happen again.
Tesla has the highest profit margins in the industry, and Musk has committed to prioritizing volume before profit. Even as Detroit manufacturers make the expensive transition from producing internal combustion engines to EVs, the EV manufacturer has reduced the price of its vehicles this year.
K. Venkatesh Prasad, senior vice president of studies and chief innovation officer at the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said in a phone interview: “If you are the Detroit Three, you have two operating systems.” “The transition to EVs, which won’t be profitable for a while, is being funded by the profits you make on ICE vehicles.”
He said, “Tesla’s main competitive advantage is that they don’t have to manage two systems. There is just one.
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Pending home sales jumped 3.3% in July after falling by 1.3% in June.
Economists were expecting a modest 0.5% pace of growth.
“Interest rates are lower than they were a year ago, price growth continues to moderate and total housing inventory is at its highest level since August 2012,” said Lawrence Yun of the National Association of Realtors. “The increase in the number of new and existing homes for sale is creating less competition and is giving prospective buyers more time to review their options before submitting an offer.
“More importantly, steady job additions to the economy are helping family finances and giving them added confidence to enter the market.”
Sales jumped in the Northeast, South, and West. However, sales declined by 0.4% in the Midwest.
"The pending home sales index has now risen in four of the past five months and suggests further momentum is in store for existing home sales over the next 1-2 months," said Barclays' Michael Gapen.


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Hy-Vee, Inc. is recalling certain bags of dog food due to elevated levels of aflatoxin, a chemical contaminant found in corn. Consumers who have purchased these products should not feed them to their dogs.
Aflatoxins cause cancer in animals, but are allowed at extremely low levels in nuts, seeds and legumes because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers them “unavoidable contaminants” that pose little risk if small amounts are eaten over a lifetime. The problem with the dog food products was discovered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture. At the time if the recall no illnesses had been reported in association with the recall.
The products have been removed from Hy-Vee stores. The recalled products carry three different “Best By” dates, 11/19/2013, 11/24/2013 and 1//25/2013 and were distributed to Hy-Vee stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin between October 26, 2012 and January 11, 2013. For details about the recalled products, visit the FDA’s recall page by clicking here.


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After a wave of pretty abysmal attempts in the early part of this decade, virtual chat agents pretty much disappeared from the scene. However, the past couple of years has seen a new wave of implementations of this customer-facing technology with some large-company implementations, including “Frank” on the Verizon website (Ask Verizon); “Louise” at eBay France (Votre conseillère virtuelle); and “Anna” at Ikea (Have a Question?). Virtual chat sits in the interaction spectrum between search and live customer service agents and combines natural language processing, conversational interactions, and an (optional) animated persona.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve spoken to three different vendors in this marketplace — all of whom have seen an uptick in the their business over the past 12 months. The common themes expressed by all three — the ability to engage customers with a more conversational tone where questions are answered, rather than search results based on keywords presented; and common results of better sales and higher service call avoidance, indicate that virtual agents may make a good corporate “hire” in the right circumstances. Rough estimates of costs — about $0.25 per successful resolution of the customer problem.
I talked recently with the SAP CRM management team and partnering with SAP appears to becoming less onerous for vendors of customer-facing complementary software products. Many of these interaction-centric products in areas such as email management, knowledge management, and communication channel management had been forced into a go-it-alone strategy when looking to integrate with SAP CRM and Customer Service installations due to complex partnering rules and high fees. In a recent briefing, SAP appears to have loosened the reins a bit – structuring mutually beneficial agreements with a number of companies (announcements to follow) outside of their traditional partner channels. This bodes well for all three stakeholders in such a relationship: SAP, who broadens the capabilities of its product with well-integrated point solutions; independent software vendors, who can now work with SAP to tighten integrations; and users, who will benefit from co-marketed, tested solutions. As an indication that this is not just trading logos on PowerPoint decks, in at least one case, most of the work to integrate the products is taking place by SAP within the SAP product. Expect more news about the specifics of this new strategy in next few weeks. This is a vast change from prior policies which offered potential “partners” two choices – take it or leave it.


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Intel to invest $20 billion in European chip plants
- Overall, up to eight facilities to be built, with construction to begin early in 2022
- Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands on shortlist for the first factory
- Part of a strategy to counter Chinese expansion in, and exportation of, 14nm chips
- EU policy is to produce 20 per cent of global chip output by 2030
As the jostling for global semiconductor production power intensifies, with China looking to play an increasingly influential role, Intel is spreading its wings and seeking to lay down roots in key areas of demand.
China is doubling down on efforts to not only make itself self-sufficient in the mass production of leading-edge microchips for its huge domestic market, but also to try to achieve silicon hegemony in as much of the rest of the world as possible by making county after country dependent on China for their chip supplies, whether they come already embedded in devices or in their native state for inclusion into locally manufactured products.
The current focus is on manufacturing billions of 14 nanometre (nm) chips over the course of 2022. China is already globally proficient in 28nm chip technology and is absolutely determined to cash-in on 14nm semiconductors. That’s because, among other sectors, they are vital to the lucrative 5G equipment and devices and to the emerging AIoT market (a marriage of AI-enabled and empowered IoT on a massive scale).
Well aware of the potential deleterious economic, social and military impacts the Chinese ambitions may prefigure, the US, the UK, Canada, Europe and other nations (that are always referred to in shorthand as “The West” even those those counties include Australia Japan, New Zealand and, it seems increasingly likely, India) are seeking to counter Chinese technological expansionism but also to make themselves self-sufficient in chip R&D and manufacture and thus able to dominate their home markets whilst competing head-on with China in developing economies.
Hence the news that Intel is to invest US$20 billion over 10 years in constructing semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) and other supporting facilities across Europe. If successful, in due course, the building spree will continue, and the value of Intel’s investment could rise to $100 billion in the long-term.
The political importance of the Intel initiative should not be under-estimated. The company’s CEO, Pat Gelsinger, has visited several European countries to sound out various governments about to the worsening problems in the semiconductor supply chain, which Mr. Gelsinger says, rather than just being just a sort-term glitch, will, in fact, last for several years. Among the countries included in his tour were Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK.
$20 billion investment is undeniably massive but Intel angling for an €8 billion EU subsidy
It is EU policy to step up semiconductor production to 20 per cent of global output by 2030 (it’s half that today) and Intel is keen to get a slice of the action, hence the plans to invest so much money. That said, the $20 billion investment figure will be offset by subsidies: Gelsinger has made it plain that Intel is seeking €8 billion (currently the equivalent of $9.45 billion) to “balance” the fact that it costs more to manufacture chips in Europe than it does in places such as the Far East and Asia.
In a statement, an Intel spokesperson said, “Government incentives will play a significant role in accelerating and expanding our investment plans around the world. Currently it can cost 30 per cent more to operate a fab in Europe or the US compared to Asia. Also important is access to a diverse workforce, robust supplier ecosystem and reliable infrastructure. We are considering many locations and plan to announce our next phase of expansions in the US, Europe, and other global locations within the year.”
Intel intends soon to build at least one European fab and another for advanced packaging, with Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands on the short list as first construction sites. A decision on which country (or countries) will be chosen will be made later in the year. Overall, it is expected that eight fabrication plants will be constructed in Europe over the next five to eight years.
The CEO made Intel’s intentions explicit but was short on detail, merely saying, “We plan to expand to other locations in the US and Europe, ensuring a sustainable and secure semiconductor supply chain for the world.” Nonetheless, it is evident that the strategy is to cut Chinese semiconductors off at the pass and keep as many as possible out of Europe and North America.
Back on its home turf, Intel is investing a further $20 billion on a 3D-packaging semiconductor facility in New Mexico.
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Kim Kardashian has done it again. She made the news when she showed up at Met Gala 2017 with husband and rapper Kanye West.
|Photo : Jamie McCarthy/FilmMagic
Kim is known for her fashion styles and she didn’t seem to disappoint her fans this time either. The dress fit perfectly enhancing her beautiful body and curves.


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While one knows about countless games that have been spawned out of popular movies, sometimes a game also serves as the base for a film but it’s not the case with Rockstar because it didn’t want a GTA movie.
Given the popularity and theme of the Grand Theft Auto series, fans have long hoped for a film (or a bunch of films) to be made on it. While that hasn’t happened as yet, there have been instances when there was a possibility of a GTA film being made.
Kirk Ewing, a prominent gaming insider who also happens to be close to Rockstar Games founders Sam and Dan Houser, recently spilled the beans on a GTA movie deal that didn’t materialize. According to Ewing, the two founders were offered a sum of $5 million for the rights to a feature film that would have starred popular rapper Eminem and been directed by Tony Scott.
While doing an interview with Bugzy Malone’s Grandest Game, a popular BBC podcast, Ewing stated that Sam Houser spoke to the agent and informed them that the company is ‘not interested’ in this particular deal. Ewing further stated that the brothers were contemplating a movie tie-in around the time GTA 3 was released.
GTA 3 had released way back in 2001 on PlayStation 2 and is considered to be one of the most important games in the series. The reason behind the game being described as such is because of the fact that many of the elements used in it were also incorporated in the GTA games that were launched subsequently. Interestingly, 2001 was also the year in which Eminem launched his Marshall Mathers LP which broke several records.
With this deal falling through, there is no clarity on when one would get to see a GTA movie on the big screen. The GTA series, apart from being a very successful gaming franchise, has also been declared one of the most profitable entities to have been launched in the entertainment sector. Apart from fans, Rockstar Games, too, has been interested in churning out a bunch of things from it. A GTA movie should happen when Rockstar finds a studio that offers them a deal they like and approve of.


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Gloucestershire fashion brand sales exceed pre-pandemic figures
By Sarah Wood | 15th September 2022
Tewkesbury-based retailer, Weird Fish, has seen store sales increase by a third in the year-to-date compared to 2019.
The fashion brand has seen a 31 per cent increase in sales so far this year, compared to 2019, and a 22 per cent rise in like-for-like sales between April and June 2022, compared to the same period last year.
Weird Fish has 17 branded stores, including one at Gloucester Quays, and 300 stockists around the UK.
Ben Mercier, customer director at Weird Fish, said: "Some may say the future looks bleak for stores, yet there is evidence that store performances for some multi-channel retailers are thriving, and they still form a crucial part of their business strategy - for good reason.
"Stores complement our online channel, and vice versa. We believe the success of our stores comes down to various elements - strong marketing campaigns, great customer service, prime locations, but above all, customers recognise that our products present great value and high quality."
Weird Fish committed to freezing prices for spring/ summer 2022, to help maintain customer confidence in the brand during the cost-of-living crisis.
The retailer said it chooses its store locations carefully, based on where it knows its customers shop.
Mr Mercier continued: "Location is everything, and just because a store works in one area doesn't mean it'll work for another. It's far better to excel in fewer locations than stretch yourself too thinly."
As part of its digital investment, Weird Fish has upgraded all its stores to allow customers to place online orders on site, to make their shopping experience easier.
Copyright 2023 Moose Partnership Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any content is strictly forbidden without prior permission.


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Many OnePlus 5 owners are feeling the prospect of their phones being labeled as ‘old’ following the launch of OnePlus 5T. The 5T arrived just months after the OnePlus 5 went on sale. OnePlus 5 buyers shouldn’t be disappointed because the Chinese company is bringing one of the most talked about features of the OnePlus 5T to the ‘older’ phone. Yes, I’m talking about the Face Unlock.
Open Beta Program for OnePlus 5 announced
OnePlus 5 will start receiving the Android Oreo update by the end of this year. The software update will bring many new features such as the improved auto-fill, picture-in-picture mode, notification dots, and more to the OnePlus 5. The company has officially announced the Open Beta Program for OnePlus 5. Even before OnePlus announced the first open build, an XDA Developers forum member posted the link to the OnePlus 5 Open Beta 2 build. The forum member spotted the Face Unlock feature in the second beta build.
If you want to install the Open Beta builds, you’ll need to back up all the data before flashing your device because the data might be lost in the process. Follow OnePlus’s official flashing guide for instructions. Don’t forget that these are beta builds that contain tons of bugs. According to the changelog posted on OnePlus’s forum, the Android Oreo-based build contains Oreo features alongside OnePlus specific features such as the Parallel Apps, a new app folder design, Notification Dots, and more.
Face Unlock spotted in the Open Beta 2 build for OnePlus 5
Face Unlock is one of the signature features of the new OnePlus 5T. It allows users to unlock the device quickly. Experts have praised it for its incredibly fast speed, though it is not as secure as Apple’s Face ID on the iPhone X. OnePlus fans were wondering whether the company would bring the feature to the OnePlus 5. In a recent AMA, the company said it had no plans to add the facial recognition feature to the OnePlus 5. But the Open Beta 2 build suggests otherwise.
The Face Unlock technology is more about convenience than security. The OnePlus 5T has a bezel-less design, which forced the company to relocate the fingerprint scanner to the back panel. A rear-mounted fingerprint reader isn’t the most convenient way to unlock a device. So, OnePlus added the Face Unlock feature. It uses more than 100 identifiers on your face to recognize you.
Early reports suggest that Face Unlock is fairly accurate, and can’t be fooled by photographs. However, you can trick the feature by taking a selfie of the OnePlus 5T owner on another phone and placing it in front of their OnePlus 5T. The Chinese company is working to update the algorithms to recognize whether it’s a real face or a photo on another smartphone.
OnePlus doesn’t want someone with multiple photos of yours to trick the Face Unlock feature. The company says the Face Unlock automatically deactivates after five failed attempts. After that, the OnePlus 5T requires a security code or the owner’s fingerprint to unlock the device. The hacker still has five chances to fool the technology using your photos or selfies.
The leaked Open Beta 2 build confirms that the feature works on the OnePlus 5. It works well even when you are wearing glasses, and in different lighting conditions. OnePlus realizes that the Face Unlock isn’t highly secure. That’s why the feature doesn’t work with payment and other secure applications. You have to use the rear-mounted fingerprint reader on OnePlus 5T to authenticate payments via Android Pay.
OnePlus 5T to get camera update next month
OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei said in a tweet that the company would roll out a software update in December to further improve the OnePlus 5T camera capabilities. The update will enhance its low-light performance, allowing the camera to capture more details. It will also improve the front camera to give users a more natural exposure when taking selfies.
Upcoming changes to the OnePlus 5T camera https://t.co/xGRAesO04G
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) November 23, 2017
Pei said the Beautification mode will only be turned on by default in select Asian markets going forward. OnePlus will start testing the new camera update “among a private group” next week, before rolling it out to the public in early December.
The brand-new OnePlus 5T retains the basic hardware specifications of its predecessor. It has the same Snapdragon 835 chipset with 6GB or 8GB RAM and 64GB or 128GB of internal storage. The device runs OxygenOS on top of Android Nougat, though it will receive the Android Oreo update in the coming weeks. It has a 16MP + 20MP camera setup on the back, and a 16-megapixel sensor on the front for selfies.
The OnePlus 5T packs a 3,300mAh battery with Dash Charge technology. However, it lacks wireless charging capabilities. The device has a 6-inch Full HD AMOLED display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. It has a unibody aluminum design, which makes it sturdier than most other premium phones. It has a starting price of just $499.


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Latest posts by Thijs Maas (see all)
- The Regulation of Cryptocurrencies and ICOs under EU Law - October 3, 2019
- U.S. Regulators want to stop Facebook’s Libra. Here’s why. - July 10, 2019
- The Case for Hybrid Tokens - June 26, 2019
If you haven’t heard about Libra yet, you must be living under a rock. The recently announced digital currency from Facebook has been in the news everywhere. The recently unveiled coin, which is held stable by backing it with other currencies and debt obligations, might cause significant changes in the financial system as we know it. Now, it might be stopped to a halt.
Yesterday, the US House of Representatives send a letter to Mark Zuckerberg and his associates. In the letter, they call for Facebook to put the development of Libra to a halt.
The letter, which was sent by the House’s Committee on Financial Services, amongst other things states:
“…it is imperative that Facebook and its partners immediately cease implementation plans until regulators and Congress have an opportunity to examine these issues and take action. During this moratorium, we intend to hold public hearings on the risks and benefits of concurrency-based activities and explore legislative solutions. Failure to cease implementation (of Libra) before we can do so, risks a new Swiss-based financial system that is too big to fail.”
So why are lawmakers trying to stop Libra?
Why Libra is a threat
To understand why lawmakers should be investigating Libra, we should first understand Libra itself.
Libra is a simple idea, with great consequences if successful. It might change the face of money as we know it.
Money has, until the rise of decentralized cryptocurrencies, been an instrument of the state and central banks. Never before had a company decided to just start issuing money of their own. Until now.
Libra is issued by Facebook, in cooperation with many other large global corporations, such as VISA, Mastercard and Uber. The more stable currencies ‘back’ Libra: they are held in bank accounts to ensure the value of Libra does not fluctuate too much.
Anyone in the world would be able to store their Libra on their phone or an online wallet, and use it instantly from anywhere. You will be able to send Libra to your friends via whatsapp and messenger and use it in stores. Those in the third world without a bank will suddenly have access to a financial system to store money for a rainy day (or, a hot day).
With billions of people that don’t have banks, but increasingly get phones and internet, this is a huge opportunity. Don’t forget that Facebook is increasingly the one providing them with internet (for free).
That’s all great, so what’s not to like?
The obvious answer would be that facebook is a known troublemaker. They don’t respect people’s privacy. Cambridge Analytica was a disaster, and yes, it might have had a significant impact on the election of Trump.
But that’s not actually what the U.S. are most concerned with.
If Libra is successful, it would make Facebook (or better said, the undlerying Swiss based Libra Association) incredibly powerful.
A Shift in Power
There’s an aspect to Libra that many overlook. Libra is in competition with the US dollar. There are two incredibly important aspects to this:
- The U.S. dollar is the world’s ‘reserve-currency’, and is held by other government in their reserves as it is a stable currency that they know will retain its value.
- The money used to buy Libra is not just retained in a bank. It is also used to buy debt obligations that are issued by states.
If Libra is successful, it makes sense for countries to hold Libra in its reserves. Indeed, Libra would compete with the US dollar.
Currently, the way the U.S. dollar functions as the world’s reserve-currency is as follows: Foreign governments usually don’t choose to hold dollars directly. Instead, they buy U.S. Treasuries (which is U.S. debt). This is incredibly important for the U.S., as it helps the government fund its budget. A total of $16 trillion of such U.S. Treasuries is outstanding.This is about 4 times the total amount of cash that’s circulating. And foreign governments hold about 39% of this debt.
Myles Milston describes this all far better than I ever could. The takeaways are this:
- Foreign governments are of crucial importance to the U.S. and they have to keep buying U.S. government debt, or the U.S. deficit will spin out of control.
- If they don’t, the interest rates the U.S. government has to pay to borrow money will go up, making it more expensive to get loans and making the government’s budget deficit increasingly worse.
If foreign governments decide to hold Libra instead of buying U.S. Treasuries, the U.S. might be in for a long night.
Data showing the amount to US Treasuries transactions by foreign governments. Since 2014, U.S. Treasuries have had a bad time.
You’d be right. They could. They could buy debt from governments and ease their budgets. However, the Libra Association is free to spend the money it receives in any way it wants. So it could also, you know, not buy U.S. Treasuries and not even hold U.S. dollars.
In other words, if Libra is wildly successful, it would get insane bargaining power against governments across the world. It might cause a shift in macroeconomics as we know it.
Let’s say Libra would be out to displace the US dollar as the global reserve currency. Libra could potentially negotiate with other governments as follows: “We will buy your debt as collateral for Libra, if you hold Libra as a reserve currency instead of dollars or U.S. Treasuries.”
This would be a great proposal for a smaller government. They we be assured that (1) they would be putting their money into something that’s very stable (2) their money would meanwhile be used to buy their owned debt, which eases their budget and ensures they can lend more money while paying less interest and that (3) they will not get hurt by (probable) inflation of the US dollar.
Of course, you don’t know for sure if the U.S. would be forced to start printing more money to fix its budget. But in terms of game theory, the dominant strategy would be to agree with the proposal.
Alternatively, the Libra Association might also negotiate to obtain unfair benefits in certain countries against their competitors. They could buy a state’s debt in return for required licenses, resources or other rights.
Note that I am not saying they will do so. I am saying it is a possibility.
The Regulation of Libra
If what I described here plays out, Libra might cause a substantial disruption in the way money works. It might have insane consequences for the U.S. dollar or macro-economic policy in general. It might even make the corporations in the Libra association too big to fail, all while not even being regulated!
Even when you leave aside that Libra will get insane amounts of insanely valuable financial data, and even when you ignore Facebook’s issues with privacy in the past, it makes sense for politicians and regulators to start asking questions.
If you are tasked with ensuring market stability and integrity, and regulating the financial services ecosystem to ensure this, wouldn’t you ask questions? Wouldn’t you want to know Libra’s policies and plans beforehand? Wouldn’t you want to regulate a party so known for abusing the trust of its users, which is on the brink of getting so much more data? Wouldn’t you want to at least get a chance to think about how to regulate privately-issued money governed by a cartel of the most powerful companies in the world?
So, what now?
Sure, lawmakers asked for Facebook to stop development of Libra completely. However, this is just rhetoric. They can’t actually stop Libra by asking them to ‘cease and desist’. However, they can make some really onerous legislation if Facebook doesn’t work with them.
They want to ask questions before congress. They want hearings in front of congress and they want to learn more. They want to evaluate the risks in terms of financial stability, politics and macroeconomics and they want to regulate in case these risks require them to do so.
So why is the U.S. trying to stop Libra?
They aren’t really. Lawmakers are just doing their jobs.


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(WHTM) — Lots of people are scrambling to wrap up holiday shopping this week. But in that mad dash to grab those last-minute items, make sure you’re buying the real deal.
“Counterfeit goods are a huge problem and a real threat to consumers’ health and safety,” Frank Cullen, Vice President of U.S. Policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said.
About $500 billion is lost each year worldwide due to counterfeit products, on top of the hundreds of thousands of jobs that are lost. Cullen says consumers need to be vigilant, more than half say they believe something they’ve bought this year is fake.
“Counterfeits go across every kind of product line — toys, electronics, luxury goods — if a product is popular somebody’s going to try to copy it and rip a consumer off..so consumers really have to be aware of the threat of counterfeits,” Cullen said.
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You may be thinking what’s the big deal? Nobody is getting hurt.
Along with the economic impact, counterfeits can be harmful to you. For example, fake cosmetics can contain arsenic, mercury or lead. And knock-off batteries can cause fires.
“It’s not a victimless crime. It may be made with shoddy materials, it may have dyes that can cause irritation to the skin and of course it could be produced by child labor or any type of forced labor — and may support criminal networks,” Cullen said.
The pandemic has only increased this problem and now the supply chain issues are making things even worse. People can’t find things in stores and are going online and buying fakes.
“Very often consumers are unwittingly buying something. The counterfeiters and criminals are smart they’re going to try to fool the consumers, so it’s really important consumers educate themselves,” Cullen said.
There are ways to protect yourself from buying fakes.
“One of those things of course is to trust your instincts — if something seems too good to be true, it most likely is,” Cullen said.
Other tips include:
- Watching for missing charges. Criminals don’t report their sales to financial authorities, you may be able to spot that in the final price.
- Insist on secure transactions.
- Guard your personal information.
- Take a close look at labels, packaging and contents. Check for things like expired dates, broken or non-existent safety seals, false warranty information and misspellings.
For more information on counterfeit goods and how to report them, click here.


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By Cathy B. Koplen The Daily Star
---- — Hunting season is upon us and people are gearing up for the thrill of shooting the big one. But there is a danger, experts say, that could be avoided with just a piece of clothing.
In addition to a hunting license and firearm, hunters should be prepared before venturing into the woods. One of the most important items of clothing necessary for a safe hunt is blaze orange. But for whatever reason, there are those who just refuse to wear orange while hunting.
“It is interesting because it is the younger hunters who are usually the safer hunters,” said David Leibig, director of the Conservation Alliance of New York, Region Four. “The younger kids have recently taken a hunter safety course and they know what is needed to be safe and they understand why it is important to wear blaze orange.”
Most experts agree that deer are colorblind and can only see shades of gray and blue. If people are wearing blaze orange and camouflage together, the varying shades will blend in with the environment.
“They can see ultra-violet colors like blue, and they can see shades in gray, darker and lighter, but they cannot see orange,” Liebig said.
According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, deer do not have red-sensitive cone cells in their eyes. They are unable to discern red or orange from green and brown. They do, however, have a sensitivity to various wavelengths of light. Deer are able to see short wavelength colors such as blue but they are less sensitive to longer wavelengths such as orange and red, therefore these colors look darker to deer.
“People should wear a blaze orange vest or hat when they are out hunting,” said Jim Losie of Losie’s Gun Shop. “Only really goofy people will not wear orange. I think most people know that deer are colorblind.”
Bear and deer hunting with firearms opened Saturday. There are several things hunters may have done to prepare for the three-week season.
Although New York state law does not require hunters to wear bright orange, studies on the Environmental Conservation website say that hunters wearing blaze orange are seven times less likely to be injured than hunters who are not wearing orange.
“During the past 10 years, not one person who was wearing hunter orange was mistaken for game and killed in New York,” the website states. “On the contrary, big-game hunters who were involved in firearm-related incidents were not wearing hunter orange.”
In addition to blaze orange, worn to ensure hunters can visually recognize other hunters, Losie recommended layers of warm clothing that are appropriate to the temperature, a good pair of boots, a hunting knife and a survival bag with food, water, a thermal blanket, a flashlight and matches.
“If you get lost, you want to have some food and water, and a blanket in case you are not found by nightfall,” Losie said. “I tell everyone going hunting always to tell someone where you are going, especially of you are out hunting alone. A lot of time you get out there and you think you are OK because you have a cell phone, and then you realize there is no coverage in the woods.”
In addition, hunters should be physically ready to walk several miles up and down hills.
There have been underreported incidents of heart attacks during the hunting season, according to information provided by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Heart attacks are responsible for more hunting related incidents than careless hunting practices in the state of New York.


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EU’s share in Turkey’s exports hit 53 percent in February with sharp annual increase: Association
The share of Turkey’s main trade partner, the European Union, in the country’s exports saw a sharp increase in February, a leading sector association announced on March 1.
The share of the bloc rose to 53 percent in the second month of the year with a 24.6 percent year-on-year increase, data from the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TİM) showed.
Turkey’s exports jumped 14.8 percent to reach $12.9 billion in February, compared to the same month of 2017, the association announced.
The figure makes February 2018 the best-performing February for exports in Turkish history, it added.
Turkey made the largest amount of exports to Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States and France, all of which saw a significant annual increase in volume.
The country’s exports to Germany rose 21.7 percent on an annual basis, to Italy by 27.7 percent, to the U.K. by 20.4 percent, the U.S. by 4 percent and to France by 19.1 percent.
Among Turkey’s top 20 export markets, the highest increase in export volume was seen in Belgium with a 70.5 percent year-on-year increase, according to TİM data.
The share of the EU in Turkey’s exports started to decline in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis as the growth rates in the bloc regressed.
While the share of the EU in Turkey’s exports was 56.3 percent in 2006, it decreased to 39 percent in 2012, according to official data.
The bloc’s share in Turkey’s exports rose to 47.1 percent last year, according to data from the Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜİK).
Record high export target
Turkey’s exports surged 12.8 percent to $25.3 billion in the first two months of 2018 over the same period in 2017, TİM data also showed.
The country’s 12-month exports reached $159.03 billion, up 11.1 percent from the previous time interval.
Turkey’s exports have been rising since December 2016, TİM President Mehmet Büyüekşi said in a statement.
“We hope that exports will continue to rise until the end of 2018,” he added.
TİM and Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci declared that Turkey would break records by crossing the medium-term program’s (MTP) $169 billion target in 2018, he also stressed.
Büyükekşi also said the figures for the first two months support this goal.
Almost 22 percent of Turkey’s exports in February came from the automotive sector with $2.8 billion, up 25.7 percent compared to February 2017, according to the TİM data.
Automotive exports were followed by the clothing ($1.4 billion) and chemical products ($1.3 billion) sectors.
Istanbul was the Turkish city that exported the most in February with $5.3 billion, followed by prominent industrial centers Bursa ($1.3 billion) and Kocaeli ($1.2 billion).
Turkey’s exports were $12.45 billion in January and $157.02 billion in 2017, according TÜİK data.
TİM data excludes gold exports.


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I have been charged more than £3,000 for missing Dartford crossing payments
GRACE ON THE CASE: I have been charged more than £3,000 for missing Dartford crossing payments that amount to £135 – how is this fair?
I work for a company based in Thurrock, Essex and have worked there for six-and-a-half years now. I travel from the Dartford side to the Essex side twice a day.
The company I work for used to pay the bridge toll but about a year ago they changed the regulation meaning the employee needed to pay.
I set up an account, which is like a top up system and I would put £10 on every couple days. However, I have missed some crossing payments here and there – equating to £135 – but now the debt has snowballed out of control.
I now owe over £3,000 to a debt collection group. I have bailiffs knocking at my parents’ home and had my car clamped twice. This seems so unfair.
Grace Gausden, consumer expert at This is Money, replies: This is an unfortunate situation you have got yourself in and one that This is Money has reported on before.
The Dartford Crossing now charges customers £2.50 to cross the bridge each way with drivers able to pay the fee prior to or after travelling.
However, many are forgetting to make the payment since the barriers were removed with motorists asked to pay online instead.
At present, drivers have until midnight the day after they cross to make the payment before the fines come rolling in.
Aside from many forgetting to make the payment, others argue that the Dartford Crossing should be free by now.
The original agreement, when the bridge was built, said tolling was supposed to stop once it had paid for itself, which was almost 15 years ago.
Many drivers are frustrated they are still charged for the service as thousands rely on the bridge to commute to work.
However, despite this, whilst the charge is in place, it is important to keep on top of all payments to avoid a scenario like yours, where you have debt spiralling out of control.
Although you said you missed a couple of payments ‘here and there’, further investigation shows there are 54 crossing payments you have missed over the course of just over a year, which amounts to £135 in total.
You say you and your partner would top it up on a weekly basis but for one reason or another some have been missed.
Although Dart Charge said they have sent you letters about the outstanding payments, you have said you live with your parents on and off due to personal reasons and have missed several of the reminders.
Whilst it is your responsibility to keep on top of your correspondence, you were shocked that you didn’t receive any emails, texts or phone reminders about having to pay, even though the firm will email you when you have made a top up on your account.
The first time you knew this was a serious issue was when your car was clamped by the Marston Group, debt collectors for Highways England, and you had to pay them to get the clamps taken off.
You say, as of now, you have made payments of £215 and £425 to the Marston Group which is 79 per cent more than the actual cost you had failed to make. As a result, you thought the matter would be closed.
However, shockingly, your most recent online statement shows that you owe £3,180 – a 2,255 per cent increase from the actual debt due thanks to fees being added on.
This is a huge jump in costs, especially as on the Government website it says those that don’t pay the fee could receive a £70 fine which must be paid within 28 days.
It added the fine will be reduced to £35 if you pay within 14 days, or increased to £105 if you do not pay it, and drivers will also have to pay the crossing charge.
However, as your case demonstrates, those who don’t pay up could actually end up facing thousands of pounds of debt – from forgetting a few £2.50 trips.
Although you may not have initially made payments, it seems very harsh that despite paying £640 to the debt collectors, it is still looking to charge you thousands more.
As a result, I contacted Highways England to ask why the debt was so exorbitant and why it had not sent out texts and emails as a reminder to customers who may have outstanding fees.
Mark Belton, Senior Contract and Governance Manager for Dart Charge, said: ‘We always try and strike the right balance between being absolutely clear that drivers using the Dartford Crossing need to pay their Dart Charge while giving people maximum opportunity to avoid a penalty.
‘We have reviewed Mr R’s case and as a gesture of goodwill a decision has been made to allow him to pay the remaining 54 outstanding penalty charge notices at the road user charge rate of £2.50 each.
‘Mr R’s case could have been resolved at a much earlier stage if he had contacted us to discuss his case.’
Although, fortunately, you are now able to simply pay off the trips you forgot to pay for, you are still £640 out of pocket as a result.
This serves as a reminder to all using the Dartford Bridge to pay either before travelling or immediately after – before you land yourself with thousands of pounds of debt.


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Dr Martens revenue rise continues, but investment dents profits
Dr Martens has released what it calls "another strong set" of results, covering the six-month period to the end of September. Underlying revenue was up as much as 18%, although EBITDA was flat and profit before and after tax fell.
Reported revenue was up 13% at £418.6 million and, as mentioned, there was an 18% rise on an underlying basis (taking into account its exit from Russia and the end of its South America, distribution agreements).
EBITDA was at the same level as a year ago at £88.8 million but pre-tax profit was down 5% at £57.9 million and net profit fell 8% to £44.7 million, all affected by higher investment and increased costs.
The company said it saw growth in all channels with direct-to-consumer (DTC) up 21% to £179.8 million and wholesale up 15% to £238.8 million. Retail rose 38% to £91 million and e-commerce 8% to £88.8 million.
It was strong globally and in America, underlying revenue rose as much as 31% to £179.7 million (+15% constant currency). EMEA underlying growth was 9%, driven by DTC that jumped 22%.
APAC revenue was up 9%, partly held back by the slower recovery from Covid-19. Japan is now its third most important market and contributed 40% to APAC revenues and 55% to EBITDA.
While the gross margin improved by 0.3 percentage points to 61.6%, the lack of progress in EBITDA was down to increased investment in new stores, marketing and people to drive future growth. That meant the EBITDA margin was lower by 2.8 percentage points at 21.2%.
RETAIL, WHOLESALE AND PRODUCT
The company is focusing more on its own stores and said that during the period the DTC mix was up 3 percentage points to 43% as it opened 21 new directly-operated stores across its three regions.
But wholesale remains important and revenue here was up 15% on 13% fewer accounts via “better quality partners”. Planned September wholesale revenue of £10 million is set to be recorded for October, mainly due to a labour shortage at a logistics hub and port strikes in the UK. But that will at least boost the second half.
The wholesale order book is “in excess of” its full-year estimate and it has “headroom for increased cancellation risk”.
As for products, in boots, it saw “continued success" of platform soles, including the Quad range. Platform boots that performed well included the Audrick, the Jetta in APAC and the Jarrick in EMEA. Within the casual range, it launched the new Boury utility boot in September.
In shoes, it did well with the Adrian loafer range (“supported by our relationship with Blondie McCoy”), Mary Janes and limited edition 1461 offerings, such as the City Pack. This included a shoe from each region based on London, New York, LA and Tokyo.
In sandals, growth was again led by its Voss and Blaire styles, and products using the innovative Zebrillus lightweight platform sole. Strong growth was seen in mules, led by the Carlson and Jorge, with particular success for its Made in England line.
Collaborations were also key to its Originals strategy. Successful launches in H1 included a three-way collab with Supreme and Yohji Yamamoto and a fifth link-up with Engineered Garments, paying tribute to the manufacturing techniques of its Northamptonshire factory.
STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE
The company says it has recovered from last year's pandemic-related supply challenges and it's powering ahead with new and larger third-party logistics distribution centres in LA and the Netherlands.
It has implemented AW22 price increase “successfully” and its latest survey “confirms headroom to offset future inflation”.
It’s maintaining its revenue guidance of high-teens growth for the full year, despite the consumer environment having weakened throughout H1 and DTC trading having been variable.
Its peak trading weeks are ahead and given that last year they were impacted by Covid-19 restrictions and stock availability issues, the comparison isn’t too tough.
Over the medium term, it continues to guide for mid-teens revenue growth and a medium-term EBITDA margin milestone of 30%, with price continuing to offset inflation.
The company is also planning to increase marketing spend as a percentage of revenue by around 0.5 percentage points a year. This was achieved in H1 as marketing spend grew 23% with much of its spend directed at building its social media communities. It now has 10.3 million followers across all channels, up 15% on the year.
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In recent years, the beverage industry has seen craft beers and — even more recently — craft spirits increase in popularity.
The July 2016 issue of Beverage Industry includes a cover story on Small Town Brewery as well as the 2016 State of the Industry and articles about kombucha, foodservice and Chameleon Cold-Brew.
Copyright ©2016. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.
Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing


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- Apple’s achieve groups comprise created a customized face cowl for Apple staff.
- The quilt has a “queer” look, with broad nostril and chin safety, in response to Bloomberg, which first reported on its sample.
- For the reason that outbreak of the pandemic, Apple has labored to supply PPE love face masks and shields to healthcare staff.
- Seek the advice of with Business Insider’s homepage for extra experiences.
The Mac. The iPod. The iPhone. The iPad. The Apple See. AirPods.
And now, the Apple Face Veil.
The engineering groups in charge for the iPhone and iPad comprise designed a drag face cowl for Apple staff, as first reported by Bloomberg’s Imprint Gurman.
Though photos of the modern cowl comprise but to be launched, a prepare from Bloomberg says that Apple’s Engineering and Invent division created a canopy with a “queer look,” alongside aspect “broad coverings for the wearer’s nose and chin,” apart from to “adjustable strings.” It should comprise three layers may maybe maybe maybe even be washed as a lot as 5 events.
Apple steered Bloomberg it designed the duvet with uncommon private holding instruments provide chains in thoughts, taking care to no longer disrupt uncommon flows.
To the frustration of some Apple followers, the masks comprise been made for Apple’s firm and retail staff, barely than the frequent public. Masks shall be shipped to staff over the following two weeks. Presently, or not it’s unknown if Apple will are attempting to distribute the duvet extra broadly.
Beside its customized-designed Apple Veil, the company is moreover rolling out a clear surgical cowl to staff, in order that listening to-impaired potentialities can observe staff faces and understand them extra clearly. Or not it’s the primary utterly drag surgical cowl to be in style by the FDA, in response to Bloomberg.
That is no longer Apple’s first foray into the non-public holding instruments sport. In April, Tim Prepare dinner dinner, CEO of Apple, launched that Apple would donate 20 million face masks to well being care staff throughout the US. The tech firm moreover designed and produced face shields for hospital staff, with plans to ship 1 million per week.
Learn Bloomberg’s customary prepare on the Apple Face Veil right here.


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The experience of playing Battlefield 4 on 32-player servers is about to get better on consoles.
As a result of the testing and experimentation DICE LA has been doing with the community in Battlefield 4's CTE, the game has seen various improvements, not the least of which its netcode.
The tickrate has been increased for a while now on PC, and the same is happening to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The new update brings the tickrate to 45hz, instead of 30hz, on all 32-player servers on new consoles.
DICE announced the change via a forum post, but said players shouldn't expect the same to happen to 64-player servers.
"We did see issues for both players, and sometimes the server in certain circumstances in our testing – even at small tickrate increases," the developer said about servers with higher player counts.
The improved tickrate means bullets register better and faster, measured at around 11ms per action decrease in networking delay, according to DICE.
DICE will roll out the new tickrate first to a small number of US servers tomorrow. Monitoring it for a couple of days, the developer will release it to all on February 11.


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The Queen Street Racing BMW is well known in the Australian modified car scene, and has been doing the rounds on social media since the vehicle turned up at a salvage auction in recent days.
Pickles Auctions provide few details, other than listing ‘damage to the entire vehicle,’ but it turns out the BMW fell off the back of the truck – literally.
Mohammed Ibrahim, co-founder of the Queen Street Group, says the front of the car wasn’t secured correctly while the vehicle was being transported.
“We had some issues with the insurance company,” Ibrahim told Street Machine.
“We just told them to keep it.”
Ibrahim says he intends on buying the car back from the auction house, as the car has more than a decade of memories for him and his team.
First revealed in 2010, the triple-rotor BMW was once valued at $1 million, thanks to its custom carbon-fibre body, PAC Performance-built 20B engine, and around $120,000 of gold plating.
A date for the auction has not been set, but you can view the listing by clicking here.


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Bitcoin has held up remarkably well despite many predictions that the cryptocurrency would soon come crashing down. Bitcoin is currently valued at around $11k and is predicted to hit a record high of close to $20k in 2018. Here are five things that will impact bitcoin price this year.
The “future of crypto in the next 5 years” is a question that has been asked by many people. What will happen to Bitcoin’s price? Will it continue to go up? Will it crash? Or will it stay stagnant throughout the year?
The tremendous increase in the price of Bitcoin, the most famous of all digital currencies today, has been one of the most intriguing narratives in the world of finance over the last five years. Bitcoin’s price was under $500 only five years ago, and it was regarded as a very esoteric means of payment.
Since then, the price has fluctuated dramatically, although it had climbed by more than 100 times by February 2021, when it was selling for more than $51,000 per coin.
Many individuals believe that Bitcoin’s price will continue to rise in the future. While many analysts feel there is enormous development potential, there will undoubtedly be volatility in the coming years. The value of Bitcoin will be influenced by a number of things during the remainder of 2021.
Investment by Institutions
One of the largest storylines surrounding Bitcoin over the past year has been the increased prevalence of Investment by Institutions. Some of the companies that have made major investments into the digital currency include both Tesla and Mass Mutual, which invested more than $100 billion into the coin.
Ray Dalio, another billionaire and notable investor, has continued to talk about the potential of Bitcoin and other crypto currencies. This adoption by respected companies is projected to continue, assisting in a value growth in the future year.
New Bitcoin Products to Purchase or Invest in
One of the fears that people have had about Bitcoin in the past is that it is possible to lose your Bitcoin and never get it back. Everyone has heard of people losing their online passwords and keys, which are required to access their Bitcoin.
Many additional options to invest in this commodity, such as ETFs and funds that own Bitcoin, or just tracking its value, are anticipated to emerge in the coming years. This will allow consumers to invest in Bitcoin without worrying about their funds being stolen.
Limited Supply and Entry Barriers
Because of its limited quantity, Bitcoin is also expected to rise in value. One of the things that attracts individuals to this coin is the minimal theoretical supply, which contrasts with other forms of money, which have a limitless supply if governments continue to print more.
Furthermore, mining Bitcoin is becoming more difficult and costly, preventing more from entering the market. The price might continue to rise due to a lack of supply and increasing demand.
Hedge Against Inflation
Concerns about inflation will continue to increase as interest rates remain at record lows and the global economy remains uncertain. People have continued to utilize Bitcoin as a strategy to protect themselves against this danger. If inflation rates rise in the next year, there will undoubtedly be a demand from consumers looking to invest in Bitcoin to help mitigate the risk.
Volatility is accepted by investors.
When the value of a stock or other investment looks to be dropping, it is normal practice for investors to sell them. This might lead to a loss and further reductions. While it’s normal to want to get out of a position before losing too much money, there seems to be greater understanding when it comes to Bitcoin’s volatility. People are less inclined to panic and sell as a result of this since they have long-term faith in the currency. This might assist to prevent future catastrophic long-term collapses.
Bitcoin has remained a terrific long-term investment for anyone seeking long-term gain. Many people feel that Bitcoin will continue to be a smart investment in 2021. Overall, there are five elements that will influence Bitcoin’s value in the next year.
Disclaimer: The Skytechosting website was designed only for the purpose of education and entertainment. The contents of this website are 100 percent lawful and authored by authors. We do not encourage the use of personal information or the distribution of unlawful materials. This data is provided only for educational and learning reasons.
The “how to predict bitcoin price” is a question that has been asked many times. There are 5 things that will impact the Bitcoin price this year.
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