text:
In September 2020, a photograph supposedly showing a Patagonia clothing tag reading "Vote the Assholes Out" started to circulate on social media:
A spokesperson for Patagonia confirmed to us in an email that "the tags are real," and that they can be found on the company's Regenerative Organic Stand-Up Shorts:
The tags are real. They were added to our 2020 Men’s and Women’s Regenerative Organic Stand-Up Shorts because we have been standing up to climate deniers for almost as long as we’ve been making those shorts.
[Patagonia Founder] Yvon Chouinard has been saying “vote the assholes out” for several years and it refers to politicians from any party who deny or disregard the climate crisis and ignore science, not because they aren’t aware of it, but because their pockets are lined with money from oil and gas interests.
Fumi Yokoyama, a reporter for GQ Japan, also confirmed that this clothing tag could be found on Patagonia's Road to Regenerative Standup Shorts.
GQ Japan wrote [translated via Google]:
So I really found it and bought it right away. It was a reality!
One of the products that uses cotton made by farmers who adopt the "regenerative organic farming method" promoted by Patagonia in recent years. Whereas traditional giant farming accounts for up to 25% of carbon emissions that are deepening the climate crisis, this farming method aims to build healthy soil that helps return carbon to the ground. It is said.
This is not the first time Patagonia has used the slogan "Vote the Assholes Out." In 2018, social media users reported seeing this slogan and various pieces of swag — such as stickers and cups — that the company was handing out during that year's Outdoor Retailer Summer Show in Colorado.
In April 2020, Patagonia's founder Yvon Chouinard wrote an open letter to customers about Earth Day, the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change, that ended with the following message:
Remember, vote the assholes out—all of those politicians who don't believe we should do anything about climate change. Vote for the planet and against those who would do nothing. We have the power and now is the time to use it.


text:
Micromax’s Takes a Jibe At OnePlus 2 With Its Upcoming Yutopia
Micromax is certainly speaking out loud about its upcoming Yu Yutopia. CEO Rahul Sharma said that it would be the “most powerful phone on the planet”, however, the Indian smartphone makers have gone even further with its new teaser on Facebook that read- “Calling a 1080p Display a 2016 Flagship killer? #WhySettle #YUTOPIA.”
The new teaser is an obvious dig at the “2016 flagship killer” OnePlus 2, however, apart from that they’ve also confirmed that the Yutopia will come with a Quad HD display. The Facebook teaser also includes a blurred image of the OnePlus 2 with the words “Never Settle For 1080p” on it.
Therefore, with this teaser and the previous one, we now know that Yu’s next premium smartphone will sport a metal build, as compared to its usual plastic build and a Quad HD display for the first time.
However, speculations about the upcoming Yutopia’s specifications include a 5.2 display, 64 bit class Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 backed by a 4GB RAM, Cyanogen 32GB memory with expandability and a rumoured 21MP primary camera with an 8MP front camera.
The company has not confirmed any of the rumoured specs so until then, let’s just hope all the mud-slinging pays off.
For more details, click here.

domain: news


text:
Nvidia Corp. delighted investors this week by presenting tangible proof that the surge in artificial intelligence (AI) is driving a significant sales increase. Amid the excitement created by the chipmaker’s achievements, however, a cautionary note was sounded: not everyone will partake in the feast.
The 10-Year Transition to Accelerated Computing
Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO, identified a transformative shift occurring within the world’s data centers as companies rush to augment their AI computing power. According to Huang, organizations are reallocating their spending from Intel Corp.’s lucrative data center processors to Nvidia’s graphics chips, setting the stage for a decade-long transition towards accelerated computing. He emphasized that the workload in these data centers will predominantly consist of generative AI.
Intel’s Dominance at Risk
Although Huang refrained from mentioning any specific names, it was clear that his remarks targeted Intel’s stronghold in the data center industry. He asserted that data centers will be reconfigured, moving away from their dependence on central processors dominated by Intel and gravitating towards the utilization of graphics chips, a market where Nvidia thrives.
Intel’s Shares Plummet, Nvidia’s Soar
The impact of Huang’s statement was immediate, as Intel’s shares plummeted by 5.5% the following day. This dealt another blow to the once-dominant chipmaker, which held the title of the world’s largest chipmaker just two years ago. In contrast, Nvidia’s stock has surged by an impressive 160% this year, inching closer to achieving a $1 trillion market value. While Nvidia prospers, Intel’s growth remains lackluster. The overall chipmaker index has gained 32% during this period.
Intel Misses the Boat, but Counting Them Out Would Be Shortsighted
Zeno Mercer, senior research analyst at ROBO Global, remarked on Intel’s situation, stating that they have missed the opportunity, resulting in a negative impact on stock performance, valuation, and growth potential. However, Mercer cautioned against underestimating any company’s potential for growth and market share in the AI sector. ROBO Global, which counts Nvidia as its second-largest holding, acknowledges the missed opportunities by Intel but recognizes the potential for growth and resurgence.
AMD’s Position Improves, Investors React Positively
Investors hold a more constructive view of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD), a company that, like Intel, generates the majority of its sales from central processor units. AMD’s stock rallied by 11% the day after Huang’s comments, adding to its overall gains of 86% this year. AMD’s collaboration with major technology buyers in this field may position it favorably to regain ground against Nvidia.
AMD’s Pricey Valuation Raises Concerns
However, investing in AMD’s stock as a means to join the Nvidia-led rally does not come cheap. According to Bloomberg data, AMD’s price-to-earnings ratio stands at 37 times projected profits for the next 12 months, approaching Nvidia’s level of 50 times. While AMD has established itself as the second-largest manufacturer of graphics processing units for gamers, it has only recently entered the market for data center computing, potentially attracting customers such as Microsoft Corp. seeking alternatives to Nvidia.
Intel’s Struggles in the Graphics Chip Market
Intel has long attempted to penetrate the graphics chip market with limited success, while Nvidia has dominated it. AMD, as the second-largest producer of graphics processing units for gamers, has recently ventured into the realm of data center computing with optimized products. This strategic move positions AMD favorably, especially with large customers like Microsoft Corp. who are currently seeking alternatives to Nvidia’s offerings.
Intel and Others Falling Behind in AI
Despite Intel and other chipmakers, such as Qualcomm Inc., expressing their AI ambitions and unveiling products aimed at impacting the market, investors remain unconvinced. The lack of action from these companies in the AI sector is viewed as a significant detriment. Adam Sarhan, CEO of 50 Park Investments, warns that by the time they decide to join the AI bandwagon, they may find themselves too late or risk getting left behind. The rapid growth and expanding applications of AI could potentially disrupt the entire chip industry.
Nvidia’s Surge Drives Semiconductor Index to New Highs
Nvidia’s exceptional performance this year has propelled a robust rally in the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Semiconductor Index, which reached its highest level since April 2022. Following Nvidia’s optimistic forecast, the index experienced a 6.8% surge, its largest gain since November, bringing its 2023 increase to 32%. While Nvidia leads the way among the index’s components, Advanced Micro Devices has also delivered strong performance, with an 86% gain this year.


text:
Lyrical Communications has announced the launch of Installer Kitchens & Bathrooms, to debut alongside its 2024 InstallerSHOW at the NEC.
Installer Kitchens & Bathrooms will showcase the role technology and innovation plays in shaping the kitchens and bathrooms of the future to an audience of 20,000 installers, specifiers, designers, developers, manufacturers and retailers.
Launched alongside the y successful annual InstallerSHOW and featuring its own dedicated, immersive content programme, Installer Kitchens & Bathrooms aims to bring the industry closer together, with education, knowledge sharing and networking.
The themes covered by Installer Kitchens & Bathrooms will include water and energy efficiency in both domestic and commercial buildings, design innovation, sustainable and smart technology, and changing legislation and regulation.
Mike Costain, managing director, Lyrical Communications, said:
“Having successfully established InstallerSHOW as the key meeting place in the UK for the bathroom sector, we are delighted to have partnered with BMA and BIKBBI in extending our proposition to the kitchen industry. Specifiers, installers and retailers from the kitchen and bathroom industry will no doubt flock to the event in 2024 to see the latest technologies and solutions on the exhibition floor as well as hear from key names in our content programme.”
News of the launch has been warmly welcomed by key industry bodies, including BiKBBI and BMA.
Tom Reynolds, CEO of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association, said:
“The launch of Installer Kitchens & Bathrooms is great news for the industry. The buzz around InstallerSHOW has really been gathering momentum for the last few years, with more and more BMA members exhibiting and the introduction of a bathroom zone. A hall dedicated to the exciting future of kitchens and bathrooms will boost that momentum even further. BMA is excited to be involved.”
Damian Walters, founder and chief executive, British Institute of KBB Installation (BiKBBI), said:
“BiKBBI welcomes the evolution of InstallerSHOW, which will soon include a kitchen and bathroom hall for the first time. We’re delighted to explore opportunities to support the development of the programme and we look forward to being part of the 2024 plans.”
Lyrical Communications currently includes three thriving brands – InstallerSHOW, InstallerONLINE and elemental. Lyrical, part of the Nineteen Group, specialises in events and digital publishing, creating market-leading content for those working on decarbonisation and the route to Net Zero, with a focus on heat, energy, air and water.
InstallerSHOW 2024 will take place 25-27 June.
Registration for InstallerSHOW 2023 (27-29 June), is open here: https://www.installershow.com/


text:
ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry launched a program this summer called Truckin’ Tuesdays, in which local food truck owners can show up at Civic Plaza Downtown, park their mobile eateries, and sell food every Tuesday at lunchtime.
Eating at one of our local food trucks is affordable and a good way to get a real taste of Albuquerque while helping support small businesses,” Berry said in an email. “Bringing the trucks to Civic Plaza is a great way to connect city and downtown employees with these culinary entrepreneurs.
On an overcast Tuesday in mid-July, one culinary entrepreneur was set up; at that time, the area had the capacity for only two food trucks.
Once construction in the area is complete, there will be room for eight food trucks, according to Breanna Anderson, a spokeswoman for Berry.
Michele Haskins, co-owner of Hot Off The Press mobile food truck, which specializes in grilled sandwiches, had the plaza to herself.
She was serving up Cubano sandwiches, burnt tacos and other sandwiches to a line of five or six customers, some of whom lived in the neighborhood and walked over, others who worked in the area and were on lunch break.
“This is a great location,” said Haskins. “It’s well worth our while to come down.”
Do you own a food truck and want to set up for Truckin’ Tuesdays or First Friday Food Truck? Contact Leslie Munoz in the City of Albuquerque mayor’s office at 768-3000.
Find the entire article at abqjournal.com <here>


text:
Crystal Food Services plans to team with several prominent restaurant chains for a nationwide expansion after severing ties
with Marsh Supermarkets Inc. early next year.
The locally based catering and food-service company will report directly to Boca Raton, Fla.-based Sun Capital Partners,
which acquired Marsh for $88 million in September. Fishers-based Marsh had acquired Crystal, now Indiana's largest caterer,
Crystal President Jack Bayt, who founded the company with his brother Dan in 1976, said he initially wanted to buy it back
after Sun bought Marsh.
But now Bayt says Crystal can align with Sun to gain national buying power and add recognized restaurant brands to its operations,
which include event catering and food management at venues such as arenas, museums and zoos.
Sun owns several chains with hundreds of locations across the United States, including Fazoli's, Bruegger's, Sweet
Tomatoes and Real Mex.
Teaming up could help push Crystal's annual sales past $200 million, Bayt said. That would place it among the top 10
firms of its kind in the United States, though still a fraction of the size of Philadelphia-based Aramark Corp., an industry
giant. Crystal now does $80 million in sales, which includes $22 million from catering.
"We're trying to figure out how all the parts and pieces are going to fit," said Bayt, 50. "My vision,
and Sun likes it, is to turn Crystal into a national player."
Crystal already operates as a separate entity, but reporting directly to Sun instead of Marsh will give the company a larger
platform for growth, said Marsh spokeswoman Kathy Lussier. She said the change will be finalized in three to six months.
"Because Sun owns all these other restaurant and food-service groups, it just makes perfect sense that they align directly,"
Lussier said. "It gives them a competitive advantage when they're looking for other contracts."
Sun Vice President of Communications Richard Hurwitz declined to comment on the realignment, saying the company does not
discuss operating plans of its portfolio companies.
Working with Sun's national brands will enhance Crystal's operation and give it more credibility with potential customers,
said Don Ball, vice president of the National Association of Catering Executives, a professional association headquartered
in Columbia, Md.
"We're catering to people who come from all regions, so it's important for us to provide products and services
that are recognizable to those guests," said Ball, who directs food services at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club on
the campus of Duke University. "When you have national names, it gives people a level of comfort."
He said Crystal's grand plans for expansion are possible because of such partnerships.
Crystal would remain legally separate from the restaurant entities, but Jack Bayt and his brother, who presides over Crystal's
catering business, would coordinate partnerships.
The companies would share services and resources and cross-market product lines, Bayt said. Examples might include offering
Bruegger's bagels for office catering or Fazoli's pizza at zoos. And Crystal could serve food from the restaurant
concepts at other venues it manages.
The company would retain its headquarters in Indianapolis, where it manages food services at the Indianapolis Zoo, Indiana
Government Center and Indiana Roof. The company also caters at the NCAA headquarters, Crystal Riverwalk in Broad Ripple and
The Fountains in Carmel.
Crystal's potential for growth had been hampered in recent years by financial problems and uncertainty surrounding Marsh,
Bayt said. Shaking free of that mess should be helpful.
"Decisions for Crystal won't be made based on what the grocery guys think, and that's big for us," he said.
"It's been a hindrance for us the last several years."
Crystal and other divisions such as O'Malia's Food Stores had not gotten much support needed for growth from Marsh
in recent years, said Danny O'Malia, a former Marsh executive whose job was eliminated after Sun took charge. O'Malia,
who chose Crystal to cater weddings for two of his daughters, said Sun's ownership offers hope for Crystal. "They're
definitely in a better financial position with Sun than they were with Marsh," he said.
The private investment firm has more than $3.5 billion in equity capital under management and has managed or invested in
135 companies since it was founded in 1995.
Bayt said Sun has offered Crystal executives an ownership stake in the new entity, a move he sees as a sign Sun wants to
grow the company instead of quickly reselling it.


text:
If you’re like many Americans living in today’s busy world, you may have developed an all-too-familiar habit of eating out, whether you opt for fast food, restaurant meals or takeout. After a long day at work and tending to your never-ending to-do list, it’s hard to argue with the convenience of having somebody else prepare your meals.
You may have even rationalized to yourself that eating out doesn’t really cost that much more than meals prepared at home—or having healthy, ready-made meals on hand. And the meals don’t differ that much when it comes to healthiness, right?
Unfortunately, that is not the case. While it’s true that the cost of food in general can be pricey, eating out, on average, is substantially more expensive than if you were to prepare your own meals.1 What’s more, restaurant fare of all types has been implicated—for years—as a likely factor in our nation’s obesity epidemic.2
Here’s a look at how consistently eating out can potentially harm your budget and your health, and how eating healthfully might actually save you money in the long run.
There’s just no way around it: Food can be expensive.
And chances are, it eats up a lot of your budget. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics3, in 2015, U.S. households spent an average 12.5 percent of their income—$7,023—on food. Of that, 43 percent, or $3,008, was spent on food outside of the home, such as in restaurants. In higher-income households, 11.2 percent of the total income was spent on food, while the amount of money spent on food outside the home totaled nearly half of the household food budget.
The cost of food is on the rise, particularly for restaurant meals.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service4 reports that in August 2018, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for restaurant meals was 2.6 percent higher than in August 2017. The CPI for store-bought food was also up, but only by 0.5 percent over the same time frame.
Looking ahead, the USDA says that the price growth of store-bought food may continue to stay low. It predicts that these prices will rise between 1 percent and 2 percent in 2019, and that restaurant prices will go up between 2 percent and 3 percent.
The cost of eating out may be higher than you think.
The average price for dinner in a full-service U.S. restaurant was $40.53 per person in 2013.5 In 2015, the average cost of a fast-food meal for one ranged from $3.86 to $14.6 Needless to say, that’s a lot of dough, especially if you’re eating out several times per week—which, research shows, may be the case. According to a 2016 Gallup poll7, 61 percent of Americans state that they ate at a restaurant at least once in the previous week; 16 percent ate out three times or more.
Eating out can be bad for your waistline.
Eating out has long been implicated as a factor in Americans’ battle with obesity.2 And according to a 2016 study8 that looked at restaurant meals in three geographically diverse U.S. cities—San Francisco, Boston and Little Rock—portion sizes in general are too large. In fact, a full 92 percent of all the meals analyzed “exceeded typical energy requirements for a single eating occasion,” the researchers reported.
Another study9, from 2015, found that Americans tend to consume 200 more calories per day when they eat out compared to when they eat meals at home. Meals eaten out also contain more cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium, according to the same study. And don’t think that avoiding fast-food places can put you in the clear: The results were similar whether people ate meals from fast-food or full-service restaurants.
Free-flowing beverages don’t help, either. A 2017 study10 found that fast-food customers who chose to refill their soft drinks consumed, on average, 29 additional ounces of beverages and 250 more calories (all from those beverages) than customers who did not get a refill.
Poor food is a driver of poor health.
According to experts from Tufts University11, food is the top cause of poor health in America. They state that an estimated 700,000 deaths may be influenced by dietary habits each year, and that a wide variety of conditions—brain function, cancers, heart disease, immune function, obesity, stroke and Type 2 diabetes—are affected by diet. Their research also suggests that almost half of all U.S. deaths due to diabetes, heart disease and stroke are caused by poor diets.
Poor diets cause billions in healthcare and other costs.
The Tufts researchers11 have found that diet-related conditions account for billions of dollars in healthcare costs. Each year, they say, cardiovascular diseases alone are responsible for approximately $200 billion in healthcare costs, plus $125 billion in lost productivity and other indirect costs.
The good news
Now for the good news: Eating healthfully doesn’t have to break the bank, especially if you cook your own meals at home or even outsource your meal planning. A recent study by Visa12 showed that the average American spends on average $78 for lunches consumed away from home over one week—but, by brown bagging it, they could be saving almost $34 a week just on lunch, with the average meal costing around $6.30 per day.
And if you’re in the habit of ordering meals to be delivered from a restaurant, hold onto your hat: The cost is almost five times higher than if you were to prepare the same meal at home.13 One 2018 analysis showed that having a meal of fish with kale and rice delivered came with a price tag of $25.94. If you were to make the same meal yourself, it would cost $3.94. That’s a savings of $22—for one meal!
Tips to Help You Eat Healthfully on a Budget
To help you save money while eating healthfully, the National Institutes of Health suggests the following14:
Consider generic or store brands.
These usually cost less than name brands.
Try to buy in bulk.
Prices are almost always lower if you buy larger quantities—just beware of spoilage if you buy perishable items and make sure to keep an eye on portion sizes when preparing food.
Buy less-expensive fruits and vegetables.
Apples, bananas, cabbage, carrots, dark-green leafy vegetables, green peppers, oranges and sweet potatoes are often more affordable than other types of produce.
Ignore the snacks at the check-out stand.
Those tempting treats are put there for a reason: impulse buying! Plus, they’re usually less-than-stellar options including candies and other low nutrient foods.
Make healthy choices.
Load up on fruits, veggies and natural low-fat dairy products at the grocery store. Try to avoid purchasing (or do so in moderation) processed foods like baked goods and chips. If you’re looking for healthier versions of your favorite snacks, Jenny Craig offers a variety of options to choose from.
Convenience of takeout without the cost
If you still like the convenience of not having to cook your own meals, you don’t have to resort to eating out. Jenny Craig, for instance, offers around 100 healthy, delicious, chef-designed meals and snacks…all for a reasonable price.15
How much does Jenny Craig cost? An entire day's worth of food in the U.S. is under $25 — which could be less than just one meal at a restaurant.
And if you’re looking to lose weight, you should know that Jenny Craig has been ranked a top diet by U.S. News and World Report for eight years in a row.16
We hope we’ve convinced you of all the good reasons to skip the takeout, the fast food and the restaurant meals as your go-to eating plan, and that you’re inspired to start eating more healthfully—and more frugally. Your waistline and your wallet will thank you!
If you’re interested in learning more about healthy, ready-to-go meals, contact us to set up a free appointment.
 https://www.forbes.com/sites/priceonomics/2018/07/10/heres-how-much-money-do-you-save-by-cooking-at-home/ - 1d23cfe335e5
Carole Anderson Lucia
Carole is an award-winning journalist based in Southern California who specializes in health and wellness topics. Her work has appeared in Parents, Fit Pregnancy, Mom & Baby, Yahoo News, Viv magazine and Lifescript. She's won several national awards for her work including a National Science Award and two National Health Information awards. A frequent contributor to Jenny Craig’s Blog, Healthy Habits, she enjoys gardening, spending time at the beach and adopting far too many rescue animals in her spare time.
Favorite healthy snack: jicama dipped in homemade hummus.
This article is based on scientific research and/or other scientific articles and is written by experienced health and lifestyle contributors and reviewed by certified professionals.
Our goal at Jenny Craig is to provide the most up-to-date and objective information on health-related topics, so our readers can make informed decisions based on factual content. All articles undergo an extensive review process, and depending on the topic, are reviewed by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Nutritionist, to ensure accuracy.
This article contains trusted sources including scientific, peer-reviewed papers. All references are hyperlinked at the end of the article to take readers directly to the source.
There are no comments to display.
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.


text:
The Global Forum Blockchain Life 2019 Welcomes 5000+ Attendees
23-24 April, Marina Bay, Singapore
On April 23-24 in Singapore, the global forum Blockchain Life 2019 welcomes 5000+ attendees and top companies at its 3d edition.
The global forum 2019 highlights four significant topics: Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, StartUps
Among the participating companies: Listing.Help, CoinMarketCap, KuCoin, Cointelegraph, BitForex, Neo, Nem, BitBlock Capital, IvoryBay Capital, Gravitas Holding, InfiniVision, Jets Capital and other famous enterprises from all over the world.
The list of speakers is constantly growing, check it here: http://blockchain-life.com
The previous Blockchain Life forum in November 2018 attracted over 4500 guests and became one of the largest world events in the industry. In 2019 the famous hotel Marina Bay Sands welcomes 5000 participants from 70 countries around the globe in Singapore.
Join world blockchain and crypto community now: http://blockchain-life.com
The global forum is organized by the world listing agency – Listing


text:
As Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard is currently facing several hurdles, the company has been recently forced to make some concessions to get regulators on its side. After Sony publicly complained that Microsoft’s initial offer to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation for 3 years was “inadequate on many levels,” Microsoft came back with a much better offer.
Last month, the company said that it offered Sony a 10-year deal to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation, which Sony has declined so far. According to Bloomberg which cited a person familiar with the negotiations, Microsoft’s offer to Sony includes the right to make Call of Duty games available on Sony’s PlayStation Plus game subscription service, which had 45.4 million subscribers in the second quarter of 2022.
The risk of Microsoft making Xbox Game Pass the only subscription service where Call of Duty games are available has already been pointed out by Sony and regulators. Last week, the US Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, explaining that the deal could “enable Microsoft to suppress competitors to its Xbox gaming consoles and its rapidly growing subscription content and cloud-gaming business.”
If the information obtained by Bloomberg is accurate, Microsoft including subscription service rights in its Call of Duty offer to Sony pretty much eliminates the risk of seeing the Redmond giant give preferential treatment to its own Xbox Game Pass service. Microsoft does plan to offer future Call of Duty games and other Activision Blizzard titles on day one on Xbox Game Pass, but Sony will allegedly be free to offer Call of Duty games to PlayStation Plus subscribers as well.
It has already been pointed out that the “Deluxe” and “Extra” tiers of Sony’s PlayStation Plus service already provide access to Microsoft-owned games such as The Elder Scrolls Online, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Pillars of Eternity. If Microsoft isn’t going to treat Call of Duty differently, Sony and regulators will need to find another argument to explain why this acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft is going to hurt competition and gamers.
In addition to its Call of Duty offer to Sony, Microsoft also said that it has reached a 10-year deal with Nintendo to bring back Call of Duty games on the company’s consoles. The company also said that it would keep releasing Call of Duty games on Steam, which remains the leading game distribution platform on PC.


text:
179,636 New Business Filings in 2022
Posted Jan 23, 2023
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced 179,636 new business filings in 2022, down 18,374 from the all-time record-setting year in 2021 and the second highest in state history. However, December 2022 saw 13,012 new business filings, 496 more than December 2021. With small business optimism reaching its 12th consecutive month below the 49-year average, according to the NFIB December Report, entrepreneurs and job creators continue to be cautious. Accordingly, in light of these headwinds, Secretary LaRose continues to modernize the Secretary of State's office to make it as business-friendly as possible to encourage entrepreneurship and help guide new businesses on a path to success.LaRose went on to say, "In the face of national economic headwinds, Ohio entrepreneurs continue to show their resilience; if you're an Ohioan looking to live out the American dream of starting your own business, you should know that we'll always have your back, and we're here to help you from the day you file those first articles of incorporation through the growth of your business."
See insights and adsBoost post


text:
Top Stories of 2015
This article was originally published in The Gold Sheet
Data integrity was the top story of 2015, followed by quality metrics and sterile injectables contamination.
You may also be interested in...
Microbial and particulate contamination drove drug recalls to historic levels for a fifth year in 2014, FDA recall data shows. But the data still falters in identifying the weakest links in global pharmaceutical supply chain quality.
Pfizer’s plan to acquire Hospira is part of a turnaround trend in which Big Pharma hopes its quality will rub off on the troubled generics injectables sector. The question is: Will it work?
ICH general assembly adopts guidelines on continuous manufacturing and risk management; US FDA opens pilot project to expedite CMC reviews for products with accelerated review timelines; other recent topics include quality maturity inspections and compounding standards.


text:
Shares in Worldpay jumped six percent as the UK payment processor made its debut on the London Stock Exchange, valuing the company at £4.8 billion.
The offering of 51.9% of the company's outstanding shares is expected to raise about £2.16 billion pounds, with the company receiving around £948 million. Bain Capital and Advent International, Worldpay's private equity owners, will hold around 49% of the company's shares.
WorldPay has gone from strength to strength since it was flogged off at the bargain-basement price of £2 billion by Royal Bank of Scotland five years ago as part of bail out terms ordered by the European Union.
The company now employs 4500 people - double the numbers under RBS ownership - and recently reported half-yearly revenue and profits of £465.7m and £182.6m respectively. On a typical day, it processes approximately 31 million mobile, online and in-store transactions worldwide, supporting 400,000 merchants.
The group's private equity owners rejected a £6.6 billion takeover offer from French outfit Ingenico in favour of the public listing, which including debt puts a £6.3 billion price tag on the company.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the news, which is expected to provide a much-needed boost to the moribund listings market: “It's fantastic news that Worldpay has listed on the London Stock Exchange today - the largest ever UK FinTech IPO. This shows real confidence in our long term economic plan and helps cement London as the world's leading location for this sector.”
At pixel time the initial excitement had worn off and the shares were trading back in the 250 pence debut price range.


text:
Tuesday, 19 January, 2021
Despite global lockdown, flex space supply increased across France during 2020. Find out how the french flex market has withstood over the past 12 months, and which cities have fared best during the most difficult year for the sector.
This has been an extraordinarily difficult year with France, and Paris in particular, impacted by very strict lockdown conditions. This has had an obvious impact on the city centre markets and the ability of firms to trade from urban hubs.
There has been an uptick in interest in other, more rural locations, however, the French market does not have the supply of centres, as yet, to benefit those looking for space in those areas.
This looks like it will change in time as many workers have realised that they can work further afield. It is a demand-side trend that Instant has seen across many markets during 2020 and it points to a real opportunity for those operators that feel their model can be replicated in new, alternative locations.
France Flex Market Review 2020


text:
Twitter will soon be broadcasting live NBA games, but not in the way you probably expect or have grown accustomed to.
With more and more people cutting the cables around the world, eliminating cable and traditional television, the NBA chose to try something new.
According to NBA.comTwitter will start streaming the second half of select matches in February, with the camera focused on a single player.
PREVIOUSLY: 10 RECENT NBA BIG 3 THAT FAILED AND 10 THAT WILL BE SOON
Thus, fans will not be able to watch the first half of the chosen game through the social media network. But what they will be able to do is vote for the player they want the camera to focus on as they move towards the @NBAonTNT Account.
The player who collects the most votes will be the sole focus of the footage via an isolated camera. When that player goes to the bench, or fouls out of play, users will see regular play, but not from the usual broadcast angle. The game will be broadcast from a camera behind one of the panels.
With the number of people switching to online TV, professional sports leagues and their partners are trying to find ways to retain their audience and distribute their games and content on alternative channels such as Twitter, Facebook, Amazon and Google. .
Conversely, Turner Sports, which owns the rights to broadcast NBA games, seeks to protect content for which it pays billions of dollars each year, which is why fans will not yet receive the full package on Twitter.
This latest venture is just an experiment, but we could see a huge change over the next few years. The deal with Twitter is believed to be one for 20 games, including playoff matches.
Streaming is expected to start around mid-February, around All-Star weekend.
What does that mean
As mentioned above, this endeavor is purely experimental. Fans might not want to opt for a single half in which they can only see one player, but chances are that many people would actually like to watch, say, a Lakers game on TV and experience a more intimate experience by also following a camera focused only on LeBron James.
Also, the games will be free anyway. But you never know, Twitter might have the whole package, or at least a reasonable part of it, at a decent price for fans who don’t want to pay a cable company or for the NBA League Pass in the future.
NEXT: LeBRON JAMES DOES MORE PRACTICES ON THE COURT, LOOKING TO RETURN IN MID-JANUARY
Former NXT trainer Hideki Suzuki (Hachiman) says he nearly got into a fight with an unnamed colleague at the WWE Performance Center.
About the Author


text:
Recent filings show that Tesla will reportedly install new automation equipment at its original factory in Fremont, California. In addition, the US EV maker is working to expand its Information Technology (IT) facility at the location.
Tesla doesn’t really have any room left at its Fremont factory site in California, and that has been the case for some time now. In fact, the company was ridiculed a few years back for putting up “tents” on the property’s parking lots as a means for quick expansion.
The so-called tents – which are officially known as sprung structures – can be made permanent and are still being used at the property. At least one of the sprung structures is considered a permanent addition to the factory.
It’s interesting that even though Tesla now has factories in China, Germany, and Texas, with its new headquarters also in Texas, it’s still using tents in Fremont and working to expand at the California factory. It seems there’s a new filing related to the Fremont site nearly every month, as reported by Teslarati. The upgrading and expansion at the Fremont factory appear to be forever in motion.
According to the most recent filings with the City of Fremont, Tesla will invest $1.5 million to expand and upgrade its IT building. The filings also note that the automaker plans to install new automation equipment on the factory’s assembly lines.
The new production-line equipment will come from China-based MINO. Teslarati writes that MINO offers intelligent manufacturing solutions for the automotive space, and Tesla has been implementing its equipment for years now. MINO also supplies legacy automakers, including Ford, GM, and Volkswagen, to name a few.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a huge fan of automation, though he may have gotten a bit carried away with it for a time, which could have been the cause of some bottlenecks during the Model 3 ramp. While Tesla’s emphasis on manufacturing, automation, and robots is arguably the way of the future, human workers are still necessary to ensure that everything is working as planned. To add additional checks and balances, Tesla also recently installed automated quality control equipment at the factory.
While there’s a growing list of Tesla filings related to the Fremont factory, it’s difficult to know exactly what work is being carried out inside and out at any given time. We do know that the factory grounds have been buzzing with activity and various construction projects almost indefinitely.


text:
Stand up for the facts!
Misinformation isn't going away just because it's a new year. Support trusted, factual information with a tax deductible contribution to PolitiFact.
I would like to contribute
If Your Time is short
Essential businesses in many states require that all employees and customers wear masks while inside the store. They must do so by law.
The Pennsylvania Health Department, whose number was included in the post, said that businesses that are not following guidance regarding wearing a mask are what should be reported.
Posts on Facebook are urging people to report stores that refuse service to customers who try to enter without wearing masks.
"If ur (sic) refused service at a store for no mask call the dept of health and report the store. Masks are suggested, not required," says a post shared on April 28.
The number listed in the post calls the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s 24/7 phone line that’s intended for people to report a "public health emergency."
But this is bad advice. In many states, Pennsylvania included, employees and customers are required to wear masks inside stores. It’s when businesses don’t enforce those rules that they should be reported, the health department says.
The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
Pennsylvania’s Worker Safety Order states that essential businesses must require that all customers "wear masks while on premises, and deny entry to individuals not wearing masks, unless the business is providing medication, medical supplies, or food, in which case the business must provide alternative methods of pick-up or delivery of such goods."
It also says that the measure doesn’t apply to individuals who cannot wear masks due to their medical condition, or to children under the age of 2 per CDC guidance.
"This is incorrect," said Nate Wardle, press secretary for Pennsylvania’s DOH. "Stores and businesses that are not following guidance regarding wearing a mask are what are to be reported. Stores have the right, as defined in our Worker Safety Order, to refuse service to anyone not wearing a mask."
States differ on mask policies right now, but businesses largely have the right to refuse service under U.S. law, as long as it isn’t on discriminatory grounds, which includes turning people away based on their race, religion, sex or national origin.
We rate this False.
Facebook post, April 28, 2020
Health.pa.gov, Contact Us, Accessed May 21, 2020
Pennsylvania work safety order, Accessed May 21, 2020
AFP Fact Check, Posts falsely claim Pennsylvania stores that refuse to serve maskless customers should be reported, May 20, 2020
Email interview, Nate Wardle, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, May 21, 2020
Read About Our Process
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.


text:
For a long time, cannabis use and distribution have been thought to negatively impact communities; from decreasing property values to increasing overall crime levels. Due to this misconception, cannabis still faces legal roadblocks in rural and suburban communities.
As of May 2019, 75% of jurisdictions in the state of California have banned cannabis stores. That is the highest percentage of cannabis bans of any state that has legalized cannabis in the US. However, according to a new literature review published by Leafly, this isn’t the case.
Dispensaries Don’t Hurt Communities. They Improve Them.
Recent studies have shown that there is no increase in crime related to the opening of a new dispensary. On the contrary, those same studies have suggested that crime actually stays flat or decreases.
Separate studies, from Washington and Colorado, indicated exactly that. The study published in the journal Police Quarterly has shown that police clearance rates actually increased following legalization. Clearance rates are a figure that represents the number of crimes that resulted in an arrest divided by the total number of reported crimes.
How Do Dispensaries Affect Teen Cannabis Use?
As indicated in dozens of studies and health surveys, cannabis dispensaries have been shown to have no negative impact on teenage marijuana use.
In California, teenage cannabis use has actually been on a decline with more dispensaries that have opened. One study from California shows that from 2013 to 2017, during legalization, cannabis use dropped by 47% amongst 7th-grade students.
Cannabis Dispensaries Increase Property Values
Published in the journal Economic Inquiry, a 2016 study concluded that allowing cannabis dispensaries added 6% to city home prices, compared to cities that had bans on dispensaries. In a more recent study conducted by Clever, home values increased nearly $23,000 more between 2014 and 2019 in cities that allow cannabis dispensaries, compared with cities where recreational marijuana was not yet legalized and dispensaries were banned.
These studies indicate one thing; the idea that dispensaries and cannabis have a negative impact on communities is untrue. It becomes more and more important to stay up on the latest studies, in order to drive the conversation of cannabis forward.


text:
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed an announcement to remove cannabis and hemp from its drugs list on Tuesday and the change will take effect 120 days after being published in the Royal Gazette.
Mr Anutin said the Narcotics Control Board endorsed the Public Health Ministry’s draft announcement on the list of Category 5 narcotics and the Food and Drug Administration received an approval letter from the Justice Ministry for it to finalize the announcement.
He said the announcement will then be published in the Royal Gazette and will take effect 120 days afterwards.
The move paves the way for households to grow the plant, which will be allowed after they notify the authority.
Under the new announcement, Category 5 narcotics will consist of poppy, magic mushroom and extract from all parts of cannabis or hemp with the tetrahydrocannabinol content of over 0.2% by weight. (TNA)


text:
A refreshing burst of confidence is sweeping over many consumers in the state, according to Bureau of Economic Business Research at the University of Florida data released this week.
Consumer sentiment saw a notable uptick in September, reversing bleak outlooks recorded during the summer. Florida’s consumer sentiment jumped 6.3 points in the past month to 85.1, up from 78.8 in August.
While consumer sentiment is finally on the rise, it’s still off from figures recorded before the coronavirus pandemic hit in March.
“September’s reading shows the largest increase in consumer sentiment since it bottomed out in April. Nonetheless, the index has only recovered to about half of the levels observed before the economic downturn due to the pandemic,” said Hector Sandoval, director of the UF business research program.
The September figures finally put a stop to sliding consumer confidence expressed over the summer as the COVID-19 outbreak raged in Florida. In August alone, the consumer sentiment in the state dropped 2.1 points from July to 78.4. July also saw a slide in consumer confidence.
Consumers considering large ticket purchases such as homes, vehicles and household appliances surged in September. Floridians said they are more likely to make those purchases now, coming in at 80.2, up from 71.8 in August.
Floridians also said they expect their financial situation to improve a year from now. Personal finance confidence was 95.7 in September, up 5.2 points from August.
Sandoval said there are key Florida industries that are still holding the state back from a full economic recovery and that may take many more months. But Gov. Ron DeSantis’s decision to lift coronavirus restrictions on bars, restaurants and other businesses will likely provide an upbeat business environment.
“With most of the tourism industry still far from pre-pandemic levels, economic activity in Florida is expected to increase in the short-term as the state moves into Phase 3 of reopening, lifting all restrictions on restaurants and businesses. Although it is not uncommon to see an impact on consumer sentiment from the presidential election, looking ahead we expect consumer confidence to continue increasing as restrictions on businesses are lifted,” Sandoval said.
The UF business bureau randomly interviewed 382 Floridians in email and on cellular phones between Sept. 1 – 24 to compile its data on consumer sentiment.


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Shares of RadioShack Corp. sank on the heels of disappointing earnings Tuesday while J.C. Penney Co. rose after Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services raised the outlook on its credit rating.
RadioShack US:RSH tumbled 17% to $2.25 after the struggling electronics retailer fell well short of Wall Street expectations for earnings and said it would close about a fifth of its stores, raising fears that it may not survive. The company said lower store traffic, intense discounting, and operational issues were responsible for the drop, but that the company’s turnaround is still moving forward.
J.C. Penney US:JCP shares climbed 4.2%. Standard & Poor’s late Monday hiked its outlook on the retailer’s rating to stable from negative. “The outlook revision reflects our view that performance has begun to stabilize and we forecast further modest gains over the next year,” said S&P credit analyst David Kuntz.
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.
Shares of E-Trade Financial Corp. US:ETFC advanced 5.4% after Chief Financial Officer Matthew Audette spoke at an investors conference earlier Tuesday.
Delta Air Lines Inc.
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.
Symantec Corp. US:SYMC shares lost 1.8%. The software company on Monday said it appointed Thomas Seifert as chief financial officer, effective March 17.
Tickers to Watch
TSLA: Tesla Motors Inc.
AAPL: Apple Inc.
LO: Lorillard Inc. US:LO rose 3.1% in the wake of a Financial Times report that Reynolds American Inc. US:RAI, maker of Camel brand cigarettes, is exploring a possible buyout of Lorillard in a deal that could value Lorillard at more than $20 billion. Shares of Reynolds were up 5.7%.
More on MarketWatch:


text:
• The Label Red version of the BMW XM has been announced with 738 hp.
• The model goes into production in the fall of 2023 for a launch here in 2024.
• The XM is the first model produced specifically by the M performance division since the M1 in 1978.
First introduced a few weeks ago, the BMW XM is the first M-only vehicle produced by the performance division since the famed M1 in 1978. It is not, thus, a regular BMW model that gets the M treatment.
The XM also becomes the most powerful vehicle in the lineup with its 644 hp. But now the company is going a step further with the Label Red variant, announced last month and previewed today. This variant has an output of 738 hp.
The company gave a glimpse of this singular SUV by posting an official image and several preliminary specifications on social media. Intriguingly, BMW's Instagram post claims 750 hp, but you can see 550 kW in parentheses, a figure that translates to 738 hp. Whichever figure is correct, drivers are unlikely to notice the difference when driving.
That horsepower will come from a plug-in hybrid powertrain that should provide around 50 km of range (we're talking 55 miles or just over 80 km on the European WLTP cycle). The plug-in hybrid system in the regular XM model takes the form of a twin-turbocharged 4.4L V8, which provides the ‘base’ 644 hp. An electric motor is integrated into the transmission and connected to a 25.7-kWh lithium-ion battery.
Aesthetically, red accents mark the exterior of the model; subtlety is not the point here. Those accents encircle the front end’s nostrils, but they’re also on the rims and around the windows. A red logo is also placed on the grille and we can be sure there will be red accents inside.
Assembly of the model gets underway in the fall of 2023, which means we can expect the variant to show up in dealerships in 2024. We'll have the opportunity to come back with more details on the exact timing. The same goes for Canadian pricing. With the anticipated pricing in the U.S. believed to be over $180,000, we can expect a bill of over $200,000 CAD here.


text:
Employers feared that they could be looking at paying a massive sum in backdated pay.
Commenting ahead of the Employment Appeals Tribunals decision, director general of the Institute of Directors Simon Walker, said: The holiday pay timebomb could have a detrimental impact on businesses up and down the country. It is not an exaggeration to say that some small businesses could end up being wiped out if employers who have acted compliantly and in good faith face underpayment claims backdated as far as 1998.
Not only do businesses face a huge spike in operating costs, but employees would also be encouraged to book holidays following bonuses or good overtime periods as it would enhance their pay. This would be an administrative nightmare on a number of fronts.
Long after it was agreed, the EU Working Time Directive continues to pose a significant headache for businesses. New employment law is effectively being created at a stroke with each successive ruling from the European Court of Justice interpreting and re-interpreting its contents. Social and employment policy has quietly slipped off the Prime Ministers renegotiation agenda, and it is clear from these events that it needs to be put back on the priority list.
The Federation of Small Businesses national chairman John Allan said: “It seems extremely unfair that businesses who have tried to do the right thing – getting the best legal advice at the time – could be hit with a bill which no one knew was coming.”
Today the Employment Appeals Tribunal has confirmed that UK businesses should factor in overtime when calculating holiday pay, as well as basic salary. However, workers will not be able to backdate their claims back to 1998 as previously feared.
The financial implications for UK businesses are significant, particularly for the construction, retail and hospitality/leisure sectors, where paid overtime and shift allowances are common.
Alex Mizzi, an associate in the employment department at Howard Kennedy LLP, said: Businesses will now need to base holiday pay on an average of actual earnings, rather than on basic salary as currently permitted under UK law. This decision imposes major additional costs on UK businesses and a significant administrative burden.
Todays decision follows a line of CJEU cases indicating that holiday pay must be at a similar level to normal pay and must include all elements of the workers pay which are intrinsically linked to their duties, so that workers arent discouraged from taking holiday.


text:
Firms required to divest plants to maintain competition
The European commission has approved a large-scale joint venture between the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) businesses of speciality chemicals manufacturers Solvay and Ineos. The approval is conditional on the companies selling off various plants to maintain competition in the European market.
The companies first set out their plan to join forces in May 2013. Since then, they have been negotiating with the commission to satisfy the regulator that the resulting ‘world-class PVC producer’ would not have excessive control over the local supplies of PVC and associated products like sodium hypochlorite bleach. The companies say that the combination will enable them to compete better globally and be more sustainable.
To fulfil the commission’s competition requirements, Ineos will have to sell off plants in Tessenderlo, Belgium; Mazingarbe, France; Beek, the Netherlands; Wilhelmshaven, Germany; and Runcorn, UK. These plants variously produce PVC resin and related products including chlorine, ethylene dichloride (EDC) and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). Whoever buys these plants will effectively get a fully integrated PVC business, but will also need to enter a further joint venture with Ineos–Solvay to produce chlorine at the Runcorn site.


text:
Etraveli, the global flight-centric and data-driven online travel platform, today announced that it will join forces with e-Travel. The newly-combined company will help achieve Etraveli's goal of becoming Europe's leading online travel company evolving around flights. Etraveli was acquired by CVC Capital Partners' Fund VI in August 2017.
Both Etraveli and e-Travel have seen rapid growth and expansion to a variety of markets in recent years. Their geographical footprints have little overlap and make this transaction highly complementary.
Etraveli, based in Uppsala, Sweden, is a global e-commerce platform for flight tickets combining a leading position in the Nordics with a fast-growing international business. Etraveli conducts a majority of its business in Western Europe and the Nordics. e-Travel, based in Athens, Greece, has a similar set-up, but a more robust position in Eastern Europe and a growing presence in the Middle East and Asia Pacific region.
The combined company is expected to have a pro-forma TTV of c.€3bn by year-end 2017.
Mathias Hedlund, CEO of Etraveli, said: "Our focus will be on even more growth and expansion. I am delighted that we have found a like-minded partner in e-Travel that shares our vision and has complementary strengths that will help take our business to the next level." Mathias Hedlund also will become the CEO of the new joint entity.
Nikos Goulis, CEO of e-Travel, said: "At e-Travel, we feel that together with Etraveli we are now perfectly positioned to become Europe's leading flight-centric e commerce platform, which has always been our goal." Nikos Goulis will continue in his role.
Lorne Somerville, Partner and Head of TMT at CVC, commented: "We are delighted to support Etraveli in its ambition to grow to become a leading international e-commerce platform with a wide geographic footprint and strong data-driven business model. We welcome e-Travel into the CVC family."
The transaction signed and closed today.


text:
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Less than a week after CBS13 called out Starbucks for drawing its bottled water supply from drought-stricken California, the company has announced it will move production elsewhere
A bottle of Ethos water didn't need to make a long trip to get to a Midtown Sacramento Starbucks. After all, it was pumped out of Placer County and bottled in Merced.
Water activists decried the company for bottling water during the fourth year of the state's historic drought while residents nearby are being asked to slash water use by as much as 36 percent.
The company says it will move production to its supplier in Pennsylvania over the next sixth months and continue to look for alternative sources and suppliers for its West Coast distribution.
for more features.


text:
Elon Musk has hinted at a Canadian factory twice now
Talks with the province of Quebec are apparently underway
Mexico is still a possibility for this new plant
Tesla has opened multiple Gigafactories around the world in the last few years and it is apparently considering adding another one, possibly in Canada.
During the automaker’s shareholder meeting yesterday, Elon Musk hinted at the possibility of a Canadian Gigafactory for the second time this summer.
Indeed, the CEO reportedly answered an employee’s question about future factory sites by saying that the next Gigafactory will likely be built in Canada or Mexico.
Yesterday, Musk seemed to favour Canada after the crowd shouted a number of possible locations for the upcoming plant.
In addition, the company is apparently in talks with the Quebec government over a potential deal that could see the provincial government invest a multi-billion sum into the production of batteries for electric vehicles.
The province is trying to attract companies that make electric vehicles by promoting its renewable energy, which could help automakers achieve their carbon neutrality goals by lowering manufacturing emissions.
If Quebec is chosen to be the site of the next Tesla Gigafactory, it would mark the first time a production vehicle is made in the province since General Motors closed its Ste-Therese factory back in 2002.
No date has been announced for the construction of this future manufacturing facility, but Musk said that the current priority for Tesla in North America is to ramp up the production of the Texas Gigafactory, which opened in April of this year.
Nevertheless, the CEO said that an announcement concerning the possible Canadian factory would be made later this year.


text:
The digital euro plus cash is one step closer. The European Central Bank decided on Wednesday to give the green light to the project preparation phase.
Two years later, the research phase for the digital euro was completed. The ECB said in a press release that the preparation phase should now pave the way for a potential digital euro in the future. Concretely, Frankfurt will finalize the rulebook and select service providers to develop the platform and infrastructure. The preparation phase begins on November 1 and lasts for two years. After completing this stage, the European Central Bank must decide to take the next step towards digital currency.
“We must prepare our currency for the future,” ECB President Christine Lagarde said in the press release. “We see the digital euro as a digital form of money that can be used for free for all digital payments and meets the highest privacy standards. The digital euro will coexist with cash, which will always remain available, so that no one is left behind.
At the end of June, the European Commission opened the door to digital currency. The EU Executive Council then proposed a legal framework that would allow its introduction. At the same time, the authority has prepared a draft law to ensure the status of coins and banknotes as legal tender.
Banks can obtain a digital euro from the European Central Bank. The consumer can have the digital currency available in a digital wallet or Wallet, and can, for example, make quick payments around the clock via their smartphone, even if there is no internet connection. In a report published on Wednesday, the European Central Bank spoke of a digital euro that “will be widely available to citizens and businesses through supervised intermediaries, such as banks.”
The effective introduction of the single digital currency may take another 4 to 5 years, according to estimates by German Bundesbank Board Member Burkhard Balz. Just like coins and banknotes, the digital euro will be issued and backed by the European Central Bank, which should ensure stability and security.
A digital euro should provide a counterweight to private digital payment system providers, especially from the United States. “As people increasingly pay digitally, we must be prepared to be able to spend a digital euro, in addition to cash,” Fabio Panetta, a member of the ECB’s Executive Board and head of the Digital Euro Task Force, said in the press release. “A digital euro would increase the efficiency of European payments and contribute to Europe’s strategic independence.”
The digital euro should be equivalent to euro notes and coins, issued directly by the European Central Bank. The only difference with payment is that the money is not “tangible”. The difference between electronic payments using a bank card is as follows: These payments are made using so-called “own funds” created by the commercial bank. For example, your bank account balance is private money.
The digital euro should be free for basic use. “People who do not have a bank account or digital devices should also be able to pay with digital euros, for example using a physical card from a public institution such as a post office. Users will also be able to exchange their digital currencies for euros for cash at ATMs,” the ECB explains. Automated, or vice versa.
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss a thing from the stars.
“Coffee buff. Twitter fanatic. Tv practitioner. Social media advocate. Pop culture ninja.”


text:
For the uninitiated, Honor is a sub-brand of Huawei, who has made phones such as the Huawei P10 lineup, and more famously, the Nexus 6P. The Honor 8 was launched in the US to some fanfare as it marked the first time an Honor device was readily available in the States.
However, Honor and Huawei are gearing up to launch the Honor 8’s successor, the Honor 9. There have been some rumors regarding the device in the last few weeks, but we were still left in the dark as to when the device would actually be unveiled.
Thanks to @rquandt, a new press invitation has been leaked, revealing that the Honor 9 could be unveiled on June 27th. This contradicts other reports that Honor would be taking the stage on June 20th or 21st, so we aren’t exactly sure what the deal is here. But those previous rumors were merely hearsay and didn’t give us a look at the actual invitation.
As for what the Honor 9 is set to have in-tow, we are looking at a 5.2-inch Full HD display, while being powered by Huawei’s own Kirin 960 SoC. The device is also rumored to include either 4GB or 6GB of RAM, but we would hedge our bets on the former.
Finally, it seems that the Honor 9 is going to embrace the dual rear camera setup. These rumors claim the sensors will be coming in at 20MP for the main shooter, and a secondary 12MP camera.
Of course, there’s still a fair amount of time left between now and the rumored event, so we’ll likely learn more about the device in the coming weeks.


text:
EU to Enhance Cybersecurity Safeguards for Industry with New Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)
The EU: Delivering stronger cybersecurity measures
We all know that the threats facing society from cybersecurity breaches are very real. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has found that cybersecurity is one of the top ten risks for global businesses at this time and the EU is taking the threat of cybersecurity very seriously. The EU Cybersecurity Act 2019 introduced a new European cybersecurity certification framework, ensuring that all member states of the EU set up dedicated cybersecurity centres. NIS2 – the EU Network and Information Security Directive, which has just been agreed by EU institutions, introduces new processes to assess supply chain risk in Europe.
In her state of the union address in Strasbourg on September 15 2021, the President of the European Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen announced that a new Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) would be introduced in 2022. In line with this political commitment, it is now widely expected that the European Commission will announce the provisions of this new Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) in Q4 2022. This follows the public consultation on the CRA that was put in place by the European Commission and that concluded on May 25, 2022. Many stakeholders from the cybersecurity domain, including Huawei, replied to this EU important public consultation.
Key likely elements of the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)
The core objective of the CRA is to introduce common cybersecurity safeguards for digital products that will be sold across the 27 member states of the EU. The strong likelihood is that both hardware and software digital products will fall under the provisions of the CRA. It is anticipated that both wired and wireless tangible digital products will also be under the scope of CRA. In a practical sense, this means that DSL routers, connected IP cameras, and smartphones are examples of products that will fall under the terms of the CRA.
A lot of discussion about the CRA will relate to what levels of embedded software, non-embedded software, and related ancillary services will be part of the CRA. In-vehicle computers are by nature embedded software and phone apps and phone editing software are examples of non-embedded software. In essence, the CRA imposes obligations on manufacturers and not on consumers. The European Commission may include vulnerability disclosure requirements within the CRA in line with similar clauses as set out in the NIS2 directive.
Over the course of the next 18 months, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the EU Council (representing the 27 member states of the EU) will tease out the exact finite details as to what specific products will be covered by the CRA. For example, ancillary cloud services could fall under the provisions of the CRA. It is anticipated that passive components such as adapters, open source hardware and software that are not linked to commercial applications will be exempt from CRA applicability.
The CRA will make supply chains more resilient and it will improve cybersecurity for companies and for consumers alike. EU legislation to date has primarily focused on the safety related aspects of products and has only addressed cybersecurity issues in a peripheral way. The CRA will redress this imbalance within the overall EU cybersecurity legislative framework.
Future key challenges for the CRA
Companies want business certainty. It is very important that the provisions of the CRA do not overlap with existing EU legislation such as the Cybersecurity Act or the Radio Equipment Directive (RED). The CRA must be implemented within the 27 member states of the EU in a transparent, unified, and non–discriminatory manner and in co-operation with leading international standards organisations. This will give businesses in Europe the certainty that they require in ensuring that they have a clear and explicit understanding in how the CRA will be rolled out in a practical sense within the EU. Such a unified approach will ensure that the integrity of the EU internal market will be upheld and protected at all times too. The EU internal market is committed to the free circulation of products within the 27 member states of the European Union.
Moreover, companies need to know the exact technical specifications that will have to be complied with so as to ensure adherence with CRA conformity requirements. In other words, what does a company have to do to secure an EU badge of approval that states that particular products comply to the highest standards of cybersecurity? For high risk products, third-party conformity assessment will be required, or even a certification from national authorities will need to be secured. This is a complex matter for the simple reason that products can change during their respective lifecycle, thus complicating liability and user responsibility issues. There will be cybersecurity requirements under the CRA both before and after market placement.
Digital transformation is a driver of innovation. Regulatory and policy frameworks must ensure that the most innovative products and services are capable of reaching the marketplace. The final agreed texts of the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) must guarantee that processes to deliver innovation for society are not negatively impacted. It is expected that final agreement concerning the provisions of the CRA will be concluded by the European Parliament, the EU Council and by the European Commission circa Q4 2023 / Q1 2024. The 27 member states of the EU will then have a further 18-24 months to transpose the CRA into respective national legislation.
- How You Can Safeguard Your Data Against Ransomware [article]
- OceanProtect Data Protection [product & info webpage]
Disclaimer: Any views and/or opinions expressed in this post by individual authors or contributors are their personal views and/or opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views and/or opinions of Huawei Technologies.


text:
In early February, volatility returned to the stock market. Investor concern over rising interest rates and the fear of inflation were to blame for an approximate 10% peak to trough market correction. In early March, President Trump introduced a new set of trade tariffs; steel imports will be hit with a 25% tariff and aluminum imports with a 10% tariff. The tariffs will begin March 23rd and this has triggered another round of investor concerns.
Not only are investors concerned, but politicians (both Democrat and Republican), US trading partners internationally, and economists are raising concerns regarding:
- This is a protectionist shift from the administration
- The tariffs could spur retaliation (trade war) from our foreign trading partners
- That tariffs will be a detriment to US economic growth
- Consumers will face increased prices due to higher cost steel and aluminum
- Rising costs for businesses that rely on the metals to manufacture their products
Traditionally, tariffs have not been positive for economic growth. They are a tax on imports designed to boost US production of goods. The idea is to push up the price of foreign goods to make the US-made option more attractively priced. In this case, the President is attempting to get companies to use more US produced steel and aluminum.
For many industries the cost to produce their goods will increase due to the tariff. Examples are beer, auto, home builders, oil and gas drillers and packaged food companies who all use steel and aluminum in the manufacturing process. These companies will either be forced to absorb the costs or pass the costs on to consumers. Either way, it’s a negative for corporate profit margins and/or an additional sales tax from increased prices for consumers.
Additional harm could result if US tariffs sets off a global trade war as tariffed countries retaliate by imposing tariffs of goods the US exports to their country. At the least, this is likely to escalate trade tensions with our global trading partners. Below is a chart of the largest importers of steel to the US:
Mitigating this is the fact that the amount of steel produced in the US is far greater than the amount we import. See chart below:
Currently the tariffs are only on steel and aluminum. And the administration is already creating exemptions for Canada and Mexico from the tariffs, while other countries who are allies to the US can file for exemption. Many of the final details remain unknown, but if this is the extent of the tariffs, the impact on the economy and the stock market should be minimal. As further details on the US tariffs and retaliatory tariffs put on US goods emerge we need to closely analyze their effects.
Regardless of the extent of the current tariffs, any policy that detracts from free global trade is not going to be received well from investors. Wall Street will always be concerned about government policies that have the potential to raise costs for corporations, increase prices for consumers and slow the economy.
To expand on these Market Reflections or to discuss any of our investment portfolios, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 775-674-2222.


text:
Target and Walgreens recently stepped up security efforts in several California cities in the midst of a wave of theft and crime, and, according to the companies, they will be closing earlier.
A spokesperson for Target confirmed that stores in San Francisco are now closing early and are moving hours from 7 or 8 a.m.–10 p.m. to 9 a.m.–6 p.m. A financial district store will close as early as 5 p.m. on Saturday, according to the company’s website.
The reason why, according to a spokesperson for the corporation, is because of an increase in shoplifting.
“For more than a month, we’ve been experiencing a significant and alarming rise in theft and security incidents at our San Francisco stores, similar to reports from other retailers in the area,” the spokesperson told KPIX-TV over the weekend. “Target is engaging local law enforcement, elected officials, and community partners to address our concerns.”
The spokesperson then said that “with the safety of our guests, team members and communities as our top priority, we’ve temporarily reduced our operating hours in six San Francisco stores.”
Other than San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento have also been hit hard by organized retail crime in recent months, says the California Retailer’s Association. Due to the increase in thefts, a number of stores have been forced to close early or are permanently shutting down.
Walgreens, has already closed several San Francisco stores or reduced hours due to thefts. Managers in some locations have told security guards not to physically engage with individuals who are shoplifting.
“I don’t have any intention of getting stabbed for $60 worth of stuff,” security guard Kevin Greathouse told KGO-TV. “It’s going to be lawsuits, obviously they don’t want ourselves or anybody else to get injured while we’re out here attempting to make these apprehensions and leave it to law enforcement.”
Target’s decision to reduce hours doesn’t come as a surprise, said Rachel Michelin, president of the California Retailers Association, “because we’ve seen other retailers close in San Francisco.”
“I’m actually proud of the fact that they are trying to hold on and keep the stores open,” she added. “There comes a point—with what we have shared with the elected leaders of the city—where these types of decisions have to be made,” said Michelin. “The bottom line is when these employees don’t feel safe coming to work. That’s when they have to take these drastic measures.”
San Francisco is No. 5 in the nation for retail theft, while Los Angeles is No. 1, according to the Retailers Association.
Some police groups have blamed local district attorneys for enabling criminal behavior because of lax bail reform laws.
San Francisco Police Officers Association head Tony Montoya last month criticized District Attorney Chesa Boudin for enabling “criminals-first” policies. Others, including Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon, have faced similar pushback.
“Chesa Boudin has made it clear that you’re more likely to get a stern talking-to than a cell when it comes to most crimes committed in our city and the criminals know it, are taking advantage of it, and we’re all suffering because of it,” Montoya said in a statement.
The Epoch Times has contacted both Walgreens and Target for comment.


text:
The analyst firm IDC is predicting that foldable phone shipments will more than quadruple to 41.5 million in 2026 from the 8.1 million that shipped in 2021. It said falling prices and business use cases will drive the adoption of these devices and that they could start replacing both typical phones and tablets due to their size. Between 2022 and 2026, IDC expects to see foldable’s compound annual growth rate reach 38.7%.
Commenting on the findings, IDC’s Anthony Scarsella said:
“The recent launch of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Fold 4 will once again shine a spotlight on the entire category as Samsung continues to be the gold standard for foldable devices in the market. The new launches from Samsung have brought incremental but critical improvements over their predecessors. The success of these devices should be a strong indicator of how foldables will evolve and capture consumers moving forward. While the price remains a pain point for consumers, the $999 starting price may be accepted by consumers given that most consumer goods have seen price increases due to inflation in 2022.”
While foldables will get quite a bit more popular over the coming years, IDC does not expect them to become mainstream in that time. Figures put out by the company that take into account foldables and other smartphones show that even in 2026, foldables will only make up 2.8% of the devices shipped in that year.
If these figures do end up accurately representing the situation in four years, it will mean that the foldable category has remained a niche, premium segment. It'll be interesting to see if any manufacturers do have a go at lowering the price down to more affordable levels, though.


text:
Nine time Formula One Grand Prix winner Mark Webber is soon to launch a brand within the cycle clothing arena.
A rider himself, Webber often keeps in shape by heading out on bikes and boasts a large wardrobe of performance apparel. This, it seems, has spurred him to create his own, with a contract signed with Lithuanian manufacturer LTP earlier this summer. The clothing is to be produced in the Ho Chi Minh City factory.
Set to be dubbed Aussie Grit, the clothing brand will benefit from the star’s extensive social media reach and be pushed out to specialist independent retailers, for which the label is already signing stores.
Details are as yet slim on the ground as to what garments will roll off the production line, but the release date has been set for 2017 indicating we’ll soon know more.
To stay up to date the brand is now found on Twitter here.


text:
Hooters Offers a Free Meal to Veterans on Veterans Day
Hooters will serve up free meals on Veterans Day.
What’s the first thing you think of when you think of Hooters? Wings? Michael Scott’s inability to stop laughing in one? There’s a case to be made that part of the association could be that it regularly offers free wings to people who serve the community.
Following a freebie for first responders on First Responders Day, the chain is bringing back a promo that offers some food to military veterans. This year, they’re offering a free entrée when veterans purchase a beverage.
On Veterans Day, November 11, any veteran who can show proof of service and buys a beverage of some kind will get a free entrée. Though it is only available for dine-in purchases, the Veterans Day Menu offers quite a few options for veterans looking to grab a free meal as a thank you.
The menu includes the Buffalo Chicken Salad, Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Hooters Burger, and a ten-piece order of Boneless Wings. Hooters is far from the only restaurant offering something special to veterans in honor of Veterans Day, but it is one of the few offering a full meal as a perk for buying a little something.
Want more food deals?
Here's our huuuuuuuge running list of all the free food you can get right now, as well as the best pizza deals, reward programs, birthday freebies, gift card offers, food delivery offers, alcohol delivery deals, and perks for getting your vaccination against COVID-19. If you want a little more than, say a free taco, we also have you covered with a long list of meals you can get at fast food chains under $5. You're welcome.


text:
Trimble’s Q1 2023 results show growth in subscription-based revenue
09 May 2023
Trimble has announced total revenue of US$915 million for the first quarter of 2023, a decrease of 8% from the same quarter last year, although sales for subscription-based services was up.
For the first quarter of the year sales for subscription and services was US$481 million, up from US$426 million from the previous quarter. Sales for products was down from US$566 million to US$434 million.
Regarding different product segments, building and infrastructure had sales of US$399 million, geospatial US$152 million, resources and utilities of US$208 million while the revenue for transportation was US$154 million.
“Record annualized recurring revenue of $1.65 billion and record gross margin of 64.2 percent in the first quarter demonstrates the quality of our Connect and Scale strategy,” said Rob Painter, Trimble’s president and chief executive officer. “Our first quarter total revenue and profitability exceeded expectations that we communicated to shareholders in February. We are updating 2023 guidance to reflect the Transporeon acquisition, which closed on April 3, 2023.”
For the full-year 2023, Trimble now expects to report revenue between US$3.83 billion-US$3.93 billion.


text:
Nearly a Third of Brits Say They Feel Unsafe Online
The survey of 2000 UK citizens revealed a range of factors that have caused this sentiment. One of these is rising scam attempts, with over two-fifths (42%) of those surveyed experiencing a package delivery scam during the past three months. The next most common type of scam is those relating to tax rebates (25%) followed by TV licenses (19%).
Veriff also found that 13% of Brits have received a COVID-19 vaccine scam during this period, further highlighting how fraudsters have leveraged the circumstances of the pandemic to target people in the past 18 months.
The potential impact of ‘digital trails’ being left on the internet was also a significant concern for people. Almost half (48%) of millennials expressed fears that old posts online will come back to haunt them, while more than two-thirds (37%) of all those surveyed said they regretted sharing personal details online.
Additionally, more than half (52%) of Brits were worried that their images may be used online without their permission. More than two-thirds (68%) agreed that social media companies should require users to show ID when signing up to their site in order to help combat issues like identity fraud and online abuse.
Surprisingly, Generation Z (16-24-year-olds) were more likely to feel unsafe online than any other age group (41%). This compared to just 18% of those aged 55 and older feeling unsafe.
In terms of internet usage, people who spend more than 30 hours online per week were least likely to feel unsafe online (21%). In contrast, almost half (48%) of people who spend just one or two hours online per week were most likely to feel safe online.
Janer Gorohhov, co-founder and CPO at Veriff, commented: “Cyber-criminals are continuously thinking of new ways to commit fraud, with the pandemic sadly providing them with more opportunities than ever — from COVID-19 vaccination scams to fake delivery texts — which is why we wanted to uncover how the nation really feels online and how the future of identity verification can help people feel safer.
“With the common misconception being that the older generation is most susceptible to online fraud, we were interested to find that the younger generations were the most likely to feel unsafe online. With the internet playing such a vital role in the lives of many young Brits, unfortunately, their hours spent online does not make them any less of a target of online fraud, if anything, it heightens the risk.”


text:
All publications by tag «Nintendo»
Nintendo’s decision to close 3DS and Wii U stores causes debate about video game preservation
Nintendo has announced that both 3DS and Wii U eShops will be permanently closed in March 2023. Although players won’t be able to buy and own digital copies of old games anymore, the company apparently is not interested in preserving its classic titles.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus already sold over 6.5 million copies. But could it look at least a little less hideous?
With more than 6.5 million copies sold in the first week, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is another blockbuster in the world-famous franchise. Despite the huge success, a lot of users have issues with the game’s visuals. So is there anything that could have been done to make it look if not stunning but at least decent?
Metroid Dread to become highest-selling game in series, but it’s still nothing compared to other Nintendo blockbusters
Nintendo has disclosed new data on the sales of its games. While Mario Kart 8 and Animal Crossing continue to generate huge numbers as expected, Metroid Dread is on the way to becoming the biggest-selling title of the whole franchise.
Doug Bowser claims Activision Blizzard internal issues run counter to Nintendo’s values
Activision Blizzard has faced criticism from another platform holder. Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser called the latest news in the harassment scandal distressing and claimed that Nintendo has already taken action.
Nintendo directors get total payout of $6.9 million, which is still modest compared to Western executives
Nintendo had a successful financial year, thanks to strong performance of Nintendo Switch and games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Of course, the company’s three directors got huge bonuses, which are still quite small compared to the ones received by Western top managers.
Rare copy of Super Mario 64 sold for $1.5 million, breaking record set just 2 days ago by The Legend of Zelda
Owning a nice sealed cartridge of one of Nintendo’s iconic games might be a good investment. Rare copies of Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda have been sold for record-breaking sums in the span of just two days.
New Nintendo Switch coming in October — with OLED screen but no 4K support
While some fans have been waiting for a new Nintendo Switch to support 4K content, the console’s new version is pretty much the same in terms of technologies being used. The biggest difference, however, is the larger and brighter OLED screen.


text:
Noon, a low-cost eCommerce platform founded in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, has quietly launched Kul.com. Kul.com is a low-cost eCommerce platform that offers a variety of features, including discounts and sales. It is currently available in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and Noon intends to expand its reach to other countries in the future. Kul.com is an interesting platform that could be useful for small businesses and shoppers who want to save money on their purchases.
What is KUL.com?
Small Price. Big Value! Discover amazing products every day, and enjoy Daily Deals Fast Delivery Easy Returns.


text:
HMD Global, the licensee of Nokia smartphones recently rolled out the Android 9.0 Pie update for the Nokia 7 Plus and now, it has started rolling out the stable version of Android 9 Pie to Nokia 6.1. The Nokia 6.1 becomes the second smartphone from the company to receive the latest Android update and we can also expect the Nokia 6.1 Plus to get the stable update in the coming days.
Earlier this month, HMD Global had announced that the Nokia 6.1 and Nokia 6.1 Plus would receive the stable Android 9 Pie update and the Nokia 8 and Nokia 8 Sirocco would receive the update sometime next month. Notably, the company is yet to announce the date of the rollout of the latest update for the above-mentioned smartphones. Since all these devices are based on Google’s Android One programme, we can expect them to receive the update very soon.
The Android 9.0 Pie update to Nokia 6.1 brings a host of new features like Adaptive Battery, Slices, redesigned system navigation gestures and much more. Alongside these features, Nokia 6.1 users also get exclusive access to app actions that offer predictions and display the next expected actions on the UI.
To recall the specifications, the Nokia 6.1 features a 5.5-inch full HD+ IPS display with a resolution of 1080 X 1920 pixels and 16:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 SoC coupled with 3GB/4GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of inbuilt storage space. The internal storage is further upgradable with the help of a micro-SD card up to a maximum of 128GB.
On the imaging front, the Nokia 6.1 sports a single 16-megapixel sensor on the rear panel accompanied by an LED flash. On the front, it features an 8-megapixel fixed focus camera for taking selfies.
The smartphone was launched with a stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box back in April this year and it has now received the Android 9.0 Pie flavor.


text:
US automobile giant General Motors on Tuesday said that Maharashtra government is blocking its orderly exit from India. GM exited the Indian market in 2017 but continued to manufacture vehicles in its Talegaon plant for the export market. On 24th December 2020, the plant produced its last vehicle. Maharashtra government rejected the closure application of General Motors India that blocks the manufacturer’s exit from India.
According to a report on ET, the company said that the move sends a “concerning message” to the potential future investors in India. The US-based multi-national automobile company said that the Maharashtra government’s decision amounts to a requirement that the GM either produces vehicles for which there are no customer orders or pay the company workers indefinitely for not doing any work. GM Spokesperson George Svigos said that they will seek reversal of the order as soon as possible.
Svigos said to a question from ET,
Also read: All-new 2021 Mahindra XUV500: What it”ll look like
“We do not understand how the state can require any company to remain in operation when there is no work to be done, especially given that GM has a strong and credible track record of labour relations in India and is committed to offering a more than fair separation package to the workforce,”
General Motors is currently working and negotiating with its workforce at Talegoan to accept its severance terms. Great Wall Motor of China is likely to take over the plant in the future but there is no assurance that the workers will get employment by the new company taking control of the plant.
The Employee Union of General Motors had filed a petition with Bombay High Court question the move of General Motors to close down the Talegon Plant. The plea was bolstered by the Maharashtra industry minister Dilip Walse-Patil earlier in the week rejected the company’s closure application.
GM Signed a short team sheet for sale in January 2020, the union said in its plea that the company has forced and coerced its employees to opt for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme or VRS, which according to the union was not fair and equitable. The union is demanding that the workforce of over 1,550 employees that were affected by the closure of the GM plant to be offered equivalent jobs at Great Wall Motors, which is a prospective owner. However, the transfer of the workforce is not a part of the sale agreement. The work on the completion of the sale of the plant is pending FDI approval said GM India. The term sheet for sale expires in the middle of 2021.
The US-based manufacturer has also ruled out any investment in the future in the Indian market. Once the wind-down work is completed, the site will be dormant and not able to give sustainable work to anyone.
Great Wall Motors: The road ahead
FDI approval is likely to come by the end of February 2021. The investments by the Great Wall is likely to happen after that. The relation between India and China is not at its greatest and best stage at the moment so the decisions may take a longer time. Great Wall Motors showcased its products at the 2020 Auto Expo and is likely to enter the Indian market by the end of 2022 if everything goes by the schedule.
Also read: Upcoming Tata Hornbill HBX micro SUV front & rear in new spy shots


text:
Global markets continued to grasp at straws on Tuesday. Equities were mixed as markets awaited the resolution of a Parliamentary vote on the EFSF in Slovakia, while in the U.S. the sale of 99 Cents Only Stores for $1.6 billion provided some momentum. The Dow was down 0.2% to 11,411 points, the Nasdaq was up 0.5% to 2,578 points, and the S&P 500 was nearly flat at 1,195 points.
Europe was setting the agenda, as usual. While major equity indices traded in the red over in the Old Continent, a Troika mission to Greece released the results of a preliminary assessment. In its statement, the Troika noted the recession would be deeper than expected and that as privatization revenue remained below expectations, no recovery was possible until at least 2013.
The decision on whether Greece would received the sixth tranche of funding depends on Eurozone and IMF approval, Troika noted, and would probably be taken in early November.
Slovakia was thrust into the center of Euro politics on Tuesday, as its Parliament sought to ratify the EFSF. A failure to ratify the EFSF by the Slovakian Parliament would cause another major headache for Germany’s Merkel who staked her reputation on the rescue of the Eurozone. The approval would presumably fuel a rally in risk assets.
The Euro slid against the U.S. dollar and was trading at $1.3614, while gold dropped 0.4% or $6.70 to $1,662.90 an ounce.
In equity news, a $1.6 billion takeover deal for 99 Cents Only Stores in the U.S. sent the stock rallying in early trading. Ares Management and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board agreed to acquire the discount retailer for $22 a share, a 32% premium over Monday’s closing price. Shares in 99 Cents Stores jumped 4.3% to $21.38. (Read 99 Cents Stores Finds Private Buyer).
Dollar Thrifty dominated headlines on Tuesday as well, announcing it was ending its sale process as offers it had received failed to eliminate regulatory risk. Shares in Dollar Thrifty fell 2.8% to $58.70 as the company noted offers received by rivals Avis Budget Group and Hertz Global Holdings were unsatisfactory. (Read Dollar Thrifty Ends Sale Process, Says Hertz Deal Didn't Eliminate Antitrust Risk).
In the tech world, Facebook finally launched its iPad App, jabbing at Apple by opening its platform to mobile developers. As Apple mourns the passing away founder Steve Jobs, Facebook indicated it would channel part of its mobile users through the App store, while others will be able to access it through a web browser and download applications for Facebook directly from developers.


text:
MILAN – Marking the new course for Versace Home, the Milan-based brand is staging an installation at the Palazzo della Permanente during the city’s Design Week.
Donatella Versace has partnered with architects and designers Roberto Palomba and Ludovica Serafini to present the brand’s latest home collection and introduce its new outdoor line, reflecting the company’s plans to further expand the division.
As reported, Versace Home was previously manufactured internally, but last year the company unveiled the first designs under a licensing agreement inked in call 2020 with Luxury Living, part of Lifestyle Design Group.
The set installation is bold, with red one of the main colors, expressed in the collection in a variety of shades across fabrics, leathers, precious silks and jacquards. Graphic works and LED walls create a dreamlike scenario.
The La Medusa collection is displayed in an all-new vinyl covering — also a reference to Versace’s latest fashion show — including a sofa, a bed and a Trono armchair.
The new Stiletto Outdoor collection will be shown in the Secret Garden of the Permanente.
The home collection will be offered in all of Versace’s directly operated stores around the world — in Los Angeles, New York, Miami — and is already displayed in the London and Paris units, as well as in the brand’s store that opened in Milan’s Via Durini last year.
Versace was one of the first fashion houses to launch home interiors in 1992, focused first on textiles. Porcelain tableware collections followed, inspired by the brand’s distinctive patterns — such as the Baroque themes, the Greek frieze and the signature Medusa head — and some of the prints from the fashion collections.
The collection has grown to include clothing for the bedroom and bathroom, furniture, wallpaper and accessories including vases, candles and even sculptures. The agreement with Lifestyle Design pertains only to Versace’s furniture. The brand’s textiles and accessories will continue to be produced internally, while Rosenthal remains its ceramics licensee, which will mark 30 years of collaboration in 2023. AS Création and Gardenia will continue to produce Versace’s wallpaper and floor tiles, respectively.