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Toyota Kirloskar Motor will raise prices of all its models by three percent, effective January, 2018. This rise is thanks to increasing input and freight costs. So far, Skoda and Isuzu have also implemented a similar hike. Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra had also indicated that they might revise prices as part of a cyclical revision.
The month of December has seen carmakers advertise deals and discounts to lure buyers. Toyota is currently offering benefits of up to ₹90,000, loans at a low interest rate of 4.99 percent, 100 percent on-road financing and special EMI packages under its ‘Remember December Campaign’.
This offer is only valid till the end of this month.


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Nature’s Fusions is situated to disrupt the hemp market in the best possible way. Many people were impacted by COVID-19, including retailers, consumers, and suppliers. Trying to make the best out of an unfortunate situation, Nature’s Fusions is cutting their hemp product pricing in half.
Everyone Should Be Able to Afford Hemp
“We believe this new product pricing is going to be earth shaking,” Mike Peterson, VP of Marketing and Sales at Nature’s Fusions, said. “The world needs products based on real costs, and the price of hemp has dropped dramatically. We want to make our hemp products available to everybody.”
Nature’s Fusions is a Christian, family-owned business run by Lori Peterson and two of her sons – CJ and Matt. All of Nature’s Fusions products are cruelty free, vegan and non-GMO. The company began as a family business, so they treat everyone like family, which includes backing everything they sell, including hemp, with a lifetime money back guarantee. Anyone can return any product for any reason, forever.
Nature’s Fusions began producing hemp products after the U.S. Farm Bill was passed late in 2018. They offer Hemp Extract in water-soluble and regular oil tinctures, topicals, and pet tinctures.
Prices Will Be Cut in Half
The company prices all of their products with the belief that everyone, regardless of their situation, should be able to afford a natural alternative, and they work to keep that mantra. Right now, their pricing for a 500mg Hemp Extract oil tincture (500mg of active cannabinoids) retails for $29.97. Their new pricing will bring that price down to $10 retail. More people will now be able to afford these products. Nature’s Fusions is hopeful that the change will allow stores to retail hemp outside of a locked cabinet or behind-counter display.
“Many stores have been shut down for months,” Peterson said. “We hope this announcement will help with their reopening, as well as help those who have been out of work and wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford the product.”
In addition to hemp products, Nature’s Fusions also manufacturers hand sanitizer, pure essential oils, essential oil blends, essential oil topicals, and carrier oils.
USA Sourced & Manufactured
The new pricing begins July 15, 2020. All of Nature’s Fusions hemp products are USA manufactured with all ingredients also sourced in the USA.
“We are excited to bring our products to the market and help retail stores, current customers, future customers, and pet owners, all across the board. ” Peterson said.
Tel.: 801-872-9500 ext. 1

domain: news


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Authorities at Beijing’s Palace Museum are planning to sell tickets online in an effort to reduce long queues of visitors standing outside ticket counters for hours, a media report said on Monday.
As means of tackling complications resulting from the crowds of spectators, Shan Jixiang, head of the Palace Museum, revealed that the museum has planed to shut ticket counters and replace them with online ticketing, China.org reported.
More ticket channels, such as online booking and two dimensional codes for cell phone users, have been developed in response to increasing number of visitors.
However, experts warn that shutting down ticket counters and substituting them with a digitalised system may deprive access for people above mid-age to the museum.
“Even though we’re opening more online channels for visitors to book tickets, I don’t think we should have closed all the ticket windows considering those people who aren’t accustomed to the online system,” said Liu Simin, deputy director of Beijing Tourism Industry Association.
According to Liu, the tourism industry in China is very diverse. Many people do not arrange their trips scrupulously in advance. The complete digitalisation of the ticket system is unfair to those people.
The museum has set a limit of daily visitors to 80,000.
The Palace Museum is housed in the Forbidden City, the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It holds a total of 1,807,558 artefacts.


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Did you know the European Union’s Food & Beverage (F&B) market is worth EUR 1,192 billion, and that it employs over 23 million people in its food supply chain?
On the 22nd and 23rd October 2020, EuroCham, in partnership with the ADW, the GIZ Global Business Network (GBN) program, and the Import Promotion Desk (IPD) program hosted a 2-day training titled “Get ready for the EU market – the opportunities & requirements”. The event focused on the export of natural ingredients, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics – and how Cambodian companies could begin to unlock the EU market.
We were excited to welcome some of Cambodia’s leading exporters to the training. Participants were taught the scale of the EU F&B market, the opportunities and challenges it presents, and had a chance to ask questions directly to an expert on EU Import Promotion from the IPD program.
Is your company working on natural ingredients, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, and wanting to learn more about export opportunities to the EU? If so please send an email to [email protected] with the email subject: EU Export Opportunities Enquiry.


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Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 26
Ahead of Diwali, prices of sweetmeats have increased up to 20 per cent in comparison to the last year, during the festive season. Items prepared with ‘desi ghee’, including patisa (now Rs560, last Diwali Rs500), pinni (now Rs580, last year Rs520) and kaju katli (now Rs840, last Diwali Rs800) have witnessed considerable rise.
Sushil Bansal, owner of a leading sweet shop, said, “Escalation in prices of traditional sweets is happening as rates of most of the ingredients are on the higher side.”
Most ingredients, including cereals, pulses, ghee and dry fruits, have registered increase in their prices.
“Customers are back in the market. Despite increase in prices of sweets, they are still less expensive in comparison to dry fruits and fresh fruits. Any good variety of fruit is available above Rs150 and one gives at least four to five kg during Diwali. One kg of dry fruits costs more than Rs800,” he said. Harish Kumar, owner of another sweetmeat shop, said customers understand the reason behind hike in prices of sweets.
He said prices of only those items in which cereals, pulses and dry fruits, are extensively used have been increased while there’s negligible increase in the rates of khoya-based products.
Anil Mahajan, who prepares traditional delicacies, said he was selling majority of the items between Rs180 and Rs220 per kg. He said orders were yet to pick up in the walled city area and added that sales begin a day or two before Diwali.
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The Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) has named Genecis Envirotech as the winner of its Social Enterprise Pitch competition.
Genecis Envirotech, which won the competition over four other Ontario-based companies, converts organic waste into biodegradable plastics. Pitches were required to demonstrate the measurable social impact of their products across industries like cleantech, education, and health.
“The Social Enterprise Pitch Competition is an amazing platform to showcase our province’s very best social entrepreneurs and their innovative, creative ideas,” said Steven Del Duca, Minister of Economic Development and Growth. “Together, we can all look forward to seeing their companies grow— making a positive and meaningful impact for communities across Ontario and the world.”
The award package is valued at $20,000, including $10,000 from Ministry of Economic Development and Growth and a $10,000 legal services package from Norton Rose Fulbright.
“Based on exhibits seen on the show floor in this year’s Social Enterprise Zone and during the Pitch Competition, the future of innovation in Ontario’s social enterprise and environmental sector in good hands,” said Dr. Tom Corr, president and CEO of the OCE. “I would like to congratulate Genecis EnviroTech on their win and wish them the best of luck as their company grows, bringing their ideas to life and to the marketplace.”


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Latest Sparkling wine Stories
NEW YORK, March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- 5W Public Relations, one of the 25 largest PR firms in the U.S., today announced the addition of VOGA Wines to its roster of food and beverage clients.
Twin Pomegranates Wine is a bubbly and incredibly sexy wine for your Valentine Fresno, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) February 11, 2011 Twin Pomegranates Wine, a Fresno wine company, makes a 100% Pomegranate Sparkling Wine.
FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb.
HOBOKEN, N.J., Jan. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Looking ahead to the warmer days of spring and summer is a favorite pastime of those who are rain-drenched or snowbound across the U.S.
Scientists in France are reporting that pouring bubbly in an angled, down-the-side way is best for preserving champagne's taste and fizz.
NARBONNE, France, Dec.
Twin Pomegranates Wine combines their 100% Pomegranate Table Wine with Edna Valley Chardonnay to create a unique blend. Fresno, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) December 08, 2010 Twin Pomegranates Wine has released a Pomegranate Chardonnay Blend, a new one of a kind wine.
SANTO STEFANO BELBO, Italy, Dec.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 6, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Wine.com, the nation's number one online wine retailer, today released its fourth annual Top 100. The Wine.com 100 reflects the top one percent of wine sold nationally on its site during 2010.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 29, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonoma Magazine stopped by the Sonoma location of the Bay Area chain Wine Hardware to vet 2010's new line of wine accessories for their Holiday edition. Stocking stuffing superabundance was what they found.
- totally perplexed and mixed up.


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Kids love toys. Kids like playing with computers. With those simple concepts in mind, a Silicon Valley start-up has invented a complicated technology for toddlers' toys.
High-tech toy and entertainment company Zowie Intertainment on Monday released a line of toys that harness the power of the average PC.
Kids don't simply sit slack-jawed in front of a computer screen. These toys are embedded with antennae that allow their owners to direct action onscreen when they move the toy characters around with their hands.
"Kids are getting more sophisticated," said Sean McGowan, an industry analyst at Gerard, Klauer, Mattison. "It's not just enough to have point and click anymore."
A mouse isn't even an option for the three Zowie PlayZones: Ellie's Enchanted Garden, Muppets from Space, and Redbeard's Pirate Quest.
The main component of Redbeard's Pirate Quest, for example, is a plastic pirate ship. It looks like any other toy ship with a cannon, captain's wheel, gang plank, hidden hatch, and even a spotting telescope. A careful observer might notice the one distinct feature on the toy, a cable tethering it to the serial port of a computer.
Kids boot up, pop in the accompanying CD-ROM, attach the cable from the ship to the computer, and start on a high-seas adventure with the game's miniature crew.
Sensing movement on the ship, the tracking technology kicks into gear. The toy figures come to life onscreen. When the child adjusts the ship's toy telescope, the scenery onscreen changes. After shooting the toy cannon, the enemy ship onscreen might sink. With a turn of the ship's steering wheel a child navigates the physical ship across the virtual high seas. "We think we have a brand new interface for the PC," said Amy Francetic, vice president of product development at Zowie. "The toys seamlessly blend the physical toy world with the computer world. But to kids, it's just one big world, one big experience."
The ship's embedded antennae function as an advanced tracking system on a very small scale.
"This allows us to make toys that are very much like classic toys and lets the kids play with them in a natural way," said Francetic.
Creating the advanced technology so that kids can play naturally required years of research.
Initially funded by Paul Allen of Microsoft and his research partner David Liddle, Zowie sprung from the high-tech think tank Interval Research, where computer scientists and toy designers began collaborating in 1995.
The proprietary sensing and recognition technology soon attracted hard-hitting industry folks, and the company was joined by Pong creator Al Alcorn, executives from Hasbro, and Philippe Piernot from Stanford University's Knowledge Systems Laboratory. Alcorn is Zowie's technology futurist and Piernot is the chief technology officer.
"A lot of the technology for kids' toys has been very low-tech," said Francetic. "We tried to pull experts from serious industries."
Zowie hopes to set an industry standard for future toymakers and produce a new generation of interactive play.
Forrester Research estimates that networked toys like Zowie PlayZones will generate US$1.9 billion by the year 2002. It includes toys that plug into a PC, stand alone, use a transmitter, or even use the computer for Internet downloads.
Children born after the dawn of videogames may not think twice about the cost of new technology. But their parents – bred on hopscotch instead of hard drives – definitely take note.
"I sort of like your classic old toys," said 34-year-old Monica Kirsch, a mother who occasionally uses computer games and educational software with her 5-year-old daughter. "Plus, we don't usually go out and buy a $50 toy. If toys are going to cost that much, I guess we won't have many of them."


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On November 2nd, the streets of Beijing were treated to an unseasonal snow storm - one that lasted for 11 hours, blanketing the entire city with 16 million tons of snow and causing road and air traffic to come to a complete standstill, for hours.
Kids News - Current Events
Ever since Apple introduced the iPhone, there have been thousands of applications developed for it, ranging from games to maps to even creating instant art. Now computer scientists in Germany have written an application that turns the iPhone into a remote control for the car!
If you thought that automated 'Wallace and Gromit' like breakfast contraptions only happen in movies, thing again. Two young Japanese inventors have brought the fantasy to life, by creating a similar device that they recently demonstrated at the Platform 21 Design Center in Amsterdam.
A new kind of shoe that closely resembles a glove or five-toed 'sock' has become the latest sensation among athletes all over the world. Dubbed 'Five Fingers', the shoe is designed by Italian company, Vibram, who originally developed it for kayakers, yoga fans and sailors.


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Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s Chief Executive, published this call to action in the Washington Post last week:
I believe we need a more active role for governments and regulators. By updating the rules for the Internet, we can preserve what’s best about it — the freedom for people to express themselves and for entrepreneurs to build new things — while also protecting society from broader harms.
While his op-ed was met with a healthy dose of scepticism about Facebook’s underlying commercial incentives, Zuckerberg made several sensible proposals – such as transparency reports that detail what companies are doing to identify and remove harmful content – that merit public debate and discussion.
Today, with the same intention of balancing innovation, freedom of expression and protection, the UK Government published a White Paper setting out its approach to tackle serious and clearly defined online harms, like terrorist activity and child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). Its central proposal is to create a new independent regulator to enforce a statutory duty of care for companies to keep their users safe online.
We think it is a well-considered and sensible approach, and one that responds to the real and appropriate public concerns about the power and conduct of tech companies, and how technology is shaping how we behave and interact with one another.
The merits of a duty of care, and the resulting sanctions for companies and individuals, will be widely debated over the coming weeks and months. So here, we offer reflections on how embedding behavioural insights into the design of the regulatory regime can shift how users behave online, as well as help incentivise Facebook and other companies to make their platforms as safe as possible.
The new regulator should use their enforcement powers in a way that targets brand and reputation. The White Paper proposes that the regulator has powers to gather information on what companies are doing, for example to identify and remove disinformation on their platforms. It is just as important, however, to think carefully about how and when to reflect that information back to companies and users to shift behaviour. For example, rather than simply putting transparency reports online on the regulator’s website, they should be used to rate and rank companies: which websites are safe for children, more appropriate for adults, or those in which many adults might feel uncomfortable or want to exercise a greater degree of caution? Or that information could be given directly to advertisers so that they can make choices about the volume and type of harmful content that their brand is being seen alongside. For Facebook and other tech companies, their public brand and reputation are amongst their most precious assets – the regulator should use the information it gathers to target these, creating more direct commercial incentives for companies to act to address online harms.
The new regulator should use behavioural insights to help citizens understand and engage with the duty of care. While we agree with the ambition of ‘citizens who understand the risks of online activity, challenge unacceptable behaviours and know how to access help’, it’s important to note that this level of consumer engagement hasn’t happened organically in other markets (see for example the issue of the Loyalty Penalty in essential services markets). Realising this vision requires attention and careful design on the part of the regulator. Simply explaining the duty of care in terms and conditions is unlikely to cut it. For example, companies could be required to prompt users with small chunks of information about the duty of care when they encounter triggers. It’s also essential that the complaint mechanisms are truly low friction and consistent across platforms, and that companies are judged not just on response time but how satisfactorily they resolve the complaint.
The new regulator, in partnership with companies, should create a place for people to negotiate with each other to reach a collective view on what constitutes harmful content and behaviours and what to do about it. We are encouraged to see that the regulator will have a responsibility to consider the views of users. It’s not a trivial matter to consider exactly how to engage users more deeply in the deliberation and discussion about how to navigate the grey areas of online harms, especially for harms that aren’t clearly defined. It is important that citizens are able to play a part in shaping these definitions and rules: it is their lives and relationships that are the matter being discussed.
Realistically, everyone can’t spend their lives debating the rules for our online world. But it is possible to build in deliberative mechanisms that take representative samples of users, immerse them in the issues for a couple of days, and ask them to give a view on behalf of the community.
There is more that can be done alongside regulation to change the behaviour of companies and users. We’ve been working on a new report on the behavioural science of online harm and manipulation, which explores the nudges and behavioural solutions that can, and should, sit alongside the regulatory powers set out in the White Paper.


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OnePlus 3T to get its official reveal on Tuesday, November 15
One day after Qualcomm confirmed that its Snapdragon 821 processor would be in the next smartphone from OnePlus, the company has issued its own Twitter teaser. It says that its new phone will be officially revealed on Tuesday, November 15 at 1 p.m. Eastern time.
T-7: The @Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (2.35GHz) is coming your way. Find out more on November 15. pic.twitter.com/fA8mUTYAjd— OnePlus (@oneplus) November 8, 2016
The phone is already the subject of a lot of rumors, including its name. Most reports claim it will be called the OnePlus 3T, and today’s Twitter post would seem to confirm that with its “T-7” statement. Other rumors about the phone include it having an upgraded Sony IMX395 sensor for its camera, 6GB of RAM and Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.
While the phone itself may be revealed in just one week, it’s more than possible that it might not go on sale until sometime in December, again according to unconfirmed reports. Pricing for the new OnePlus phone could also be higher than the current OnePlus 3 by as much as $80. Thankfully, all this speculation and rumor will soon come to an end. In the meantime, are you excited about the prospect of an upgraded version of the OnePlus 3.


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With the advent of a new year, many will reevaluate their fitness goals after a fun festive season. And with each new year comes a new wave of fitness craze.
Some will continue to stand the test of time, while others will become a distant memory (remember the kangaroo fit?), but if you’re looking to try something new in 2023, here are the fitness trends we hope you see a lot of.
The 12-3-30 Method
TikTok users are likely familiar with the 12-3-30 workout phenomenon that dominated the video-sharing app in 2022. The premise of the treadmill-based workout is simple – walk for 30 minutes on a 12-degree incline and at a speed of three mph (5 km/h). ).
When included regularly in your daily routine, the 12-3-30 method can be an effective aerobic exercise that burns fat and strengthens your legs. And the best part is, you only need access to a treadmill, which is why it’s so popular on TikTok.
Many users have reported benefits from using this method regularly, including increased physical fitness, improved mental health and weight loss when combined with a balanced diet.
UK-based personal trainer Laura Eaton says, “Walking is a great cardiovascular activity, and adding the incline will help get your heart rate up – improving your cardiovascular health and endurance.”
“This exercise is also much gentler on the joints than jogging or jogging, making it an excellent choice for different age groups and fitness levels.”
With people’s lives picking up full gear in the post-pandemic world, it’s more important than ever to get your workout in as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Kourtney Kardashian’s trainer Lindsey Harrod recently revealed a “super effective” nine-minute daily workout routine that she swears by, which can be done at home without any equipment. Elsewhere, Nike Training Club recently partnered with Netflix to offer a series of workout videos on the streaming platform, with 10-, 20-, and 30-minute options available.
“Whether you prefer or can only do shorter workouts, cardio, HIIT workouts, or circuit weight training that keeps your heart rate up will help you get the most out of your workouts,” says Beth Brotherton, personal trainer at PureGym. .
“For those who prefer traditional weight training, I recommend prioritizing compound moves like deadlifts and squats, as these moves recruit more muscle and burn more calories than isolated exercises.”
Ssoft Challenge 75
You may have heard of the 75 Hard Challenge, a fitness program designed to push participants to their limits by participating in grueling workouts for 75 days.
But to combat this, the 75 Soft Challenge is gaining momentum, with Google searches up 124% year-over-year.
Participants in the 75 Soft Challenge follow four daily rules – eat well and drink only on social occasions, exercise 45 minutes a day with one rest day a week, drink three liters of water every day and read 10 pages of a book per day. .
The challenge aims to build viable actions that realistically promote physical and mental health that can continue long after the challenge ends.
TikTok is full of people sharing their experiences of the challenge, with over 180 million views via the hashtag.
Fitness in the Metaverse
In the past year, the metaverse has expanded by leaps and bounds, with more and more elements of everyday life becoming reality in the virtual universe. And fitness was no different, as Dubai was a pioneer in this field, creating the first Metaverse health and fitness game, FitnessVR, powered by the Scorpio Metaverse Engine.
Users can participate in various sports and fitness activities, from esports competitions to health and wellness conferences, as well as purchase NFTs to enhance their experience.
Elsewhere, VR is being used by fitness companies like Les Mills, which has included Oculus Quest headsets in its boxing and HIIT classes.
In 2021, 202 million people around the world were using smartwatches, according to Statista, an expert in market and consumer data. Statista expects that number to grow to around 231 users by 2026.
And with more people tracking their health stats than ever before, many companies are experimenting with wearable technology over games to attract new users and keep people engaged.
Gamification includes setting daily fitness tasks and challenges for users, offering rewards when completed, and showing users global leaderboards.
Apps like PlayFitt allow users to track movements like steps, squats or push-ups and earn instant rewards when they reach their goals, while WaterMinder allows people to track their daily intake and send them reminders when it’s time for a drink.
This year, this trend is expected to grow even more, with more apps paired with smartphones to track and offer rewards in all aspects of health and movement, including women’s health.
In September, it launched the Apple Watch Series 8 Apple Watch with new technology that provides greater sleep tracking and analysis and allows women to track their fertility and ovulation with a basal temperature monitor.


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Cybersec Asia: Running Smart Cities on IoT: Time to uproot lax security
IoT devices present danger before, during, and after deployment, and the proliferation of this technology is now a cause for concern from the cybersecurity point of view. Read what Executive Director Andrew Shikiar has to say on security challenges in this contributed piece in Cybersec Asia.
MORE FIDO in the News
Biometric Update: FIDO Alliance gains momentum, certifies 688 authentication products in 2019
FIDO Allia...十二月 19, 2019
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China Resources opens first MIXC mall in Shanghai
China Resources Land Ltd, the flagship real estate arm of China Resources Group, opened its first MIXC Mall in Shanghai over the weekend in Minhang District, as the state-owned conglomerate taps into the city’s highly competitive medium- to high-end retail market amid robust demand in southwestern Shanghai.
On Wuzhong Road, above Ziten Road Station on Metro Line 10, the 240,000 square meter mall is part of a 530,000 square meter complex that includes premium offices and hotels as well as the Shanghai Metro Museum. A joint development between CRL and Shanghai Shentong Metro Group, operator of the city’s metro lines, it is China’s 14th MIXC.
With occupancy exceeding 90 percent at its opening, the mall includes more than 100 domestic and foreign fashion brands , more than 80 food and beverage outlets, a 4,000 square meter Ole’ supermarket, a 2,000 square meter Yan Ji You book store, an ice-skating rink and a Palace Cinema.
Retail rents continued to rebound in Shanghai at a moderate rate in both prime and decentralized areas in the second quarter as sentiment improved from 2016, along with a rebound in sales for many brands, according to an earlier report released by international property firm JLL.
Between April and June, when four new projects were launched with a combined gross floor area of 368,000 square meters, open-market ground floor base rents increased 2.1 percent quarter on quarter to 52.6 yuan (US$8) per square meter a day in the prime market.
In decentralized areas, rents rose 1.8 percent from the first quarter to 21.1 yuan per square meter a day. Year-on-year, that marked a growth of 3.2 percent and 4.2 percent, respectively, according to JLL data.


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Are electric vehicles (EVs) necessarily environmentally friendly? For this to be the case, the electricity used to power them must be generated from 'clean' sources. Moreover, if such vehicles are going to be 'green' right to the end, then all the auto parts will have to be recycled as well, including the battery! Now a new initiative by Nissan in this field could serve as an inspiration to other automobile manufacturers. The idea is to re-use the EV batteries to power public lighting.
The stated aim of the project, launched at the end of last month in the town of Namie in Japan's Fukushima Prefecture, which was profoundly impacted by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster of 2011, is to make roads safer for both motorists and pedestrians. Under the name of Reborn Light, the installation also has a consciously artistic purpose.
The major asset of batteries originally designed for electric cars is their ability to function independently of the electric power grid. They will be used in emergency situations or in remote areas. They can also serve to store electricity purchased at a low price outside peak hours.
This innovative approach may be used to complement other ways of lighting streets and roads in an optimal manner and at lower cost. For instance, in Las Vegas kinetic energy produced by the footsteps of passing pedestrians is now being used to supplement solar power in lighting up street lamp-posts, while the UK has been testing a system of using magnetic fields created by vibrations from the road to recharge electric vehicles.
By Sophia Qadiri


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Reuters reports that aerospace and defence companies will be aiming to tackle urgent supply bottlenecks at this week’s Paris Airshow, as they grapple with operating in a “war economy”.
The world’s largest aviation trade show, which alternates with Farnborough in the UK, is eagerly anticipated as airlines rush for capacity to meet demand; some forecasts predict as many as 2,000 new orders.
India’s IndiGo (INGL.NS) is set to place a record order for 500 Airbus (AIR.PA) narrowbodies, first reported by Reuters, hard on the heels of a 470-plane Airbus and Boeing (BA.N) order from Air India, which may also be formalised in Paris.
“There were about 3,300 aircraft that simply were not produced during the COVID years … and that’s about 15% of the global fleet,” Andy Cronin, CEO of leasing firm Avolon told Reuters.
Despite it being a “sellers market”, Reuters says there are pressing questions over the industry’s ability to deliver on orders after the pandemic left the “industry’s supply chain in tatters”. In addition, the Ukraine conflict has put pressure on Europe’s fragmented arms industry to be more nimble and hold more stocks.
To avoid electronics supply-chain disruptions, you may also wish to consult an expert in electronics component supply. With more than three decades of supply-chain expertise, Astute Electronics is ideally placed to work with you on your daily component requirements.
For more help with looking at supply chain options, contact Astute Electronics


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BM Expo to host Supply Chain Conference
Returning after a four year absence, the Supply Chain Conference will be hosted on the first day of the inaugural British Marine Expo.
Delegates will hear how companies of all sizes can grow their businesses and adapt to the modern challenges facing the future of the UK’s marine supply chain.
“Conference delegates will get important advice, inspiration and the latest thinking on burning issues for the sector,” said BM chief executive, Lesley Robinson.
“These include recommendations on preparing for Brexit, protecting the future of your business and increasing innovation within design and production.”
Experts will provide clarity on ensuring businesses are protected, including an insight into how companies can make sure their business systems are sufficiently robust to reduce their level of risk. Warranties and guarantees and who in the supply chain is responsible to the customer when a component fails will also be discussed.
Headlining the conference will be Chris Aylett, chief executive of the Motorsports Industry Association with appearances by key figures from the marine and maritime sectors and the government. Representatives from KPMG, Verisona, IMSM, GAC Pindar, Innovate UK and PKF Francis Clarke guide delegates in discussions on how to develop and shape the future of the UK’s marine supply chain.
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Jack Dorsey's Square reports Q1 bitcoin revenue grew 1,000% to $3.5 billion - and is the 3rd-largest corporate holder of the cryptocurrency
Square reported first-quarter earnings that beat analyst estimates on Thursday, powered by surging demand for bitcoin. Quarterly revenue from bitcoin grew eleven times to $3.5 billion, from $306 million a year ago, the company said in a shareholder letter. But gross profit from these transactions were only $75 million, or about 2% of bitcoin revenue, making up Square's fee generation from sales.


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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Today’s drivers need better charging solutions for the growing number of mobile devices they take on the road.
That’s why JOURNEY has announced a new series of safe and speedy chargers for in-car device charging.
“A family on a trip or a daily ride share are perfect examples of communal charging requirements where a versatile charging solution can add a lot of value for everyone travelling,” said JOURNEY’s spokesperson.
Drivers can fast-charge their mobile phone on the way to work, with JOURNEY’s PULSE 20 USB-C Car Charger.
“When we hop in our cars, charging can be a bit of an afterthought,” said JOURNEY’s spokesperson.
“Some of us might rely on the same inbuilt USB-A port in our car for months or years, even if it barely charges our device at all.
“Our new range is intended to make in-vehicle charging fast, safe, and convenient.”
The PULSE range chargers, which sit flush in car interiors’ cigarette sockets, are equipped for small and big charging tasks. They fast-charge everything from phones to tablets to smaller laptops, such as the MacBook Air.
The PULSE 60, which features dual USB-C ports, is especially ideal for drivers who need to simultaneously charge a driver’s phone or tablet, along with a smaller laptop.
For drivers and passengers who appreciate the convenience and safety of a wireless charger and a phone mount in the car, the EXPRESS Wireless Car Mount Charger with MagSafe is both.
Drivers can use the EXPRESS to display their phone in landscape ror portrait. The MagSafe-compatible charger’s magnetic stability makes it ideal for people who want to use their smartphone for hands-free calls, navigation, music and more.
“We’re always focused on developing mobile device charging products and accessories to make our customers’ lives more convenient and efficient,” said JOURNEY’s spokesperson.
This year, JOURNEY is set to release a wide variety of innovative new tech products.
JOURNEY’s spokesperson said the new car charging range will help drivers reimagine what their cars have to offer as charging spaces.
“Our new chargers are launching to further accommodate the evolving needs of our customers”.
Learn more about our car charger range here.
JOURNEY, an ALOGIC brand, is an endeavour in creating innovative consumer electronics. JOURNEY’s team of highly skilled product designers and engineers aims to create unique tech accessories that are practical, stylish, and sustainable.
For media enquiries, product samples, and interviews with JOURNEY spokespeople, contact JOURNEY’s marketing team:
Find high-res media images here: https://alogic.box.com/s/bd2w4ponu1j4tdcoy6aj6x5gls1iyxin


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During its ninth business mission to South Korea, executives from the State of Coahuila presented the advantages and benefits that the State offers to investors to 30 enterprises´ representatives, having great interest from 4 of them. Jose Antonio Gutierrez Jardon, Minister of Economic Development, Competitiveness and Tourism, commented that, during a seminar organized by ProMexico,
they had various business meetings, and more than four encounters with representatives of automotive companies interested in the Kia Motors´ project. Mr. Gutierrez Jardon added that there are firms not only interested in Kia, but also seeking to become providers of plants already installed in Coahuila, such as General Motors, Fiat Chrysler and Daimler Trucks.
Source: Zocalo Saltillo


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As states such as Georgia, Florida and Texas begin to allow restaurants to cautiously reopen, it offers some understanding – for the first time – of what dining out will look and feel like in the wake of COVID-19.
With strict state guidelines in place, restaurants are quickly adapting their hospitality experience to accommodate new health and safety protocols, including the physical distancing between people, the prudent use of sanitizer and facemasks, and all things touchless – including the payment process.
A truly touchless payment process has never been more important in the restaurant industry. It’s now a key piece to a larger effort for rebuilding public confidence in dining out and the general return of the full-service restaurant industry.
While most people are familiar with contactless payments, like Apple Pay and Google Pay – which use near field communication (NFC) to conduct payments with device-to-device proximity – these are not the only way for restaurant operators to present customers with a touchless payment experience.
By extending the POS to the table, it’s possible for nearly any restaurant to adapt their payment experience so that there’s never the need for customers or employees to handle credit cards. Instead, there’s a need to reduce contact between the server and customer. There’s a solution to this that also enables restaurant operators to reliably meet the government’s new requirements.
Imagine for a moment that you’re seated with a friend at your favorite upscale restaurant. You may be wearing protective masks and you’re sitting six feet from the nearest guests. The new normal as we know it.
A member of the wait staff appears also wearing a facemask, welcomes you and presents the table with disposable paper menus. After a few minutes looking over the menu, you place your order, and when the food arrives, you enjoy your meal. When you’re finished, you may put a mask back over your face – again, part of the new normal that some states have mandated for dine in guests – and you wait for the bill to arrive.
Within a few minutes, the wait staff clears the table and they leave behind an elegant looking payment device that’s befitting of the upscale environment. It’s equipped with point-to-point encryption and EMV capability – the standard features for securely accepting payments today. While the device offers all the common payment options – a swipe, a dip or a tap – you prefer not to take it in your hands. Instead, the device remains on the table and you choose to quickly scan with your phone a QR code that is presented.
The scan kicks-off an encrypted string that goes to a website that decrypts it and brings up various payment options and receipt choices. The payment screen has the restaurant logo and colors, so you immediately recognize that you’re on the right path.
You complete the payment, including a gracious tip for the wait staff that missed weeks of wages, and provide the required email and phone number. This is also part of the new reality. Many restaurants, such as those re-opening in Washington state for example, are now required to keep a record of each customer and their contact information, as well as the name of the server in case health officials need to trace a virus outbreak. On the more positive side, the restaurant can also use the information to send you a coupon or discount for a future visit.
This touchless payment scenario is something that doesn’t need to be imagined. It’s real, it exists and it’s part of the new reality unfolding at restaurants across the United States. Now more than ever, restaurants need to embrace their customers, and in this new normal, it’s done by giving customers an entirely touchless experience – right down to the payment process.


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AOL's bet on another makeover
SAN FRANCISCO — AOL is trying to remake itself, yet again.
The new strategy in many ways resembles the old strategy: make acquisitions to attract traffic and reverse a continuing decline in advertising and revenue from its dial-up Internet service. In the latest iteration of its do-over, it is paying $315 million to buy the liberal news commentary site The Huffington Post, not long after paying $25 million to buy TechCrunch, the Silicon Valley technology news blog.
But skepticism runs deep that this effort will be any more successful than the many other makeovers it has tried in the last decade.
“My gut says that the clock has run out for AOL, but I’m happy to see someone make a bold bet,” said Salim Ismail, a former Yahoo executive. “Doing nothing is worse.”
AOL has its doubters among investors. Its shares fell 75 cents, or 3.42 percent, to close at $21.19 on Monday.
Even some AOL insiders poked fun at The Huffington Post deal. Michael Arrington, the voluble founder of TechCrunch, who frequently ridicules AOL’s bureaucracy even though he now works for the company, did so again on Monday. “I want to know right now,” he wrote in a post on Twitter to Arianna Huffington, the site’s founder, on Monday morning, “whether or not you had to sit thru the four-hour orientation meeting.” Several hours earlier, he wrote that he liked her, “despite her insane politics.”
AOL is making a big bet on Ms. Huffington. She has been given the task by AOL’s chief executive, Timothy M. Armstrong, of stitching together the company’s disparate content sites into a cohesive news factory for the digital age. But turning that vision into reality will be a challenge, given that AOL is beset by a decade-long decline in its core legacy business of dial-up Internet service as well as declining revenue from online advertising.
Indeed, despite traffic of 112 million visitors a month, AOL’s online advertising fell 26 percent last year, to $1.28 billion, while advertising for the rest of the industry rose 17 percent, according to eMarketer. Revenue from its dial-up subscribers also declined 26 percent, to $1.02 billion.
Finding a way to replace revenue from AOL’s declining dial-up business is an imperative for Mr. Armstrong, who took over as chief executive in 2009.
The company has gone through multiple overhauls over the years, but none of them have worked. It bought a collection of blogs, including Engadget and Joystiq, in 2005. It bought an advertising network, Tacoda, for $275 million in 2007. It lurched yet another direction when it bought Bebo, a social networking site in 2008, but sold that last year for a fraction of the $850 million it paid. It also made its subscription e-mail service free, like Google’s or Yahoo’s, yet it lost users.
Mr. Armstrong is now focusing his turnaround effort on editorial content, one of AOL’s traditional strengths.
Mr. Armstrong’s vision resembles that of another chief executive struggling to resurrect a legacy Internet company, Carol A. Bartz of Yahoo.
Internet users would come get a variety of news from one source. In AOL’s case it would be local news from Patch, technology start-up news at TechCrunch and cultural and political news from The Huffington Post. AOL also would provide information from its Mapquest and Moviefone services.
But AOL has yet to show signs of progress with this model, though AOL executives have said that its display advertising business will pick up in the second half of 2011.
“This huge transition that Tim Armstrong is trying to pull off hasn’t worked yet,” said Ken Doctor, a news industry analyst with Outsell and author of the book “Newsonomics.” Mr. Doctor said, “They have all these assets that aren’t recognizable as a single company.”
AOL finds itself in the rare position of selling less online advertising, while all around it major media companies are selling more. AOL’s problem is that it is still dependent on subscribers, those people who pay a minimum of $10 a month for dial-up service, to support its advertising business. AOL’s paying subscribers peaked at 26.7 million subscribers in 2003, but has now dropped to 3.85 million. That’s 86 percent fewer people looking at ads on AOL.
Mr. Armstrong is counting on The Huffington Post to lift online advertising by lifting traffic and page views. Eventually, AOL hopes to rebuild on this new foundation.
How does Ms. Huffington change that? Huffington Post is a master of finding stories across the Web, stripping them to their essence and placing well-created headlines on them that rise to the top of search engine results, guaranteeing a strong audience. For instance, on Sunday it posted an article that was pure search engine bait, “What Time Does the Super Bowl Start?”
Mr. Armstrong said that he hoped to accelerate The Huffington Post’s growth by tying it in with AOL’s other properties, and in turn lift traffic to those other properties. Expanding The Huffington Post internationally and creating a video version of The Huffington Post are among the planned projects.
Mr. Armstrong said that this time AOL’s remodeling would be different. Unlike the previous failed strategies by his predecessors at AOL, he said in an interview Monday, “We’re betting on something that’s a known quantity and something that’s going to happen.”
Buying The Huffington Post is “doubling down” on that strategy, he said.
He said, for instance, that The Huffington Post created a second front door for users into AOL’s content and gave AOL the ability to cut content in different ways and target advertising.
“Huffington Post is a scaled version of what we’ve been doing.”
AOL can help to improve The Huffington Post, which he says, commands low rates from advertisers. Paring with AOL will lift The Huffington Post’s traffic. AOL increased TechCrunch’s traffic by 30 percent since its acquisition, he said.
Mr. Armstrong acknowledged the skepticism about AOL given its past failed turnaround efforts. But he said that growth in online advertising would ultimately offset the loss in dial-up subscribers sometime in 2013.
“We are essentially two years away from a growth business on the Internet.”
AOL will pay for The Huffington Post out of nearly $802 million in cash on hand at the end of 2010. The remainder provides a cushion for expansion.
“They need to buy their way out of the access business, and this is a pretty big step in that direction,” said Youssef H. Squali, an analyst with Jefferies & Company.


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Vehicle transportation services specialist KHL Logistics has marked its silver anniversary by investing in a Euro VI tractor unit bearing the silver, three-pointed star of Mercedes-Benz.
Specialist supplier Tyrefix UK has set its fleet back on track after “a torrid year of problems” with its previous vans, by reverting to Mercedes-Benz mobile workshops.
Road transport has been called the lifeblood of a successful economy – but for one Liverpool-based team of drivers that statement is undeniably true.
Van and passenger transport operators based in and around Ashford can now get their vehicles MoT tested outside normal working hours following the launch of a new service by Mercedes-Benz Dealer Sparshatts of Kent.
A triumphant mpg performance from a New Actros demonstration unit was instrumental in helping Belfast Dealer Mercedes-Benz Truck & Van (NI) to land a prestigious order from Co. Armagh-based Carna Transport.
Ambulance chiefs covering six counties have embarked on a major upgrade of their front-line fleet in conjunction with East Anglian Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle Dealer Orwell Truck & Van.
Success is becoming a habit at Mercedes-Benz Dealer Ciceley Commercials – it has just won the manufacturer’s prestigious Dealer of the Year title for the second year running!
The UK’s leading supermarket trolley maintenance specialist runs its trucks for seven years and more – which explains why it was one of the first operators to check out a fuel-efficient Euro VI truck from Mercedes-Benz.
Aberdeen plumber Dean Masson is also a family man – so for transport he and wife Diane rely on the Mercedes-Benz family of vans!
Milton Keynes. After three years as President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz UK, Marcus Breitschwerdt has been appointed Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Europe Region, effective from January 2014.


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TOKYO – Toyota Motor has taken the wraps off its latest iteration of the Prius, a hybrid vehicle that paved the way for electric cars more than two decades ago.
The fifth generation of the car, with bigger wheels and a sportier design, offers three hybrid powertrain options and will go on sale starting this winter, the carmaker said at an event in Tokyo on Wednesday. Pricing for the new model was not disclosed, although Toyota stressed it would be “affordable for everybody”.
The world’s No. 1 carmaker pioneered mass-market hybrid vehicles with the debut of the Prius in 1997, and contends that the technology still has a long way to go. It is a bet on the longevity of the brand and technology at a time when Tesla and other upstarts have seized the narrative to say that the era of electric vehicles has already arrived, even though they still make up only about 6 per cent of total global car sales.
“It’s a car to be driven by all people, not just the few,” Mr Simon Humphries, Toyota’s senior general manager of design, said at the unveiling. “That’s its greatest strength and reason for its existence, and it’s the reason why the Prius brand should not be lost.”
The new Prius will have a 1.8-litre and 2-litre engine hybrid powertrain options, which combines a combustion engine, electric motor and battery to deliver better fuel economy and acceleration. There is also a 2-litre plug-in hybrid system that boosts power and range.
The 2-litre produces as much as 220hp while maintaining the same level of fuel efficiency as the previous model. This version hits 100kmh in a respectable 6.7 seconds.
A lower chassis, swept body and shark-like nose, in addition to black exterior accents and dark interior tones, are all aimed at giving the Prius an edgier look, a departure from the wedge-shaped and grey interiors seen in prior models.
Toyota mainly focused on two areas for the new Prius, according to Mr Satoki Oya, a deputy chief engineer at Toyota who worked on the Prius. One is the design and the other is drivability, he said.
“This is meant to showcase Toyota’s most advanced technology,” said Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Tatsuo Yoshida.
Toyota has sold 4.75 million Priuses to date, while Tesla just passed only the three-million mark for cumulative production of all its vehicles. After peaking in 2010, when more than 500,000 units were sold worldwide, there has been a gradual slide, with customers buying almost 86,000 Priuses last year.
Even though Prius sales have tapered off, hybrid technology is now spread across Toyota’s product line, including the Lexus brand. Other Toyota hybrids, such as the RAV4, do even more volume.
“The reason Prius sales have declined isn’t because hybrids aren’t selling well,” Mr Yoshida said. “It’s because there are other hybrid options, so it is no longer necessary to buy a Prius.” BLOOMBERG


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Revenue rose 16.1% to $2.67bn, beating estimates of $2.48bn, according to the company’s First-Quarter 2022 Financial Results.
Hershey said demand in response to price increases was stronger than expected but is likely to taper off due to rising inflation and fewer US government benefits.
Consumer buying power has been under pressure from rising food prices as companies look to mitigate soaring costs stemming from supply chain disruptions, the Ukraine war and global inflation.
In a call to analysts and media, Michele Buck, Hershey Company President and Chief Executive Officer, made the following observation:
“…We have seen some changes in consumer behaviour within convenience stores, as gas prices have risen. But what we're seeing is that many consumers seem to be trying to manage the higher price by not fully filling their tanks. So they're making more trips but just not filling as full. And to date, they have not reduced their non-gas purchases in a meaningful way.
“And we haven't seen an impact. Our business remains quite strong in convenience stores. So we haven't really seen an impact on our business … we do expect that these trends will continue to evolve as we see some of those pressures we talked about earlier relative to reduction in government subsidies and the continued persistence of inflation and the impact on consumers.”
North America Confectionery
Hershey's North America Confectionery segment net sales were $2,217m in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 11.7% versus the same period last year.
Its US candy, mint and gum (CMG) retail takeaway for the twelve-week period ended April 17, 20224 in the multi-outlet combined plus convenience store channels (MULO+C) increased 4.9%. Excluding seasonal products, demand for Hershey's confectionery products remained strong with retail sales growth of 8.1%.
Take-home chocolate sales and accelerating sales of Jolly Rancher and Twizzlers products drove this strong everyday growth.
Despite strong growth across brands, Hershey's said its confectionery share declined 144 basis points as ‘capacity constraints’ limited the company's ability to invest in media and promotions and fully service demand.
But, these declines were in line with expectations and are expected to improve as supportability improves throughout the year, the company said.
Hershey's confectionery share remains approximately 38 basis points higher than pre-pandemic levels.
In a release following the publication of its Q1 results, the chocolate maker said it now expects full-year 2022 net sales growth of between 10% and 12%, compared with its previous forecast of an 8% to 10% growth.
"We delivered strong double-digit sales and earnings growth with ongoing momentum across business units," said Buck.
"Our fast start, sustained consumer relevancy and increased visibility into our recently acquired businesses give us the confidence to increase our full-year net sales and earnings outlook despite an increasingly challenging and inflationary environment."


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Tata Technologies has set the price band for its much-awaited initial public offer (IPO) at Rs 475-500 per equity share. The issue opens for public subscription on November 22 and will close on November 24.
Tata Technologies is a leading global engineering services company offering product development and digital solutions to global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The company services include concept design, tear-down and benchmarking, vehicle architecture, body and chassis engineering, electrical and electronics systems, and diagnostics. It has a workforce of over 11,000 employees spread across 18 global delivery centres.
The IPO is book building and entirely an offer for sale (OFS) with the selling shareholders including promoter Tata Motors receiving the entire proceeds from the issue. Under the OFS, parent Tata Motors will sell 4.62 crore shares, Alpha TC Holdings will offload 97.1 lakh shares and Tata Capital Growth Fund will give up 48 lakh shares.
The issue size has been reduced from an earlier 9.57 crore shares to 6.08 crore equity shares now. The company had filed its IPO papers with Sebi in March this year and received approval from the regulator in June. Bids can be made for a minimum of 30 equity shares and in multiples of 30 equity shares thereafter. The issue size is estimated at Rs 2,890 crore – Rs 3,042 crore.
In the issue, Tata Technologies has reserved a 10% quota for Tata Motors’ eligible shareholders.
The weighted average of the cost of acquisition for Tata Motors is Rs 7.40/share; Rs 25.10 for investors Alpha TC Holdings and Tata Capital Growth Fund I according to the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) filed by the company with Sebi.
Tata Tech was last valued at around $2 billion (Rs 16,300 crore), when TPG Climate picked up about a 9% stake in the company.
For the nine-month period ended December 2022, the company clocked 15% year-on-year (YoY) growth in revenue at Rs 3,052 crore. The service segment revenue contributed 88% of the total revenue. The company’s net profit during the same period stood at Rs 407 crore. Over FY 2021-23, its revenue grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30%, leading to a 46% EBITDA CAGR. PAT for the same period increased at a CAGR of 61.5%.
JM Financial, Citigroup Global Markets India, and BofA Securities India are the book-running lead managers to the IPO. The name of the registrar is Link Intime India Private Limited.
Bids can be made for a minimum of 30 equity shares and in multiples of 30 equity shares thereafter. The minimum bid amount for retail investors is Rs 15,000 while Rs 210,000 for non-institutional investors (NIIs). As for the qualified institutional buyers, it is Rs 1,005,000.
Axis Capital pegs the post issue market cap between Rs 19,269 crore and Rs 20, 283 crore.
The employee quota stands at 2,028,342 equity shares.
1) Finalistion of basis of allotment: On or about November 30
2) Initiation of refunds/unblocking of funds: December 12
3) Credit of shares into demat accounts: December 4
4) Listing: December 5
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It is essentially clear that Chia currency mining presents its own challenges, although it consumes less energy compared to Bitcoin.
Chia Coin, the sensational blockchain protocol touted as a greener alternative to energy-intensive Bitcoin (BTC), has seen the price of its token, the XCH, drop along with continued market correction. The currency was opened for trading on Huobi Global earlier this month, with its price soaring above $1,350. However, the price has dropped from that level to a new low.
At time of writing, the price of each XCH coin is pegged at $757.88, down 8.35% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. The supposedly green cryptocurrency is trying to retest the $800 resistance point after deviating from a high of $931.89 to a low of $614.00 in the 7-day period.
In addition to slipping in correlation with the broader market, XCH’s price is falling as concerns about its sustainability become pervasive.
XCH Price Drop: Reaction to Inherent Hard Drive Damage
It is essentially clear that Chia coin mining presents its own challenges, although it consumes less energy compared to Bitcoin as it is based on the proof of bet (PoS) model. Gene Hoffman, the president of Chia Network, the company behind the cryptocurrency, admits that the product “kind of destroyed the short-term supply chain”, however he believes this is not serious enough to become an environmental drain.
Recently, ESG concerns of cryptocurrency projects have been brought to the fore, thanks in part to the role played by Elon Musk, the CEO of electric automaker Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA), in criticizing Bitcoin’s energy use. Investors bowed to these situations as Chinese regulators also revealed plans to tighten up on Bitcoin miners.
While Chia has received raves from investors in general for its model, which uses enough storage space to extract its coins, the cryptocurrency is relatively new for data for its energy usage to be collected. However, Hoffman said that if all the hard drives and corresponding storage were used in XCH mining, the network would still use less than 1 percent of the energy currently used by bitcoin.
“I’m sure if we had all 7 zettabytes of storage [o valor estimado para a capacidade global do disco rígido], every available storage space – you close Google, close Amazon, close Facebook – that would still be less annual energy consumption,” he said.
Hoffman also gave a rationale for supporting cryptocurrency in relation to damaged hard drives, saying that this problem is unique to cheaper storage devices. In the longer term, sustained damage could bring such concerns and could impact XCH coin mining, a development that could cause an even smaller price drop in the medium to long term.


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TOKYO – Japan’s parliament approved on Wednesday a new trade agreement with the United States that cuts tariffs on agricultural and industrial products, paving the way for its entry into force in early 2020.
The agreement, signed off in September by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump, establishes that Japan will reduce or eliminate tariffs on US agricultural products worth $7.2 billion, including a gradual reduction of the tariff on American beef from 38.5 percent to 9 percent.
Other products, such as pork, wine and cheese, will also have greater access to the Japanese market, putting the US on an equal footing with the signatory countries of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP-11), including Canada and Australia.
Trump has promoted the deal as a way to reduce his country’s massive trade deficit with Japan and to placate American farmers, who were at a disadvantage compared to their international competitors following Washington’s decision to abandon the TPP-11 unilaterally.
The bilateral trade agreement has come in for criticism from opposition lawmakers (Abe’s ruling party has a majority in both chambers) as the pact does not provide for the elimination of the 2.5 percent US tariff on Japanese cars, which the original trade agreement included.
The countries have agreed that – once the trade pact is in force – they will continue negotiations in the subsequent four months with the aim of addressing other sectors not included in the current pact along with the tariffs on vehicles made in Japan.
Following the approval of the pact by the upper house of the Japanese Diet (parliament) and the White House assertion’s that it does not need congressional approval on the agreement, internal procedures in both countries have been effectively completed, so the agreement is expected to come into effect as early as Jan. 1, 2020.


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DUBAI (Rahnuma): As the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform plan transforms Saudi Arabia, the founder and CEO of a leading e-commerce retailer for mothers and babies in the Middle East says an aggressive expansion in the country will see women and young people at the forefront of its booming business.
Mona Ataya has set her sights on Saudi Arabia as Mumzworld’s newest and biggest customer base in the region. Last October, the specialist firm raised $20 million in its latest funding round to accelerate its expansion in the Kingdom and invest in new technology.
“Mumzworld has established its leadership position in the mother and child e-commerce segment across all the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and Saudi Arabia has always been a very important market for us,” Ataya said.
“About 18 months ago, we aggressively expanded, setting up infrastructure and teams on the ground and anchoring our leadership in this segment in the Kingdom.
“Mumzworld today offers the largest choicse of products for the Saudi customer, delivered very fast with superior localized offerings.”
The Kingdom was an obvious choice for expansion, she said. “With the current changes in Saudi that are impacting every home — women driving, the entertainment industry exploding, and more licenses for sports outlets such as gyms and fitness centers for women — the entire consumer landscape has shifted in months. This has also come with a big drive to create more opportunities for youth employment, with women firmly in the workplace. Retail space in Saudi Arabia is now almost entirely run by women in positions such as store managers and front-of-line sales.”
Since its launch in 2011, UAE-based Mumzworld has become the leading online marketplace for all things mother, baby and child in the region with more than 250,000 online products.
“Women currently make up 49.7 percent of around 345.5 million people in the Middle East and North Africa region. Birth rates in the GCC are among the highest globally, with per child annual spend estimated to be five times the European and US mother averages. This is a very impressionable, information-hungry and risk-averse customer who demands the best for her children.
“The market for baby and children’s products in the Arab world is underpinned by a young population and some of the highest birth rates in the world. The region is wealthy and tech-savvy, especially in the key markets of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with these two ranking among the highest in the world in mobile penetration and social media consumption.”
While e-commerce penetration in the GCC remains below other developed regions, the region is starting to catch up quickly, indicating enormous growth potential, Ataya said.
“With important initiatives from the Kingdom to facilitate licenses and activate affordable e-commerce enablers, we expect this space in the Kingdom to grow from strength to strength.”
After decades of oil-based economic expansion, entrepreneurship has emerged as the new growth engine for GCC economies, and Ataya is excited to see GCC leaders foster the spirit of entrepreneurship.
“As an entrepreneur I am delighted to see how the youth is hungry for innovation and change, using social media to deliver the message loud and clear to the industry on prices, service quality and range, in addition to the amazing talent that is graduating from the new Saudi Arabia.”
Mumzworld has won more than 200 regional and international awards and is bilingual in Arabic and English, as well as being the only Arabic app in the region dedicated to mothers, she added.
“We are here to create an indispensable online extension of a mother’s life, empowering her to make the most informed decisions for her children. You empower a mother, you empower a child. You empower a child, you change the world. And for that vision, we are leading the way in innovation and disruption from our homegrown region, MENA.”


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The cryptocurrency was invented in 2008 and utilized a year later. Although the public was skeptical about this new development at first, cryptocurrency proved to be a gateway to exciting opportunities in the online space. Western countries wasted almost no time studying its basics and leveraging cryptocurrency’s potential to create new and exciting experiences for everyone.
Continuous innovation allowed cryptocurrency to develop and cater to the demands of various users, thus attracting more developers, investors, and users to the space.
Filipinos are among those who display a keen interest in cryptocurrency. Although the technology is somewhat new to the country, it didn’t take long before local individuals and organizations joined the bandwagon.
Among the platforms worth mentioning is Block Tides, an award-winning blockchain, crypto, defi, NFT, IoT, AI, and metaverse PR firm. Founded by Myrtle Anne Ramos, Block Tides started in 2017 during its first inception.
“Block Tides is focused on growth hacking, sales, social media management, media distribution services, and public relations. We want to help educate a lot of Filipinos, at the same time, check the opportunities in the world of cryptocurrency,” Ramos said during the online media conference titled NFT, Metaverse, and Gamify 2022.
Ramos added that the online platform aims to clarify the public’s speculations about cryptocurrency to provide freedom and inform Filipinos that such a technology exists.
Other than creating opportunities for Filipinos to learn and utilize cryptocurrency, Ramos recently collaborated with the developers of Mega Game Studio, who previously created such popular games as Last Descendant of Dragon, Glory Battlefield, and Glory Battlefield – Middle Ages, to produce a new NFT game titled Place War.
Place War, according to the Block Tides founder, was designed to create a gamified and open-internet metaverse. AC Capital, an investment firm focusing on the blockchain and finance market, also supports the game while investing in Ramos’s company.
The inception and inspiration for Place War are Worms and Our Place by Reddit. Place War is also a play-and-earn game. It also allows users to immerse themselves into the world of epic tank battles and use unique combat machines.
“It’s a play-and-earn—we don’t want a play-to-earn concept—but it’s all about having fun. It’s not just about the money when it comes to games,” Ramos said.
She added that Place War maintains the standards of gaming even though it provides incentives that users can use to tap into the potential of cryptocurrency. Place War follows action-packed combat gameplay where users need to build their army from a wide range of combat machines and make the right decisions to win the battle.
Place War also encourages a safe and comfortable space for gamers, where they can choose their gameplay style according to their preference. Some players can even build an army to attack other players and take their resources.
Meanwhile, other players can take a defensive stance and acquire resources without attacking fellow users. While gamers enjoy Place War while creating unique NFT content, Ramos shared that she and the developers will continue to create new updates to enhance the gaming experience while introducing a cryptocurrency to a larger audience.


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The Global Entrepreneurship Network in conjunction with the U.S. State Department has released a survey done by GeoPoll. They surveyed 1000 business owners from various sub-Saharan countries, which included the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana, where each of these countries had 200 entrepreneur participants.
GeoPoll has a network of 200 million users throughout Asia and Africa, and is considered the world’s largest mobile survey platform that provides results in real time giving administrators the ability to make data driven decisions. The 200 individuals per country had given their feedback to a 13-question survey that was conducted via SMS messaging in the week of 13 July 2015.
The various participants were asked what resources were the most needed to encourage private enterprises, if they had participated in any programmes to improve their businesses, and what are the biggest businesses challenges that they face.
GeoPoll found that many entrepreneurs cited that they had attended business seminars, ICT training and trade-specific workshops, which had all helped improve their businesses in some way. The respondents all had similar needs in business. They indicated that they are in need of financial resources, for government to support and alleviate challenges they face, as well as better equipped facilities and services.
The findings were used at the 2015 Global Entrepreneur Summit to showcase the common needs of business owners across the world, especially in Africa.
These were their key findings:
In the past year, 44% of the survey respondents participated in programme or activity to improve their business. Respondents have a strong desire to participate in more training resources, and a staggering amount of entrepreneurs want training programmes and entrepreneurship in schools. This came about when asked how government can aid people in starting up businesses. Social media was also found to be the best online tool for supporting business growth.
The respondents’ take what would be beneficial
They were asked what would help most in increasing the number of entrepreneurs in their country, and the responses were unexpectedly divided. It came down to 36% saying “more financial recourse”, while 24% said “better facilities/services” and 23% replied with “government support” being a benefactor.
Increasing youth and women entrepreneurship
Respondents were specifically asked what would be most beneficial to increase youth and women entrepreneurship, and 40% of participants cited that funding is the biggest help the youth and women needed in starting business. Whereas support by government came in at 22% of the votes, access to market information came at 18% and access to high-skilled professionals only at 16% of the votes.
President of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, Jonathan Ortmans said, “As policymakers explore smart and sophisticated steps to develop healthy entrepreneurial ecosystems across the African continent, the voice of the entrepreneur must remain in the foreground.” And proudly added, “Being able to hear directly from the entrepreneurs helps guide our conversations at the Summit and beyond.”
Source: The Cradle


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Massa thinks big as director of Cisco's federal unit
- By Colleen O'Hara
- Sep 21, 1997
When Cisco Systems Inc. chief executive officer John Chambers recently asked Jim Massa director of Cisco's federal operations what his plans were for the group Massa replied "I want to be $1 billion in size before Cisco is $10 billion in size." Unmoved Chambers responded "Well that's all well and fine but I can buy companies and you can't."
Cisco Systems is currently a $6.4 billion company and it expects to make 12 acquisitions or minority investments over the next year. Massa meanwhile has ambitious goals for Cisco's federal group just one year after taking up his current post.
"My goal is to keep Cisco's federal business between 6 and 10 percent of Cisco's worldwide business " he said. That business stems from Cisco's popular router products but half of the company's revenue comes from other lines of business including switches and Asynchronous Transfer Mode network interface cards.Massa's other objectives are focused on his federal customers. "I want to increase the customer satisfaction rate which is already 4.12 on a 5-point scale " he said. "The other goal is to understand the customer mission. Whether it's the civilian side or Defense side agencies have a mission they want to accomplish."
Riding on the success of the quickly growing networking market the company's federal group has experienced its own success as well. Cisco's federal operation has been growing 60 to 100 percent over the past two years and although agencies' information technology budgets are not growing very fast the demand for networking products and services is still there Massa said. "The market will grow 30 to 40 percent and we anticipate growing 10 to 15 percent faster than the market " he said.
To help fuel this growth Cisco will continue to rely on its channel partners to sell to the government - something it does almost exclusively now. "There is so much demand that we could not put the resources in place [ourselves] to address it " Massa said. "We provide the product product support and consulting and look to the partners to provide the rest."
Today Cisco has more than 100 contract vehicles in place and has beefed up the number of General Services Administration schedule holders that sell Cisco products. Two years ago the company had two GSA schedule holders today it has eight in place or under negotiation. Cisco aims to ally with nontraditional partners to provide new offerings such as services leasing and maintenance. One such nontraditional reseller is Bell Atlantic Corp. with which Cisco has a reseller pact in the works.
But while new procurement laws have made it easier to buy and sell products off the GSA schedule this new environment does not necessarily mean contracting is less complex Massa said. "We expected contracting officers to be slow to adapt but they have turned out to be lions to make sure they get the best discount " he said. "It becomes very competitive and in some ways it has slowed down business."
One way the company plans to help its partners compete is through the use of electronic commerce to place and track orders. Currently about 70 percent of the company's business with partners is done through EC a statistic that will increase to 100 percent over the next year. In addition more and more agencies are using EC to place orders as well. "Cisco Federal will lead all entities in the percentage of business we do with EC " Massa said.


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S4 Capital chief: ‘Second reawakening of digital’ needs a new creative-data culture
A new creative culture must now strike a balance between data and creativity to better serve distinct audiences in meaningful ways says Sir Martin Sorrell’s S4 APAC CEO, Michel de Rijk.
Customer decision journeys are entirely digital
The biggest learnings around customer for me through Covid is that virtual experiences are here to stay; that the pandemic affected everyone but not equally and to continue serving customers, brands must embrace customer obsession to build relationships and deliver impactful experiences when and where they matter most in the customer decision journey—a journey that’s become entirely digital.
My view, now more than ever, is that digital transformation goes across all disciplines of the company.
With transformation, alignment of the entire C-suite is key to success as decisive decision-making is the foundation with speed as the essence.
Brand virtualisation the next frontier
The next frontier for digital transformation is brand virtualisation – meeting customers where they are with differentiated, digital environments. Brand virtualisation is not simply translating an experience into a virtual environment. It means rebuilding your strategy and role from the ground up, refocusing efforts on how to best show up for consumers where, when and how they prefer.
2020 transformed transformation
2020 has transformed transformation: due to the incredible shift in customer behaviour, (digital) agency services need to change with it. We’ve been in conversations about this digital shift for years and years, and many waved it off as “important but not urgent.” Now it’s here, and many need help shifting to this new digital reality.
Clients are increasingly focused on in-housing and data; fit-for-format content production; transforming the big idea; innovating with emerging technologies; supporting audiences through always-on content; personalising platforms for ecommerce and building virtual events and trade shows.
We’ve had to adapt to portions of the digital market that are growing quicker, and we tapped into some of the quickest growing and sticky permanent solutions - system integrations, virtual events, VR & AR and ecommerce.
Remote content shoots will be permanent
MediaMonks was one of the first companies to adapt to the changing landscape by introducing a remote shoot management platform - an online space with a myriad of tools to facilitate remote shoots.
Thanks to the platform, we made it possible that pre-pandemic quality of shoots can be lived up to and make it even safer and more accessible for clients. The whole crew can communicate at any time of the shoot from a safe distance to ensure the shoot turns out great and goes beyond the expectations of the clients. The tool was developed in Asia and made for global brands preparing their advertising campaigns in Asia via the remote platform. Major technology companies we work with made use of the platform to create successful campaigns.
Data partners the new next
In 2020, we officially launched a new industry category – an S4 offering called the Data Partner of Record – or Data Agency of Record in legacy agency parlance. This category was created to meet the needs of the CMO that must now unlock data assets from across the enterprise, connect marketing data to the supply chain, organise consumer data using machine learning, predictive modelling, marketing automation tools and then finally activate that data directly into measurable, dynamic, working media plans. We are the champion of a client’s marketing and advertising data wherever it travels across the customer journey.
Tech roadmap – Slack to Salesforce
Key to building a single platform and integrated team, we’ve unified tooling, HR, Finance, Internal Ops and Client Services across S4 – including rolling out Workday, NetSuite, GSuite, Slack and Salesforce.
2020 marked the year in which we doubled down on our unitary promise, integrating together diverse expertise across content, data and media like no one has done before us—a strategy that set us uniquely up for success against a more bleak industry landscape.
Second reawakening of digital
What for the next two years? Internally, we call it the ‘The Second Reawakening of Digital’. What’s coming is a new era of insight-driven, tactile and meaningful digital experience (DX)
2020 was only the start of the wider transformations brands must make in their marketing. A new creative culture must now strike a balance between data and creativity to better serve distinct audiences in meaningful ways.
Everything in media must integrate
Looking forward, as part of our comprehensive media roadmap you will see that S4 has begun investing in integrated media planning as well as media buying capabilities across paid, earned & owned performance marketing channels including Search, Social, SEO, ecommerce, CTV and other emerging formats.
Consumers increasingly expect an integrated experience so it is vital that marketers prioritize data management.
We’ve been able to empower our clients like Mondelez to be able to take back control of their first party data, show a single view of the customer, and activate their data against insights.
Rip and replace
But a note on cookies – who owns consumer data, how it is consented to collect and use, how it is shared between businesses and what laws will protect consumers have massive implications on our industry.
The real changes have just started; it is the tip of the iceberg and we have been preparing for a long time. Our current and future clients will need to rip and replace decades of legacy partnerships, practices & technology centred around freely flowing 3P data ecosystems powered by cookies and device ids.
Creativity has morphed into remote shoots
Our creativity leaped into creating ad campaigns for the likes of Mondelez on Epic Games. A powerful real-time software, Unreal Engine allows MediaMonks’ artists to digitally swap out assets, change backgrounds and colour schemes instantaneously, creating multiple versions of the same product in a revolutionary turnaround time, without needing to shoot the physical assets.
MediaMonks’ team of Unreal Engine artists from Los Angeles, New York, Amsterdam and New Delhi weighed in on a piece educating the next generation on how to apply their skills in the Unreal Engine to a career in advertising.
The real changes have just started, it is the tip of the iceberg and we have been preparing for a long time. Our current and future clients will need to rip and replace decades of legacy partnerships, practices & technology centred around freely flowing 3P data ecosystems powered by cookies and device ids.
My Covid learnings
I’ve been on a journey the last year. Here are three of my biggest learnings:
1. The balance between work and exercise is very important as it keeps the mind in check - as a person and a leader. We need to stimulate and inspire our teams to find and bring back that balance.
2. Being back in the office for a few days a week made me realise that the human physical interaction can’t be undervalued and/or replaced by solely digital experiences.
3. And not being able to travel is not a reason to not take a holiday. The habitat we live in offers a holiday in itself, if we pause, look and feel.
CMOs now must now unlock data assets from across the enterprise, connect marketing data to the supply chain, organise consumer data using machine learning, predictive modelling, marketing automation tools and then finally activate that data directly into measurable, dynamic, working media plans.
Here are some stats: Almost three quarters of Aussies engage with brand content every week – 90 per cent in the 18 to 24-year-old range. A massive 84 per cent of consumers took some form of action – buy, share, follow or save. Of those, the most common action at 34 per cent was purchasing the product. Those are the findings of News Corp Australia’s recent research into the power that brand marketing has, released at its Decoded event. Big money follows the good brand and content marketing, and those that crack this code can cash in.
The butterfly effect: Five ways digital out of home trumps static – and why smart marketers use DOOH for more than awareness building
If static out of home was the caterpillar, digital is the butterfly. It’s better in just about every way, QMS’ Chief Strategy Officer Christian Zavecz writes. Through five research-backed elements – impact, precision, cut-through, amplification and accountability – DOOH is flipping misconceptions about the channel on their head.
The marketing and advertising sector is alienating a quarter of Aussies by primarily showing traditional – mum, dad and two children – families, new research shared by Nine shows. One in four people feel their family is poorly represented, and even though single parents make up 10 per cent of our population, only 12 per cent of the public recognise one adult and a child as a family. What brands should focus on is honesty, realism and rawness, Nine’s Toby Boon says.


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Inside SF Motors U.S. in Santa Clara, CA (Image Credit: SF Motors)
SF Motors has taken the time to quietly and methodically get all of its ducks in a row to assure success as a viable EV startup.
Only SF Motors and Rivian Automotive seem to be working somewhat secretly, getting all major details in place (including financing), and not bringing products or announcements forward until they can stand behind their claims. We've seen many an EV startup put a car up on a stage without having a factory, money, consistent employees, etc., and failure seems almost imminent.
SF Motors recently acquired the fully functional AM General/Hummer plant in Indiana.
Some may doubt startups like SF and Rivian since the "automakers" have no products to show. However, this may just be the "right" way to go about the process. There's definitely no shortage of "wrong ways."
SF already has a corporate headquarters in Santa Clara, California; a research facility near the University of Michigan and not far from the Motor City; a battery company led by ex-Tesla co-founder Martin Eberhard; and now, a fully functional automotive factory in Indiana.
The Chinese EV startup hopes to publicize its U.S. plans this coming spring, and the prospects are looking increasingly promising. Automotive News reported:
"SF Motors, which employs many former LeEco and Faraday Future workers, said it has learned from its competitors' mistakes, shying away from over-the-top press events until it has the product and infrastructure to back up its announcements, an SF Motors spokeswoman said.
But with the October acquisition of Inevit, a battery and electric powertrain startup founded by Tesla Inc. co-founder Martin Eberhard, and the completed acquisition of the former AM General plant in Mishawaka, Ind., SF Motors has been attracting more attention and could pose as a legitimate competitor in the U.S. EV market."
Sokon, the automaker's parent company, came to market quickly in China and was able to produce and sell 380,000 cars in the country in 2016. It had only just joined the Shanghai stock exchange the previous year. In the U.S., SF is not relying on billionaire contributions, but rather, the company is banking on the fact that there is already success and support in China. Micheal Dunne, President of Hong Kong's Dunne Automotive, told Automotive News:
SF Motors also has an R&D facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan (Image Credit: SF Motors)
"It's a company of highly capable, globally minded people who know how to quickly get things done in terms of securing technology. They're moving very fast, with a worldly view.
New Chinese EV makers are flying everywhere. But they have an idea with smart people behind it, local government support, access to technology in Michigan and California. They're putting the pieces together and moving fast."
SF's acquisition of battery startup, Inevit, is a huge step forward. Just the fact that Martin Eberhard is involved is newsworthy. Icebreaker Ventures managing director, Mark Platshon, shared in an email to Automotive News:
"Martin is a visionary about battery pack technology, motor technology, power electronics and electric drivetrains. I think he has some good ideas on how to make EVs more manufacturable and cost-effective."
At the time of this writing, SF Motors has about 150 employees, although former LeEco and Faraday Future workers are flocking to the startup. The deal for the Indiana manufacturing facility just closed this month, so hopefully, we will begin to secure more information in the near future.
Keep the conversation going in our Forum. Start a new thread about this article and make your point heard.
Source: Automotive News


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- 3 min read
FMCG, pharma cos to contest retro tax
Top FMCG and pharma companies are planning to move the courts as they face retrospective tax on discounts offered since 2017
In the past few weeks, several distributors and retailers of some of the top FMCG, pharma and consumer durable companies have started receiving notices from the indirect tax department. The authorities want the companies to pay additional GST on discounts offered, or not avail input tax credit on discounts extended to consumers.
ET had on May 10 reported that distributors of Coca-Cola India’s bottling partner Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages had received notices from the indirect tax department on the discounts offered.
Many companies are liable to paying additional GST on discounts they offered to their distributors or retailers since the uniform producer levy was rolled out in July 2017. The latest central clarification in July says GST be levied on all discount schemes if those were not announced before the goods were sold to distributors or retailers.
In some cases, the tax department has also started issuing notices to distributors and retailers, and some FMCG and pharma companies are seeking to approach the courts in the coming weeks. Also, since the latest government directive is a clarification, it means the tax burden would be retrospective and companies may be asked to even pay interests and penalty.
The new clarification says the authorities would allow only upfront discounts, legal experts point out.
“The recent clarification would mean that unless the company has announced discounts at the time of supply, any subsequent discount will attract GST, either as supply of services or supply of goods. If considered toward supply of goods, no input tax credit will be available to the person who has granted the discount,” said Rohit Jain, partner, ELP.
The clarification has hit all FMCG companies, including some of the top players such as Hindustan Unilever (HUL), Procter & Gamble (P&G), Marico and Parle. The clarification also impacts all sectors, including automobile, electronics and pharma, say industry trackers. Notices, however, have only been issued to distributors of FMCG, pharma and consumer durable companies, sources told ET.
In most cases, companies tend to offer last-minute discounts to distributors and retailers for stock clearance. As per the GST notification, these discounts be either treated as “brand promotion” and 18% GST levied on them, or no input tax credit be allowed.
"GST is a consumption-based tax and be payable by the distributors / dealers on the discounted price to the end customer and not on any value over and above the end-customer price. Commercially, there is also a concern on whether the additional GST, if payable, would be borne by the brand owner or dealers. Notices have been issued to various FMCG and consumer durables dealers," said Abhishek Jain, partner, EY India.
For instance, if a product is sold by a manufacturer to its dealer at Rs 100 and then sold to consumers at Rs 110, GST was levied on the selling price. Say, the company decides to offer Rs 20 discount on the product, then the distributor would reduce the selling price to Rs 90.


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JPMorgan’s UK retail bank Chase has decided to prohibit crypto transactions conducted by clients from October 16th amid an increase in cases of fraud and scams, the lender announced this week.
“We’ve seen an increase in the number of crypto scams targeting UK consumers, so we have taken the decision to prevent the purchase of crypto assets on a Chase debit card or by transferring money to a crypto site from a Chase account,” a spokesperson for Chase was quoted as saying by Reuters.
JPMorgan has already lured over 1.6 million clients to its Chase retail bank since the launch of the mobile app-based service in the United Kingdom two years ago.
Chase clients were notified about the planned policy change by email on Tuesday morning.
In March, NatWest had introduced new limits on the daily and monthly amounts, which clients are able to send to cryptocurrency exchanges in a move aimed to protect them from “crypto-criminals.”
The shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM) closed 1.04% ($1.52) lower at $144.93 in New York on Tuesday, while reversing a gain from the previous trading session.
The financial group’s total market cap now stands at $421.18 billion.
The shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co went down 15.31% in 2022, compared with a 19.44% loss for the benchmark index, S&P 500 (SPX).
The US lender’s shares have risen 8.08% so far this year.


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New Arby’s Being Built in South Lake Charles
Get ready, Lake Charles. A new restaurant is coming to town. On the corner of Nelson Road and West Prien Lake Road next to Sam's Club, they are building a new Arby's.
That part of town is blowing up. In the area of Nelson Road and West Prien Lake road, we have already seen a new La-Z-Boy furniture store, a Red Wings clothing store, and a Torchy's Tacos open up in the past year or so.
However, Arby's is not new to Lake Charles. There used to be one on Highway 14 in the parking lot where the old Kroger was. That location was there for years before it shut down.
Now, the new restaurant is being built right next to another restaurant being built, which is a new Buffalo Wild Wings. Yep, two new food joints are coming to Lake Charles.
There is no word on when the new Arby's will be opening up, but it's coming. So if you have driven by the area of Nelson Road and West Prien Lake and wondered what was being built at that location, now you know.


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After a year that saw their main rival AMD dominate the headlines with its Ryzen 5000 series products, Intel is poised to respond in 2021 with multiple new lines of CPUs for consumers. The company made its 11th-gen CPUs (codenamed Rocket Lake-S) official and showed off the flagship chip of the series, the Core i9-11900K. In a bit of a surprise, Intel also teased the release of Rocket Lake’s successor, known as Alder Lake. Intel said it expects to launch those parts by year’s end.
The 11th-gen Intel CPUs will be headlined by the Core i9-11900K, which retains the same 8-core/16-thread configuration of its predecessor, the Core i9-10900K. These new chips will gain an additional 4 PCI-E lanes over the 10th-gen CPUs, bringing the total number of available lanes up to 20. This will be a welcome addition for folks who make use of multiple NVME storage solutions.
Alongside these new CPUs, Intel will be launching its 500 Series motherboard chipsets, which will include native support for USB 3.2 Gen2x2, which can handle up to 20Gbps of bandwidth and additional power. Hardware-accelerated AV1 decoding is also new, as well as a host of features to make overclocking easier. Finally, DDR4-3200 memory clocks will be supported across all 500 Series motherboards. 400 Series motherboards will be able to make use of the new 11th-gen Rocket Lake-S CPUs via BIOS updates.
The most exciting part of Intel’s CES 2021 reveals was the plan to release CPUs based on their new 10nm architecture later this year. These chips, codenamed Alder Lake, represent the first major design advance in Intel consumer CPUs since the launch of the Core i7-6700K (codename Skylake) way back in 2015. The Alder Lake CPUs are expected to be the first Intel parts to officially support DDR5 memory and will require new motherboards.
Stay tuned for further info on the new Intel CPUs and check out our other CES 2021 coverage for more 2021 technology reveals.