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Minister urges retailers to reduce shopping bag useWednesday, 28 October 2009
Environment Minister, Edwin Poots is asking retailers to reduce the amount of plastic bags they distribute in shops and supermarkets.
Today the Minister met with representatives from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) in London to discuss what measures retailers can take to help reduce commercial and domestic waste, by reducing packaging and supporting the reuse and recycling of materials.
The meeting also focused on the results of the latest voluntary commitment by larger supermarkets to reduce the number of carrier bags handed out to customers.
The Minister said: “In Northern Ireland the usage of carrier bags has been cut from 19.8 million in May 2006 to 12.2 million by May 2009, a reduction in numbers of 7.6 million (38% reduction).
This is great news for the environment and I am particularly encouraged that this cut has been achieved against a backdrop of a growing volume in supermarket sales.
“I am keen to build constructive working partnerships with our retailers so that, as well as helping to cut plastic bag numbers further, we can work together to tackle other important environmental issues such as food waste and packaging."
Notes to editors
- The Minister met with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) on 28 October 2009, in London.
- The BRC represents a number of main UK based retailers including the main supermarkets. These retailers have been operating a voluntary agreement to reduce the number of carrier bags issued to customers. Recently some retailers have started to charge for carrier bags.
- The results of the voluntary agreement announced in July 2009 showed that at May 2009 reductions of 48% had been achieved by the main supermarkets in Great Britain, and 38% in Northern Ireland when compared with May 2006.
- The Minister has confirmed that, although he has no immediate plans to introduce a charge for carrier bags, he feels that greater effort is required and that he will monitor the situation.
- The On-Pack Recycling Label Scheme was launched by the BRC in March 2009 to provide a more consistent system of labelling in relation to recycling information on household packaging. The system has been adopted by a wide range of brands and will assist consumers to recycle more.
- All media enquiries should be directed to the DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.


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A couple has embraced the abundant opportunities in the leather industry and would re-launch their leather products manufacturing factory under the brand ‘The Guest’ in August.
Lopang Baig, who owns Morongwa Upholstery shop as well as Morongwa Institute of Leather Technologies and Leather Works along with her husband, said in an interview that the factory is fully furnished and they are working on the finishing touches.
“We are currently in the process of selecting the people who will be working at the factory,” she told Monitor Business. “You can imagine that we received more than 100 applications, but only want 10 people who we are going to extensively train and engage at the factory.”
The chosen 10 would go for training in Pakistan for a month, followed by an attachment at one of South Africa’s leather manufacturing factories to learn about mass production. Baig said they intend to produce between 100 to 150 pairs of shoes per day, which would expand due to the demand in the market. She said they are currently in talks with some chain stores to supply them adding that they want to start with shoes first.She further urged locals to embrace an opportunity in the tannery industry as she mentioned that they import about 98% of their leather whilst the few that they get locally mostly has health issues.
Baig said when they started their
“Business was going so well until the recession, which affected us as well, as Options stopped the deal that we had,” she said. According to Baig, this did not stop them as they decided to open the Institution where they train locals who want to know about the whole process of making products out of leather.
She said they got this motivation after receiving a lot of enquiries from individuals visiting their store to purchase leather. The courses include basic leatherworks, belt making, and sandal making as well as higher leatherwork shoe making usually known as cobbler. Last year they graduated about 120 students at their institution.

domain: news


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The year 2020 brought about an incredible amount of change to just about every industry, including health care. As a result, consumers have tweaked their healthcare habits, including how they access medical care and how they spend money on medications.
Recently, CVS Health published the results of its latest CVS Caremark Drug Trend survey. The findings from the poll show some interesting changes in consumer behavior.
Changes in Medications
According to the recent survey, specialty medications comprised 52% of what consumers spent at the pharmacy. New medications and indications contributed to 98% of specialty spend, making specialty treatments now the biggest portion of pharmacy spend.
Changes in How to Connect to Health Care
Technology has played a key role in the medical field over the past few years, but its use has exploded since early 2020. In an effort to keep the health crisis in check, patients and medical care practitioners made use of digital communications for medical visits, which can be seen with the rise in telehealth. The same can be said about communicating with pharmacists and obtaining advice about medications.
According to the survey, 85% of CVS members signed up to receive digital communications. This suggests that digital connectivity can be a positive thing by reducing waste while lowering costs. Plus, it can help improve member engagement.
Continuing Evidence of Health Iniquities
Certain demographics have historically had a more difficult time accessing affordable and comprehensive health care. In addition, communities of color tend to be more vulnerable to certain medical conditions than others due to lack of affordable health care coverage. Among other things, Black populations are two to three times more likely to die from heart disease compared to non-Hispanic Whites.
Despite its catastrophic effects, the health crisis drove the need to address and deal with the traditional health inequities that have long existed.
Affordability Status Changes
Out-of-pocket expenses, which are a traditional barrier to sticking with a medical protocol, have also been reduced over the past year. Medications are more affordable for members, who now spend $9.63 in out-of-pocket costs per 30-day supply of the drugs they need.
Further, many hyperinflated medications were removed in 2020 to keep costs down. More specifically, 72 hyperinflated drugs were eliminated in 2020, reducing client spend by $1.2 billion compared to 2018.
Health sharing ministries can also address affordability in health care and offer savings of as much as 30% to 40% compared to traditional health insurance plans. Members can also take advantage of reduced prescription costs. In fact, members can see savings of as much as 15% to 80% off prescription medication, depending on the ministry and the exact program members choose.If you’re looking for a more affordable and flexible alternative to health insurance, get in touch with a representative from USHealthShare to discuss your options and learn how to share the health.


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Kirk Landers: Basketball on ice
These same politicians will be drafting a new federal transportation bill to replace the one that ends September 28. No group of people in the country has more expertise and savvy about roads to share with our elected officials and their aides than the readers of this magazine. So, make it your business for the next three months to write letters, make phone calls and attend town hall meetings to educate our leaders before they vote on the next transportation bill.
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Vector Security Seeks to Enhance Loss Prevention Services
PITTSBURGH — To address the rise in employee theft among its national customers, Vector Security has teamed up with loss prevention service Risk Management Services Loss Prevention (RMSLP). RMSLP provides loss prevention solutions for retail businesses that would normally outsource loss prevention auditing services, such as home improvement companies, fast food chains, law firms and insurance companies.
Statistics from a recent National Retail Federation (NRF) survey of organized retail crime motivated Vector Security to partner with RMSLP. The study found 96% of retailers have been victims of ORC in the past 12 months. Overall, shrink rates have decreased; however, retailers are noticing an increase in activity. Employee theft counted for 43.9% of shrinkage last year, followed closely by shoplifting (35.7%).
“To address this need of our customers and the growing trend in the retail sector, we looked for an opportunity to develop a unique point-of-sale [POS] offering,” Vector Security Marketing Manager Art Miller tells SSI. “In early 2012, we started discussions with RMSLP.”
As part of the collaboration, the two organizations have launched insidePOS, a POS monthly service that allows business operators to review data and analytics to improve business processes.
The goal of the new offering is to help spot cashier breaches immediately, not months down the line, Miller says. The solution combines a camera system, POS data and a monitoring service to leverage customer-identified triggers, such as refunds, voided transactions, no sales and sales under one dollar. These types of events can result in employees’ friends and family sweethearting, elaborate return schemes, or stealing directly from the cash registers.
“These triggers instantly create and transmit a video clip along with associated point of sale data relative to the event each time the identified event occurs,” says Jim Close, managing partner at RMSLP. “This solution allows the customer or our investigative team to intervene if warranted, virtually on a real-time basis.”
Prior to its release, Vector Security conducted an eight-week pilot program on the solution at Gordon’s Ace Hardware in Chicago. So far, owner Jeremy Melnick is pleased with the solution.
“Since deploying insidePOS, the video clips have been used to train our management team and fix loopholes in our POS security system,” he says. “Our employees are subtly reminded that procedures must be followed or questions will be asked.”
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A press conference for the 16th China-ASEAN Expo and the 16th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS) were held in Beijing on July 31. Li Chenggang, Assistant Minister of Commerce, Lu Pengqi, Vice Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), and Yang Jinbo, Vice Chairman of Guangxi government were in attendance. They shared how the expo and summit were being prepared and the progress of the preparation.
Lu Pengqi said, the 16th Summit will be held in Nanning, Guangxi from September 20 to 21, 2019. The Summit has innovated the organization mode, combining the annual event with the activities of the whole year. Apart from the roundtable dialogue between Indonesian leaders and Chinese CEOs, China-ASEAN Business Leaders Forum, a series of theme events such as the 2nd Belt and Road New Economic Development Forum will also be held. The above events comply with the demands of China-ASEAN business communities to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and take into account all sectors. Therefore, it will promote regional economic cooperation and boost industrial integration.
(Photo source: china.com.cn)


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The boxing legend recently tweeted his question to his audience, with plenty of feedback from crypto personalities.
Tyson, who has become an overnight cryptocurrency and NFT fan, reached out to his audience on the social media platform asking the age-old question, “Which do you prefer, BTC or ETH?”
While the debate has raged on for years between the top two cryptocurrencies, it is evident that both serve their own unique purpose within the ecosystem. Tyson received a lot of feedback to his question, with the most notable being that of MicroStrategy CEO Micheal Saylor. Saylor commented on the tweet, saying “Mike, I spent more than a thousand hours considering this question and chose BTC. So far, I have purchased $2.9 billion in BTC because I think it’s the future of digital property.”
Saylor also stated that he has “posted tons of free BTC education on hope.com.”
The community offered up plenty of other crypto options including BTC Cash (BCH), Ripple (XRP), DOGE, and even Baby DogeCoin. However, COPE creator @cyrii_MM, probably offered up the best explanation in the thread, “BTC is digital gold, ETH is the future of finance, SOL is the future of finance/gaming/trading.”
Market as a whole can expect further growth
The cryptocurrency market continues to evolve, Tyson’s move into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) is an example. Recently, the Co-founder of Tether (USDT), William Quigley stated that “All consumer products that can’t be eaten, in the next 10 years will have digital twins. They will have NFTs.”
BTC continues to see accumulation from large addresses, even as the price continues to slump. Santiment recently reported that addresses holding between 100 and 10,000 BTC have accumulated 100,000 BTC since May 21. However, BTC could also be making its foray into the decentralized finance (DeFi) space following news that Jack Dorsey’s Square are looking to launch a BTC-focused DeFi platform. The company is also said to be working on its own BTC hardware wallet.
The post Boxing Legend Mike Tyson Wants to Know Which is Better, BTC or ETH? appeared first on BeInCrypto.


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War in the Middle East, the current economic crisis and wholesale gasoline prices are responsible for the latest jump at Montreal pumps, according to some industry experts.
Fighting in the Gaza Strip - coupled with the volatile marketplace as the U.S. awaits the presidency of Barack Obama - are to blame for as much as a 15 cent jump in Montreal gas prices, said Carol Montreuil, eastern division vice-president of the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute, which represents major companies in the refining, distribution and marketing of oil products.
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“The Israel-Palestinian conflict has put additional pressure on the market,” Montreuil said.
But industry management consultant Michael Ervin pointed to a much more local factor he stressed has nothing to do with the Middle East.
“Montreal was unique in Canada going up (as much as 15 cents a litre for regular gas) to an average of 85.4 cents,” noted the president of Calgary-based MJ Ervin & Associates, a firm that specializes in all aspects of petroleum marketing, including price and margin analysis.
The firm conducts a weekly pump price survey of more than 400 service stations across the country and today's results showed the national average increase was seven cents.
Ervin attributed half the increase in Montreal to a correction after retail competition in previous weeks had kept prices arbitrarily low.
He said the other reason is the wholesale price of gas rose nine cents a litre to 42 cents.
Wholesale prices are a reflection of the crude oil market and the relative balance of supply and demand in eastern Canada and the eastern seabord of the U.S., Ervin explained.
Referring to the fluctuating price of crude, which briefly surged to above $50 a barrel today before falling back to under $49 in afternoon trading, he said, “gas prices don’t react (to crude costs) on a day-to-day basis.
“It’s erroneous (to believe prices are set) strictly and solely on crude.”
A jump as big as yesterday’s was a 14-cent-a-litre spike to 113.9 cents in April 2007.
Both Montreuil and Ervin agree consumers have been enjoying reasonable gas prices, considering Montreal motorists were paying up to $1.30 a litre last April.
Unlike gas, the cost of heating oil was unchanged today.
In fact, it is cheaper than during the same period over the past two years.
It is selling for just under 60 cents a litre today, compared to 93.6 cents in January 2008 and 69.45 cents during the same month in 2007.
According to provincial regulator the Régie de l'énergie, the average price of heating oil so far in the 2008-09 season has been 91.45 cents a litre.
The 2007-08 season averaged out to 85.53 cents.
---Sound Off--- Why do you think gas prices are rising? Share your thoughts in the comment box below....


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Glendale fireworks ban takes effect
Another city is banning the use of fireworks. Glendale’s ordinance takes effect Friday just as the Memorial Day weekend gets under way. State law allows for the sale of consumer fireworks throughout Arizona, but that doesn’t mean they are legal to use everywhere. State Fire Marshall Bob Barker said this is really a buyer beware situation.
"Most of the major cities in Arizona have outlawed the use of fireworks in their city limits," Barker said. "However the sale is not regulated so you can buy them just about anywhere, so you have to be really careful of where you buy them, but can you use them."
Setting off fireworks in Glendale could cost you a minimum $275 fine. Other cities have similar penalties.


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Former UK Treasury Chancellor Philip Hammond urged retail investors to “be extremely careful” when investing in cryptocurrencies. Writes about it This is Money (application the Daily Mail).
“If a member of my family asked me [инвестировать ли в криптовалюту]I think I would draw his attention to the fact that large and reputable asset managers are now more likely to test the waters […] This is almost certainly not suitable for retail investors as the main investment category, ”the ex-chancellor said.
Hammond mentioned the volatility of cryptocurrencies and noted that this should not be forgotten.
“I know a lot of people who have little access to cryptoassets, but this is the money they wrote off. This is gambling money. I think people should be extremely careful. Many consider them [криптовалюты] more a game than a serious investment, ”he added.
In October, Hammond joined Copper’s custodian team as a senior advisor. His responsibilities include promoting the UK “as a global leader in digital asset technology” and strategically advising the company as it expands globally.
Later it became known about Copper’s plans to raise $ 500 million with an estimate of $ 2.5 billion. Prior to that, the custodian received $ 50 million from Target Global and Dawn Capital, as well as an additional $ 25 million from Brevan Howard Asset Management of Alan Howard.
Recall that one of the richest people in Mexico, Ricardo Salinas Pliego, in his New Year’s address urged subscribers to invest in bitcoin.
Earlier, billionaire Ray Dalio called the first cryptocurrency “alternative money”, and fiat money – “garbage” and a problem asset.
#Treasury #Chancellor #Calls #Caution #Investing #Bitcoin


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May 17, 2023 12:36
Gyeongbok Palace in downtown Seoul became the rare setting for a Gucci fashion show on Tuesday night, launching the Italian luxury brand's 2024 collection in Asia for the first time.
Celebrities at the former royal palace included actors Dakota Johnson, Saorise Ronan, Lee Jung-jae and Kim Hye-soo and movie director Park Chan-wook among the 500 guests. The show was broadcast around the world on YouTube.
The show was originally scheduled for last November but was canceled after photoshoot by a fashion magazine at the former presidential palace of Cheong Wa Dae created controversy over the use of historic buildings in Korea.
Talks were held with the Cultural Heritage Administration that put the show back on track for November, but the deadly Halloween stampede in Itaewon led to the event being scrapped again.
Luxury brands frequently hold fashion shows in cultural landmarks around the world. Gucci has used the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Castel del Monte in Apulia and Westminster Abbey in London.
Gyeongbok Palace was chosen to appeal to the vital Asian market. Gucci president Marco Bizzarri said the brand has shown respect for historical and cultural sites around the world and described Gyeongbok Palace as a source of inspiration.
The show included influences from hanbok or traditional Korean dress as well as street fashion.
- Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com


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Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) is expecting a reduction in production and sales volume at its automotive division and in its wholly-owned subsidiary in the last quarter of the current fiscal due to a global supply shortage of micro-processors. M&M said it is engaging closely with its auto components supplier Bosch and assessing likely production loss. “The operations of the company in the automotive sector will be affected by the global supply shortage of micro-processors (semiconductors) used in the electronic control unit (ECUs) which is supplied by Bosch,” Mahindra said in a regulatory filing. Mahindra said this is estimated to result in a reduction in production/ sales volume of the company (automotive division) and Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturers (MVML), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company, in the last quarter of the financial year 2020-2021.
“The company is engaging closely with Bosch and assessing likely production loss for the last quarter of FY 2020-2021 on account of this supply disruption as also steps to be taken to minimise the impact of the same,” M&M said. However, estimation of exact likely reduction in production/sales volume of the company (automotive division) and MVML for the last quarter is not ascertainable at this stage, the company added. M&M, however, said there will be no material impact of the above event on production/sales volume of the company (automotive division) and MVML in the month of December 2020. The company said its tractor operations and three-wheeler production is unaffected with the above disruption.
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Congratulations to Ralph Roberts and Brian Roberts, father and son CEO’s of Comcast.
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) November 10, 2013
The Philadelphia Enquirer says congratulations to Comcast and to Brian Roberts it’s CEO on Nov 10 on their 50th anniversary.
Technology industry analyst Jeff Kagan offers congratulations and comment. He is available to speak with reporters, or may be quoted through this release.
“Happy anniversary Comcast on your 50th. You have led much of the change that the cable television industry has gone through during the last decade or longer.” Says Tech analyst Jeff Kagan
“Comcast has grown and changed so much during the last fifteen years. Today it is a totally different company thanks to current CEO Brian Roberts. Comcast is one of a very small group of companies. It is not a big, sterile, public company. Instead it feels more like a privately held, family business, that happens to be the largest in its field, and oh yeah, is public as well.” Says analyst Jeff Kagan.
Comcast was run by Ralph Roberts as a traditional and smaller cable television company. Brian Roberts grew up in that environment and eventually became CEO, like in any privately owned family business.
Comcast has grown to number one in the cable television company, from a smaller size company in the early 2000’s when they acquired Telecommunications Inc, or TCI from AT&T. That was the largest cable company in the industry at the time.
That deal was the first really big deal Brian Roberts did. Since that time he has made several other large deals like acquiring NBC. In the years since there have been several other very large success stories that have nothing to do with Comcast, like Google and Facebook. Many new companies want to move in on Comcast’s territory like Aereo and others. Many are being introduced every year. So the pressure is on Comcast to continue its growth.
“Can Comcast and their family business structure continue it’s strong growth? Yes, but not as it. Other companies and technologies are challenging and changing the industry and our society. If Comcast is to continue to lead, they must lead this change, not try to block it. So as successful as they have been over the last decade or two, they must continue to. They must lead the industry through its next wave of growth and change.” Says Kagan.
The music industry went through this kind of change in the late 1990’s when the Apple iPod and MP3 music files changed the industry. The video or movie industry also went through this kind of change as Hollywood Video and Blockbuster close their doors thanks to new competition from Netflix, Amazon.com and others.
“So can Comcast continue to lead? The first step is, does the current leadership understand what is at stake? On this I would say yes. Brian Roberts seems to have that understanding. The next step is deciding which direction to go in. That is the tough part. As large as Comcast is today, they don’t have a lock on growth for tomorrow. They need to continue to work hard to remain successful.” Says Kagan.
“Will they is the question? There is no way to tell yet. We’ll have to keep our eyes on the cable television industry, on Comcast and on Brian Roberts. Tomorrow is always a big bet, even for past leaders. Remember Blackberry and Nokia as two examples. However so far I would say it’s not a good idea to bet against Brian Roberts. He has not failed yet and continues to build is humungous family business. Congratulations Brian.” Says Kagan.
About Jeff Kagan
Jeff Kagan is a Technology Industry Analyst, consultant and columnist. He is regularly quoted by the media over the last 25 years.
He offers comment to reporters and journalists on wireless, telecom, Internet, cable television, IPTV and other tech news stories.
Kagan is also known as a Tech Analyst, Wireless Analyst, Telecom Analyst and Principal Analyst.
Reporters: Jeff Kagan sends comments by email to reporters and the media. If you would like to be added to this email list please send request by email.
Clients: Contact Jeff Kagan to discuss becoming a consulting client.
Contact: Jeff Kagan by email at jeff(at)jeffKAGAN(dot)com or by phone at 770-579-5810.
Visit his website: at jeffKAGAN.com to learn more and for disclosures.


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In the video game industry, companies are quickly recognizing the market potential in the ever-increasing popularity of video game live-streams. In hopes of tapping into that market, the leading video-sharing website, YouTube, has launched a new website and app for live- streaming video games called YouTube Gaming. The offering joins an ever-crowded field that is now seeing upstarts like Mobcrush get in on the action with live streaming offerings.
YouTube Gaming was launched to the public earlier this week after several months of beta testing. The site hosts pages for greater than 25,000 video games. Users of YouTube Gaming can locate fellow gamers live-streaming their games. They can also find all sorts of media related to their favorite games. Additionally, users can upload their gameplay live-streams to the service for others to view.
Google, the owner of YouTube, first announced the new service earlier this summer when the company stated that the service is “built to be all about your favorite games and gamers, with more videos than anywhere else.”
Google also seeks to compete directly with the live-streaming video game service, Twitch. Google reportedly try to buy Twitch in 2014, but Amazon outbid Google and purchased the service for about $970 million.
A rapidly expanding market within this space is mobile game live-streaming – a facet of the live-streaming experience that does not exist quite yet. And relatively unknown company Mobcrush is looking to become the market leader.
Mobcrush is a community focused service that offers a way for users to stream and watch mobile gameplay from their handheld devices. Its a service similar to YouTube gaming or Twitch but with a focus on mobile-only games, which are usually more casual yet can still be highly entertaining.
The service also focuses on live streams, where users watch in real time rather than view the archived clips.
Since there are about one billion mobile gamers that play, Mobcrush recognizes the industry as having significant growth potential. In fact, the company has raised $11 million in its first significant round of venture capital fundraising. Mobcrush boasts that it had about 20,000 simultaneous viewers, watching a total of one million minutes of gameplay, during a Hearthstone tournament recently held in Boston.
With all of these forays by large companies into the video game live-streaming industry, it illustrates just how much people across the globe are willing to commit to their favorite games and underscores the rise of a whole new form of media.


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Next week marks the release of Nioh – a punishingly hard action game from Team Ninja that wears its inspirations on its sleeve. The game lends heavily from Dark Souls and Bloodborne, all while delivering its own systems and unique settings.
This isn’t the first time that a developer has drawn inspiration from another. There are multiple examples in gaming history; the likes of The Great Giana Sisters, True Crime, and the less said about Medal of Honor’s later reincarnations the better. This week, we ask you:
Should developers be trying to emulate their peers?
Is it creating competition? Or are typical game-genre conventions so narrow, that overlap is bound to happen anyway? Let us know in the comments below!


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Over the past week, I have been reading and talking a lot about dairy. A large number of recalls of dairy products due to ‘risks of pieces of rubber’ started to appear in the UK - seemingly due to an equipment failure in a fruit purée facility.
Of course, manufacturing problems happen, but these pale in comparison to a number of issues I pick up globally that I believe UK dairy makers ought to pay attention to. I will illustrate this with two problems I recently came across. Both drove home to me the importance of remaining vigilant to potential authenticity issues, particularly for globally traded products like dairy.
In China, an infant formula company called Beingmate, was - through no fault of its own - caught up in a massive food fraud scandal. More than 17,000 tins of counterfeit Beingmate product were seized by authorities, and the incident was widely reported. Consumer trust in the brand has fallen badly as a result, and a company that expected to post a £10m profit for the year ended up reporting a £15m loss. All the information I get from organisations such as Europol and Interpol suggests counterfeiting of food is now a massive problem, so all UK brands beware.
Secondly, a scandal in India recently even shocked a veteran food fraud sleuth like myself. Evidence emerged that a ‘milk factory’ was churning out up to 5,000 litres a day of fake milk. An array of chemicals, oils and detergents was being used to produce it. This was occurring in the Bhopal region, which already has a horrendous legacy of its citizens being exposed to dangerous chemicals.
In the UK, we have a lot going for us in terms of the safety and quality of our dairy industry, so you might wonder what lessons these examples can hold for us. To my mind, there are two clear signals: The first is to beware of buying ingredients such as milk powder from regions where food fraud is prevalent. The second is to think about the possibility your brand may be subjected to counterfeiting and what counter-measures you should consider.
More pressing in UK dairy, of course, is the question of economic viability. I have thoughts on this that I plan to share with readers in due course.
Professor Chris Elliott is director of the Institute of Food Safety at Queen’s University, Belfast


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14 Arrested in Deadly 2012 Meningitis Outbreak
BOSTON, MASS. - More than a dozen people have been indicted in the deadly 2012 meningitis outbreak.
Officials say it started at a pharmacy compounding center in Massachusetts.
The outbreak sickened more than 750 people nationwide. Sixty-four people died.
Authorities say the outbreak was caused by tainted vials of a back pain medication.
Investigators say the company's so-called "clean" rooms were filthy.
They say employees falsified prescriptions with false names like Big Baby Jesus, Roy Rogers, Wonderwoman and Bud Weiser.
The company's co-founder and head pharmacist face the most serious charges of murder. If convicted, they face life in prison.
Copyright © 2014 Gray MidAmerica TV Interactive Media, LLC.


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Circulating reports claim that some Subway stores in the UK do not serve ham and bacon and offer only halal meat.
The claims are factual, although some of the media reports on the issue are typically sensationalist. In fact, Subway UK has had a programme in place since 2007 that considers population demographics when opening new stores. If the company ascertains that there will be a large demand for halal meat at a particular location, pork meat may be removed from that store’s menu and other meats served will be halal. The company maintains that due to the cultural diversity of the UK and Ireland, it must balance the values of different religious communities.
Subway removes ham and bacon from nearly 200 stores and offers halal meat only after ‘strong demand’ from Muslims
Almost 200 branches of Subway have cut ham and bacon from their menus, serving halal meat in response to calls from their Muslim customers.
According to various reports that are circulating via social media, some Subway stores in the UK do not serve ham or bacon and offer a halal-only menu due to demand from Muslim communities.
The core claims are factual, although the sensationalist reporting style of some of the stories perhaps overstates the significance of the issue.
In fact, Subway has had a policy in place for several years that caters to Muslim communities by offering halal menus in some stores. The company has published the following statement about the issue on its website:
Due to the growing popularity of the SUBWAY® chain, with the diverse multicultural population across the UK and Ireland, we put a programme in place in 2007 to ensure that the population demographic is taken into account when new store openings are considered in order that we meet consumer demand in each location.
All our suppliers comply with EU animal welfare legislation as a minimum and we require suppliers of Halal products to adopt the stunning of animals prior to their slaughter. All Halal meats are certified by the appropriate Halal authorities.
All Halal SUBWAY® stores have numerous signs stating that they serve Halal food. These are situated on the menu panels, nutritional information and in the front window of the store. Details about the locations of Halal stores can be found on the store finder at www.subway.com
An April 30, 2014 article in TheBlaze notes:
A Subway spokeswoman confirmed to TheBlaze Wednesday that the company has responded over the past few years to an increasingly diverse population by providing halal meats, but declined to comment directly on whether ham and bacon have been removed from the menu at select locations.
But, the Bristol Post suggests that at least some stores have indeed removed ham and bacon from their menus and serve halal foods only:
TWO Subway stores in Bristol have cut ham and bacon from their menus in response to calls from Muslim customers.
A city centre branch of the sandwich shop in Hamilton Court, Montague Street has removed pork from its menu and supplies customers with halal-only meat, along with the branch on Stapleton Road, Easton.
Certainly, the store’s halal food policy might irk some non-Muslim customers in affected areas. But the program is not something new as implied by some media reports and not all UK Subway stores are moving to a halal-only menu. Another page on the Subway UK website notes:
Do all SUBWAY® stores serve Halal meats?
No. Only a limited number of SUBWAY® stores serve Certified Halal meats.
And, despite claims by a few more wide-eyed commentators, the policy is not an indication that Sharia Law is about to be implemented in the UK.
Such religion-related food policies are, of course, not unprecedented. Subway in the United States has a number of kosher stores, as do other US food chains.
In reality, it could be effectively argued that Subway is simply doing what businesses have done since commerce began. Catering to consumer demand with a view to maximizing profits.
Importance NoticeAfter considerable thought and with an ache in my heart, I have decided that the time has come to close down the Hoax-Slayer website.
These days, the site does not generate enough revenue to cover expenses, and I do not have the financial resources to sustain it going forward.
Moreover, I now work long hours in a full-time and physically taxing job, so maintaining and managing the website and publishing new material has become difficult for me.
And finally, after 18 years of writing about scams and hoaxes, I feel that it is time for me to take my fingers off the keyboard and focus on other projects and pastimes.
When I first started Hoax-Slayer, I never dreamed that I would still be working on the project all these years later or that it would become such an important part of my life. It's been a fantastic and engaging experience and one that I will always treasure.
I hope that my work over the years has helped to make the Internet a little safer and thwarted the activities of at least a few scammers and malicious pranksters.
A Big Thank YouI would also like to thank all of those wonderful people who have supported the project by sharing information from the site, contributing examples of scams and hoaxes, offering suggestions, donating funds, or helping behind the scenes.
I would especially like to thank David White for his tireless contribution to the Hoax-Slayer Facebook Page over many years. David's support has been invaluable, and I can not thank him enough.
Closing DateHoax-Slayer will still be around for a few weeks while I wind things down. The site will go offline on May 31, 2021. While I will not be publishing any new posts, you can still access existing material on the site until the date of closure.
Thank you, one and all!


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Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan emphasized that local authorities must consider the problem between development and conservation. The planning and management and implementation of the town's planning must be carried out seriously, without disrupting or adjusting the planning arbitrarily for immediate benefits; Strictly carry out environmental impact assessment for investment projects in tourist areas and destinations of the town. Betplay.io Betplay Wagering Requirements pokies online au According to a statistic from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) published on June 17, 2021, an estimated 30% of Australia's waste is collected through this channel.
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Commenting further on the product status of the iPhone 15 series, Ms. Phuong predicted that these models will continue to be in short supply in the early stages of sale, due to the limited supply from the company, especially in the iPhone 15 Pro version. Max. Domestic prices of iPhone 15 series are fluctuating and are expected to increase on the upcoming sale date, Ms. Phuong said. Betplay.io Poker legacy unveiled by Betplay pokies online au Teams ranked 8th and 9th respectively, Chinese Taipei got 1 Gold medal, 1 Silver medal and 2 Bronze medals, while Macau got 1 Gold medal. and 1 Bronze medal.


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A panel of economists and business strategists converged for a discussion on the revolutionary changes that have evolved in business strategy over the past few years. Some reasoned that nothing had fundamentally changed, others that everything changed and still others that strategies must change.
Despite their different assessments, the attendees agreed on one thing: the pandemic was disruptive. How that disruption was handled, or how it could be handled in the future, is cause for debate.
Spurring Agility Across Industries
The panelists who determined that business strategies changed after 2020 pointed to the ability for some companies and organizations to withstand the impact of supply chain disruption. They argued that some organizations were better equipped to handle abrupt changes and to adapt.
Based on this reasoning, they believe that new business strategies are emerging. Those strategies lean heavily on agile techniques, flexibility, collaboration, and harnessing the power of technology. Though these strategies existed prior to 2020, they have emerged at the forefront of modern business.
Business Strategy Did Not Change At All
Though some of the changes may be permanent, several business analysts assert that business strategies themselves have and will remain unchanged.
In their view, businesses will continue to pursue the fundamental strategy of earning a profit from goods and services. In other words, the profit-driven model that guides all business strategies remains intact. Adaptability and contingency plans have always been essential to good business strategy and the pandemic did not change that fundamental fact.
One other vocal economist noted that the pandemic could have caused businesses to think about their social responsibilities toward employees, consumers, and the environment. In this sense, she also did not think the pandemic changed profit-driven strategies.
Features of the Environment
Another economist noted that changes in production methods and geographies are “features of the environment” and that businesses will adapt, albeit at a faster rate than would be typical in a non-crisis environment.
As one attendee noted, experimentation is still occurring within various industries. The results of those experimental strategies might prove to be the revolutionary changes needed to ensure a robust economy despite a crisis.


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I have been following and posting articles about Brandon Sanderson’s highly successful Kickstarter campaign for the past month. The Kickstarter has finally closed and the final numbers for Sanderson’s Kickstarter are jaw-dropping. Keep reading to find out just how successful the campaign really was.
Brandon Sanderson’s Record Setting Campaign
In one month, Sanderson was able to surpass his Kickstarter campaign of $1 million and then some. On fact, he toppled one million in just 6 hours. The campaign went on to garner $41.7 million with 181,000 backers, a new record on Kickstarter.
What was the previous record? $20.3 million by smartwatch company Pebble Technology. A record Sanderson’s Kickstarter surpassed in just 3 days.
Sanderson’s Kickstarter offers to publish four novels he wrote during the pandemic. Backers are able to choose various formats of the novels that will ship starting 2023.
And Sanderson was not the only one who earned some big bucks. Kickstarter receives 5 percent which amounts to over $2 million. A great payday for them while watching it all from the sidelines.
And End to The Campaign
Now that Sanderson’s campaign has come to an end, you won’t have to hear about it anymore or about Kickstarter for that matter. It was an impressive feat that we are sure Sanderson will surpass again in 3 years. He is the king of Kickstarter as we have seen time and time again.
Did you back his campaign? Do you think his novels will hit the shelves in a couple of years? I do not think him or his publishing agency will let an opportunity to make the most possible money pass by.
This is going to force authors and publishers to think about going the Kickstarter route instead of relying on publishers. We have seen Amazon disrupt the publishing industry and Kickstarter has the potential to do the same. The problem with Kickstarter is that if you aren’t already famous, people will not care.
What do you think about Kickstarter?


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By Liam Vaughan |
April 14, 2013
Banks are leaving the panel that sets ISDAFix, the benchmark for the $379 trillion swaps market, as regulators probe suspected manipulation.
Oil options trash becomes treasure as OPEC fails to stem glut
Institutional interest in bitcoin surges as trading products mature
Have retail sales become irrelevant?
ECB tentatively edges closer to QE in 2015
Simplifying fibonacci for traders
Central banks take center stage
Getting into gold with bull spreads


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SAN FRANCISCO - Google on Thursday delivered a double-shot of good news to investors, announcing soaring profits and plans for a long-desired stock split that will make its shares easier to trade.
The Internet titan's stock price rose slightly to $652.80 a share in after-hours trading that followed release of the news.
Google reported a profit of $2.89 billion on revenue of $10.65 billion in the quarter ended March 31.
The performance trounced that seen in the same period last year when the California-based company had a net income of $1.8 billion on $8.57 billion in revenue.
"Google had another great quarter," said company co-founder and chief executive Larry Page.
"We also saw tremendous momentum from the big bets we've made in products like Android, Chrome and YouTube."
Google's founders said the board is supporting a plan to create a new class of non-voting stock that would be doled out in the form of dividends to existing shareholders.
The intent, according to Page, is to give investors a long-desired two-to-one stock split while preventing short-term interests from undermining long-term objectives at the company.
"We have protected Google from outside pressures and the temptation to sacrifice future opportunities to meet short-term demands," Page and co-founder Sergey Brin said in a letter to investors.
"We have a structure that prevents outside parties from taking over or unduly influencing our management decisions," they added.
Approval of the stock split by shareholders was considered a foregone conclusion since Google's two co-founders and chairman Eric Schmidt together have controlling interest in the company and support the move.
Google's stock price has soared since it went public in 2004, but the company shunned splitting shares in deference to a desire to appeal to people interested in investing in the firm for the long haul.
"While the decision was controversial at the time, we believe in hindsight that it was absolutely the right thing to do," Page said in an earnings conference call.
Creation of non-voting shares was motivated, in part, by control of Google being diluted by awards in the form of employee stock compensation and moves by Google's founders to sell off some of their stakes in the company.
"We need to ensure that Google remains a successful, growing business," Page said. "This proposal will only have an effect on governance over the very long term."
During the earnings call, Page and other executives played up the momentum of Android-powered mobile gadgets; video-sharing website YouTube, and the company's budding Google+ online social network.
"Google+ is truly at the heart of our efforts to create a simple, more intuitive experience for all of our users," Page said.
He portrayed Google+ as being a "social spine" giving backbone to the company's array of popular online services as well as being a destination for socializing on the Internet.
Page said that "well over" 170 million people have signed on to Google+ and that the number of people using the company's Chrome browsing software has topped 200 million.
About 850,000 smartphones or tablet computers powered by Android software are activated daily, and YouTube has more than 800 million monthly users, according to Google.
© 1994-2012 Agence France-Presse


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Crep Protect Returns to NYC for Got Sole
Sneakerheads! Get ready to kick off 2024 with the ultimate sneaker event as Got Sole is coming to NYC.
Established in 2013 by Jonathon DiModica and Kevin Blackshire, Got Sole has evolved into a global hub for sneaker enthusiasts. Renowned as a cultural hotspot, the platform facilitates the buying, selling, and trading of sneakers, catering to enthusiasts both in physical locations and online.
Delivering a storm of sneaker excitement to the East Coast, Got Sole is arriving in New York on Saturday, January 20th, 2024, at the Meadowlands Exposition Center, 355 Plaza Dr. Secaucus. This event will offer sneaker purists a unique opportunity to delve deep into the marketplace, trade, and purchase coveted sneakers.
Our first gameplays can be accessed through our Crep Protect stand. Attendees who visit our stand and scan our QR code will be automatically entered into our Spin the Wheel game. Via our Spin the Wheel mechanism, no attendees will leave empty-handed, with a chance to win a range of Crep Protect products and Crep Cash that can only be spent at our Crep Protect stand.
Our second gameplay will take place on the main event stage. Attendees will still have to visit our stand and scan the QR code to get involved. For this gameplay, a stage presenter will be testing sneaker knowledge to be in with the chance of winning Crep prizes. Prizes include Crep Protect and Crep Cash that can be spent at any vendors across the event.
Additionally, visitors can relax while they get their kicks cleaned on our premium sneaker cleaning throne - all courtesy of the leading sneaker cleaning brand in the world, as well as receiving a free sneaker wipe upon entry.
But wait, there’s more… Harlem-born rapper Sheck Wes will be making his first-ever appearance at Got Sole, so you won’t want to miss out on this one!
Prepare yourself for an extraordinary day filled with sneakers, spotless shoes, and unforgettable fashion at the most essential event of this winter. Make sure not to overlook the opportunity to join the ultimate gathering for sneaker lovers, presented by Got Sole and Crep Protect.


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Food Facility Audits Largely Ignore FDA Guidance
Congressional investigators looking into an outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe that killed at least 30 people last year found that third-party auditors who gave Colorado's Jensen Farms a "superior" rating just before the outbreak largely ignored government guidance on food safety.
A report released Tuesday by the House Energy and Commerce Committee quotes a representative of an auditing company that graded the facility two months before the outbreak as saying that audits are not intended to help clients improve food safety standards. Retailers often rely on such audits to make sure food they buy is safe.
Democrats on the panel asked the Food and Drug Administration to crack down on such third-party auditors, who are often the only outside entities to inspect food facilities.


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PETALING JAYA: A fully naked man was seen roaming around a popular shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur.
Pictures on social media revealed his naked body from the back fully exposing his buttocks.
Twitter user shamxykamal tweeted: "At a shopping mall, there's a man running around naked."
The spokesperson from the shopping mall said the naked man was seen on the premises at 4.30pm on Friday.
"Our security managed to get hold of him immediately.
"We then brought him to our office where we gave him some clothes," the spokesperson told The Star.
The spokesperson said they tried questioning him on his actions but were met with an "expressionless robotic reply".
"He seemed on the unstable side and he refused to answer (our questions).
"So we don't know whether he is local or a foreigner because obviously there is no identification card on him," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said they eventually escorted him out of the shopping mall after they had fully dressed him.
"As far as we are concerned the incident has been dealt with," the spokesperson clarified.


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- A stimulus check price $1,200 invested in Bitcoin in mid-April is now price $1,640.
- U.S. Senators are pushing for a 2nd wave of stimulus assessments price $2,000.
- Whereas the U.S. is preparing to reopen, financial consequences from the pandemic abolish extra stimulus compelling.
If a stimulus check used to be invested in Bitcoin (BTC) within the principle week it used to be sent out by the Interior Earnings Service (IRS), it’s miles now up by 36%.
Since April, the cost of Bitcoin elevated from $6,540 to $8,700, rising to as excessive as $10,050 on Also can 7.
A stimulus check of $1,200 invested in Bitcoin in mid-April is now price $1,640. When the cost of BTC used to be at $10,000, the stimulus check used to be price $1,825.
Bitcoin news The Demand For Bitcoin is Rising in a Highly Hazardous Interval
As a mammoth fraction of the team within the usremains closed, a rising kind of retail consumers are experimenting with shares and cryptocurrencies. Counterpoint Mutual Funds co-founder Michael Krause suggested retail consumers helped boost April’s U.S. stock market restoration.
Equally, the rally of Bicoin from $6,540 to $9,000 used to be basically led by person consumers.
The attach volume of critical Bitcoin exchanges address Binance and Coinbase rose to ranges no longer seen since 2017 when the cost of BTC used to be at $20,000.
Binance, for occasion, processed 2.528 million BTC in volume within the month of April. In USD terms, the unreal facilitated about $22.75 billion price of Bitcoin trades.
Many retail consumers within the U.S. reputedly bought Bitcoin with their stimulus assessments within the latter half of April.
On April 17, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said that the kind of deposits that match the dimensions of the stimulus check of $1,200 surged substantially.
Four days after the principle batch of stimulus assessments were sent, the kind of $1,200 deposits to Coinbase elevated by almost four-fold.
After all to-time-frame, retail consumers trading shares and utterly different excessive-possibility resources address Bitcoin is anticipated to amplify attributable to extra stimulus payments and prolonged stay-at-house requests.
Democrat Senators alongside side Bernie Sanders are pushing for a monthly stimulus check price as a lot as $2,000. Whereas they face fierce opposition from Republicans, yet any other one-off stimulus check is a possibility based on traditional sentiment.
In accordance to a stare conducted by WalletHub, 84% of People mediate a 2nd stimulus check is foremost to kind out prolonged lockdown measures.
Bitcoin news More Stimulus Capacity More Liquidity, As Financial system Reopens
The U.S. economy is preparing to reopen and President Donald Trump is taking steps to ease the restrictions that were placed since March.
The economy might perhaps well presumably originate soon, nonetheless it’s miles no longer going to trigger a straight away boost to enterprise productivity and the stock market.
Essentially based on the financial consequences the coronavirus pandemic will impose on the U.S., the authorities might perhaps well presumably peaceable peaceable bewitch into consideration a 2nd stimulus check to raise the economy.
If a 2nd one-off $2,000 stimulus check is issued and People originate to reenter the team, it will cause a novel inflow of capital into shares, Bitcoin, gold, and utterly different asset lessons.
This text used to be edited by Samburaj Das.
Closing modified: Also can 12, 2020 9: 13 AM UTC


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AceShowbiz - Kanye West has brushed off allegations suggesting he ripped off camouflage design ideas for his Yeezy Apparel brand from another company. Bosses at Jordan Outdoor Enterprises filed suit in March, claiming a Yeezy representative contacted them and asked to use the Realtree line pattern for a series of clothing items.
They insisted the design would have to be licensed, but later discovered their camouflage print had allegedly been copied and used without permission on Yeezy releases.
Now Kanye and his legal team have fired back at the accusations, insisting there was nothing about the Jordan Outdoor pieces that could be protected under law anyway, as the camouflage design is so common. According to TMZ, they are calling for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
The plaintiffs had been seeking unspecified damages and a court order halting the sale of the existing Yeezy merchandise, and the destruction of any remaining pieces.


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Germany Lifts Egypt Travel Ban
Germany has redeclared South Sinai safe for tourists, though Cairo and Upper Egypt still remain affected.
Following the security threats following the ousting of President Morsi in 2013, many countries imposed travel bans on Egypt, causing major problems for South Sinai’s hospitality business which was heavily affected by the lack of tourism, as we previously reported. Due to efforts by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Foreign Affairs in recent months, many countries have started lifting bans on Nile cruises and Sinai. The hesitation of European travelers, however, remained.
Well, those days of waiting for tourists and fretting over existences might actually come to an end now. Youm7 reports today that Germany has lifted their travel ban on South Sinai destinations including road travel and sightseeing tours to St. Catherine. Just a few days before the ITB Berlin, an internationally visited German tourism fair, Germany has stopped issuing high alerts to travel in South Sinai and will likely boost this new attitude at the tourism convention later this week.
We can only hope that the lifting of a prominent European ban will bring some life back to the region. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism, revenues went down by nearly 50% between 2013 and 2014. Travel bans stay in place for Cairo and Upper Egypt, but a welcome back to tourists in South Sinai will hopefully revive the peninsula and Egyptian tourism as whole.
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NI Hospice opens the doors to new Superstore in Magherafelt
Northern Ireland Hospice has officially opened a new Superstore located in the heart of Magherafelt in the Diamond Centre.
The new Hospice store is twice as large than any of the other high street stores and is fully stocked with bargains in quality, preloved goods, including shoes, fashion accessories, and clothing for ladies, children, and gents. The new contemporary shop boasts a wide range of goods from high street favourites including River Island, Oasis Sketchers, to high-end designers like Michael Kors, Guess and Calvin Klein.
Head of Retail, Neil Fowler, spoke about the building excitement around the new Superstore,
“We have had a Hospice Shop in Magherafelt for 21 years now, and it has always been a popular destination for local shoppers. This Superstore signals a new generation of charity shops, offering customers a new fresh shopping experience that I am sure will become a local favourite.”
“In today’s society we are all conscious of doing more for the environment and Northern Ireland Hospice Shops have been at the forefront of conscious shopping, offering quality preloved clothing and goods at low prices. We are very grateful for all donations that we receive and when we open on Thursday 16 September there will be amazing bargains to be had so I would urge shoppers not to wait around but to get to the store early!”
“Not only can you bag a bargain with every purchase you are helping us to raise the much-needed funds for local families who depend on our specialist palliative care.”
At the official opening, Mary McCall, Director at Northern Ireland Hospice said,
“We’re delighted to be opening our Hospice Superstore in Magherafelt and we believe it will not only be an amazing support to Hospice but an added draw to the local high street.”
“Plus, with the recent announcement of the new high street voucher, we hope that our shops across the province will benefit from this vital retail scheme.”
Hospice Shop Manager, Gillian Carson, is overwhelmed with the support from the local community saying:
“We are so excited to open the doors to our amazing customers once again in our brand-new Superstore! Now with a much bigger floor space, we can display even more of our wonderful range of second-hand items for our customers. If you’ve never shopped with us then now is the time to come and have a look, it’s a new store with new bargains but the same friendly faces!
“So, if you’re starting your Christmas shopping early, want to pick up some items for your autumn wardrobe, want to dedicate some of your time volunteering, or have some items you no longer need and would like to donate – pop in store we’d love to see you!”


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I applaud Scty Azar’s announcement 2 give consumers more info w prescription drug prices on TV ads I support this action wholeheartedly & the proposed rule is a necessary step to ensure pharma provides the transparency consumers deserve
— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) October 16, 2018
Unlike many of the Administration’s agency regulations, this one sounds good on the surface. Theoretically, the requirement would improve transparency, provide more information to consumers, and stimulate healthy competition in an industry that could use some incentive to lower exorbitant pricing.
However, there’s a lot to lose. And for an administration continually lamenting the spread of “fake news,” adopting this DHHS rule is proof that it is still quite happy living in the land of “alternative facts.”
Drug consumers don’t shop for and purchase drugs the way they do laundry detergent or shampoo; “list prices” are not real prices. Actual drug costs borne by consumers depend on a multitude of factors, including insurance coverage, coupon programs, and purchasing agreements. Different consumers are likely to pay different prices for the same drug. And there is very real danger in publicizing inaccurate price information for medications: ad-induced sticker shock will deter those in need of medical care from seeking it in the first place.
In an interview with The Hill, Dan Jaffe of the Association of National Advertisers cautioned a potential consequence of spreading this kind of misinformation:
The numbers that would be providing to the public would be very misleading and might even be detrimental in the fact that if the price was very high, but they wouldn’t have to pay that high price, they might not even go to their doctor and try to get treatment.
Jaffe’s point isn’t one that requires industry expertise to understand.
@POTUS @realDonaldTrump Maybe drug companies could lower their prices if they stopped spending so much on unnecessary advertising to prospective patients on TV. Doctors are the only ones who need info about what drugs might be able to do for us. #MAGA
— HippieSubVet (@IntheEucharist) April 9, 2019
In addition to the dangerous practical results likely to be caused by DHHS’ rule, several groups have argued that it also raises First Amendment concerns in that it is improperly tailored so as to target television commercials, but not internet or print ads. The groups have a point; mandatory disclosures like the ones contemplated would require a showing not only of an important governmental interest, but also one that the regulations are appropriately tailored to achieving that interest.
In a challenge to these regulations, it would be difficult to imagine a convincing argument that television viewers need pricing information, but that website readers do not. Such a glaring inconsistency would threaten the legality of such a rule at even the lowest levels of legal scrutiny.
Advertising regulations aren’t the only questionable government actions affecting the pharmaceutical industry this week. House Republicans are also siding with big pharma over their Democratic committee members. On April 5, Republicans on the House Oversight Committee warned drug companies that Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland) is after them.
In a letter sent to a dozen big pharma CEOs, House Freedom Caucus leaders Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows told the CEOs that they felt “obliged” to reveal that when Chairman Cummings began investigating pharmaceutical pricing, he had done so without asking permission from the GOP; the result, according to Jordan and Meadows, is that Cummings’ requests could harm pharmaceutical profits:
As we understand the Chairman’s request to you, he is seeking a wide range of highly sensitive business-proprietary information that would likely harm the competitiveness of your business if disclosed publicly.
So that definitely seems weird.
I can’t remember this ever happening before. Republicans in Congress are encouraging pharmaceutical companies not to cooperate with an investigation into drug prices.
Once again, they’re siding with Big Pharma at the expense of the American people. https://t.co/ZE1psCT8G6
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) April 8, 2019
Cummings commented on the Jordan-Meadows letter to BuzzFeed News, writing, “Rep. Jordan is on the absolute wrong side here. He would rather protect drug company ‘stock prices’ than the interests of the American people.”
[Image via Win McNamee/Getty Images]
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.


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Night City is more popular than ever, Cyberpunk 2077 had over 1 million active players every day for four weeks in a row!
Night City has been more than alive, over 1 million active players every day over the last 4 weeks in Cyberpunk 2077.
CD Projekt Red just announced that Cyberpunk 2077 had over 1 million active players every day for four weeks in a row.
These are amazing numbers for a Single Player game that is almost two years old. Especially after the very suboptimal launch of Cyberpunk 2077.
Cyberpunk 2077 managed to reach these massive successfull numbers after the latest Cyberpunk 2077 1.6 patch which launched in tandem with the Edgerunner anime on Netflix, which also was a great success.
The Edgerunner anime was such a big success that it pushed a lot of players back into Cyberpunk 2077 (136k peak players on Steam alone). In addition to that lots of new players joined Night City thanks to the 50% discount that they offered during the Edgerunner anime launch week. CD Projekt Red really knows how to leverage most out of new entries into their series.
After all that they announced over 20 million total copies sold since the launch of the game.
Phantom Liberty Expansion for Cyberpunk 2077
If the Phantom Liberty Expansion keeps its promises and has a great launch then the Cyberpunk 2077 franchise is heading into a powerful and promising sequel.
Now the biggest thing that really matters is whether they manage to pull off a great launch for the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion. The new expansion will only launch on PC and the new gen consoles such as Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Last gen consoles are left out due to outdated hardware.


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Chơi cờ bạc online（www.vng.app）:SNS Network posts 3Q net profit of RM11.9mil
SNS Network managing director Ko Yun Hungmeaning of casino（www.vng.app）：meaning of casino（www.vng.app） cổng Chơi tài xỉu uy tín nhất việt nam。meaning of casino（www.vng.app）game tài Xỉu đánh bạc online công bằng nhất，meaning of casino（www.vng.app）cổng game không thể dự đoán can thiệp，mở thưởng bằng blockchain ,đảm bảo kết quả công bằng.
KUALA LUMPUR: SNS Network Technology Bhd’s net profit jumped 35.5% to RM11.94mil in the third quarter ended Oct 31 (3Q23) against RM8.81mil in the immediately preceding quarter.
The ICT system and solutions provider’s revenue for the quarter rose 17.5% to RM348.84mil compared with RM296.93mil in 2Q023. Its earnings per share for the quarter stood at 0.80 sen.
There are no comparative figures on a year-over-year basis as SNS was listed on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia on Sept 2.,
,cờ bạc nợ nần（www.84vng.com）：cờ bạc nợ nần（www.84vng.com） cổng Chơi tài xỉu uy tín nhất việt nam。cờ bạc nợ nần（www.84vng.com）game tài Xỉu đánh bạc online công bằng nhất，cờ bạc nợ nần（www.84vng.com）cổng game không thể dự đoán can thiệp，mở thưởng bằng blockchain ,đảm bảo kết quả công bằng.
SNS has declared a first interim single-tier dividend of 0.25 sen per ordinary share amounting to RM4.03mil in respect of financial year ending Jan 31, 2023, to be paid on Jan 18, 2023. The entitlement date is Jan 3, 2023.
“We are seeing continuous growth in revenue and profit as well as margins supported by growing demand in the ICT industry by the commercial sector due to the market’s digital transformation initiatives as well as the implementation of government’s ICT initiatives as part of the digitalisation drive in schools. In fact, more and more organisations will continue to infuse digital technology into every process and function to boost up their productivities,” managing director Ko Yun Hung said in a statement.
He said SNS was focused on expanding the device-as-a-service (DaaS) subscription-based service given the growth in the domestic DaaS market, which saw a CAGR of 39.04% from 2018, when the market was valued at RM139.95mil to 2021, when the market was valued at RM376.17mil.
“SNS is in a strong cash position at RM89.24mil and we are ready to expand through our online, physical store and commercial channels offering products, services and solutions,” Ko said, adding that its growth and strength was also supported by JOI, its in-house brand of devices and solutions.
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Amazon’s profits slid 26% in the last quarter as the company poured money into free shipping and its cloud storage business.
While the company’s revenues rose sharply, up 24% to $70bn for the quarter or more than $23bn a month, its profits fell to $2.1bn down from $2.9bn from a year earlier.
The financial miss comes as Amazon is facing greater scrutiny from Washington, with politicians from both sides calling for investigations of its business practices.
The company forecast that next quarter – which includes the holiday shopping season – sales would increase to between $80bn and $86.5bn, 11% or 20% higher than the fourth quarter of 2018.
Shares dropped close to 7% in after-hours trading.
Amazon spent $800m in the second quarter to expand its free one-day delivery programme as it faces sharper competition from Walmart. World-wide shipping costs increased 46% to $9.6bn from the previous year.
The company is also investing heavily in its Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud storage as Microsoft and others challenge its business. AWS reported $9bn in sales, slightly below analysts’ expectations of $9.1bn.
The latest quarterly results included Prime Day, its shopping event for Amazon Prime members who pay a yearly fee for free shipping and access to its streaming media services. This year’s Prime event was the largest in the company’s history with sales surpassing Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales combined. During the July sale the company sold over 100,000 laptops and more than a million toys.
“We are ramping up to make our 25th holiday season the best ever for Prime customers – with millions of products available for free one-day delivery,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder and chief executive.


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Wired/GameLife: For the future of Final Fantasy, director Motomu Toriyama is looking to Uncharted 2.
The interactive cinematic scenes in Naughty Dog's critically acclaimed action game seem to have inspired Toriyama to try the same thing in the Final Fantasy games, he said at his Game Developers Conference panel on Friday. "In Final Fantasy XIII, the interactivity was focused on the battle scenes," he said. " I think there will be more interactivity (in future Final Fantasy cut scenes) - if you have 1000 flying dragons, hopping from one dragon to the other would be great fun."
"If you can achieve that compared with Uncharted 2, I think that Final Fantasy is going to replicate the masterpieces of film, and that is certainly one of our goals," he said.


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The integration of Stobart Automotive and Paragon Automotive at BCA Marketplace as its Automotive Services division is “progressing well” after seeing major increases in turnover and EBITDA in the first half of its financial year. BCA Marketplace bought Stobart Automotive (formerly Autologic) from Eddie Stobart Logistics in August 2015, and in June it bought Paragon Automotive for £105m – with Stobart having previously sold Autologic’s automotive after-sales decision to Paragon in 2013. The two now form part of a new […]
TNT Express has spent £12m on 300 Euro-5 mid-range trucks as part of its fleet renewal programme.
A growing customer base and increased network capacity drove growth at Tuffnells in the year to 31 August 2016 results, underpinning a successful performance for owner Connect Group.


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While it wont reveal specific sales numbers, Harley-Davidson claims it to have 62 percent of the female market making it the the top-selling motorcycle brand among women in the United States. It sold more new on-road motorcycles to women in the U.S. than all other brands combined in 2013.
Roughly 12 percent of the countrys motorcycle owners now are women, an increase of about 35 percent over the last decade, according to the latest estimate from the Motorcycle Industry Council. More statistics on women motorcyclists can be found here.
According to a study conducted by Kelton and commissioned by Harley-Davidson, women riders are more than twice as likely to always feel happy (37 percent of riders vs. 16 percent of non-riders) and more than a third (34 percent) reported that they felt less stressed after starting to ride.
Further more, nearly four times as many always feel sexy (27 percent of riders vs. 7 percent of non-riders), and nearly twice as many always feel confident (35 percent of riders vs. 18 percent of non-riders). Full results of the study can be found here.
“Thousands of women have found that riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle is a powerful way to tap into their strength, independence and confidence and take it to a whole new level,” said Claudia Garber, Director of Market Outreach for Harley-Davidson. “Research shows the positive impact riding has on women, so we invite all those who dream of the open road to get started on the journey.”
Ive tracked women and motorcycling for nearly two decades and one of the reasons Harley-Davidson has the lions share of the female motorcyclists pie is because of its outreach efforts. Harley is the only motorcycle manufacturer with a division dedicated to outreach that specifically includes women. The company “puts its money where its mouth is” so to speak.
Not only does the company organize women-only rides, but its dealers hold Garage Parties with an emphasis on attracting women to the brand; it has a full-line of womens motorcycling gear and its website has a section dedicated to showing women how they can become a Harley-Davidson rider. Consistent marketing and messaging over the last decade has paid off.


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US tariffs could cost German automakers $7 billion a year, but they will hurt more than just car factories.
President Donald Trump has less than 90 days to decide whether to impose tariffs of up to 25% on vehicle imports, a threat that has unnerved automakers in the industrial powerhouse of Germany.
The tariffs would cost Volkswagen() €2.5 billion ($2.8 billion) a year in profit, according to Evercore
ISI. BMW () earnings would be reduced by €1.7 billion ($1.9 billion) and Daimler ( ) would take a €2 billion ($2.3 billion) hit.
Volkswagen CEO Herbert Dies told the Financial Times the estimate is about right.
“In the worst-case situation, that would probably be close to the real figure,” he told the newspaper in an interview. BMW and Daimler, the owner of Mercedes-Benz, declined to comment on the figures.
With cars making up roughly 30% of all German exports to the United States, the broader economic impact promises to be severe.
Germany’s Ifo Institute for Economic Research said last week that 25% tariffs would send annual German car exports to the United States plummeting by about 50% within a decade, from €34 billion ($38 billion) to €17 billion ($19 billion).
Last year, the institute calculated that the tariffs would knock 0.16% of Germany’s GDP.
Almost half of all cars sold in the United States are made outside the country, mostly in Mexico, Canada and Japan.
Ifo estimated that Mexico would see its GDP decline by 0.39% as a result of the US tariffs. Canada’s GDP would drop 0.23% while Japan’s would fall 0.1%.
Vehicles currently accounts for 10% of total trade between the two regions, according to ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. The jobs of more than 13 million people, or 6% of all employees in the European Union, depend on the industry.


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According to a study, the price of petrol might reduce over the next two weeks (starting tomorrow) as a result of a drop in its average Platts price.
Details indicate that between September 1 and 15, the Platts price for gasoline decreased by Rs. 9.55/litre, which might lead to a decrease in the price of gasoline of Rs. 9.62/litre. The article also point out that the exchange rate, which has also increased throughout the aforementioned period, will also have an impact on the price of gasoline.
The gasoline refinery rate has also decreased by Rs. 7.84/litre, from Rs. 174.61/litre to Rs. 166.76/litre, thanks to a Rs. 15.39/litre customs fee. As a result, it is anticipated that the price of gasoline at the refinery would drop from Rs. 183.04/litre to Rs. 173.43/litre by Rs. 9.62.
On the other side, the cost of diesel is anticipated to increase by Rs. 3.04/litre, to Rs. 250.30/litre from Rs. 247.26/litre. From Rs. 140.38/litre to Rs. 133.93/litre, the diesel Platts rate decreased by Rs. 6.46/litre. However, the price may fluctuate due to the growing exchange rate and freight costs.
The rise is also brought on by the potential increase in diesel fuel customs duties. The government intends to raise the tax from 18.74 to 22.11 rupees per litre, an increase of Rs. 3.37. As a result, the refinery pricing will rise from Rs. 223/litre to Rs. 224.57/litre, a 1.57 rupee increase.
Diesel’s ex-refinery price is expected to rise from its current level of Rs. 228.87 to Rs. 231.90 a litre.
It is important to note that consumers would be responsible for paying the increased distribution margins for diesel and gasoline, which are Rs. 3.68/litre and Rs. 7/litre, respectively. Additionally, there is a fee of Rs. 37.50 per litre and Rs. 7.50 per litre for gasoline and diesel, respectively.
Based on these numbers, analysts expect the price of gasoline to reduce, but the rapidly falling value of local currency keeps the situation unpredictable.
To read our blog on “For the first part of September 2022, petrol prices should decline,” click here


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On September 8, Brad Smit, Microsofts president and chief legal adviser, told Bloomberg that the way the government treats Huawei is not at all un-American, and that such measures should not be taken without solid facts, logic and legal provisions.
In his view, Huawei should be allowed to buy American technology and products, including Microsofts.
Smith said that when Microsoft asked U.S. regulators for an explanation, the response was usually OK, if you know the information we have, you will agree with it. Microsoft responded, Well, lets see what you know so that we can make our own decisions. Thats the way the United States does things.
Smith also cited the hotel industry as an example, saying that Trump should make it clear that telling a technology company that you can sell products but not buy operating systems or chips is like telling a hotel company that you can open doors, but you cant put beds in guest rooms or food in restaurants.
Anyway, youre putting the companys survival in jeopardy.
Brad Smith Photo Source: Bloomberg
He feared that broader and stricter restrictions were coming. Bloomberg also said that the U.S. Department of Commerce is considering imposing new restrictions on Microsofts new technology exports, including artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
On Huawei, Forbes said that the US governments blockade of Huawei had once shown signs of loosening, but since then it has reached a deadlock, with no one of the more than 100 suppliers applying for permission having been approved.
But as Huawei is about to launch its first smartphone without American technology, the US giants that dominate the technology industry are worried about a technological split. This split is a huge risk for American giants, Smith warned, If you cant bring your technology to the world, you cant be a global technology leader.
In August this year, Huawei released photos of Hongmeng OS operating system: Observer.com
Forbes believes that technology giants in the United States, including Microsoft, have invested billions of dollars to maintain their market leadership, and that the United States itself has benefited from the global technology standards that control so many areas. If there is a technological split, it will undoubtedly be worse for the giants.
Smith said: The only way to manage globalization technology is to enable governments to truly cooperate with each other.
In August this year, Huawei released its own Hongmeng OS system for its global developer conference. Yu Chengdong, CEO of its consumer business, announced that if Android is not available, Hongmeng is ready to use it.
Source: Editor-in-Charge of Observer Network: Wang Fengzhi_NT2541


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24% of consumers turned off after two negative online reviews
Nowadays very few consumers don't consult the Internet while researching products and services, found a new Lightspeed Research study, with online reviews playing a vital role.
Price comparison may well be the most popular research activity online during the purchase process, with 75% of those surveyed by Lightspeed Research having compared prices online in the last six months, but the online opinions and experiences of other consumers play a vital role, too, for many (61%).
Consumers expect to find product reviews on shopping websites (72%) while around half (47%) seek them out on company websites and 43% on price comparison sites. The majority use search engines to find reviews.
So influential are the opinions of others that over two-thirds (67%) of consumers would be deterred from purchasing a product or service if they were to encounter two or three negative reviews, found Lightspeed's online survey.
In fact, a quarter (24%) said they had changed their mind about buying a product or service after reading two bad reviews while a further 39% said three negative reviews would deter them from making a purchase.
Just 8% said they found online reviews unreliable.
Marketers shouldn't be distracted by new ways of consumer communication such as social media and mobile when basics such as online reviews are an expected and much-referenced resource for many consumers.
"Brands need to be aware of the influence that online reviews have, both positive and negative," said Ralph Risk, Marketing Director at Lightspeed Research Europe.
"There is a real danger that companies will focus on social media because it is so popular and in doing so miss out on the opinions that consumers actually value."
- How predictive tech may simplify engagement
- Survey: Mobiles look to devices before, during, after shopping
- Study: Live TV still trumps time-shifted
- Brands: How to make the most of ad placement
- Avoidance a big reason for blocking calls
- App Annie: App stores' revenue gap closing
- Marin study reveals the effect of integrating search and social campaigns
- Reports: Ad spend up on Bing, consumers still heavy on Google
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New releases 05-06-2024
One of this year’s first highlights we presented at the Nuremburg toy fair was the VW ID.BUZZ. It is coming earlier than planned and, in addition to two monochrome versions, there is also a neutral fire engine. There are also two classics - the right-hand drive Mini Mayfair with two-piece grille and additional headlights, and the Alpina B11 based on the E32 of the late 1980s. The series celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Boeing 727 will continue in May and June. With Air France and ex-Yugoslavia’s JAT, the first models of the unmistakable three-engine aircraft in service at European operators will now follow. There is also a Boeing 727-200 in red from the colorful Braniff International.
Modellbau Schwarz 2024/25
The high-quality vehicles of the "Modellbau Schwarz Collection" are far above average in terms of detail. Precise planning is required to keep the edition that exclusive. This is why there is now a separate catalogue for the "Modellbau Schwarz Collection". These models can only be ordered from Herpa retailers.
New releases 03-04-2024
Classic cars are much sought-after collector's models, and so Herpa is reissuing two real classics. For one, the VW Beetle 1303 with indicators on the fender and "elephant feet" at the rear, and to boot, the Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing from 1955. As of the toy fair, Heide-Logistik will be running an original refrigerated semitrailer truck advertising "75 years of Herpa" – and the model will be released at the same time. The Boeing "Dreamlifter" is coming out as a Herpa mold novelty in the 1:500 scale. It is the US counterpart to the "BelugaXL" from European manufacturer Airbus. Meanwhile, Embraer has presented another impressive "Profit Hunter". Herpa is initially presenting the new "Tech Eagle" in the 1:200 scale and with its striking paintwork.
New releases 01-02-2024
The Mercedes-EQ EQC now also appears in brilliant blue metallic and the S-Class in emerald green metallic. The rainbow look is new at Hapag-Lloyd, and Herpa has rendered it perfectly in the shape of another acargo model. Herpa is furthermore realizing the anniversary truck for the 60th anniversary of the Höhner forwarding company as a model. Another 60th anniversary is celebrated with the Boeing 727 over the coming months with a selection of new 1:500 scale models in classic liveries, for example those of Delta and Pan Am. Another variant of the heavyweight Antonov AN-124 is now being released with "Be brave like Okhtyrka". It is named after the town of Okhtyrka, which withstood Russian attacks in spring 2022.
New releases 11-12-2023
With the new MAN tractor, Herpa is offering the first electric truck model. Scania's Crewcab fire engine will be released in a neutral color scheme, but with a more upbeat design. For fire engines with turntable ladders, there is a new, closed equipment box for the right side. A new overland bus of Reiser from Ebersberg near Munich, a Setra 315 HDH, will be released, as well as a Scania CR 20 long train with two box trailers for UPS Spain, both as limited editions. The model of the Lufthansa show truck is also strictly limited. The 1/87 scale Actros semitrailer is being sent on tour by Germany's largest airline to present its new cabin interior. After 24 years, Dubai-based Emirates is refreshing its livery. The flag will have a "3D effect", while the "Emirates" titles will be significantly enlarged. The molds of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules will also be modernized, allowing the production of models of the current production variant C-130J "Super Hercules" in the 1/500 scale. And the A330 model from Aerolineas Argentinas with its special World Cup livery, with the famous soccer player Lionel Messi on the stabilizer.
New releases 09-10-2023
After some time, several collector’s themes (Mammoet and Felbermayr) reappear after a long absence. It is a tribute to their drivers: the shipping company Wandt in Brunswick replaces the company lettering in their logo on the driver’s doors with the name of the respective driver. The first Herpa model with an Iveco S-Way tractor will be released with the name of “Timo” – by the way, this is the 115th model that Herpa realizes together with Wandt. And there will be another new type with this year’s Christmas model: a DAF XG+ tractor pulls a 15-m volume semitrailer. Until now, the 15-m semitrailer has only been available in the standard height. Traditionally, the Christmas model features golden hubcaps and additional golden applications. Another new release of historical interest is the Junkers-Larsen JL-6, with which Junkers-Werke achieved its first, albeit brief, successes in the USA shortly after the end of World War I. The model will delight not only Wings collectors, but also H0 fans.
New releases 07-08-2023
The Audi V8, Citroen GS, or the Ford Capri are very popular Herpa collector models, which are quickly sold out. Therefore, these models are now available in new color variants. Among the solo tractors, the Scania 143 will be released in a pimped outfit, including pipes. A new type is the MAN TGX GX 4-axle tractor with air suspension. MAN only offers air suspension for 3-axle tractors, but Wierda in the Netherlands installs a fourth axle for interested customers. There are many shades of blue among the upcoming releases: one important gap is filled by the KLM “Triple Seven” in the 1/500-scale fleet. There’s also a chic Italian A350 in metallic blue from Alitalia’s successor, ITA Airways, as well as a follow-up edition of Lufthansa’s recommissioned super jumbo.
New releases 05-06-2023
After a long time, the popular Porsche models 911 Carrera and 911 Turbo will be released as convertibles in a new color design. In addition to the already released sedan, the BMW Alpina B5 Touring is available as a new type. New to the Herpa family is a Volvo Globetrotter XL refrigerated semitrailer truck from the shipping company Girteka in Lithuania. With around 10,000 vehicles, it is one of the largest shipping companies in Europe. With the “Lovehansa”, Lufthansa is sending out another signal for openness, tolerance, and diversity. The Airbus A320neo will be released first in the 1/200 scale, followed later by a 1/500-scale version.
New releases 03-04-2023
The highlight and new type among the passenger car models is the new BMW Alpina B5 as a sedan, which is already based on the facelift of the current BMW of the 5 series. In a small edition, Herpa is releasing a new model from the Mat Look Edition for the anniversary of Signal Reklame in a special box. The highlight among the tractor units is the new DAF XG+. This one has a particularly long cab and, accordingly, a longer chassis. The white tractor will be released in the regular retail program, while it will be produced in red and Tuscan yellow metallic as a one-time edition. Initial models of the “flying beach towels” were very successful in the SnapFit series, and are now being followed by metal models in the new Condor colors in the 1/500 scale.


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Postmaster General Mr. Kevin C. Smith says the BVI Post Office plans to modernise and widen the range of postal services and products offered in the Territory.
Mr. Smith told the Department of Information and Public Relations that local postal authorities are working to implement a modern computer software package. This, he noted, is being done with professional support from Swift Postal.
According to the BVI Postmaster General, software engineers from Swift Postal visited the Territory late last year for meetings with senior officials from the BVI Post Office. Their meetings focussed on plans to computerise postal operations in the British Virgin Islands.
Postmaster General from St. Kitts and Nevis Ms. Sandra Davoren attended last year’s meeting in the Territory to see how the new computer software will improve that country’s postal services.
“The Post Office intends to use technology to drive its business and to enhance its services,” Mr. Smith said. He added that implementation of the first phase of the new Swift Retail postal counter automation software will see a change from a manual to computerised environment within the Territory’s postal system.
“Under phase two we will develop and offer new e-services that would work in conjunction with our interactive website and track and trace system,” said Mr. Smith.
The Post Office provides a number of services to the general public. Two levels of service are available to communicate internationally through the post. They are airmail, a priority service that is dispatched daily and surface mail which is a less frequently dispatched service.
It provides service to more than 189 countries through the Universal Postal Union Network. The BVI Post Office operates under the Ministry of Finance.


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Westar warns customers that gift card promotion is a scam
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Westar officials are warning customers that people claiming to be utility employees are calling and trying to force them to buy prepaid money cards.
Utility officials say if you get one of those calls, hang up and report it.
The company put out a statewide alert Friday saying scammers are threatening to turn off customer’s power unless they buy a prepaid money card and call back with the number on the card.
Spokeswoman Gina Penzig says the scammer then uses the card and calls another victim.
Penzig says the callers sometimes target restaurants just before or during the lunch rush, when managers are busy and don’t want the power shut off.
She says Westar will never demand immediate payment or shut off power without multiple warnings.