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TOKYO: Japan’s SoftBank Group on Monday reported a record quarterly net loss of $23.4 billion, after central bank interest rate hikes caused tech shares to tank.
The telecoms firm that has turned into an investment behemoth posted a net loss of 3.16 trillion yen, nose-diving from a net profit of 761.5 billion yen in the same April-June period the previous year.
A weaker yen and the “global downward trend in share prices due to growing concerns over economic recession driven by inflation and rising interest rates” contributed to the slump, it said.
Among its portfolio companies that suffered large losses for the quarter were South Korean e-commerce giant Coupang and US meal delivery platform DoorDash, SoftBank added.
SoftBank’s big stakes in global tech giants and volatile new ventures have made for unpredictable earnings, and it has lurched between record highs and lows in recent years.
In May, it reported its worst-ever full-year net loss – and a then-record quarterly loss for Q4 – after a bruising year in 2021-22 that saw its assets hit by a US tech share rout and a regulatory crackdown in China.
That came after logging Japan’s biggest-ever annual net profit in 2020-21, after people moved their lives online during the pandemic, sending tech stocks soaring.
And in 2019-20, SoftBank Group reported a then-record annual net loss of 961.6 billion yen, as the emergence of Covid-19 compounded woes caused by its investment in troubled office-sharing start-up WeWork.
Hideki Yasuda, senior analyst at Toyo Securities, told AFP the company “cannot help” big losses, “because the market is down”.
The company “faces a very tough situation in the immediate term”, Yasuda said before the earnings announcement.
“They have to wait for the market to rebound. You have to look at the company through the lens of long-term investment. It may experience one or two bad years, but over a decade or more, the world economy will keep growing and it could grow further.”
The US Federal Reserve and many other central banks have announced aggressive rate increases aimed at battling sky-high inflation linked to the Ukraine war and Covid-related supply chain woes.
But going against the grain, the Bank of Japan has stuck to its long-held monetary easing policies because it sees the latest price hikes as temporary.
This has pushed Japan’s currency down to 24-year lows against the dollar in recent months, driving down the yen value of SoftBank’s investments.


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Catt McLeod, a senior hotel executive with over 15 years experience and formerly a Director at Supranational Hotels, has been appointed as HotelREZ’s new Director of Strategic Partnerships, starting June 1st. McLeod, a Member of the Institute of Hospitality (MIH), started her career in travel as an Account Manager for Pegasus Solutions, after which she joined HotelREZ as Business Development Director in 2008.
Acting now as Director of Strategic Partnerships, Catt McLeod will focus on delivering new key partnerships, as well as opening up new markets for HotelREZ products such as REZSwitch, a custom-built PMS interface, and REZPreferred, an innovative sales representation service.
Mark Lewis, Managing Director and Founder of HotelREZ, added:
“We are very pleased to welcome back Catt to HotelREZ. She has proved to be a great asset to us in the past, and I am sure she will shine again in the new role. In its 10+ years of existence HotelREZ has grown into one of the top leading hotel representation companies in the world, offering independent hotels the kind of competitive edge they need to keep up with the ever challenging travel market; and we aim to continue to do just that.”
Catt McLeod, Director of Strategic Partnerships, stated:
“I’m excited to re-join HotelREZ as a Director of Strategic Partnerships. Whilst the business has managed to keep the same drive and energy that I remember, it has also evolved over the past five years; and I am very impressed with the developments I’ve seen. I was particularly attracted by the focus throughout the organisation on adding value to every client.”
Catt will be based in the company’s London office, in Soho.
Want to know what HotelREZ can do for your Hotel?
HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts is a hotel representation company providing distribution, sales and marketing consultancy and technology to independent hotels and small chains. We provide properties with GDS representation under our own HO chain code, and help market hotels to thousands of travel and MICE agents and partners worldwide. For more information on joining our portfolio of unique and independent hotels contact our Business Development team today or complete our hotel membership enquiry form.

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KUALA LUMPUR, 22 JULY 2016 – Hong Leong Yamaha Motor Sdn. Bhd. (HLYM) today revealed, its latest automatic model at the Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. The new model launch luncheon was held in conjunction with the Yamaha Automatic World Motorshow, which was held in Berjaya Times Square mall. During his launch speech, Dato’ Jim Khor, … More All New Yamaha Ego Avantiz
KUALA LUMPUR, Friday 22 July 2016: Following the successful launch of the Harley Davidson Dark Series (Iron 883 and Forty Eight) earlier this year, Naza Prestige Bikes Sdn Bhd, the sole authorized importer and dealer for Harley-Davidson motorcycles in Malaysia, has released three new 2016 models for Malaysia market. The three new 2016 models revealed at a launching ceremony … More Harley-Davidson 2016 Models Launch
Dream; it is something of a human nature to dream about getting somewhere, having something or even being someone. The sheer strength of a person’s dream can lead to something wonderful and even change the world. It was not too long ago that Malaysian Riders started as just a dream, a dream from a group … More Going the Distance: A Journey Begins For Harish
When we first started out in the industry, our sole interest was all about getting our hands on cool new motorcycles as seen from our counterparts in Europe and Americas. But throughout 2012 to 2015, we’ve felt increasingly challenged to properly execute our vision to make quality opinion films or videos to our audience in … More Why Malaysian Riders Moving to Cinematic Storytelling?


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Article sponsored by:Visit here for original content services & social media exposure.
'Pathology', the story about a group of medical students who hold a contest to see which of them can create the perfect murder, is getting a very limited release in the States on April 18th. And a new teaser trailer has found it's way online that's both disturbing and hilarious.
Yes, it's a difficult balance, but someone has done it. All thanks to Napolean Dynamite. Intrgiued? So you should be, check it out below.
'Pathology' was helmed by Marc Schoelermann.
Article sponsored by:Visit here for original horror content services and social media exposure.


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Dune London has enjoyed a good start to the year off the back of a bumper 2017, when it recorded sales uptick across the board.
The British footwear retailer recorded an increase in like-for-like retail sales of 6.5 per cent for its autumn/winter season and a 5.2 per cent uptick for its full-year period ending January 27.
Retail sales for its Christmas trading period, the six weeks to December 30, were also up 7.2 per cent on a like-for-like basis, driven by growth across all retail channels: stores, concessions and especially online.
Dune added that sales during January have “continued to be strong”, rounding out what has been a good year in the UK despite a challenging retail environment.
It said international growth has been robust, and sales at retail in overseas markets
now represent 26 per cent of sales.
“Our strong results over Christmas and throughout 2017 are testament to the hard work of our teams and our strategic investments in product, our omni-channel proposition and brand marketing,” executive chairman and founder Daniel Rubin said.
“Our focus on delivering exceptional customer service and offering a point of difference at great value has proved popular with our customers and we have successfully maintained our gross margin despite the impact of sterling’s relative weakness during much of the


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German online payments firm Wirecard AG has seen its stock plunge by more than one-third over the past few days on reports of accounting misdeeds at its Singapore unit.
The company is fighting back by questioning the foundations of the allegations.
A preliminary review in May last year by a respected Singapore law firm listed allegations of potential financial irregularities, money laundering and forgery at Wirecard’s Asian unit.
However, the German company said that the report is based on evidence that is either faulty or forged.
A deeper investigation by the law firm so far has not “found any evidence of criminal misconduct,” Wirecard chief executive Markus Braun said by telephone on Friday from the company’s headquarters near Munich, Germany.
“This whole issue will be resolved quickly,” he said.
Yet investors got another red flag on Friday when Singapore police raided Wirecard’s offices there, ratcheting up concerns over its accounting practices.
A spokeswoman said that the company had “provided the police with comprehensive supporting material in regards to their inquiry.”
The 31-page initial investigation that Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP completed last year is largely based on the accounts of a person the lawyers call “Bobby.”
The document describes allegations of criminal activity ranging from backdating agreements to forged invoices.
Wirecard has said that the report is authentic, but that the findings relied on documents of suspicious provenance, possibly intended to damage Wirecard or profit from short-selling, as its stock has lost about 9 billion euros (US$10.2 billion) in value since the Financial Times first published the allegations on Wednesday last week.
German prosecutors said that they have launched a market manipulation probe in response to a criminal complaint Wirecard filed in the wake of the share drop.
Officials have not named any suspects and said that they have not found any reason to investigate Wirecard employees over accounting fraud allegations.
Wirecard said that after Rajah & Tann wrapped up the report, it hired the firm to do a fuller investigation.
Braun last week saw the original report for the first time, he said, adding that until then, the entire affair had been handled by the company’s internal compliance team, which by design does not include the chief executive officer to avoid pressure from top management.
Braun said that a final report would be available in “a matter of weeks” and that he is confident that it would clear the company and its employees of wrongdoing.
Rajah & Tann’s preliminary investigation focused on three Wirecard employees in Singapore.
There is evidence to suggest that they “knowingly worked together to create and backdate agreements billed by Wirecard Singapore up to three years prior,” the report said.
The documents cite actual companies, but the lawyers said that they did not include correspondence to back up a real commercial relationship.
“To date, we have not seen a single e-mail from any of the counterparties, which, given the nature and size of the deals, raises doubt as to the authenticity of the same,” the lawyers wrote. “There are strong reasons to believe that both the agreements and invoices may be fictitious.”
The company said that the preliminary report is based on evidence provided by the person identified as “Bobby,” including the e-mails it cites.
The investigators preparing the report did not have access to the company’s servers to judge the authenticity of those e-mails, Braun said.
He pointed to a statement this week by Rajah & Tann, which said that in preparing its new report, the lawyers had “made no conclusive findings of criminal misconduct on the part of any officer or employee of the company.”
TV and online retailer Momo.com Inc (富邦媒體) yesterday said it has set up a new logistics subsidiary, Fu Sheng Logistics Co (富昇物流), to oversee the company’s extensive shipping operations. Leveraging Momo’s 23 satellite warehouses and distribution centers nationwide, Fu Sheng will be in charge of executing the retailer’s same-day shipment plan for deliveries in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, Momo said in a press release. Seeking to further shorten its supply chain, the company is to set up another seven satellite warehouses and distribution centers by the end of the year. “Fu Sheng has a fleet of 200 couriers
US-CHINA TENSIONS: The company said that it supplies self-designed chips to the Chinese company and, as such, is not affected by the latest US export restrictions Macronix International Co (旺宏電子) said it does not expect its shipments of memory chips to Huawei Technologies Co (華為) to be affected by the latest US export restrictions on the Chinese tech giant. “As long as the company [Huawei] places orders, we will ship [chips], unless the [Taiwanese] government restricts all Taiwanese companies from shipping” to Huawei, Macronix chairman and chief executive officer Miin Wu (吳敏求) said on Monday in Hsinchu. The US Department of Commerce on Friday took a further step to block chip supplies from non-US companies to Huawei by requiring foreign semiconductor makers to get US government permission before
‘ACCORDING TO PLAN’: A company official said that it has set up production sites worldwide to provide services and that its Wisconsin project was going smoothly Hon Hai Precision Industry Co’s (鴻海精密) smart manufacturing center in Wisconsin would begin trial manufacturing in the middle of this year, the company said yesterday, adding that it plans to build a research institute to develop key technologies to support growth over the next five years. Hon Hai, known internationally as Foxconn Technology Group (富士康科技集團), said in an annual report submitted to the Taiwan Stock Exchange that its planned Foxconn Institute for Research in Science and Technology would conduct research into artificial intelligence, next-generation communications, quantum computing, cybersecurity and nano semiconductors in Taiwan. Hon Hai is to make products at the center
E Ink Holdings Inc (元太科技), the world’s sole supplier of e-paper displays for e-readers and shelf labels, posted its best quarterly net profit for the first quarter in nine years amid increased demand during a traditionally slow season. Net profit soared 80 percent to NT$787 million (US$26.23 million) in the quarter ended March 31, compared with NT$438 million a year earlier. That translated into earnings per share of NT$0.69, up from NT$0.39. E Ink posted lower royalty income of NT$371.23 million last quarter from NT$448.74 million a year earlier, a company financial statement showed. E Ink said that it expects royalty income to


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Tesla Model 3 or a new solar car roof technology
Author: Source: Datetime: 2016-11-08 15:38:34
Tesla is doing her own way. Including using their own battery packs, setting up their own charging standards, selling their own electric vehicles, and even providing consumers with the ability to produce solar power to meet their EV charging needs (or household demand). Now, Tesla has added an automotive glass to its product chain.
According to recent news, Tesla solar roof technology will be to collect solar energy through the roof to generate electricity for some of the car's electronic components. And there is news that Tesla's car roof solar technology is likely to be a new Tesla embedded solar cell development "Tesla glass."
Elon Musker in the outside world to publish their home with solar roof products such as solar power generator for home use, but also mentioned Tesla's special glass materials technology. At a recent conference call, Maske confirmed for the first time to the outside world that Tesla had a new glass-materials R & D department when discussing solar-tile products with analysts. "This product uses a great deal of skill in the automotive glass industry, and while Tesla does not advertise aggressively, we have formed a glass technology research and development team - a lot of very talented people on the team," Maske said. "
More interesting is that this "Tesla glass" technology, is very willing to be a folding design, for example, it can be made is a folding hardtop convertible models, so in terms of price, compared to General solar panels are also expensive to a lot. In addition, Tesla's "Tesla glass" technology is more likely to be more expensive than other conventional branded models that use a car roof, such as Fisker, Ford, Toyota and so on.
Maske also confirmed that Tesla will be in the automotive application products manufacturing, the use of their own glass technology. These materials will first be used in the upcoming Model 3 electric vehicles. Tesla has used this glass material (to some extent, the Model X has been listed on the sale of the unique panoramic windshield is a huge glass, is that the glass has been introduced to the electric car body, Technology, an application of expression). While the upcoming Model 3 electric car will be provided by two huge glass roof composition of the roof. In the automotive glass material comprehensive promotion before, the outside world hope Tesla company concerned about its strength performance, preferably with its solar glass tiles the same intensity.This solar glass is slao use for portable solar power generator.
We all know that Tesla's Model 3 will be officially on sale in 2017, its maximum mileage will reach 346 km, 100 km acceleration time in 6 seconds or less, but in addition, it is also very likely Will carry Tesla's new "Tesla glass" technology.
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Today Pocketpair released a brand new update of its popular open-world crafting survival game Palworld, fixing an issue that has plagued players for a long time.
The update has been released only for the version of the game on Steam at the moment of this writing, and it's numbered and it's numbered v0.1.4.1.
An update for the version for Xbox and on the Windows store will be released at a later time as soon as it's ready. It will be numbered v0.1.1.4.
The main item of the update is a fix for saving data that would be corrupted and crash the game once the number of pals captured by a guild reached around 7,000.
The previous patch already prevented this from occurring, but this update actually fixes the save data that was corrupted before that was applied, allowing players to resume their gameplay.
On top of that, the update also includes countermeasures against some cheats and more.
Below you can read the full patch notes.
- Major Fixes
- Fixed an issue where the game would always crash and save data would be corrupted when the total number of Pals captured by the guild reached approximately 7000.
- In the previous patch, save data that had already been in this state (for servers, the server's world data) remained in a broken state that made it impossible to load, but after applying this patch it will be resolved and will load properly.
- Fixed an issue where some weapons equipped by other players would disappear when a player used a grenade in multiplayer.
- Fixed an issue where, although the displayed capture probability increased when the capture power was strengthened with Lifmunk Effigies, the capture probability did not actually increase at all due to an internal processing bug.
- Base related
- Fixed an issue where if a Pal that was manually assigned to a breeding farm went to sleep, it would not wake up forever.
- Fixed an issue where no wood would drop when Pal at the base felled a tree.
- Implemented countermeasures against some cheats and exploits.
The developers also mention that the priority is still fixing major issues with the game before they start implementing the extensive roadmap for additional content and features and content planned for the game's early access.
Palworld has recently passed 19 million users of which 12 million on Steam and 7 million on Xbox, marking an explosive and unexpected success on both platforms. If you're wondering why you can read our hands-on preview.
If you're already enjoy the game and want to do so with your friends you can rent a private server on SurvivalServers.
Note: TechRaptor participates in an Affiliate Partnership with SurvivalServers.


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It all over the world knows Bangladesh is a very small country but it has a large (180million) quantity of population. That country’s productivity increases day by day and people buying empower also increases. Last year 2019 national GDP growth was 7.8 percent. It is very important for a country. It was a very good situation for Bangladesh. National and international companies invest because it is a very better time for investing in Bangladesh. We know when a country people buying empower increase is better for a country’s economy. Before we are looking Most of the mobile handset import from another country. But this day is finished for Bangladesh. Now Many international Brands locally production their handset and some national brand also invest in this sector. Symphony is the first brand for this sector now Walton Bangladesh makes a big plant for making handset. This situation Bangladeshi mobile brand may you know surprised-2020. Now locally made handset in Bangladesh five brands.
- iTel brand
- 5 Star
Many international Brand also makes locally factory for their production like Samsung. This company maximum selling handset assembly now Bangladesh. Other companies also processing to make their plant in this country. May we looking most of the international brand producing their product in Bangladesh because here one of the big facility labor is available at very low wages that the cause due to which the cost of production of the product is reduced. Another reason for investing in Bangladesh we show here about the mobile market in Bangladesh.
2019 Year Bangladesh Total Sale Smartphone and Basice Phone
Total Sales 32800000 Unites
Smart Phones Sales 7680000 Unites
Basic Phones Sales 25100000 Unites
Localy assembled 14200000 Unites
Imported phone is 15200000 Unites
Up this list see anyone impressed to talking about Bangladesh. For information 9 international smartphone brands already start their products assembled in Bangladesh. The international brand’s company like Readme, Oppo, Realme, and other many brands comes for making their handset in here. So it is very smart and good news for Bangladesh. Samsung company is the top place in Bangladesh for selling the smartphone market. Oppo sub-brands realme preparation to make made in Bangladesh brands.
We are discussing made in Bangladesh the local brands which are very easily covered in our smartphone and basic phone market.
Symphony mobile phone brands eyed to the export to their smartphone products by 2020 with “truly” Made in Bangladesh tag. It is very proud news for Bangladesh people. They are increasing their production make more two plants that are expected to produce in 2022. The plant expected to go production we will start export meeting after local demand said “Jakaria Shahid ” managing director of Edition group.
Symphony can assembled smartphone per month in their existing factor 150k. Another type of feature phone can assembled their factory 125k so it very big quantity and future we hope their more production and stop import handset by other country.
Edition group total invests these three plant over 100 crore taka and more employees can work here. After these three plan completing their not only assembly phone their make plan, all parts are making here like motherboard, LCD, speaker, camera, software every total side. So we can be thinking about the future a lot of people can work in the software sector, hardware sector, and assembling sector and also can work in the sale and repair sector.
Now Walton is a big and largest mobile company in Bangladesh. It has a total solution for smartphones every part. Thy is not the only assembly this company makes every part in their factory-like LCD, motherboard, speaker case every kind of parts manufacture Chandra Gazipur factory. Walton is not only made mobile their make all types of electronic products in Bangladesh and it exports all over the world. Walton is the first smartphone company who make made in Bangladesh phone and export their smartphone product in the USA.
Within a short time, the good quality of the locally finished smartphone with advanced features has drawn buyers’ attention as well as trust. Now Walton is manufacturing international standard smartphones which will be exported to the US, Australia, and other developed nations would be next export destinations soon. Walton also linked with US-based E-commerce giant Amazon to market ” Made in Bangladesh” labeled electronics and ICT devices in the US market.
.Walton now exported their smartphone and other electronic product around Asia, Europ, and other countries exported their product over 35 countries. It is very proud of the news for Bangladesh.
Now Walton can production in their local factory the amount of smartphone 800000 and features phone quantity are 2000000 per month.
Walton also insert their production list mobile accessories like housing, chargers, earphone, batteries, PCB (Printed circuit board), USB cable etc. Currently walton produces 1000000 chargers, 500000 to 600000 batteries. Walton also has double capacity for production accessories.
Last year Walton company sold 1201620 pieces smartphone and 4176407 pieces feature phone in the local market. You can think about the power of Walton products’ capability to produce. This company has international standard quality certified (ISO 9001:2015)
Many of the international leading company impressed to make handset plants in Bangladesh. Because the Bangladesh government policy that compelled importers to set up plants in the country looking to bear fruit. It is to make a good situation for a developing country to make more people’s jobe here. Bangladesh Telecom and ICT minister also declared who are locally produced they’re giving tax only 13 percent and who are imported handset give tax govt 32 percent. This policy is working for an investor like a medicine. So many handset importer interests to make it locally.
Itel Chinese brand company can assembled Bangladesh locally 3 lakh handset of which one lakh are smartphone.
Rezanul Huqe chief executive officer says ” we have a big dream for our plant” the first target is to cater to the local market. After which export opportunities will be explore. Transsion has another brand of iTel and people know this brand is Techno. This one also very early wants to start to here locally production. After techno brand production assembled Bangladesh total company brands is being 6.
WE mobile is a new brand launched in Bangladesh year 2017. It starts with a big group of companies in Bangladesh Aamra group. This group has many subsidiary companies like IT, Textile, Outsourcing, and the professional development sector. The primary target of Aamra group production here low budget phone and low-middle budget customer segment.
WE smartphone has many facilities like Free Wifi Internet, Free cloud storage, and smart device for one phone. This company monthly can production smartphone 90,000 thousand and total power of production a month 4,50000 units.
5 Star is another brand which starts their journey in Bangladesh and total target to export another country in 2022. Five stares make many types of smartphones and feature phones which love is Bangladeshi people. Its design is very attractive and it sells very affordable price for this country. First, there are totally imports this phone but when our government increases tax here more this time they are taken to decision making here manufacturing plant in Bangladesh. ” Made in Bangladesh” to rule the roost to soon. Bangladesh’s next target is export to the smartphone after 2022.
The five-star smart company makes its first plant in Gazipur 6th floor. 20 thousand square feet space their make now a smartphone. A little time this company increases its capacity and it becomes a large mobile manufacturer in Bangladesh. They are the main target is low and middle-class price phone manufacture. So small earning people can easily buy their handset. The company CEO says their a few times huge success from five-star brands.
Readmore: Success history of Walton Bangladesh


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A group of Denver women has turned their post-election rage and fear into action: by brewing beer.
On Wednesday, Guardian Brewing Co. announced on its website that it had teamed up with other local breweries to make a special Inauguration Day beer.
The five participating breweries hosted their own brew days, creating unique takes on a Saison that’s been aptly named “Makin’ Noise: A Pussy Riot Beer” in honor of the Russian punk band and activist group.
The brewers will begin tapping the beer on Inauguration Day this month, but they wanted it to be focused on supporting marginalized communities rather than the president-elect himself.
“Was this sparked by his election? Yes,” said one of the Denver-based brewers, Bess Dougherty. “But in the end, it’s about groups who will be at risk under this administration, groups that are already under attack,” she told Westword.
Other participating breweries are Lady Justice, 3 Freaks, Black Sky, Goldspot, and Brewability ― all based in the Denver area.
In Guardian Brewing Company’s mission statement about “Makin’ Noise: A Pussy Riot Beer,” Dougherty said that brewing the beer was all about using art to instigate positive social change. “We are brewers,” she said. “So our tool is beer.”
We’ll drink to that.
This article has been updated to reflect that each brewery created its own take on the Saison.


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Rising beauty startup Underlining has officially announced the appointment of Tobias Kuetscher as its new Chief Growth Officer. In his new role, Kuetscher will work to strengthen the company's multi-channel growth initiatives and lead the firm's global expansion. The move marks the latest addition to Underlining's growing global executive team.
"We are thrilled to have been able to excite Tobias Kuetscher with our extraordinary success story and win him for our leadership team," said Raz Romanescu, CEO and co-founder of Underlining.
"Tobias brings an extensive network and expertise in the beauty industry globally that will help us further advance our strategy and organization, as well as reach our ambitious growth plans."
Prior to joining the Underlining team, Kuetscher served as Unilever's General Manager for both the European and Asia-Pacific regions. Kuetscher also held leadership roles in marketing and sales at L'Oréal. Holding master's degrees in business from the University of Mannheim and Swansea University, Kuetscher brings 20 years of beauty industry experience to the Underlining team.
A leader in brand development, Underlining has propelled companies such as Nailboo, Hide, and Tatbrow to the forefront of the beauty and wellness space. From its existing brand portfolio, the industry pioneer has recently amassed over 1,000,000 customers collectively within the U.S.
Having recently entered into an official retail partnership with 3,000 physical stores across the country, Underlining is well on its way to reimagining the world of beauty and wellness through its breakthrough cosmetic products.
To learn more about Underlining's rapid growth in the market or to learn more about its expanding brand portfolio, please visit http://www.underlining.com.
Underlining™ is one of the fastest-growing beauty startups in the USA. The flagship brands disrupting the industry include Nailboo® (nails) and Hide® (color cosmetics & skincare), which have a cult-like customer base on social media.
Press Release Service by Newswire.com
Original Source: Underlining Wins L'Oréal and Unilever Top Executive Tobias Kuetscher


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DOGBERRY: Huawei's new phone design is 'deeply rooted in literary tradition' according to Richard Yu
Richard Yu, consumer chief executive, Huawei
Constable Dogberry in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing mangles every word he utters - and so do many business leaders.
We put the worst offenders in the dock for crimes against the English language.
THE ACCUSED: Richard Yu, consumer chief executive, Huawei.
WHAT HE SAID: The group’s new phone is ‘based on a deep understanding of human-machine design,’ with ‘craftsmanship that pushes the bounds of possibility’ and a design ‘deeply rooted in literary tradition, combining elements of ancient manuscripts, illuminated books and the essence of sunlight in stained-glass library windows’.
ANY MORE: Its design ‘evokes the pages, bindings and hardcovers of traditional books’. And: ‘the unboxing experience is like taking a book from the shelf’.
WHAT HE MEANT: What Yu should have said was: ‘This phone looks quite nice’. If this painfully-colourful description were a book, it would be filed under the ‘fantasy’ section of the library.
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At the beginning of next year, Intel should introduce a new generation of desktop processors – Comet Lake. The microarchitecture and the technological process in it will not change, new CPUs alone will require a new socket – LGA 1200. The number of cores and threads will also grow: for example, the top-end Core i9 will operate with 10 cores.
According to the source, these processors will not be released at the very beginning of the year. We are promised the Z490 chipset only in April, and it will be the first in the new line, which means that the CPUs themselves will be released in April. Intel will later release more affordable chipsets.
In addition, the source talks about the Core i5-10400 processor, which will receive six cores with Hyper-Threading support and will operate at frequencies of 3.5-4.1 GHz.


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Stamford Conn.—Despite the growth in the rate of adoption, 71% of companies have been using SaaS (software as a service) for less than three years, according to a report from Gartner Inc.
“Survey Analysis: Buyers Tell Us About SaaS and Cloud Adoption Through 2014”, conducted online in June and July, took the pulse of 556 organizations in 10 countries within four regions (Asia/Pacific, Europe, and North and South America) to understand trends in traditional software license models and where software budgets were being spent.
The survey found 77% of respondents expected to increase spending on SaaS, while 17% planed to keep spending the same. More than 80% of respondents in Brazil and Asia/Pacific said they expected to spend more on SaaS applications within the next two years; 73% of U.S. respondents and 71% of European respondents said they planned to increase SaaS spending.
Brazil had the largest number of new users, with 27% of respondents using SaaS for less than one year.


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For immediate Release
609 West Rock Road
Radford, VA 24141
RADFORD, VA - Thermasteel RP, of Radford, Virginia, has been purchased by an investment and management group. Led by Chief Executive Officer, Adi Ben-Senior, the group is made up of several engineering, sales, and marketing professionals specializing in the building industry. Adi’s background encompasses sixteen years in the field of engineering and architecture, over three continents, with over one billion dollars of develoment. This includes several of the largest commercial developments in Europe in the last decade.
The new company is incorporated under the name Thermasteel, Inc., and has launched a new website and company branding to coincide with the purchase.
“We are very happy to announce that the purchase of Thermasteel is now complete.” said company CEO, Adi Ben-Senior. “Indeed, there is no other product in the world like what this company has created, and starting today we hope to begin expanding the reach. It’s surprising that even though 70,000 projects have already been completed in 28 countries around the world, the products are still relatively unknown. But, we are confident and encouraged that this is about to change.”
“The new website and branding are an introduction to what we have coming”, said Jeffrey Shirk, Vice President. “The significance of our composite structural insulated panel system, what we call REVPANEL, is a real game changer for the building industry. While it’s true that our product falls under the heading of Structural Insulated Panel, our composite bonding technology puts it in a category all its own, and this really can’t be overstated. We feel like a revolutionary product needs a fitting name. That’s why we call it REVPANEL”.


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Chrysler Threatens to Pull Out of Canada if CAW Doesn't Agree to Concessions
Just two days after Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne threatened to abandon Chrysler if the company couldn't get its labor costs under control, Chrysler has sent a letter to the entire CAW threatening to pull out of Canada if wage concessions aren't made.
"The clock is running. Without labour concessions, Chrysler Canada's manufacturing operations will not survive long-term,'' CEO Bob Nardelli and president Tom LaSorda wrote in the letter. "Thousands of good- paying jobs are in jeopardy, as well as the economic health of communities such as Windsor and Brampton. ''
Chrysler has less than two weeks to reach an agreement with Fiat before the U.S. and Canadian governments withdraw financial support. Chrysler and Fiat insist that the CAW's refusal to make serious wage concessions is stalling the deal, but the CAW doesn't see it that way.
"The past week has seen an unprecedented and outrageous series of attacks on Canadian autoworkers and their union. One after another, business executives and political leaders, working clearly in tandem, have lined up to denounce the CAW's role in the auto restructuring process, and to demand that we accept up to $19 per hour in concessions or else face massive job losses and economic dislocation," said CAW President Ken Lawenza in response to the letter. "We will work to defend the interests of Canadian autoworkers. If Chrysler or any other company goes into bankruptcy protection, it will not be because of us."
Lawenza accused the Canadian government of interfering with the negotiations by siding with Chrysler and said that "painful" demands were being made on union members based on misleading financial information. In protest, some CAW burned copies of the letter outside Chrysler's minivan plant in Windsor, Ontario.
"You have to ask yourself whether they're trying to find reasons to pull out of Canada and reasons to blame the union," Lewenza said.
In the letter, which is reprinted below, Nardelli and LaSorda explained that the U.S. and Canadian governments have demanded that Chrysler bring its labor costs on par with those of non-union shops like Toyota as a condition of receiving further financial support. The executives said that "all-in" labor costs at Chrysler Canada are $76 per hour while at Toyota Canada they are just $57 per hour. The union has, thus far, refused to take the $19 per hour pay cut and instead offered to take a $7 to $7.25 per hour pay cut. In the letter, the executives also outlined other proposals that they had made, including cuts to healthcare and other benefits, but said that the CAW has rejected them.
Negotiations are scheduled to resume next week, though they could be delayed as Chrysler's negotiators are still wrapping up talks with the UAW in the U.S. Chrysler has dangerously little time left to reach an agreement and Lawenza's response does not bode well for the talks.
"Time is very short," the executives warned. "We have only two weeks before a final decision must be made. Let me be clear, our negotiations are about saving Chrysler Canada. We are coming down to the wire in the fight for our company's survival - and we need your support."
The Letter Sent from Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli and President Tom LaSorda to Members of the Canadian Auto Workers Union:
Today, we are at a crossroads in the history of Chrysler. Let's take a look at what's happened in the past few weeks.
On February 17 and February 20, Chrysler submitted its Viability Plan to the U.S. Treasury and U. S. Administration; and to the Canadian governments, respectively.
On March 30, U.S. President Barack Obama stated that Chrysler's Viability Plan was unacceptable. "It's with deep reluctance but also a clear-eyed recognition of the facts that we've determined, after careful review, that Chrysler needs a partner to remain viable."
He went on to state: "I'm committed to doing all I can to see if a deal can be struck in a way that upholds the interests of American taxpayers. And that's why we'll give Chrysler and Fiat 30 days to overcome these hurdles and reach a final agreement -- and we will provide Chrysler with adequate capital to continue operating during that time. If they are able to come to a sound agreement that protects American taxpayers, we will consider lending up to $6 billion to help their plan succeed. But if they and their stakeholders are unable to reach such an agreement, and in the absence of any other viable partnership, we will not be able to justify investing additional tax dollars to keep Chrysler in business."
U.S. President Obama has made it clear that our company must attain competitive labour rates: "Now, what we're asking for is difficult. It will require hard choices by companies. It will require unions and workers who have already made extraordinarily painful concessions to do more … It will require efforts from a whole host of other stakeholders, including dealers and suppliers."
Also on March 30, the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, said, "While the restructuring plans represent progress, they do not go far enough to ensure the long-term viability of these companies. Therefore, we are not certifying their proposals. Together with our U.S. counterparts we believe that further fundamental changes are needed."
Just this week, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has made it clear that an alliance is contingent on the UAW and CAW meeting transplant all-in labour rates: "Absolutely, we are prepared to walk. There is no doubt in my mind," Marchionne was quoted as saying. "We cannot commit to this organization unless we see light at the end of the tunnel."
The Canadian government has been very supportive of our viability, providing a loan of $1 billion (CDN, $750 million drawn to date), with an agreement to provide additional support in proportion to the loans received from the U.S. Treasury.
On April 14, the Canadian governments, both federal and provincial, invited the CAW and Chrysler to attend a meeting in Toronto where they laid out four specific guidelines that must be met for providing further financial support. Their "asks" were:
1. That labour costs be reduced to a level equal to those of Toyota Canada. We believe that a Canadian benchmark is the appropriate one for you to achieve. We ask that you jointly demonstrate to us that the agreement you reach attains this benchmark.
2. That Chrysler complete an alliance with Fiat that, in return for equity participation gives Chrysler access to Fiat management, Fiat technology, Fiat sales and distribution outside of NAFTA, and distribution of Fiat products inside NAFTA.
3. That Chrysler and Fiat submit revised plans to Canadian governments and U.S. Treasury based on appropriate assumptions that show clearly Canadian production, product mix, capital investment and R&D.
4. That Chrysler and Fiat commit to maintain Canada's proportion of North American production and to invest over the medium term that same share of total capital investment and R&D expenditure in Canada.
Let's keep in mind, the all-in labour costs at Chrysler Canada are $76 per hour while the Toyota Canada all-in rate is approximately $57 per hour.
While we have made some progress with the CAW, it falls significantly short of closing the $19 gap. And yet, as recent as Wednesday this week, the CAW continues to ignore this clear mandate from the government stating that they will not go any further. This unwillingness to work within the government's guidelines jeopardizes the future of Chrysler and our operations in Canada.
We have made several proposals to the CAW to offset these costs, without affecting base wages and pensions. Some specific examples include:
Prescription drug dispensing fees, by eliminating the cap results in estimated savings of $2.16 per hour.
Elimination of out-of-province health care coverage (snowbirds), with employees and retirees assuming responsibility for any coverage results in a cost savings of $1.00 per hour.
The change from semi-private hospital room coverage to "ward" coverage saves an estimated $0.97 per hour.
Elimination of life insurance for current and future employees results in a cost savings of $1.54 per hour.
The reduction of shift premiums to 2.5 percent results in a cost savings of $.80 per hour.
By increasing health care premiums would save an estimated $1.04 per hour.
The elimination of non-traditional benefits such as child care, legal services, tuition reimbursement, dependant scholarships and extended health care coverage (chiropractic services, massage therapy, naturopath, orthotics, etc.) results in a cost savings of $0.73 per hour.
Unfortunately, the CAW has been opposed to these solutions - however, we are open to alternative ideas. Next week, we plan to meet with the CAW to attempt to reach an agreement that is acceptable to Fiat and the Canadian government.
The clock is running. Without labour concessions, Chrysler Canada's manufacturing operations will not survive long-term. Thousands of good-paying jobs are in jeopardy, as well as the economic health of communities such as Windsor and Brampton.
Canada has always been an important manufacturing and sales market for Chrysler LLC. It represents the largest vehicle sales market for Chrysler outside of the U.S. and no other vehicle manufacturer has a larger portion of its total manufacturing in Canada than Chrysler.
However, these are not normal business circumstances and all Chrysler constituents have been asked to "break pattern" - employees, retirees, dealers, suppliers and others.
Time is very short. We have only two weeks before a final decision must be made. Let me be clear, our negotiations are about saving Chrysler Canada. We are coming down to the wire in the fight for our company's survival - and we need your support.


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There is a new service in the jungle of streaming offers. Amazon is behind it and takes a look at Germany’s advertising market. Will free streaming really compete with subscription models?
There are signs of a trend in the booming streaming market. For the Germans it is nothing new in itself. For decades we have been used to the fact that commercial television and selectively in the TV program of public service advertising flickers into our living rooms.
The US Internet company Amazon is also focusing on advertising revenue with a new streaming offer. Users watch series with commercial breaks, but it’s all free. How strong will this trend be in this country?
When streaming – i.e. the retrieval of moving image content on the Internet on platforms apart from continuous, predetermined TV programs – became established, many providers relied on income from subscriptions instead of advertising. Netflix, Disney, Apple, DAZN, Sky and also Amazon with its streaming service Prime Video rely on the subscription card. Many Germans like to stream and have several subscriptions at the same time – Netflix and Amazon are ahead in studies and with market observers in this country.
advertising instead of costs
There are also mixed models: For example, the RTL Group’s RTL and ProSiebenSat.1’s Joyn platforms offer free advertising-financed offers, while these platforms also have subscription models. Now advertising financing in streaming is getting a major boost with Amazon. The advertising market is attractive for video providers, as has been seen for decades in the TV market, where billions in sales are generated. Or also on Youtube.
A closer look at the Amazon Freevee offer, which started on Wednesday: films and series are shown at no additional cost, but with commercial breaks. After the USA and Great Britain, Germany is the third country in which this offer is placed.
“We offer users an offer that they would typically expect behind a paywall,” said an Amazon spokesman for the German Press Agency. It will be a mix of in-house productions, external films and series that are in the portfolio through licenses, and perspectively linear TV channels. Amazon Freevee will initially offer thematically programmed linear live channels – for example BBC Food or BBC Travel. All channels are available in German.
Austria should follow
The co-head of Amazon’s content business, Ryan Pirozzi, told dpa about the goal of Amazon Freevee: “We want to reach as many customers as possible.” The group did not name a target for Amazon Freevee in terms of customers and sales in Germany. Austria is to follow as another European country at a later date.
Amazon is already present in the streaming market with Prime Video. The moving image service is part of the Prime subscription, with which you can also listen to music or save on shipping costs when shopping on the Amazon platform. Recently the subscription price increased.
The consulting and market research company Goldmedia sees possible effects from the new free Amazon service. Goldmedia Managing Director Klaus Goldhammer told the dpa about the offer: “It could set up the streaming market in Germany again.” Those who have shied away from subscribing until now could now be attracted. Likewise younger people who do not have the purchasing power.
Goldhammer also assumes that there will be an impact on the traditional television advertising market. Linear private TV broadcasters such as the RTL Group or ProSiebenSat.1 could face competition because advertisers might go to Amazon Freevee. For public service broadcasting with ARD and ZDF, which are currently expanding their media libraries and streaming services, new competitive pressure could arise, added Goldhammer. Because people who wanted to stream without a subscription and found what they were looking for on ARD and ZDF now have another option to choose from.


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Before the accounting scandal broke in 2014, Tesco (LSE: TSCO) was considered to be one of the FTSE 100’s top income stocks. It’s taken the firm five years to recover.
However, it now looks as if the business is on track to earn this title once again. This dividend growth potential, coupled with the firm’s defensive nature, could make it the perfect pick for your portfolio in the current uncertain market environment.
When Dave Lewis was parachuted into the CEO role at Tesco, the supermarket giant’s reputation was in tatters. The retailer had been ignoring the needs of its customers for years. On top of this, the accounting scandal had floored its reputation in the City, and a dividend cut had sent income investors running for the hills.
Lewis set out with a plan to turn the business around. He wanted to cut prices, costs and improve efficiency. The then new-CEO set out a 4% operating margin target.
Tesco’s turnaround has now run its course and, as promised, its margins have recovered. This is excellent news for income investors. Net income has jumped from £138m in 2016 to £1.3bn for 2019, allowing Tesco to reinstate its dividend.
The payout was reintroduced at 3p per share in 2018. It was hiked 92% to 5.8p for fiscal 2019 and is set to grow further over the next two years. The City reckons the dividend could hit 9.3p per share in fiscal 2021. This suggests a dividend yield of 3.6% on the current share price.
As well as its rising dividend, there’s also a chance Tesco could issue a special dividend when it completes the sale of its large Thai and Malaysian operations. It has been reported three Thai family conglomerates have expressed interest. They could be prepared to offer as much as $10bn, according to the City.
It remains to be seen what Tesco does with this cash, if or when the company does sell. However, analysts are speculating management could either distribute the money with a special dividend or buy back stock.
The funds received would be enough to push earnings per share higher by 10% if used for a buyback, which suggests the stock could rise 10% from current levels if Tesco takes this course of action.
Considering all of the above, the near term outlook for shares in Tesco looks favourable. The company’s long-term prospects are bright as well.
Tesco is unlikely to be unseated from its position as the largest retailer in the country any time soon. What’s more, as the UK’s population and wealth continue to expand, the group’s revenues and profits should only head higher.
As such, now could be an excellent time to snap up Tesco shares if you’re looking for a long-term dividend growth investment. Now that its recovery is complete, it seems there’s nothing that can hold back the retailer’s growth.
According to one leading industry firm, the 5G boom could create a global industry worth US $12.3 TRILLION out of thin air…
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But you need to get in before the crowd catches onto this ‘sleeping giant’.
Rupert Hargreaves owns no share mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Tesco. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.


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McDonald’s, the famous fast food chain joined hands with JCDecaux Singapore. It will be the launch advertiser for the JCDecaux, island’s wide bus shelter networks. It will begin a long-term partnership with the fast food giant.
McDonalds’ campaign the wide reach of the launch advertiser package to highlight its four value offerings to audiences in residential estates, namely the “Grab & Go breakfast”, “Happy Sharing Box”, “McDelivery” and “Extra Value Meal”. Additionally, McDonald’s will continue ads on three panels in JCDecaux’s street side network from June, directing passers-by to the nearest McDonald’s outlets in Tampines, Hougang and Serangoon.
The bus shelter campaign consists of four different visuals on 400 six-sheet advertising faces, starting today, targeting ads according to audiences in the area. According to the statement,more launch advertisers are planned to come on board for bus shelter ads in other areas in the following weeks.
Basically, this initiates JCDecaux Singapore’s return to bus shelter advertising after clinching the seven-year bus shelter concession in February 2018. With JCDecaux it’s out of home offerings island wide, allowing it to cut across several platforms and complement existing platforms in malls, billboards and the airport.
“Furthermore, JCDecaux’s networks afford us the flexibility to direct our ads at targeted groups to deliver messages most relevant to our customers. It is the pervasiveness of these bus shelters that make the man in disputable choice for us to partner JCDecaux as the launch advertiser for the bus shelters.”


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A new approach to integrated circuits, combining atoms of semiconductor materials into nanowires and structures on top of silicon surfaces, shows promise for a new generation of fast, robust electronic and photonic devices. ...
They train hard, have their own fans, sponsors and managers, and transfer to rival teams: Online gaming pros are not dissimilar to athletes, adopting rigour and dedication to win and cash in on their success.
Panasonic returned to profit after deep losses for the past two fiscal years, as a weak yen and restructuring efforts helped a gradual recovery, and forecast a 16 percent increase in gains for the coming year.
U.S. government forecasters calculated that for most of the Earth, last month was one of the hottest Marchs on record—except in the United States.
Prosecutors probing South Korea's ferry disaster have turned to a popular mobile chat service to reconstruct the final moments of hundreds feared to have perished on board the sinking ship.
Finnish telecom company Nokia on Thursday recalled 30,000 chargers for its Lumia 2520 tablet due to risk it could give customers an electric shock.
India's government is scrambling to prevent the boss of South Korea's Samsung Electronics from being forced to appear in an Indian court on criminal charges over a $1.4-million payment dispute, reports said Friday.
The billionaire chairman of South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics has been ordered to appear before an Indian court next month in a long-running $1.4-million payment dispute.
South Korea detected a suspected North Korean hacking attempt Thursday to steal military data by using a journalist's notebook computer, defence ministry officials said.
Finnish telecom company Nokia on Monday said the sale of its handset business to US technology giant Microsoft would be delayed by a few weeks until April 2014.


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The pandemic is accelerating the shift to digital at speeds no one could have imagined just a few months ago.
But there have been gaps along with the pivot, where paper- and courier-based documents have held sway, and where signatures are required to get things done as companies and individuals interact with their financial institutions (FIs).
Citibank said last week that the use of its digital banking channels soared in the first quarter (and beyond), tied to a global phenomenon where untold numbers of individuals are working from home, and where lockdowns have rendered traditional financial services processes inoperable.
The company said it has expanded the reach of its CitiDirect BE Digital Onboarding platform, available in 42 countries and five languages. The solution, available through Citi Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS), launched in February of last year in North America and in six countries across Europe.
Tapodyuti Bose, global head of digital channels and data at Citi TTS, told Karen Webster that clients across all kinds of businesses are experiencing changes to their business models and are creating direct electronic channels to interact with their customers. This in turn is disintermediating traditional distribution methods and supply chains in the process.
“Digital was becoming increasingly important,” he said – and the pandemic has served as a catalyst to hasten that adoption, and to bring analog processes toward streamlined functionality.
“This has been a journey we have been on – which, given the turn of events that began to unfold earlier this year, took on a very serious tone and intent,” Bose noted.
Along the way, he added, what may have once been considered optional and interesting for Citi’s institutional clients – and, in particular, treasury departments – has become fundamental and critical.
On a high level, said Bose, Citi’s roadmap boils down to a simple strategy: to offer a financial platform for global commerce.
“There’s a big dose of data that brings much more intelligence into that commerce,” he said. “Therefore, we have to ensure that every part of the client journey is on some kind of a digital rail.”
That’s a wholesale shift that moves beyond prior efforts by corporates large and small to digitize day-to-day operations. In some cases, they’ve been converting paper documents into data, taking analog transactions into online banking or establishing host-to-host ERPs.
Now, said Bose, “even the tiniest bit of analog” can disrupt operations.
The digitized journey for Citi’s clients starts even before onboarding, through identifying specific needs such as making payroll payments, forecasting cash flow or managing supply chains (and, by extension, supply chain finance).
“Then comes the next part of the journey, the next moment of truth, which centers on ‘now that I’ve decided on a particular solution, how do I onboard?'” said Bose. “And that onboarding must be conceived and executed completely digitally.”
That leads to corporate clients opening accounts through the CitiDirect BE Onboarding platform, and subsequently linking to a number of products.
The statistics show the magnitude of the shift.
Between March 2019 and March 2020, Citi has estimated a 24 percent increase in the total number of CitiDirect BE online and app users.
As Bose told Webster: “As you can imagine, the first part of the pandemic had an impact on our clients – as things changed, they were extremely challenged to figure out how their businesses could continue to work.”
The initial accelerated usage of Citi’s digital channels came as companies set COB (continuity of business) plans into motion, leveraging electronic signatures and streamlined documentation in a world where face-to-face meetings and “wet ink” signatures suddenly became impossible.
As manual processes are digitized, said Bose (and where Citi has reduced 97 percent of the terms and conditions contained in the onboarding experience), processes that would take weeks and even months, and were reliant on paper and multiple points of contact, can be compressed to a timeframe of just a few days.
Bose acknowledged that digitizing parts of client contingency situations presents a number of challenges. He noted that clients are located in far-flung geographies, and the use of technology such as e-signatures is governed by various local and national authorities.
In other cases, there are various mandates tied to disclosing beneficial ownership. Bose gave an example of when various regulatory bodies in different regions were processing approvals for Citi’s mobile platform using extended review timeframes, which sometimes spanned a year and a half due to regulatory concerns over biometrics and personnel data. But when the pandemic hit, the urgency was recognized by all parties and approvals accelerated dramatically, often within three days.
Beyond regulatory hurdles, Bose noted that challenges remain in getting corporates – among them the largest firms in the world – to fully embrace a digital-first mindset. That’s especially true with companies that are not digital-native and are trying to manage risk and liquidity.
Those companies may have completed at least part of the digital journey by centralizing treasury operations across different countries, but at this point are unsure of next steps amid changing business models.
Though they may have centralized treasury operations, said Bose, many larger firms have still been working out of fragmented ERP systems collected from several acquisitions of smaller firms.
“If you start with the technology, people get very uncomfortable. They say, ‘This is new. Maybe I don’t know what I don’t know. What’s it going to do to my job? Do I need to retrain myself?’”
Bose believes the key lies in illustrating how technology can help make treasurers’ day-to-day (professional) lives easier.
As more enterprises embrace work-from-home models, and as people are not physically present to make treasury management decisions, data can act as a great unifier. As Bose said of the continued transition toward client-facing digital channels: “Today, it’s the pandemic. Tomorrow, it’s a business requirement.”


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After uptight news source Forbes laid into Microsoft Boss Steve Ballmer recently, joining the lynch mob seeking to slam the eccentric frontman’s approach to business, the outspoken CEO has hit the Seoul Digital Forum to declare his companies plans for Windows 8 world domination – or at least 7% of the world’s population.
Big Ballms claims that an estimated 500-million personal computer and tablet owners will install or upgrade to the new operating system between the dual-function platform’s launch later in the year and the end of 2013. Quite a claim, we think and a boastful one from the boss. Windows 8 is believed near completion and a number of builds have been released to developers since the software update was announced in 2011, possibly October is history repeats itself – but it’s been in the works since before Window 7 was even released.
A Release Preview version is expected to be made available on June the 5th and Windows 8 will completely reboot the operating system coming in three different versions for PC upgraders, new PC buyers and “slate” owners. Is Ballmer’s boast too big for its boots? Or do our Gadget Helpline readers think that Microsoft can make Windows 8 great in 2013?


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Many have already seen the writing on the wall for the BlackBerry 10 OS, but official confirmation has always been withheld. Granted, these latest comments don’t really come from the highest BlackBerry authority, but this is as official as it gets. Damian Tay, BlackBerry’s senior director for product management for the APAC region has confirmed what BB10 fans probably dread to hear out in the open: BlackBerry is in the process of transitioning to a single platform ecosystem, and that will all revolve around Android.
BlackBerry has always had a foot in the Android waters, even will lugging around its in-house BlackBerry 10 platform. It supported running some Android apps via a compatibility layer to temporarily solve the lack of apps on BB10. With the BlackBerry PRIV, however, the company went full Android for the first time, and, given how the combination of BlackBerry’s traditional QWERTY smartphone, in slider form here, and Android was warmly received, some feared it was just the start of a slippery slope. And apparently, those fears were founded.
Tay says that it doesn’t make practical sense to have two platforms at the same time competing with each other, but instead of rooting for its own, Tay claims that “the future is really Android.” The company has been doing cross-platform apps so it makes sense to transition to Android, justifies the exec. It is, however, only a recent development, relatively speaking. It is basically a concession that BB10’s own app ecosystem is nowhere near Google’s platform.
The good news is that the transition isn’t going to happen quickly and that the likes of the BlackBerry Passport and Classic, both running BB10, are going to be around for a while. There are two reasons for this. The first is strategic. Android still isn’t secure enough for BlackBerry and the company continues to extol the tight security features of BB10 that has endeared the platform to enterprise and government markets. BB is still working towards making Android fit for their target audience.
The second reason is business. BlackBerry still has high-paying customers that depend on BB10 and such devices, particularly governments. BlackBerry’s so far only fully Android device has not yet been certified for such use and the company might not be too eager to apply for the specification yet given the above. So, at least for now, BlackBerry will continue along a two-pronged BB10 and Android path, but its future will end up with only one. That is, unless Tay’s statements get vetoed by the higher ups.
UPDATE: BlackBerry has once again come out in support of its BlackBerry 10 platform, reiterating its commitment to the enterprise-oriented secure OS.
SOURCE: India Times


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Automakers Plan Big Debuts at 2008 LA Auto Show
- SEE ALSO: Complete 2008 LA Auto Show - Press Pass Coverage
- SEE ALSO: New Specs, Prices and Pics-New Car Buyers Guide
Washington DC November 18, 2008; The AIADA newsletter reported that faced with plummeting sales, auto companies turn to their oldest and most reliable tool to generate excitement and news coverage for new vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week: elaborate vehicle unveilings.
"People who go to auto shows are more likely to buy vehicles and visit dealerships," Mike Bernacchi, marketing professor at the University of Detroit Mercy, told the Detroit Free Press. The return on investment is clearer and more direct than from almost any other kind of marketing. "You can track people going from an auto show to a Web site and to the showroom," Bernacchi said.
Important new models from Mazda, Lexus, Nissan, Infiniti, and Mini will all debut in L.A.
Mini's first electric model, the Mini E. The little electric car features a lithium-ion battery pack that replaces its backseat.
A number of vehicles unveiled at the recent Paris auto show will also make their North American debuts in L.A., including the Audi Q7 compact crossover SUV, the new BMW 7-series luxury sedan, the Honda Insight hybrid, and the Lexus IS hardtop convertible.
CLICK HERE for complete LA Story


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*Journalist Roland S. Martin will launch #RolandMartinUnfiltered, a daily digital show that will stream live daily on Facebook, YouTube, Periscope and Instagram TV, and will be available on-demand on a multitude of digital platforms, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Firestick, Google Chromecast and more, beginning Tuesday, September 4, 2018.
The daily digital show will be “powered by the people” and will incorporate real-time interactions and commentary from viewers as Martin reports on news and current events that are important to people of color, including politics, social justice, sports, education, business, finance, entertainment and pop culture.
The format will feature in-depth discussions and one-on-one interviews with authors, artists, athletes, entertainment personalities, and other top names in education, public policy, and academia. In addition, #RolandMartinUnfiltered will hit the road and stream live events across the country, such as speeches, summits, conferences, town halls, and staple entertainment events.
“#RolandMartinUnfiltered is an independent news source that will address many of the top stories today that are largely ignored by mainstream media,” said Martin who will produce the show through his company, Nu Vision Media, Inc. “In my career, I have focused on many of these issues: voter suppression, HBCUs, the increasing wealth gap in America, and we will continue to do so in an unapologetic and unfiltered way.”


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If you wanted physical copies of these classic Star Wars games, you might be in luck.
The last few years have seen a number of classic Star Wars titles head to modern consoles and get substantial updates on PC, mostly thanks to Aspyr Media, who have been knocking it out of the park for years with amazing re-releases and ports of games such as Knights of the Old Republic, a title they could be remaking as we speak. The most recent re-release by them was Star Wars: Republic Commando, a game that needed a fair amount of QoL changes and overall polishing.
Now it seems like THQ Nordic, which acquired Embracer Group, which owns Aspyr Media (yes, capitalism is tedious), is planning a physical release of Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast plus Jedi Academy, alongside a combo of Star Wars: Racer and the aforementioned Republic Commando version that hit earlier this year. According to the organization responsible for video game ratings in Germany, these collections will be available for PS4 and Switch — the two platforms that already received them in digital format.
This seems like a great opportunity for diehard fans to obtain these legendary titles in physical format and in their latest, most polished iterations. Of course, waiting for a deep sale on the digital releases will surely be the most money-friendly option, but we Star Wars fans are crazy about collecting stuff, so these boxed releases will probably sell quite well. Publisher and distributor Limited Run Games did produce really cool physical releases of these games, but (as the company’s name suggests) they were costly and limited. That won’t be a problem now.
Expect an official announcement soon, maybe even during Gamescom, which kicks off today and will bring much-anticipated news regarding LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.


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Many of the disposable plastic objects present today on the shelves of any supermarket have their days counted in the European Union. The harmony between the institutions to reduce the presence of this material in the daily life of citizens is a fact in front of the ecological problems that it generates, mainly for oceans and marine life. Accepted this, the discussion in Brussels focuses on the speed of its withdrawal and on which products will be affected. In May, The European Commission proposed to prohibit the sale of straws, plates, cutlery and sticks to remove plastic drinks. And he proposed that all of them be replaced by their biodegradable equivalents. Cotton swabs -except for those that are used for medical reasons- are also included in that list of goods destined for extinction.
On Wednesday, MEPs have endorsed the Commission's idea by an overwhelming majority of 571 votes in favor, 53 against and 34 abstentions. And they have gone a step further by adding to the list of items that should disappear from the market sticks to hold balloons, oxo-degradable plastic products and fast food packaging expanded polystyrene. The deadline to stop marketing is already fixed: the year 2021. And the manufacturers will have to pay the cost of cleaning the waste, which if approved would mean that the tobacco companies and the producers of fishing gear with plastic would have to cover the costs of collecting your waste.
But the letter of the new norm is still subject to changes. Once the first parliamentary obstacle has been overcome, the time has come for the Member States to discuss the law. First will be the EU Environment Ministers. And then the negotiation will be developed in three bands between the Twenty-eight, the Parliament and the Commission. The intention is to get ahead before the European elections in May.
The battery of measures goes beyond the prohibition of the main disposable plastic articles. The MEPs have given their approval to requiring European partners to recycle 90% of plastic bottles by 2025, and to have them collected separately. In Spain the rate of recycling of domestic packaging is now 77%, according to data from Ecoembes, the entity in charge of the collection and treatment of these bottles in Spain. In addition, the consumption of other polluting products for which there is no alternative, such as fruit, vegetable or dessert containers, will have to be reduced by at least 25% in 2025. It is established that residues from the plastic filters of cigarettes should reduced by 50% in 2025 and 80% by 2030. The European Parliament estimates that a cigarette butt can contaminate between 500 and 1,000 liters of water and can take up to 12 years to disintegrate.
After this marasmus of figures and restrictions, the EU opens the door to a new model that could change the landscape of many of the beaches and seas besieged by this type of waste. Community forecasts are optimistic about the positive impact of legislative change. According to the European Commission, more than 80% of marine garbage are plastics. And the products that would stop selling in the EU account for 70% of the waste that reaches the sea, with which the reduction would be remarkable. "It is a victory for our oceans, for the environment and for future generations," said Belgian Frédérique Ries, rapporteur of the report. The liberal MEP recalled the great expectations that its use aroused. "It started as a beautiful story, in the mid-50s, plastics were a revolution, but that story is now on the way to becoming a nightmare."
Despite not being definitive, the environmental organizations have described the decision of the European chamber as "historic". The associations have been warning of the existence of plastic trash islands and the damage that its ingestion causes to the turtles and other marine fauna. "European citizenship wants an end to plastic pollution, and now state governments have to comply with this demand and resist the pressure of large corporations interested in continuing to use and throw away," said Alodia Pérez, of Amigos from the earth. Greenpeace has urged the states to follow the guidelines of the European Parliament, although it has regretted that the light bags of the agreement between the parties have been excluded.
Brussels considers that the propagation of plastic garbage can have harmful effects for human health, given its presence in some foods, as well as for fishing and tourism. Estimates by the European Commission estimate that if the directive is approved, the emission of 3.4 million tons of carbon dioxide would be halted. And the saving in environmental damages in the Twenty-eight would rise to 22,000 million euros between now and 2030.


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Splatoon 2 tops software charts.
Wednesday means it’s Media Create time, which, in turn means we now know what video game hardware and software sales were like in Japan last week. Surprising absolutely no one, the Nintendo Switch ended up selling the most of any console, with slightly over 48,000 units sold- almost double that of the second place finisher, the PS4, which sold 25,138 units. The 3DS rounded out the top three with 7,000 units sold.
On the software front, Splatoon 2 topped charts, while Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and Kirby: Star Allies all managed to leg it out as well. Sadly, Sushi Strikers, which launched last week, is already scraping the bottom of the barrel, and the PS4 debut of Super Bomberman R didn’t do too hotly either. Dark Souls Remastered and Detroit: Become Human, on the other hand, continue to do well, with the latter being an exceptional success story in Japan.
Let’s see what Japanese sales look like next week.


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Coveris S.A. has acquired Supraplast, a Guayaquil, Ecuador-based shrink sleeve and adhesive label technologies company. Coveris Holding Corp. and Coveris Flexibles US LLC have also entered into a management services agreement with Supraplast.
Company officials say the acquisition will afford Coveris an opportunity for expansion in the South American region.
"We are very pleased with the acquisition of Supraplast, our first operation located in South America," says Gary Masse, president and CEO of Coveris. "We look forward to continued growth in Latin and South America."
Supraplast is a leader in printing technology with a product offering that includes shrink sleeves, self-adhesive labels, safety seals, PVC and PET shrink films. The company has a variety of top-tier customers and serves many markets such as food and beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care and agriculture.
(877) 447-3539; www.coveris.com


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The trucking industry is bracing for news from Yellow Corp. amid multiple reports that the company is preparing to file for bankruptcy.
On July 27, the Wall Street Journal reported that Nashville, Tennessee-based Yellow is preparing to file for bankruptcy amid ongoing negotiations with the Teamsters and cash flow woes. The report also stated that Yellow is losing customers and that a bankruptcy announcement could happen as early as this week.
Yellow’s stock is down 50% to fifty cents a share as of Thursday morning.
— Paul Page (@PaulPage) July 27, 2023
A separate report from CNN says that Yellow has stopped picking up freight but is still delivering freight within the company’s system.
However, the company says that they are still working to negotiate with the union and no final decisions have been made.
On Wednesday, a company official told CDLLife that “Talks with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are ongoing. As previously stated, in keeping with the fiduciary responsibility of the company’s executives, the company continues to prepare for a range of contingencies.”
On July 23, the Teamsters announced that Yellow had averted a looming strike by making an agreement with the Central States Pension Fund that afforded the company a 30 day grace period after the company withheld pension and healthcare payments totaling $50 million on July 15.
“Agreement by the Central States at the urging of the Teamsters gives Yellow 30 days to pay its bills with the understanding the company will do so within the next two weeks,” the Teamsters said.
Yellow employs around 30,000 workers and is the third largest LTL carrier in the U.S.
Yellow Transit Freight Lines, the company that would become Yellow, was established in 1924 in Oklahoma City by brothers Cleve and A.J. Harrell.


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Glasgow City Council’s environmental health teams have been investigating allegations that halal meat is being supplied by illegal sources to city food outlets.
The meat – which was believed to be lamb but couldn’t be verified because it had no labels – had been supplied by an unapproved cutting plant in Lancashire.
Halal meat involves slaughtering animals or poultry in a specific way. It is eaten by followers of Islam and is supplied by specialist butchers.
A report has been sent to the council’s Health and Social Care Police Development committee about traceability in the halal meat supply chain.
The report says officers launched a project in 2010 to find out if illegal meat was being processed in or distributed to Glasgow food outlets following allegations.
They found there was no evidence of meat being illegally slaughtered but documentation and labelling was “in many cases insufficient”.
The biggest haul happened in 2012. Recent allegations received include the supply of meat by unregistered traders, the supply of meat without any health marks and illegal street trading of meat from unmarked vans.
The report also referenced the horsemeat scandal in January 2013, which raised public awareness of the potential for food fraud in the meat supply chain.
The report said: “It would appear that some food businesses have not learned lessons from the horsemeat scandal.
“Unless traceability significantly improves it will continue to be impossible to differentiate legal meat from that originating from illegal sources.
“Consequently Glasgow food businesses remain at risk of food crime from elsewhere in the food chain.”
There are a total of 43 halal butchers across the city.


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light up to bring cheer
It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas — and shoppers will be enticed into Margaret River with stellar promotions co-ordinated by the local Chamber of Commerce.
Late-night trading returns to the CBD next Friday in time for Christmas lights to bring a little cheer for traders hoping to make the most of this summer before the main street redevelopment kicks off in February.
The promotion comes as the chamber — with a little help from the Times — gears up for its Christmas shopfront decoration competition, and a “secret Santa” with a difference via the chamber’s Facebook page and @margaretrivercci Instagram account.
Chamber president Melissa d’Ath said a “Christmas taskforce” recently convened to brainstorm local promotions for the sake of main street traders, backed by the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River.
“We have been collecting funds to light up the trees on the main street and encouraging businesses to decorate their windows for the holiday by offering some great prizes,” she said.
“We are hoping all the CBD businesses jump on board for the window display and late-night shopping.
“This is about creating a stronger sense of community in town – not just a shopping event. A vibrant town centre reflects our strong community.”
More details on the store promotion and spot-the-Santa competition are online and on Page 11 in today’s Times. Next Friday, a certain bloke in a big red suit will visit early, courtesy of volunteer bush fire fighters, a goodwill tree will be erected to receive donated gifts, and local scouts will wrap gifts outside Target. Businesses are urged to sign up, and stay open.
Shire sustainable economy officer Saul Cresswell told the Times spending local would make “a real difference” to the Augusta-Margaret River shire economy.
“Money spent at a local business recirculates many times, resulting in more job opportunities, financial viability, and stability for local families, and a more interesting and diverse economy of local businesses,” he said.
“These businesses form an important part of our active and engaged community, donating to local charities, sponsoring events, and giving back in a way that distant boardrooms don’t.”
Mr Cresswell said there were also environmental benefits from reducing the distance gifts travelled, especially if buying locally-produced items.
The Shire was also walking the talk, with more than 50 per cent of purchases made with local suppliers.
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Feature Photo: Aerial view of the proposed site for the commercial development. Image: City of Georgetown/VBX Graphic
by Art Benavidez
Georgetown (Williamson County) — A Georgetown developer received rezoning for a hotel and retail development at last week’s meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The 16.2-acre property will convert from agricultural (AG) to the general commercial (C-3) zoning.
The site is undeveloped and located south of the Interstate 35 and State Highway 130 intersection, near the proposed Titan Park 35 development, in the northeast portion of the city.
Iqbal Maredia with Antiz LLC is proposing to develop the property in a manner that would help the area’s supply chain under the name Neu Hub Apex.
Maredia submitted a letter to the commission that stated the rezoning would allow for a hotel, with conference rooms, that would compliment Titan Park 35, along with other commercial entities.
Additionally, Maredia added that restaurants owned by local businesses could also be developed, along with “a very upscale convenience store: with multiple Tesla rapid charging stations, a coffee shop with free Wi-Fi where customers could work while recharging their electric vehicles and traditional fueling stations.
Maredia stated that development would have access to Wittera Way on its southern boundary that would also provide fire department access.
Tim Harris with I35 & 130 Investment LTD, out of Austin currently owns the property.
City Council is expected to hold a first reading on the recommendation on Jan. 25 and second reading on Feb. 8.
VBX Project ID: 2022-02BE


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Verified Trades On Profit.ly
- Trump's made 'free trade' a dirty word July 22, 2016Donald Trump did not back down from his tough stances on trade in his big RNC speech. His advisors keep hinting at a pivot, but so far, that hasn't happened.
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- 'Stampede' of cash rushing into emerging markets July 22, 2016Read full story for latest details.
- Why Skechers is having a terrible year July 22, 2016Skechers, once the sneaker darling of Wall Street, is in a serious slump. The stock lost nearly a quarter of its value on Friday after disclosing an alarming sales slowdown and warning of more trouble ahead.
- Yahoo sale nears end, Verizon reportedly in the lead July 22, 2016The dream of the '90s Internet is alive in Verizon, which could soon own both AOL and Yahoo.
- Trump's made 'free trade' a dirty word July 22, 2016
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Author Archives: Mike Rosenberg
Earlier today, Latteno announced that they will be partnering with Greenlight Discount Pharmacy (a Pre-ICO Prop D medical dispensary). The partnership with Greenlight will begin with Latteno offering four new marijuana strains on RxHC.com.
After closing green for four straight days following it’s IPO, GoPro took a tumble and closed today almost 14% down ($41.90 pps, after hours). This was expected from “the world’s most versatile camera;” running from $24 per share to $49.90 Continue Reading
Earlier today, Progress Watch announced earlier today that their subsidiary entered an exclusive license agreement with Briken, LLC. This agreement licenses a mobile broadband communications platform intended to support video streaming over 4G LTE networks.
Green Cures & Botanical Distribution Inc. (GRCU) Announces Advancements in Product Research and More
Earlier today, Green Cures (GRCU), Formerly Triton Distribution Systems, Inc. announced the formation of a Product Research & Development Advisory Committee. This group will assist in the explanation and presentation of upcoming products, as well as the selecting of raw materials Continue Reading
Earlier today, Gold Coast Mining Corporation announced that it will officially launch it’s newest product offering, MJ-Merchant.
This upcoming week is poised to be a great week for one of our long-term plays, MYEC; our new long term play, BRND; and a newly alerted, rumored-filled, CCAJ. Also, we have important news about upcoming changes to HereitFirst and Continue Reading
Yesterday afternoon, Gold Coast Mining Corporation officially released their marijuana social media website, MJ-Xchange.com.
Tomorrow, April 29th, Gold Coast Mining Corp. is set to release their marijuana social media website, MJ-Xchange.com.
Earlier today, Gold Coast Mining Corp. CEO Mike Shea and MJ-Xchange.com webmaster Barbara Carroll provided a guided tour of MJ-Xchange to members of Here it First.
Earlier today, Gold Coast Mining Corporation updated shareholders on the beta testing of their marijuana social media website, MJ-Xchange.com. The company will also be holding a webinar to showcase the website and it’s capabilities.


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No matter how into gadgets and hardware we are, we're all forced to face a cold truth every once in a while: our PCs and gadgets sometimes break. What's important, however, is how often it happens and how easy (or difficult, as the case may be) it is for us to remedy the problem. According to survey results from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, Americans tend to have the most frequent problems when it comes to their Internet connections, home PCs, and cell phones, and often find themselves confused about how to fix them.
According to Pew, almost half of adults said they needed someone to help them set up or learn how to use their gadgets. Once they finally get them going, however, things aren't all smooth sailing—44 percent of adults with home Internet connections reported service failure sometime in the last 12 months. Similarly, 39 percent of those with home PCs or laptops, 29 percent of cell phone users, and 26 percent of those with BlackBerrys, Palm Pilots, or other PDAs said their devices stopped working sometime in the last year. Apparently, the most resilient gadget included in Pew's survey was the iPod/MP3 player—only 15 percent of those surveyed reported problems over the last year.
Interestingly, age seemed to be a factor in at least one of these technological failures. Although almost all age groups experienced problems with their Internet connections (roughly) equally, younger people appeared to experience cell phone failure of some kind much more frequently than their senior counterparts. According to the numbers, 30 percent of 18 to 29 year-olds and 33 percent of 30 to 49 year-olds had cell phone issues, while only 18 percent of those 65 and older had problems. Pew doesn't say why, but we're going to take a guess and say that younger folk are more likely to play around with their cell phone configurations and ultimately run into issues than seniors, who are more likely to just use what they have and not mess around with it too much.
Unsurprisingly, people aren't very thrilled when this happens either. 40 percent of those surveyed reported feeling confused by the information they got when trying to fix their tech woes, while 48 percent felt discouraged by the amount of effort needed to fix the problem. Even more—59 percent—were impatient about the problem because they needed to use it for important things. Still, despite all these negative emotions, almost three-quarters of the group said that they felt confident that they were on the right track to solving the problem with the help of tech support, friends or family, online support, or just their own know-how.
The category that got the highest number of tech support calls was failed Internet connections, bringing to light the importance of competent and friendly customer service. According to a report from CFI Group in September, however, customer service from cable companies tends to leave customers fuming and "highly vulnerable to new competition." Looks like it's time to step it up, lest these companies lose business to someone who can do a better job at keeping those 44 percent of users with Internet connection problems happy.