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In Food Safety Study, 25% of Participants Contaminated Salad with Raw Chicken
In a study aimed at assessing the impact of washing poultry on kitchen contamination, researchers found that more than a quarter of study participants contaminated salad with raw poultry – including many study participants who did not wash the poultry. The study highlights the importance of hand-washing and cleaning and sanitizing the kitchen in order to reduce the risk of foodborne illness when cooking at home.
Washing raw poultry is not recommended, due to concerns about inadvertently contaminating other foods and surfaces – and increasing the risk of foodborne illness.
“We wanted to know what effect an educational intervention would have on getting people to stop washing poultry before cooking, and what effect any resulting change in behavior might have on reducing contamination in the kitchen,” says Ellen Shumaker, corresponding author of the study and an extension associate at North Carolina State University. “We also wanted to get a better idea of how, if at all, washing poultry actually led to increased contamination in the kitchen.”
For the study, researchers recruited 300 home cooks who said they washed poultry before cooking it. The researchers sent food safety information to 142 of the study participants via email, outlining risk-reduction efforts – including the recommendation to not wash raw poultry during food preparation. The remaining 158 study participants did not receive the education intervention.
All 300 study participants were then invited to test kitchens equipped with video cameras that filmed meal preparation. Participants were asked to cook chicken thighs and prepare a salad. After preparing the chicken thighs, but before putting the chicken in the oven, participants were called out of the kitchen to conduct a short interview. Participants were then sent back into the kitchen to cook the chicken thighs, prepare the salad, and clean the kitchen as they would at home.
What the study participants didn’t know was that the chicken thighs were inoculated with a harmless strain of bacteria, which the researchers would be able to detect. This allowed researchers to swab surfaces in the kitchen to see whether any cross-contamination occurred during the food preparation and cooking process.
When study participants left the kitchen to conduct the interview, researchers swabbed the kitchen to identify any potential contamination. This process was repeated after each participant had completed cooking the meal and cleaned the kitchen. The prepared salad was also tested for possible contamination.
Ninety-three percent of the participants who received the intervention did not wash the chicken, as compared to 39% of the participants who did not receive the intervention.
However, the researchers were surprised to see that people who did wash the chicken and people who didn’t wash the chicken had similar levels of contamination from the raw chicken in their prepared salads.
So what gives?
“We think the salad contamination stems from people doing a poor job of washing their hands after handling the raw chicken, and/or doing a poor job of sanitizing the sink and surrounding surfaces before rinsing or handling the salad,” Shumaker says.
“Regardless of whether people washed their chicken, the kitchen sinks became contaminated by the raw chicken, while there was relatively little contamination of nearby counters,” Shumaker says. “This was a little surprising, since the conventional wisdom had been that the risk associated with washing chicken was because water would splash off of the chicken and contaminate surrounding surfaces. Instead, the sink itself was becoming contaminated, even when the chicken wasn’t being washed.
“Washing the chicken is still not a good idea, but this study demonstrates the need to focus on preventing contamination of sinks and emphasizing the importance of hand-washing and cleaning and sanitizing surfaces.”
The paper, “Observational Study of the Impact of a Food Safety Intervention on Consumer Poultry Washing,” is published in the Journal of Food Protection. The paper was co-authored by Margaret Kirchner, a former graduate student at NC State; Lisa Shelley, a research scholar at NC State; Rebecca Goulter, a research associate at NC State; Lydia Goodson, a former research technician at NC State; Sheryl Cates, of RTI International; Christopher Bernstein, of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and Aaron Lavallee, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The work was done with support from FSIS.
Note to Editors: The study abstract follows.
“Observational Study of the Impact of a Food Safety Intervention on Consumer Poultry Washing”
Authors: Ellen Thomas Shumaker, Margaret Kirchner, Lisa Shelley, Rebecca Goulter, Lydia Goodson, Lee-Ann Jaykus and Benjamin Chapman, North Carolina State University; Sheryl C. Cates, RTI International; Christopher Bernstein, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and Aaron Lavallee, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service
Published: Jan. 20, Journal of Food Protection
Abstract: This study was conducted to test the effectiveness of a consumer poultry washing educational intervention that included video observation of meal preparation with participants who self-reported washing poultry. Treatment group participants received three e-mail messages containing information that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has used on social media sites (video and infographics) related to poultry preparation, including advising against washing chicken. Participants were observed cooking chicken thighs (inoculated with traceable nonpathogenic Escherichia coli strain DH5α) and preparing a salad to determine whether they washed the chicken and the extent of cross-contamination to the salad and areas of the kitchen. After meal preparation, participants responded to an interview about food handling behaviors, including questions about the intervention for treatment group participants. Three hundred people participated in the study (158 control, 142 treatment). The intervention effectively encouraged participants not to wash chicken before cooking; 93% of treatment group participants but only 39% of control group participants did not wash the chicken (P < 0.0001). The high levels of E. coli DH5α detected in the sink and on the salad lettuce suggest that microbes transferred to the sink from the chicken, packaging, or contaminated hands are a larger cause for concern than is splashing contaminated chicken fluids onto the counter. Among chicken washers, 26 and 30% of the lettuce from the prepared salad was contaminated for the control and treatment groups, respectively. For nonwashers, 31 and 15% of the lettuce was contaminated for the control and treatment groups, respectively. Hand-facilitated cross-contamination is suspected to be a factor in explaining this resulting lettuce cross-contamination. This study demonstrates the need to change the frame of “don’t wash your poultry” messaging to instead focus on preventing contamination of sinks and continuing to emphasize the importance of hand washing and cleaning and sanitizing surfaces.
This post was originally published in NC State News.


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Microsoft has signed a 10-year deal with Nintendo to bring Call of Duty to the Japanese gaming giant's hardware. In addition, Phil Spencer has also confirmed that Call of Duty will continue to be available on Steam even after the Activision Blizzard acquisition has gone through (assuming it does, of course).
Speaking via Twitter, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said Microsoft was "committed to helping bring more games to people", and that this was the motivation behind the deal with Nintendo. The deal means that Call of Duty games will be available on Nintendo consoles, likely including whatever the Switch's successor turns out to be, for ten years following the Activision Blizzard-Microsoft merger.
In a followup tweet, Spencer further confirmed that Call of Duty will remain on Steam after the launch of Modern Warfare 2 this October. The Call of Duty series will be available simultaneously on Steam and the Microsoft Store on PC after the ABK acquisition goes through (if it does). In response to that announcement, Valve told Kotaku it hadn't signed any kind of long-term Call of Duty agreement because it doesn't believe in partners locking themselves into "shipping games on Steam into the distant future".
Valve also said it trusts Spencer and Xbox, and that it believes Microsoft has "all the motivation they need" to release Call of Duty on Steam because of the number of gamers who want to play it there. It's hard to argue with Valve and Gabe Newell on that point.
So, the obvious question now is: what about Sony? Well, Xbox's Brad Smith says a 10-year deal for PlayStation is still on the cards if Sony wants it. In a tweet, Smith said "any day Sony wants to sit down and talk", Microsoft will be "happy" to work out a deal for Sony's hardware.
The Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger and its many issues
Here's a little background for the Microsoft-Sony Call of Duty debate. Back in August (thanks, Push Square), Sony raised concerns around Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition, suggesting that the Call of Duty franchise "has no rival" in the gaming space and that Call of Duty's strength as a franchise meant gamers would be unlikely to switch to any kind of competing series if CoD went Xbox-exclusive.
Microsoft's Brad Smith has referred to Sony as "the loudest objector" to its Activision Blizzard acquisition, comparing Sony's feelings about the deal to the way Blockbuster Video felt about the rise of Netflix. Smith confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that a 10-year deal has been offered to Sony, but Sony has yet to accept the deal, with Smith suggesting the gaming giant is paranoid that Microsoft will pull Call of Duty from PlayStation consoles in future.
For what it's worth, Microsoft has said that it won't do that, because it would be alienating millions of gamers on PlayStation and torpedoing its reputation. There is some precedent here, too; after Microsoft acquired Mojang and Minecraft, the blocky sandbox remained available on other platforms, and so have spinoff games like Minecraft Dungeons.
Sony isn't the only entity that's concerned about the Activision Blizzard acquisition, either. Regulators around the world, including the EU, have been seeking the opinions of gaming industry bodies, asking whether Microsoft would gain an unfair advantage through acquiring Activision Blizzard. Even Activision Blizzard's own shareholders have sued the company over the deal, so it's a contentious one to say the least.
Microsoft offering deals to Sony and Nintendo is one of the ways the company is trying to placate the aforementioned regulators. By pointing out that Call of Duty will still be available on "rival" platforms, Microsoft is hoping to squash that particular argument against the ABK deal. Whether it works or not remains to be seen, especially if Sony doesn't play ball.
Of course, amid all of this, it's worth remembering that there's no guarantee the Activision Blizzard deal will go through. With so many regulators voicing oppositions or concerns about it, and considering the sheer size of the deal, there's every possibility it could get shot down before it's completed, in which case discussions of exclusivity could become somewhat moot.
We'll have to wait and see whether Microsoft's deal with Nintendo prompts a thaw in terms of Sony's approach to a potential agreement. If you ask me, though, it's unlikely; Nintendo isn't really a direct rival to Microsoft or Sony, but Sony likely sees itself as a competitor to Microsoft, so signing deals with "the enemy" might not be the most appealing prospect. Watch this space for more info.

domain: news


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Home Depot's CEO says the retailer cut its outlook partly due to "the potential impacts to the U.S. consumer arising from recently announced tariffs."Retailread more
The report comes as Trump in recent days has lashed out over media reports about growing recession fears.Politicsread more
United States Steel Corp will temporarily lay off hundreds of workers at its Great Lakes facility in Michigan in coming weeks, according to a filing the steelmaker made with...US Marketsread more
While the U.S. gave Huawei a 90-day reprieve, allowing American businesses to keep selling specific products to the Chinese firm, it also added more affiliates of the...Technologyread more
Dow set to drop; White House denies payroll tax cut report; China tweaks interest rates; Home Depot worries about trade war; Beyond Meat gets an upgradeMarketsread more
Energy stocks may be fueling up for a comeback rally. One technical analyst says that after the sector's pummeling, these two stocks look particularly good.Trading Nationread more
The attacks come after state and local ransomware attacks in New York, Louisiana, Maryland and Florida resulted in the loss of significant sums.Technologyread more
Porsche and Apple believe music streaming is the next advancement for in-car entertainment. The luxury automaker and tech giant are teaming up to allow drivers of the all-new,...US: Consumer Servicesread more
J.P. Morgan advised clients in a note early Tuesday that it was time to buy shares of Beyond Meat again.Marketsread more
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the EU that a Brexit deal can still be approved by U.K. lawmakers if Brussels agrees to scrapping the contentious Irish "backstop."read more
Baidu posted better-than-expected earnings for the June quarter, swinging back to profit and managing to stabilize its core ad business.Technologyread more
* Forecasts 2019/20 operating profit of 300 bln yen
* Shift to corporate customers fails to spur growth
* Panasonic, Toyota deepen ties with home tech venture (Adds CEO comments from press conference, background)
TOKYO, May 9 (Reuters) - Panasonic Corp warned profit this financial year would fall for the first time in eight years as costs to boost battery output rise and it moves to overhaul some businesses amid investor pressure to find new avenues of growth.
The Japanese conglomerate expects operating profit for the year through March 2020 to slump 27 percent to 300 billion yen ($2.7 billion) from a year earlier. That is well below analyst expectations of a 12 percent decline, according to Refinitiv.
The company is looking at a 15 billion yen loss at its automotive unit this year, it said on Thursday. Panasonic expects costs to ramp up battery production in Japan and China for a planned electric-vehicle (EV) battery joint venture with Toyota Motor Corp to weigh heavily.
Panasonic switched its focus to corporate clients such as automakers a few years ago to escape price wars in lower-margin consumer electronics.
The shift, which involved a vast migration of TV engineers to the automotive unit, helped the company restore profit growth, but its non-consumer businesses did not grow as fast as the company had hoped.
"Over the last three years, we aimed for stable revenue and profit growth focusing mainly on the automotive business ... but development costs and insufficient abilities to adjust to rapid battery production expansion limited our profits," Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga said.
The business was also squeezed last year due to production delays for Tesla Inc's mass-market Model 3 sedan.
Panasonic is Tesla's exclusive supplier of battery cells and industry watchers have said the Japanese company needs to cut its reliance on the U.S. electric carmaker.
Elon Musk, Tesla's mercurial CEO, last month blamed Panasonic for the production delays. He previously said Tesla was looking for other battery suppliers for its new Shanghai car factory.
Tsuga, however, told a post-earnings press conference on Thursday that Panasonic's relationship with Tesla remained good.
"We are not just a supplier but a partner," he said.
Panasonic is set to deepen its partnership with Toyota, announcing earlier on Thursday they would establish a joint company to develop "connected" services to be used in homes and urban development.
Panasonic also said it would sell its solar battery research arm and a solar battery plant in Malaysia to China's GS-Solar for an undisclosed amount.
($1 = 109.9100 yen) (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Sayantani Ghoshand and Mark Potter)


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|Huawei added to the "Entity List" .|
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security said Donald Trump added Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. to its “Entity List” because Huawei “is engaged in activities that are contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interest.”
It prevents Qualcomm, Google or anyone from selling any US product or licensing any IP property to Huawei and its affiliates unless they first obtain a U.S. government license for that specific sale.
Huawei is a large telecommunications equipment maker which has significant backing from the Chinese military. The Justice Department has also accused it of violating Iran sanctions, among other things.
“This is a very, very big deal in terms of the entire relationship between China and the United States and ramping up this trade war,” said Doug Jacobson, a Washington attorney specializing in export law.
The move came right after Trump declared a “national emergency” and signed an executive order that expands the government’s powers to protect communications networks.
Last year, Emperor Xi personally requested that Trump remove ZTE from the "Entity List". Trump said he would do it as a personal favor to Xi, and after several weeks of discussions, the U.S. government allowed the company to survive with new limitations. But Trump can change that as well.
Companies can escape the entity list if they satisfy the Bureau of Industry and Security that it has stopped the activities that ran afoul of the U.S. government. With the company’s chief financial officer facing possible extradition to the United States on charges of violating U.S. sanctions on Iran, the company will likely have to pay civil and criminal penalties before getting off the list.
Kevin Wolf, a former assistant secretary of commerce for export administration, said taken together, the two actions are a significant tightening of the vise.
“This is going after a Chinese state champion,” said Wolf, a partner at Akin Gump. “I suspect it will add greatly to the tensions.”


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The statistics for the month of December 2019 have been released by the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA), which shows a decline of 38% in the sales of cars and a rise of 0.9% in the sales of motorbikes. The...Read More
Toyota has brought the car enthusiasts of the World a really cool machine. In its segment, Yaris hasn’t been a much popular car. Toyota changed this view when it revealed a 209 horsepower Yaris GRMN in 2017, in partnership with...Read More


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BRUSSELS (AP) -- Canada and the European Union have struck a tentative free trade agreement meant to boost growth and employment.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Friday said following talks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper the two sides have reached a "breakthrough in negotiations." He called it "a great agreement for both the European Union and Canada."
The agreement would make it easier for Canadian companies to invest in and sell to the 28-member EU and its 500 million consumers, and vice versa. The deal will lower tariffs, streamline regulation, and cut red tape that hampers trade.
The European Union, a $17-trillion economy, is Canada's second-largest trading partner behind the U.S.
The deal still requires approval by parliaments and EU member states.


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Chinese Retail Giant JD.com Joins Blockchain in Transport Alliance
The logistics arm of Chinese retail and internet giant JD.com has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance.
The logistics arm of Chinese retail and internet giant JD.com has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA).
The firm said in an announcement yesterday that JD Logistics joins the alliance with the aim of sharing its knowledge and applications of blockchain technology with other international freight firms, including fellow BiTA members UPS, FedEx, Penske and more.
BiTA was set up with the aim of developing and promoting blockchain standards for global freight and logistics companies.
JD Logistics, formed in 2017, is the first Chinese logistics enterprise to join the alliance, the announcement states. The company said it plans use blockchain in the optimization of supply chains, cross-border logistics and communications, as well as to help improve collaboration on the tech within the industry.
The news comes just a day after shipping giant FedEx announced its membership of BiTA.
Blockchain tech is increasingly being viewed as a potential means to bring more efficiency, transparency and lower costs to the logistics industry.
Just last month, blockchain technology startup Skuchain and NTT Data Corporation partnered to develop blockchain applications for supply chains. The partners said they will work to complete a system that integrates blockchain with the internet of things (IoT) to help solve problems with traditional supply chain methods.
Global shipping giant Maersk has also indicated it is spinning off its blockchain work with IBM in an effort to foster collaboration between its competitors. The yet-to-be-named joint venture is aimed help ensure transparency and a level playing field among participants, the firm told CoinDesk on Jan. 16.
JD.com image via Shutterstock
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.
Learn more about Consensus 2023, CoinDesk’s longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.


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Nestle USA recalled its Nesquick chocolate powdered drink mix today when a supplier notified them of salmonella concerns. Omya Inc. produces calcium bicarbonate, which initiated its own recall of the ingredient when they became concerned over salmonella contamination. The chocolate powder in question was made last month in October and has an expiration date of October 2014.
To the best of Nestle's knowledge, there have been zero reported sickness as a result of the potentially contaminated chocolate powder. However, the company issued the recall in order to prevent any salmonella outbreaks among the public.
“We apologize to our consumers and sincerely regret any inconvenience created by this incident,” Nestle USA said in a statement.
Signs That You Have Salmonella Poisoning
Salmonella is a bacteria which can cause food borne illnesses. Humans can become very ill if they are exposed to salmonella through tainted food products, poor hygeine, or even infected humans or animals.
The following symptoms are associated with salmonella poisoning:
- abdominal cramps
- severe dehydration
If You Were Injured By Salmonella in Nesquick
Salmonella poisoning could be deadly in some cases. Do not wait to seek medical help. Instead, keep yourself hydrated and if you are not keeping fluids down, seek immediate medical attention. If you have suffered severe symptoms as the result of a tainted batch of Nesquick, you may want to contact a skilled product liability attorney to review your legal options.


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We featured US-based startup Skrachy back in May where founder Kevan Cooper explained how their platform was built “to empower the DJ and revolutionise their business model,” by giving DJs a place to be discovered, have their live DJ sets listened to, and then get booked – all through one platform.
Now Skrachy is celebrating the launch of their mobile apps on August 7th with a nearly 24-hour stream of live DJ sets from all over the world, including from DJ Kid Capri in New York and DJ Ted Fee from Paris, and is available in its iPhone and Android apps.
Skrachy’s is an interesting model that Cooper compared part of its it to that of Booksy, a popular platform for barbers and beauticians in the US. It doesn’t simply lump a certain genre of livestreams together in one place: it provides a suite of booking, subscription, communication and business management services alongside the streaming capability, all for a monthly fee.
As artists and performers build out their “third column” of income – the new, direct-to-fan income streams that sit along side the traditional recorded music and live streams – it’ll be interesting to see if they start turning to tools like Skrachy, or similar services like Sessions and Ampled, to create viable DIY businesses.


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Household food scraps could be transformed into environmentally friendly plastic bags and cups, thanks to up to £60 million of new funding announced by the UK government.
The funding, to be bolstered by industry support, is part of the government’s aim of seizing the economic opportunity of the global shift to greener, cleaner economies.
It could help develop new forms of packaging and plastic – made from farming, food and industrial waste, like sugar beet, wood chippings and food waste – as part of a move away from oil-based plastics.
Businesses will be able to access this funding through UK Research and Innovation-managed competitions to meet the challenge of developing smart, sustainable plastic packaging.
This investment is subject to industry entering into partnership with government and providing significant co-investment.
To mark the investment, the government has also announced a strategy to help boost the bioeconomy. It sets out an ambition for world-leading standards for bio-based and biodegradable plastics, to create new sustainable materials and reduce the impact of plastics on the environment.
The strategy forms part of an aim to find innovative alternatives to fossil fuel-based products, using sources ranging from the by-products of whisky production to seaweed.
UK energy and clean growth minister Claire Perry said: “Finding innovative solutions to tackle our use of harmful plastics which blight our land and seas is a major global challenge, and opportunity – one our nation of researchers and innovators is fit to seize.
“Today’s funding and sector strategy enhances our position as a global leader on improving our environment and tackling climate change. It will make us a beacon for design, manufacturing and exporting of sustainable plastics and environmentally friendly replacements for polluting products as we move to a greener, cleaner economy.”
Earlier this year, the UK government announced that it will introduce a new tax on single-use plastics in a bid to further tackle plastic waste levels in the country.
It has also set out a plan to ban the distribution and sale of plastic straws, drinks stirrers and cotton buds in England.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2019
World Beverage Innovation Awards – ENTER NOW!
The awards celebrate excellence and innovation across the global beverage industry.
Don’t miss out on having your innovations recognised on a global scale.


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Industry vet Garry Tucker has founded Eightbyte, a London-based financial services firm specifically focused on the needs of independent game developers.
Tucker, who has held senior positions in publishing at Take-Two, Virgin Interactive, Activision and Acclaim, and was finance director at Kuju Games, says Eightbyte will help position indies to innovate.
"I believe that the industry, survives and evolves by bring new creative ideas to market, and independents are best positioned to generate that innovation -- if they survive and thrive," Tucker says. "Eightbyte will work with companies who want to survive, and who want to be profitable."
Among the specific services offered are cash flow planning and management, business planning and performance indicators, and purchase and sale due diligence.
Eightbyte says it will offer support to indies in creating credibility for their financial forecasts to assist in fund raising, and will offer both financial and commercial mentoring for critical business skills. It will also offer outsourced back-office financial services like payroll, bookkeeping and management accounts.
Eightbyte will address UK companies initially, but says it is positioned to expand its services to other regions in time.


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I want to find where a word appears in a text file — as in the number of words into the text that a word occurs — for all instances of that word, but I'm not sure even where to start. I imagine I'll need a loop, and some combination of grep and wc.
As an example, here is a an article about iPhone 11:
On Tuesday, in a sign that Apple is paying attention to consumers who aren’t racing to buy more expensive phones, the company said the iPhone 11, its entry-level phone, would start at $700, compared with $750 for the comparable model last year.
Apple kept the starting prices of its more advanced models, the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, at $1,000 and $1,100. The company unveiled the new phones at a 90-minute press event at its Silicon Valley campus.
There are 81 words in the text.
jaireaux@macbook:~$ wc -w temp.txt 81 temp.txt
The word 'iPhone' appears three times.
jaireaux@macbook:~$ grep -o -i iphone temp.txt | wc -w 3
The output I want would be like this:
jaireaux@macbook:~$ whereword iPhone temp.txt 24 54 57
What would I do to get that output?


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By Thair Shaikh
One of the largest makers of chocolate bars whose brands include Mars and Snickers is to stop marketing to children younger than 12 by the end of the year.
It is the first time a major foodmaker has set out to stop targeting snack foods to such a wide age group. Masterfoods, which also makes Maltesers, Topic, Revel and Twix, said: "We have decided to make an official policy change to a cut-off age of 12 years for all our core products."
The measure reflects mounting concerns about the links between advertising and childhood obesity and follows moves by some public authorities to bring in tighter food regulations.
The company already has a policy of not advertising to children under six and, earlier this year, said its chocolate bars would display calorie counts on wrappers. A spokesman said the firm had written to Robert Madelin, the European Commission's director-general for health and consumer protection, outlining its new policy.
The letter said the policy, which will apply to all advertising, including online, will be adopted by the end of the year.


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Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE: BABA) is expected to release its earnings report on November 5 ahead of China’s largest online shopping festival called “Singles Day.” Analysts have slashed their consensus earnings estimates for the year by around 5% over the last weeks amid waning domestic consumer spending momentum.
Alibaba facing challenges as analysts slash earnings
According to Daiwa Capital Markets Hong Kong Ltd, the eCommerce company has been facing challenging quarters, evidenced by the recent cut on estimates. The company’s Hong Kong-listed stock rebounded 24% the other week bit concerns regarding the Chinese Communist Party’s regulation on tech firms and slowing economic recovery have seen the stock lose steam.
With the pandemic plaguing East Asia nations where most consumables are manufactured, retailers have been stymied of receiving goods. Supply chain disruptions are impacting the delivery of goods due to a lack of space at warehouses and rail yards. Port drivers’ dearth has worsened the problem.
Ahead of the holiday shopping season, retailers such as Walmart and Target expect everything to be usual, but that remains to be seen. The reality is that deliveries will be late and most ho9liday products will be bought early this year. However, retailers can take a leaf from Alibaba, which celebrates singles day in early November.
Alibaba launches its server chip
The Chinese e-commerce giant is foraying into the cloud computing sector after it launched its new server chip called Yitian 710 that will be used in a new service called Panjiu. The chip is based on advanced 5-nanometer tech, marking a significant milestone in pursuing chip self-sufficiency. The chip is based on Micro-architecture offered by SoftBank Group Corp’s Arm Ltd.
Alibaba will not sell the chip directly to clients, but rather, its cloud computing clients will purchase services based on the technology. In addition, the eCommerce giant will design the chips and will not be the one manufacturing them.
Please make sure to read and completely understand our disclaimer at https://www.wallstreetpr.com/disclaimer. While reading this article one must assume that we may be compensated for posting this content on our website.


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The Police Log is a digest of reports filed by the Warwick Police.
WHERE IS SANTA?
A Covington Drive family is wondering where there Christmas lawn decorations have gone and so are the police. The homeowner told police the decorations were last seen around 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 25, when she turned the lights for the decorations off. She said she woke around 7 that morning and discovered that a six-foot inflatable Santa, a Santa with a sleigh and a snow globe with a snowman inside were gone. There were other decorations on her lawn but only the three she reported were gone. She said she did not see anyone suspicious people in the area and was not having any problems with neighbors and had no idea who would take them. She said they cost $90, $60 and $100, respectively. No witnesses.
Officer William Castaldi reported a larceny of wheels and tires from vehicles at the Bald Hill Kia dealership on Bald Hill Road on Nov. 26. The service manager at the dealership told Castaldi he came to work that day and found a 2012 Kia Sorento up on blocks and all of its wheels missing. He said the rims were aluminum and cost $393.80 each. He said the tires cost $180 and the total cost of the missing wheels was $2,296. He said the vehicle was intact the last time he saw it, around 5 p.m. two days before. The manager told Castaldi they checked the rest of the inventory and the Sorento was the only one with missing wheels. No suspects or witnesses.
A Bank Street resident called police around 3:40 a.m. on Nov. 25 to report that he had just come out of his house prepared to drive to Logan Airport in Boston to pick up his daughter just minutes before and found the back windshield and two passenger side door windows of his 2010 Jeep Wrangler smashed in. He told Officer Jeffrey Taranto he did hear a loud noise around 10 p.m. but did not look outside because they thought the noise was from a neighbor. The owner estimated it would cost about $600 to replace the glass. No suspects or witnesses.
Officer Quentin Tavares spoke with a Cranston woman on Nov. 26 who told him she was going through the drive-through lane of the McDonald’s in Walmart Plaza between 9:30 and 10 p.m. on Nov. 24. She said her mother was in the car with her and they heard a loud bang but didn’t think much of it at that time, but she did notice a small hole in the passenger door that day and suspected it came from a BB shot. She told Tavares she wanted to press charges against anyone who was found to have hit her car with a BB gun while there were people in it. Pictures were taken of the damage and the case was forwarded to detectives.
A West Warwick woman was arrested at the Kohl’s store at Rhode Island Mall on Nov. 29 after loss prevention there told police she selected about 36 items of children’s clothing from their displays and took them into a fitting room and concealed the clothes in five reusable bags she brought to the store and put them at the bottom of a shopping cart. They said she paid for some items at checkout but not for the goods in the five bags. She was stopped outside and taken back into the store, where they said they recovered $611.19 worth of clothing. Shara J. Mello, 28, of 12 Turner Dr., West Warwick, was later released from headquarters with a summons for District Court.
Officer Jason Cooke arrested two Massachusetts women at Macy’s on Nov. 25 after loss prevention at the store told him they saw the pair take five North Face jackets and “stage” them next to the southwest exit of the store before they put them in a large Macy’s bag and exited the store. He said they were escorted back into the store, where five jackets worth $907 were recovered. Darlene Canales, 46, of 3 Snow Terrrace, and Maria Pires, 43, of 3 Walter Terrace in Somerville, Mass., were charged with shoplifting and held for the bail commissioner and later released on $1,000 each surety bail.
Michael J. Lambert, 37, of 38 Keith Ave., Cranston, was arrested and charged with shoplifting at the Walmart store on Post Road on Nov. 26. Loss prevention told police he took a cell phone and two Lego sets and altered the price tags to reflect a lower price and checking out without paying for an iPhone case he took out of a package and used for his own phone. He was charged with stealing $189.96 from the store and later released with a summons.
DUI AND REFUSAL
Officer Nicholas DiNardo reported he was on patrol around 8 p.m. on Nov. 25 when he got a tip about a possible drunk driver coming from Cranston into Warwick near West Natick Road and Greenwich Avenue. He said he located the suspect vehicle and followed it as it made its way down Metro Center Boulevard while weaving in and out of lanes and crossing the centerline twice. He said he pulled the car over near 255 Metro Center and asked the driver to get out and take a field sobriety test. He said the driver appeared to be drunk and smelled of alcohol and was actually swaying as he was sitting in the driver’s seat. He said they had to call off the test for fear the driver would fall and get hurt. He said Matthew Willis, 34, of 268 Fruit Hill Ave., North Providence, was taken to headquarters, where he registered a .297 and a .289 blood alcohol content on the breath test. Willis was charged with DUI and laned roadway violations and later released to a sober adult.


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TOKYO— SoftBank Corp.'s 9984 0.11 % abrupt decision to break off pursuit of wireless carrier T-Mobile US Inc. TMUS -3.11 % has shifted focus to how the Japanese company will turn around its Sprint Corp. S -6.07 % unit without the deal and what other acquisitions it might be planning.
After a two-year chase, SoftBank executives concluded that U.S. regulators would block a union of Sprint and T-Mobile, the third- and fourth-largest mobile carriers in the U.S., people familiar with the matter said. That deals a blow to SoftBank Chief Executive Masayoshi Son's ambitions to challenge U.S. giants Verizon Communications Inc. VZ -0.77 % and AT&T Inc., T -0.43 % each of which has around twice as many mobile-phone subscribers as Sprint.
But some executives at SoftBank, an Internet and telecommunications conglomerate that operates Japan's No. 3 mobile carrier, said privately that they were relieved.
The hunt for T-Mobile siphoned away money and resources, with some executives in Japan saying it has been harder to catch Mr. Son's attention as he spent more time in the U.S. SoftBank has spent millions of dollars on lobbyists, advisers, and advertising in an attempt to persuade regulators to approve the deal.
Now Mr. Son can turn to other pressing issues that some executives and analysts say have taken a back seat in recent months, including a more radical shake-up of Sprint, new challenges for SoftBank's Japanese carrier and other potential investment targets.
- Sprint's New Boss Will Stand Out
- Sprint Quits T-Mobile Pursuit
- Iliad to Forge Ahead With Bid
- Sprint Confirms CEO Change
- FCC Chairman Welcomes End to Sprint, T-Mobile Deal Efforts
- Heard: Finding Solace in Retreat
- MoneyBeat: Cold Day Amid Hot Run for Mergers
- French Telecom 'Troublemaker' Sets Sights on T-Mobile US
- MoneyBeat: BNP, HSBC Agree to Finance Iliad Bid
- Five Things About the Iliad Offer
- Corporate Intelligence: Iliad's Discount Magic
- T-Mobile US Swings to Profit
- Sprint Prepares Subscriber Push
- Sprint and T-Mobile Play the Waiting Game
- Sprint, T-Mobile Seek to Raise $10 Billion for Spectrum Auction 7/15/2014
Clues on Mr. Son's next priorities could come Friday, when SoftBank is scheduled to report quarterly earnings.
Topping the list will likely be Sprint, which has spent the past year focusing on revamping its network. That has paved the way for new price plans to win back the customers it has been losing for years.
The decision to back away from T-Mobile is ''a blessing in disguise,'' since Sprint was facing potentially high costs to integrate the two networks and the talks were distracting the company from important tasks, such as fixing its network and cost structure, said Neil Shah, an analyst at technology research firm Counterpoint.
At home, SoftBank faces an increasingly competitive environment, after Japan's biggest mobile carrier, NTT DoCoMo Inc., DCM 0.79 % took steps to stop customers from defecting to SoftBank and No. 2 carrier KDDI Corp. 9433 0.10 % DoCoMo began offering Apple Inc. AAPL 0.51 % 's iPhone last September and in June unveiled low- price plans that are winning new users. SoftBank's investment machine depends on the profit earned in Japan from its mobile-carrier operations and search portal unit Yahoo YHOO -0.09 % Japan Inc.
Other goals Mr. Son has trumpeted in the past few years include becoming No. 1 in the mobile-games industry, transforming Asia by building a pan-Asia alternative-energy supergrid and making SoftBank into an Internet superpower.
Analysts say that the acquisitive Mr. Son may have other targets in mind. Satoru Kikuchi, an analyst at SMBC Nikko, said Mr. Son might announce another deal by year-end—perhaps even within a month.
Mr. Kikuchi, other analysts and investors said possible targets include Yahoo Inc., a carrier in Europe or Southeast Asia and acquisitions in media, including news, information or movie businesses. In the past few years, SoftBank, whose investment portfolio now spans more than 1,300 companies, has considered targets including virtual-reality headset maker Oculus VR, Vivendi SA VIVHY -1.12 % 's Universal Music Group and Naver Corp.'s 035420 0.48 % Japanese messaging-service provider Line Corp., people familiar with the matter said.
Mr. Son has about 15 sizable deals on a whiteboard listing potential acquisitions, one of the people said. He declined to say what areas those deals are in.
And Mr. Son still hasn't given up on a T-Mobile acquisition, a person close to the SoftBank CEO said. Mr. Son is determined to wait until the regulatory climate—or his bargaining position—improves, the person said.
"I like being No. 1," Mr. Son said at an earnings announcement in May. "If one path doesn't work, you just keep trying. Another way will open," he said a few hours later.
This isn't the first time that T-Mobile has eluded SoftBank. In 2012, the Japanese company approached T-Mobile before beginning talks to buy Sprint, people familiar with the matter said. Talks with T-Mobile fizzled out after Sprint opposed a three-way merger, but SoftBank soon reopened talks, they said.


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In the realm of pet wellness, a recent advancement has emerged, shedding light on the safety and efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD) products for our beloved canine companions. The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), in partnership with the U.S. Hemp Roundtable Advocacy Partner, has spearheaded a pioneering safety study that delves deep into the realm of CBD for dogs. Recently showcased in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, this study marks a significant stride in understanding the potential benefits of CBD in promoting canine health.
Is CBD safe for dogs?
The burning question on every pet owner’s mind is whether CBD is genuinely safe for their furry friends. According to the findings of this groundbreaking study, CBD products are indeed well-tolerated by dogs when administered at a dosage of 5mg/kg of body weight per day. The study, which spanned over a 90-day duration followed by a 14-day recovery phase, observed no notable risks associated with prolonged CBD use in healthy dogs.
Do vets recommend CBD for dogs?
With the increasing popularity of CBD products for pets, many pet owners wonder whether veterinarians endorse their usage. While individual opinions may vary, the findings of this study provide valuable insights. Bill Bookout, President of NASC, emphasized the significance of the study’s results, stating that different cannabidiols are safe for long-term use in healthy dogs at the dosage studied. This endorsement from a reputable organization like NASC lends credibility to the use of CBD for canine wellness.
How do you use CBD for dogs?
Understanding the proper usage of CBD for dogs is crucial for ensuring their well-being. The study encompassed various CBD formulations, including broad-spectrum CBD, CBD with cannabigerol (CBG), and CBD with cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). Encouragingly, all dogs in the study completed the trial, affirming the tolerability of CBD across different formulations. When considering CBD for your dog, it’s essential to consult with a veterinarian to determine the appropriate dosage and formulation based on your pet’s specific needs.
Does CBD oil build up in a dog’s system?
Concerns about CBD buildup in a dog’s system are valid, especially for pet owners considering long-term usage. However, the study’s findings provide reassurance in this regard. The comprehensive approach of the study, which integrated a decade’s worth of post-market surveillance data from the NASC Adverse Event Reporting Database (NAERS®), indicates that CBD products are safe for prolonged use in healthy dogs, with no evidence of buildup or adverse effects.
In conclusion, the publication of this groundbreaking study underscores NASC’s unwavering dedication to promoting the health and well-being of companion animals. For pet owners keen on exploring the study further, the complete publication, inclusive of references and supplementary material, is available for review. As always, it’s essential to prioritize your pet’s health and consult with a veterinarian before introducing any new supplements or treatments.
About the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC):
NASC is a nonprofit trade association committed to advancing the health and welfare of companion animals and horses through the responsible utilization of animal health supplements. Representing nearly 300 member companies, NASC ensures compliance with rigorous quality standards through its renowned NASC Quality Program, acknowledged as the Gold Standard in the industry. Look for the yellow NASC Quality Seal on supplements for dogs, cats, and horses to ensure purchases from trusted suppliers.
The full study with references and supplementary material can be viewed here.


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Fans of Balmain and anyone who loves a stylish film like A Single Man have a new mini series to watch out for.
Innovation is second nature to Olivier Rousteing, who seems to be constantly adding new creative projects for Balmain to his remit, and in the process helping to reinvent fashion. After launching a series of podcasts focused on the history of the house, and announcing his second fashion and music festival in September, the designer is making a foray into drama with the launch of Balmain’s first mini-series, in partnership with British television channel Channel 4.
Will the future of fashion inevitably involve television series? Already very present in video games, luxury brands seem to be progressively investing in the world of drama, like Gucci, which recently staged one of its collections in a mini-series co-directed by the filmmaker Gus Van Sant. TV series, such as “Sex and the City,” “Bridgerton” and “Gossip Girl,” have a long history of influencing trends and brand popularity. So why wouldn’t brands experiment with the format more directly?
Perhaps it’s no surprise that Olivier Rousteing, creative director of the house of Balmain, is one of the first to take the plunge. Starting this fall, the luxury brand will offer its very first mini-series, “Fracture,” in collaboration with Channel 4 — a first! — which will showcase Balmain’s fall 2021 designs. And it will do so in each of the five eight-minute episodes.
And to make sure it generates a buzz, the French brand has put together a star-studded cast, which could go up against the casts of some of the top dramas currently found on streaming platforms. Singer-songwriter Jesse Jo Stark, who will also provide the original music, is on board as well as actors Tommy Dorfman (“13 Reasons Why”), Ajani Russell (“Skate Kitchen”), and Charles Melton (“Riverdale”), are at the center of the plot that takes place in the motel “Le Rêve” near Los Angeles. All are directed by Bradley & Pablo.
The mini-series will be broadcast from September 2 around the world via Fractureseries.com.
The story is published via AFP Relaxnews
The post The mini-series by Balmain is set to be the hottest fashion show this year appeared first on Lifestyle Asia Kuala Lumpur.


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Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City was filled with A-listers from the fashion and entertainment industries, as they attended the 2015 CFDA Fashion Awards, the annual event run by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. A number of models and Hollywood celebrities graced the event’s red carpet -- and some made the list of the evening's "best dressed."
Attendees included Diane Kruger, who slayed the red carpet in a Prabal Gurung gown, states E!News. Also stunning was Gigi Hadid, who rocked a gold Michael Kors jumpsuit, and Natasha Poly, with her ultra-chic sizzling red gown, also by Michael Kors. Juliette Lewis rocked a two-piece white Christian Siriano number with a tiered and exuberantly feathered skirt. Chrissy Teigen transformed into a goddess, wearing a high-slit white Solace London gown.
Though Victoria Beckham wasn't up for a trophy that night, she still stole the show in a sleek black floor-length gown from her own collection, reports Hello Magazine. Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West looked effortlessly cool in their matching black ensembles, with Kim showing off her baby bump in a sheer Proenza Schouler midi dress.
Also making it to People magazine’s “Can’t Miss Red Carpet Look” was Nina Dobrev, who looked beautiful in a Lela Rose gown featuring a jacquard bodice and feathered skirt. The former star of "The Vampire Diaries" attended the event with Lela Rose, the woman who designed her CFDA look. Both women spoke about their love of fashion, Instagram, and food while on the red carpet, reports PopSugar.
These stars are just some of the red carpet winners during the CFDA Fashion Awards. But no one could be happier than the award winners, who included Pharrell Williams (Fashion Icon) and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (Womenswear Designers of the Year) for their fashion line, the Row.


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Continental has a clever social media campaign under way.
The airline is asking travelers to follow @Continental on Twitter and then to tweet #justlanded and their Continental flight number upon arrival.
If you search for justlanded on Twitter or TweetDeck [choose your weapon], you'll see a steady stream of tweets like this:
By following the instructions, travelers enter a chance to win a weekly prize in the Just Landed Sweepstakes, which for the week of Dec. 13-19 was offering a one-year Presidents Club membership.
The sweepstakes and social media campaign began in late November and Continental has been picking up Twitter followers along the way and gets the added benefit of getting travelers to tweet a positive message about the Continental brand throughout the day.
As of this writing, Continental had 93,648 Twitter followers and 45,581 "likes" on Facebook.
In a bow to cross-channel marketing in social media, Continental's Facebook fan page has a Just Landed tab where it promotes the contest and the page enables Facebook fans to post a status update indicating they entered the sweepstakes.
In addition, a page on Continental.com has a tweet button, enabling travelers merely to insert their flights number with the already appended #justlanded hashtag to blast their Continental flight numbers to their Twitter followers.
The Continental.com page with the tweet button for #justlanded looks like this:
Continental didn't immediately respond to a request for information about how many Twitter followers they have added during the #justlanded campaign.


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Bipartisan group of senators confident it can pass US renewable energy bill without including nuclear and fossil fuel kickbacks
The bipartisan group of senators behind the recently launched Renewable Energy Standard (RES) bill is confident it can pass a " clean" version of the legislation without having to add incentives designed...
Grosvenor Britain and Ireland has stepped up its environmental ambitions with a series of new commitments
First Mile is launching a coat hanging recycling service aimed at the retail and fashion industries
Dr. Frank Rijsberman of the Global Green Growth Institute offers an encouraging tour d'horizon across the world's fast changing energy markets
Countries agree on energy efficiency targets but little else, as big decisions on how to curb shipping emissions are once again deferred


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NEW DELHI, Dec 17: Even as the diamond industry the world over passing through a serious crisis due to global economic slowdown and further accentuated by the tough stand taken by the G7 countries on Russian diamonds, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB), the world’s largest and modern centre for international diamond and jewellery business, in Surat in his home state of Gujarat.
Claimed to be the world’s largest office complex with over 67 lakh square feet of floor area spread in nine 15-storey interconnected towers with offices ranging from 300 square feet to 7,5000 sq ft, the SDB building is targeting at shifting the diamond trading business from Mumbai to Surat, which is the hub of diamond cutting and polishing with thousands of factories across the city.
While opening the new project, Mr Modi called the building as another diamond in the city. “One more diamond has been added to Surat’s magnificence. The tall buildings around the world have lost their sheen in front of such a huge diamond that is now being opened today.” “Surat diamond industry provides employment to around 8 lakh people, and with the coming up of new diamond bourse, 1.5 lakh more jobs will be added,” he said. The Prime Minister congratulated the team for the project and called while describing the project as an “emblem of new India and its strength.”
Earlier in the day, Modi also inaugurated a new integrated terminal building at Surat Airport, which was recently given the international status. The passenger building is capable of handling 35 lakh passengers annually and 1,800 passengers during peak hours with provision for expanding to handle 55 lakh passengers annually and 3,000 passengers during peak hours. The building is spread over 25,500 sq km at a cost of Rs 353 crore having 20 check-in counters, five conveyor belts and 500 car parking slots and 13 new parking bays for aircrafts.
At the SDB which was launched in 2015, besides offices of trading of cut and polished diamonds and agents dealing with import of rough stones from international markets, 27 retail jewellery outlets will also be opened to complete the value chain of diamond jewellery. Recently, G7 group of countries have announced direct import restrictions on Russian-origin diamonds from January and diamonds processed by third countries like India from March, which has raised major concerns for the Indian gems and jewellery trade and diamond processing industry in Surat.
The restrictions are however applicable to diamonds sized a carat or above in G7 countries, while diamonds sized half a carat or more will be banned in September 2024, and a new system to trace origin of the stones will be introduced. In Surat, the Russian diamonds of less than 0.5 carats are cut and polished, which means the impact of the ban by G7 will not be that severe, according to factory owners.
However, in September, GJEPC (Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council) and other trade bodies had directed members to halt import of rough diamonds for two months from October 15, amid a steep rise in inventory of polished diamonds due to a sharp fall in exports in western countries and China.
“The situation is very bad for the workers or artisans in Surat. In last one year, 30 artisans have committed suicides due to financial difficulties,” Bhavesh Tank; Vice President of Surat Diamond Workers’ Union, claimed. “Many small and medium sized factories have not even opened after the Diwali vacation or they have downsized their operations affecting workers,” he said, adding that the state or centre government must intervene to help the workers.


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The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said it will help remove hundreds of thousands of scrap tires left at a business in Moncks Corner after the company was shut down for repeated violations.
The agency, which called the heap at Viva Recycling "a serious environmental and public health risk," did not provide a timetable for the work.
The money will come from a $2 fee DHEC tacks onto sales of new tires, but a cost estimate was not available. As many as 800,000 scrap tires are scattered at the site.
DHEC has about $4 million available in its tire fund. It shut down Viva's operations last June.
Last local location
Sears will close its Citadel Mall store in August, the retailer’s last big-box location in the Charleston region.
The auto center will close in early June, and the department store will go dark in early August. A liquidation sale will begin May 18.
The closing follows the retailer's departure from Northwoods Mall in North Charleston last summer.
Sears is the second major anchor to pull out of Citadel Mall. J.C. Penney left in July. Its space will be leased by the Medical University of South Carolina as an outpatient center.
Blackbaud is making a $43 million bet that data analytics is central to the future of its business, acquiring a Minnesota startup to shore up its ability to crunch numbers for nonprofit groups.
The Daniel Island-based technology company said that by purchasing Reeher, it will get another data tool to sell to customers. Reeher makes software that predicts who might be willing to give money and tells fundraisers how well they're doing.
Unlike Blackbaud, Reeher targets universities. Blackbaud's bet is that those same tools will be useful for other nonprofits it works with.
State tax officials are auditing SCANA Corp. and Santee Cooper, asking whether the utilities need to pay sales tax on materials they bought for their failed nuclear project. The probe appears to center on a line in South Carolina’s tax code that exempts major manufacturers from paying sales tax on their factories. That provision could have covered the new reactors at V.C. Summer Nuclear Station — if they were generating electricity.
The tax agency has indicated to SCANA that the scuttled reactors shouldn't be exempt because they "will not be placed into service and no electricity will be manufactured for sale," the company told investors. Santee Cooper said it was informed by DOR that "sales taxes were due on the previously tax exempt purchases." The utilities are disputing the agency’s interpretation.
An independent Piggly Wiggly supermarket operator is looking to reopen the former Bi-Lo at 9616 Highway 78 in the Ladson area of North Charleston, according to public documents. Bi-Lo moved out of the space in April.
Lowcountry Grocers LLC, has applied for an alcohol license for the site and is seeking a variance from a city board. The company, which owns nine Piggly Wiggly or Price Wise stores throughout South Carolina, said the deal has not been finalized.
Separately, another independent Piggly Wiggly operator reopened the former Bi-Lo on Skylark Drive in West Ashley.
Charleston philanthropist and business executive Ben Navarro, who's said to be in the running to buy the NFL's Carolina Panthers, has pledged $250,000 for the International African American Museum.
The donation is from Navarro and his company, Sherman Financial Group. Navarro also founded Meeting Street Schools in 2008 on the belief that all children deserve an excellent education regardless of their geographic or socioeconomic circumstances.
The Charleston region will lose three pharmacies after their owner was acquired by a rival chain.
Rite Aid stores at 1934 Ashley River Road in West Ashley, 918 Houston Northcutt Blvd. in Mount Pleasant and 1195 Remount Road in North Charleston will close on May 15, May 16 and May 22, respectively.
They are among the first drugstores to go dark in the region after industry giant Walgreens received approval last fall to buy 1,932 locations from Rite Aid.
A North Charleston-based spirits refiner and producer is expanding.
Terressentia Corp. said it is doubling the size of its Palmetto Commerce Park operation to 70,000 square feet. The expansion should be completed in about a month and is included as part of a $79 million loan the company recently secured.
Terresentia also owns the O.Z. Tyler Distillery in Owensboro, Ky., where it makes 72,000 barrels of brown liquor, mainly bourbon. In North Charleston, the company uses a patented technology to improve the taste of distilled spirits.


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WASHINGTON, March 10, 2023 – In a fiery debate Thursday, panelists at Broadband Breakfast’s Big Tech and Speech Summit disagreed on the effect of bills intended to promote competition and innovation in the Big Tech platform space, particularly for search engines.
One such innovation is new artificial intelligence technology being designed to pull everything a user searches for into a single page, said Cheyenne Hunt-Majer, big tech accountability advocate with Public Citizen. It is built to keep users on the site and will drastically change competition in the search engine space, she said, touting the advancement of two bills currently awaiting Senate vote.
Photo of Adam Kovacevich of Chamber of Progress, Berin Szoka of TechFreedom, Cheyenne Hunt-Majer of Public Citizen, Sacha Haworth of Tech Oversight Project, Christine Bannan of Proton (left to right)
The first, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, would prohibit tech companies from self-preferencing their own products on their platforms over third-party competition. The second, the Open App Markets Act, would prevent app stores from requiring private app developers to use the app stores’ in-app payment system.
Hunt-Majer said she believes that the bills would benefit consumers by kindling more innovation in big tech. “Perfect should not be the enemy of change,” she said, claiming that Congress must start somewhere, even if the bills are not perfect.
“We are seeing a jump ahead in a woefully unprepared system to face these issues and the issues it is going to pose for a healthy market of competition and innovation,” said Hunt-Majer.
It is good for consumers to be able to find other ways to search that Google isn’t currently providing, agreed Christine Bannan, U.S. public policy manager at privacy-focused email service Proton. The fundamental goal of these bills is directly at odds with big companies, which suggests its importance to curb anti-competitive behavior, she said.
No need to rewrite or draft new laws for competition
But while Berin Szoka, president of non-profit technology organization TechFreedom, said competition concerns are valid, the Federal Trade Commission is best equipped to deal with disputes without the need to rewrite or draft new laws. Congress must legislate carefully to avoid unintended consequences that fundamentally harm businesses and no legislation has done so to date, he said.
Both bills have broad anti-discrimination provisions which will affect Big Tech partnerships, Szoka continued.
Not all experts believe that AI will replace search engines, however. Google has already adopted specialized search results that directly answer search queries, such as math problems, instead of resulting in several links to related webpages, said Adam Kovacevich, CEO of Chamber of Progress, a center-left tech policy coalition.
Kovacevich said he believes that some search queries demand direct answers while others demand a wide range of sources, answers, and opinions. He predicts that there will be a market for both AI and traditional search engines like Google.


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Conan Exiles is a cross-platform game created by Funcom. In this article, we will review Is Conan Exiles Cross Platform. The Xbox series X S and PS5 versions were released in early access form in late 2016, with the full game released in March 2018. The game is an open-world survival game set in the Hyborian Age, where players must scavenge resources to survive while battling brutal creatures and dangerous weather conditions.
Is Conan Exiles Cross Platform?
Answer to this question Is Conan Exiles Cross Platform? It is pretty simple, Conan Exiles is a popular multiplayer game that has gained momentum among players in recent years. Many gamers are always looking for cross-platform games which allow them to play with friends on different consoles. Unfortunately, Conan Exiles is not one of those games. The game does not support cross-platform play; players can only play with others using the same console.
The lack of cross-platform compatibility in Conan Exiles can disappoint fans hoping to team up with their friends across various platforms. However, this is common in gaming, as many developers need help implementing cross-platform functionality. Allowing cross-play could give specific platforms an unfair advantage over others due to differences in hardware capabilities or controller layouts.
Funcom has made some exciting announcements that have grabbed the attention of gamers worldwide. One of the most notable is the company’s decision to introduce cross-play functionality across all its games. This means players on different platforms can now play together using a PC, Xbox, or PlayStation.
This move by Funcom is particularly significant as it is something only some other developers have been able to achieve. Cross-play functionality has long been a dream for gamers who want to play with friends on different platforms but have yet to be prevented from doing so due to technical limitations. However, with Funcom paving the way, more developers will likely follow suit.
Another aspect of Is Conan Exiles Cross Platform? that makes Funcom’s announcement even more exciting is its ability to transfer and save data across different platforms. Players can switch between devices without losing progress or starting over from scratch.
The following are the benefits.
- No matter what platform your friends use, you can still play with them.
- You don’t have to repurchase the game to transfer gaming platforms.
- The game will become more well-known, attracting additional players and perhaps future additions of fresh material.
- Instead of creating various game versions, game makers may concentrate on making one game that works incredibly well for everyone.
- Cross-play games typically have a stronger sense of the gaming community.
The renowned Norwegian video game developer and publisher Funcom is considering unveiling their upcoming project shortly. In an exclusive interview with Gamingbol, Funcom’s CEO revealed they are working on something fantastic to excite gamers worldwide. The company has been keeping a tight lid on this project for quite some time now, but they’re finally ready to share what they’ve been up to.
During the interview, Funcom’s CEO discussed his team’s passion for creating games that will leave a lasting impression on players. He also mentioned how important it is for them to stay true to their roots and continue crafting unique experiences that set them apart from other developers in the industry. With this new project, Funcom plans to push boundaries and redefine what players expect from gaming.
Is Conan Exiles Cross-Platform In 2023?
Conan Exiles, a popular survival game with an open-world concept and action-adventure elements, has been a topic of discussion for cross-platform play. Players have eagerly awaited the developers to allow cross-platform gameplay to enhance their gaming experience. While the current version of the game does not support cross-platform play, it may be in 2023.
Funcom, the developer of Conan Exiles, has shown interest in bringing cross-platform play to its players. Although they have not made any official announcements regarding this matter, fans believe that Funcom will announce it soon, considering how well-received cross-play is among gamers. Funcom has been hard at work improving Conan Exiles, and players can expect many exciting additions in the coming months. In the specific time range, the studio plans to release four significant updates to enhance gameplay mechanics, introduce new features, and fix existing issues.
Several features can support cross-platform play in Conan Exiles. One such feature is the ability to connect with players across different platforms. Conan Exiles, terrific addition standard feature, undoubtedly increase.
First up is the Isle of Siptah expansion, which will transport players to a brand-new map filled with dangerous creatures and mysterious ruins to explore. The development also includes an array of new weapons, armour sets, and building pieces for players to experiment with. Following that is an update focused on overhauling the combat system that aims to make engagements more dynamic and fluid than ever before.
Another upcoming update will introduce mountable pets into Conan Exiles. Players can finally ride around on their favourite animals like horses, camels, or elephants while exploring the vast open world of Hyboria.
- Playing with friends regardless of the platform they are on;
- Not having to repurchase the game if you want to switch platforms;
- The game will be more well-liked, attracting more players and perhaps new content in the future;
- Developers can concentrate on creating one game that works well for everyone rather than multiple versions.
In a recent interview with Gamingbolt, Joel Bylos, the creative director at Funcom, he has shared his thoughts on the potential of cross-platform gaming and how it could impact future titles like Conan Exiles.
Bylos explained that cross-platform gaming would allow players to connect and play with each other across different devices seamlessly. This could revolutionize online multiplayer games, significantly eliminating platform restrictions and broadening player pools. He also highlighted that cross-platform support could increase game longevity by fostering active communities that continue to play long after release.
Is Conan Exiles Cross-Platform PC And PS4/PS5?
Conan Exiles is one of the most popular multiplayer survival games today. The game allows you to take on the role of an exiled warrior, surviving in a harsh and unforgiving world filled with danger and adventure. With its immersive gameplay, stunning graphics, and engaging storyline, Conan Exiles has become a favorite among gamers across different platforms.
Many players wonder if Conan Exiles is cross-platform between PC and PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5. Unfortunately, as of now, there is no official cross-platform support for Conan Exiles. If you purchase the game separately for PS4 or PS5 consoles from Funcom’s website or other retailers, you cannot play with your friends who own the game’s PC version.
However, there is still hope for cross-play support in the future.
Is Conan Exiles Cross-Platform PC And Xbox One?
Conan Exiles is a popular open-world survival game developed by Funcom. It has been widely played on PC and Xbox One since its release. Many gamers wonder if the game supports cross-platform play between these two platforms, allowing them to play with each other regardless of their chosen medium.
The good news for fans of the game is that Conan Exiles does support cross-platform play between PC and Xbox One gamers. This means that players can join servers with others playing on either platform, making it easier to find friends and adding an extra layer of excitement to the gameplay experience.
Players can quickly join in on cross-play matches by selecting their preferred server and choosing whether to connect from a PC or Xbox One. Once hooked, they can compete against players from both platforms without additional steps.
Players who hoped for a significant change in their favourite game may find the latest news disheartening. While the developers have announced new updates, players must wait before experiencing them. The changes will be implemented after some time but still need to be paid for.
One of the most highly well-liked features among players is guilds and alliances. These groups are essential to many aspects of gameplay, from raiding dungeons to PvP battles. It’s no wonder that players have been eagerly anticipating new improvements in this area.
Thankfully, the development team has listened to feedback and promised exciting changes. Although implementation will take time, it’s clear that the forthcoming updates will significantly enhance the experience of playing as part of a guild or alliance. Players can look forward to more engaging social features, better communication tools, and greater rewards for working together towards common goals.
Is Conan Exiles Cross-Platform PS4 And PS5?
Conan Exiles is a survival game that has overtaken the gaming world. The game has been around for some time and attracts new users daily. This article will tackle one of the most crucial issues surrounding Conan Exiles- cross-platform compatibility between PS4 and PS5 users.
The good news is that Conan Exiles is cross-platform compatible between these platforms. This means that players on both PS4 and PS5 can play together on the same server without any issues. As a result, this has increased the number of users enjoying the game since there are more people to play with than ever before.
However, it’s essential to note that cross-platform compatibility has limitations. For instance, players on older hardware may experience lag or other performance-related issues when playing alongside those on newer consoles like the PS5.
Funcom, the game development company behind popular titles such as Conan Exiles and Age of Conan, has recently acknowledged and is investigating issues reported by its hardware, PlayStation 4 (PS4) and PlayStation 5 (PS5) users. The company has released a statement confirming that it is aware of these problems and is working to resolve them as quickly as possible.
The nature of these issues remains to be determined currently. However, they are likely related to stability concerns or glitches in the gameplay experience. Despite these challenges, Funcom has reassured its fans that it remains committed to delivering a high-quality gaming experience for all players on current-gen systems and next-generation consoles.
With new hardware releases like the PS5, developers have faced several technical hurdles ensuring their games run smoothly on all platforms.
Is Conan Exiles Cross Platform PS4 And Xbox One?
Conan Exiles is a popular survival game with significant traction among gamers worldwide. As the game’s popularity grows, many players are curious whether they can enjoy it on their preferred gaming console. One of the most common questions fans ask is whether Conan Exiles is cross-platform on PS4 and Xbox One.
Unfortunately, Conan Exiles is not cross-platform between PS4 and Xbox One. This means that PlayStation 4 players cannot play with Xbox One players or vice versa. The developers have confirmed that there are no plans to introduce cross-play functionality. As You can connect apple tv to wifi without a remote or a laptop to tv same, You can also connect your AirPods to ps4.
Despite the disappointment for some gamers hoping for cross-play capabilities, Conan Exiles remains an incredibly immersive experience on both platforms.
Is Conan Exiles Cross Platform? Conan Exiles will be cross-platform, at least partially. This is great news for PC gamers wanting to play the game on their computer and mobile devices. However, we still need to determine the full extent of cross-platform compatibility. Whether or not players can trade items between platforms or if they will need to purchase the game multiple times remains to be seen. Nevertheless, this is a promising development, and PC gamers should watch for more information in the coming months.
What platforms do Conan Exiles run on?
Canon Exiles run on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One


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With the expansive drop of his “Triple White” adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 set to go down later this week, Kanye West has taken to his two favorite mediums of communication — Twitter and Instagram — to unveil the official lookbook for the shoe. Shot by photographer Rita Minissi and entitled the “#wegotlove” campaign, the images see models both male and female dressed in the upcoming adidas Yeezy sneakers and tonal tan/beige bodysuits, shorts, and shirts. The colors that West chose to use give the lookbook a very earthy palette, and interestingly enough the models are never looking directly into the camera — they even have their backs turned a vast majority of the time. Check out every image from the lookbook below, let us know what you think of the alluring aesthetic West chose to present, and prepare yourself for the “Triple White” release on September 21st.
Images: Kanye West


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This Is What The OnePlus 6 May Look Like, Having A Glass Body & iPhone X-Like Notch On Top
However, the company’s hit a bit of a snag.
Just a few weeks before the OnePlus 6 was to be officially launched, images have leaked showing a new edge-to-edge display and a very iPhone X-like notch at the top. The photos also reveal what looks like a vertically-aligned rear dual camera.
Chinese tech blog ITHome posted the photos on Tuesday, claiming they were of the new OnePlus flagship. At a glance, it seems OnePlus has gone for a glass back, broken only by the camera and fingerprint scanner on the rear. And seeing as the company has copied the iPhone X’s notch, it only stands to reason the OnePlus 6 will utilise its selfie camera for face unlock.
However, it’s important to note the notch itself seems too narrow to support infrared sensors like in the iPhone, so this face unlock will probably not be as accurate, though it’ll be as fast as the OnePlus 5T.
According to the report, the device will feature 6GB RAM, 64Gb built-in storage, and will ship with Android 8.1. Of course, none of this can really be confirmed so don’t take the news wholly at face value. What you can be sure of however is that, like many other flagships launching this year, it’ll have the Snapdragon 845 processor.


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Although there was barely any fanfare, a momentous occasion occurred on Thursday. The five East African states entered a common market opening up a region of 126 million people for free trade and movement of residents.
This historic moment will surely be remembered by our children’s children as the day that the East African region said goodbye to the colonial relics, which our borders are, and strode into the bright future. For too long our small states jealously guarded their borders from the ‘foreign horde’ but as of today, we welcome our neighbours into our home, and they do likewise.
Now Rwandan graduates won’t look at our relatively small job market as the ‘end all be all’ but will instead cast their eyes towards Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi.
‘Nyirangarama Industries’ must be able to expand and sell its ‘Agashya and Akabanga’ products in regional supermarkets and cheaper Kenyan products should make shopping here easier on the wallet.
Just the mere cultural exchanges will be worth it, even if we discount the economic benefits.


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AMD partnered with Novell to develop and release
the initial open source driver. Many vendors that would like to sell Linux (Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, Asus) on machines with the option of using ATI video cards will undoubtedly be supporting with development resources or money.
The 2D specs are already out, and the 3D specs are being sanitized. This is moving much faster than expected. Apparently, AMD was working this behind the scenes for months before the announcement.


text: 30. Staunch support from the Mainland and our global outlook have been crucial to our economic success. We in turn have been playing a unique role in China's modernisation process. Accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has ushered in a new stage of opening up the Mainland. Notwithstanding some difficulties in our own economic development, we have not reduced our investments in China and remain its biggest outside investor. Two decades of substantial investment has provided us with a solid foundation on which we can further contribute to the Mainland's economic development, post-WTO. Despite the rapid economic development of Chinese cities, Hong Kong, as a more developed economy, has not lost any of its advantages. This will enable us to continue to give strong support to our country as it opens up further to the world.


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E-commerce giant Amazon has filed a new patent that suggests that the company is planning on launching drone deliveries from trains, ships and tractor trailers. The patent is filed under section, ‘9,718,564 B1’ which is reportedly identified as concepts under which ‘inter-modal vehicles,’ would be used a ‘ground-based mobile maintenance facilities for unmanned aerial vehicles.’
According to the description of the patent, these inter-modal vehicles could be movable to locations or areas where demand for the items being carried is high. Unmanned aerial vehicles would be able to load, launch and be retrieved at ‘locomotives, container ships, road tractors or other vehicles,’ the patent reads. The items being carried by these inter-modal vehicles would essentially be based on prior delivery histories or upcoming events for a given areas.
In other words, the latest innovation is expected to be carried out in areas where Amazon is most popular. The vehicles will also be carrying replacement and repair essentials for the drones, in order to inspect and subsequently fix non functional parts of the mobile. However, as pointed by Android Headlines, the only thing really missing from this equation is a way for vehicles to restock on supplies, once items initially loaded into the inter-modal vehicles begins to dwindle.
The patent was filed by Amazon on August 1. Amazon hasn’t made any official comments regarding this matter as of yet. The company had filed a patent earlier this year, which essentially described a tower-based fulfilment centre focused primarily on drone deliveries within cities.