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Managed services News
CRN Exclusive: Bigleaf Expands Reach Into Channel With Help Of Intelisys, X4
Managed service provider Bigleaf Networks is expanding its reach into the channel by partnering with a couple of telecommunications master agents, allowing many solution providers and their customers to access much-needed VoIP and cloud performance optimization services, according to Bigleaf.
Bigleaf Networks offers a managed service that optimizes performance of VoIP services and cloud-based applications through intelligent load balancing across multiple Internet connections. Founded in 2012, Bigleaf sells its offering to customers exclusively through the channel.
The company currently has about 35 solution provider partners and is looking for more, according to Bigleaf's CEO, Joel Mulkey. The Portland, Ore.-based MSP has signed on as a supplier partner with master agents Intelisys and X4. The partnerships will allow each master agent's expansive network of sale partners to access Bigleaf's services, and Bigleaf will be able to reach thousands of solution providers and cloud providers they wouldn't have access to otherwise, Mulkey said.
"Our goal is to identify partners that are engaged in the ideal scenario that we fit into -- partners that have customers that have migrated to, or are migrating to, cloud services that their business depends on," he said.
[Related: Intelisys Channel Connect 2015: 5 Supplier Partner Moves That Made A Splash]
"We made a decision early on that we wanted to use the channel and we don't have a direct sales force," added John Hogan, Bigleaf's vice president of channel sales and business development. "If you're going to work with an indirect channel, you probably should be working with a master [agent]."
Both Intelisys and X4 have a strong focus on cloud, an important quality in a Bigleaf partner, according to Hogan. "I feel like we have good partners set up to help us do a lot of damage in the next few months," he said.
According to Mulkey, Bigleaf sought to improve access to cloud services, VoIP, and virtual desktops for SMB and midmarket customers because access to those services was always over public Internet connections that are vulnerable to those customers’ performance challenges. "And the devices used to improve those connections are fairly outdated," he added.
Bigleaf's patent-pending service uses software-defined networking (SDN) technology on preconfigured routers over a distributed architecture. The two components -- a premise-based router at a customer's site and one instance in the cloud -- work together to provide load balancing across multiple Internet paths from different Internet service providers.
SDN technology powers the real-time Internet connection evaluation capability. This capability allows the service to identify which connection should be used for VoIP and cloud application traffic so that end users have the best possible experience, Mulkey said. The service also offers IP failover for VoIP and virtual desktop sessions.
"The end result is their VoIP quality is improved, their virtual desktop sessions are smooth and their SaaS applications are more responsive," he said.
End users and partners also have access to a Web-based portal that serves up performance metrics and information in real time on circuit latency, packet loss, jitter and throughput, according to Mulkey.
Bigleaf's performance-measurement technology translates into intelligent, real-time load balancing and dynamic QoS in an easy-to-deploy, plug-and-play infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model, said Mike McKenney, vice president of supplier sales at Intelisys.
"Our sales partners can market this 'in demand' solution today to their installed base where customers have a very real and acute need for a better over the top solution," McKenney said.
Partners can wrap Bigleaf's service into other products they’re already selling, Mulkey said.
"Agents are already selling Internet circuits to their customers,’ he said, calling Bigleaf’s service a ’perfect add-on’ to an Internet solution that can help an agent focus more on the cloud.
Solution providers incorporating Bigleaf's service as part of their Internet solutions can potentially widen the comfort zone of their customers who are evaluating cloud services, Hogan added.
"We are hopefully going to give the [partner] the opportunity to not only sell us, but to sell additional cloud services for months and years to come because their customers will have a stable platform to reach the cloud," he said.


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Uber has denied that it is a transport service in the EU’s highest court.
Popular ride-sharing app Uber has come under fire from taxi companies across Europe for circumventing licensing laws and taking their business.
Now Barcelona’s main taxi operator has accused them of running an illegal taxi service with their POP service.
The case could have massive ramifications for the company, which is currently classified as a digital service.
If the Court of Justice of the European Union rules that Uber is a transport company, they will be regulated like any other taxi firm.
Rules and costs for licensing, insurance and safety would come into effect.
Similar crowdsourcing apps such as Airbnb and Deliveroo could also come under great scrutiny as a result.
In its defence, the $60bn company has highlighted many tangential benefits its service has provided.
Lawyer Cani Fernandez told the judges that Uber lowered pollution and allowed better access for parking.
Left unsaid was the EU’s desire to drive e-commerce in Europe to increase growth and create jobs.
The continent currently lags far behind the US and Asia in technologically-focused business.
The prosecution argued that the app should not hid behind the ‘thin veil of difference’.
Lawyers for Spain, France and Ireland (where Uber is currently unavailable) argued that it should be treated as a transport company.
The Netherlands, Estonia and European Free Trade Association defended the app, arguing:
The court should ‘send a message that innovation and new business opportunities in the EU should be encouraged and not hindered by submitting them to unnecessary rules.’
The judges will reach a verdict in the coming months.

domain: news


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As this week began, the value of the British pound sank to a record low against the US dollar as investors rushed to sell the currency and government bonds in a show of skepticism about the economic plans of new Prime Minister Liz Truss, but since then there have been more signs of decline. trust has appeared.
Yesterday, 10 major UK retail banks pulled a large number of mortgage products from the market and significantly reworked the terms available on some of the mortgage products that remain on the market, in order to manage the potential risk if interest rates rise until the expected between 5 and 6% in January.
If this interest rate level is reached, personal and business debt payments would increase substantially, as the interest rate is currently around 2.6%.
That, combined with a free fence and inflation headed for 18% in January, according to Citigroup analysts last month, is a combination of equations that do not allow for a healthy borrowing environment…Read more : blog FXOpen


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DRIV3R Ships 2.5 Million Worldwide
Retailers bit, so we'll see if gamers follow suit shortly.
"Our worldwide shipment is right in line with our plan for DRIV3R," said Atari founder Bruno Bonnell. "The global Driver fan base is as robust and passionate as ever, as indicated by retail reaction in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, France, and other key territories."
The 2.5 million figure of course refers only to units sold in to retailers, not sold through to consumers. A clear picture of just how many consumers picked up the game will have to wait until next month. However, Atari's biggest seller of 2003, Enter the Matrix, survived an even worse shellacking in the enthusiast press to sell through 2.5 million units across four platforms in its first month of release.


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A Big Olaf ice cream Listeria outbreak includes 23 illnesses, one death, and one fetal loss, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health officials have information for 22 of the patients. All 22 of them were so sick they required hospitalization. Twenty of 23 patients either live in or visited Florida before they became ill.
State and federal health officials have interviewed 17 outbreak patients about the foods they ate in the month before they developed Listeria symptoms. Fourteen said they had eaten ice cream. Six remembered eating Big Olaf ice cream or eating ice cream at locations that serve Big Olaf.
Big Olaf Creamery of Sarasota, FL has not issued a recall. Instead, the company is contacting retailers recommending that they don’t sell the ice cream.
In a statement released to media Rosie Peachy, a Big Olaf representative said: “For now it is only speculation as it is an ongoing investigation, our brand has not been confirmed to be linked to these cases, I am not sure why only Big Olaf is being mentioned and targeted. The original report we got from the Florida Department of Health on Friday July 1st, was that there are 23 cases reported, the first one reported was January 2022.[sic] 6 out of the 23 patients mentioned having consumed Big Olaf ice cream, but nothing has been proven. We have been cooperating with the Florida Department of Health, FDACS and the FDA as soon as we were informed about the situation. We have been transparent and have answered all their questions and provided them with all the information requested from us, as the health and well being of the public is our first priority.”
Big Olaf Ice Cream Listeria Outbreak
The people sickened in this outbreak, who range in age from less than 1 year old to 92 years old, either live in Florida or visited Florida before they became ill. Twelve of them are male. Five of the eleven female patients became ill during their pregnancy, one of them experienced a fetal loss.
Symptoms of a Listeria infection can take as long as 70 days to develop. They include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, other muscle stiffness, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Sometimes those symptoms are preceded by gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. The people sickened in this outbreak first became ill on dates ranging from January 24, 2021, through June 12, 2022. Seven of the illnesses occurred in 2021, the rest have happened this year.
Experienced Listeria Lawyers
If you developed a Listeria infection after eating Big Olaf ice cream and would like to discuss your legal options, please contact our Listeria lawyers. Our Food Safety Team has more experience handling Listeria lawsuits than any other law firm in the country securing some of the largest Listeria settlements in U.S. history including a recent award of $6.4 million.


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Burns, who was appointed M&S chairman yesterday, will take up the role of deputy chairman with effect from 1 October 2005 and will become chairman after the retailer’s annual general meeting in July 2006.
He said that one of his first roles would be to review the all-male board of directors and possibly appoint a woman.
“The first thing that strikes me is that there are no women. All boards who are selling in these markets need to ask themselves why there are no women on the board,” he said.
Burns is already chairman of Abbey National and Glas Cymru (Welsh Water), and is a non-executive director of Banco Santander Central Hispano, Pearson Group and British Land.
The City was underwhelmed by the news with M&S shares finishing down 1p in yesterday’s trading.
However, the appointment was largely welcomed. Standard Life, a key M&S shareholder, said that the retailer must now unite to enable the company to realise its full potential after a search for an chairman caused turbulence on the M&S board.
The Association of British Insurers meanwhile said that it was good news that M&S had made a definite decision.


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Microsoft has sent invties for a Tuesday, December 6 event, the Redmond company plans to share more about the Windows 8 App Store at a two-hour preview event.
The invitation read:
“You are invited to the Windows Store Preview at 4.00 – 6.00PM
Laurent Studio, 470 Alabama Street,
San Francisco, California 94110.”
December also happens to be the day of the new Xbox 360 dashboard update launch. Testers who have been working with a test version of the dashboard (under non-disclosure-agreement terms) have mentioned in passing new app store functionality in the dashboard. Facebook, Hulu, Netflix and Twitter are listed under apps in the preview, testers have said.
For the event, Microsoft has invited select developers and local press to hear more details on the Windows Store.
In other Windows 8-related news, WinUnleaked.tk is reporting that Microsoft has begun using the name ‘ReFS’ to refer to the Protogon file system that was spotted by hackers in early leaked Windows 8 builds.
There was speculation earlier this year that Protogon might be a new file system, possibly supplementing or replacing the current NTFS in Windows. Since that time, Windows 8 enthusiasts have moved on to thinking that Protogon is more of a content/metadata file system.
And, in other Windows 8 news, TheNextWeb reports that the Windows 8 beta won’t be out until “late February” 2012.


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NEW LOCATION: The Williams Route 66 Marathon opened its new location at 812 E. Admiral Blvd. in downtown Tulsa. Executive Director Destiny Green (middle) cut the ribbon at the ceremony, surrounded by various members of the board at Williams Route 66 Marathon and other supporters of the organization.
KAYLEY FORSHEY for GTR Newspapers
The Williams Route 66 Marathon presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma is excited to announce a new, local partnership for the weekend-long race event. Nine Band Brewing Co. has signed on as the official beer sponsor for the 26.2-mile-long event, known as “Oklahoma’s biggest block party.”
“If there’s anything the past 12 years of racing has taught us, it’s that the running community loves beer and they love to have fun while racing,” said Williams Route 66 Marathon Executive Director Destiny Green. “We’re constantly on the lookout for sponsors that bring as much flair, energy and excitement to our race as our runners do, and Nine Band Brewing Co. fits that description.”
The Williams Route 66 Marathon attracts runners from across the world, and this partnership will give participants a true taste of Tulsa hospitality. With Nine Band Brewing coming on board, runners will now get to try a locally-brewed beer at the finish line, which the endurance event hasn’t previously provided.
Nine Band Brewing Co.’s Oklahoma beer distributor is located inside the Osage Casinos’ Tulsa location. This is the first time either organization has partnered with the endurance event.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Williams Route 66 Marathon by providing all of the beer for this incredible event,” said Byron Bighorse, of Osage Casinos. “Being a sponsor will get our beer into the hands of endurance runners who are famously fans of beer.”
The sponsorship includes a three-year-long commitment to party with the Williams Route 66 Marathon. Nine Band Brewing will serve the beer at the party prior to the race as well as at the finish line.
Nine Band Brewing opened its first Tulsa location inside Osage Casinos in August 2018. The fully operational 4,000-square-foot brewery brews a variety of flavors—Nine Band Pale Ale, Cactus Cat Kolsch, Hoop Snake Hefeweizen, Blue Lacy Brown Ale, Toad Choker Barley Wine, Hellwind , The Badge Honey Blonde. In addition, seasonal flavors such as 28th State Stout, Ghost Cow, Oktoberfest and June Bug Summer Wheat will be available.
About the Route 66 Marathon
Since 2006, the Route 66 Marathon has hosted a world-class marathon weekend in the heart of Tulsa. Now in its 13th year, it has grown into “Oklahoma’s biggest block party” complete with Health, Fitness & Sustainability Expo, Fun Run, 5K, Mascot Dash, Marathon, Half-Marathon and Marathon Relay. The 2018 events will be held Nov. 16-18.
With a focus on fun, the event offers participants spectator support that is unparalleled in its class. It’s not uncommon for neighborhoods along the course to host their own unofficial aid stations and block parties to welcome the runners.
The race also offers award-winning finisher medals and race premiums that are inspired by classic cars from the Route 66 automobile era. Named a “Must Do Fall Race” by Runner’s World magazine, the Route 66 Marathon is truly a 26.2-mile long party. The event brings more than 12,000 runners to the Tulsa area from all 50 states and over 10 countries each year and has an estimated economic impact of over $8 million. Runners who complete the Center of the Universe Detour, which adds an extra 0.3-mile onto the marathon, can also proudly proclaim they’ve completed the World’s Shortest Ultramarathon! And yes, there’s beer at the finish line. To learn more, visit www.Route66marathon.com


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In an open letter on the Innocent website, co-founders Adam Balon, Jon Wright and Richard Reed explain why they’re “dead excited” by the investment. “The funds raised allow us to do more of what innocent is here to do – get natural, healthy stuff out to as many people as possible,” the trio writes. “And the money raised is going into the business to fund our European expansion, so we can get Innocent out to more places (none of the cash is being paid out to the shareholders; that desert island will just have to wait).” All three will remain with the business in a management capacity. They add that Coca-Cola was chosen because the company can “help us get our products out to more people in more places. Plus, they have been in business for over 120 years, so there will be things we can learn from them. And in some small ways we may be able to influence their thinking too.” The decision, however, to team up with the drinks giant has raised eyebrows in many quarters. The Guardian says the company has “finally lost its innocence” as a result of the deal. While not directly addressing such concerns, the founders claim in their letter that everything Innocent stands for will remain in place. The Times is more circumspect about the transaction and what it will mean for the company’s ethos. Reed is quoted in the article as saying: “[Coca-Cola is] big into healthy, natural stuff too, it’s just that people here don’t know about it. “We have spoken to some of our consumers and the majority of them have been very supportive about it. All this is going to allow us to do more of what we do — support charities, do more of that.” The Telegraph argues that the investment will “raise questions over [Innocent’s] long-trumpeted ethical credentials”. The article also notes Innocent ran into criticism in 2007 after agreeing to trial its drinks in McDonald’s restaurants. Related articlesInnocent Drinks poised for saleInnocent’s golden arches gamblePicture source
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Have you been having trouble finding the ‘Hide camera cutout‘ setting on your Galaxy device lately? It would appear the development isn’t an accident and has already affected every Samsung smartphone that made the jump to One UI 3.0. As the company’s custom implementation of Android 11 does away with the feature in its entirety.
What’s more, GalaxyClub reports that Samsung even removed any and all references to the functionality from its user manuals. Just in case anyone hoped the ability to hide the unbecoming camera hole might return in the future.
Do people still dislike notches? Have they ever?
And to be frank, it’s likely that not many people find these cutouts to be such an eyesore in the first place. Because Samsung probably wouldn’t have dropped the functionality otherwise. This isn’t to say we should be celebrating the development. At the end of the day, the only losing side here are consumers whose options have just gotten slimmer.
But we could also opt for a more optimistic take on this feature removal: no matter how unpopular the ‘Hide camera cutout’ setting was, it’s safe to assume Samsung isn’t preparing to start celebrating its camera holes any more than it already is.
Instead, the company’s decision to retire the feature can be seen as yet another indication that its under-display camera technologies continue to inch closer toward market availability. Whether the first generation of invisible mobile cameras manages to clear some substantial quality bar remains to be seen, of course. But Samsung certainly won’t be content with simply continuing to put out its Infinity displays indefinitely.
The post Hide camera cutout setting disappears from Galaxy devices, likely forever appeared first on SamMobile.


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- SPECIAL REPORTS
Items Tagged with 'Apple'
BEIJING—American Public Media’s Marketplace has been allowed to shoot a short news clip showing the process of iPads being assembled at Foxconn’s Longhua facility in Shenzhen, China.
BEIJING—Apple Inc. has agreed to work with partner Foxconn to tackle wage and working condition violations at the Chinese assembly plants that make its popular products.
BEIJING—A television reporter for ABC News was granted unrestricted access to Foxconn’s assembly lines. The contract manufacturer, which counts Apple and Dell among its customers, has faced scrutiny over working conditions at its factories.
BEIJING—Apple supplier Foxconn Technology has raised wages for its assembly line workers in China by 16 percent to 25 percent.
BEIJING—Apple and the Fair Labor Association will be inspecting Foxconn’s assembly plants throughout China next week, following widespread protests over working conditions at the Chinese contract manufacturer.
When President Barack Obama joined Silicon Valley’s top luminaries for dinner in California last February, each guest was asked to come with a question for the president. But as Steve Jobs spoke, Obama interrupted with an inquiry of his own: What would it take to make iPhones in the United States?


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GOONL!NE: "The first shots of Blur have been released."
i read that this would be a pgr-style game, and since that game was awesome, i think this will be very good too. looks very cool btw.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Bengaluru: Flipkart’s app will have Odia and Bengali languages to make e-commerce inclusive and accessible to Indian language users, said the company on Wednesday.
With the addition of two of the country’s most widely spoken languages on the Flipkart app, customers across the country will now be able to use the platform in their preferred native language.
Flipkart said it has expanded to seven Indian languages spoken by nearly 75 per cent of India’s population. Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Marathi were included in a span of 1.5 years.
From display banners to category pages and product descriptions, Flipkart offers an end-to-end Bengali and Odia experience to millions of customers by utilising a judicious mix of translation and transliteration of over 5.4 million words on the platform to bring a natural language experience. This includes transliteration of terms such as EMI, delivery, filter, cart and OTP instead of simply translating them to enable better resonance with the native experience, helping users get acquainted with e-commerce terminologies.
“Flipkart is committed to bringing the next 200 million customers online by bringing state-of-the-art technological solutions to democratize e-commerce in India,” said Rajneesh Kumar, chief corporate affairs officer at Flipkart.
“With Bengali and Odia, we are further doubling down on our efforts and making deep investments in technology to bring a natural language experience to millions of our customers across the country,” said Kumar.
The introduction of Bengali and Odia is in line with Flipkart’s aim of leveraging locally developed language solutions to help bring the next 200 million customers on board with e-commerce.
With the two new languages, the Flipkart app is now available in 7 Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Marathi, developed in a span of over 1.5 years.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik thanked Flipkart for making the platform accessible in Odia language.
“Thank @Flipkart for making the platform accessible in Odia language. It will allow more consumers to access the ecommerce platform and help sellers, weavers, handicraft makers and MSMEs from the state access bigger market,” tweeted the CMO.


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1 year ago
- Brands that empower their employees to act with them in their sustainability plan — and let their brand culture guide the creation of that plan — reap benefits. To foster a purpose-led brand culture, brands need to fuse these five elements ...
6 years ago
- Fashion is probably the last thing you think about when you see a leather airplane seat – yet through a partnership between Southwest Airlines and textile and accessories upcycler Looptworks, 43 acres of leather collected from 80,000 discarded Southwest airplane seats were turned into LUV Seat weekender duffle bags, shoes, soccer balls and more that embody how creative partnerships can help companies close loops and benefit the environment.
6 years ago
- Fresh from its successful collaboration with Southwest Airlines on its LUV Seat collection of bags and accessories upcycled from the airline’s leather seats, Looptworks has launched an email campaign to enlist its customers’ help in restoring the Colorado River.
7 years ago
- Southwest Airlines has announced the distribution of products made in Kenya and the U.S. as part of its global upcycling initiative LUV Seat: Repurpose with Purpose. The distribution in Kenya completes the second phase of the multi-year environmental program, which will upcycle around 80,000 former airline seat coverings into new leather products to provide training and jobs in several communities in addition to keeping these materials out of a landfill.
8 years ago
- Twenty-nine of the world’s leading CEOs and companies in 2013 joined CECP, a coalition of CEOs united in the belief that societal improvement is an essential measure of business performance, founded in 1999 by actor Paul Newman.These CEOs and companies work with CECP to elevate their societal investment strategies and connect them to their core business, as they are a direct line to employee engagement, innovation, customers, new markets, stronger brands and sustainability, as well as mitigating risk and building trust. CECP convenes and supports CEOs, whose companies committed $14 billion last year to solving pressing community challenges.In 2013, CECP welcomed the following 10 CEOs into its ranks:· Sheri McCoy, Avon Products, Inc.


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Retail News Breaks Archives
Kinney Drugs has promoted Michael Burgess to vice president of financial planning and treasury services and hired Duckwall-ALCO executive Jim Spencer as director of retail operations.
Ending what had been shaping up to be a standoff, Walgreen Co. and CVS Caremark Corp. have reached an agreement in which Walgreens will continue as a provider in the Caremark pharmacy benefit management retail network for current, new and renewal plans.
The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about a potentially harmful product represented as "Generic Tamiflu" that's sold on the Internet.
Two members of Congress have asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to stop aggressive efforts by Medicare Part B durable medical equipment (DME) contractors to recoup costs from pharmacies, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association.
Rebecca Chater, executive vice president of Kerr Health, has been elected as president of the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy.
The Chain Drug Marketing Association has teamed up with LearnSomething Inc. on a program to provide an online alternative to off-site or internal training.
Walgreen Co. has stepped up access for on-the-go customers with a relaunched mobile Web site and iPhone application plus prescription text alerts and other new capabilities for text messaging and smart phone users.
As part of its 120th anniversary celebration marketing, Bartell Drugs has launched the "Magical History Tour," a contest focusing on fun facts about Washington's Puget Sound.
Loblaw Cos. has changed the usual and customary dispensing fees for drug products to one common fee at all of its nofrills banner store pharmacies in Ontario.
CVS Caremark Corp. has initiated a new share repurchase program for up to $2 billion of its outstanding common stock.


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When will too little space start scaring condo buyers?
Take Lumiere for example. It’s one of the latest new shoebox-sized condominiums being sold in Toronto. With its biggest non-penthouse suite having just 895 square feet (and the smallest offering only 495 square feet), Lumiere seems like further evidence of how developers are hoping to cram more people into less space.
This makes us wonder; will their be a strong enough resale market for the flood of new units this small? Don’t be surprised if there comes a time when you can no longer fit a bed in your new condo’s master bedroom.
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Helly Hansen, the Norwegian technical outdoor brand, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire UK sailing and country apparel brand Musto for an undisclosed sum. The news comes not long after the company was put up for sale by its owner, Phoenix Equity Partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
With this transaction, Helly Hansen says it will become a global leader in professional sailing apparel, complementing its existing leadership position in professional skiing apparel and enhancing its presence in the UK outdoor market.
Peter Smith, CEO of Musto, will continue to lead the business and will report to Helly Hansen CEO Paul Stoneham, who will also become executive chairman of Musto.
"Musto accelerates Helly Hansen's long-term aspiration to become a global leader in sailing, matching our leadership position in professional skiing,” says Stoneham. “Our focus will be to expand Musto internationally as an iconic British lifestyle brand with deep technical sailing credentials alongside Helly Hansen. The two brands are highly complementary and hold in common a deep regard for the sailing community and commitment to preserving our oceans."
Musto claims to be the British brand of choice for professional yachtsmen and world-class dinghy sailors, serving as the official clothing supplier to the British Olympic sailing and equestrian teams.
Over the last three years, Helly Hansen has invested in brand and product development, while focusing its core product offering and enhancing distribution channels. The Musto acquisition enhances this by providing a differentiated product offering that will operate alongside Helly Hansen as a premium specialist brand.
Helly Hansen says it will invest in Musto's international growth ambitions as well as deepen its technological and sourcing capabilities.
"We are delighted that Peter and his team have found a new owner that will continue to support the brand's development, particularly in international markets," says Hugh Lenon, chairman of Phoenix Equity Partners and Musto. "We wish Musto and Helly Hansen every success as they embark together on the next phase of Musto's growth."
Musto CEO Peter Smith adds: "This is an incredibly exciting next phase in Musto's evolution and we are invigorated by the prospect of working with a business as complementary to our own as Helly Hansen. We look forward to leveraging Helly Hansen's global network and R&D capabilities, as we grow our market leading position in sailing, country and outdoor apparel."


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Sixty seconds on . . . Ronaldo and CokeBMJ 2021; 373 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n1567 (Published 17 June 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;373:n1567
- Gareth Iacobucci
- The BMJ
Have they teamed up?
Quite the opposite. Cristiano Ronaldo—the footballing superstar and global icon—has been widely praised by public health experts after he shunned Coca-Cola during a press conference at the UEFA Euro 2020 football championships, where the soft drinks giant is an official sponsor.
Awkward. Is he more of a Pepsi man?
Not as far as we’re aware (although he has advertised both brands in the …


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(MENAFN - Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, April 2 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's exports last March amounted to KD 125.1 million (USD 413 million) against KD 11.6 million (USD 38 million) in the same month of the past year, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a press release on Tuesday.
Value of Kuwaiti exports to Arab States, minus GCC countries, reached KD 115.5 million (USD 381 million) in March against KD 7.5 million (USD 24.7 million) of the same month in 2018.
Arab countries that have imported the Kuwaiti products are Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Libya.
Egypt topped these countries in terms of largest volume of Kuwaiti imports, valued at KD 110 million (USD 363 million), higher than the past year by 80.25 percent, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), at KD 2.1 million (USD seven million), then Italy at KD 2.1 million (USD seven million), rising by 120 percent compared to March 2018. Qatar came fourth, KD 1.8 million (USD 5.9 million).
Jordan ranked sixth with KD 1.4 million (USD 4.6 million), higher by 15.8 percent compared to the same month last year, followed by Belgium, with KD 922,000 (USD three million).
Lebanon came eighth, KD 774,000 (USD 2.5 million), with a 27.7 percent increase, followed by Yemen with KD 683,000 (USD 2.2 million), then Spain with KD 533,000 (USD 1.8 million), falling by two percent. (end) ht.rk


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Chrysler Group announced changes to its future product plans when it reported its full-year 2012 on Jan. 30.
The automaker said it plans to build a total of 47 new or significantly redesigned models over the next few years starting this year and on through 2016.
Chrysler posted its business plan on its website that detailed which products and brands it plans to drop or produce over the next few years. Key product introductions for 2013 include the previously announced refresh of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Jeep D-SUV, a refresh of the Ram 2500/3500, the introduction of the Ram ProMaster commercial van and the addition of the Fiat 500L.
Following is an overview of Chrysler’s plan for the North American marketplace by brand.
The automaker plans to drop two Fiat-produced models in 2013, add a new vehicle and refresh another in 2014 (the refresh is a change from its 2009 business plan), and add three new models in 2015.
The new models slated for 2014 and 2015 will be built by Chrysler and were both moved up a year.
Chrysler plans to build what it’s called the Jeep “D-SUV” in 2013 and it already announced refreshes of the Compass and Cherokee. The Compass and Cherokee refreshes are changes from its 2009 business plan.
For 2014, the automaker moved its plans to add a single Fiat-produced vehicle to its Jeep lineup delayed by a year compared to the 2009 plan.
In 2015, the automaker plans to add two new Chrysler-produced vehicles, one of which the automaker has delayed two years compared to the 2009 plan.
In 2016, the automaker plans to refresh a Jeep model (noted in its 2009 business plan) and add two new Chrysler-produced Jeep models.
For its Ram truck brand, the company plans to introduce its ProMaster commercial van, which it delayed by one year compared to its 2009 plan, and refresh its Ram 2500/3500 pickup truck and chassis cab models, also delayed one year.
For 2014, Chrysler plans to build a new Fiat-produced model, which the automaker has delayed two years compared to its 2009 plan.
In 2015, the automaker plans to refresh a single Chrysler-produced model. In 2016, Chrysler plans to introduce two new Chrysler-produced Ram models, both of which the automaker is delaying by three years compared to its 2009 plan.
For 2013, Chrysler is dropping two planned Fiat-produced Dodge models and adding a refresh (compared to its 2009 plan) of a single Chrysler-produced Dodge model.
Looking ahead, Chrysler plans to refresh two Chrysler-produced Dodge models in 2014 (both changes from its 2009 plan), add a new Chrysler-produced Dodge model and refresh another in 2015, and lastly add a new Chrysler-produced Dodge model in 2016.
For its SRT models, Chrysler already said it plans to build an SRT version of the refreshed Jeep Grand Cherokee in 2013.
For 2014, the automaker added (compared to its 2009 plan) three refreshes of Chrysler-produced SRT models.
For 2015, the automaker is planning a refresh of a Chrysler-produced model, and in 2016 a new Chrysler-produced SRT model is planned.
For its Fiat brand, Chrysler noted that the addition of the all-new 500L in 2013 is a change from its plan.
The automaker isn’t planning any changes to its Fiat lineup in 2014, but in 2015, the automaker will release six new Fiat-produced models, four of which are changes from the automaker’s 2009 plan.
For 2016, Chrysler plans to offer a Fiat-produced model.
Accordig to the updated business plan, Chrysler is planning to officially reintroduce Alfa Romeo models to the U.S. marketplace, with a new Fiat-produced model planned this year, and four new models, two of which are additions and changes from the 2009 plan, are planned for 2015.
Lastly, the automaker plans to build a single new Alfa Romeo model in 2016.


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Mike Murphy: Technology Opportunities
03/07/2003 12:00 am EST
Few Financial experts are as prolific as Mike Murphy. He is the editor of the California Technology Stock Letter, Health Investing, Technology Investing, and Biotech Investing. While many investors have given up on the technology sector, Mike Murphy sees opportunities.
"Technology is in an interesting situation right now because there was lot of excess capital and a lot of it is becoming obsolete very quickly. You can have a lot of money invested in a semiconductor fabrication plant - billions of dollars that run eight-inch wafer systems, and you just might as well throw everything away. Because Intel, IBM, and Taiwan Semiconductor have gone ahead and spent the money to build the next generation plants, and their production costs are now 40% to 50% below their competitors who have not been able to upgrade. So technology is making its own base obsolete. We see that everywhere in PCs and fiber, etc. When you look at the numbers, spending in technology started to pick up in the June quarter for the computer business and picked up for other tech companies in the September quarter, and it was up more in the December quarter. The big drag in capital spending is in the old economy - transportation equipment, airlines, and industrial equipment and manufacturing. So the question is, what is going to cause the rest of the economy to start spending money on technology. I think the answer is that they have already started to do so a little bit. We've seen the stronger areas like retail, housing, and autos begin to upgrade technology.
"There are a lot of compelling, new applications coming along, such as voice input, which is finally a practical technology. Consumer products are going digital at an extremely rapid rate, and consumers are the biggest force in the economy. Meanwhile institutions are very under-invested in tech stocks. Those who wanted to sell, sold them a long time ago. The people left holding these shares are unlikely to sell now. Coming out of the last six bear markets, technology was the number one performing group five times; the other time it was the second best performer. There is a myth around that the prior leaders of a bull market are never the kneaders of a new bull market. On the contrary, they almost always are. When you look at traumatic changes such as the shift we've seen from an old economy to a new economy, the old economy never comes back. But it's the new economy stocks that take the lead. To judge the future of technology we look at semiconductors; there is no way the technology market can grow if the semiconductor market isn't.
"There are conservative technology stocks, and they are in the healthcare technology sector. Within the computer tech sector, the safest bets are the big gorillas. Two stocks I like are IMPATH (IMPH NASDAQ) and ResMed (RMD NYSE). Impath is a laboratory that specializes in typing cancer tumors. They probably do this better than anyone else in the world. A fair chunk of their business is not related to insurance. It is simply people paying out of their own pocket. Because the first step towards treating a tumor is correctly identifying it. On the other hand, the company has developed a huge database of tissue samples, that they now sell as a research product. Res-Med is a fascinating company. They specialize in sleep apnea, a condition where people wake up perhaps 100 times a night without knowing it. Sleep apnea causes a lot of cardiovascular problems. So a whole lot of heart doctors are starting to send patients to sleep clinics where they may get fitted with this Res-Med mask. It's a dominant company with about half the US market."


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Red Bee picks up Magic 105.4 brief
Bauer Media has handed Red Bee Media an above-the-line marketing brief for its London station Magic 105.4 after a competitive process.
Red Bee is currently working on a strategy for Magic’s above-the-line marketing and is likely to create a major campaign for the station in the coming months.
Any campaigns will be planned and bought by Starcom MediaVest Group. St Luke’s, which has worked with Bauer, is expected to be unaffected by Red Bee’s appointment.
According to the latest Rajar figures, Magic is the biggest radio station in London with 2.2 million listeners a week, and the broadcaster is planning a number of initiatives to retain and grow its audience this year.
On Monday, Bauer kicked off a two-week press campaign, which was created by Lowd&Klea and is running in the London Evening Standard and Metro, that thanks listeners for making Magic the capital’s biggest station.
This article was first published on campaignlive.co.uk
- Senior Marketing Manager Cutis Developments £50,000 - £60,000 per annum , Victoria, London (Greater)
- Brand Manager Ball & Hoolahan £50,000 p.a., London (Central), London (Greater)
- Trade Marketing Manager Ball & Hoolahan £42,000 p.a., London (Greater)
- CRM Executive Ball & Hoolahan £30,000 per annum, London (Central), London (Greater)
- Interim Senior Marketing Manager - Campaigns Tarsh Lazare Marketing Recruitment To £60,000 plus benefits, London (Central), London (Greater)
- Age UK launches 'no friends' ads in response to Facebook campaign
- Pizza Hut launches Classic Crust with TV campaign
- Fold7 splits with Gocompare.com amid talk of Gio Compario's return
- Lurpak rolls out jazz teaser by Juan Cabral
- Kate Robertson steps down from Havas
- Ronseal claims to ditch 'does exactly what it says on the tin' strapline


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Latest Vapor-compression refrigeration Stories
What happens when electronics overheat? The short answer is: nothing good!
Indyme Solutions introduces a solution to reduce freezer loss and food spoilage due to refrigeration unit malfunctions or open doors.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has added four more GreenChill certified stores this year, including a Gold certified store opening today in Oceanside, California. GreenChill certification is awarded by the U.S.
AMSTERDAM, Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Helping the shipping industry find increasingly sustainable solutions for refrigerated transport, Carrier Transicold presented the world's first natural refrigerant technology for container refrigeration today at Intermodal Europe 2010.
PARIS, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Carrier Corp. is partnering with Hofer Austria, a discount food retailer and affiliate of ALDI SUD Group, to field test Carrier's CO2OLtec(TM) refrigeration system.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market today opened the first grocery store in Southern California to use naturally occurring carbon dioxide (CO2) refrigeration.
CHELSEA, Mass., Sept.
A new type of heat pump being developed at Purdue University could allow residents in cold climates to cut their heating bills in half.
DALLAS, June 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dean Foods (NYSE: DF), the nation's largest dairy processor and owner of one of the largest refrigerated direct-store delivery distribution networks in the food and beverage industry, today unveiled a delivery vehicle equipped with a new prototype truck refrigeration system developed by Thermo King, the leader in temperature and climate control products for the transportation industry.


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Take Two Q1 Profit Improves, But Shares Down 4% On Outlook
Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO) Monday reported an increase in profit for the first quarter. Shares of the company dropped 4% in the after-hours as the outlook fell short of Street View.
The net income for the quarter was $152.25 million or $1.30 per share, compared to $88.50 million or $0.77 per share last year. However, the revenue decreased 3% to $813.34 million, up from $831.31 million in 2020. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected earnings of $0.89 per share for the quarter with revenues of $689.22 million.
Looking forward to the second quarter, the company expects revenue to be between $740 million to $790 million and earnings of $0.35 to $0.45 per share. Analysts currently estimate revenues of $878.25 million and an earning of $1.36 per share for the second quarter.
The company maintained its full year outlook. The revenue is expected to be $3.14 billion to $3.24 billion with earnings in the range of $1.95 to $2.20 per share. Analysts currently estimate earnings of $4.72 per share and revenues of $3.45 billion.
“For the year, we are reiterating our outlook, as there has been some movement in our release schedule, including two of our immersive core titles shifting to later in fiscal 2022 than contemplate our prior guidance. As we deliver on our expansive multi-year pipeline, we believe that we will achieve sequential growth in fiscal 2023 and establish new record levels of operating results over the next few years,” said Strauss Zelnick, chairman and CEO of the company.
The shares are currently trading in the after-hours market at $167.38, down $5.83 or 3.37%. Take-Two closed at $173.21 in the regular market, down $0.21 or 0.12%.
Source: Read Full Article


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Chick-fil-A is getting rid of the antibiotics.
The restaurant chain says that within 5 years, all of its U.S. outlets plan to serve chicken raised without antibiotics According to the company, this marks the first time a quick service restaurant has committed to a 100 percent “raised without antibiotics” standard for poultry.
“Since our family business began 67 years ago, we have focused on our customers. It’s why we insist upon using the highest quality ingredients,” said Dan Cathy, president and chief executive officer of Chick-fil-A. “We want to continue that heritage, and offering antibiotic-free chicken is the next step.”
Chick-fil-A says its consumer research indicates an interest in how food is made and where it is sourced, with particular interest in the use of antibiotics. As a result, it says it is partnering with its national and regional poultry suppliers to build the necessary supply of chickens raised without antibiotics to match the chain’s sales volume. The company says it's asking suppliers to work with the USDA to verify that no antibiotics are administered at any point.
“A shift this significant will take some time, as it requires changes along every point of the supply chain -- from the hatchery to the processing plant. Our suppliers are committed, and we pledge to have this conversion complete within 5 years or sooner based on supply chain readiness,” said Tim Tassopoulos, executive vice president of operations of Chick-fil-A. “Because this will take some time,” he added, “we will begin posting quarterly updates on our website in 2015 after our initial phase-in. We want to make it easy for customers to monitor our progress.”
The change follows Chick-fil-A’s late-2013 announcement that the company removed yellow dye from its chicken soup, and is testing the removal of high fructose corn syrup from all of its dressings and sauces, artificial ingredients from its bun, and TBHQ from its peanut oil. The chain previously removed trans fat from all of its menu items and condiments in 2008.
Keep an eye on your inbox, the lastest consumer news is on it's way!


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Klaus Filter instructs Chinese workers at Sino Eagle Group, a leading manufacturer of rowing shells in Fuyang, Zhejiang province. The German designer is a witness－and a major contributor－to the company's growth over the past two decades.(Photo: China Daily/Liu Xiangrui)
Klaus Filter, 83, a German designer of rowing shells, helped transform a local workshop into a global company.
Klaus Filter's romance with China began more than two decades ago, thanks to a dispute.
In 1994, when a world rowing competition was being held in the United States, a European company that makes rowing shells accused a Chinese boat builder of copying their designs.
Filter, now 83, a German designer of racing shells, was chairman of the materials commission of the International Rowing Federation－aka FISA－at the time. He was asked to inspect the issue.
Although impressed by the craftsmanship of the Chinese boats, Filter brought the European manufacturer's concerns to the Chinese builder, Xiong Zhangyou.
"He (Xiong) confessed to me he had no experience and could only make copies," Filter recalls during a recent visit to Fuyang city in East China's Zhejiang province.
Xiong also told Filter the mistake was unintended as the industry had just started in China and that boat makers had little knowledge of intellectual property rights back then.
It was also a time when the FISA was trying to bring lightweight rowing into the Olympic Games to encourage more people to participate in the sport. So, Filter suggested that Xiong should seize the opportunity.
Xiong agreed but jokingly asked Filter to come to China to help him. Filter immediately said "yes".
"That was also the beginning of our friendship," Filter says.
The following year, Filter paid a visit to Xiong's factory in Fuyang and was shocked to find that it was a home-based workshop with a few inexperienced workers.
Then, for one week, Filter worked 16 hours a day with Xiong and his employees to successfully make molds for the factory. Until then Xiong didn't have them.
When Xiong wanted to thank him for his generosity, Filter asked Xiong if he could donate his used boats to help promote the sport in developing countries that saw scanty participation in international contests mostly because boats were costly back then, Filter says.
Filter and Xiong's ties have moved to a different level since.
He accepted the invitation to be the chief expert and technical director of Xiong's factory after his retirement from the FISA commission in 2000.
Since then, Filter has visited Fuyang almost every year, playing a crucial role in the factory's transformation from a local workshop, established by Xiong in 1985, to one of the world's biggest manufacturers of rowing boats under the name Sino Eagle Group.
The group, which also has a yacht plant, currently has more than 400 employees.
In 2003, the company made a breakthrough. Its Wintech racing shells won the bid for official boats for the 2004 Athens Olympics' rowing competitions, beating many well-established companies. Sino Eagle has been the official boat supplier for four consecutive chapters of the Games, an unprecedented trend in Olympic history.
The company now produces more than 10 percent of the world's rowboats, of which more than 80 percent are exported. Filter has participated in the design of almost all its products.
"We made fast advances ... because we invited the best expert in the world," Xiong says.


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JJB has come one step closer to securing its future as its company voluntary arrangement (CVA) was today approved by the majority of its creditors.
This is one of the first major CVAs to be approved in the retail sector since the downturn.
JJB Sports executive chairman Sir David Jones said: “We are delighted by the result of the meetings and the overwhelming support given to the company by our creditors, with every creditor present at the meeting supporting us. The approval of the CVA Proposal by creditors is a major step forward in the board’s strategy to secure JJB’s long-term future by creating a stable financial platform for the revitalisation of our core sports retail business.”
In an announcement the group said that if the CVA is not subject to any successful challenge it will become effective on or around May 28.
JJB will now be able to continue trading its core business having sold its fitness chain to JJB’s founder Dave Whelan and putting its loss-making lifestyle business, including Qube and Shoe Studio, into administration.
Executive director Peter Williams told Retail Week that he was confident that if the CVA was approved that there would be a secure future for the retailer, but admitted there was more work to be done.


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A Georgia compounding pharmacy has recalled all of its sterile products, expanding the recall of its bevacizumab (Avastin) syringes announced yesterday, according to the FDA.
The expanded recall includes all sterile products distributed nationwide between Oct. 19, 2012, and March 19, 2013.
Clinicians should stop using all products distributed by Clinical Specialties Compounding Pharmacy, based in Augusta, Ga., the FDA said.
The bevacizumab syringes were linked to five episodes of endophthalmitis, an eye infection that can lead to permanent vision loss, according to the FDA.
It is not clear whether there were any reports of injuries caused by products in the expanded recall, the FDA said.
Bevacizumab is frequently used off-label in ophthalmology to treat some forms of macular degeneration, as it is significantly cheaper than the anti-VEGF drug ranibizumab (Lucentis) that is indicated for the condition.
The company said the bevacizumab syringes were distributed to doctors' offices in Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Indiana starting on Dec. 18, 2012.
The company said physician's practices were notified of the bevacizumab recall by phone.
Compounding pharmacies have previously been implicated in several outbreaks of endophthalmitis. In one such outbreak in Miami, all but one of the 12 patients injected with contaminated bevacizumab permanently lost vision in the affected eye.
A compounder was also at the center of last fall's fungal meningitis outbreak, which has been linked with 722 cases and 50 deaths around the country. That outbreak was traced to contaminated injections of the steroid methylprednisolone.
Earlier this week, another compounding pharmacy, Med Prep Consulting of Tinton Falls, N.J., recalled all lots of products after fungal particles were found in bags of magnesium sulfate intravenous solution.


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|Largest maker of bump stocks will stop accepting orders|
The largest manufacturer of bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic weapons to fire rapidly like automatic firearms, announced Wednesday that it will stop taking orders and shut down its website next month……
Slide Fire Solutions, which is based in Moran, Texas, posted a message on its website saying the company will stop taking orders at midnight on May 20. The company provided no other details and did not say why it was shutting down.
Editor’s note: If you’d like to see what agit prop designed as straight news looks like, go ahead and click through to read the whole article. We’ve excerpted the most relevant, actual straight-news part of this story for you.


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Following today’s ONS announcement that retail sales increased in April, Jimmy New, Director of Marketing at VoucherCodes, explains that retailers must adapt and embrace digital to capitalise on returning consumer confidence.
VoucherCodes is the UK’s largest voucher website, helping thousands of UK brands and retailers to connect with consumers. The website, email newsletter and mobile shopping app make it safe and simple for the 8 million registered members to save money, whether they’re shopping online, in-store or through their mobiles.
Jimmy New, Director of Marketing at VoucherCodes: “Today’s rise in retail sales figures is testament to growing consumer confidence across the UK. It’s great to see UK shoppers returning to the high street following a dip in sales last month, with the early Easter holiday driving consumer spending. This coincided with a core inflation drop to 2.1%, announced yesterday in the Consumer Prices Index, which is also welcome news for the retail industry.
“Our research has revealed that whilst a quarter of people in the UK have decided to cut back on spending in spring to afford summer plans, consumers are set to spend £7.7bn over the coming months celebrating sporting and cultural events. This is proof that, although consumer confidence is improving, shoppers remain mindful of exactly how and where they spend their money. To capitalise on this expected increase in consumer spending, retailers should be looking towards strategic partners like VoucherCodes to drive engagement online and footfall into bricks and mortar stores and make sure they win the consumer pound in a competitive environment.”


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PlanetSide 2 Construction Update
PlanetSide 2 introduces its new construction system, letting players build bases for the first time.
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- Devilian Announcement Press Preview
- Although it is heavily ARPG focused, it was clear from the demo that Devilian is more of an MMO with ARPG elements than the other way around.
- Soul Captor will offer browser version
- Gamania (beanfun!) has announced an agreement with Kalydo to bring Soul Captor to the browser.


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The coronavirus’s spread is currently the defining topic on the financial markets. By mid-February, specific effects on corporations worldwide and global trade were already apparent, with US electronics corporation Apple causing a stir in that regard last week.
The company announced that it would miss its sales targets for Q1 of 2020. Just three weeks earlier, the iPhone manufacturer had estimated the its sales in Q1 in the USD 63–67bn range (after USD 58bn in the same quarter last year). A new forecast was not released.
Demand and supply chains affected
Stock exchanges around the world initially reacted to the sales warning with clear losses, as Apple is considered a particularly relevant industry player and its shares are a driving force behind the US technology exchange NASDAQ.
However, the leading indices were able to quickly recoup the losses caused by the renewed uncertainty and, as in the case of the German DAX, soon returned to flying high. However, the situation remains tense today and prices are volatile.
Market observers nevertheless fear that the economic effects of the corona epidemic could make themselves felt medium-term. This is because a number of suppliers, other technology giants and industries with a strong dependence on China could follow Apple’s example.
On the one hand, the measures taken to contain the virus have led to supply chains being disrupted by temporary factory shutdowns, resulting in some unmet demand. On the other hand, many shops in China were left closed, which has had a significant impact on sales in this important market. Apart from electronics companies, this also impacted luxury goods manufacturers, for which China is a key growth region. Adidas, the second largest sporting goods manufacturer in the world, reported a drop in business in China of around 85 per cent since Chinese New Year on January 25.
Austrian companies feeling the effects of coronavirus responses
In addition, two dozen trade shows and industry conferences, such as the Beijing Motor Show and the world’s largest mobile phone show MWC in Barcelona, have been cancelled, potentially delaying business worth billions.
Styrian PCB manufacturer AT&S announced that all three of its production facilities in China are now back in operation. Nevertheless, the listed company has lowered its sales forecast for the fiscal year 2019/20 from EUR 1.03bn to EUR 960m. The margin expectations for earnings before interest, depreciation and taxes (EBITDA) have been reduced from previously 20 to 25 per cent to 18 to 20 per cent.
Measures for economic stimulation in sight, but no quick end to the epidemic
Meanwhile, in Asia, calls for state economic aid have become louder. In a cabinet meeting, South Korea’s president called for all possibilities to be considered. The Singapore government wants to cushion the effects on the labour market and the cost of living by leveraging funds to the tune of EUR 3.7bn. A further EUR 530m are scheduled to go to the health sector.
Hong Kong is also increasing its aid to cushion the effects of the epidemic on the economy. According to a leading Chinese expert, the situation around the virus may not stabilise until late April: “That is a very rough estimate,” said Zhong Nanshan, head of the Chinese government’s expert group. The outbreak throughout the country is expected to peak by the end of February. “But reaching the peak does not mean the turning point,” the physician cautioned.
Our dossier on coronavirus with analyses: https://blog.en.erste-am.com/dossier/coronavirus/
Prognoses are no reliable indicator for future performance.


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After baiting Sony to sue, Dbrand has found out what happens when you play chicken with one of the world’s largest tech giants. The company, which started selling black PS5 side plates earlier this year, has removed the product from its store following threats of legal action from the multimedia company.
Anyone who goes on Dbrand’s site, which is packed with different skins and cases for most pieces of tech people own, will find that the store page for the company’s black PS5 side plates, called Darkplates, now leads to a page filled with news articles reporting Sony’s threat of legal action. Prior to the change, Dbrand’s store page for Darkplates had come complete with the message, “Go ahead, sue us.”
The threat, which came in the form of a cease and desist letter from Sony that was shared by The Verge, includes a request from the company to “promptly and permanently cease and take down all marketing and promotion for and cease all sales worldwide of faceplates featuring the product configuration of SIE’s PS5 faceplates or any similar product configuration.”
Continue Reading at GameSpot
Source: Game Spot Mashup


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Buffalo Wild Wings Inc., which has grown with its sports-minded positioning and vibrant game-watching atmosphere, rose to No. 19, based on U.S. Systemwide Sales, in the Latest Year, from No. 22 in the Preceding Year.
The Minneapolis-based casual-dining chain, which was founded in 1982 and is now publicly traded, offers a menu of chicken wings, shareable plates, sandwiches and burgers that appeal to a game-day demographic, but its appeal has expanded well beyond wing-eating fans and sporting events.
Buffalo Wild Wings ended the Latest Year with 1,052 U.S. units, an increase from 978 U.S. restaurants at the end of the Preceding Year.
Keys to growth
Building bar business. Buffalo Wild Wings works to keep its bar program fresh, CEO Sally Smith said in May. After all, the brand’s tagline is “Wings, Beer, Sports.” Beer is Buffalo Wild Wings’ third best-selling item, after boneless wings and bone-in wings. Alcohol represents 25 percent of the company’s sales, with beer comprising three-quarters of that. The chain even sells more beer than it does soda. The company has invested in a craft beer program, which has led sales in the category to increase to 11 percent of all beer sales, from 6.5 percent three years ago. The goal is to raise that figure to 20 percent, Smith said.
Technology enhancements. Buffalo Wild Wings is working to add technology to its restaurants to improve speed of service, executives said. In April, the company said it had installed tabletop tablets at 80 percent of its restaurants. The rollout should be complete this year. Executives said the goal is to roll out ordering and payment technology in 2016. Buffalo Wild Wings also plans to test technology that would let customers order their meals on the tablet, and is currently testing handheld devices to enable customers to pay more quickly.
New lunch. In April, Buffalo Wild Wings introduced a new lunch program, called “B-Dubs Fast Break Lunch,” that intends to get weekday customers in and out of the restaurant in less than 40 minutes. Technology such as faster ordering and payment would aid that initiative, executives said. Lunch is traditionally a more challenging daypart than dinner for casual-dining restaurants.


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Sony will launch three smartphones at the upcoming IFA event in Berlin, according to the latest tweet of Evan Blass â€of @evleaks. As per Evan, Sony will launch Xperia Z5, Z5 Compact and Z5 Premium smartphones at the annual event.
Few days back, Sony itself announced to release a smartphone at the event but did not reveal anything else. At that time everybody thought of the Z5 and Z5 Compact but no one anticipated the Z5 Premium.
Today, Evan claimed to have got hold of a document that revealed few features and confirmed the existence of the three phones.
“Damn, Sony Georgia (unofficial Facebook page) just leaked the 3 Z5 variants, coming to IFA,” Evan Blass tweeted, while sharing the specification document.
As per specs document, Sony Xperia Z5 compact will feature a 4.6 inch HD display, the Xperia Z5 will have a 5 inch Full HD display and the Xperia Z5 Premium will come with a 5.5 inch screen featuring a 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) display with an astonishing 801 dpi pixel density.
The specs document also reveals that all three Xperia Z5 variants will come with 23-megapixel camera with super-fast auto focus ability of just 0.1-second, f/1.8 aperture and a large 1/2.2-inch sensor size. They will also have a fingerprint sensor.
No other details were found in the document.


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BFSI & Economy
- India ranked 62nd in the Inclusive Development Index released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).China stood at 26th position and Pakistan is at 47th position in this Index.
- According to latest survey released by the international rights group Oxfam, richest 1% in India cornered 73% of the wealth generated in country in 2017. The survey shows worrying picture of rising income inequality.
- India has signed $120 million loan agreement with multilateral lending agency World Bank to help increase access to improved water supply services in peri-urban areas in Uttarakhand. The agreement was signed between Government of India, Government of Uttarakhand and World Bank Board.
- In its latest World Economic Outlook (January 2018 update) released by International Monetary Fund (IMF), India is projected to grow at 7.4% of its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018 as against China’s 6.8%.
- According to Census on Foreign Liabilities and Assets of Indian Direct Investment Companies 2016-17 released by Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Mauritius was largest source of foreign investment (FDI) in India. The census yields carry comprehensive information on market value of foreign liabilities and assets of Indian companies arising on account of FDI, ODI and other investments.
- Digital payments startup Paytm has introduced ‘Paytm for Business’ app for merchants and businesses to to accept payments instantly for zero charges.
- India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has announced that it will hire over 9,500 people for customer support and sales functions. This comes after the bank’s employee strength had gone down by over 10,000 during the current fiscal after its merger with associate banks. The introduction of digital banking has reportedly reduced the requirement of administrative staff.
- The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered 22 cases against Punjab National Bank (PNB) officials for fraudulently processing loans causing a loss of about ₹80 crore.
- State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation ONGC is going to acquire the government’s entire 51.11% stake in Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) for ₹36,915 crore.
- The GST Council has decided to put 29 handicraft items in the 0% tax slab and reduce rates on 53 services.
- Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp is going to launch its digital payments feature in India next month.WhatsApp is working with State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and Axis Bank to integrate its Unified Payments Interface (UPI)- based payments platform.
- Thomson Reuters Corp today published its debut “Top 100 Global Technology Leaders” list with Microsoft Corp in the no. 1 spot, followed by chipmaker Intel Corp and network gear maker Cisco Systems Inc.
- Paytm Payments Bank Savings Account holders can now order physical debit cards from the Paytm app. Earlier the bank provided only a Digital Rupay card which was linked to a user’s Paytm Payments Bank savings account.
- India today became the 43rd member of the Australia Group, which counters the export of material, equipment and technologies that could create chemical and biological weapons.
- The 10th Global Forum for Food & Agriculture was recently held in Berlin (Germany).India was represented by Minister of State (MoS) for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.Theme of 10th Global Forum for Food & Agriculture 2018 : “Shaping the future of livestock – sustainably, responsibly, efficiently
- The US government has officially shut down after the Senate failed to agree on a bill to fund the government until February 16, causing the fourth government shutdown in 25 years.
- Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today performed the ‘Halwa’ ceremony to mark the commencement of the printing process for Budget 2018-19.
- Technology giant Apple has topped Fortune magazine’s list of the ‘World’s Most Admired Companies’ for 2018. E-commerce giant Amazon has retained its second spot, followed by Google’s parent Alphabet.
- Defending champions India defeated Pakistan by 2 wickets to clinch the 5th Blind Cricket World Cup 2018.
Science and Technology
- India has successfully test-fired its nuclear capable surface-to-surface Agni-5 ballistic missile from a test range off the Odisha coast.
- Indian Naval Ship Vikramaditya, the Indian Navy’s largest ship and its sole aircraft carrier was formally affiliated to the Indian Army’s Bihar Regiment.
- American electronic commerce and cloud computing company Amazon has launched a checkout-free hi-tech grocery store called ‘Amazon Go’ in Seattle, US. It uses ceiling-mounted cameras to identify each customer and track what items they select, eliminating the need for billing. The purchases are billed to customers’ credit cards when they leave the store.
National & Business
- Indian Air Force will showcase the indigenously developed weapon system integrated helicopter Rudra for the first time in the Republic Day parade this year.
- The Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to be employed during the bypoll in Rajasthan’s Ajmer, Alwar and Mandalgarh constituencies will carry photographs of candidates.
- The Maharashtra government has approved a Rs 4,000-crore project aimed at promoting climate-resilient agriculture, to be partially funded by the World Bank.It will roll out in 2018-19 and continue till 2023-24.
- President Ram Nath Kovind has felicitated 112 exceptional women achievers at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. These women achievers ‘FIRST LADIES’ are those who are first to set milestone of achievement in their respective fields. This ‘First Ladies’ is second leg of the ‘100 Women Achievers’ campaign of the Ministry.
- President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Election commissioner Om Prakash Rawat (64) as new Chief Election Commissioner. He will succeed Achal Kumar Joti who has retired from post.
- German auto major Mercedes-Benz has unveiled India’s first BS-VI-compliant S Class car produced at its Pune facility. The BS-VI-compliant S Class car was unveiled more than two years ahead of Government’s deadline of April 2020 for switching to new BS-VI emission norms.
- India announced setting up of $350 million Solar Development Fund for financing solar projects under the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
- Today is 121st birth anniversary of Indian Nationalist and Freedom Fighter Subhash Chandra Bose was born on the January 23 in the year 1897, in Cuttack, which was then a part of Bengal province


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For the first time, a range of halal baby food is about to go on sale across the UAE.
World's first halal baby food means convenience for Muslim mums
DUBAI // The world's first range of halal baby food is about to go on sale across the UAE, offering mothers convenience and a guarantee that all the ingredients have been prepared in accordance with Islamic law.
The VitaMeal Baby range was the first of its kind when it was launched four years ago by Moroccan company Agro-Food Industrie, though competitors have now entered the market. The pots of fruit, vegetables, meats and fish have since gone on sale across North Africa as well as in France, Holland and other European countries.
Now the company has signed a deal with Dubai-based distributor El Majd covering the UAE and other Gulf states, and the agreement means that for the first time halal baby food containing meat will be available in the Emirates.
The range is being showcased at the Gulfood show, which opened yesterday and continues at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre until Wednesday.
"The first container of the food is due to arrive in Dubai this week and it will go on sale in supermarkets, including Carrefour and Aswaaq, across the UAE next month," said Agro-Food manager Philippe Charot. "There are about 30 different halal varieties."
El Majd general manager Rachid Ouhammou said: "It's good for mums. You just open it and heat it for five minutes and it's ready. It will cost the same as other baby foods: about Dh10 a pot. There are no pesticides, preservatives or colourants."
The range includes hake with rice and salmon with carrot, while meat and poultry varieties include chicken couscous, beef tagine, veal with green beans and spaghetti bolognaise.
Mr Ouhammou added: "Meat is very important for babies."
Parents visiting the show were divided about the idea of halal baby food, with some welcoming the improved convenience while others said they would prefer to prepare meals for their babies themselves.
Mariam Al Shaikh, a mother of two young children from Saudi Arabia, said she would definitely have used the product if it had been available when her youngsters were little.
Ali Ghadeer, a father from Saudi Arabia, said: "I think it's a good way to market their products; it's convenient."
Other halal foods that are being showcased at Gulfood include Otrimix oats porridge, which manufacturer PomeFresh from Singapore is targeting at those suffering from diabetes and obesity - conditions that are common in the Middle East.
UK firm Kohlico Brands is hoping to sign up a Middle East distributor for its range of halal noodles. Its instant noodles come in six flavours, including chicken, beef, seafood and curry.


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A national campaign undertaken last year by Ecosurety and environmental charity Hubbub to boost UK battery recycling has been shortlisted for a prestigious National Recycling Award.
The #BringBackHeavyMetal campaign, designed to encourage more consumers to recycle unwanted domestic batteries, has made it onto the shortlist for Campaign of the Year (Private/Commercial Category). For the past two years the UK has failed to hit its battery recycling targets.
The campaign used social media, video and eye-catching graphics plus the idea of a ‘battery amnesty’, whereby consumers could return their used batteries to a host of retailers. Asda, B&Q, Currys PC World, The Entertainer, M&S and Morrisons agreed to set up collection points, to help the UK deal with an estimated 180m used or damaged batteries around the home.
The result was a 64% increase in collections by one national retailer alone.
James Piper, managing director at Ecosurety says, “It’s a huge honour to be shortlisted for a National Recycling Award along with Hubbub. The results from #BringBackHeavyMetal 2017 show that the disconnect between consumers and the waste and recycling industry can be bridged by innovative thinking in a way that has a quantifiable impact on UK recycling.”
A second campaign is being planned for 2018. Retailers and brands interested in taking part can contact Stephanie Housty email@example.com
Stéphanie has gained a strong background in the manufacturing and FMCG sectors, previously working for US office products manufacturer Fellowes, cosmetics company Yves Rocher and Coca-Cola. Most recently Stéphanie held the position of director of marketing for the French subsidiary of German power tool manufacturer Metabo.
Provisional figures released by the Environment Agency reveal that the UK is well on track to achieve the 2019 target, although it is not all good news.Read More >>
Join our compliance specialists at our seminar on Wednesday 17 June 2020 in Birmingham .Read More >>
This seminar is CPD accredited.
Latest figures show that strong Q4 collections are required to hit or exceed the annual targetRead More >>


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SEARCHED FOR:VOLVO XC40
Volvo Car offers Rs 3 lakh discount, Rs 1 lakh-worth complimentary accessories on SUV XC40
The XC40 is currently tagged at Rs 39.9 lakh.
Autocar Show: 2018 Volvo XC40 review
Volvo is gearing up to bring its new XC40 SUV to India quite soon. The smallest SUV in its line-up, the ...
Volvo brings XC40 to India at Rs 39.9 lakh
The new model XC40 R-Design is powered by a 2-litre diesel engine with 190 horse power.
Volvo's smallest SUV: Check out the XC40 here
Volvo's new SUV is getting ready to compete against the likes of Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA. Can it win the battle?Volvo's smallest SU...
XC40 review: Volvo’s smallest SUV is big on design
One of the most anticipated car launches this year, the Volvo XC40 does not fail to impress.
Volvo plans to take on Merc and Audi, begins bookings for XC40 at Rs 5 lakh
The automobile company plans to launch the model on July 4.
Best cars between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 40 lakh to buy in 2019
ET Wealth and CarDekho.com brings to you the top 5 cars in the price category between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 40 lakh.
India’s most prestigious auto awards fete the best in industry
The awards highlighted and recognised brilliance in the auto sector.
Audi prepares to launch half a dozen new vehicles to revive sales
On Friday, Audi launched the Q2 compact sport utility vehicle at a starting price of about Rs 35 lakh, which will be its most affordable vehicle in the country. This will be followed by at least six new vehicles over the coming 12 months as the company repopulates its portfolio in the country. This will include the e-tron electric vehicle.
Market Movers: BRICS meet starts; IMF cautions India; truckers' stir impact & more
A lowdown on top macro triggers that may move market on Wednesday.
Market Movers: ATF under GST? Trade deficit at 5-year high; China Q2 growth & more
A lowdown on top macro triggers that may move market on Monday.


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US NEWS FEEDS
> ESSEX JUNCTION
vtdigger.org October 4, 2018 – Burlington, Vt . – Vermonters will learn about drone swarms, corporate data breaches and new innovation spaces at Seven Days' Vermont Tech Jam, a free event on Friday, October 19, at the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction .
Essex Junction Vermont - Google News
READ MORE >
12th annual Vermont Tech Jam is Oct. 19 in Essex - vtdigger.org


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Webroot, the market leader in cloud-based, real-time internet threat detection, today announced highlights from its third quarter operations which ended March 31, 2014. Among the achievements for the quarter were significant growth across all business segments, driven by strong customer demand for Webroot’s innovative solutions, the addition of over 1.4 million new users, and significant growth in channel and MSP partnerships. The company also introduced two new threat intelligence services and a new consumer security solution during the quarter.
Double-Digit Growth in New Business Continues
Webroot’s third fiscal quarter saw a continuation of the strong bookings growth from the first half of the fiscal year. The addition of new customers was particularly strong and fueled double-digit year-over-year growth across all of the company's target markets. Bookings from new business grew 177 percent in the OEM segment, 58 percent in the small and medium business (SMB) segment and 15 percent in the consumer segment compared to the third fiscal quarter of 2013. This new business resulted in the addition of over 1.2 million new home users and over 200,000 new business users added during the quarter.
"We've achieved excellent business results in the first three quarters of our fiscal year. Webroot’s continued double-digit growth again demonstrates the market’s support for our cloud-based security," said Dick Williams, Webroot CEO. “But more importantly, we've continued to delight our customers with an unmatched combination of protection, performance and service."
Threat Intelligence Services and Anti-Breach Solution Introduced
Webroot announced several additions to its portfolio of security products and services during the quarter. BrightCloud® Security Services redefine online threat intelligence. The advanced, self-learning Webroot® Intelligence Network continuously scans the internet and incorporates data from millions of sensors, leaving no place for threats to hide. Unlike traditional, stagnant list-based security, BrightCloud services don’t need to have seen a threat before in order to stop it – threats are identified in milliseconds using behavioral and contextual analysis. BrightCloud Security Services, including a new File Reputation service, provide Webroot OEM partners and enterprise customers unmatched early detection capabilities through real-time, highly accurate, and actionable threat intelligence.
Webroot also announced the BreachLogic™ breach detection solution for enterprises. The next-generation endpoint solution provides early detection and blocking of advanced malware attacks and enables rapid investigation and remediation in the event of a breach.
In addition, Webroot released the Webroot SecureAnywhere® AntiVirus for PC Gamers to ensure that users are protected with real-time security during gameplay without impacting performance. This is critical for gamers, as they often sacrifice security to maximize system performance, and market research indicates that online gamers have become rich targets for cybercriminals.
Webroot Receives Industry Praise
Cloud-based Webroot solutions again received recognition from partners and industry experts. Webroot was named as a ‘Visionary’ in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms. The annual vendor comparison recognized Webroot SecureAnywhere Business – Endpoint Protection for its behavior-based threat detection and rollback functionality. Webroot also received the highest Net Promoter scores of any vendor in the Magic Quadrant. In a similar vendor comparison, Webroot again was identified as a ‘Trail Blazer’ in the Endpoint Security – Market Quadrant 2013 report by The Radicati Group.
In addition to these achievements, Ally Bank, the direct banking subsidiary of Ally Financial Inc., announced it won three 2014 Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service, including the Best Use of Technology. In the announcement, Ally highlighted that providing Webroot SecureAnywhere to its customers is one way it has used technology to protect their entire online experience.
Further, Webroot SecureAnywhere Business – Endpoint Protection has again been identified as the performance leader among eight endpoint protection products. Webroot earned top ratings for the second consecutive year in this comprehensive performance testing, finishing 38 percent ahead of the next closest competitor in overall performance score. These products were tested for overall impact on PC performance by PassMark Software, an independent software testing lab.
OEM Wins Continue in Third Quarter
Webroot expanded its worldwide network of OEM partners, announcing several new partners who are utilizing Webroot BrightCloud® Security Services to increase the security of their own products and services. Among the newest partners is 443 Networks, the complete network security infrastructure for Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), who are utilizing BrightCloud® Web Reputation, Web Classification and IP Reputation services to offer enhanced security to their global client base.
Webroot and Cellebrite, the leading provider of retail mobile data solutions also announced that Webroot Mobile App Reputation Service and URL Classification Service would be integrated with Cellebrite's Diagnostics solution. The combination will enable mobile operators and mobile retailers deploying Cellebrite's Diagnostics to proactively identify and remediate security threats and performance problems on their customers’ mobile devices by leveraging extensive real-time Webroot threat intelligence, which characterizes over 8 million mobile applications and over 13 billion URLs.
“Combining our diagnostics with the Webroot solutions makes Cellebrite the first diagnostics provider to deliver, at the point of sale, immediate access to best-in-class antimalware technology that is focused on this critical application layer,” said Amir Lehr, vice president of Cellular Products and Business Development at Cellebrite. “Webroot is an industry leader that shares our commitment to research and continual improvement through innovation.”
Channel Focus Fuels International Expansion
Webroot continued to expand into new international markets by adding distributors and resellers to its rapidly growing channel network. Among these additions were Achab which drove expansion of Webroot’s presence in the Italian market, iNovuus Technologies which broadened Webroot’s presence in the Singaporean market, Micro Parts USA Limited which expanded Webroot’s presence in the Bangladesh market, and Tech Pacific Lanka which brought Webroot into the Sri Lankan market.


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Trip to Focus on Job Creation and Economic Growth Through Agriculture, Water Tech, Manufacturing and Tourism
CHICAGO–(ENEWSPF)–April 2, 2013. Governor Pat Quinn will lead a trade mission to Mexico April 3 – 6 to spur economic opportunities and tourism between Illinois and Mexico. With Illinois already leading the Midwest in exports, the mission will build on the success of Governor Quinn’s agenda to aggressively pursue international trade and create jobs in Illinois. He will be Illinois’ first governor to visit Mexico in 13 years and only the fourth U.S. governor to visit Mexico since 2005.
“This mission will strengthen the long-standing bridges between Illinois and Mexico – especially in agriculture, water technology, manufacturing and tourism – to help fuel our state’s economic growth,” Governor Quinn said. “Mexico’s unique and storied culture has had a major impact on our state. Illinois is home to many small businesses of Mexican heritage and many employers that will benefit from increased trade with Mexico. This trade mission will help us capitalize on available economic opportunities that will drive our economy forward.”
The three-day mission will include meetings with potential trade partners and Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, an Illinois Tourism event and the signing of a Sister Lakes pact. Governor Quinn will meet with two state governors, and the mayors of Mexico City and Patzcuáro. The trip will be launched with a briefing by U.S. Ambassador Earl “Tony” Wayne, who was named by President Obama in 2011 after serving in Argentina and Afghanistan.
One of the main objectives of the trade mission is to open the burgeoning Mexican water technology market to Illinois companies engaged in wastewater treatment and pumping technologies. Governor Quinn and the delegation will meet officials from Mexico’s National Water Commission (CONAGUA) to discuss the success of the Illinois Clean Water Initiative. Spearheaded by the governor, the initiative is a $1 billion project modernizing the state’s drinking water and waste treatment facilities while creating thousands of local jobs. Mexico City faces water infrastructure challenges similar to many Illinois cities, including aging pipelines, overuse, contaminants and sinkholes.
The trade mission also aims to increase Illinois’ exports to Mexico. Exports are a significant portion of Illinois’ economy and Mexico is Illinois’ second-largest trade partner, as state exports to the country reached $6.4 billion in 2012. From 2009 through 2012, Illinois exports overall increased by $26.4 billion, or 63 percent – well above the national average of 47 percent. Illinois exports that have experienced significant growth during 2012 include machinery, up 12.7 percent; plastics and rubber products, an increase of 12.2 percent; transportation equipment, a 10.3 percent increase; and electrical equipment, appliances and components, up 5.6 percent. Illinois is the fifth largest exporting state in the nation.
Mexico is among the world’s leaders in corn, meat and poultry production, leading to high demand for the kinds of farm machinery made in Illinois. Agriculture and food production will be the focus of meetings with Mexico’s agriculture secretary and undersecretary of foreign trade. The governor will also meet executives of Bimbo Bakeries, which owns Illinois’ beloved Entenmann’s Bakery. Culinary tastes in Mexico and the United States are increasingly similar, so the mission will allow Illinois food brands to promote their products in the Mexican market.
The state of Illinois maintains an office in Mexico City shared by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Department of Agriculture. These state agencies promote Illinois business and agricultural products and services to Mexico, which is Illinois’ second largest export market. Illinois exports to Mexico in 2012 totaled $6.37 billion, and grew 34.1 percent in 2011 and 11.3 percent in 2012. Mexico is Illinois’ third largest international market for inbound travel, contributing $103 million annually to the state’s economy.
The governor will also pursue opportunities to expand Mexican tourism in Illinois. Mexico is Illinois’ third-largest international market for in-bound travel with 100,000 visitors from Mexico arriving by plane alone each year, a number projected to grow 17 percent in the next four years. However, many Mexicans travel to Illinois to visit family and often do not take advantage of Illinois’ diverse activities. The trade mission aims to increase Illinois’ share of Mexican tourists visiting the United States and boost the length of their stay in Illinois.
Governor Quinn – who recently proclaimed “Benito Juárez Day” in Illinois to celebrate Juárez’s birthday and ties to Abraham Lincoln – will participate in a solemn “Honor de Guardia” ceremony at Mexico City’s Juárez Monument, and will lay wreaths at statues honoring Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He will also promote the migratory Monarch butterflies, who symbolize the long-standing relationship between Michoacán and Illinois and are the official insect of the state of Illinois.
Illinois and Mexico also have deep social ties. There are now 1.6 million persons in Illinois of Mexican origin, about one in eight Illinoisans. Mexico and Illinois have had a Sister-State relationship since 1990. Illinois and Mexico Sister-Cities include Chicago and Mexico City since 1997; Springfield and San Pedro since 1996; Highland Park and Puerto Vallarta since 2002; and Naperville and Patzcuáro since 2010.
The Mexico trade mission is the latest by Governor Quinn as he seeks to promote Illinois to a global audience. Past missions include China and Japan in 2011, and Canada and Brazil in 2012. The governor will head a delegation comprised of Illinois business leaders from such world-renowned Illinois firms as Motorola Solutions, Grundfos, Navistar and Gino’s East. It also includes representatives of the Illinois Soybean Association and Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, two cabinet members and Illinois Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-Cicero).
Members of the trip’s delegation include representatives from:
- University of Illinois at Chicago
- Nalco – An Ecolab
- U.S. – Mexico Chamber of Commerce Mid-America Chapter
- Ingredion Incorporated
- Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC.
- Castro Synergies
- Ervin Equipment
- Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Illinois Department of Agriculture
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- GSG Consultants
- PolyBrite International, Inc.
- Illinois Manufacturer’s Association
- Elan Technologies
- Motorola Solutions
- Tate and Lyle
- Gino’s East
- Galaxy Environmental, Inc.
- Evans Food Group
- Fricold Heating and Cooling
- Grundfos North America, Water Utility
- Choose Chicago
- In-Pipe Technology Company, Inc.
- Illinois Soybean Association
- Frantz Manufacturing Company
- ADM (in-country participant)
- Caterpillar (in-country participant)
- United Airlines (in-country participant)


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To defraud consumers of money held in cryptocurrencies, the FBI has released a public service announcement (PSA) warning against the use of play-to-earn games. According to the agency, thieves lure victims into playing this sort of game before using malware to steal money from cryptocurrency wallets connected to the game.
FBI issues public service announcement
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), an American government body, has issued a new public service announcement (PSA) alerting consumers to a fresh fraud in which phony “play to earn” mobile and online games are being exploited to steal cryptocurrencies.
The scam involves scammers approaching victims and inviting them to join a new game that needs them to create a cryptocurrency wallet, buy cryptocurrency, and download the certain gaming software. Based on the amount of money they have in their wallet, players will see fictitious prizes build up on the app. The collected currency is nonetheless stolen by thieves using a malicious application that was unintentionally loaded with the game after participants stopped adding money to their wallets.
How to stay away from victimhood
Although the PSA doesn’t specify any particular games that are utilized in the scam, it does provide some advice for customers on how to safeguard themselves.
In the PSA, the FBI also provides several tips on how to keep yourself safe from fraudsters utilizing this sort of scam. The first one has to do with separating money, as the bureau suggests keeping other cash apart from a gaming wallet, which should be made only for gaming. Doing so reduces the impact of experiencing a wallet drain.
Gamers are recommended to utilize a third-party token allowance checker to see whether any websites or applications have accidentally been granted access to their cash. Players may also use a third-party blockchain explorer to check the balances of the addresses in their gaming wallets.
An emerging gaming paradigm called “play-to-earn” has the potential to democratize gaming-based income. A variety of blockchain-based games allow players to make huge amounts of money, frequently by creating valuable in-game goods that can then be either sold or leased.
Up until now, the only ways to make money from gaming were to broadcast it or turn into a professional player, both of which are time-consuming endeavors that call for costly equipment and many hours spent playing the game.
Rise in cryptocurrency investment fraud
According to the FBI’s annual Internet Crime Report, cryptocurrency investment fraud complaints nearly tripled between 2021 and 2022, accounting for the more than $3 billion increase in accusations of online fraud.
According to recent research, hackers released more than 4,00,000 new malicious files daily to target consumers in 2022, a 5% increase from 2021.
Kaspersky, a cybersecurity company, estimates that 3,80,000 of these files were found daily in 2021, and 122 million harmful files were found in 2022, an increase of 6 million from the year before.


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Domino's Pizza's Senior Vice President – Chief Technology Officer Kelly Garcia is being promoted to executive vice president – chief technology officer, effective Oct. 2.
Garcia will join the company's senior leadership and will report to Domino's COO Russell Weiner. Garcia replaces Executive Vice President – CIO Kevin Vasconi, who is retiring, effective Oct. 2.
"Under Kelly's leadership, Domino's has revolutionized online ordering for the quick service restaurant industry and introduced the AnyWare suite of digital ordering platforms," said Domino's CEO Ritch Allison. "Domino's is recognized worldwide for digital innovation, and we are extremely proud to have Kelly take the reins over the technology team, which numbers more than 400 talented individuals committed to making us even better."