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Vendors, organizers adapt after 3 major Labor Day weekend festivals canceled
Jesus Soto would have spent weeks stocking up on chile and ordering salsas, T-shirts and souvenirs to get ready for the busiest weekend for businesses in Hatch. This year, he doesn't know what to expect for Labor Day weekend since the Hatch Chile Festival has been cancelled.
Soto and his sister own Hot Stuff, a restaurant in West Hall Street, and his family has been selling chile for more than 20 years at a store called Chile Fanatic. It's a tradition for them to have a booth at the festival and they look forward to the festival all year.
"Usually this is the best weekend of all year talking about revenue," Soto said.
The cancellation of the three biggest festivals in the greater Las Cruces area — the New Mexico Harvest Wine Festival, the Franciscan Art Festival and the Hatch Chile Festival — may mean a dull Labor Day weekend for many, but the closures have impacted local businesses greatly.
The festival closures are in response to the public health emergency and governor's orders forbidding groups of more than 10 to gather in one place.
For more local and community coverage, subscribe to Las Cruces Sun-News.
Cost of cancellation
While the Franciscan Art Festival draws close to 4,000 people each year, the famous chile festival in Hatch attracts around 30,000 attendees from all over the country.
The Harvest Wine Festival generates $500,000 in revenues each year, said Chris Goblet, the executive director of the New Mexico Wine Association.
New Mexico wineries travel to Las Cruces for the festivals that take place during the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends and two more festivals in Albuquerque.
"Altogether, the cancellation of these four festivals is a huge financial impact," said Bernd Maier, owner of Amaro Winery and Tap Room.
The revenues from the wine festivals represent 40 percent of the annual revenue for the Las Cruces winery. These are also opportunities for small businesses to reconnect with past customers and gain new ones.
Preparing for the annual events means getting licenses, paying for booths and registration and hiring staff to serve at the booths.
"It is a significant expense that comes with it every year but to have such a big revenue loss is difficult for us to sustain," Maier said.
Amaro Winery's tasting room is currently closed. Although their patio is open for service, Maier said revenues are not the same. They still have wine that didn't get sold from last year and the winemaker wonders if they'll be able to sell it.
"These are small mom and pop rural wineries who don't have a lot of direct distribution so the festivals provide an opportunity to really rebuild their bank accounts and reinvest in their products," Goblet said.
"Not only are the wineries suffering since they don't have this direct sale opportunity, but also the customers are suffering because they can't get to these wineries."
MORE:Hatch Chile Festival canceled for first time in 49-year history amid coronavirus
The Hatch Chile Festival is also an opportunity for vendors, such as Soto, to attract new and loyal customers.
"We meet a lot of people and it's good for the business — we pass business cards, we showcase our product," Soto said, adding that throughout the year his business gets orders from customers they meet at the festival.
Online festivals as an alternative during COVID
Though the Franciscan Art Festival of the Holy Cross Retreat Center was cancelled, an online festival will still take place, said Father Tom Smith, director of the retreat center.
"The festival draws people all over Las Cruces and El Paso, so it wouldn't be safe (to hold in person)," Smith said.
The annual artisan festival is organized to raise money for the center but also to promote art and encourage attendees to attend Holy Cross retreats. This year, they have organized a raffle and received donations raising half of the usual revenues, Smith said.
The online festival has gathered 12 artists, but Smith hopes more sign up. In a similar way to past years' festivals, artists pay a registration fee and this year they will be showcased on the Holy Cross Retreat Center's website.
Art pieces will be available for sale starting Sept. 5 and for an entire year. Registration for artists is still open.
VIRTUAL FESTIVALS: 2020 Renaissance ArtsFaire | Las Cruces International Mariachi Conference
Another festival taking place this month is Grape Aid 2020 as an alternative to the wine festivals, allowing New Mexicans to get their wine fix and support local wineries.
"(Grape Aid) was in direct response to the fact that consumers couldn't get their favorite wines," Goblet said. "So we decided that we could hold together all of the wineries that would be together in a festival and create our own sample packages."
People will be able to buy packages of wine, up to 12 bottles, throughout September with pick-up and delivery options.
In addition, people can purchase tickets for an online festival on Sept. 12. The cost comes to $22 with taxes and fees and will include a broadcast of prerecorded interviews with winemakers, grape growers and farmers and live music performances.
A drive-in Elle King concert in Santa Fe will be live streamed for the access of Grape Aid attendees.
Revenues will support local grape growers. According to Goblet, Grape Aid has raised $50,000 so far. More information is available at the event's website, http://www.grapeaid.com.
Veronica Martinez is a trending and immigration reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org or @vamartinez10 on Twitter.


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Facebook Vice President David Marcus is the face of the company's Libra digital currency, but the original driving force was a 26-year-old female corporate-development...Technologyread more
Amazon's new policy for account suspensions doesn't go far enough to protect sellers from potentially unfair and wrongful suspensions, merchants say.Technologyread more
There is no end in sight to the Boeing 737 Max grounding after two fatal crashes, prompting airlines to rethink their growth plans.Airlinesread more
After a year of flooding, Midwest farmers face a stifling heat wave that's spreading across the U.S.Weather & Natural Disastersread more
On Saturday, Disney's Marvel Studios announced its upcoming slate of superhero films during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con.Entertainmentread more
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"It troubles me that the most important political office in the world is becoming the face of racism and exclusion," Kaeser said in a Twitter post.Politicsread more
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The sluggish state of Europe's biggest economies is hitting shopping habits, as expenditure on everyday items like food, drink and toiletries rose by the slowest rate on record between April and June, according to a retail report from Nielsen.
Prices paid for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) rose by just 0.7 percent year-on-year, while volumes rose by only 0.1 percent — the lowest level in two years, Nielsen said on Wednesday. As a result, grocery retailers saw an average rise of 0.8 percent in takings at the till, which was the smallest increase since measurement began in the fourth quarter of 2008.
Nielsen's European director of retail insights attributed the slowdown to a slowdown in the region's three biggest economies.
"The historically low performance across Europe is driven by two factors," Jean-Jacques Vandenheede said in a news release on Wednesday.
"(One is) the negative effect of Easter not occurring in Q2 this year but doing so last year, however, more significantly, the very low growth in France and Germany and the noticeable decline in the U.K., which is being driven by fierce price competition among the retailers. Southern Europe was often to blame for Europe's poor performance but it's currently doing quite well, while northern Europe is today's problem child."
The grocery market is fiercely competitive in the U.K. and dominated by the big supermarket chains — Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda (owned by Walmart) and Morrisons. They are under fire from double-digit growth from discount chains Aldi and Lidl and an ensuing debilitating price war.
U.K. takings at the till declined by 1.6 percent in the second quarter, which was the country's worst performance in two years and the third-lowest increase among the 21 countries tracked by Nielsen. The tracking period covered the 11 weeks prior to the U.K.'s vote to leave the European Union on June 23 and one week after, so was unlikely to be heavily hit by the market turmoil after the referendum.
Takings at the till in Germany and France rose by 0.3 percent and 0.5 percent, which was below average for the region.
The slowdown in the grocery market may reflect waning economic growth in individual countries or a crowded market for FMCGs.
Germany economic growth slowed to 0.4 percent in the second quarter from 0.7 percent in the first quarter, quarter-on-quarter, according to the flash official estimate from Eurostat.
However, U.K. economic growth accelerated to 0.6 percent in the second quarter from 0.4 percent. A slowdown is expected in the third quarter, in part due to the hit to confidence from the Brexit vote, but how this will impact the grocery market is unclear. Official data on Tuesday showed an increase in inflation in July, which might boost taking at the till in nominal terms.
The grocery industry employs 3.8 million people in the U.K. and is the country's largest private-sector employer, according to the Institute of Grocery Distribution.
—Follow CNBC International on and Facebook.

domain: news


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APX Logistics, a business-to-home package delivery partner to the United States Postal Service, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and has halted operations. According to private equity firm Heritage Partners, the company’s major shareholder, APX has struggled since Heritage’s acquisition of R.R. Donnelly Logistics, when RRD’s and APX’s operations were combined.
APX’s sales in 2005 were $770 million. The company had a network of about 50 facilities in the U.S., and a fleet of about 400 vehicles.


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If you have grown up with Microsoft Paint as a rescue to all creative worries, Monday must have looked like a black day in history. The cyber world went into a tizzy Monday morning over news that Microsoft would be phasing out 32-year-old Paint application. Many of us were wondering, … Read the rest
Microsoft has taken another big leap. After launching two flagship smartphones Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, the company is ready to take the gadget market by storm with its Surface Pro 4. To woo gadget lovers, the company even unveiled its much-awaited laptop, the Surface Book and both are … Read the rest
Word is out that Microsoft has started sending out invites for its Windows 10 event slated for October 6, at Moynihan Station in New York. The event will see high profile launches for the Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL and the Surface Pro 4 tab. In addition, the event will … Read the rest
Chinese President Xi Jinping is all set for his visit to the United States the next week. Though several important destinations have been included in his itinerary, Microsoft Corp. and Boeing Co. are reportedly his first two stops for the trip on September 22.
Profitable for Boeing
Jim McNerney, the … Read the rest
To further enhance user anticipation, Microsoft has launched an insider preview build of the Windows 10 Mobile. Called the Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Build 10536, it gives Windows insiders two updates—Build 10514 and Buld 10536.1000. According to a Windows blog, the latest update is delayed but comes with many … Read the rest
Microsoft on Tuesday announced their successful acquisition bid to take over Israel-based Adallom. This cyber security firm specializes in measures used to protect cloud-based content and programs. Though the company did not make any official announcement regarding the amount they paid for the deal, TechCrunch has reported that the deal … Read the rest


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In New York, breaking news arrived that Anellotech is significantly expanding its program with Plas-TCat, a new process technology aiming to convert a wide range of plastic waste directly into chemicals – which can then be used to make new, virgin plastics.
95% of plastic packaging material is annually lost to the economy after a single use and often ends up in combustors, landfills or polluting the ocean, according to Anellotech. By leveraging Anellotech’s existing Bio-TCat process – which converts biomass into bio-based chemicals and biofuels – Plas-TCat has demonstrated encouraging results in lab studies using pure plastics.
Why is this big news? Think about the potential here…taking huge amounts of waste plastics that aren’t being recycled currently and turning them into something valuable.
It reminds us of other ‘trash to cash’ groundbreakers and leaders like Cielo Waste Solutions with their proprietary catalytic thermal depolymerization technology that turns waste into renewable diesel. Or how about Fulcrum Bioenergy taking household municipal solid waste and converting it into low carbon transportation fuels?
And of course, we can’t forget Enerkem which uses its proprietary technology to convert non-recyclable, non-compostable MSW into methanol, ethanol and other widely-used chemicals. They operate a full-scale commercial facility in Alberta, Canada – the world’s first commercial biorefinery to use municipal solid waste to produce methanol and ethanol in fact – and are expanding into Europe with a new project being worked on in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Even Shell is now involved in the project. As reported in The Digest in October, Enerkem closed a $50 million equity investment from Suncor and they snagged outgoing Chief Technology Officer and Director of Sustainability at AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, Peter Nieuwenhuizen.
Seeing Anellotech join those ranks and move beyond biomass and into plastics is exciting indeed. They are working on solving a global trash problem as well as a need for better and more sustainable chemicals.
It’s a true trash to treasure story.
Going Beyond the Lab
Plas-TCat has the potential to offer a new, cost-effective process which will recycle significant quantities of waste plastics directly into commodity chemicals, according to Anellotech’s press release. Once in the recycling system, waste plastics could be converted into commodity chemicals such as olefins, alkanes and aromatic chemicals, which are identical to their petro-based counterparts which are currently used by manufacturers to make virgin plastics.
Anellotech wants to develop Plas-TCat so it could convert the majority of plastic materials used today, including composite films. Yes, even those pesky plastic films. Anellotech aims to use its Bio-TCat lab and TCat-8 pilot systems to feed in plastics waste, eventually developing and designing a commercial plant to efficiently make commodity chemicals at large scale, using the same basic process configuration.
Anellotech has expanded its development program, which is expected to last several years. The company has planned studies to ensure that the Plas-TCat process is robust and capable of running long term, on a range of real-world waste plastics feedstocks, with all the impurities that come with them. Anellotech’s TCat-8 pilot plant extensively ran 24/7 with biomass and the company expects it to do the same with plastics.
A little background on Anellotech – they are focused on commercializing innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass. Founded in 2008, Anellotech has raised US$85 million in cash and in-kind contributions from strategic partners. That’s no small potatoes.
Reaction from the stakeholders
Here’s what David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech had to say about the breaking news:
“Plas-TCat has the potential to transform plastic waste such as composite films, mixed plastics and plastics with biomass – such as paper labels – directly into valuable chemicals. It can handle oxygenated polymers, an important advantage over pyrolysis processes that produce complex oil mixtures which require upgrading and additional conversion in steam crackers.”
“With potentially high yields of valuable products, we are keen to use Plas-TCat in areas where plastic waste collection is not enforced and collection infrastructure to isolate waste plastics streams is currently lacking. By allowing payment for waste plastic, Plas-TCat provides economic incentives to tackle plastics pollution, especially in developing countries where much of the ocean plastic pollution originates.”
“We are excited about this new venture and are seeking engagement with knowledgeable strategic partners to provide development funding, as well as knowledge in waste plastics supply chain and mechanical handling, to help accelerate this project.”
Anellotech’s work in the biomass area is nothing to be scoffed at as it’s really the basis for their future plastics plans. Anellotech’s patented Bio-TCat technology is a thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into BTX aromatics (a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene) which are chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. High purity benzene, toluene and xylenes are used to make commodity polymers such as polyester (polyethylene terephthalate or “PET”), polystyrenes, polycarbonates, nylons and polyurethanes which are used to manufacture plastic consumer goods such as beverage bottles, food packaging, clothing, footwear, carpeting, automotive and electronic components.
Bio-TCat technology can also produce renewable AnelloMate fuel blendstocks which can be used to lower the GHG emissions of producing gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and low-sulphur marine fuels, according to Anellotech. The Bio-TCat process has already been demonstrated with loblolly pine feedstocks at Anellotech’s TCat-8 pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas.
This platform is now also being leveraged for Plas-TCat. Engineering work to design the first commercial plant is underway by Anellotech and its R&D, engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.
Check out their Multi-Slide Guide, “Like Fine Wine, Smellin’ Fine: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Anellotech’s Aromatics” that they shared at ABLC NEXT in San Francisco to get all the details on why Bio-TCat is one cool cat, details on their commercial plant planning underway now, and more.
A Bit More on Biomass – MinFree Tech
Going beyond Bio-TCat for a minute, Anellotech has another interesting technology – their MinFree Tech which removes high levels of mineral elements from agricultural residues which could cause fouling, erosion and corrosion, enabling the use of residues as economical feedstocks in addition to wood pellets.
As reported in The Digest in July, Anellotech’s MinFree technology, a patent pending biomass pretreatment process has been demonstrated to significantly reduce the mineral (ash) content of loblolly pine at a 20 metric ton/day scale. Month-long trials converting this MinFree-treated, low-mineral pine into aromatics (BTX) at Anellotech’s Bio-TCat process TCat-8 pilot plant showed extended, economic catalyst life.
MinFree is expected to provide similar results with other woody biomass like eucalyptus and hard woods, and agricultural residues like cotton straw, sugarcane bagasse and corn stover. Anellotech is in discussions with feedstock suppliers and other participants in the supply chain to select the next feedstock for development and commercialization with the MinFree process.
Fine wine takes time but it’s so worth it when you gather that first aroma of a freshly opened bottle…and Anellotech shows us that the wait is worth it when it comes to technology too. Their thermal catalytic biomass conversion, or Bio-TCat Process, is making aromatic chemicals and fuels more cost competitive. Their MinFree tech is useful for biomass conversion and their new Plas-TCat technology has huge potential to convert plastic waste directly into chemicals. The trash to cash story continues and we can’t wait to see where it goes next…


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Amazing new service that’s geared up to leave all competition behind in providing people search to users
Porirua, New Zealand -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/21/2014 -- Datacrowd has come up with an astonishingly user-friendly people search engine to make people search easier and more reliable for users. The company is already known for top-notch services in market research and based on its consistent track record, it’s predictable that it will emerge as the best here also.
One look at the free people search provisions that Datacrowd has got formulated for its search engine indicates that it is focused on its job. For one, it collects crowd data from numerous resources on the web – like Freebase, Google+, Facebook etc. - so that distinctive information about people search can be provided to users, even when search is initiated for similar named people. Secondly, it ensures that data is gathered and amassed from online databases, social networking sites and phone directories in such comprehensive ways that the platform becomes more searchable for users. More importantly, it packs out its record with info about well-known names, lesser-known names and names of common people too, so that it stays ready for use by all grades of users, for all purposes. Yes, the list might be huge, really, but that’s good news for patrons as the search parameters are very simple, very dedicated and much focused on digging out the exact information that is intended. That it’s free is yet another feather on its cap.
Open data is a specialty feature of Datacrowd’s new people search engine, whereby all information published is linked to the original data, if possible. As for licenses, CC-BY, CC-BY-SA and GFDL are adhered to by the firm and all regulations maintained in the searches initiated.
A company representative voices out the company’s aim, ‘We intend to become the best people search engine’. The search results include a comprehensive presentation of phone number, e-mail address, postal address, social network associations and much more.
For more information on how Datacrowd facilitates free people search on its new people search engine, click here http://www.datacrowd.net.
Datacrowd, http://www.datacrowd.net, is an internet based people search engine that generates reliable search results for users on the lookout for people. Datacrowd searches out publicly-accessible information for people on the web and arranges results in a sleek structured pattern.
John T. Nemeth
43 The Marlinspike


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South African paper maker Sappi said on Friday it will slash jobs and restructure its operations to rein in costs and focus on higher margin businesses, sending its shares sharply higher.
It said it expects to save as much as R350-million a year at its South African business.
Shares in Sappi jumped more than 5% after the news, as investors looked beyond the one-time costs from the restructuring, which Sappi said would lead to a weaker than expected fourth quarter.
The shares were up 4.15% at R24.07 as of 0940 GMT, compared with a 1.39% rise in Johannesburg’s broad All-share index.
“It’s a combination of the [broader] market being up today and a little bit of excitement about the announcement,” said Mohamed Kharva, an analyst at Nedbank Securities.
Johannesburg-listed Sappi is the world’s largest maker of fine paper used in glossy magazines such as Vogue and has operations in Europe, North America and Southern Africa.
The company said market conditions remained uncertain with demand in most of its markets showing less resilience than anticipated.
Paper industry executives recently said that the prospects of another economic slowdown may force global forest products companies to further cut capacities while they pursue growth in emerging markets and packaging.
Sappi, which has already announced the closure of mills in Switzerland and South Africa, said it wants to focus more on higher margin businesses such as pulp-derived chemical cellulose, used to make viscose fibre, cellophane and other products.
“We aim to generate at least 60% of operating profit from these higher margin growth businesses within three to five years,” Sappi said.
Kharva said the market would be waiting to see if the restructuring, which was expected, would lift the company’s earnings.
“Every time they have announced cost savings, it has not materialised in improving profitability. We will wait to see how this plays out and how it impacts the bottom line and improve the competitiveness of the business,” he said.
Sappi said in May it would boost chemical cellulose output at its Ngodwana Mill in South Africa by 210 000 tonnes as it improves its production facilities, which should raise total output to over a million tonnes a year.
It said on Friday that the project was progressing well and was set to start up in early 2013. — Reuters


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Established digital payment methods hold their own against Afterpay and its peers, research shows.
PayPal, BPAY dominate despite threat of buy now, pay later
PayPal and BPAY dominate digital payments with more than 19 million users between them in the year to September, dwarfing newbee buy now, pay later services such as Afterpay, according to research firm Roy Morgan.
By comparison, buy now, pay later operators including Afterpay, Zip, Latitude Pay and Humm, attracted just 4 million users the survey found, despite slightly higher levels of customer awareness.
“The usage of the more traditional digital payment services PayPal and BPAY far exceeds that of Afterpay at a rate of around 3:1,” said Michele Levine, CEO at Roy Morgan.
“Now 9.8 million (46.1 per cent) used PayPal and 9.3 million (43.8 per cent) used BPAY in the year to September 2022 compared to only 3.2 million (15.2 per cent) that used Afterpay.”
The large difference in usage comes despite Afterpay recording higher levels of brand awareness.
Three-quarters of Australians were aware of online payment platforms such as PayPal according to Roy Morgan, but more than four out of five knew about buy now, pay later.
“Roy Morgan’s latest digital payments report reveals buy now, pay later services, such as Afterpay, Zip, Latitude Pay and Humm, are the most well known type of digital payment services in the market - now over 17.6 million (83.1 per cent) Australians know of these services,” said Ms Levine.
“However, only 4.1 million Australians (19.4 per cent) have used a buy-now-pay-later service in the year to September 2022.”
Ms Levine said advertising had helped raise awareness of buy now, pay later but the services were still relatively new.
“A large factor in the huge difference in the usage of the three services can be put down to time in the market,” she said.
“Both PayPal and BPAY launched in the late 1990s, over 20 years ago, while Afterpay has only been in the market for under a decade since launching in 2014.”
“But although extensive advertising can drive awareness among a large majority of the population there has to be a compelling reason for adoption and use.”
However, Ms Levine said that Afterpay was growing more quickly than PayPal and BPAY.
Over the past four years, Australians using the service went from 9 per cent up to 15.2 per cent, while over the same period PayPal put on 6 percentage points to 46.1 per cent and BPAY’s usage declined.
“These trends show the market for digital payment services is more competitive than ever,” she said.


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A brand new, £8m initiative, designed to re-invigorate UK high streets, has been announced by Science and Universities Minister, David Willetts, today.
The initiative, a funding competition run by the UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board, will allow businesses to compete for funding awards, in order to trial innovative ways of addressing the challenges facing UK high streets.
BCSC has issued comment on the announcement as follows:
Edward Cooke, BCSC Director of Policy said: “Today’s announcement shows Ministers are listening to BCSC and the industry on the need to explore how online and digital technology can add real value to the town centre experience, and encourage shoppers back to their much maligned high streets. We’re looking forward to collaborating with government, and the Technology Strategy Board, on this competition and particularly the outcomes of the projects that receive money.”
Robin Bevan, Distressed Property Taskforce member and Director, Javelin Group said: “Technological innovation should be seen as much an opportunity as a threat to vibrant town centres. There are plenty of examples from other countries where mobile digital technology, an area where the UK still lags behind despite its strength in most areas of multi-channel retail, is helping to drive shopper footfall to their town centres in search of good deals and experiences. As such, we are pleased with today’s announcement from Ministers, especially as this was a key area of opportunity that we focussed on in our recent Beyond Retail report.”
The competition is seeking innovative technology solutions to boost the high streets by exploring new approaches to retailing/services, logistics and travel and traffic.
Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willetts said: “Technology plays a vital role in people’s everyday lives and has the ability to influence our movements and shopping habits. By developing innovations to regenerate the retail sector we will be able to breathe new life into the UK’s high streets.
“This competition will encourage exciting new developments that could change the way business is done across our high streets. Giving shoppers and businesses real time information that they can use to their advantage will make a real difference in helping to boost the UK economy.”
High Streets Minister Brandon Lewis said: “Britain’s shopping culture is changing with online shopping pushing town centres to evolve and exploit new technology to prosper and attract people to their local high street.
“This government is committed to supporting high streets and this competition will challenge them to come up with exciting and innovative ways to be at the forefront of change. “It builds on the £1 billion support package of new tax breaks for shops and sensible changes to planning and parking rules. That investment combined with strong local leadership can help high streets remain at the heart of communities for decades to come.”
Technology Strategy Board Chief Executive Iain Gray said: “There is real appetite among business and consumers to come up with new ways to regenerate our high streets. This competition is aimed at encouraging businesses of all sizes to come up with innovations that address key challenges, such as ways we can combine both physical and virtual shopping or develop real-time parking information.”
Up to £2 million will be available for feasibility studies in phase 1 of the competition called Re-imagining the high street, and those successful projects will then compete for a further £6 million in phase 2.


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This is what CZ's call for “self-custody” means for Binance and its long-term prospects.
Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, just announced a strange investment. This was because it has the potential to discourage people from using the service.
The venture capital division of Binance, Binance Labs, announced a strategic investment in hardware wallet manufacturer NGRAVE.
Additionally, the investment appears to be an effort to profit from renewed calls for self-custody in the sector.
A mistrust of centralized exchanges has grown due to recent developments in the cryptocurrency market. The collapse of FTX has been difficult for the crypto community to comprehend. Several crypto businesses are undoubtedly still struggling as a result of this.
BlockFi and Genesis, two crypto lending platforms, and other exchanges that have suspended withdrawals have damaged the reputation of centralized platforms.
The phrase “not your keys, not your crypto” became well-known during the bankruptcy proceedings for Celsius Network. This meant that once an investor transferred their cryptocurrency to a centralized exchange, ownership was effectively forfeited.
After FTX collapsed and several other crypto firms experienced liquidity issues, this sentiment underwent a dramatic reaffirmation.
Retail investors who experienced abrupt withdrawal suspensions are moving their cryptocurrency to cold storage.
Hardware wallets are among them, especially in light of recent events.
Hardware wallets are available for cryptocurrency owners from NGRAVE, a blockchain and digital asset security provider based in Belgium.
The exchange will head up the Series A funding round for the wallet manufacturer, per a blog post by Binance. The precise investment amount has not been made public. Self-custodial wallets are among the most secure ways to store digital assets.
Yi He, the co-founder of Binance and head of Binance Labs, stated, “With our investment in NGRAVE, we are looking to continue supporting innovative startups that enhance user security.”
Earlier this month, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao posted on Twitter about the renewed calls for self-custody in the wake of the FTX upheaval. He stated: “Self-custody is a fundamental human right. You are free to do it at any time. Just make sure you do it right.”
Show Tweet from

We are not just a CEX. We offer choices.

Store crypto yourself? Read this article I wrote from 2 years ago. The 15 minutes read will save you money and headache later. @TrustWallet

Read the same article if you use a CEX, too. @binancehttps://t.co/Kp6VeKirgZ
— CZ 🔶 Binance (@cz_binance) November 13, 2022

Zhao's company now has a “right way” for its users to access cold storage for their cryptocurrency, thanks to the NGRAVE deal.
On Twitter last week, Vitalik Buterin, a co-founder of Ethereum, described his idea for a secure central exchange (CEX).
In addition to the proof of solvency, this would include cryptographic proof of on-chain funds.
Buterin tweeted a response, and Changpeng Zhao said he was considering it.
Show Tweet from

Vitalik's new ideas. Working on this.

Just don't read the title aloud around people (Vitalik wrote it).https://t.co/AtR6KiSx5B
— CZ 🔶 Binance (@cz_binance) November 19, 2022

Disclaimer: Nothing on this site should be construed as a financial investment recommendation. It’s important to understand that investing is a high-risk activity. Investments expose money to potential loss.


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Nationally renowned social media expert Peter Shankman is slated to speak to Georgia Southern students and local business owners on Saturday at the GSU Performing Arts Center. A noted author and entrepreneur, Shankman's message is titled "The Near-Future World of OneScreen."
At a time when consumers can tweet about customer service or post Facebook comments resulting in the elevation of brand loyalty or the decimation of it in 120 characters or less, Shankman, CEO of The Geek Factory, a public relations firm in New York City, advises companies to actively "listen" to their customer base and embrace social media to maintain customer loyalty.
From NASA to Sprint, and Walt Disney World to American Express, companies turn to Shankman when they need to understand how the worlds of social media, customer service, marketing, advertising, and public relations are merging into one.
Statesboro resident Jenny Lynn Anderson serves as the professional adviser to Georgia Southern's Public Relations Student Society of America. It was Anderson who booked Shankman for the society's regional event this Saturday - PRWhereUR .
"I subscribe to Shankman's 'Help a Reporter Out' queries each day which reaches 102,000 public relations professionals and journalists daily," Anderson said. "In one of his early morning queries which caught my attention, he wrote, 'How do you get in touch with me to speak at your event? Simply email or call.' That is what I did."
Not only does Anderson believe in Shankman's message, she has used his strategies in revamping the way Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory communicates with its customers. As marketing director for the funeral home, Anderson was instrumental in the changes that the company has made over the last year with its website and social media presence.
"With eight out of every 10 adults in America carrying a mobile, handheld device, consumers want information instantaneously," said Anderson. "Traditional ways to disseminate information have quickly dissipated, and our website needed to provide compelling content which helped our families in time of need."
As an example, Anderson said now when someone writes a memorial tribute on the funeral home's web page, that tribute will automatically post to a user's Facebook wall via the funeral home's website if the person chooses this option.
"I find this to be one of the most powerful tools of our website," she said. "With over 500 million active users of Facebook, I envision the impact of our families sharing their memories beyond our website globally with their Facebook friends. One of the most important purposes of the funeral is to gather with family and friends and say,'This life was important. This life touched mine'."
Other local businesses have also jumped on the social media bandwagon. Mert Slaton, owner of Moe's restaurant in Statesboro, said they have instituted a rewards system whereby a customer enters their cell phone number into a hand held device near the cash register each time they eat there.
"This allows us to have a database by which to track customer loyalty and preferences, but equally as important, we now have a database of cell phone numbers which allows us to text customers and let them know instantaneously about specials," Slaton said.
Moe's general manager Mike Pung calls the text messages "Shout Outs."
"If we see that we are having a relatively slow day, we sit down and give a 'shout out' to our customers on their cell phones," he said. "Immediately, business picks up. All of a sudden the drive thru might have 10 cars in it. It is very powerful."
Pung said it is very easy to do. "I can do it from my laptop, sitting at a table in the restaurant," he said. "It usually is just a few words, like 'buy one burrito, get one free'."
Georgia Southern student Emily Grubbs just loves getting a 'shout out' from Moe's. "It is wonderful to know when I get that message, that I am going to get something for free," she said. "It just brightens my day, and I respond to it."
Taking their services a step further using social media, Joiner-Anderson is providing online grief support for its families.
"Families can register on the website and join a 'virtual group' for regular counseling sessions," Anderson said. "However, for families needing to express grief to someone in person, Dr. Jack Rainer, our grief and bereavement counselor, is available as a member of the Joiner-Anderson staff," she said.
Shankman is the author of a book titled "Can We Do That?! Outrageous PR Stunts that Work-And Why Your Company Needs Them." His presentation begins at 5 p.m. in the main auditorium of the GSU Performing Arts Center. Tickets for students are $15 apiece. Tickets for the general public are $30 each.
To learn more about Shankman, you can visit his website at www.shankman.com, or access his Facebook page.


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The first cruise ship terminal at Jeddah Islamic Port is now open. The opening comes two days before the launch of the first cruise from Saudi Arabia for “Bellisima” giant ship towards local and regional destinations, where the giant ship will depart from Jeddah Islamic Port to stations in Jordan and Egypt, reported Saudi Gazette.
Managing Director of Cruise Saudi Arabia Fawaz Farooqi said: “The inauguration of the first cruise ship station represents an important step that contributes to the promotion and development of tourism trips on the Red Sea coast, and supports the growth of the tourism sector in the Kingdom.”
“We’re targeting creating 50,000 job opportunities by 2025, increasing cruise ships, inaugurating additional ports beside Jeddah Islamic Port, and reaching 1.5 million visitors annually by 2028,” Farooqi said.
For his part, the General Authority of Ports President Omar Hariri considered choosing Jeddah Islamic Port to be the first gateway where cruise ships will dock and leave in the Kingdom for its pivotal strategic location.
“We worked with our partners to develop infrastructure, marine, and logistical services in Jeddah Islamic Port, by inaugurating a passenger terminal for cruise ships after developing it to accommodate more than 2,500 passengers,” Hariri said.
The MSC Bellissima will offer 21 Red Sea voyages in total, comprising three- and four-night cruises to Safaga for Luxor, Egypt or Aqaba for Petra, Jordan, while homeporting in Jeddah. According to the line, the Meraviglia-class ship will be the largest cruise vessel ever to sail the waters of the Red Sea. MSC Cruises previously unveiled its winter 2021/22 Red Sea program with a fly-cruise option back in April. Shortly before that, the line revealed its partnership agreement with Cruise Saudi.
Saudi Arabia officially reopened its borders to international tourists on August 1. The kingdom now welcomes all tourism visa holders who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to enter the country without the need to quarantine.
The announcement comes almost eighteen months after international tourism into Saudi Arabia was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The kingdom launched its tourism e-visa program in September 2019. Travelers arriving in the kingdom will also be required to provide a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before departure and an approved paper vaccination certificate, certified by the official health authorities in the issuing country, said senior officials.
“Saudi is looking forward to reopening its doors and its hearts to international visitors,” said Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA).
“During the shutdown we have working in close collaboration with our partners in the public and private sector to ensure that visitors to Saudi can enjoy a memorable, authentic and, above all, safe experience for themselves and their loved ones. Visitors seeking unexplored heritage sites, an authentic cultural experience and breath-taking natural beauty will be surprised and delighted to discover Saudi’s warm welcome,” he stated.
According to him, the Saudi Tourism Authority has been preparing for the reopening, building its international network and raising awareness of the brand. With representative offices already in place in the UK, German and Russia / CIS markets, STA plans to have a further 12 overseas offices within the next twelve months.
The Authority has also built an international network of more than 3,000 tour operators, travel agents and other partners through virtual roadshows, training programs and direct outreach.


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To choose a gift for the Apple fan – no easy task. I want to get a man desirable and practical gift, and not just another accessory, which by next year will be covered by a layer of dust, and generally no joy will bring. According to the results of a recent study conducted among the fans of “Apple” brand, they most want to receive a gift of a set-top box Apple TV, and less to the iPod.
The results of the research results known to English-speaking resource AppleInsider. The survey polled about 13,000 people. The result was quite unexpected: most (about 17%) users dream of Apple TV. This year the company released the fourth generation of devices that support the app store, Siri and a new remote.
In second place on the list of most desirable gifts – accessories Apple (13,12%). It comes to protective covers, headphones, speakers, etc. In third place was “smart” watch Apple Watch – 12,16%. A surprising fact is that the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus want only 8.9% of respondents one in ten respondents. Probably, many fans have already managed to update their smartphones.
The study authors were surprised that a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which seemed to them unduly specific product, managed to occupy the fifth place with 7.9 per cent, ahead of the popularity of MacBook and iMac.
- Apple TV (16,85%)
- Accessories Apple (13,12%)
- Apple Watch (12.61 Per Cent)
- iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus (8,87%)
- iPad Pro (7,98%)
- MacBook (3,34%)
- iPad Air (3,19%)
- iPad mini (2,88%)
- iMac (1,89%)
- iPhone 6/6 Plus (1,78%)
- iPod (0,91%)


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The Adverse Influence of the Coronavirus on the Shipping Sector
by Yasuhiro Okamoto
1. The Adverse Influence of the Coronavirus on the Shipping Sector
The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has made a massive impact on almost every sector of the economy and, without exception, the shipping industry has also been in the middle of economic turbulence. According to the media, container traffic at China’s biggest ports (Shenzhen, Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Tianjin, Dalian, and Qingdao) fell for two weeks in a row in early April after a drop in overseas orders for the nation’s exports [Leng, 2020] The causes for decreased container traffic were that many companies started cutting back orders and postponing the delivery of goods due to the coronavirus, and shipping companies also reduced their capacities. For example, Ocean Network Express has announced revised schedules since February to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic.
2. The Situation of the Port of Los Angeles
Like China’s main ports, the Port of Los Angeles is the busiest in the US by both container volume and cargo value. However, while it has faced a similar situation to China, the Port of Los Angeles has also encountered other unfavorable circumstances around container traffic at their port. The table below shows the container counts (TEUs) for the Port of Los Angeles, which were last recorded in March. As we can easily imagine, the total volume of containers in March largely decreased compared to the previous year. In particular, containers to the Port of Los Angeles from nations in the Pacific Ocean and from China account for the biggest portion of reduced shipments.
The Chinese government has introduced various preventive measures to suppress the expansion of coronavirus, and has also slowed down economic activity. In April, there were signs of economic recovery in China, and factories restarted operations and resumed exporting goods. On the other hand, because of the coronavirus pandemic in the US, city lockdowns and curfews have led to closures of freight warehouses, and freights have been left without being picked up at these locations. Additionally, in conjunction with the decline of shipping capacity, empty containers have piled up without being returned to Asia (China). Therefore, the Port of Los Angeles has overflowed with uncollected and empty containers
3. The Issue of Cost Burden
Another significant issue caused by the coronavirus for the shipping industry is determining who shall bear the additional cost to vessels from quarantine restrictions or delays while waiting for port authorities to grant clearance to enter port. Many owners of cargo vessels have now asserted that the force majeure clause is applicable in cases of detention or delay of cargo caused by the coronavirus. Consequently, owners of cargo vessels and shipping companies have entered into severe disputes.
To avoid this, Japan P&I Club has recommended to include infectious disease clauses that are comprehensive and clearly allocate rights and responsibilities in the event of an outbreak to Time and Voyage Charterparties, which have been produced by BIMCO (Baltic and International Maritime Council).
The cost of freight cargo shipments has not changed much from February to March, and it’s clear that the decline in freight capacity has contributed these locked rates. Additionally, the issue of empty containers in many ports may be a potential hindrance for a smooth recovery of the global economy.
Also, as I mentioned before, owners of cargo ships have faced an increase of container storage and drayage costs. Furthermore, owners must negotiate with shipping companies to share costs caused by the delay. We may see harmful repercussions of these issues reflected in our economic activities.
Leng, S. (2020, 4 15). Coronavirus: container traffic at China’s top eight ports plunges in early April as pandemic hits overseas orders. Retrieved from South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3080041/coronavirus-container-traffic-chinas-top-eight-ports-plunges
The Port of Los Angeles. (2020, 4 10). Container Statistics . Retrieved from https://www.portoflosangeles.org/business/statistics/container-statistics


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Snippets – 20 September 2022
The State government has decided to handover ration at the doorstep of pregnant women to ensure nutritious diet in six districts in Karnataka, even as demands came to extend it across all districts. The government has ordered delivery of rations to doorstep to six hilly districts under the buy Lyrica india Matru Poorna Yojane, which was launched in 2017 by the Siddaramaiah-led government to provide nutritious diet.
- The Gonayiv Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike(BBMP) started a programme called “Wonder on Wheels’” across the city by procuring 10 buses from Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).
- Coffee Board of India, a body that represents coffee growers and the coffee industry in the country, has decided to expand its reach by launching four premium coffees under the ‘India Coffee’ brand as well as two affordable coffees under the ‘Coffees of India’ brand on Amazon.
- Hubballi Division of South Western Railway launched ‘SwachhtaPakhwada’, a fortnight-long cleanliness drive. the drive is being conducted with a view to bring about visible improvement in the level of cleanliness at various railway units such as stations, trains, offices, colonies, and others.
- As part of National Sports Day and 75th Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, a national seminar on ‘Augmenting elite sports performance’ is being held in Dharwad, September 17.
- The Hyderabad Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HKCCI) will be renamed as Kalyana Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KKCCI) on Kalyana Karnataka 75th Swatantra Mahotsava (Kalyana Karnataka Liberation Day) on September 17.
- The Union Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the addition of four tribes to the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST), including those from Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh.The Hatti tribe in the Trans-Giri area of Sirmour district in Himachal Pradesh, the Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran hill tribes of Tamil Nadu, and the Binjhia tribe in Chhattisgarh, which was listed as ST in Jharkhand and Odisha but not in Chhattisgarh, were the communities added to the list.
- Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, at the Madurai Corporation Primary School Aathimoolam II in Simmakal, Madurai, launched the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme for students of Class I to V in government schools.
- The UNESCO United Nations World Water Development Report of 2022 has encapsulated global concern over the sharp rise in freshwater withdrawal from streams, lakes, aquifers and human-made reservoirs, impending water stress and also water scarcity being experienced in different parts of the world.
- The National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), 2022, was released, with 384 drugs in it across 27 categories. While 34 new drugs are on the list, 26 drugs from the earlier NLEM including common gastrointestinal medicines Ranitidine and Sucralfate, have been dropped.
- Pulling up the States for the delay in completion of the Narendra Modi government’s flagship rural household scheme — Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) — the Union Ministry of Rural Development has come up with a set of penalties that the State governments will have to bear for any further delay. Opposition-ruled West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, along with BJP-ruled Assam, are the leading four States who are far behind their targets.
- Russia hosted the seventh Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) Vladivostok from September 5 to 8. The four-day forum is a platform for entrepreneurs to expand their businesses into Russia’s Far East (RFE). The EEF was established in 2015 to encourage foreign investments in the RFE. The EEF displays the economic potential, suitable business conditions and investment opportunities in the region.
- Sri Lanka will revive its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India and upgrade it to a “a comprehensive economic and technological partnership”, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, signalling Colombo’s willingness to revisit a stalled pact.
The PM, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit (IDF WDS) 2022 organised at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida. New Delhi.


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Here’s an informative article from Time Magazine using last week’s Awesome Adjective:
You Asked: Why Can’t I Eat Raw Meat?
Well, you could. But you’d be rolling the dice.
Sushi restaurants are nearly as rampant as Starbucks stores. So why is raw fish okay to consume, while raw beef, pork and other land animals are typically not on the menu?
For one thing, the parasites and bacteria that set up shop in raw animal meat are different and more dangerous than the ones you’d find in raw fish, says Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)…
To continue reading, click here.


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This fall, Volvo will launch a new line of powertrains that are designed to reach new levels of fuel efficiency – and to be ready for the transition to electrification. The Drive-E range of powertrains consists of two four-cylinder engines, one common rail diesel and one direct-injected gas version. They replace eight engine architectures on… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Volvo"
Volvo’s V60 Plug-In Hybrid wagon is a runaway success. The first year’s batch of 1,000 cars sold out before any had a chance to reach showrooms, and Volvo announced in November that it would increase production to 4,000-6,000 units for model year 2014. That figure will now be raised to 10,000 units, according to Cars… Read more »
Volvo’s demo fleet of 100 C30 EVs, which is now being evaluated by European leasing customers, will be upgraded this summer with a new, more powerful motor from Siemens and a new on-board charger from BRUSA. The new Siemens motor has a peak power output of 89 kW (120 hp), torque of 250 Nm, and… Read more »
After the initial batch of 1,000 for model year 2013, production will increase to 4,000-6,000 units for model year 2014.
After the initial run of 1,000 cars for model year 2013, Volvo will increase production to 5,000 units for model year 2014.
As the Shanghai International Automotive City Group (SIAC) marked the first anniversary of its EV Campaign, Volvo delivered 15 C30 electric cars to the city for a test drive project called EV100 Days. Selected members of the public will drive the C30s for three months, as Volvo collects data about the new model’s performance on… Read more »
Volvo has released a triad of videos to tout the launch of the plug-in version of its V60 wagon.
The new concept car builds on technology developed for the V60 PHEV diesel wagon, which Volvo calls its “most technically advanced model ever.”
Volvo spared no hype as it announced today that its V60 diesel PHEV will go on sale in Europe at the beginning of 2012, with a starting price of 57,000 euros.
Volvo has released a series of 10 videos guaranteed to raise an EV geek’s pulse rate to 400 volts.


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Saudi Arabia is preparing its own manufacturer of electric carsMay 2, 2021
Saudi Arabia wants to create its own electric vehicle manufacturer. The kingdom has already invested and is in talks to open a plant in Jeddah.
The country’s government has hired consultants, including the Boston Consulting Group. Experts will explore options for creating a new manufacturer of electric vehicles.
A government investment fund acquired a small stake in Tesla in 2018 but sold its shares shortly before the company’s insane rallies in late 2019 and throughout 2020.
The Saudi Arabian Sovereign Wealth Fund also invested $ 1 billion in Lucid Motors and was in talks with the company to open a plant in Jeddah.
During a media briefing in late January, the head of the kingdom’s wealth fund, Yasser Al Rumayyan, said they want to negotiate deals to expand local production this year or next.
“We are now studying electrical devices. As far as cars are concerned, we are currently considering several projects. They will be implemented this year or next year at the latest, ”the head of the kingdom’s welfare fund said by Bloomberg.
Read also that the Chinese electric car Neta S has demonstrated an impressive range of 1100 km.
- The renderings presented the radical evolution of the design of the Chevy Silverado pickup
- Details about the extreme sedan BMW M3 CS have appeared
- The new Toyota Corolla Cross crossover is being tested on US roads
- Nissan will not be able to produce half a million cars due to a shortage of chips
- The new Opel and Vauxhall Vivaro-e received a hydrogen unit with a range of 400 km


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On Your Side: Bigger crowds expected on Black Friday
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) -The busiest shopping day of the year has officially started. Post pandemic and inflation are the driving force why bigger crowds are expected this weekend.
The National Retail Federation’s survey, shows 115 million people say they plan to shop on Black Friday. 67% of them say in-stores. That’s up slightly from last year.
To take advantage of ‘one day only’ doorbuster deals and grabbing those must-have items, like toys and TVs, it’s probably worth your time to get out early. Otherwise, shop when it’s convenient for you.
”Black Friday is the time to get the best prices on TVs. We’ve seen a lot of analysts say Thanksgiving is the best time to get tech devices. But we tend to see those prices last through the weekend. So you really don’t have to wait. You’re not going to see better prices on Cyber Monday. You might see different items available compared to Black Friday, but for the most part the sales are going to be the same,” said Samantha Gordon with Consumer Reports.
Download apps like BuyVia, Shopkick, ShopSavvy, and Shopular. Those let you scan bar codes or QR codes to compare prices, get discounts, and score coupons.
To report a correction or typo, please email firstname.lastname@example.org
Copyright 2022 KY3. All rights reserved.


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BlackBerry Unified Endpoint Manager (UEM) has achieved certification from the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP), a U.S. government initiative which oversees the evaluation of commercial cybersecurity products for use in U.S. national security systems.
Google has released the September 2020 Android Security Bulletin, giving carriers and device makers a fresh set of patches to install.
BlackBerry has received approval from the Department of Defense Information Network (DoDIN) for its BlackBerry Unified Endpoint Manager software (UEM). BlackBerry UEM is the only MDM solution on the DoDIN Approved Product List.
Microsoft has announced a new tool that it claims can detect the presence of deepfake software in images and video as it seeks to tackle disinformation online. Deepfakes, or synthetic media, are photos, videos, or audio files manipulated by artificial intelligence (AI). And they’re becoming increasingly hard to detect.
The BlackBerry Security Summit 2020 will be a virtual event this year due to the covid-19 epidemic and registration is now open. The Partner Summit will take place on October 5, while the ecurity Summit will take place on October 6 and 7.
Vodafone has expanded its business security services to include protection for business customers’ laptops and desktops. Trend Micro’s ‘Worry-Free’ service is a new detection service to protect businesses and their employees from online security threats such as ransomware, out-of-date applications, and phishing attacks on desktops and laptops.
BT has launched a new range of fully managed security and advisory services to support Microsoft Azure Sentinel.
New Android malware - BlackRock - is now targeting more apps than ever including email and social media apps as well as banking apps.
Google has released the July 2020 Android Security Bulletin, giving carriers and device makers a fresh set of patches to install.
Frost & Sullivan has published an assessment of the cyberthreat landscape and the proportion that BlackBerry’s suite of technologies can protect against, concluding that BlackBerry can secure all IoT endpoints, and upwards of 96% of all cyberthreats.


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Specialty fibers and needlepunch nonwoven fabrics manufacturer Foss Manufacturing Co. LLC, Hampton,
N.H., has announced it will invest $15 million to open a 220,000-square-foot manufacturing and
distribution facility in Rome, Ga., creating 150 jobs over the next three years.
The new operation – which will be housed in a former Mohawk Industries building – will
include the manufacture and distribution of medical products such as masks, hospital apparel and
linens; as well as other products for automotive and filtration applications. The company reports
that the facility will enable it to speed delivery of those products to its customers in the
region, noting that those customers often require very quick delivery of customized orders.
“Northwest Georgia remains a strategic home for the textile manufacturing industry, complete
with the business environment and skilled workforce to help this industry continue its recovery in
our state,” said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. “I am encouraged by the commitment Foss Manufacturing is
making in Floyd County, and look forward to the contributions this company will make to one of
Georgia’s major industries.”
In addition to establishing the new operation in Georgia, Foss has been expanding its
operations at its facility in Hampton. Since the beginning of this year, the company has installed
two new production lines and added 60 jobs at that plant, and currently is adding another two
production lines that will employ 50 to 60 additional workers within the next six months.
“This is an exciting time for Foss,” said A.J. Nassar, CEO, Foss Manufacturing. “We are
experiencing growth in all areas. Much of this growth is being driven by our talented research and
development team located in our Hampton, New Hampshire, headquarters. Over the next 12 months, we
will be introducing new products and technologies enabling us to expand manufacturing and add
employees throughout the company.”
October 2, 2012


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A man from New Jersey is auctioning off the "The World's Biggest Waste of Money" on the online auction site eBay. The auction has already received almost 2,000 views has been bid up to $24.50 by a total of 29 bidders. The item remains one of the most watched items on eBay, and is on one of eBay's pages of "most popular" items.
Steven Toth, 23, who placed the auction on eBay, says that he knows "people buy some really weird things on eBay that they later say were a big waste of money, so I thought it would be funny to see how far I could take it. I wanted to see if anyone would be interested in an auction for a big a waste of money."
Strange eBay auctions have been getting national attention recently. In one case, a woman auctioned off advertising space on her forehead to the tune of ten thousand dollars. This latest national attention grabbing auction really pushes the limit of what people will buy on eBay.
"People buy everything on eBay, but it will be fun to see how far this goes!" Mr. Toth said.
The auction is available for bids until July 17, and is availible for viewing over here.


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And the email app no longer requires an invitation.
Google announced a host of augmentations to the seven-month-old Inbox app today at I/O, its annual developer conference. Among them: Making the product available to everyone and adding new trip-related bundles.
To its Bundle feature, which groups together related emails, Inbox adds Trip Bundles, which gather all of the email related to a trip. According to Google, all of the particulars about a trip—think flight times—will pop up the moment a user opens Inbox. That's potentially bad news for TripIt, a mobile app that organizes trip information.
It will look like this:
Inbox is also adding an email retraction function called Undo Send, which allows users to “take back” an email in the moments immediately after sending it. In addition, Inbox users will now have the ability to swipe to delete email.
Finally, Inbox, which had been invitation-only, is now available for everyone.


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Next Thursday, December 6 from 5-9 p.m., shops along Clement Street in the Inner Richmond will open their doors for locals coming out to get their holiday shopping on, with raffles, refreshments, art, music, crafts, and other specials.
Spanning from Arguello Blvd. to 7th Avenue, the ClemenTime Holiday Stroll is now in its eighth year. Organizer Alissa Anderson, who also owns Clement Street boutique Foggy Notion, said the event was originally started by The Bold Italic as part of a "microhood" event series. But when the publication wound down operations, local merchants simply continued on with it.
"Through the teamwork of all of our members," the association "has brought [in] the parklet, mural, weekly farmers market, movie nights, and Autumn Moon Festival," Anderson said. "It's been extremely inspiring to be a part of."
Here are the deals and special treats to expect at next Thursday's event:
Covet (391 Arguello Blvd.) has cupcakes, champagne, and a 25 percent off sale on jewelry.
HSH Interiors (7 Clement St.) has lined up sparkling cider, cookies, and a 10% discount on everything in stock.
The Golden Hour (12 Clement St.) vintage goods will have festive seasonal beverages, 15 percent off purchases shopwide, and a photo booth.
Tonlé (55 Clement St.) will have zero-waste holiday crafts and a 15 percent off discount.
Foggy Notion (124 Clement St.) is hosting a seventh-anniversary party with drinks from Salt Point and a raffle giveaway.
B*Star (127 Clement St.) will be offering soup shots.
The Spanish Table (130 Clement St.) is serving tapas and Spanish holiday delicacies.
Pretty Please Bakeshop (291 3rd Ave.), around the corner from the main action, is offering eggnog for shoppers and 20 percent off baked goods.
Kisha (210 Clement St.) boutique and clothing studio has a 15 percent off sale and free champagne.
Seedstore (212 Clement St.) is serving beer from Comrades Brewing, and hosting a Public Pet pop-up shop.
Park Life (220 Clement St.) will have snacks and drinks, as well as its regular array of art, books, and gifts for sale.
Tantrum (248 Clement St.), the children's toy shop, will have live music and a singalong, refreshments, and a snow machine.
Kinship (253 Clement St.), the salon and barber, will have hot cider and a 20 percent off sale.
Blue Danube (306 Clement St.) is offering free small coffees to perk up your holiday stroll.
Toy Boat Dessert Cafe (401 Clement St.) is offering $1 ice cream cones for children, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Yoga Tree (182 6th Ave.), for those forging off the beaten track, is offering a 20 percent discount on of retail purchases, as well as holiday refreshments.
Save My Seat (275 6th Ave.), the upholsterer and furnisher, is serving latkes from Wise Sons Deli.
Green Apple Books (506 Clement St.) will be offering free beer and gift wrapping.
Wee Scotty (609 Clement St.), the design and alterations salon, is hosting holiday refreshments, workshops, and a discount on dresses and sewing machines.
For more information on the ClemenTime event, visit its Facebook event page.


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Adidas will be partnering with Xbox to release a series of co-branded sneakers. Sources "familiar with the upcoming collaboration" passed this information onto the sneakerhead website Complex.
In addition to this, an Adidas document has revealed the first shoe, which is scheduled for release in April. It'll be a promo version of a new shoe called the Forum Tech Boost, and can be seen in the left photo below. Keep in mind, it's still work-in-progress. This will be followed by "two pairs" of Forum Mid basketball sneaker in October, and then in November, there'll be another Forum Tech shoe.
As also noted, dates are subject to change, and more Adidas x Xbox sneakers are expected to be released in 2022. This latest sneaker news follows Monday's announcement when it was revealed PlayStation would be teaming up with Nike to release PS5 shoes. Would you be interested in some Adidas x Xbox kicks? Drop a comment down below.


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Malaysia proposes hybrid merger regime as part of major competition law revamp
Malaysia’s Competition Commission has proposed long-awaited amendments to the country’s antitrust law, including introducing a hybrid merger notification regime with multiple sectoral carve-outs.
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Fiat has launched special edition versions of its 500 lineup of cars with an unusual partner: Google. The Fiat 500 Family Hey Google not only brings Google tech to the 500 city car, 500X crossover and 500L MPV, but special design elements and Google badges — the first time those have appeared on any car, Fiat claims
Of course, the 500 Family Hey Google cars include the latest version of Google Assistant, allowing you to use voice control for navigation and other normal functions. However, it’s also fitted with My Fiat Action and a telematics box, letting you remotely check settings using a smartphone or Google Nest Hub by saying “Hey Google, ask my Fiat…”
Those include things like fuel levels, tire pressure, whether your car is locked, switching on the emergency lights and more. You can also remotely monitor your car’s location or journeys and receive notifications in case of a possible theft or excess speeds. Special edition buyers can activate those services upon delivery and follow the procedures from Fiat.
Lots of other cars offer Google Assistant with various levels of integration, but what makes the 500 Hey Google editions stand out is the co-branding. All three models feature two-tone white and black color schemes along with Hey Google badges on the wheel arches and embroidered into the seats. The car’s center pillars are also adorned with Google’s primary-color “molecule” pattern.
The Fiat 500 Family Hey Google will be available exclusively in Europe in 10 countries — and only in the ICE versions, not the 500 EV. It’ll go on sale in Italy, the UK, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland starting at £16,005 ($22,000) for the 500 hatchback, and going up to £23,264 ($30,000) for the 148 horsepower 500X. All buyers will also get a welcome kit including a Google Nest hub and branded key cover. Fiat launched the new models at is own virtual launch event explaining the integration and partnership with Google. It’s 20-plus minutes long, but you can watch it below.


text: What's the one thing that Steve failed to mention earlier today? In regards to the new iPod Nano, it would seem that a hardware update would only logically be coupled with an increase in features. However, after digging through the tech specs of the new touchscreen Nano, it has been revealed that support for video playback (movies, TV shows...) has been removed. This may or may not come as a surprise to you, but what does this do to the iPod line for consumers and what will this do for Apple? As of the release next week, the iPods Touch and Classic will be the only to support video playback (a major deciding factor when purchasing a media player). From a consumer's point of view, this may eliminate the newest touchscreen device as a viable option, but from Apple's perspective, this shifts the focus to the far more expensive (and profitable) iPods Classic and Touch. This appears to be the first time that we have seen a new line of iPods where features have been withdrawn. A puzzling decision considering that the spotlight is on the new iPod Nano since it sports the most radical design changes. What do you think? Will this affect your purchasing decision if you are in the market for a new iPod? Or is the iPod Nano's new sleek and small finish enough to entice buyers?


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Twitter may soon allow users to buy things directly from tweets, as it closes in on a deal with payments startup Stripe to help accept credit card payments, a person familiar with the deal told Re/code.
To read more, click here.
—By Jason Del Rey and Mike Isaac, recode.net.
CNBC's parent NBC Universal is an investor in re/code's parent Revere Digital, and the companies have a content-sharing arrangement.
Google Photos helps users capture every single photo they shoot, USA Today reports.
Facebook's David Marcus said on Thursday that the company isn't trying to build a payment business through its messenger app.
Twitter's CEO, battered by a slumping stock price, says he and the board are "totally in sync."
Periscope has created some huge waves since launching. Now Android users are getting the chance to make waves, too.
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The MIA’s venue members are clearly not compromising on the quality of the food they are offering delegates at the expense of their own profit margins.
The MIA Poll question asked venues: With food prices rising rapidly and already recorded as being up by 20 per cent in the past year, have you been forced to reflect this increase in your daily delegate rates?
“The result is clearly good news for buyers,” says resident manager from the MIA’s first AIM Silver accredited venue Q Hotels – Norton Park.
“Currently we have been able to hold our prices. In order to remain competitive and to make sure buyers get competitive rates we cannot pass on every cost we get. While food is a major expense for us we are doing our very best to absorb the increased cost and maintain the high standard of our catering.”
MIA chief executive Jane Evans says: “The ethos of the MIA is to encourage members to always offer the very best value for money and the highest levels of service, clearly our members are continuing to ensure they do exactly that in spite of the current economic climate.”
Evans strongly recommends that buyers “seek out MIA accredited venues, recognised by the AIM brand they will be displaying, if they want to ensure great service and excellent value for money”


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The Reboot: Wii Want Rock Band
Electronic Arts plans to give Wii owners a chance to rock out. Rumors of a Wii version of EA/Harmonix’s popular video game Rock Band have been circulating for months. Now those rumors can be put to rest. The Orange Box is being split into three parts and Sony gives its Home a little spring cleaning. Those stories and more on this episode of The Reboot.


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Auto workers strike could shut down the Fairfax GM plant in Kansas City, Kansas, this week
General Motors says the strike that shut down the Wentzville plant near St. Louis means there may not be enough parts to assemble cars in Kansas City, Kansas.
The United Auto Workers strike that has shut down three plants across the country, including the General Motors plant in Wentzville, Missouri, could halt car assembly at the Fairfax GM plant in Kansas City, Kansas.
The Detroit News reported GM alerted workers last week to the possible shutdown at Fairfax. That plant could run out of parts this week because of the strike at Wentzville in suburban St. Louis.
“It is unfortunate that the UAW leadership’s decision to call a strike at Wentzville Assembly has already had a negative ripple effect, with GM’s Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas," the company said in a statement.
There are some 2,200 workers at the Fairfax Plant who make the Cadillac XT4 SUV and the Chevrolet Malibu, according to the company.
The other big auto plant in the metro, the Ford Assembly plant in Claycomo, is currently unaffected. It makes the Ford F-150 pickup truck and Transit and E-Transit vans and has 6,900 hourly workers.
About 13,000 UAW workers are striking at three plants in Michigan, Ohio and Missouri, targeting all three big automakers. The union wants a 40% pay boost over the next four years. The companies have countered with about half that.


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JD Williams, Simply Be and Jacamo owner N Brown Group today reported its profits had doubled in the first half of the financial year, compared to the same time last year.
The retail group says its strategic direction is now to focus on “profitable growth, rather than promotion-led sales”.
N Brown Group today reported group revenue of £346.8m in the half-year to August 28 2021. That’s 0.1% up on the same time last year. Pre-tax profits of £28.2m were double the £14.1m reported last time.
The digital-first retail group said its five strategic brands – which include JD Williams, ranked Top100 in RXUK Top500 research, and Top150 retailers Simply Be and Jacamo, alongside Ambrose Wilson and new brand Home Essentials – saw product revenue grow by 14.9%, while overall product revenue grew by 3.3%. Its legacy brands are currently going through a managed decline, as the retail group focuses on developing stronger brands, while offering credit. Total active customers fell by 5.7% which N Brown says is part of that decline, but orders per customer grew by 12.5% as shoppers bought more clothing and footwear from its strategic brands.
N Brown says it has has focused on improving the digital experience during the first half of the year, with improved customer checkouts and a new in-house studio for customised content. Shoppers now visit more often, with website sessions up by 11.2%, and and orders up by 6.4% on the same time last year.
Moves towards improving sustainability include membership of the better cotton initiative (BCI) with a plan to source 50% of cotton from certified routes by the end of the year. It also says that greenhouse gas emissions per item shipped are down by 42% compared to the base line, as it moves towards the target of a 35% reduction by the end of the year.
Steve Johnson, N Brown Group chief executive, says: “Over the last six months the consumer environment has been volatile. Nevertheless, momentum has continued throughout the business, with customers responding well to our improved product ranges; particularly across our five strategic brands. This is testament to the restructuring work we have done across the Group and the investments we are beginning to make to support our refreshed strategy. None of this would be possible without the talent, drive and commitment of our team, who have responded incredibly to the uncertainties we face.
“Our mission is to be the most inclusive retailer in the UK, across both fashion and home. We’re excited to see new brand partnerships resonating with both existing and new customers, bringing this mission to life, including Amanda Holden and Davina McCall on JD Williams, and Frankie Bridge and Nicki Bamford-Bowes on Home Essentials.
“We continue to deliver on our plan and are feeling well prepared for peak trading. EBITDA remains in-line with our expectations, and we are looking forward to exciting our customers with our new ranges as we head towards the Christmas peak. However, we do so with the backdrop of continued uncertainty around consumer confidence.”
Looking ahead, the retail group now expects product revenue to grow by between 1% and 4%, and for group revenue to be flat in its 2022 full year. Adjusted earnings are expected to come in between £93m and £100m.


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MakeUp in Seoul promises to be a major international event
In a fortnight MakeUp in Seoul will open its doors at the Conrad Hotel. A second edition, which is perfectly in line with the dynamics of the other French, North and South American editions of the MakeUp In’s… Two weeks before the opening, the number of pre-registered visitors is already higher than the number recorded a year to date, and feedbacks from the sector show that the event is highly anticipated not to say praised by professionals.
“And what’s interesting,” notes Jean-Yves Bourgeois “is the frenzy around MakeUp in Seoul not only coming from Asian brands, but also, and especially, from large international brands. We cannot give away too much, but I can assure you that exhibitors who chose to take part in this second edition will not regret it. Alongside the cream of Korean brands most major international brands will also be there. Appointments are already set…”.
The place to be
MakeUp in Seoul is on track to achieve its goal: “Be the privileged place of the Asian make-up industry!” And undoubtedly, the Korean industry largely contributed to this craze. Its dynamism in the past ten years is simply remarkable: Be it in the field of colour cosmetics but also, of course, in that of skincare, Korean companies are particularly innovative. “This is obviously one of the reasons why Seoul was the right choice to make to organize our event!”.
Top conferences and animations!
Because MakeUp in Seoul is not simply an exhibition area. It is also a fantastic place propitious to exchanges and stimulations. “We pay particularly close attention to the quality of conferences and events,” explains Sandra Maguarian. And this year, visitors will be in for a treat.” All topics are of timely interest. Several speakers will be coming from far away to enrich the debates. Retour ligne automatique
Exclusive, formulations, packagings and accessories!
With a 30% increase in the number of exhibitors compared to last year, MakeUp in Seoul has settled for good and durably as one of the leading events dedicated to the Asian Beauty industry.


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Trending - ESPN Playbook
Print without images
Friday, May 4, 2012
'Madden NFL 13' presentation video
By Jon Robinson
Last week, we
brought you the first preview
of “Madden NFL 13,” complete with details on the franchise’s new gameplay and presentation features.
Today, we have a video, hosted by ESPN’s own Mark Schlereth, to help show off some of those new presentation elements, from the new cameras and motion blur to the broadcast-inspired 3-D intro.
All you have to do is hit play to see what’s in store when “Madden 13” hits shelves August 28.


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A new report from investment banker Raymond James singles out a handful of companies that it says are taking the right steps to profit from the current interest in CBD or cannabidiol, the cannabis compound now legal both in Canada and the United States which is finding its way into a range of consumer products.
Cannabis companies may be in a funk but the public interest in all things CBD couldn’t be higher. The non-intoxicating cousin to the psychedelic THC compound in marijuana is being touted for its supposed benefits for a range of issues from epilepsy, pain management and insomnia to anxiety and depression, acne and heart disease. And while some clinical studies have been conducted on CBD’s potential benefits, clinical investigation is still in its early stages.
That lack of scientific rigour may not stopping your local coffee house from putting CBD-infused drinks on its menu or your pet store from hawking CBD therapies for depressed dogs but it will definitely hamper the fortunes of cannabis companies looking to make it big on CBD.
So says Raymond James in an industry brief which claims that the real commercial opportunity for CBD “is in producing pure GMP-quality molecules consistently and investigating their effects rigorously.”
Raymond James analyst Rahul Sarugaser writes that after attending the US FDA’s public hearing on products containing cannabinoids earlier this year and learning about how the agency plans to approach the regulation of CBD, he believes that the FDA’s new framework will “centre on quality manufacturing and clear evidence of safety.”
“We expect that the FDA’s new framework would require the bar to be raised on CBD-based products’ manufacturing quality, and that health claims around CBD-based products would only be allowed among products that have been evaluated through clinical trials. The agency has issued several warning letters to cannabis companies that had been advertising CBD products using unsupported health claims, including one of the U.S. largest multi-state operators, CuraLeaf, which resulted in its products being removed from the shelves of CVS pharmacies nationwide,” he writes.
As a result, Raymond James posits two keys to unlocking the long-term opportunity of CBD, viz., the establishment of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) accredited operations, and the execution of well-designed and controlled (‘gold-standard’) clinical trials. And on those fronts, Raymond James points to five companies that it thinks are currently following these paths.
• Toronto-headquartered medical cannabis company Avicanna (Avicanna Stock Quote, Chart News TSX:AVCN), which Sarugaser says has a pipeline of cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical formulations in preparation for Health Canada-registered trials
• Botanix Pharmaceuticals (Botanix Pharmaceuticals Stock Quote, Chart, News ASX:BOT) out of Perth Australia, which currently has several active FDA-registered clinical trials with its research focused on dermatological conditions
• Cardiol Therapeutics (Cardiol Therapeutics Stock Quote, Chart, News TSX:CRDL), which is developing CBD therapies for heart disease
• GW Pharmaceuticals (GW Pharmaceuticals Stock Quote, Chart, News NASDAQ:GWPH), which has a 20-year tenure in cannabis clinical science and, aside from its two drugs currently approved for marketing in multiple indications (Sativex and Epidiolex) has developed a GMP-certified manufacturing protocol cultivation, extraction, separation, and formulation of cannabinoid-containing drugs, Sarugaser notes
• Massachusetts-based Kalytera Therapeutics (Kalytera Therapeutics Stock Quote, Chart, News CSE:KLY) which is in FDA-registered clinical trials on CBD for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease in the context of blood cancer therapy.
“As cannabis shifts from its current status as a quasi-cottage industry and toward being subsumed by (or aligning with) a set of mature global sectors such as CPG and Pharma, our thesis posits that empowering technologies will be key drivers of success,” Sarugaser says.
“Companies that embrace engineering principles — particularly industrial and manufacturing engineering principles — invest in intellectual property, and leverage foundational scientific data, we believe, will be long-term winners in the greater cannabis space,” he adds.
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DETROIT (Reuters) - U.S. auto sales will probably decline slightly for December as consumers keep snubbing sedans despite record consumer discounts, industry consultancies J.D. Power and LMC Automotive said on Thursday in a forecast that highlights the pressure on Detroit automakers.
While U.S. auto sales for all of 2016 could eke out a record, Power and LMC forecast manufacturers’ discounts offered to close sales would hit a record high of more than $4,000 per vehicle in December. The consultancies estimated sales at 17.5 million vehicles on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis this month, flat with a year ago.
Detroit automakers are moving to cut production of certain vehicles, particularly small and mid-sized sedans, as they concede that the market is hitting a plateau where the cost of pushing additional sales in of certain cars outweighs the potential profit.
General Motors Co GM.N plans to lay off 3,300 workers indefinitely at three U.S. car factories.
Ford Motor Co F.N and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV FCHA.MIFCAU.N have ordered temporary cutbacks at several factories. Fiat will extend a Christmas shutdown by one week at the Windsor, Ontario, plant that builds its new Pacifica minivan and at a Brampton, Ontario, factory that assembles Chrysler 300 and Dodge Challenger sedans.
The speed that U.S. consumers, emboldened by cheap gasoline, have turned their backs on small cars to embrace larger sport utility vehicles and pickups has caught Detroit automakers flatfooted.
Light trucks, including SUVs, have surged to 59 percent of the total U.S. light vehicle market for the first 11 months of 2016, compared with 52 percent in the comparable 2014 period. That tilt has forced cutbacks at factories dedicated solely to car production when oil prices were high, such as GM’s Lordstown, Ohio, plant, which will lay off workers on its third production shift next month.
How close automakers come to beating a full-year sales record will depend on both consumer demand and the companies’ decisions on how many vehicles they sell to rental car fleets.
In 2015, U.S. sales totaled 17.39 million vehicles, according to WardsAuto, and 17.47 million, according to Autodata. The two consultancies differ on the number of large trucks they include in the “light vehicle” sales figures they report.
In a separate forecast, TrueCar Inc's TRUE.O ALG automotive consultancy said December sales would fall 2.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 17.41 million vehicles.
Reporting by Bernie Woodall and Joseph White; Editing by Frances Kerry and Lisa Von Ahn
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Piraeus Port Authority and Piraeus Container Terminal, part of Cosco Pacific, announced that it has signed a revised investment agreement, under which Cosco Pacific will invest a further €230m into the Greek port. The plan has already been approved by the port shareholders.
The investment plan will increase the annual capacity of the port’s piers II and III to 6.2m TEU from the current 3.7m TEU. In addition, Cosco Pacific plans to develop an oil product facility at the port.
“A significant development project worth €230m was signed today with the concession agreement, making Piraeus, one of the most modern and biggest freight ports in Europe,” said Giorgos Anomeritis, President and Managing Director of Piraeus Port Authority.
The world's largest collection of global supply chain intelligence


text:
Southwest Leader Industrial Officer Ryan Inexperienced presented a “private apology” to consumers who had shuttle disrupted through ongoing cancellations through the airline.
In a video posted to Southwest’s site Wednesday, Inexperienced stated the corporate would “paintings day and night time to fix our dating” with affected vacationers. Hundreds of flights have been canceled through the airline this week, together with an extra 2,300 on Thursday, consistent with FlightAware.
“ through now all of the flexibility and making plans that we installed position to take care of the hurricane simply wasn’t sufficient,” Inexperienced stated, referencing serious iciness climate that impacted a lot of the USA within the ultimate week.
Inexperienced famous consumers must now have extra flexibility to switch or reschedule flights on-line, publish knowledge to obtain misplaced baggage without charge to them, or publish receipts for shuttle bills incurred because of disrupted shuttle.
Hundreds of shoppers had been stranded and separated from their baggage because of the flight cancellations.
On Tuesday, Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) referred to as at the airline to compensate consumers no longer only for the price of such things as canceled flights, accommodations, foods and transportation, but additionally for “disruption to their vacation plans.” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated his place of business would “mount an ordinary effort” to verify Southwest compensated affected passengers.
On Monday, the Division of Transportation tweeted it used to be “involved” about Southwest’s movements and would examine the location.
Inexperienced’s isn’t the one apology to have come from Southwest. On Dec. 24, Southwest issued a press unlock about “unacceptable” shuttle disruptions, noting “our heartfelt apologies for this are simply starting.”


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February 1, 2023
Reports last year that Tesla’s driver-assistance technology was being investigated by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) have been confirmed by the EV manufacturer.
The probe was acknowledged by Tesla in a submission made to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). An SEC filing is a formal document that contains financial information about a company that enables investors to review its activities.
On a form known as 10-K and dated Jan. 30, 2023, Tesla says: “The company has received requests from the DOJ for documents related to Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD [Full Self Driving] features. To our knowledge no government agency in any ongoing investigation has concluded that any wrongdoing occurred.”
The statement constitutes the first public admission by Tesla that Autopilot and Full Self Driving are being looked at by the DOJ, after months of intense media scrutiny of both their capabilities and how they are being marketed.
Autopilot and FSD can assist with steering, braking and even lane changes, but they do not make Teslas fully autonomous and cars running the tech require drivers’ full attention.
There has been growing concern, though, that the systems’ names and mixed messages from Tesla are encouraging complacency by giving drivers a false sense of security.
One example is a page on the Tesla website which warns “Current Autopilot features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous,” but also carries a video of a Tesla in operation with a caption: “The person in the driver’s seat is only there for legal reasons. He is not doing anything. The car is driving itself.”
Such potentially confusing messaging has sparked plenty of criticism and now some authorities have stepped into the debate, with the state of California actually banning the company from marketing its software as Full Self Driving.
At the same time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been looking into how the tech performs, with several fatal crashes involving Teslas being probed, as well as an investigation into a series of collisions with first responder vehicles being escalated.
However, October’s report that DOJ prosecutors in Washington and San Francisco were aiming to establish if Tesla “misled consumers, investors and regulators, by making unsupported claims about its driver assistance technology’s capabilities” – and possibly considering criminal charges – took matters to a new level.
Tesla’s SEC filing recognizes the seriousness of this and the potential consequences, saying: “We cannot predict the outcome or impact of any ongoing matters. Should the government decide to pursue an enforcement action, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on our business, results of operation, prospects, cash flows and financial position.”
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