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Microsoft Defender is entering a new era as a unified cross-platform service covering Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. It is worth noting this is a new version of the Microsoft Defender cybersecurity suite that will run through Microsoft 365.
This also completes Microsoft’s vision for Defender which has gone back several years. Through the transition from Windows Defender to Microsoft Defender, the company has been targeting the suite as a cross-platform service.
Windows Defender became Microsoft Defender with the launch of Windows 10 20H1. Microsoft originally made the name change when Defender first became available on Apple’s Mac. It made little sense calling it Windows on Apple’s platform.
The new Microsoft Defender is for individual users (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint remains the enterprise version) who subscribe to Microsoft 365 Personal and Family. While the service will have a universal skin across all platforms, Microsoft says features will continue to differ from OS to OS.
For example, iOS does not get antivirus protection while macOS, Windows, and Android do. However, iOS does get web phishing protection tools. All platforms will have the same dashboard, which Microsoft says it has simplified.
Android will have the ability to scan for malicious apps, a feature not available on iOS. Furthermore, the Android version of Microsoft Defender will also get web phishing protection. On Windows, Defender will remain mostly the same in terms of features and will not replace the current Security app.
“The expansion of our security portfolio with Microsoft Defender for individuals is the natural and exciting progression in our journey as a security company,” says Vasu Jakkal, corporate vice president of Microsoft security. “This is just the start. As we look forward, we will continue to bring more protections together under a single dashboard, including features like identity theft protection and secure online connection.”
Tip of the day: Having problems with pop-ups and unwanted programs in Windows? Try the hidden adware blocker of Windows Defender. We show you how to turn it on in just a few steps.


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In the past few years, GPS systems have changed the way people fi nd their favorite pizza and, in some instances, how pizzerias fi nd new customers. While up until recently this technology may have been a delivery driver’s tool, you can also think of GPS as a tool to enhance customer loyalty and satisfaction. In the age of the smartphone, this technology is being built into ordering applications and can be a useful tool for operators with mobile units. And, with the right equipment, equipping your drivers with GPS systems can save money and speed up deliveries.
Got an App?
Last August, Hungry Howie’s Pizza (hungryhowies.com), a chain based in Madison Heights, Michigan, with 500 stores in 24 states, joined the growing ranks of small-to-medium-size chains unveiling new iPhone applications. However, beyond providing easy ordering, incorporating a GPS system for customers was a key function in the design. Only days after making the app available for download, the orders started trickling in. “We’re targeting the Generation Y demographic—that’s about 80 million people,” says Al Newman, director of training for Hungry Howie’s. “This group prefers to do things without person-to-person contact, so they can get directions to the nearest store with just one touch of the screen.”
Even some consumer apps using GPS are being marketed to pizza lovers today. In October, New York food blogger Jeff Orlick’s Real Pizza of New York app was released for download for 99 cents. The first of its kind, this application lets New York pizza lovers search, browse and locate famous pizzerias; see order recommendations; and read a little history behind shops in all five boroughs. The app even breaks down pizzerias into categories, such as coal-fired, bar, new-wave and old-school.
Some operators are also finding resourceful ways to use the integrated GPS systems in their smartphones and other technology. Pi Pizzeria (restaurantpi.com), which has four locations in St. Louis and another slated to open in Washington, uses an iPad as a POS system. However, beyond tracking credit card transactions, Pi founder Chris Sommers studies customer patterns to better utilize Pi’s pizza truck, reinforcing the efforts with Facebook and Twitter to generate sales. “Every time we make a sale, the GPS makes a note of it,” says Sommers. “It’s a great way for us to see what and how much we can sell where. We try to identify those places and push more people there with social media.”
When it comes to delivery drivers, many operators have expressed the woes of lost employees, no thanks to GPS. And of course, it’s not safe to have your employees thumbing their cell phones while driving. But experts recommend rejecting consumer GPS systems in favor of an industrial product. Depending on how important delivery is to your operation, some of the latest technology can save on fuel coasts, monitor employees and increase productivity. “I don’t think any smartphone application is as good as a dedicated GPS device,” says Rich Owings, founder and editor of GPSTrackLog.com, a website dedicated to tracking the latest GPS technology. “You want a system that will let a fleet manager monitor drivers and send addresses and new assignments. Some systems can even predict traffic jams in urban environments.” Owings points out three clear advantages of a dedicated GPS system: Drivers can deliver more pizzas per shift, increasing both sales and tips; with shorter and/or faster delivery routes, fuel costs go down; and by monitoring your drivers’ location and speed, you can eliminate inefficient delivery staff.
As smartphone ordering applications become standard, independents and chains alike can take advantage of GPS technology. Early adopters of technology have found that if you’re targeting a younger generation, GPS is a great way to tap into the tendencies of Generation Y. If you operate a mobile unit, you can strategically use this technology to increase sales. While up until a year ago, this technology influenced the industry only for delivery driver purposes, more specialized consumer applications are likely to appear, making GPS also a matter of improving publicity. However, if you just want to streamline your delivery operation, do some research and invest in the proper tools for you. If you can eliminate wandering drivers and save on gas costs and time, you could make your money back one drive at a time.

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SATS aims to halve food waste intensity in Singapore operations from the 2021 baseline by 2028 and introduce 100% sustainable packaging by 2030
Country Foods, a subsidiary of food solutions and gateway services provider SATS, has teamed up with Hilton Foods to redesign the former’s protein processing capability in Singapore.
According to Singapore-based SATS, the partnership also includes the supply of proteins from Hilton Foods to Country Foods.
The deal aligns with the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals to promote responsible consumption and production and acting on climate change.
The food solutions provider aims to halve food packaging waste intensity in Singapore operations from the 2021 baseline by 2028 and introduce 100% sustainable packaging by 2030.
This partnership will use Country Foods’ distribution network and local market expertise as well as Hilton Foods’ capabilities in the production and processing of sustainable proteins.
The collaboration is anticipated to improve Country Foods’ operational effectiveness and capacity for sustainable packaging to provide its food service and retail clients with goods that are packed responsibly.
SATS Food Solutions chief executive officer Stanley Goh said: “Increasingly, customers are demanding packaging solutions that are sustainable. Hilton Foods is the best-in-class partner with the know-how and technology to drive scale and productivity in large-scale protein processing.
“They have the capability to produce packaging that does not require the separation of materials for recycling and packaging for chilled proteins that do not need soaker pads.
“That eliminates a lot of packaging waste. We believe this partnership will help SATS and Country Foods advance our sustainability goals.”
UK-based Hilton Foods is said to be a multi-protein producer with 24 processing facilities globally. The firm supplies 19 countries in Europe and Australasia.
The company is a meat processing firm with expertise in delivering customised solutions in its integrated, technology-driven production facilities. Its customer base includes retailers across Europe and Asia Pacific.


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New business rents out toys
By Jeff Kiger
A local couple is bringing the NetFlix business model out of the TV room and into the playroom.
Jeff and Jessica Raschka, owners of A Puzzled World store in Rochester, launched a membership program this week to rent more than 500 different toys, therapy equipment and educational tools.
The Raschkas opened A Puzzled World at 3110 Wellner Drive N.E. in 2007. It primarily sells products geared for children and adults with autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder.
"Basically, we just listened to our customers," Jeff Raschka says. "Obviously, everybody is being more cautious with money these days. However, nobody wants to deprive their kids of toys or therapy."
With this model, parents can try out therapy equipment or systems with their children that have conditions like autism and see if it will help them.
As a father of two young children, he pointed out on the toy side of things that kids often master or grow tired of a toy or puzzle within a few weeks. Then it goes on a shelf, often never to be used again.
"Younger children grow physically and mentally so fast," Raschka says. "That adds up."
The new service can also help teachers who often buy things for their classrooms out of their own pockets. This service would allow them to regularly bring in new materials by paying a set monthly fee, he said.
For now, members that join the new program will need to pick up the items at the store in northeast Rochester. In the fall, the plan is to offer shipping of the rented materials to customers.
That will play into the store’s online business, which already reaches customers around the world.
Since A Puzzled World is a new concept, the Raschkas said when it opened that they hoped to spawn franchises and have stores across the country.
Jeff Raschka says that is still the long-term goal and this new rental program is another piece to hopefully strengthen the overall concept and make that possible.


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Deals giant Groupon is testing a mobile payments acceptance service that would compete with Square, PayPal Here and Verifone Sail, according to VentureBeat. The service is reported to come with a free iPod Touch and card reader and is currently on trial in the Bay Area.
- SimplyTapp launches open source tokenization project
- Bookatable tests iBeacon at 119 restaurants
- Chicago to get NFC mobile ticketing in 2016
- Discover CEO outlines plan to join Apple Pay
- Researchers show off ‘skin buttons’ for smartwatches


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Just weeks after Lime said it pulled some of its electric scooters from the streets of major cities over their alleged potential to catch fire, it has now issued a global recall of some of its scooters over claims that they can break apart during use.
A spokesperson for the company told Gizmodo in a statement by email that it was “decommissioning all Okai scooters in the global fleet” as a precaution but declined to comment on how many it would be pulling from the streets.
“We are actively looking into reports that scooters manufactured by Okai may break and are working cooperatively with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the relevant agencies internationally to get to the bottom of this,” the Lime spokesperson said. “The vast majority of Lime’s fleet is manufactured by other companies and decommissioned Okai scooters are being replaced with newer, more advanced scooters considered best in class for safety. We don’t anticipate any real service disruptions.”
Okai did not immediately return Gizmodo’s request for comment.
Reporting on the global recall on Saturday, the Washington Post said it spoke to one Lime employee tasked with charging the company’s e-scooters overnight who said he found cracking in Lime’s baseboards in an estimated 20 percent of the scooters he handled.
The juicer, a man in his 40s named “Ted,” asked that his last name not be used for fear of retribution. He said that a few weeks after he began working for Lime in July, he began noticing cracks in scooter baseboards and broken scooters on the street. He estimated that he found baseboard cracks in about 20 percent of the scooters he picked up to charge. Eventually, he highlighted the issue in a lengthy Reddit post that included multiple photos of broken scooters.
The employee reportedly made several attempts to flag the problem to Lime in emails, but the company did not respond. Lime declined the Post’s request for comment on the account.
This is the second time in less than a month that Lime has had to answer for potential dangers with its scooters. Earlier this month, Lime engaged in a public tiff with one of its manufacturers, Segway Ninebot, after Lime claimed that batteries made by the company and used in its own e-scooters could “result in the battery smoldering or, in some cases, catching fire.”
“All vulnerable scooters were quickly removed from circulation, minimally impacting service to our Los Angeles, San Diego and Lake Tahoe markets,” Lime said in a statement last month. “At no time were riders or members of the public put at risk. Unfortunately, despite our efforts, we’ve recently received an unconfirmed report that another Segway Ninebot scooter model may also be vulnerable to battery failure, which we are currently investigating.”
At the time, Segway stood by its products and responded to the claims with a jab that it thought Lime’s “statement was not based on a good understanding of battery technology.”


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Apple is being accused of stealing the idea of bounceback scrolling from Atari. However, there’s a flaw in the argument of a law pundit who describes the action as “professional theft,” reports “Macworld UK” (http://macte.ch/Dg6SA).
The flaw? Apple CEO and co-founder, the late Steve Jobs, worked on the product in question when he was employed at Atari.
In the Apple-Samsung patent battle verdict reached by a California jury, it was ruled that Samsung had copied elements of its iPad and iPhone. One feature that Apple was able to demonstrate that Samsung had copied was bounce back scrolling. However, the “LawPundit” site claims (http://macte.ch/z9tky) Apple stole the idea from the Atari game Pong.
“The essential principle of bounce-back scrolling becomes obvious if you play the famed Atari game Pong which was virtually ‘the first game’ in the early days of the computer,” writes “LawPundit.” “Whenever the ball hits the paddle, that is a ‘bounce-back’ and if it does not hit the paddle, there is no ‘bounce-back.’ Apple has essentially stolen this Pong bounce-back invention for the basics of its scrolling patent 746938.”
However, Jobs’s first job was at Atari, where he and Steve Wozniak worked on a game called Breakout, which was a multiplayer version of Pong, notes “Macworld UK.”
However, “Forbes” (http://macte.ch/43Fqk) says the “LawPundit” claim isn’t a fair accusation. Tim Worstall, “Forbes” contributor, writes: “Now, of course I do not endorse this accusation of professional theft. I also don’t quite agree that bounce back is quite that simple. For of course we have the entire patent system of the United States of America telling us that the two are absolutely not the same thing. Bounce back in Pong is completely different from bounce back in list scrolling. Must be, otherwise no one could have a patent valid in 2012 for something that has been around since 1972. Well, unless the US patent system was definitively and entirely broken and it’s impossible to conceive of all those bright people in government using all our money to achieve something as ridiculous as that, isn’t it?”


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Direct-to-consumer (D2C) haircare brand eSalon has seen a growth spike as the U.S. and Europe have continued social restrictions due to the pandemic. And bridge millennials are nearly twice as likely as the average consumer to utilize voice-activated technology to make purchases, as they are the first generation of consumers who have grown up with connected devices and are accustomed to shopping and paying with them. All this, Today in Data.
235K: Minimum number of unique hair color combinations that eSalon has created and delivered.
83.1%: Share of bridge millennials who have cited the need to keep safe from the pandemic as “very” or “extremely” important.
36: Average age of bridge millennial consumers, who have established themselves as an important economic subset.
$22: Price of each shipment in the eSalon subscription model.
14%: Share of all voice-assisted purchases made while consumers are doing other things around the house.


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CBDC to bring more efficiencies to monetary and payment systems
Bank of Baroda enables CBDC UPI QR interoperability for pilot users on its Digital Rupee app. This will allow customers to scan any UPI-enabled merchant QR code to make payments in digital rupees, says Joydeep Dutta Roy, ED, BOB
What is Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)?
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) also known as ‘digital rupee’ or ‘e-rupee’ is a legal tender, similar to sovereign paper currency, and is issued in digital form by the Reserve Bank of India. E-rupee will offer features of physical cash like trust, safety and settlement finality with atomicity (i.e. immediate settlement of transactions) in digital mode. E-rupee represents a direct claim on the Central Bank. It can be used to carry out transactions or store value digitally, similar to the manner in which currency notes can be used in physical form.
How does Bank of Baroda's CBDC UPI QR interoperability work?
The CBDC UPI QR interoperability functionality will pave the way for seamless transactions between a customer and merchant. Customers can scan any UPI-enabled merchant QR code, including Bharat QR code, through Bank of Baroda’s bob World Digital Rupee app.
If the Merchant is on-boarded on CBDC-Digital rupee services, then a customer’s transaction will be made through the Digital Rupee app wherein Token from the customer’s wallet will be debited and credited to the merchant’s wallet.
If the merchant is not on-boarded on CBDC-Digital Rupee services, then the customer’s transaction will be made directly to the merchant’s UPI QR Code-linked bank account. The CBDC application ensures the interoperability between the CBDC system and UPI payment infrastructure. On scanning the UPI QR code, the customer’s wallet will get debited and token will be transferred to bank’s wallet/vault. In turn, the bank will transfer an amount equivalent to the token amount through UPI to the merchant’s bank account.
CBDC UPI QR interoperability will further accelerate the adoption of digital rupee (CBDC-R) among customers and provide wider payment acceptance infrastructure to promote usage of digital rupee at merchant outlets. Customers can now use their digital currency available in their digital rupee [CBDC-R] wallet and scan to pay across any UPI QR code. Similarly, merchants need to only display their existing single QR code, which can accept payments in both CBDC and UPI. With this, we believe that the digital rupee ecosystem can scale up quickly.
How will the customers and merchants benefit from CBDC UPI QR interoperability?
The CBDC UPI QR interoperability allows a CBDC user to make payments for their daily needs by scanning any UPI QR code at any merchant outlet. Even merchants, at their end, are not required to be on boarded as a CBDC merchant and they need not to keep a separate QR code to accept digital rupee payments. They can accept CBDC payments on their existing QR code. With this, the digital rupee ecosystem can scale up quickly.
What is the future of the digital rupee ecosystem in India and what will be its impact on India's economy?
The RBI foresees e-rupee as the next-generation payment mode that is seamless, ubiquitous and anonymous and delivers value to customers. E-rupee can act as a viable alternative to paper currency, the issuance and circulation of which entail a long process with the government incurring heavy costs which ultimately will be reduced after introduction of CBDC.
As physical cash circulation increases, it puts more pressure on distribution and storage channels, along with the environment, owing to its carbon footprint. It also poses risks such as counterfeit notes, spoilage and security risks. It is expected that CBDC will mitigate the above risks.
One of the top priorities of the G20 has been to enhance cross-border payments and CBDC can be an appropriate tool to facilitate cross-border transactions, making them faster, cheaper, and more efficient. Launching the e-rupee in India would also mean taking a significant step towards a digital economy, given the rise in the adoption of mobile and internet-based payments.
What will be the impact of CBDC on India's economy?
CBDC will have a widespread impact on the Indian economy. The financial sector will be keen to integrate the digital rupee with their existing payment systems, making it more customer friendly. We will also see increased collaboration between the Central Bank and Commercial Banks. CBDC is expected to enhance various cybersecurity updates that are crucial for maintaining the integrity of the digital rupee. The digital rupee will give a big boost to financial inclusion, CBDC has the potential to penetrate all segments of the population, including those living in remote or underserved areas. The digital currency will also further improve the welfare distribution of funds under various government schemes.
It is expected that CBDC will bring in more efficiencies to monetary and payment systems and help in prevention of frauds by tracking end use of funds. Cash dependency in the economy is expected to come down drastically with the increase in digital currency circulation. The cost of printing currency notes will come down as will the need for the maintenance, transportation, and distribution of paper currency notes through the 'currency chests 'of banks. Finally, the e-rupee will spur innovation in the financial services sector.


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Georgia is pushing the limits of how medical marijuana is purchased and distributed and will allow pharmacies to become an alternative to dispensaries.
While few states have budged on medical cannabis, Georgia is ready to push the limits. According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Georgia will soon be the first state in the U.S. to offer medical marijuana products in independent pharmacies.
Only two companies in Georgia are licensed to produce the products and 120 pharmacies have agreed to sell medication from Botanical Sciences. Currently, the state only has seven dispensaries to cover all 159 counties.
The AJC reports that medical marijuana prescriptions can only be given by physicians to patients who have severe illnesses and when the low THC-based products arrive, 90% of the state’s population will have pharmacies with medical cannabis within a 30-minute drive.
This is expected to provide a serious boost to the economy and small businesses who opt-in.
11 Alive is also adding that medical cannabis patients can buy cannabis oil at pharmacies if they show a state-issued low THC oil registry card and identification. The products won’t be sold by national drugstores like CVS and Walgreens.
The registered number of medical marijuana patients is currently around 14,000 patients including caregivers. If you’re wondering how something like this could happen in the South, it all goes back to accessibility.
“We’re going to have patients that need this health care in some remote parts of Georgia that probably would never have a dispensary near them,” said Jonathan Marquess, vice president for the Georgia Pharmacy Association and the owner of several pharmacies in the Atlanta area in a statement to 11 Alive. “But they do have a caring professional, a knowledgeable professional pharmacist, in their communities who can talk to them.”
This is a very bold move for the state of Georgia, as the times change, maybe one-day recreational use will be approved as well.
Source link : bossip.com


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A unique take on a rapidly growing product category, G Pure Energy has launched to fill the void for high-end energy drinks (who knew?). Created by the maker of Norway’s VOSS Artesian Water—an equally premium water brand—G Pure Energy is a lightly carbonated energy drink housed in a weighty 200 mL glass bottle that nicely conveys its luxury positioning. The brand also suggests an alternate use for the product: as a mixer. Combine it with vodka, gin, whiskey, tequila, rum or fruit juices to create energy-inducing cocktails. G Pure Energy is available at select clubs, bar, hotels and restaurants for $2.99.
Two years after it acquired the Chinese beer brand, Anheuser-Busch has started importing Harbin Lager into the United States and United Kingdom in packaging that reflects the host country’s traditions. A transparent rice paper wrap, with Chinese lettering and decorative floral elements, makes an overt connection to the brand’s heritage, while the large 600-mL glass bottle more subtly evokes the Chinese tradition of sharing. “There is an aura about the Far East that connects with today’s upscale consumers,” says Jon Hoffmeister, brand manager at Anheuser-Busch. “From the unique transparent rice paper to the signature deep green, ruby red and gold colors, Harbin’s packaging captures the mystique and intrigue of Asian culture.”
Fire it up
Stephens & Company recently introduced CharCones, a product that simplifies the process of lighting charcoal briquettes. The single-use container of charcoal is placed directly on the grill and then lit; the bottom portion is molded pulp (virgin and recycled paper) while the remainder is 14-point paperboard with a proprietary coating in a semi-gloss finish. Once ignited, the package is designed to burn from the inside out, creating a chimney effect with the carton that enhances the fire. “CharCones fits perfectly with our strategy of segmenting the outdoor cooking market with unique, disruptive packaging,” says Michael Stephens, company founder and CEO. The concept was developed internally. Graphics are by JHI (www.jhigoodidea.com) in Richmond, Va.
Quenching Derby fever
Whiskey-based mint juleps are the cocktail of choice at the Kentucky Derby. So it’s only natural that Woodford Reserve, the official bourbon of the “biggest two minutes in sports”, has released a 2007 Derby bottle—the ninth in a series of packages commemorating the high-spirited event. Featuring a label by Chattanooga Label Systems (www.clsdeco.com) with a silk-screened image of jockeys mixing with the crowd, the custom glass bottle is manufactured by O-I (www.o-i.com) and is shaped like a flask, with curved shoulders, squared sides and a broad, flat face. “We take pride in showing off our bourbon with a simple, yet complex bottle,” says David Scheurich, Woodford Reserve Distillery plant manager. The new 750-mL release retails for about $30.
McD’s casting call
In mid-March, McDonald’s unveiled packaging featuring 24 consumers selected from an online global “casting call,” which received 13,000 entries. Starting in the United States and Canada, the new faces will be featured on McDonald’s cups and bags—and will be seen by 52 million people a day as the packaging rolls out globally in second quarter 2007. The winning entrants range in age from five to 50+ years and were chosen based on submissions that captured the brand’s “i’m lovin’ it” tagline. “The thousands of extraordinary entries submitted in our first-ever online global casting call far exceeded our expectations,” said McDonald’s Global CMO Mary Dillon. The initiative reflects an ongoing interest in “user-generated” content in marketing.
A Wrigley sensation
Though the confectionary business has been trending toward pellet and tab gum formats, Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company unveiled “5”, a sugar-free chewing gum in stick form that will launch nationwide in early July. Martin Schlatter, Wrigley’s chief marketing officer, says teens and young adults will be drawn to the “revolutionary” packaging, a 15-stick envelope pack that will glow slightly in darkened environments like night clubs or movie theaters. Named “5” to evoke the five senses, the gum’s Rain (spearmint) flavor creates a tingling sensation, while the Cobalt (peppermint) flavor will cool and Flare (cinnamon) will warm as the gum is chewed. Carrying a suggested retail price of $1.49, the new brand was developed at Wrigley’s Goose Island innovation facility in Chicago.


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Joe Belfiore announces new updates, sheds some details on lock screen app
In a series of tweets published this morning, corporate vice president and manager for Windows Phone Joe Belfiore has outlined a series of updates that will be going live on the Windows Phone platform.
Belfiore touched on the subject of the number of social networks available for integration on Windows Phone, noting that while only a few social networks could be configured before, the platform now supports sharing to all social networks.
As for the much awaited lock screen app, Belfiore stated that it was undergoing beta testing on devices with over 1 GB RAM, and that work is underway in applying the finishing touches. He said that a dev preview will be announced shortly. On the same subject, Belfiore mentioned that it might be a while before the lock screen app is made available on devices with 512 MB RAM. As for the reason this feature will not be available soon on low-memory devices, he said that it was to "make lock fast/stay in memory."
Belfiore also mentioned that app updates for Facebook and Skype are incoming, and stated that Microsoft is actively partnering with Facebook in trying to eke out any lingering bugs in its app.
Belfiore touched upon the subject of new hubs/apps being different in functionality (Xbox Music splitting from the hub, etc), and said that it was because a third party platform was used to build them. He mentioned that this allows for better updatability, and "makes the platform better so all apps improve." He said that such apps are limited in number, and are mostly on dev previews and a small number of new devices.
On the subject of universal apps, Belfiore said that since Windows Phone 8.1 is still in its nascent stages, most developers are focusing on Windows Phone 8, but once WP 8.1 starts gaining momentum, there will be a lot of universal apps available.
Finally, Belfiore said that there are a couple new apps that will be announced for the platform soon and that the Windows Phone team continues to squat bugs before they're ready to roll out Windows Phone 8.1 to the world. Head on over to his Twitter page to read through published messages.
Source: Twitter (Joe Belfiore); thanks to everyone who tipped us!
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Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia for Android Central, Windows Central's sister site. When not reviewing phones, he's testing PC hardware, including video cards, motherboards, gaming accessories, and keyboards.


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September 28, 2010
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) offers Virginia producers the opportunity to introduce their products to the growing Indian market through a partnership with the Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA).
The International Food and Drink Expo (IFDE) will take place in New Delhi, India Dec. 2–4, 2010, and VDACS encourages food producers and processors to consider taking part.
“India is a rapidly growing but challenging market for exporters” said Matthew J. Lohr, VDACS Commissioner. “SUSTA can help break down barriers and put producers in direct contact with buyers in major retail outlets and food service companies. One of the most positive sides of the trade equation in recent years has been the export market, and many of our companies have benefited from the contacts these international shows provide. Virginia ag exports totaled $2.3 billion in 2009, and there are few sectors of today’s economy that can beat that record. With a low participation cost and free product shipping, this is a show that could give our exporters exposure to a new and emerging market.”
India’s economy is the fourth largest economy in the world according to Gross Domestic Product and is projected to grow eight percent in 2010, making it the world’s fastest-growing economy. India’s food and grocery market is the sixth largest in the world, valued at $182 billion. With a population of 1.2 billion, food accounts for two-thirds of the total retail market in India.
Best candidates for product sales at IFDE include cookies and candies; snack foods; salsas, sauces and other condiments; juices and beverages, wine; canned foods; breakfast foods. The East Coast of the United States has seen increased opportunities for marketing apples to India, with more than a million dollars in exports to the country in the first few months of 2010.
Information for participants:
• Event date: Dec. 2 – 4, 2010.
• Participation fee: $400.
Participants will receive:
• Pre-arranged one-on-one meetings/appointments.
• Guided tour of major retailers and/or food service organizations.
• Market briefing by USDA-Foreign. Agricultural Service staff in New Delhi.
• Meetings with market consultants to discuss your export marketing strategy and goals.
• Free shipping (up to $1,000 per company) to the show; no shipping of product or equipment back to USA following show.
• Free access to IFDE and a small display area in the SUSTA pavilion.
• Travel and accommodations are the responsibility of company.
Producers interested in taking advantage of this opportunity to introduce their products to key buyers in India should contact Keith Long in VDACS’ Office of International Marketing. Call 804.371.8990 or e-mail [email protected]. For information on additional domestic and international trade events, go to the VDACS Web site at http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/international/tradeshows.shtml.
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The team behind the City’s new cutting-edge arbitration centre has launched a membership service for independent practitioners, with full clerking and admin support as well as a home in the heart of London’s legal community.
The new business, Int-Arb Arbitrators, is backed by the International Arbitration Centre (IAC), the world-class disputes hub launched last year at a four-floor site at 190 Fleet Street in central London. Continue reading “City’s new disputes hub launches home for independent arbitrators”
For large companies and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, disputes are an inevitable feature of doing business. According to the Litigation Trends Annual Survey, published by Norton Rose Fulbright, US companies now spend $1.2m on disputes per $1bn of annual revenue. Add in the growth of non-US companies involved in disputes and tens of billions of dollars are being spent worldwide in resolving them. Where those disputes are resolved, and in what form, is evolving in line with the global economy – as economic power shifts eastwards, so does the volume of disputes.
Despite this trend, which is underpinned by intense competition from rival dispute resolution centres in Asia, London continues to be the world’s most favoured international disputes destination – at least for now. As rival jurisdictions seize the opportunity to increase their share, the battle for business shows no sign of abating. Continue reading “Global disputes hubs jostle for position – Where in the world?”


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- New Hampshire will use $4.6 million, or about 15% of its share of the Volkswagen emissions settlement, to develop electric vehicle (EV) charging stations around the state, according to a Beneficiary Mitigation Plan released last week.
- Funds will be used to acquire, install, operate and maintain vehicle supply equipment, and the state will begin accepting applications next month, The Concord Monitor reports. Other states, including Ohio and Massachusetts, have also considered using some of those funds to boost their EV industries.
- In total, New Hampshire will receive almost $31 million from the $15 billion VW settlement — an agreement between the automaker and the U.S. government after VW was exposed for rigging diesel vehicles to pass emissions tests.
The Volkswagen emissions scandal has turned into a miniature boon for EV charging infrastructure, as several states are directing some of the funds toward electrifying transportation.
New Hampshire's plan for the funds looks to regional benefits for the state, arguing that investments in EV infrastructure offer a "unique opportunity to invest in the future and ensure New Hampshire remains a destination for travelers from across the Northeast and Canada."
The New Hampshire plan specifies that the state will consider investments and programs in neighboring states and provinces, as well as investments made by Electrify America, the group administering the Volkswagen settlement funding.
"Collaboration with in-state stakeholders in determining where, how and when to invest is prudent," the plan says, adding that state investments should seek to "leverage private sector funding and must occur in a manner that will allow for broad access to users and incorporation of technological advances in EV charging infrastructure."
New Hampshire is working with states in the region to develop EV infrastructure, and some of those other efforts are being funded by the VW settlement as well. Massachusetts plans to use $23.5 million on electric vehicle infrastructure including $11 million for the purchase electric buses and $5 million for the expansion of EV charging infrastructure.
According to EV booster Plug In America, there were only about 1,400 plug-in EVs on New Hampshire roads last year.


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Dainik Bhaskar Hindi – bhaskarhindi.com, San Francisco. Google is planning to launch its Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro smartphones in October. Now a new listing on Taiwan’s NCC database reveals that the Pixel 6 Pro (identified as GLU0G) will support 33W charging speed. This is a big step for the search giant. the 33
.Download Dainik Bhaskar Hindi App for Latest Hindi News .


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Enough with the unnaturally colored burger buns already: McDonald's China just launched a burger with a highly unappetizing gray bun. It's called the Modern China Burger, and as The Telegraph points out, it "resembles two slabs of granite." Mmm, igneous rocks!
The Big Mac slinger is just the latest chain to hop aboard this unnaturally-colored bandwagon, which seems to be most popular in Asia: Burger King Japan served a burger with a black bun (and black cheese) back in the summer of 2014, following it up with a red-bunned burger this year. Meanwhile, KFC China recently introduced chicken sandwiches perched on pink and black buns.


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ROSH HA’AYN, Israel — February 10, 2021 — Kornit Digital, worldwide supplier in digital textile printing technology, proudly presents Kornit Fashion Week Tel Aviv 2021, March 28-April 1. The opening gala will be hosted by supermodel Bar Rafaeli and Tel Aviv Fashion Week founder Motty Reif. More than 40 fashion designers will be presenting, and the event’s core theme will highlight the collaboration of technology and fashion to achieve and elevate sustainable production and consumption practices globally.
“A decade ago, I started Tel Aviv Fashion Week in order to promote our local talent internationally,” Reif said. “For the past five years, we’ve been a driving force behind inclusivity in fashion, and now we are tackling the industry’s most pressing issue of our time and joining forces with Kornit in order to make production more sustainable — startup nation technology meets fashion, to change the world together.”
Fashion leads the e-commerce revolution, with apparel representing the top category for online sales, but the industry remains mired in obsolete and inefficient manufacturing processes which, among other issues, are responsible for up to 25 percent of water pollution globally. Consumer behavior has permanently disrupted traditional fashion cycles and created a significant opportunity for on-demand production in the fashion world — achieving true sustainability by producing only what is sold, eliminating overstocks, cutting down on wasteful shipping and transport, and eliminating waste and pollution of natural resources.
Kornit Digital’s patented single-step process meets the on-demand needs of the fashion industry globally. Its processes and technologies are also safer and compounds eco-friendly benefits with water-based inks and fixations meeting rigorous retail standards for sustainability.
As one of the preeminent platforms for innovation in the international fashion community, Kornit Fashion Week Tel Aviv will give observers great insight into the myriad ways technology empowers even the most demanding fashion designers to achieve sustainability without compromising their world-renowned quality.
“For more than a decade, Kornit has led the charge for on-demand production, and our innovations ensure fashion designers can deliver brilliant designs, limitless color combinations, the finest hand-feel, and unparalleled durability, all while changing the game with production practices that are simultaneously more profitable, more responsive to spontaneous and shifting demand, and more eco-responsible,” said Ronen Samuel, Kornit Digital CEO. “I couldn’t be prouder to present an event that is widely recognized as a beacon for global movements and agendas and demonstrate how diversity and individual expression can be enriched and celebrated hand-in-hand with our shared vision of a more sustainable world.”
Posted February 10, 2021
Source: Kornit Digital


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Consumers will be able to save money by shifting consumption during off-peak hours and avoiding the use of energy-intensive devices during peak hours
Electricity suppliers are preparing special tariffs for consumers who have smart power consumption meters that will come into effect from January 1, 2024, in compliance with the decisions of the Ministry of Environment and Energy on the new framework that will govern electricity retail from the new year.
Smart meters ensure significant advantages for consumers, the main one being the application of different tariffs during the day depending on the fluctuation of prices in the Stock Exchange.
So, for example:
– During midday summer hours, when PV production peaks and the market price drops (or often zero), correspondingly lower consumer prices will apply.
– During peak hours (e.g. the afternoons when the production of the photovoltaics fails) the charges will be more expensive.
Consumers will be able to save money by transferring consumption during off-peak hours and avoiding the use of energy-intensive devices during peak hours.
At a later stage, the transfer of consumption to off-peak hours will be able to be compensated by the market through demand response mechanisms, as is already the case for large consumers.
In addition, in combination with rooftop solar and/or battery, consumers will also be able to participate in the market by selling, storing or buying energy depending on the price fluctuation during the day.
Over 500,000 smart meters in 2023
According to the data included in the revised energy planning submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the European Commission, by 2021 13,000 smart meters at the medium voltage level and 70,000 at the low voltage level had been deployed, mainly for consumers with high electricity demand.
In 2022, 100,000 smart meters installed. They are estimated to increase to 500,000 in 2023 and between 800,000 and 1 million each year from 2024 to 2030. DEDDIE’s goal is for all consumers to have a smart meter by 2030 while by the end of 2024 it is estimated that over half energy (55%) distributed in the network will be recorded with smart meters (telemetering).
At the same time, the DEDDIE tender with a budget of 1.2 billion euros is underway for the supply and installation of a total of 7.3 million low-voltage smart meters, a project for which a financing agreement between the Administrator and the European Bank was signed last week in the presence of the Prime Minister Investments. The tender is expected to be completed in early 2024.
The installation of smart meters is also linked to dealing, to a certain extent, with the problem of electricity theft, which amounts to 4.5% of the energy consumed. The cost of stolen energy (€400 million per year) is shared among other consistent consumers, which means that tackling electricity theft can also lead to lower electricity bills.
The Regulatory Authority has set the Operator a specific timetable for reducing electricity theft (2023: to 4.2 %, 2024: 3.8 %, 2025: 3.3 %, 0.5 % in 2030) with a penalty (loss of revenue) in case failure.
I have worked as a journalist for over 10 years, and my work has been featured on many different news websites. I am also an author, and my work has been published in several books. I specialize in opinion writing, and I often write about current events and controversial topics. I am a very well-rounded writer, and I have a lot of experience in different areas of journalism. I am a very hard worker, and I am always willing to put in the extra effort to get the job done.


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The decision from Nestle, following a similar action by Adidas, should not come as a surprise.
Brands associate with sports because, unlike traditional advertising, it allows them to communicate with consumers through established brand attributes of the sponsored property.
Consumers are more demanding of brands than ever before so there is immense pressure to ensure all sponsorships create a positive image in their minds.
The biggest issue surrounding IAAF is that the very integrity of the sport has been brought into question. Nothing will make sponsors run for the hills like association with cheating.
Nestle was a financial backer of the IAAF Kids’ Athletics programme and, while the withdrawal will inevitably hurt the programme, the brand has every reason to disassociate itself from an organisation accused of ‘state sponsored doping' and corruption.
Are sponsors hypocritical?
These are difficult times for athletics and until this storm blows over, the IAAF will find it difficult to attract new partners.
Sponsors are not short of choices and, given increased levels of scrutiny, will not put themselves in a position of reputational risk. Only time will tell if other partners will follow, but Canon has indicated that it has no intention of ending its association.
Some will argue that there may be a degree of hypocrisy in the way some brands choose to take the higher ground when they have a chequered history of their own.
The reality is that when you’re making a substantial financial investment to enhance your brand, you’re well within your rights to walk away if there is a risk of the opposite happening.
So what does the future hold for the sport and IAAF? The bad news is that things are likely to get worse before they get better.
There is a sense, and not without evidence, that there has been a concerted effort to cover up the extent of the corruption, further undermining the credibility of the sport and those who run it.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. The IAAF should see this as an opportunity to reinvent itself by demonstrating it has fully accepted any wrongdoing and has gone to great lengths to put athletics in a better place moving forward. If and when that happens, the sport will be able to rebuild itself."


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- 3 min read
Handset lobby body warns govt of losing Rs 10000-15000 cr
The Indian Cellular Association (ICA) said the incentives for local manufacturing has virtually collapsed after the introduction of GST.
In a recent letter to cabinet secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha and Niti Aayog vice chairman Rajeev Kumar, the Indian Cellular Association (ICA) said the incentives for local manufacturing has virtually collapsed after the introduction of GST, and urged the government to “honour its commitments” to support the Make in India programme.
ICA chairman Pankaj Mohindroo said the transition from VAT to GST created an unintended, but serious, issue which is hurting the image of India as a whole and state governments in particular on living up to commitments, and impacting future investments because of lack of clarity on rules.
The body termed mobile phones and components as the champion sector in ‘Make in India’, with more than 120 plants mushroomed in the last three years, encouraged by policies to boost local manufacturing. If things go as per plans under the phased manufacturing programme, some Rs22,000-23,000 crore more of investments are expected in the next three years.
Almost 90% of all handsets currently sold in India are locally manufactured, according to Counterpoint Research.
Outlining the issue, the ICA said in the earlier VAT system, state governments could incentivise manufacturing under which they had powers of levy, exemption and disbursement of VAT revenue as incentives. But under GST, this is not possible since there is only one common law to be followed by both the central and state governments.
To attract investments, most state governments were offering VAT reimbursements primarily linked to fixed capital investments, or reimbursement commitments for 5-7 years. Central sales tax was also usually a part of this incentive.
Under GST, an SGST refund mechanism was mentioned as an alternative and successor to VAT refund. The ICA, however, said now the actual SGST payment has become nil because most of the transactions are taking place in the IGST mode and raw material or input purchases are either imports or from outside the state.
Moreover, the IGST rates are further inverted in many cases — for example battery packs are at 28% against the final product of 12%, it said, adding: “This makes the case even worse.”
“Now, it's a no man's land situation. The Centre is saying that it's a state government issue, while states say it (inability to give incentives) is because of GST,” Mohindroo said.
The lobby body, in its short-term recommendations to the GST Council to resolve the matter, asked for an exemption for import and domestic IGST on electronic manufacturing only for components/inputs under the actual utilisation condition.
Such a move, the ICA said, will not entail any revenue loss to the government but will ease the cash flow situation for actual manufacturing and will re-energize SGST reimbursements without any associated problems. “What will emerge in this situation will be that actual SGST payments will start getting made in cash and eventually the reimbursement issue will somewhat get sorted out.”
The ICA has also urged state governments to refund the portion of the incentives which may have accrued, based on the VAT rate and theoretical calculation till the authorities arrive at a clear policy for the future.
“We would request you and all the major states to take the matter up very urgently and resolve the same for the period 1-7-2017 or 2017, when GST was introduced till date and also arrive at a final solution for the future. This will redeem India’s image,” Mohindroo said.


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We have compiled all the announcements made in the Square Enix presentation for you in this article. Many gratifying announcements have been made, such as Life is Strange Remastered.
The Square Enix presentation announced today a major remake project, along with several new game announcements. Along with the mobile games developed by the company’s Montreal Studio, we also have news that will please the fans of the series such as Just Cause.
All announcements made at the Square Enix presentation
In the presentation given by Square Enix today at 20:00, we saw new games from many different series besides the 25th anniversary of the Tomb Raider series. In addition, a remastered version for one of the popular series has also arrived. Full of new trailers have also been released for those waiting for Outriders. Come all together let’s see.
Two new trailers for Outriders
Outriders will be released on April 1, 2021. Shortly before its release, some details were shared with a new trailer in the Square Enix presentation. You can watch the details of the game, which was added to GeForce Now recently, in the video below. You can also find the new cinematic trailer right below.
Tomb Raider became official at the Definitive Survivor Trilogy Square Enix presentation
We actually knew many details about the structure that was leaked on the Microsoft Store recently. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series, the remastered versions of the last 3 games that reboot the story are collected in one package. Details are shown in the published trailer.
The bombastic trailer for Just Cause: Mobile
Just Cause: Mobile is a new mobile game to be released for iOS and Android devices. The journey, where you will start as Rico Rodriguez and Annika Svensson, is a free-to-play production. The cinematic trailer released looks quite impressive.
New teaser released for Hitman Sniper Assassins at Square Enix presentation
Hitman Sniper Assassins is also a mobile game to be released for iOS and Android. The short teaser released for its under construction does not contain much detail, but is being developed by Square Enix Montreal. It will be released later this year.
Marvel’s Avengers new generation debut trailer released
The version for Marvel’s Avengers has been released, bringing improved visuals running at 4K 60FPS, better destruction effects and many next-generation benefits. Benefiting from the advantages of next-generation consoles such as higher resolution textures and shorter load times, the game is currently available for download on PS5 and Xbox Series X / S.
In addition, Marvel’s Avengers Black Panther expansion was also announced. The Black Panther expansion added to the game brings a lot of new content. You can learn the details from the trailer below.
Life is Strange: True Colors Square Enix sunumunda duyuruldu
The new game of the series comes for both existing and next generation consoles. However, it will also be published on PC and Stadia. For details such as the price and release date of the game that is currently open to pre-order, you can go to our related news by clicking here.
Life is Strange Remastered Collection was also announced during the Square Enix presentation. It will appear as a revamped version of the past games of the series.
Finally Project Athia has a name: Forspoken
Project Athia, which appeared as an unnamed project, was announced today under the name Forspoken. We should mention that the game looks very interesting. For the details, you can read our related news by clicking here.
New teaser for Space Invaders from Square Enix Montreal
The next Space Invaders game, which comes as a new augmented reality experience, will be released for mobile devices. You can watch the trailer from the bottom.


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Here are a short wrap of the latest news and the tech analysis of EUR/USD, AUD/USD, and gold.
US retail sales will drive the USD
There are several important economic indicators released in the United States every month. Retail sales is one of them. It will be released at 15:30 MT time on August 15. In the economic calendar, you will find the monthly growth of this indicator. The higher it is, the better for the US economy and for the USD.
So far, American retail sales figures have been strong. Data in July showed the indicator advanced in June for the fifth month in a row. Notice that the US will release 2 indicators, retail sales and core retail sales. The latter excludes the sales of automobiles. Both indicators are important for the exchange rate of the greenback.
• If the data is greater than the forecast, the USD will rise.
• If the data is weaker than the forecast, the USD will go down.
Check the economic calendar
The Australian economy has been on a steady recovery path, and now we have a very symbolic confirmation that S&P ASX 200 is about to cross 7000!
Jump in to know the latest market news and trade ideas for today!
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand will hold a meeting on Wednesday, April 14, at 05:00 MT.


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Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce small business survey available online
Members of the Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce can respond to an online survey to determine key issues facing local businesses. The information from the survey will be shared with the Florida Chamber of Commerce who will bring the issues to the attention of the Florida Legislature. Survey results will be available to members in mid-April. The deadline to respond is April 5. To take the survey, go to floridachamber.com.


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The S&P downgrade of SA’s foreign currency debt to junk status has been all over the news of late and a talking point for many South Africans. It’s media hype my die down eventually but its actual effects will have a longer stay. It will undoubtedly the economy on a large scale and affect consumers, businesses and government expenditure.
The extent of South African junk status
According to Jacobus Eksteen, the senior data analyst at credit bureau Compuscan.
“Companies, especially parastatals, will be seen as having higher implied risk. Therefore, it will be more difficult to issue debt in the sense that there will be less demand and the demand will be at higher interest rates.”
“Institutions buying the debt will also know that they will have to take on more risk, which makes the higher interest rates less attractive.”
He said it is ultimately a negative sum game for South Africa, as “someone” loses.
“Companies will most likely need to pay more to service debt, thus reducing their profit and potentially increasing pressure on consumers by offering lower value for money to try to compensate,” said Eksteen.
“Further, economic growth stems from consumers’ ability to spend and with this being impacted the economy will also be negatively affected, resulting in fewer jobs and less disposable income amongst consumers.”
As for the banking industry, in his view banks are likely to struggle more to get funding and their cost of capital will increase. This is especially true for banks that obtain a large part of their funding from foreign sources.
“They will also very likely try to shift the pressure to their retail and commercial clients. On the plus side, SA’s banks are well capitalised and relatively stable,” said Eksteen
What does junk status mean for consumers?
A weaker rand means petrol prices are likely to rise. If petrol prices go up‚ food prices will follow. The raw ingredient of petrol is oil‚ which is bought in dollars‚ so when the rand weakens‚ oil prices rise and so does the petrol price. The knock-on effect of a weaker rand is higher transport costs. Higher transport costs affect the price of everything moved by trucks – from food to imported goods and anything you buy at a shop. This will definitely affect many consumers spending habits and to stretch monthly budgets even further.
What does junk status mean for debt?
When giving their reasons for downgrading the SA government’s foreign debt‚ Standard & Poor’s predicted that interest rates would rise‚ regardless of their downgrade decision. Ongoing tensions and the potential for further event risk could weigh on investor confidence and exchange rates‚ and potentially drive increases in real interest rates. If interest rates go up‚ as S&P expects‚ the cost of borrowing goes up.
This increases your credit card repayments and the amount you need to pay the bank every month for your short-term loan or car and home loan. The real effect of the downgrading will be of the up-and-coming middle class who are teetering on the brink of making the middle class. Suddenly their debt becomes more expensive and they can’t afford it and their home is foreclosed‚ or they have their cars taken away by the bank [due to missing repayments].”
Analysts also expect inflation to rise as a result of S&P’s decision and the Reserve Bank often hikes interest rates in response to higher inflation.
What does it mean for taxes?
Food‚ petrol‚ and the cost of your loan won’t be the only things going up. Taxes could also rise. The government borrows almost monthly to pay its bills as it spends more than it earns. Many institutions such as banks are not allowed to invest in junk status debt. This means the government will need to borrow from people who are willing to invest in higher risk debt and this is more expensive. Which will intern affect the budgets for state-owned parastatals as well as the quality and roll out of government service delivery.
Junk status pressure
As you can see junk status will affect almost every part of the South African economy and the cost of living will continue to rise rapidly. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your current financial situation which will only be further compounded by junk status, feel free to contact us. To Speak to one our consultants about debt review contact us here.


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September the 20th, 2023 – The Croatian Tourist Board has begun a sustainable tourism campaign as the post-season kicks in. Sustainable tourism promotion has otherwise been a strategic aim for Croatian tourism for a while now.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, a new Croatian Tourist Board campaign entitled ”Experience what’s local. Explore sustainable Croatia” will be implemented for the domestic market from mid-September to mid-November with the aim of promoting sustainable travel around the country during the off-season, the Croatian Tourist Board recently reported.
This is otherwise the third continuation of this sustainable tourism campaign with which the Croatian Tourist Board has been promoting the offer of rural areas in the post-season. The promotion has been going on for the last two years, and this year, together with its partners, the tourist board decided to dedicate it to sustainability.
The director of the country’s national tourism body, Kristjan Staničić, noted that back during the first campaign in 2021, lesser-known destinations were at the centre of the promotion, while now the sustainability of the location is taking precedence. This involves products, content and services that make up an important part of increasingly sought-after sustainable trips, which imply care for the environment, destinations and the local population. These goals are aligned with the Strategic Marketing and Operational Plan of Croatian Tourism.
The campaign has eight thematic video clips with prominent examples of sustainable tourism across the Republic of Croatia. The videos are about Hvar, Lastovo, Lika, Mali Lošinj, Međimurje, Istria, locations across central Croatia and Papuk.
The Croatian Tourist Board says that everyone, from individuals to large facilities and destinations to public institutions, has become aware of the importance of taking care of the environment. According to them, there is still much that can be done in this particular regard in the world of travel, leisure and tourism.


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Close to half of the carbon emissions of any movie are produced by the fuel used to power generators and transportation needs, according to the Sustainable Production Alliance. That is why movie sets are going green with cleaner energy batteries.
Moxion Power technologies are replacing diesel generators on sets film and TV sets for creators like Amazon and Netflix. Moxion batteries are powering cameras, base camps, lights, trailers for hair and makeup, and other equipment on set.
Amazon Studios is one of the first entertainment production companies in Hollywood to trade in environmentally unfriendly, loud generators for cleaner energy batteries to power sets. For Amazon, it is part of it’s sustainability pledge which commits to making operational shifts to reduce carbon emissions and be net-zero carbon by 2040. Amazon even has a Climate Pledge Fund, a $2 billion corporate venture capital fund investing in eco-tech companies to reduce Amazon’s carbon footprint.


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Aircharge powers new McDonald’s ‚Experience of the Future‘ HQ restaurant
McDonald’s, the world’s largest restaurant chain by revenue serving over 70 million customers daily in over 100 countries, continuously invests in technological and digital advancements in order to keep up with customers‘ expectations, enhance the restaurant experience and improve efficiency.
Focus on Technologies to Drive Sales
Introducing a new modernised look and with touch-screen and mobile ordering, table service, home delivery and wireless charging, McDonald’s goal is to deliver a more seamless, personable and enjoyable customer experience translating into more frequent visits and higher average spend per customer.
Worldwide Convention 2018
As a specified supplier to McDonald’s, Aircharge was invited to demonstrate its industry-leading wireless charging solutions for public spaces at the McDonald’s Worldwide Convention. Taking place at Orange County Convention Centre, Orlando, from 16th to 19th April 2018, the conference was attended by over 15,000 restaurant owners, franchisees and VIPs from McDonald’s Corporation worldwide as an opportunity to review their recent successes, share future plans and display the latest products, technologies and services. Aircharge also provided over 120 wireless charging points across the floor registering over 20,000 interactions in 4 days.
New HQ Restaurant of the Future
Preceding the opening of the new Global Headquarters in Chicago Downtown, McDonald’s unveiled its new flagship restaurant on April 25th 2018. The 6,000-square-foot restaurant is part of McDonald’s Experience of the Future (EOTF) makeover and features modern global-inspired interiors, an ever-changing wall map with Golden Arches that illuminate when an item from a specific country is featured on the menu, enhanced customer experiences with table service, mobile order and payment, McDelivery with Uber Eats and wireless charging from Aircharge. Aircharge installed a total of 25 surface wireless chargers on communal tables, providing complimentary charging facilities to all customers dining at the new restaurant.
Wireless Charging in McDonald’s
McDonald’s approached Aircharge in 2015 with a view to becoming the first fast food chain to introduce wireless charging to its offering and allow customers to top-up their phones at their tables without having to plug them in or bring a cable/accessory with them to the venue.
Following a successful initial market test in the UK, Aircharge is now part of McDonald’s EOTF upgrade rolling out across 15 countries and currently present in over 450 restaurants globally. McDonald’s plans to transform the majority of U.S. restaurants to Experience of the Future by 2020.
Perfect Solution for Restaurant Chains
Offering a solution specifically manufactured for industrial use – perfect for a public environment like a restaurant, Aircharge supplies McDonald’s its surface wireless charging technology complete with the Orb adaptor, the World’s first and only ‘Made For iPhone’ certified multi head connector with micro-USB, Lightning and USB Type-C connectors to charge non-Qi devices.
Aircharge provides McDonald’s full support throughout the implementation process, including layout design, installation, staff training and in-store maintenance services.
The Aircharge solution perfectly integrates with McDonald’s various types of décor, installed in communal tables, sit-up bars and benches.
Aircharge offers McDonald’s full access to its data monitoring platform, analysing usage in real time.
Aircharge currently registers a total of 2 million monthly interactions across its entire estate, delivering additional value to users, while also benefiting partners’ operation in terms of footfall, repeated visits and additional revenue per customer.


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Business admins will now have greater dark web insights with user-by-user details of things like compromized passwords.
The company promises to scan its database of more than 20 billion hack and breach records to notify admins of potential security flaws within their companies, and will continue to add around one million new records every single day.
Dashlane has also extended its commitment to protecting accounts with multi-factor authentication, which it hopes will make accessing dozens of accounts a day easier for workers. The standalone Dashlane Authenticator app, available on iOS and Android devices, has been available since May 2022, and allows users to set up additional verification by scanning a QR code or entering credentials manually, which are then backed up to the Dashlane Password Manager.
Hoping to grab a share of the small business market, a new Dashlane Starter tier has also been launched. It’s designed with businesses that have up to ten employees in mind, and costs $20 per month (the equivalent of $2 per user per month), which significantly undercuts the Team ($5/user/month) and Business ($8/user/month) plans.
Subscribers can save an unlimited amount of passwords and have access to some of the main enterprise features, too, like the new dark web insights. To help keep the cost down, there are some exclusions, such as VPN access and on-demand phone support.
While it’s only enterprise customers on the Business plan that can book a phone call during weekday working hours, all enterprise customers, including the lower Team and Starter packages, can use live chat support as well as access Dashlane’s library of self-help articles and videos.
As the battle for top spot in the password manager segment intensifies, Dashlane has already hinted at future features, such as bulk selecting and deleting, audit logs, and a faster account setup process, which are set to roll out “in the coming months” according to the company's press release.
- Check out the best free and paid firewall services
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With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!


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Gabrielle Union And Zaya Wade Take To Instagram To 'Mute' Toxic Beauty Advice
The family's statement is part of a partnership with the Dove Self-Esteem Project.
April 29, 2022 at 10:50 pm
“We’ve all seen toxic beauty advice on social media and we think it’s time we ended it,” the two said. “If a post tells you, you’re not pretty enough, unfollow. If someone says natural hair is ugly, mute. If you see anything that makes you feel like you’re not beautiful, simply remove it from your feed.”
“I won’t follow anyone into thinking I’m not beautiful,” Zaya added. “We don’t want you to either.”


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In the fall of 2013, Rose W. Wang ’13-14 and her friend Laura E. D’Asaro ’13 brought heaping plates of fried bugs — mealworms, waxworms, and crickets — into the Kirkland dining hall. They expected their classmates to eat them and report back which bugs tasted the best.
But the student reactions were not what they had hoped. “People weren’t going to eat bugs whole,” D’Asaro says.
D’Asaro and Wang weren’t just offering their classmates fried insects for the shock factor — it was part of their larger mission to start their own bug-based food company.
After graduation, D’Asaro, Wang, and Meryl N. Breidbart ’13 founded Chirps, a line of cricket protein snacks now sold in retail locations across the country. Over a Zoom call, the three co-founders reminisce and laugh about their college days, occasionally interrupting each other with a joke. “It’s a bond you can’t really form in any other way. They’re like my first spouses,” Breidbart says.
Their website describes the company’s origin story. In different circumstances, the three founders had all tried eating bugs and were pleasantly surprised. D’Asaro tasted a caterpillar while doing research in Tanzania. Wang, on a bet, bit into a scorpion while teaching abroad in China. And back in high school, Breidbart had eaten some cheese flavored worms. Years later, they all discussed their experiences and decided to start an edible-bug company.
Prior to founding Chirps, the three friends had already worked on entrepreneurial pursuits together. They’d proposed an idea for a social entrepreneurial backpack company to Harvard’s Innovation Labs, but the idea didn’t move forward in the competition. The three friends went their separate ways, until D’Asaro came up with a new business idea: crickets.
D’Asaro had stumbled across a report by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization in 2013 about edible insects. According to Chirps’s website, around 2.5 billion people around the world eat bugs, which are packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals. It takes 2,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, compared to only one gallon to produce one pound of crickets, according to the company website. She sent the article to Wang and Breidbart, who both agreed to join the bug venture.
The three initially envisioned their company selling whole bugs, a popular snack food in many countries, including Thailand and Mexico. But as they ran trials, they realized that many Americans couldn’t get over the idea of eating insects whole. To make their brand more marketable, they decided to crush the bugs up and use them as an ingredient in something more familiar.
“Everybody eats chips,” Wang says, and Chirps Chips was born.
The three went back to the Innovation Labs, where they found the early support they needed. Chirps’s first retailer was Cambridge Naturals in Porter Square, and just a few years later, Chirps was being sold in 20 natural food markets and 73 airport stores nationwide.
In 2016, Wang, D’Asaro, and Breidbart went on Shark Tank, a business reality TV show. The show was a success — they struck up a deal with celebrity entrepreneur Mark Cuban, who bought a 15 percent stake in their company.
Cuban’s investment gave the company a “stamp of legitimacy,” Wang explains. Before Cuban, Wang recalls how the three were unfairly labeled as naive young girls and consequently faced challenges raising money.
“Right after Mark, I was able to raise money on the phone in 30 minutes and close a check,” Wang says. They went from having their chips sold in only a few dozen stores to over 1,500, including chains like ShopRite and museums like the American Museum of Natural History.
Even six years later, people still discover Chirps through Shark Tank reruns, Wang says. In many ways, she says, “Shark Tank is the gift that keeps on giving.”
Chirps now offers a wide array of cricket-infused snacks. They have three flavors of chips, chocolate chip cricket cookie mix, chocolate and vanilla protein powder, and even a “cricket powder” of dried, crushed crickets.
“We’re at a critical point in the history of this kind of ingredient where there's a level of awareness and understanding that is greater than it’s ever been before,” Breidbart says. As the founders continue expanding Chirps — whether it be through brand partnerships or larger product lines — their overarching goal is to make the brand as appealing to consumers as possible.
Chirps appeals to consumer’s desire to “do good” — or, at least, to receive assurance from companies that they’re doing good. “Good for you” and “good for the planet” headline the Chirps homepage. It also appeals to the consumer’s sense of novelty and leans into the shock value of its ingredient. On the front of their chip bags, “EAT BUGS” is printed larger than the Chirps logo itself.
Inspired by Breidbart, D’Asaro, and Wang, I decided to try some edible insects for myself. Over breakfast, my friends and I tested out a bag of Chirps barbecue-flavored chips.
When I opened the bag and took out a chip, I didn’t know what to expect. Before I ate it, I tried to convince myself that it was just another chip. But that was hard to do with the “EAT BUGS” command emblazoned on the bag. I went for it. I took a bite.
Would there be some repellent insectile flavor? Would I feel the ghosts of fried crickets squirming around? Nope. It tasted just like a regular barbecue chip.
— Magazine writer Sage S. Lattman can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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15 December 2008
Biggest development blunders of 2008
1. Site Meter Crashes For IE Users
...any site that had Site Meter tracking installed caused the site to issue “Operation Aborted” messages to Internet Explorer users.
2. Twitter - The Popularization of the Fail Whale
...the popular microblogging site had more and more sightings of the infamous Fail Whale, resulting in the Fail Whale fan club, merchandise, and even a Twitter account.
3. Amazon S3 Outtage
...one of Amazon’s three geographic locations went down for a few of hours, killing the Amazon S3, the cloud storage system. Many web startups like Twitter, SmugMug, and even the New York Times had error messages up.
4. Cuil’s Sub-par Launch
...launch proved to be a huge disappointment. The search results weren’t even close to Google’s relevancy, and their indexing bot was crashing websites.
5. Facebook Beacon
...Facebook users didn’t like the idea of everyone knowing their purchase history on the Web. Facebook silently harvested data, not only from Facebook users but also from non-Facebook users on the Beacon partner sites, even after users opted-out.
6. Digg Scripts
...some of its top users (and many others) were banned throughout 2008 for using scripts to automatically vote on their friend’s submissions.
7. 30 Hours of Gmail Dowtime
...many of the people affected were small businesses who weren’t able to access their email for over 24 hours, losing profits in the process.
8. MobileMe’s Awful Launch
the first day of the launch was filled with slow performance and downtime, weird problems like random user logouts, and the nail in the coffin: The service couldn’t sync with calendars and contact entries for the entire first day.
9. Onslaught of Twitter Clones
...many Twitter clones have sprung up the past year, and nearly all of them lack any differentiation from Twitter, it’s highly unlikely that the clone will find any traction at all.
10. Ecommerce Sites Down On Black Friday
...a flood of people flock to your site begging to spend large amounts of money, and your site is down. Many of the major sites like Amazon, Sears and Live Cashback were all brought to their knees, forcing shoppers to go elsewhere for their Black Friday shopping.


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Marley Beverage Co., Southfield, Mich., appointed Harry Bigelow as its new president and chief executive officer, effective June 2. Bigelow brings with him more than 30 years of beverage industry experience in both the non-alcohol and alcohol categories in North America. He has previously served in executive management roles with E. & J. Gallo Winery, PepsiCo Inc., Diageo North America and Red Bull GmbH. Most recently, he served as general manager and vice president of Red Bull North America, Santa Monica, Calif.
"I'm extremely excited about the opportunity to take the Marley Beverage Co. to the next stage of growth and development," Bigelow said in a statement. Likewise, the company looks forward to Bigelow's experience and leadership skills in building the existing and future business of Marley Beverage Co.'s portfolio, it says.
The role of president and chief executive officer was previously occupied until August 2013 by Kevin McClafferty, who now has become the president of Splash Beverage Group, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. While Marley Beverage Co. searched for a new president and chief executive officer, day-to-day operations were managed by the board of directors, ownership and key executive personnel, the company says.
Marley Beverage Co. was created in partnership with reggae musician Bob Marley's family. The company’s flagship brand, Marley's Mellow Mood, is a line of relaxation drinks that help consumers stay "mellow.” Marley Beverage Co. also is a sponsor of 1love, a public charity created by the Marley family to realize Bob Marley's vision of hope, peace and unity.


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The companies form a strategic joint venture for developing and manufacturing live biotherapeutics.
On April 2, 2019, Lonza and Chr. Hansen Holding, a global bioscience company entered into an agreement to establish a 50/50 joint venture to pioneer live biotherapeutic products (LBPs) and position themselves as the leading contract development and manufacturing partner (CDMO) for biotech and pharma customers. The joint venture will operate from headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, and have production facilities in Denmark and Switzerland.
Under the agreement, a phased investment of approximately EUR 90 million (US$101 million) will be shared equally between the parties over a period of three years and will be deployed to build cGMP-compliant pharma production capabilities. The joint venture will upgrade existing facilities in Hørsholm, Denmark, and equip new facilities in Basel to serve pre-clinical to Phase II projects. Further facilities for Phase III and commercial manufacturing will be developed as the pipeline matures. Investments follow a stage-gate-process with clearly defined targets. EUR 45 million (US$50 million) will be spent initially and an additional EUR 45 million (US$50 million) will be spent once customer demand for clinical Phase III and commercial supply is confirmed. The joint venture is expected to be largely self-funding after the production set-up has been established.
The joint venture will combine complementary capabilities and will be the first CDMO globally to provide a full supply chain that offers manufacturing of bacteria strains for therapeutic use, according to the companies. Chr. Hansen will contribute its extensive know-how in developing, upscaling, and manufacturing bacteria strains, and Lonza will brings its strong capabilities in pharma contract manufacturing and formulation and drug delivery technologies, including enTRinsic capsules.
The joint venture will also possess leading competences in handling, characterizing, formulating, manufacturing, and encapsulating strict anaerobe bacteria. These competences will be housed under one roof, with seamless exchanges between drug substance and drug product activities, which is expected to decrease development timelines and increase the chance of “right-first-time.” It will target the emerging pre-clinical and clinical supply industry for LBP with a large upside to serve the ensuing commercial demand, once the first live biotherapeutic products are approved and available for treatment.
"We need to think differently about how we develop solutions for manufacturing in the microbiome space as we see the potential of this therapeutic area develop,” said Marc Funk, CEO, Lonza Group, in a company press release. “By teaming up with Chr. Hansen, one of the world’s largest producers of bacteria, we are combining expertise that perfectly fits the very specific needs of aspirational companies in the microbiome space. Our customers will be able to draw on the unrivalled skillset of two world experts that master the exacting processes required for production of strict anaerobic microbes through to formulation and dosage forms. We understand the complexities of bringing pharmaceuticals to market, including the evolving regulatory environment and will offer unique development and pharma-grade manufacturing that addresses an unmet need in the industry, enabling customers to deliver therapies for patients.”
“The joint venture is a quantum leap for Chr. Hansen’s human microbiome lighthouse. It’s a great opportunity to utilize our microbial capabilities in the highly attractive LBP industry whilst sticking to our strategy of not becoming a fully-fledged pharma company. Chr. Hansen has more than 145 years of experience in strain development and manufacturing and we are really thrilled to join forces with a leading global company in the pharma CDMO market to become the partner of choice for end-to-end biotherapeutic solutions. The clinical trial supply industry is a rapidly emerging field, not to speak of the very large potential when the first bacteria-based medical products enter the commercial market,” said Mauricio Graber, CEO of Chr. Hansen, in the release.


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New Delhi, (Aryavarth) Consumers can heave a sign of relief as oil marketing companies (OMCs) have finally relented and started reducing the retail price of petrol and diesel after keeping them steady for 24 days in March.
This is the second reduction in petrol and diesel prices in as many days in 2021.
Petrol price fell by 21 paise per litre and diesel by 20 paise per litre in Delhi on Thursday. This has brought down the retail price of petrol to Rs 90.78 and diesel to Rs 81.10 a litre respectively in the national capital.
Across the country as well the petrol and diesel prices fell with the quantum varying depending on the level of local levies in respective states.
In Mumbai and Kolkata, the retail price of petrol fell by 21 and 20 paise per litre respectively and in Chennai by 18 paise per litre on Thursday. For diesel, the prices fell by 19 paise, 20 paise and 22 paise per litre respectively in Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai.
In Mumbai, petrol is now priced at Rs 97.19 a litre from previous days’ price of Rs 97.40 and diesel in the city is now priced at Rs 88.20 a litre from previous price of Rs 88.42 a litre. Premium petrol, however, continues to remain over Rs 100 a litre in the city as is the case with several cities across the country.
The latest price cuts on auto fuel have come after OMCs kept oil prices steady for the last 24 days. Petrol and diesel prices were last revised upwards on February 27 and ever since then retail prices remained unchanged even though during the period crude jumped to over $70 a barrel only to start falling and is now slightly up at $ 63.5 a barrel.
Sources said that oil companies took time to revise petrol and diesel prices downwards as they were covering up for losses incurred on its sale when crude was high and retail prices remained static. Some indications suggest that there was a loss of Rs 4 and Rs 2 per litre on the sale of diesel and petrol respectively earlier that had now been more or less covered.
The current reduction in retail prices has not helped in bringing down fuel prices that have crossed Rs 100 per litre (petrol) mark in several parts of the country and continues to remain above the levels even now.
Since the beginning of February crude has gained more than $7 per barrel that pushed OMCs to increase fuel prices on 14 occasions raising the prices by Rs 4.22 per litre for petrol and by Rs 4.34 a litre for diesel in Delhi.
Crude has now slipped around 9 per cent in the last eight days and is now sitting at a tab lower around $ 63.5 a barrel on the back of rising US inventory and concerns on demand squeeze over the new wave of the pandemic.
The petrol and diesel prices have increased 26 times in 2021 with the two auto fuels increasing by Rs 7.46 and Rs 7.60 per litre respectively so far this year.
Officials in public sector oil companies said that retail prices may rise again if crude and product prices pick up but for now it will fall over the needy few days.


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“The online retailer has ascended to the No. 3 spot in the U.S. digital ad market behind the dominant players, Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook Inc. Though Amazon has just 4% of the market now, the company is expanding its avenues for marketers and hiring aggressively for its ad unit.
Amazon’s ad revenue is on pace to double this year, to $5.83 billion, according to eMarketer. Its ad sales are expected to jump $28.4 billion over the next five years, according to Cowen & Co.—more than the combined increases in ad revenue for all television networks globally, according to figures from media-buyer GroupM.”
Amazon, With Little Fanfare, Emerges as an Advertising Giant


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September 13, 2011 — The eternal food loop—harvest, prepare, savor, cleanup—has never been healthier, and better tasting, than it is right now.
Message in a Bottle
By Jane Braxton Little
September 09, 2011 — Red, white—and green—the wine industry is widely embracing chemical-free viticulture that protects both the landscape and farmers while capturing terroir, the true taste of a place.
By Ted Williams
September 09, 2011 — Personal conservation is great, and the better seafood guides can be helpful, says our Incite columnist, an independent voice for the environment. But fisheries policy must still be changed.
Grains of Change
By Don Stap
September 09, 2011 — In California’s Central Valley, where a quarter of the food varieties we eat are farmed, a new generation of growers is teaming up with conservationists to make sure that rice and Long-billed Curlews will always mix.
By Alisa Opar
September 09, 2011 — Genetically modified agriculture holds both the promise of drought- and virus-resistant crops and the peril of unraveling the natural food chain. But like it or not, it’s one genie that’s already out of the bottle.


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The top 10 real estate developers in Egypt reported total sales of EGP 168bn in the first half of 2023 (1H 2023), an increase of 88% from the same period last year, according to a report by The Board Consulting.
The report attributed the sales increase to the devaluation of the Egyptian pound against the US dollar, which has made real estate a more attractive investment option for Egyptians.
“Many people are now investing in real estate as a secure option,” said Ahmed Zaki, managing director of The Board Consulting. “They see it as a way to protect their savings from inflation and currency devaluation. And with the North Coast being the most attractive destination for real estate investment, they are also looking for a good return on investment.”
He concluded: “It’s worth mentioning however that the total 168bn sales of the first half year in 2023 are generated in the following priority order: East Cairo, North Coast and finally West Cairo”.
Egypt’s top 10 developers for the first half of 2023 were led by Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) with EGP 51bn in sales; of which EGP 21bn was generated in quarter 1; and EGP 30bn in Q2, taking the market by surprise.
Naguib Sawiris’s Ora maintains its second place for the second quarter in a row with total sales of EGP 25bn; led by its premium niche projects, with Solana and SilverSands being the most successful in this period.
Palm Hills, on the other hand, comes third with EGP 17bn focusing on West Cairo projects and new phases in Badya projects. Strong brand name, competitive pricing and extended payment plans were contributing factors to its sales figures.
Founders, a joint venture between Ahly Sabbour and Hyde Park, came forth with EGP 13.4bn filling a market gap with its ‘ready to deliver” units offering a competitive pricing scheme; while City Edge ‘ready to deliver” units in the New Administrative Capital and recently launched (V40) in New Cairo significantly contributed to its EGP 13.3bn sales and its 5th place ranking.
Tatweer is sixth on the list with EGP 12bn; with Q2 alone generating almost EGP 9bn, due to project SALT in the North Coast, contributing more than %50 of total sales in the first half of the year.
With EGP 9.6 bn, Mountain View comes in seventh place and continues to maintain the same sales pattern led by its projects in West Cairo, which contribute to more than %60 of its total sales in this period. Mountain View also recently launched its North Coast project (LVLS) and is expected to have high sales growth in Q3.
Landmark for Real Estate ranks eighth with EGP 9.3bn in sales, driven by its flagship project ‘One Ninety’, followed by its latest luxury residential and commercial ‘Stei8ht’, showing its offering of a diversity of residential and commercial units.
In ninth place, SODIC generated EGP 9.2bn in sales. SODIC’s collaboration with SAFI group on the acquisition of a new 440 acres of land showed significant sales performance in Q2.
NEWGIZA concludes the top 10 list with EGP 9bn, driven by Seashell Playa which contributes more than 60% to its sales. Following its recent project launch (Playa Ras El Hikma) in the North Coast, NEWGIZA is expected to be one of the top-selling developers in the North Coast.
Yasser Ezz El-arab, board member of The Board Consulting, said that total sales in Egypt’s North Coast last year  generated EGP 77bn, while this year sales in the North Coast are expected to exceed EGP 100bn to EGP 120bn.
“The North Coast is becoming the preferred destination for real estate investment,” said Ezz El-arab. “It offers a variety of projects to choose from, including beachfront properties, golf courses, and ski resorts. And with the recent devaluation of the Egyptian pound, it has become even more affordable for Egyptians.”
Ahmed Nazmy, Chairperson at The Board Consulting, commented: “Despite the different developers’ strategies with some being more conservative than others, it was interesting to see that the North Coast is leading with unprecedented project launches – despite economic difficulties, driving developers to pursue more lands”.
Nazmy Added: “The study also shows that the increased cost ofconstruction materials led to price increase of 25% – 50% on new launches, causing a buying rush to secure units against further price hikes”. he concluded: “Finally, expanding to the GCC and Saudi Arabia is becoming a general theme on almost all the developers’ agenda”.
Runners-up outside the ‘Top 10 list’
• Emaar was not in the top 10 for the first time, achieving total sales of EGP 8.85bn. However, in July, Emaar generated EGP 10bn following the launch of its latest project, “Soul” in the North Coast.
• Saudi Egyptian Developers (SED) achieved EGP 8.8bn in sales, driven by its “Marina M8” project with sales of EGP 4bn. This highlights the demand for properties in the North Coast area.
• Orascom achieved almost EGP 7.7bn in sales across its projects in West Cairo and the Red Sea. O West and El Gouna were the leading projects in terms of sales.
• Misr Italia was in the top 10 list in the first quarter but slowed down in the second quarter despite the successful launch of its “Solaire” project in the North Coast. Solaire contributed EGP 4bn to Misr Italia’s sales.
• Madinet Masr successfully maintained its sales performance, reaching EGP 7bn. The company also took positive steps in launching its new project, “Zahw” in Assyout.
• Al-Ahly Sabour generated total sales of EGP 6.7bn, doubling its sales in comparison to the same period last year.


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A Pirelli Formula 1 Tyre Signed By The Luna Rossa Team Auctioned For Charity
An exclusive Pirelli Formula 1 tyre with the Italian flag on the side has been signed by all members of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailing team and has been auctioned today through the online silent auction platform 32auctions.com.
The proceeds from the auction , which can be accessed here, will be entirely donated to the AIP Foundation: a non-profit organisation that has been involved for years in promoting road safety projects – in particular for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists – in low and middle-income countries such as those of Southeast Asia.
The AIP Foundation, founded in 1999 by Greig Craft, is an organisation with 22 years of experience behind it. The foundation currently operates in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, India and China, with projects dedicated to education, road safety (particularly in schools) and production of safe yet low-cost helmets for local populations, with the involvement of disabled workers.
The association actively collaborates with the FIA, United Nations Road Safety Collaboration, Child Health Initiative, Safe Kids Worldwide and Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety.
The Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Sailing Team, winner of the PRADA Cup, has raced in New Zealand led by Team Director and Skipper Max Sirena at the 36th America's Cup presented by PRADA: the world’s oldest sporting trophy and the most coveted on the international sailing scene.
Pirelli was founded in Milan in 1872 and today stands as a global brand known for its cutting edge technology, high-end production excellence and passion for innovation that draws heavily on its Italian roots.
With 19 production plants in 12 countries and a commercial presence in over 160, Pirelli has around 31,500 employees and had a turnover in 2018 of about 5.2 billion €. , It is among the world’s major producers of tyres and associated services and the only one focused solely on the Consumer tyre market, which includes tyres for cars, motorcycles and bicycles.