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|Tribute to Horst Rechelbacher, the Father of Safe Cosmetics, by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Breast Cancer Fund|
February 20th, 2014
The founder of Aveda Corp. and Intelligent Nutrients dies at 72
|New Study Finds Exposure to Toxic Phthalates in Decline; Consumer Demand for Safe Cosmetics a Factor|
January 15th, 2014
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ advocacy campaigns have changed consumer and industry behavior
|Revlon Threatens Legal Action in Attempt to Silence Consumers about Toxic Chemicals in its Cosmetics|
November 1st, 2013
Over 45k Join Breast Cancer Survivors in Demanding Revlon Drop Cancer-Causing Chemicals from its Products
|Revlon Under Fire for Cancer-Causing Chemicals in Makeup|
October 25th, 2013
Women's and Breast Cancer Groups Join Forces to Demand Revlon Stop Putting Cancer-Causing Chemicals in Cosmetics
|Target Focuses Bull’s-eye on Chemicals in Products: Launches New Standard to Promote Ingredient Safety and Disclosure|
October 16th, 2013
Consumer Demand for Safer Personal Care Products Driving Major Changes for Nation's Retailers
|Walmart Will No Longer Sell Cosmetics, Cleaners, Made with Targeted List of Toxic Chemicals|
September 12th, 2013
In a victory for consumers demanding safer products, national brands will be required to eliminate unsafe chemicals and disclose ingredients to the public
|Procter & Gamble Eliminating Phthalates, Triclosan from Products Worldwide|
September 4th, 2013
Due to public pressure and growing concerns about the safety of chemicals found in common cosmetics, household cleaners and fragranced products, Procter & Gamble (P&G) will achieve total elimination of the toxic chemicals triclosan and diethyl phthalate (DEP) from all its products by 2014.
|Shareholders Ask Avon to Ditch Toxic Cosmetics|
April 30th, 2013
When Avon shareholders gather in New York City on May 2, they will consider a resolution calling on the company to substitute safer alternatives for dangerous chemicals used in their beauty products that have been linked to cancer, reproductive harm, and other serious diseases.
|Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics, Shampoos, Targeted by Congress
March 21st, 2013
Today the Safe Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Act of 2013, which would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to ensure that all personal care products are free of harmful ingredients, was introduced in Congress.
|Tests reveal potentially toxic titanium dioxide in sunscreen and cosmetics|
March 5th, 2013
Friends of the Earth revealed new testing results today that found many popular sunscreen and cosmetic products are using a potentially hazardous form of a common ingredient.
|Who’s Naughty and Who’s Nice?|
December 11th, 2012
When it comes to their commitment to cosmetics safety, some retailers are naughty and some are nice; some lead the market trend toward safer products and some lag behind.
|Johnson & Johnson Makes Historic Commitment to Remove Cancer-Causing Chemicals
August 15th, 2012
Prompted by growing concerns raised by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), makers of Aveeno, Neutrogena, and Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, announced today that it will be removing carcinogens and other toxic chemicals from its baby and adult products globally.
|Salon Workers Expose Ugly Side of Beauty Industry to Lawmakers|
July 23rd, 2012
This week, dozens of salon workers and advocates from all over the country will be descending upon D.C. for a day of action to raise awareness about toxic chemical exposure in the workplace.
|First-of-kind data find toxic chemical widespread in Canadian adults |
May 16th, 2012
The first data on levels of the chemical triclosan were released today to reveal widespread body pollution in Canadian adults. Seven of eight people tested had the antibacterial chemical in their bodies—with levels higher than those toxic to fish and algae.
|Sustained pressure by non-profits forces change in FDA nanotech policy|
Friends of the Earth
May 3rd, 2012
Several leading non-profits working on nanotechnology oversight issued a statement responding to recent steps taken by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that represent marginal progress toward regulation of products made with this new technology.
|Industry-backed Cosmetics Safety Bill a Trojan Horse, Will Set Back Cosmetics Safety |
April 23rd, 2012
Health and consumer groups denounced today the Cosmetic Safety Amendments Act of 2012, introduced last week by Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.), as an affront to consumer and worker health.
|Nail Polishes Test Positive for Toxic Chemicals Despite Label Claims|
April 11th, 2012
California Environmental Protection Agency’s Department of Toxic Substances Control announced yesterday that some nail care products typically found in many of California’s estimated 48,000 nail salons and sold directly to consumers contain high levels of hazardous chemicals despite their labels claiming otherwise.
|Industry Influence Dominates Historic Hearing on Toxic Cosmetics|
March 28th, 2012
the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee yesterday convened the first Congressional hearing in 30 years on the safety of cosmetics and personal care products. The hearing was weighted in favor of industry, which represented four of the six witnesses called to testify before committee. No witnesses representing health impacted salon workers or consumers were called to testify.
|Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics: Congress to Investigate Mercury, Lead, Formaldehyde Found in Many Body-Care Products|
March 22nd, 2012
In the wake of recent scandals involving mercury in face cream, formaldehyde in hair products and lead in lipstick, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has called the first official Congressional hearing on cosmetics safety in more than 30 years. The hearing will take place March 27.
|Obama Budget Calls for Increased FDA Oversight of Cosmetics Industry, Personal Care Products|
February 28th, 2012
The Obama administration’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year calls for an additional $19 million in funding through user fees to enable the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to more effectively regulate cosmetics.
|Tester to FDA: Protect women from lipstick lead|
Senator Jon Tester's Office
February 23rd, 2012
Senator Jon Tester is raising concerns about the rising levels of lead in lipstick, and wants the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ramp up efforts to protect women and children from lead exposure.
|Hundreds of lipsticks contaminated with lead, reports new FDA study|
February 7th, 2012
A new analysis of lead in lipstick conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reveals that the problem of lead in lipstick is worse and more widespread than previously reported.
|Toxic Hair Treatments: Lawsuits Settled on Brazilian Blowout; California Attorney General Suit Forces Hazard Warning|
January 30th, 2012
Health advocates are ramping up pressure on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to remove the keratin hair-straightening product Brazilian Blowout from the marketplace in light of a legal settlement announced today in a California court against the company that makes the product.
|Market Shift: Hundreds of Cosmetics Companies Fulfill Safe Products Pledge|
November 30th, 2011
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics announced today that 322 cosmetics companies have met the goals of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, the Campaign’s voluntary pledge to avoid chemicals banned by health agencies outside the U.S. and to fully disclose product ingredients – a pioneering practice in the cosmetics industry. An additional 110 companies made significant progress toward those goals.
|Johnson & Johnson Promises to Remove Carcinogens from Baby Products|
November 16th, 2011
Today, Johnson & Johnson delivered a letter to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics laying out commitments and timelines for the company’s plans to reformulate all of its baby products worldwide to remove cancer-causing chemicals.
|Toxic Baby Shampoo: Johnson & Johnson Agrees to Global Reformulation Under Pressure from Health Groups|
November 1st, 2011
Johnson's Baby Shampoo in the U.S. and elsewhere contains a formaldehyde-releasing chemical, yet safer alternatives are in use in other countries.
|Toxic Pesticide in Summertime Soaps|
July 14th, 2011
Today health and environmental groups urged retailer Bath & Body Works to stop selling its line of "summertime scent" soaps that contain triclosan, a toxic chemical categorized as a pesticide.
|New Bill to Modernize 1938 Regulations that Allow Harmful Chemicals in Shampoos, Cosmetics|
June 24th, 2011
The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to ensure that personal care products such as shampoo and cosmetics are free of harmful ingredients.
|Toxic Heavy Metals Widespread in Cosmetics, New Study Finds|
May 16th, 2011
According to a new report by Environmental Defence Canada, popular cosmetics products contain toxic heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic and cadmium.
|Congressional Leaders to FDA: Protect Public from Toxic Hair Treatments|
May 10th, 2011
Ten members of Congress sent a letter to the FDA on Friday expressing their deep concern regarding formaldehyde-containing hair-straighteners.
|Beauty Salon Workers in Danger: Toxic Brazilian Blowout|
April 12th, 2011
OSHA issued a hazard alert Monday, warning that popular hair straightening products such as "Brazilian Blowout" can cause serious health problems, including increased risk of cancer.
|Hundreds of Cosmetic Companies Leading the Market on Safer Products, Consumer Right-to-Know|
January 27th, 2011
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics will sunset the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and publish in summer 2011 the list of companies that are fully compliant with the voluntary product-safety and transparency pledge.
|Toxic Brazilian Blowout Too Dangerous to Be Used in U.S., Experts Say|
November 9th, 2010
A coalition of leading public health and safety advocates issued strong demands to the U.S. FDA today for the recall of two popular hair products made by Brazilian Blowout, due to dangerously high levels of formaldehyde.
|Abercrombie & Fitch: Stop Spraying Toxic Fragrance!|
September 28th, 2010
Teens, parents, environmental health advocates, women's and medical organizations are demanding that Abercrombie & Fitch stop spraying its signature fragrance Fierce inside and outside its stores.
|Film Release: The Story of Cosmetics|
July 21st, 2010
On July 21st – in anticipation of soon-to-be-introduced Congressional legislation to regulate personal care products – The Story of Stuff Project will release "The Story of Cosmetics," a 7-minute animated movie.
|Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics: New Legislation to Prevent Exposure|
July 21st, 2010
Today, Reps. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., introduced the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010, (HR 5786), which gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to ensure that personal care products are free of harmful ingredients.
|Secret Chemicals Revealed in Celebrity Perfumes, Teen Body Sprays|
May 12th, 2010
A new analysis reveals that top-selling fragrance products contain chemicals not listed on labels, multiple chemicals that can trigger allergic reactions or disrupt hormones, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety.
|Procter & Gamble to Reduce Toxic Chemical in Herbal Essences Shampoo|
March 12th, 2010
Procter & Gamble will reformulate 18 shampoos in its Herbal Essences line to reduce levels of the cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane, according to a preliminary agreement.
|Fragrance Chemicals Found in Infant Cord Blood|
December 2nd, 2009
Laboratory tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group and Rachel’s Network have detected synthetic fragrance chemicals for the first time in the umbilical cord blood of U.S. newborns.
|Halloween Face Paints Contain Lead, Heavy Metals Linked to Skin Allergies|
October 27th, 2009
New product tests reveal that some children's face paints contain lead, which can impact brain development at extremely low doses, as well as nickel, cobalt and chromium, which can cause lifelong skin sensitization and contact dermatitis.
|New Concerns Raised About Chemical in Leading Baby Shampoo|
September 22nd, 2009
A peer-reviewed paper in the Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association raises fresh concerns that a chemical preservative used in America’s leading baby shampoo may be causing increased rates of allergic contact dermatitis.
|FDA Study: Lead Levels in Lipstick Much Higher than Previously Reported|
September 1st, 2009
A new study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found lead in lipstick at levels much higher than those detected by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) in a 2007 study that received international attention.
|Parents, Doctors, Nurses to Johnson & Johnson: Make Safer Baby Products|
May 26th, 2009
More than 40 organizations representing 1.7 million parents, health care providers and environmental health advocates delivered a letter today to Johnson & Johnson urging the company to remove toxic ingredients from its popular baby products.
|New Federal Legislation Targets Toxic Chemicals in Baby Bath Products|
April 29th, 2009
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has introduced the Safe Baby Products Act to protect little ones from hazardous contaminants in children's personal care products.
|Toxic Chemicals in Children's Bath Products Trigger International Outcry|
March 19th, 2009
The governments of China and Vietnam are conducting their own safety tests on some baby bath products found to be contaminated with formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane.
|Children's Bath Products Contaminated with Formaldehyde, 1,4-Dioxane|
March 12th, 2009
Despite marketing claims like "gentle" and "pure," dozens of top-selling children's bath products are contaminated with the cancer-causing chemicals formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, according to product tests released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
|FDA Fails to Protect: Remains Silent About Lead in Lipstick |
February 9th, 2009
More than a year after we found lead in lipstick, the FDA has still not released the results of its own testing.
|New Product Tests Reveal Beauty Companies Are Removing Toxic Phthalates|
December 9th, 2008
Under pressure from consumer advocates and regulators, some leading beauty companies are using fewer toxic chemicals than they did a few years ago, according to new product tests released today by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
|Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Recognized for Corporate Campaign Successes|
October 22nd, 2008
The Business Ethics Network has awarded the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics a Path to Victory Award, which recognizes innovative and creative approaches to holding corporations responsible for the negative effects of their business practices.
|Hormone-disrupting Cosmetics Chemicals Found in Teen Girls|
September 26th, 2008
Campaign partner the Environmental Working Group tested teen girls for common cosmetic chemicals in their bodies – and found 16.
|Beauty Industry Lobbies to Keep Lead in Lipstick|
June 26th, 2008
After passing the full California Senate, a bill to ban lead in lipstick was narrowly defeated in the Assembly Health Committee this week under intense lobby pressure from the cosmetics industry.
|Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Statement About California Proposition 65 Lawsuit on 1,4-dioxane Contamination|
June 18th, 2008
On May 29, the Attorney General’s Office in California filed a lawsuit against manufacturers of some of the contaminated brands for failing to provide a warning label on products as required by the state’s Proposition 65.
|California Senate Votes to Ban Lead in Lipstick|
June 5th, 2008
The California State Senate has approved the first bill in the nation that bans lead, a known neurotoxin, in lipstick. Senate Bill 1712, authored by State Sen. Carole Migden, passed the California Senate on a vote of 22-17 on May 29.
|CVS Joins Retail Push for Non-toxic Personal Care Products|
May 7th, 2008
Responding to consumer and shareholder pressure, CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) will remove chemicals linked to adverse health outcomes from its house-branded products and will replace them with safer alternatives.
|Whole Foods Raises Bar for Natural Personal Care Products|
February 29th, 2008
In March, Whole Foods Market will introduce a new “Premium Body Care” seal that will help raise the bar for natural body care products. The new seal is the first private standard for personal care products created by a major retailer in the United States.
|Chemical Linked to Reproductive Harm Is Getting into Babies from Shampoo, Lotion and Powder, New Study Suggests|
February 4th, 2008
The use of powder, lotions and shampoo on infants markedly increased the levels of phthalates found in the babies’ urine, according to a new study by University of Washington researchers published today in the journal Pediatrics.
|SENS. KERRY, BOXER AND FEINSTEIN CALL ON FDA TO ESTABLISH MAXIMUM LEVEL FOR LEAD IN LIPSTICK|
December 3rd, 2007
Three U.S. Senators are urging the FDA to test a wide range of lipstick brands for the presence of lead and to limit lead in cosmetics.
|AVON, L’OREAL AND PROCTER & GAMBLE CHALLENGED OVER LACK OF COSMETICS SAFETY |
November 9th, 2007
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics took out a full page newspaper ad today that highlights concerns about the safety of chemical ingredients used in cosmetics products, and challenges major U.S. companies over their use of ingredients suspected to cause cancer or birth defects.
|L'OREAL: GET THE LEAD OUT|
October 18th, 2007
Women’s, health and environmental groups today called on L’Oreal to reformulate its lipsticks to remove lead.
|NEW PRODUCT TESTS FIND LEAD IN LIPSTICK|
October 11th, 2007
Toys made in China aren’t the only products laced with dangerous heavy metals: lipstick manufactured in the United States and used daily by millions of American women also contains surprisingly high levels of lead, according to new product tests released today by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
|NEW BOOK EXPOSES THE UGLY SIDE OF THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY|
October 2nd, 2007
A new, just-off-the-presses book by Stacy Malkan – "Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry" (New Society Publishers, October 2007), reveals the toxic truth about the personal care products used daily by women, men, teenagers and children.
|FDA, COSMETICS INDUSTRY LOCK OUT CONSUMER, PUBLIC HEALTH GROUPS FROM MEETING|
September 26th, 2007
As FDA officials and the cosmetics industry prepared to huddle behind closed doors without input from outside groups to discuss "regulatory obstacles" between countries, Environmental Working Group (EWG) released the results of a new investigation that found literally hundreds of cosmetics sold in the U.S. contain chemicals the industry itself has determined to be unsafe even when used as directed.
|SKIN DEEP 3.0 REVEALS INGREDIENTS IN 25,000 PRODUCTS|
May 15th, 2007
Most people think that the ingredients in personal care and cosmetic products are safety tested before they are sold. But there is no such requirement in federal law.
|LEADING NAIL POLISH MANUFACTURER REMOVES TOXIC INGREDIENTS|
March 29th, 2007
Facing pressure from consumers as well as health and environmental groups, top nail polish manufacturer OPI Products, Inc. announced that it has begun removing toluene, a hazardous solvent, from its products. This follows announcements from the company that it would no longer use dibutyl phthalate or formaldehyde.
|CANCER-CAUSING CHEMICAL FOUND IN CHILDREN'S BATH PRODUCTS |
February 8th, 2007
A hidden cancer-causing petrochemical has been found in dozens of children’s bath products and adults’ personal care products, in some cases at levels that are more than twice the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s lenient recommended maximum.
|500 COSMETICS COMPANIES PLEDGE TO MAKE SAFER HEALTH AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS|
January 25th, 2007
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics announced today that more than 500 cosmetics and body care products companies have promised to eliminate toxic ingredients from their products worldwide.
|NAIL POLISHES TO BECOME A LITTLE SAFER |
August 30th, 2006
Facing mounting criticism from consumers as well as health and environmental groups, three major nail polish manufacturers acknowledged this week that they have begun removing some chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects from their products.
|"MISS TREATMENT" AD TAKES THE SHINE OFF OPI NAIL POLISH |
June 22nd, 2006
Don’t hold your breath waiting for nail polishes with names like “I Didn’t Know Carcinogens Came in Coral” and “Formaldehyde Formal.” Although they may as well be sold on the beauty aisle.
|CONSUMERS PRESS OPI TO GIVE ITS NAIL POLISH A MAKEOVER |
April 19th, 2006
Women across the country are speaking out against a popular nail polish brand known for its wacky shade names such as “Blushingham Palace” and “I’m Not Really A Waitress.”
|GUSTER CONSCIOUSNESS TOUR ROCKS STUDENT ACTIVISTS |
April 18th, 2006
The Breast Cancer Fund has joined Clif Bar and LUNA in a coordinated effort to bridge two enduring interests of college students: social change and music. As part of their sponsorship of the Guster Campus Consciousness Tour, LUNA is helping concertgoers understand that what people put on their bodies is just as important as what they put in them.
|300 COSMETICS AND BODY CARE COMPANIES PLEDGE TO MAKE SAFER PRODUCTS |
March 28th, 2006
More than 300 cosmetics and body care products companies have promised to replace ingredients linked to cancer, birth defects, hormone disruption and other negative health effects with safer alternatives.
|GOVERNOR SIGNS SAFE COSMETICS BILL|
October 8th, 2005
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics celebrates the victory of the California Safe Cosmetics bill — the nation's first state law on chemicals in cosmetics. Companies will now have to notify the state when they use chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects.
|STUDY FINDS INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION BEGINS IN THE WOMB, HUNDREDS OF TOXIC CHEMICALS MEASURED IN NEWBORN BABIES|
July 14th, 2005
Not long ago, scientists believed that babies in the womb were largely protected from most toxic chemicals. A new study helps confirm an opposite view: that chemical exposure begins in the womb, as hundreds of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides are pumped back and forth from mother to baby through umbilical cord blood.
|CAMPAIGN RELEASES STATEMENT ON NEW STUDY THAT FINDS GENITAL ABNORMALITIES IN BOYS DUE TO PHTHALATES EXPOSURE|
May 27th, 2005
Shanna Swan, an epidemiologist at the University of Rochester, has released the results of the first human study linking phthalate exposure to birth defects in male babies.
|AVON CORPORATION VOTES DOWN RESOLUTION TO IMPROVE PRODUCT SAFETY|
May 21st, 2005
At Avon Corporation’s annual meeting in New York on May 5, shareholders asked the company to reformulate cosmetics products sold in the United States and other world markets to meet tougher European standards.
|MORE THAN 100 COSMETIC AND BODY CARE COMPANIES PLEDGE TO MAKE SAFER PRODUCTS |
May 5th, 2005
On the eve of Mother's Day, when many sons and daughters purchase cosmetics and personal care products as gifts for their moms, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics reports that 116 cosmetics and personal care product manufacturers have signed the "Compact for Safe Cosmetics," a pledge to replace hazardous ingredients with safer alternatives within three years.
|FDA FINDS CHEMICALS LINKED TO BIRTH DEFECTS IN TWO-THIRDS OF COSMETICS PRODUCTS
April 6th, 2005
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has learned that the FDA recently conducted a safety study of phthalates — a group of industrial chemicals linked to birth defects that are used in many cosmetics products — but is refusing to publicly release the study’s findings.
|COSMETIC INDUSTRY ON NOTICE: FDA ISSUES WARNING ON UNTESTED PRODUCTS|
March 7th, 2005
FDA calls industry's bluff on product safety. Acting on a petition filed June 14, 2004 by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), on February 3, 2005 the Food and Drug Administration issued an unprecedented warning to the cosmetics industry stating that the Agency is serious about enforcing the law requiring companies to inform consumers that personal care products have not been safety tested.
|THREE LEADING COSMETICS COMPANIES CHANGE INGREDIENTS IN U.S. MARKET TO MEET NEW EUROPEAN SAFETY STANDARDS|
January 13th, 2005
In a telling example of how new European safety standards for cosmetics are affecting products sold on U.S. shelves, L’Oréal, Revlon and Unilever confirmed they have eliminated certain toxic chemicals from their products.
|USA TODAY AD NAMES BAD ACTOR COSMETICS COMPANIES|
September 24th, 2004
A full-page advertisement in USA Today challenges cosmetics companies to come clean about whether they plan to remove toxic chemicals that are banned in the European Union from products sold on American shelves. The advertisement was placed by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of US health and environmental groups.
|NEW PRODUCT TESTS FINGER TOXIC LIPSTICKS |
July 15th, 2004
New product tests have found phthalates, which are known to cause birth defects in laboratory animals, for the first time in two popular brands of lipstick, Moon Drops Lipstick by Revlon and Lipfinity Paint by Max Factor.
|SKIN DEEP: ARE UNTESTED CHEMICALS HIDING IN YOUR MAKE-UP?|
June 7th, 2004
Most Americans assume cosmetics are studied and found safe before they are sold to the public. But thousands of personal care products are put on the market without any safety tests by the Food and Drug Administration.
|ARE CHEMICALS HIDING IN YOUR MAKEUP? |
June 7th, 2004
Most cosmetics and other personal care products sold in the U.S. contain chemicals that have never been assessed for safety, according to a computer-assisted investigation by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).


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The leader in the green energy industry will be distributing regular blog posts to the Altoona Chamber of Commerce website.
Altoona, IA – (January 29, 2018) — yellowblue™ Eco Tech has agreed to partner with the Altoona Area Chamber of Commerce to share educational blog posts and articles on the Chamber’s website.
The Chamber of Commerce is seeking to provide information to local homeowners who want to increase the energy efficiency of their home. The monthly columns will detail important measures that can be taken to conserve energy, cut costs, and improve a homeowner’s quality of life.
The Listen Up blog has long been a resource to Altoona area homeowners that provides opportunities for growth. Yellowblue™ Eco Tech is proud to support the Chamber and excited to help inform and support residents who want to make a positive impact on the environment.
yellowblue™ Eco Tech, a manufacturer and supplier of high-quality products continues to emerge as one of the top industry leaders in the green energy market. Through its network of independent authorized dealers and consultants, the company offers a diverse line of energy-efficient and safe-home products direct to homeowners, including multi-layer reflective insulation, LED lighting, solar attic fans, and fire safety solutions.
Two articles have already been posted to the website, which can be seen here. Topics so far include the benefits of air sealing and insulating a home, as well as a breakdown of quick tips to conserve energy in the house.
About yellowblue™ Eco Tech
Based out of Des Moines, Iowa, yellowblue™ is an energy efficient technology business with a network of independent authorized dealers. yellowblue™ helps homeowners and small businesses conserve energy, save money and protect the environment. yellowblue™ products are revolutionary, cutting edge and American made. For more information on yellowblue™, the upcoming F4 Mega Conference, and a complete list of yellowblue™ energy saving products please visit: https://yellowbluetech.com/.

domain: news


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When Elon Musk said in May that Tesla's share price was "too high" at $780, it sparked a brief moment of panicked selling by investors in the electric carmaker. Two months later, Tesla overtook Toyota as the most profitable carmaker in the world in a spectacular turnaround where its stock cap briefly peaked last week at $300 billion.
Tesla never made an annual profit. However, the firm has a market cap equal to one-third of the combined US, EU, and Japanese car indices. Such disconnection has caused some creditors to re-evaluate and euphoria for others. They seek to figure out whether the carmaker will ever explain the heady valuation.
Did China help Elon Musk?
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Mr. Musk became the seventh wealthiest person in the world. Bloomberg News estimated that his fortune grew by $6.07 billion on Friday after a 10.8 percent rise in Tesla's stock.
Musk, who also created SpaceX and PayPal, said the company is "very close" to creating fully autonomous driving cars that can navigate roads without drivers.
During a video address at the opening of Shanghai's annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference Thursday, he seemed positive about the prospects for the venture. Musk expressed his confidence that level 5 or complete autonomy will happen this year. He commended the efforts made at Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory, which is manufacturing Model 3 sedans for Chinese customers.
He said: "I am always amazed by how many smart and hardworking people [in China are] and how much positive energy there is." Musk added people are really excited about the future.
The company's latest record-setting boost came as speculation arose that the motor giant will soon join the S&P 500 with Tesla 's continuing rise in market value.
Shares of Tesla's electric car and renewable energy business rose by 14 percent, making the 10th largest US stock market value ahead of Procter & Gamble. But during a time of uncertainty, the firm's stock fell by more than 3 percent after closing markets.
Following this boost, Mr. Musk is now officially wealthier than Warren Buffett. The net worth of the latter fell last week when he donated $2.9 billion to charity stock in Berkshire Hathaway.
Did Tesla also beat Toyota?
Over the past year, Tesla's shares have risen by 500 percent as the firm saw its Model 3 sedan sales increase. The firm is now the highest-valued automaker since beating former front runner Toyota Motors since its market capitalization.
But the contracts with Mr. Musk outline that he does not get a paycheck from the service. Mr. Musk will also earn payouts for the lucrative stock option if it meets a set of goals.
He has also been working on the development of his aerospace business SpaceX. Via SpaceX, the billionaire, set a target of returning trips to space launched from the US after the space shuttle fleet was removed.
SpaceX eventually shuttled two astronauts to the International Space Station on May 30 after Mr. Musk invested $37 billion of his fortune.


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Only two weeks after its newest eyeliner, lipstick, and skin-care launches hit shelves, Fenty Beauty has even more exciting news: Amandla Stenberg is joining Fenty Beauty as the newest Fenty Face alongside the likes of Slick Woods and Duckie Thot.
It was truly only a matter of time before Fenty Beauty would make Stenberg one of its Fenty Faces. Along with their role in The Hunger Games as Rue, and most recently Starr Carter in The Hate U Give and Ruby Daly in The Darkest Minds, the actor has also been very vocal with their role in activism speaking on issues of cultural appropriation, sexual identity, feminism, gender, and more. With a brand like Fenty Beauty, which has been committed to bringing more inclusivity to beauty, showcasing models of all skin tones in beautiful ways from its very inception, it's no surprise that actor and activist has been chosen.
"I wanted to become a part of the Fenty Family because it's one of the few beauty brands that make me feel like myself!" Stenberg says in a press release from the brand. "Fenty Beauty's whole ethos makes me feel empowered and excited to let different facets of myself shine."


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GSO General Director Nguyen Thi Huong speaks at the press conference (Photo: VNA)
– Vietnam’s gross domestic product
(GDP) in the first quarter of 2021 is estimated to rise 4.48 percent, higher
than 3.68 percent recorded in the same period last year, the General Statistics
Office (GSO) General Director Nguyen Thi Huong reported at a press conference
on March 29.
The GSO leader said that the agro-forestry-fishery sector
grew 3.16 percent, contributing 8.34 percent to the overall GDP growth, while
industry and construction expanded 6.3 percent, and service sector grew 3.34
percent, contributing 55.96 and 35.7 percent to the total growth, respectively.
Huong attributed the result to the drastic and timely
direction of the Government, the Prime Minister and efforts of ministries,
sectors, people and businesses to continue implementing the dual targets of preventing
the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and developing the economy at the same
She said that in the first quarter of this year, the agro-forestry-fishery
sector saw strong growth thanks to high rice and fruit production, controlled
African swine flu and expanded markets for wood and forestry products.
Despite a 6.5 percent rise, higher than the figure of 5.1
percent in the first quarter of 2020, the growth of the industry and construction
sector was still much lower than that in the first quarter of 2018 and 2019.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
Meanwhile, processing and manufacturing continued to be the
driving force for the growth of the economy with an expansion of 9.45 percent. The
mining sector suffered negative growth of 8.24 percent.
Thanks to the good control of the COVID-19 pandemic and the
optimization of free trade agreements, the service sector enjoyed positive
signs. The growth of wholesale and retail was 6.45 percent, while that of the finance-banking
and insurance sector was 7.35 percent. However, the transportation and
warehouse sector and accommodation-catering services still saw decreases of
2.17 percent and 4.49 percent, respectively.
In terms of economic structure, in the first quarter,
contributions from the agro-forestry-fishery sector was 11.71 percent, while
that of industry-construction was 36.45 percent; services, 42.2 percent; and product
taxes less subsidies on production, 9.64 percent.
Exports of goods and services rose 17.01 percent, while
imports increased 16.38 percent./.


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Toronto pet store could be forced to move for new condo development after 17 years
Owning a pet in Toronto can be difficult. From the cost of it, getting them exercise, and even finding a landlord that will allow pets in the first place.
Unfortunately for residents of Liberty Village, the reality of owning a pet may soon get even more costly.
For a business that's been in the area for 17 years and seen Liberty Village grow into the bustling neighbourhood that it's recently become, it's a painful reminder of the hardships of running a business.
Liberty Village area residents were devastated to hear the news, commenting on their resident association board offering reccomendations on nearby locations that Global Pet Foods could relocate to so that their loyal customers could still continue to support the shop.
As a sign of how long Global Pet Foods has operated out of the area, their first business neighbour was a Blockbuster video store.
Nearly two decades of change later, and like the video retail giant before it, it seems this beloved pet store will have to soon say their goodbyes as well.
While it may still be a few years until Global Pet Foods has to vacate their current location, the search for a new spot has already begun as the proposed development seems like a done deal.
Global Pet Foods
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Tuesday’s Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting wasn’t all about cannabis, but for much of its duration, it certainly felt like it was. While the debate at times got convoluted and contentious, the punch line of the day was short and simple. The supervisors gave their collective thumbs-up to two cannabis projects that had been previously approved by the county’s Planning Commission and subsequently appealed by their neighbors.
Roots Carpinteria Dispensary
Barring a reversal by the California Coastal Commission, a new cannabis dispensary dubbed Roots Carpinteria will soon be going into the sprawling beachside shopping area located on Santa Claus Lane. The supervisors unanimously approved this project — bitterly fought by some of the merchants, many nearby residents, and one of the major commercial owners in the shopping complex — rejecting arguments made by opponents that the additional traffic generated by the new dispensary would overwhelm the already-strained parking capacity of the surrounding beachfront environs.
This added strain, the dispensary’s critics contended, would effectively limit beach access to the untold number of visitors who make the Santa Claus Lane Beach so populated every summer weekend. They also argued the dispensary would destroy the family-friendly beach vibe of Santa Claus Lane, violating in


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12 Dec 2022
Egypt's Smartphone Market Experiences Major Downturn in Q3 2022, But Recovery Is Forecast for 2023
Cairo – Newly released data from IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker shows that Egypt's smartphone market was down 73.4% year on year in Q3 2022 to just 0.8 million units, with shipments shrinking to less than one-third of their size in Q3 2021. This large decline resulted from several restrictions imposed by the government on mobile phone imports during the year.
The first intervention came as a new 10% import tariff was implemented on mobile phones in November 2021. This was followed in February 2022 by a requirement for all import payments to be conducted via letters of credit (LCs). Since March 2022, the government has approved a very limited number of LC requests for mobile phone imports as the devices are deemed to be non-essential goods. All of this caused severe disruptions in the market during the first three quarters of 2022.
In order to serve the market without being impacted by the restrictions, Transsion, Vivo, Nokia, and Samsung resorted to local assembly and have already established local production facilities. Vivo and Samsung opted to set up their own assembly lines, while Transsion and Nokia are cooperating with local manufacturers in Egypt.
"More brands are aspiring to join the local assembly initiative in Egypt, thanks to promising country dynamics and the large size of the population," says Taher Abdel Hameed, a senior research analyst at IDC. "These brands are eyeing developments in two other markets in the region where a transition to local production has already occurred, namely Turkey and Pakistan. While these two mobile phone markets are now dominated by local assembly, it is too early to call the initiative a success due to the challenging economic situations in both countries."
Samsung led the way in Egypt's shrinking smartphone market in Q3 2022, with 26.0% unit share, followed by Xiaomi in second place and Infinix in third. Notably, Vivo entered into the top five vendor rankings for the first time in Q3 2022 thanks to the local production of its devices.
Looking ahead, IDC expects Egypt's smartphone market to bounce back from the turmoil of 2022 to total 8.8 million units in 2023. "Egypt is a large and dynamic market with a promising outlook despite the current challenges," says Ramazan Yavuz, a senior research manager at IDC. "The market will recover in 2023 as the local assembly initiative gains momentum and the government eases its restrictions."
For more information, please contact Sheila Manek at email@example.com or on +971 4 446 3154.
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,300 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology, IT benchmarking and sourcing, and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data, and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights.
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For the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa region, IDC retains a coordinated network of offices in Riyadh, Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, Cairo, and Istanbul, with a regional center in Dubai. Our coverage couples local insights with international perspectives to provide a comprehensive understanding of markets in these dynamic regions. Our market intelligence services are unparalleled in depth, consistency, scope, and accuracy. IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey currently fields over 130 analysts, consultants, and conference associates across the region. To learn more about IDC MEA, please visit www.idc.com/mea. You can follow IDC MEA on Twitter at @IDCMEA.
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Telehealth service Ro raises $88 million to help you quit smoking
Smoking is the most prevalent addiction worldwide, researchers say, with 22.5 percent of all adults partaking regularly. It’s also one of the most debilitating. More than 16 million Americans live with a disease caused by smoking, including (but not limited to) cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. But it’s tough to quit. Only 3 percent […]
With a variety of articles these days seemingly ignoring the history of mecha in Japan and fixating on just a few anime series, such as 'Neon Genesis Evangelion', it seems worthwhile to actually explore this subject further.
Subscriptions have turned into a booming business for app developers, accounting for $10.6 billion in consumer spend on the App Store in 2017, and poised to grow to $75.7 billion by 2022. But alongside this healthy growth, a number of scammers are now taking advantage of subscriptions in order to trick users into signing up […]


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The DACH region — encompassing Germany, Austria and Switzerland — has had mixed fortunes lately. Though funding in Germany was on a downward slide last year, Switzerland had its best year yet for VC investment while Austria followed up a breakout 2021 with its second best year for funding.
Startups looking to raise some much-needed cash can also tap into a growing base of operator angels from the region putting their money back into the tech ecosystem — including the founders of unicorns Personio and Celonis.
So which companies should you have an eye on? Sifted turned to VCs from 3VC, Earlybird, La Famiglia, High-Tech Gründerfonds and HV Capital to find out, with one catch: they couldn’t name portfolio companies.
Eva Arh, partner at 3VC
3VC is a Vienna-based VC firm, investing in Series A startups across CEE and DACH.
DeepOpinion — Austria
DeepOpinion is a no-code B2B SaaS platform that helps enterprise teams to create AI-generated text and documents. It is experiencing tailwinds because of the increased adoption of generative AI as a tangible ROI that reduces friction in the sales process, especially in a market where value-based selling is particularly relevant.
Spread.ai — Germany
Spread.ai is an engineering intelligence platform that creates digital twins of complex products, bringing together data on things like electronics, mechatronics and software. As a result, hardware and software engineers, quality assurance and after-sales people can collaborate in a much more seamless way, providing significant savings.
Ethon.ai — Switzerland
Ethon.ai is a quality management solution that detects, monitors and prevents quality defects in manufacturing. The manufacturing industry is becoming increasingly thoughtful about sustainability and has continuous pressure on its bottom line. Hence, solutions that can reduce the scrap are experiencing a strong "why now". Ethon.ai has managed to build a solution that works well not just for one industry but can be relatively easily deployed across different product categories.
Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, founding partner of La Famiglia
La Famiglia is a seed and growth VC firm backing B2B tech entrepreneurs across Europe and the US.
Topi — Germany
Topi allows retailers to offer parts of their hardware business on subscription, rather than requiring customers to pay for purchases in one go. Customers benefit from lower upfront costs and higher capital efficiency, and Topi's seamless checkout integration and proprietary credit decision-making algorithms help retailers stay competitive and support the broader shift to the circular economy, with more goods becoming refurbished or recycled.
Taktile — Germany
The Taktile platform is the modern standard for credit risk decisions. The company empowers decision-makers and risk teams worldwide to actively design, test and iterate on their risk policies. We believe that at a time when profitability is top of mind for fintechs and financial institutions, many will turn to Taktile when they are looking to launch a new lending product or refine their credit policies to improve risk metrics.
Ulrich Schmitt, partner at High-Tech Gründerfonds
High-Tech Gründerfonds is an early-stage German VC.
tozero — Germany
Lithium-ion batteries play an increasingly important part in the energy transition — for example by powering electric vehicles. They are also used in mobile phones, laptops, drones, cordless tools and many other applications. However, the current recovery rates of key metals from end-of-life batteries is low, resulting in a high dependence on suppliers of raw materials and a significant amount of toxic waste. Tozero is developing a novel process to recover the critical materials lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel and graphite from all types of lithium-ion batteries and return them to the supply chain.
Mainteny — Germany
Mainteny’s all-in-one software for service technicians and managers helps maintenance and service companies digitise their business end-to-end. With smart job assignments, scheduling and routing, as well as real-time monitoring and easy spare part ordering, Mainteny empowers maintenance and service companies to boost productivity and establish a competitive edge.
planqc — Germany
Planqc is building a quantum computer using “neutral atom” technology — which uses lasers to trap and stabilise single atoms so they can be used as stores of quantum information known as qubits, the quantum equivalent of a bit in classical computing. Planqc may well become one of the first to commercialise quantum computers — a European challenger to Google and IBM.
Dr Marie-Thérèse von Buttlar, Earlybird Digital West team
Earlybird focuses on early-stage tech companies across Europe.
Klim — Germany
Klim is a Berlin-based company working on the transformation of agriculture. It provides a digital platform to enable farmers to track their emissions and supports them in implementing regenerative farming practices. Simultaneously, it provides companies with the opportunity to inset or offset their carbon emissions.
DasLab — Germany
Another company from Berlin, DasLab is building a digital platform that seamlessly connects various stakeholders in the diagnostics space, including labs, patients and doctors. By creating this critical infrastructure, the company aims to revolutionise the healthcare landscape by providing more efficient and transparent testing options, ultimately enhancing access to quality healthcare for all.
Agrantis — Germany
The Munich-based company is launching a B2B SaaS-enabled marketplace to connect farming retailers with farmers. Its approach aims to digitise an industry that has predominantly operated offline. Rather than replacing current players in the ecosystem, Agrantis is focused on enabling them, resulting in significant cost and time savings for all involved.
Felix Klühr, partner at HV Capital
HV Capital is an early-stage and growth investor in Europe with a focus on the DACH region, investing in technology disruptors across all and sectors.
Resourcify — Germany
Resourcify is a waste management and recycling platform building the operating system for commercial waste, aiming to get our society one step closer to circularity. Its approach of turning waste into a valuable resource is super interesting in both economic and sustainability terms, and the team has massive tailwinds from renowned customers across different industries that are starting to manage their entire waste chain on the Resourcify platform.
Procuros — Germany
Procuros is trying to democratise access to major retailers across Europe through a single API. It allows small and medium-sized food brands to easily connect to retailer’s ERPs without manually integrating into each one over months. From there, they have the potential to automate the entire set of relevant B2B transactions across many industries.
Secjur — Germany
Secjur is a compliance platform helping companies to manage data protection, information security and anonymous internal whistleblowing. Secjur enhances a company's capabilities to deal with these issues — independent of their size — thereby levelling the playing field between SMEs and large enterprises in Europe.
Gigs — Germany
What Stripe did to payments, Gigs aims to do for telecommunications connectivity, enabling every company to launch a full stack virtual mobile operator within days. Put simply, it allows companies (for example, a second-hand marketplace such as Grover or wearables company) to offer their branded mobile data plans to their customers including the entire subscription, payment and analytics stack behind it.


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Latest News on Self Driving Vehicles
Showing of 0 - 10 from 14 results
Self Driving Vehicles - Total results - 14
Jun 10, 2019
Self-driving tech company Aurora partners with Fiat Chrysler to build autonomous platformsAurora already has partnerships with Volkswagen AG, Hyundai Motor Co and China’s Byton to develop and test self-driving systems
Feb 04, 2019
Self-driving cars are still a thing of the future: Here are five reasons whyHere are the problems that need to be overcome to start giving rides without humans behind the wheel.
Jul 31, 2018
Uber kills self-driving trucks programme to focus on autonomous cars insteadUber wants to refocus on the self-driving car programme, halted due to the fatal Arizona car crash.
Feb 28, 2018
Ford launches self-driving pilot delivery program in collaboration with Domino's in MiamiFord plans to provide a self-driving vehicle service to multiple partners, who in turn would offer it to their customers under their own brand names.
Jan 30, 2018
Two-thirds of Americans are wary of self-driving cars: ReportAutomotive and technology industry executives are pushing the US to pass legislation that would loosen restrictions on testing and deploy self-driving cars.
Jan 13, 2018
General Motors seeking approval for autonomous car in US; its first vehicle is set to enter the market in 2019General Motors prototype self-driving vehicles have been developed in San Francisco by Cruise Automation, the startup that GM acquired in March 2016.
Nov 02, 2017
Renesas Electronics to provide semiconductors for Toyota's upcoming self-driving cars in 2020Renesas said it will provide a chip to Toyota - the R-Car system-on-chip - that will serve as an “electronic brain” on the self-driving cars.
Oct 09, 2017
General Motors to buy LIDAR technology maker Strobe Inc to push ahead in autonomous car marketLIDAR is one of the major sensor technologies used in autonomous vehicles.
Sep 27, 2017
Ford to collaborate with Lyft to deploy self-driving cars on the taxi service company's networkFord Motor Co. and Lyft teams will begin working together to design software to allow Ford vehicles to communicate with Lyft’s smartphone apps.
Sep 01, 2017
Samsung receives permit to test self-driving vehicles in California, but has no plans to enter car-making businessSamsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Thursday it has received a permit to test self-driving vehicles in California, four months after Apple received a permit.


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Ronson Gears has been appointed sole Australian agent for KHK Co Japan, one of the world’s leading stock gear suppliers.
Ronson Gears manufactures custom gears for the aeronautical, defence, medical, mining, rail, construction and transport industries.
Key outcomes from the partnership include:
- Gear configurations increase from 250 to 7000
- Faster delivery times for customers
- Competitively priced gears
According to Gordon New, Managing Director at Ronson Gears, the KHK partnership enables their customers to access a much wider range of gears at faster turnaround times than previously possible.
Mr New says that customers will be able to order the more popular line items for next day delivery with virtually the full range being accessible for delivery within a week depending on the size of the order.
Mr New sees the partnership as a significant step in Ronson Gears’ growth.
KHK Co Japan has been in business since 1919 and, like Ronson Gears is a family business that has built its reputation on supplying quality gears.
KHK’s Export Manager, Naoji Kohara says the arrangement with Ronson Gears will expand KHK’s market into a key Asia Pacific region.
Some of the stock items now available to customers include ground spurs and helicals, spiral bevel gears, straight cut mitre and bevel gears, ground racks, helical racks, worms and worm wheels, bevel gear boxes as well as plastic gears.


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Amazon Prime Video Debuts Live Cricket Streaming Starting January 1st, 2022
The Kiwis Find a Home on India’s Most Loved Streaming Service
Amazon Prime Video customers will be able to live-stream international matches being played in New Zealand, including the Indian Women and Men’s Cricket Teams’ tours in February 2022 and November 2022 respectively, exclusively on Amazon Prime Video
Currently ranked #1 in ODI and #2 in Test Cricket by ICC, the New Zealand men’s team also has exciting series lined up with Bangladesh, South Africa, Australia and Netherlands, besides India, in 2022
MUMBAI, India – 20 December, 2021: Amazon Prime Video, India’s most loved entertainment destination, is bringing a New Year treat for its viewers as the service enters the live cricket streaming play, starting 1st January 2022 with a test series between New Zealand and Bangladesh. In November 2020, Prime Video became the first streaming service in India to secure exclusive live cricket rights from a major cricketing board. As a part of the multi-year deal, international men’s and women’s cricket matches played in New Zealand – across ODI, T20 and tests – will be available exclusively on Prime Video.
Prime members will be able to exclusively stream the highly anticipated series between the Indian and New Zealand Women’s Cricket Teams in February 2022, as well as, the Indian and New Zealand Men’s Cricket Teams presently scheduled for November 2022. This is in addition to matches that are presently scheduled to be played between the Men’s teams as a part of Bangladesh’s tour of New Zealand in January 2022, South Africa’s tour in February 2022, Australia’s tour in March 2022 and Netherland’s tour in March/ April 2022.
The test series between New Zealand and Bangladesh will be the first to stream on Prime Video, with the first match scheduled to be played at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga from 1-5 January, and will conclude with the second test match at Hagley Oval, Christchurch scheduled to commence on 9 January and conclude on 13 January. Prime members can tune in live at 3:30 a.m. IST for each day’s play. Cricket lovers can access a host of cricket programming and highlights, in the run-up to the matches, and can also revisit the highlights of matches on the service shortly after the match ending.
“Cricket is undoubtedly the most loved sport in India and our collaboration with New Zealand Cricket underlines our commitment to give our customers what they want. The upcoming series will be Prime Video’s first foray into live cricket in India,” said Gaurav Gandhi, country head, Amazon Prime Video, India. “The New Zealand cricket team has built a reputation of being one of the finest in the game and undoubtedly cricket fans in India will be delighted experiencing the exciting sporting action live exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. We are excited to start our live cricket journey in 2022 – an action-packed year that will see both Indian women’s and men’s teams tour New Zealand. Today is truly Day 1 of our sports journey.”
The Kiwis are a much-loved team, currently ranked #1 in ODI and #2 in Test Cricket by the International Cricket Council, with a dedicated fan following in India. Kane Williamson, captain of the New Zealand National Team said, “Starting January 2022, New Zealand cricket has a new home in India – Amazon Prime Video – and we are looking forward to bringing New Zeland’s summer game to our fans and cricket lovers in India as they catch us live on the service. India’s love for cricket and entertainment is well-known around the world. I am thrilled that Prime Video will be exclusively streaming all the exciting on-field action to our fans in India.”
“The passion and love of the Indian cricket fan is quite unmatched! The country and cricket fans have a very special place in our hearts. With a new, exclusive home on Amazon Prime Video, we hope to engage and delight viewers across the country. I am excited to play against the Indian Women’s Cricket team this summer. They are a worthy opponent, and I can bet it will be an intense cricketing season between our teams,” said Sophie Devine, captain of the New Zealand Women’s Cricket Team.
“It’s a very exciting time for cricket broadcasting as we move into live cricket being streamed exclusively on a service as widely followed as Amazon Prime Video in India,” said David White, chief executive, New Zealand Cricket. “Cricket is followed closely in India and our association with Amazon Prime Video will help us extend our reach and connect with fans and followers in the country. We are delighted that the viewers in India will be able to watch all the tours coming up in 2022 live on Prime Video, and look forward to offering all the on-pitch excitement to viewers in an immersive and engaging manner.”
To watch the matches, Prime members can go to the Prime Video app on their respective devices and will see matches shown in a carousel for Live Cricket or they can search for “New Zealand Cricket” in the search bar. They can stream these matches online through their web browser, mobile devices, internet-connected TVs, set-top-boxes, Fire TV sticks and other compatible devices. For a list of devices compatible with Prime Video, please visit primevideo.com
ABOUT AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
Prime Video is a premium streaming service that offers Prime members a collection of award-winning Amazon Original series, thousands of movies and TV shows—all with the ease of finding what they love to watch in one place. Find out more at PrimeVideo.com.
- Included with Prime Video: Thousands of acclaimed TV shows and movies across languages and geographies, including Indian films such as Shershaah, Toofaan, Sardar Udham, Coolie No. 1, Gulabo Sitabo, Shakuntala Devi, Sherni, Durgamati, Chhalaang, Hello Charlie, Cold Case, Narappa, Sara’s, Sarpatta Parambarai, Kuruthi, #HOME and Tuck Jagadish, along with Indian-produced Amazon Original series like Mumbai Diaries 26/11, The Last Hour, Paatal Lok, Bandish Bandits, Breathe, Comicstaan Semma Comedy Pa, The Family Man, Mirzapur, Inside Edge and Made In Heaven. Also included are popular global Amazon Originals like The Tomorrow War, Coming 2 America, Cinderella, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Without Remorse, The Wheel of Time, American Gods, One Night in Miami, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, The Boys, Hunters, Cruel Summer, Fleabag, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and many more, available for unlimited streaming as part of a Prime membership. Prime Video includes content across Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi and Bengali.
- Instant Access: Prime Members can watch anywhere, anytime on the Prime Video app for smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV and multiple gaming devices. Prime Video is also available to consumers through Airtel and Vodafone pre-paid and post-paid subscription plans. In the Prime Video app, Prime members can download episodes on their mobile devices and tablets and watch anywhere offline at no additional cost.
- Enhanced experiences: Make the most of every viewing with 4K Ultra HD- and High Dynamic Range (HDR)-compatible content. Go behind the scenes of your favourite movies and TV shows with exclusive X-Ray access, powered by IMDb. Save it for later with select mobile downloads for offline viewing.
- Included with Prime: Prime Video is available in India at no extra cost with Prime membership for just ₹1499 annually or ₹179 monthly. New customers can find out more at amazon.in/prime and subscribe to a free 30-day trial.
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:


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Connectivity vendor Ipswitch is piloting a channel programme with distributor Computerlinks to target system builders and local integrators.
The scheme will give VARs the chance to sell high-speed file transfer and connectivity software that system builders would install on servers, for businesses that rely on an online presence.
Ipswitch’s file transfer division has sold direct for 17 years and is best known for plug and play brands such as the WS_FTP.
After netting 40 million users, the company is eyeing up a new set of customers, explained UK sales director Chris Greaves. “We are moving up the value chain and offering more business-like products,” he said.
A new version of the product, MoveIT DMZ 6, will target enterprises looking to shift large amounts of data. The rationale, he explained, is to bring a secure and reliable file transfer and workflow management tool to companies that rely on the efficiency of their web operations.
“Anyone whose brand could be damaged by an online failure, or workflow
bottlenecks, could use this tool,” he said.
Greaves added system builders would make good channel partners as they frequently build and supply communications servers for clients.
“Many SMEs and local authorities use local system builders to supply and integrate their IT as they are guaranteed local support,” said Greaves. “So they could be a good channel to market.”
The company has been secretive about the programme because it needs to attract the right partners that will protect the brand, he added.
“We want to make sure we get it right before we expand. We are calling this a pilot project as we want to tailor it to the feedback we get.”
After early adopters have piloted the channel programme, a major rollout is mooted for January 2009.
File transfer and work flow are two areas that businesses will be anxious to fine-tune, said Carly Loveday, product manager for ebusiness at Computerlinks. “Ipswitch’s success came through good service and support, so it will want to be careful about nurturing the right partners.”
All training will be handled by Computerlinks. “We have been with them for a decade, so know them very well,” she added.
Infrastructure provider says international sales now make up 51 per cent of its revenue
Suzanne Chappell of TMS plans sailing venture after selling Oxfordshire-based TMS to acquisitive Chess
Withdrawal of credit insurance by some providers a 'reflection' of current challenge facing IT sector, according to MD Steve Soper
SMART's UK managing director joins Lenovo to boost SMB business


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In the January 2007 issue's Trend Watch “In Pursuit of Prospects,” Club Runners' Web site was incorrect in the Software Manufacturers sidebar. The correct Web address is www.clubrunner.net. The editors apologize for the error.
Keep up with the latest news with our weekly e-newsletter.
Read news about some of the biggest names in the industry.


text: patna: the proposed new industrial policy (nip) of the state will have both pre-production and post-production incentives for the new small scale industries (ssis). the nip will come into effect by the end of may this year, according to industries minister vishwa mohan sharma. the nip is being drafted incorporating the recommendations of the industries commission headed by j j irani. a high-level committee headed by development commissioner d p maheshwari has held several rounds of meeting in this connection. a couple of other high-level meetings will be held this month before final preparation of the draft nip for its adoption by may end, said a senior industries department official. the pre-production incentives include 25 per cent exemption on the cost of land in the government's industrial area and growth centres to be charged from entrepreneurs going to launch the new ssi units. there will be 25 per cent exemption of stamp duty for the launching of new industries in the industrial areas and growth centres. the post-production incentives include diesel generating sets for captive power plants for the new industries, sharma added. the proposed policy will not give total exemption of sales tax or deferment of sales tax to the new ssi units as provided in the 1995-2000 industrial policy. this is so because a meeting of all the finance ministers of different states had decided against this. keeping this in view, the proposed nip envisages only 30 per cent pay back (return) of the annual sales tax deposited by the new units to the government. the other post-production incentives include exemption of 25 per cent with a maximum limit of rs 75,000 on the cost incurred for creating project report for the new units. the incentives will be valid for five years, the minister said. the nip has a proposal for quality certification for quality control of the products of the new ssi units. the 1995-2000 industrial policy lapsed on august 31, 2000. from september 1, 2000, small entrepreneurs of the state were in utter confusion as in the absence of the industrial policy, no fresh incentives to new industries could be given. the state government, however, tried to soothe the industrialists, and in january this year, extended the 1995-2000 industrial policy with retrospective effect from september 1, 2000. but under the extended policy, there is no provision for exemption of sales tax or deferment of sales tax for the new ssi units launched after september 1, 2000, said the president of bihar industries association (bia), k p s kesri.


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Fuelled by Nissan’s decision to move the HQ of it’s Infiniti brand to Hong Kong, rumors of an impending Chinese production of the upscale marque would not end. In November, while not denying the story out of hand, spokespeople in Yokohama indicated that announcements of Chinese production of Nissan’s luxury brand were premature. Today, China Daily has an interesting twist on the story: A trucks-for-luxury cars swap.
Citing a Chinese Newspaper, China Daily writes:
“As part of the plan, Nissan Motor, which makes commercial vehicles and passenger cars in a 50-50 partnership with Dongfeng, would stop making medium-to-heavy duty trucks at the venture, the Economic Observer said on its website, without identifying the source. Dongfeng would in turn back an option to make Infiniti as well as Renault cars at its existing venture with Nissan, it said.”
China Daily was unable to receive confirmation for the unusual trade-in.
Given a cooperative Dongfeng, Nissan should have no problem making high quality Infinitis in China. After all, if BMW, Daimler and Audi can do it, why not Nissan? In July, Carlos Ghosn had declared in Beijing:
“In addition to China being home to the largest volume facilities in the Alliance, it is also home to the best performing plants. Based on our global ranking system that measures quality of production and products, our plants in Huadu and Xiangyang rank first and second against 34 other plants in the Alliance.”
Dongfeng is owned by China’s central government. In the luxury sector government sales are key in China. But why the swap? A foreign company may only have two joint ventures in China. For a Chinese company, there is no limit to its promiscuity. In addition to Nissan, Dongfeng already has JVs with Kia, Honda, Renault’s rival PSA, and more. Why not simply add Volvo?
Update: On further checking, Reuters had reported a week ago that Volvo and Dongfeng plan a JV, and that Nissan would pull out of their current truck JV with Dongfeng. We don’t follow trucks. The only new wrinkle is that Infinitis and Renaults will be made. Renault and Dongfeng have been together for years. The Infiniti story is months old. Book it as another Chinese fire-drill in a country with more than 100 carmakers.
Update to the update: Reliable contacts at Infiniti HQ in (still) Yokohama confirm that no deal has been struck (yet) for Infiniti production in China. They have no knowledge of the swap described in Chinese media.


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Stockholm, Sweden-based H&M is coming to Perimeter Mall this coming spring.
Swedish cheap-chic retailer H&M plans to open a new store on the first level of Dunwoody's Perimeter Mall. The retailer will open in place of a soon-to-be-relocated Brooks Brothers and the recently shuttered Crabtree & Evelyn. C&E closed Christmas Eve and will allegedly "re-open (somewhere) in Atlanta in the near future" while Brooks Brothers plans to close in late March and re-open in early April.
H&M first entered the Atlanta market in 2008 with a store at North Point Mall in Alpharetta, and later added a location at Atlantic Station. The retailer has since added locations at Cumberland Mall and Town Center in Cobb County, and at Mall of Georgia in Buford.
With stores already in North Point and Cumberland, H&M is now represented in all of Chicago-based General Growth Properties (GGP) popular metro malls... Southlake Mall notwithstanding.
Brooks Brothers has been a fixture in Perimeter mall for many years and has made the questionable decision of relocating their store to a space adjacent to the new Von Maur. Von Maur opened its second Atlanta area store in less than two years at the popular Dunwoody mall, and on two trips by me and multiple other trips by friends, has NEVER been busy... even approaching the holidays.
Perimeter Mall is already home to Spanish cheap-chic retailer Zara, as well as American cheapo joint, XX1 Forever, a "flagship" store from Forever 21. The mall, like basically any "good" mall, is also home to a Gap, and newcomer and "girls only" retailer, Love Culture.
Perimeter Mall has welcomed a number of new retailers over the past few months including Atlanta's first mall-based lululemon athletica store, Atlanta first Sperry Top-Sider boutique and Atlanta's second The Art of Shaving boutique.
Does this opening excite you? What is your favorite store for cheap clothes? What store would you like to see open in Perimeter Mall? Please share your comments below.


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Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a tweet on Friday that the electric carmaker merchandise can be bought using the digital currency dogecoin.
Products such as the "Cyberwhistle" and "Cyberquad for Kids" could be bought using the cryptocurrency, according to the Tesla website.
Musk had tweeted in December saying Tesla will accept dogecoin as payment for merchandise on a test basis.
Tesla sells merchandise such as apparel, belt buckle, mini models of its vehicles, quad bike Cyberquad for kids and Cyberwhistle modeled after its much-awaited Cybertruck.
Tesla had earlier said it would stop accepting bitcoin for car purchases, less than two months after the company began accepting the world's biggest digital currency for payment.
Musk, a prolific user of Twitter and a cryptocurrency supporter, had asked users in May if they wanted Tesla to accept Dogecoin in a Twitter poll.
He had called Dogecoin, a meme-inspired cryptocurrency, a "hustle" during his guest-host spot on the "Saturday Night Live" comedy sketch TV show in May, which sent its prices tumbling.


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The new Intel Atom N280 processor with the GN40 chipset is now available. That means we’ll be seeing the new processor on newer netbooks in the future.
According to Liliputing:
The new CPU has a top clock speed of 1.66GHz, which makes it a tiny bit faster than the Intel Atom N270 CPU which tops out at 1.6GHz. But the real news is that the GN40 chipset is designed to add better support for 720p HD videos than you get with the current Intel 945GSE chipset thanks to a hardware based video decoder.


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As part of the National Payments Plan, the government is encouraging businesses and individuals to move away from cash and cheque payments, and towards electronic payments. It is estimated that this switch could save €1 billion annually in the economy. Ireland is one of only five EU members currently using cheques, and although usage has declined significantly in recent years, we issue twice the EU average. (Over 61 million in 2013, or 17 per person).
From the 19th of September, public sector bodies and government departments will stop sending or accepting cheques when dealing with businesses. Although businesses are moving away from cheques quicker than individuals, this is a major step towards a “cashless society”.
So what does this mean for business owners? E-payments are safer, faster, and cheaper for business. Sending a cheque will cost at least €1.50 after stamp duty, bank charges and postage, while an e-payment will cost roughly €0.20. Cash flow will also improve, as payments will be quicker, and there will also be greater transparency, meaning no more”cheque in the post” excuses. It also offers business an opportunity to change the behavior of the customers, by encouraging e-payments, which will certainly cut down on admin costs and improve efficiency when it comes to your cash flow.


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I have a Ford Transit Sport, 2012, (Mk 7, old style) and now out of warranty. It’s had a few issues, the oil pump being one, which I gather isn’t unusual on Ford Puma diesel engines of a certain age. Plus it has gone through two EGR valves, a whole air intake manifold, and a […]
Ford has won a tender to supply Thames Water with around 900 new vans over the next three years.
A half century after Ford introduced the iconic Transit, commercial vans still make a significant and growing economic contribution, according to a new study.
Ford commercial vehicles are selling well at Midlands-based supplier Vanfridge, thanks to Ford’s comprehensive CV range providing the best match for the needs of customers looking for refrigerated vans.
Ford will deliver 189 Ford Transit Custom models to gas distribution company SGN, which manages the gas distribution network to 5.8 million homes and businesses in the UK.
Ford Transit Centres are the venues for a series of ‘Transit Show Live’ events that will showcase the latest technologies and features in the expanded Ford Transit commercial vehicle range.
Ford was the clear leader in total vehicle, car and CV sales in January as it commenced its 39th consecutive year of UK car sales leadership and is on track to complete 50 consecutive years of UK commercial vehicle (CV) sales leadership.
Here’s the week’s biggest stories from the world of Diesel Car. It’s our weekend round up for the week 13th-17th October, 2014.
The Lord’s Taverners charity is putting 26 new, specially-adapted Ford Transit Minibuses on the road this year to help improve the lives of young people with disabilities and special educational needs.
Ford is supplying 343 Ford Transit Custom vans to the AA to join its fleet of patrol vehicles. They will raise Ford’s share of the 2,100-vehicle AA patrol fleet to more than 50 per cent.


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Bethesda Softworks parent ZeniMax Media has officially announced its acquisition of MachineGames, confirming earlier media reports
. Alongside the confirmation comes the news that MachineGames is at work on an unannounced Bethesda project using id Software's id Tech 5 engine.
Uppsala, Sweden-based MachineGames is the new venture created by founding members of The Darkness
and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher's Bay
developer Starbreeze Studios. CEO Jerk Gustafsson is overseeing the new project as executive producer.
"Working with our new colleagues at id and the world class publisher, Bethesda Softworks, is a tremendous opportunity," said Gustafsson in a statement.
He praised the team's experience in AAA development and promised to "push the game development envelope" with the new title.
Last month ZeniMax announced it had received over $150 million in funding
to fuel studio acquisitions, and attributed its growing development portfolio to the company's success.
The company's been on something of a buying spree: in addition to owning Bethesda, it picked up id Software itself
in 2009, and more recently purchased Arkane Studios
and Resident Evil
creator Shinji Mikami's new Tango Gameworks studio
In addition to these studios, ZeniMax launched ZeniMax Online Studios
in 2007 to pursue the development of MMOGs.


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Kia Motors is considering the future of public transportation by pushing for micro electric vehicles that can help people move around cities. The cars have a short range of 71km and a top speed of 45km/h. The company plans to begin in Europe and move to other parts of the world over time. The idea may be beneficial in places with large public transportation populations that have experienced major setbacks due to Coronavirus. The company says they are seeing a move from public to private transportation due to safety concerns of contracting the virus on trains and buses in major cities.
Presumably the cars would be parked strategically throughout cities and can be hailed easily. Similar platforms like Zipcar and Car2go, which recently ended operations in North America, have been available for years using a similar model, although not with micro cars and electric vehicles. The appeal of Kia’s model is that micro cars take up less space and would be offered at cheaper price points than the competition, due to its stripped-down cars that don’t necessarily offer all the modern features most people expect in a car. Kia has some clear work to do and hurdles to jump through to be able to deliver on these promises but more options for urban dwellers to get around the city is always beneficial.
Read More Here


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ALEX BRUMMER: US enters the danger zone as it hikes interest rates to the 2.5% mark
America’s central bank the Federal Reserve is again setting the pace in the belated battle against inflation.
Last night’s 0.75pc of a percentage point increase in the key interest rate to a range of 2.25pc-2.5pc takes the US into territory where the cure could be worse than the disease.
As importantly for Britain, it may embolden the Bank of England to go faster and harder when its interest ratesetting committee meets next week.
America’s central bank the Federal Reserve is again setting the pace in the belated battle against inflation
Governor Andrew Bailey has hinted that a 0.5 of a percentage point rise to 1.75pc could be on the cards. If anything, the current race for the Tory leadership, which won’t be settled until September, could encourage a bolder move.
Among the G7 countries the UK and US currently have the highest consumer price inflation, at 9.4pc and 9.1pc respectively. So the case for being tougher is strong. Rail workers’ union chief Mick Lynch pointedly likes to refer to the differently calculated retail prices index, which is rising at an 11.8pc annual rate. Ouch!
There are political reasons for the Bank to be bold. Prime ministerial candidate Liz Truss has left no doubt that she would loosen the fiscal strings at Number 10. That would reinforce the case for a monetary response. She also has hinted darkly about reshaping Bank of England independence.
So there may be no better time for the Old Lady to be seen to be asserting its hardwon freedom from the political cycle. Central banks have to be careful. There has been much talk of a ‘Volcker moment,’ referring to the decisive 1979 intervention when the late Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker sharply raised borrowing costs. It killed inflation … but caused a deep recession, which devastated the US’s industrial heartlands.
Among the G7 countries the UK and US currently have the highest consumer price inflation, at 9.4pc and 9.1pc respectively
Looking at the latest bunch of financial results, ranging from retail banking to ice cream and pharma, one would be hard pressed to believe that the surging cost of living has trapped Britain in a doom loop. What is different about this inflationary episode is that it coincides with strong labour markets.
For private sector workers willing to be flexible by changing jobs there are fatter pay cheques to be had. This means that big consumer groups such as Unilever, Kraft-Heinz, Cadbury owner Mondelez and Reckitt Benckiser largely have been able to pass on higher input costs to consumers. What their profits, and the solid results from Lloyds, demonstrate is that, despite the political rhetoric, the current economic difficulties are not as acute as they may seem.
Yes, there is a squeeze on real incomes but unless people are at the lower end of the income scale it can be withstood. That’s why the International Monetary Fund emphasises help to deal with inflation should focus on lower income groups. In hard times the financial sector feels the pain first. It could happen should interest rates zoom up, hurting those with oversized home loans as shorter-term fixed-rate mortgage deals run their course.
Big consumer groups such as Unilever, Kraft-Heinz, Cadbury owner Mondelez and Reckitt Benckiser largely have been able to pass on higher input costs to consumers
So far so good for Lloyds Bank. Pre-tax profits, at £3.7bn for the first half are higher than expected. Rising interest rates have given the UK’s biggest domestic bank the chance to lift the net interest margin, the difference between lending rates and the cost of retail funds, to 2.8pc from 2.54pc. Bad loans, a first indication of a deteriorating economy, remain modest. So far the corporate world is keeping recession at bay.
As the new chairman of BAE Systems, Cressida Hogg will be taking charge of Britain’s defence and aerospace champion at a pivotal moment in history. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has turned strategic and geopolitical thinking on its head. Defence budgets across Europe and in the Pacific are surging, and traditionally neutral nations Sweden and Finland are knocking on the doors of Nato.
Hogg, the daughter of privilege (her late father Sir Christopher was, among other things, chairman of GSK) brings with her expertise in global infrastructure projects. How this will translate into being a super sales figure for British weaponry will be the real test. The UK now has the unusual combination of women in charge at BAE and Rolls-Royce, where Anita Frew is chair. It’s not just the Lionesses who are on top!


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Tax refunds for high-spending visitors
Visitors to Jersey can now get a tax refund on their shopping.
The trial scheme has been launched to put some fizz back into High Street sales.
The tax-back trial is aimed at high spenders - it only applies to sales of individual items costing £300 or more. Typically it will be attractive for top-end goods like jewellery and designer items.
Visitors will be entitled to the full 5% refund of GST, but there will be paperwork involved for both the buyer and retailer.
Retailers think it is worth it, because the scheme puts them on a level playing field with other countries who already offer a sales tax refund.
Gerald Voisin of department store Voisins believes a number of local retailers will benefit.
"It's certainly not going to hinder sales which can only be a positive thing," he said.
The UK has offered sales tax refunds to non-EU residents for many years.
If the 12-month trial, due to begin this month, is successful, it will lead to a more permanent scheme in Jersey.


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A brand new The Legend of Zelda-themed special art exhibition is happening next month in Kyoto. The people at the helm of the fancy exhibition are Akira Himekawa, which is the pen name of a duo of female Japanese manga artists. The art exhibition for the franchise is set to take place at the esteemed Kyoto International Manga Museum from the 18th September until 26th December. The duo will be showing off their excellent artwork which has spanned an impressive twenty years and they will be highlighting new and exclusive pieces of art for the established Nintendo series which was born from the minds of legendary gaming producers, Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka.
Tags:Akira HimekawaartartworkjapanKyoto International Manga Museumthe legend of zeldavideo gameszelda


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The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Kolkata bench has commenced insolvency proceeding for India-based aluminium foil company Ess Dee Aluminium last week. The company has been referred to the NCLT by the State Bank of India, the company’s financial creditor. Ess Dee owes Rs4,698.4mn ($69.58mn) to the bank.
For the December quarter (Q3), Ess Dee posted a loss of Rs517.64mn compared to a loss of Rs519.68mn in the prior year. In 2019, the company reported an after-tax loss of Rs7,953.66mn. Ess Dee Aluminium has reported consecutive losses for both; quarter over quarter and year over year and the company’s operations are at a stand still.
Ess Dee offered an integrated, customised primary packaging solutions for the food, pharma and FMCG sectors. It has facilities in Daman, Goa and Kolkata. Ess Dee’s Daman plant has an aluminium foil cold rolling mills with an annual capacity to produce 18,000mt of average 27 microns gauge.


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Breman Asikuma (C/R), Oct 22, GNA - The Quality Control Division (QCD)of the Ghana COCOBOD, has warned that it would close down private cocoa buying companies, which have not registered with the Division. Mr E. K. Korley, Manager of the Division for the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa district, who gave the warning at the Cocoa Societies Best Farmer Awards ceremony organised by Breman Asikuma District branch of Produce Buying Company Limited (PBC), said the QCD would embark on an exercise soon to close down sheds of companies, which have not registered.
He stated that the Quality Control Division found it difficult to monitor the operations of the companies, which were buying sub standard cocoa beans.
The QCD District Manager said the measure had become necessary to maintain the quality of Ghana's cocoa on the world market, adding that, the operation of the unregistered buying companies had resulted in economic lose to the Ghana COCOBOD and the nation. He said the COCOBOD had to pay large sums of foreign exchange to a cocoa-processing firm in Japan as a result of "foreign matters" in the cocoa beans and advised farmers to abide by the proper procedure for drying cocoa beans and to avoid unacceptable practices to maintain the standard of Ghana's cocoa beans. Mr Robert Ampomah, Deputy Central Regional Manager of PBC, said the production of 700,000 metric tonnes of cocoa this year was achieved through the application of the hi-tech fertiliser and the mass spraying exercise by the government and commended the farmers for their hard work. The Deputy Regional Manager pointed out that the PBC bought 40 percent of nation's production and said that the company was planning to institute an awards scheme to motivate cocoa farmers in the region. He advised the farmers to use the Akuafo cheque and to insist that purchasing clerks entered the number of kilos and bags they sold in their pass books to enable them to benefit from the scholarship scheme for their children and other benefits.
Mr Sampson Kwame Anfako, District Chief Executive, stressed the government's commitment to assist cocoa farmers to lead decent lives. He stated that the government was making efforts to reduce poverty among Ghanaians and said that this could be achieved only through hard work and dedication on the part of farmers. Mr Anfako appealed to the farmers to pay for the hi-tech fertilizers they were supplied last year on loan since the amount was a revolving fund.


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Kentucky's restaurants beg for relief as COVID-19 cases rise, winter looms
A state once considered a foodie destination is now grappling with how to keep its restaurants afloat as the pandemic has turned the joy of dining out into an ever-changing risk assessment.
Advocates for Kentucky's restaurants testified in front of the Interim Joint Committee on Tourism, Small Business and Information Technology on Thursday, offering a grim picture of the foodservice industry in the COVID-19 era.
Stacey Roof, president of the Kentucky Restaurant Association, said 70% of the state's eateries don't expect to make a profit in the next six months, while 37% are unlikely to survive at all, without government assistance.
Roof also reported that more than half of Kentucky 205,000 food service industry employees have been laid off or furloughed this year.
Roof and Shannon Stiglitz, with the Kentucky Retail Federation, said part of the problem is the constantly-shifting regulations. Stiglitz explained that rules have been established for the entire industry, despite variations in how restaurants operate.
"Where the risks are from a business perspective, from a patron perspective, how do we do better? I think that's what we all collectively want to know and evaluate," Stiglitz said.
Roof said Gov. Andy Beshear's recent recommendation against in-person dining will likely hurt businesses that were just starting to recover.
"For these restaurants, that's just a tough pill to swallow," she said. "I heard a lot of them on Monday evening and Tuesday, they could see a definite difference in their business. And, in some cases, had little to no business on Tuesday."
"I can't say it's not the right thing to do but it is concerning because we're already on really small margins as it is and it just picked up enough where we were starting to see a little light at the end of the tunnel," said Jackson Nave, who owns Eggs over Frankfort in the Crescent Hill neighborhood.
Nave said his restaurant is doing about 40% of the business it typically does, which is an improvement compared to a few months ago. But now he has a new concern.
"With the weather turning, we're going to lose the outside seating and that's going to hurt," he said.
Some restaurants have invested in plastic bubbles or heaters to maintain their outdoor seating, but those measures are costly.
"I think we have to recognize what the restaurants are doing to survive, and also how can the government help them survive," Stiglitz said. "We do have to look at the long term implications of the brand of dining out."
Nave isn't optimistic about what the next few months will bring and he's imploring lawmakers to act in the hopes of saving an industry in distress.
"I believe there's going to be another close to shutdown for folks like us and we're going to need some help," he said.


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Google (GOOG) offered hackers a chance at a big pay day if they could crack its Chrome OS platform. The company held its annual Pwnium competition at the ConSecWest security conference in Vancouver this week where it put $3.14159 million up for grabs. While a number of hackers attempted to get a piece of the Pi, a Google spokesperson confirmed in a statement to TechCrunch that none of them succeeded in fully cracking the operating system. The company did reveal, however, that it is “evaluating some work that may qualify as partial credit.” Google is making a big push to boost consumer interest in Chrome OS. The company recently released the high-end Chromebook Pixel to compete directly with the Retina display Macbook Pro.
This article was originally published on BGR.com


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The quest to legitimize eSports continues.
For a company like Activision Blizzard, which has as many dedicated competitive multiplayer games as it does – Diablo, World of Warcraft, Heroes of the Storm, Hearthstone, Starcraft, Destiny, and Call of Duty – it makes sense to double down on eSports as a cornerstone for the company. And that is exactly what they are doing- the company today announced a new division dedicated solely to eSports. Former CEO of ESPN and the NFL Network Steve Bornstein will serve as the division’s Chairman and Mike Sepso, who was most recently a co-founder and president of Major League Gaming (MLG), will serve as its Senior Vice President.
“Celebrating our players and their unique skill, dedication and commitment is the essence of our esports initiatives,” said Bobby Kotick, Chief Executive Officer of Activision Blizzard. “Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Publishing have been leaders in the development of esports. With that leadership, our strong franchises, our deep history and experience in eSports and now two additional industry leaders, we intend to further enhance our efforts and make certain this remains an important growth driver for Activision Blizzard.”
Kotick added, “There are no better leaders for this new initiative than Steve and Mike. Steve has unparallelled experience in creating a sports network powerhouse and his groundbreaking leadership at ESPN and the NFL Network shaped how the whole world experiences sports. Mike’s entrepreneurial vision helped make ‘eSports’ a household word and he is uniquely positioned to take the experience to the next level.”
“Last year, Activision Blizzard created entertainment that was viewed and played by over 150 million people for more than 13 billion hours,” said Steve Bornstein, Chairman of the new division and former CEO of ESPN and the NFL Network. “I believe esports will rival the biggest traditional sports leagues in terms of future opportunities and between advertising, ticket sales, licensing, sponsorships and merchandising, there are tremendous growth areas for this nascent industry. I’m excited to help Activision Blizzard further its leadership position in eSports.”
“As a member of the eSports community for over 12 years, I couldn’t be more excited for the future of the sport. I am confident that the company’s industry-leading content will capture the many opportunities we have to entertain and celebrate our players,” said Mike Sepso, Senior Vice President for Activision Blizzard. “Activision Blizzard is uniquely positioned to give millions of fans around the world what they want and I’m excited to help support this community in a way that honors its history.”
This is an exciting new development in the march to legitimize eSports as an acceptable form of social competition. Let’s hope it bears fruit in the future some time!


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ARCA selected as finalist for 2017 NC Tech Awards
Company to vie for Internet of Things award at Nov. gala event
MEBANE, NC — September 27, 2017 — ARCA has been selected as a finalist for the NC Tech Awards Internet of Things award. The NC Tech Awards is North Carolina's only statewide technology awards program that recognizes achievement in technology and is presented by the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA).
In applying for the Internet of Things (IoT) award, ARCA highlighted their ARCA Care service, which helps analyze data to take preventative maintenance measures for all CM18 cash recyclers deployed in the field to date. These daily status reports indicate how much wear and tear a machine has accumulated, making it easier for customers to service their units and avoid equipment downtime.
“For over 20 years, the NC Technology Association has celebrated companies, organizations and individuals for outstanding achievement at the NC Tech Awards. As a finalist the year, ARCA has distinguished itself as one of the state’s innovative and emergent leaders,” stated Brooks Raiford, NCTA’s President and CEO.
The awards process culminates with the NC Tech Awards Gala on November 9, 2017 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center in Durham. Hundreds of business, technology and public leaders from across the state will gather to celebrate the tech sector and honor the winners and finalists in each category.
“Being named a finalist for the Internet of Things award category is a significant achievement for ARCA, and we’re honored to have made the final cut,” said ARCA’s CEO Mort O’ Sullivan. “ARCA Care enables us to provide better service to our customers, and embracing IoT technology has helped us get there.”
For more information about ARCA Care, visit https://arca.com/company/support/arca-care/
ARCA’s solutions help people control and streamline cash operations in financial institutions, retail stores, and self-service kiosks around the world. We develop technology and services that make transactions simpler, more efficient and more secure. Visit arca.com for more information.