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The diversified South African miner took control of Finnish battery chemicals maker Keliber in October, when it raised its shareholding to 85% after acquiring a 30.29% stake in February. Sibanye said its board-approved capital expenditure programme would start with construction of a lithium hydroxide refinery within Finland's the Kokkola industrial park, a logistics hub from where the company plans to feed into the European battery sector.
Sibanye Gold Limited (SBSW) might move higher on growing optimism about its earnings prospects, which is reflected by its upgrade to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
The consensus price target hints at a 36% upside potential for Sibanye Gold Limited (SBSW). While empirical research shows that this sought-after metric is hardly effective, an upward trend in earnings estimate revisions could mean that the stock will witness an upside in the near term.


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US online holiday sales up 15 percent to $24.6B
NEW YORK (AP) - December 11, 2011 (WPVI) -- U.S. online sales in the holiday season to date are up 15 percent to $24.6 billion, according to comScore.
The Reston, Va., research firm says sales on six individual days during the first 39 days of the November-to-December shopping season have exceeded $1 billion, led by Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving.
"As we enter what will be the heaviest week of the season for online retailers - beginning with `Green Monday' on Dec. 12 - all signs are now pointing to a strong finish to the season," comScore Chairman Gian Fulgoni said.
Over the past six years, "Green Monday" - traditionally the second Monday of December - has consistently ranked among the top spending days of the season.
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Women who get fake nails could be getting something else in the bargain – a dangerous dose of poison.
A toxin eradicated from the beauty industry 25 years ago has made a quiet comeback in nail salons nationwide, including New York – and nobody’s doing anything to stop it.
Methyl methacrylate (MMA) can rip nails off fingers, cause nerve problems and severe rashes – and over the long term hurt kidneys, livers and fetuses.
“It’s being sold openly. You can buy it all over the place,” said California beauty-industry chemist Douglas Schoon, who studied the problem.
MMA is found mostly at discount salons because it costs $20 to $60 a gallon, compared to about $200 for top-of-the-line, safer products.
Manicurists combine liquid MMA with a powder to build so-called sculptured, or acrylic, nails. It is also sometimes used in acrylic “wraps” of artificial nail tips.
The super-cheap chemical isn’t supposed to be used by manicurists.
But Post reporters easily bought MMA products from two Queens beauty-supply stores – and during a random check of 13 nail salons found the toxin in two of them. Two wouldn’t say what they used, and two more didn’t know.
Employees at both supply stores said they had no idea MMA shouldn’t be used on nails.
Almost no information about the acrylic is available in Korean or Vietnamese – two groups that have cornered the cut-rate salon market.
Competition is so tough, some salon owners get the cheapest product they can find, said Michael Limb, head of the Asian American Advisory Council and member of the state board that licenses manicurists.
“Everybody’s got it. Everybody’s selling it,” said Kevin Bae, a salesman at Hi-Fashion Beauty Supplies in Sunnyside, Queens, one store where The Post bought the chemical.
“If they tell us not to sell it, we’ll follow the law,” he said.
Federal Food and Drug Administration officials ruled in the early 1970s that MMA is poisonous when used on nails.
The agency seized products – a move that held up in court and effectively killed the market. But the FDA never actually banned it.
“The use seems to be coming back,” said Dr. John Bailey, head of the FDA’s Office of Cosmetics and Colors. “Our position is still that it’s unsafe.”
In some people, MMA causes a poison-ivy-like rash and in extremely rare cases causes permanent damage, said Manhattan nail specialist Dr. Richard Scher.
The super-glue chemical bonds so strongly to the natural nail that it can rip the nail right off if it’s accidentally bumped, Schoon said.
Workers who breathe MMA for years can suffer kidney and liver lesions, reproductive problems and possibly lung and cardiovascular damage, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
The chemical is manufactured by a handful of mega-corporations that sell it legally to the construction- and dental-supply companies – who are probably diverting it to the beauty industry, Bailey said.
The FDA lacks the manpower to launch a full-blown investigation, he said.
The state, which licenses manicurists and regulates salons, has no rules about its use – although the Health Department is “reviewing” the issue, a spokeswoman said.
Without tight federal or state control, MMA is flourishing again.
When a Post reporter was shopping for acrylic liquids in Queens, a Bronx manicurist whispered she would sell the reporter a gallon for just $35. It turned out to be MMA.


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Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday tried the owner of a Vietnamese coffee shop who allegedly used banned chemicals in her products and packed them in an unhygienic way in Prek Phnov district.
Judge Ham Mengse identified the accused as Pov Chanthea, 56, a Vietnamese national who owned Dai Thanh Coffees and Handicrafts, located in the district’s Prek Phnov commune.
Judge Mengse noted that Ms Chanthea was charged with illegally operating a coffee shop, using banned chemicals in her products and also packing them in an unhygienic way. She faces up to three years in jail if convicted.
He said that the accused was arrested on April 27 after anti-economic crime police raided her shop and seized more than 7,000 kilograms of counterfeit coffee products which contained chemical substances.
Judge Mengse noted that because the seized coffee products were harmful to people’s health, they were destroyed by police in May.
During yesterday’s trial, Ms Chanthea admitted the offence, saying that she bought the coffee beans from a Cambodian man in O’Russey Market, but did not know that they contained harmful chemical substances.
Ms Chanthea said that after buying the beans, she blended and packaged them for sale as branded coffee beans to her clients in cities and provinces in Cambodia.
She noted that she began her business in 2017 and produced more than 500 kilograms of coffee weekly.
“The reason why I operated the shop illegally is because I wanted to avoid paying taxes and also money to police and other government officials,” Ms Chanthea told the court. “I acknowledge that I have violated Cambodian laws but I would like to ask the court to reduce my sentence and release me.”
“I promise that I will not commit the offence again once I am freed and resume my business,” she added.
Deputy prosecutor Kham Sophary urged the judge to punish the accused severely so that she will not repeat the offence once she serves her sentence.
A verdict is due December 3.


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Reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes was announced Thursday as the cover athlete for the upcoming “Madden NFL 20.” Not only is he an obvious fit from a marketing standpoint, but publisher EA Sports can leverage his stardom to fit alongside a prominent feature in the upcoming game.
The tie is to the just-rebooted Superstar Mode, where a single player, rather than an entire team, is controlled through a career. The most interesting aspect of Superstar mode is that it will include a college element. The College Football Playoff is included and 10 universities have been licensed to appear: Texas Tech (where Mahomes played in college), Clemson, Oregon, LSU, Florida, Florida State, Texas, Miami, USC and Oklahoma.
With the exception of Texas and Oklahoma, which had brief appearances in “Madden NFL 18” Longshot story mode and Ultimate Team, there hasn’t been any college football presence since “NCAA Football 14” became the final college sports video game as we know it. Those dedicated games will likely not return until the courts or legislation allow for players to be paid.
Publishers can still strike deals with a limited number of schools and utilize them in such a manner, however. A handful of colleges have also been licensed to appear in the “NBA 2K” series, which has utilized them in the story modes and as classic teams featuring past players. Current players cannot be included on rosters.
“Madden NFL 20” is scheduled to release Aug. 2 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. The special Superstar Edition will arrive three days earlier with bonus content included. More news on the game is expected during the lead-up to the company’s annual EA Play event on June 7.
Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com, is co-founder of the sports gaming site HitThePass.com, hosts the “Press Row Podcast” and can be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre.
Author: Bryan Wiedey


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Bankruptcy, Sale for Schwinn
BOULDER, Colo. Schwinn/GT Corp. has entered into a sale agreement with Huffy Corp. for the purchase of Schwinn's cycling division. Schwinn/GT also announced it has commenced proceedings under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This filing is necessary to allow Schwinn/GT to complete the sale of the cycling business, according to a company press release.
The Chapter 11 filing includes Schwinn Cycling & Fitness Inc., GT Bicycles Inc., Riteway Distribution Inc., Hebb Industries Inc. and certain other U. S. affiliates. Schwinn's subsidiaries in Switzerland, France and Japan are not included in the bankruptcy filing.
Under the terms of the current sale agreement, Huffy will pay in excess of $60 million, subject to adjustment, to acquire substantially all of the assets of Schwinn/GT's cycling division.
Schwinn has reached an agreement, subject to court approval, with a group of its existing lenders led by Comerica Bank to provide up to $30 million in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing. The funding will be used to maintain normal business operations in the fitness division (responsible for the company's RiPP and Spinning products) and to ensure the orderly sale of the cycling business to Huffy.
“With the sale of the cycling division well on its way, we are now turning our attention to the fitness division,” said Jeff Sinclair, Schwinn's CEO, in the release. “Operations at fitness are continuing without interruption. Although it will take a little time to return the fitness division to business as usual, we expect to make substantial progress in the coming weeks.”


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PCB Industry Accelerates Transfer
The trend of the eastward shift of the industry has led the mainland to thrive. The focus of the PCB industry has continued to shift to the Asian region, and the capacity of the Asian region has further shifted to the mainland, forming a new industrial pattern. With the continuous transfer of production capacity, mainland China has become the region with the highest PCB production capacity in the world. According to Prismark estimates, China's PCB output value will reach 40 billion US dollars in 2019, accounting for more than 50% of the global total output value.
Applications such as data centers increase HDI demand, and FPC has a bright future. Data centers are developing towards high-speed, large-capacity, cloud computing, and high-performance features. The demand for construction has soared, and the demand for servers will also increase the overall demand for HDI. The popularity of mobile electronic products such as smartphone will also increase the demand for FPC boards. Under the trend of intelligent and thin mobile electronic products, the advantages of FPC light weight, thin thickness, and resistance to bending will facilitate its widespread use. The demand for FPC in the display module, touch module, fingerprint recognition module, side keys, power button and other sections of smart phones is increasing.
With the increase in the concentration of "raw material prices + environmental inspections", leading manufacturers welcome the opportunity. The rising prices of raw materials such as copper foil, epoxy resin, and ink in the industry have transmitted cost pressure to PCB manufacturers. At the same time, the central government has vigorously conducted environmental protection inspections, implemented environmental protection policies, cracked down on small manufacturers with turbulence, and imposed cost pressure. Under the background of rising raw material prices and stricter environmental protection inspections, the reshuffle of the PCB industry has brought increased concentration. Small manufacturers have weak bargaining power for downstream, and it is difficult to digest the upstream price increase. Small and medium-sized PCB companies will withdraw due to the continuous narrowing of profit margins. In this round of reshuffle of the PCB industry, leading companies have technical and financial advantages and are expected to pass Expansion of production capacity, acquisitions and mergers, product upgrades, and other methods to achieve scale expansion, with its efficient production processes, excellent cost control based on direct benefits from the industry's increased concentration. The industry is expected to return to rationality and the industry chain will continue to develop healthily.
New applications are driving industry growth, and the 5G era is approaching. 5G new communication base stations have a large demand for high-frequency circuit boards: Compared with the number of million-level base stations in the 4G era, the size of base stations in the 5G era is expected to exceed 10 million. The high-frequency and high-speed boards that meet the 5G requirements have wider technical barriers than traditional products, and also have higher gross margins.
The trend of automotive electronics is driving the rapid growth of automotive PCB. With the deepening of automotive electronics, the area of automotive PCB demand will gradually increase. Compared with traditional vehicles, new energy vehicles have higher requirements for the degree of electronics. The cost of electronic devices in traditional luxury cars is about 25%, and in new energy vehicles it is 45% to 65%. Among them, BMS will become a new growth point for automotive PCB, and high-frequency PCB mounted on millimeter-wave radars require a lot of rigidity.


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Cuddly cartoons arrive at various locations around Shanghai
The Transformers, Minions, Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear … An array of public domain characters are coming to Shanghai for the festive season.
After Pikachu, another famous yellow creature "Minion" has appeared at Songjiang INCITY, a Pokémon-themed mall featuring a 10-meter-tall Pikachu statue waving hello atop the roof.
It's the first stop of the East China tour of the "Minions Ride Series" exhibition, and it will last to January 3, 2023. Ten statues of "Minions," and a wide range of interactive experience are on offer.
At The Place mall, the intense battle between the Transformers and the Decepticons on Cybertron has been reconstructed in a themed exhibition "The Transformers: War for Cybertron."
Notably, a nine-meter-high Optimus Prime statue stands at the entrance for people to take photos with. The exhibition, which will last to January 2, 2023, also featuring games, pop-up store, and meet-and-greet with characters.
As part of local celebrations of the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company in 2023, the "Pixar Fluffy Festival" has kicked off at the Grand Gateway 66 mall. It will run till January 4, 2023.
The highlight is a ten-meter-tall Christmas tree decorated with Pixar's popular fluffy characters like Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear, James P. Sullivan and Mei Lee as a giant red panda. There's also a bus with Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear" as the driver, and James P. Sullivan waiting for people at a "bus station" installation.
Century Link mall has presented a new IP rabbit called PLABIT in an exhibition running till January 2, to celebrate the Year of Rabbit in 2023. Rabbit elements are seen everywhere throughout the mall, especially the two giant statues in the outdoor square.
Over the period, Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai will present live music performances, and autistic children will be invited to paint rabbits to show their inner life.


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CHICAGO: Domino's is looking to hire 2,000 new employees across 113 franchise-owned locations across Chicagoland. All of the new positions offered are for delivery drivers, pizza makers, customer service representatives, assistant managers and general managers.
The continued success of Domino's across the nation, and specifically the growth of Domino's locations throughout Chicago and its surrounding areas, increases the need for additional support from enthusiastic employees.
"Domino's has been a great place to work over the years," said Reece Arroyave, a Chicagoland Domino's franchise owner. "Our company provides a fantastic opportunity to those who show initiative and a desire to advance. Whether you're looking to grow with the company or need a part-time job, Domino's is the place to be."
Arroyave started working part-time at Domino's when he was a teenager. He worked his way up and eventually became a franchise owner in 1999. Arroyave now owns 34 Domino's stores throughout Chicagoland. He is not alone - more than 90 percent of Domino's U.S. franchise owners began their career as part-time delivery drivers or pizza makers.
Those who are interested in applying for a job may do so at jobs.dominos.com.
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Yahoo and Facebook are embroiled in the start of what could be a long legal battle over 10 patents Yahoo claims Facebook has violated through its social networking service but now reports are circulating that Facebook may be collecting a patent war chest of its own.
A new report suggests that the world’s largest social network may have acquired 750 patents from computer-systems giant IBM.
According to Bloomberg Businessweek a “person with knowledge of the transaction” revealed the purchase although the companies have not yet went public.
The move will largely be seen as a defensive maneuver as Facebook attempts to fight about against companies with far larger patent stockpiles. For example Microsoft, Apple and even Yahoo have managed to stockpile thousands of patents while Facebook has registered just 56 patents. [Read more…]


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PPE imports of USA reached US $ 20.37 billion during 2020 with a staggering surge of 320 per cent on Y-o-Y basis, as per OTEXA.
Nonwoven disposable apparels contributed US $ 4.37 billion under HS Code 6210105000 and grew 448.70 per cent as compared to 2019 figures. This was the highest standalone value amongst total 23 HS Codes under which USA imported PPE products in 2020.
The import of face masks, clubbing 5 HS Codes 6307909845, 6307909850, 6307909870, 6307909875, 6307909891, valued US $ 8.56 billion in 2020. There was no historical data available for face masks to compare with!
Another huge import was done by the USA for plastic/rubber gloves (a combination of 7 HS Codes – 3926201010, 3926201020, 4015110110, 4015110150, 4015190510, 4015190550, 4015191010), which valued US $ 6.48 billion in 2020, marking 103.77 per cent yearly growth.
The massive rise in PPE imports is because of prevailing COVID-19 conditions in the USA as it’s one of the worst impacted countries by pandemic.


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Rio Tinto has started a demonstration plant for producing lithium concentrate in Quebec, Kallanish reports.
The plant to produce spodumene concentrate for use in producing lithium for EV batteries is located at the Rio Tinto Iron and Titanium (RTIT) Quebec Operations in its metallurgical complex in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec.
The Anglo-Australian company says the demonstration plant will demonstrate at industrial scale a new spodumene concentration process that provides…
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AUSTRALIA looks set to be one of the first major countries in the world to banish halogen lamps from its shelves.
The nation’s lighting industry is likely to act early and remove halogen sources from the market ahead of an outright ban in September 2020.
If it does so, it will become the first major market to remove halogen. Europe will effectively outlaw both halogen and compact fluorescent, also in September 2020.
‘Halogen lamps are manufactured overseas and imported into Australia,’ Lighting Council Australia chief executive Richard Mulcahy told the press. ‘We expect the halogen phase-out will set a date when halogen lamps can no longer be imported into Australia, while specifying a grandfathering period to deal with stock already in the country.
‘Many consumers already prefer LED products and sales volumes of halogen lamps continue to decrease.’
There will be a small number of exemptions for applications where LED technology is not yet suitable such as high-temperature oven lights and possibly for entertainment and theatrical lighting.
In September 2020, the European Commission is set to introduce minimum efficiency requirement of 85 lumens per watt and a maximum standby power of 0.5W on all light sources as part of a review of the Ecodesign laws. As standard tungsten halogen lamps have an efficiency of around 25 lm/W, they will be effectively outlawed from that date.
In January, California effectively outlawed halogen with the introduction of a minimum efficiency of 45 lumens per watt while in August 2017, Kuwait announced an outright ban on the import of halogen lamps.
- The Lighting Fixture Design 2018 conference takes place on Wednesday 20 June and Thursday 21 June 2018. Organised by Lux and LEDs Magazine, the event takes place at the Cavendish Conference Centre in London. For more information and to reserve you place, click HERE.


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3 August 2017, 14:36
Lugansk companies increase sales 1.7 times year-on-year - Town Hall
Lugansk industrial enterprises’ sales increased by 1.7 times to 12.3 billion rubles in the first half of 2017 compared with the same period last year, Town Hall Economic Department deputy head Valentina Bystrova told a news briefing on Thursday.
“First half industrial goods sales volume was up 1.7 times year-on-year amounting to 12.3 billion rubles,” Bystrova said.
She said the LPR capital had 134 large and medium industrial companies of which 104 were currently in operation.
“Despite the existing problems related to restoration of companies damaged by shelling, the economic blockade and the search for new suppliers and destinations, Lugansk has been recovering after 2014 events. We’ve cut production lag behind pre-war level by more than three times,” the official said.
Food industry sales over the designated period increased by 2 percent year on year; light industry sales increased twofold, steel companies increased sales by 2.6 times and machine-building enterprises increased sales by 1.2 times.
The output of timber and timber products rose by 1.6 times as did print products output. Rubber and plastic products output increased by 1.4 times, according to Bystrova.
Lugansk enterprises and organisations increased their capital investment by 1.3 times to 147 million rubles in the first half of 2017, she said.
LuganskMediaCentre — 03 August — Lugansk
Two LPR militiamen killed in Ukrainian forces sniper fire
Kiev forces violate ceasefire two times over 24 hours
Relatives of Ukrainian secret service victims file collective complaint with ECHR
Kiev forces violate ceasefire twice over 24 hours
Kiev plans provocations targeting foreign delegation outside Stanitsa on July 17


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Will Ireland become the world’s next blockchain and fintech hub?
The UK, and more specifically London, has often been referred as the world’s blockchain hub, given the positive push being given to the public ledger technology by the government. However, in the wake of the BREXIT event, this may not be the case anymore, as the UK is pushing policy changes, and its lack of influence in the European Union will also dissipate this hub.
However, the Republic of Ireland may be the next on the list, and the go-to place for blockchain and fintech technology for other people in Europe, and throughout the world. In fact, studies being carried out, have managed to find that Dublin was the world’s second most attractive fintech centre in Europe, after London, which is quite understandable considering the large number of fintech experts living in the country. The leave of the UK from the EU will likely push Dublin to the first place in this list.
For those who do not know, Dublin is already the home of numerous influential tech companies in the world, so they’re likely to accept Fintech-based companies with open hands as well. In fact, in Dublin’s version of the Silicon Valley, we can see the headquarters of numerous tech companies, such as Amazon, Facebook, Uber, Google, Airbnb and even Twitter, which are actively employing people skilled in dealing with IT.
There is also a governmental support in this direction, considering the fact that the government agency that is responsible for contracting foreign investment in the region, has actively given tax breaks, but also other incentives, such as logistical support etc. to tech companies coming from other regions of the world. However, Dublin isn’t only home to large corporations, but rather a wide variety of start-ups, tech departments, but also research centres as well, thus representing the perfect combination for a region that is ready to embrace fintech, and everything else that it offers.
There’s been a positive response from the private, but also public sector, thus welcoming more and more IT companies inside the country, many of which may attempt to innovate in the blockchain sector, thus transforming Dublin, and the entire Ireland into a hub for blockchain-based businesses. The ecosystem growth is also bound to continue, considering the fact that during the last year, there has been a massive migration of brilliant minds, involved with the blockchain technology in the region. Not only this, but both financial services companies and other businesses are considering blockchain adoption, and are looking for solutions. While there may be a shortage of experts in this domain in other regions of the world, Ireland has a high percentage of them, so we’ll have to wait and see how this will evolve from here.
Based on everything that has been outlined so far, what do you personally think about Ireland becoming the world’s next blockchain and fintech hub? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Since April 2018 enmacc customers have had the opportunity to use enmarket the independent price screen for the bilateral trading of standard energy products. In addition to Wingas, Statkraft and OMV, Vattenfall is now the 4th Market Maker on enmacc.
By working together with enmacc, Vattenfall enables its customers to quickly and conveniently trade profiles and now also small sized standard products.
“If our customers have requested prices for their profiles by phone or email in the past, they can now easily trade via the enmacc platform. On enmarket, the customer sees current prices and can immediately decide whether he or she wants to buy or sell a product. Our customers appreciate this service, and we appreciate having found in enmacc a partner who supports us in digitising the customer processes,” says Lars Mähl, Head of External Portfolio Management at Vattenfall.
The mutual, trusting cooperation in product development soon made it clear that Vattenfall wanted to make another contribution to the liquidity of enmacc.
“We have always known and perceived Vattenfall as a strong partner with constructive cooperation. We will also certainly continue this cooperation internationally,” says Volker Puck, Head of Product and Managing Director at enmacc.
Vattenfall will show prices live on enmarket from the beginning of November. In addition, Vattenfall will increasingly use its expertise in gas trading for entender and will be pricing gas tenders.


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Whether you’re looking to purchase a new laptop for work or for pleasure, 2017 promises great machines with plenty of power and stamina all wrapped in attractive cases. Rather than push out crazy features that consumers may not want, we’re starting to see more restraint from PC manufacturers as they focus on design and hardware that matters to end users.
The result of paying attention to customer needs is that we’re getting attractive, powerful devices at affordable price points. By leveraging user feedback, for example, HP was able to make the right compromises in delivering the late 2016 Spectre x360 13-inch, integrating longer battery life, a better quad-speaker design and an affordable price tag. And Lenovo, which made headlines just two years ago for its preinstalled bloatware that was infected with spyware, promises to start shipping select new ThinkPad models this year free of any preinstalled software. This will result in a cleaner system that’s faster and free of lags.
Here are five of the top computing trends that are emerging from a more thoughtful, attention-focused PC industry:
1. Power to the Processor
Intel’s Kaby Lake processor only promises to offer a marginal boost in processing performance compared to last year’s Skylake models, but the company’s 7th generation chipset will be worth it if you’re coming from a machine that’s at least three years old. Better processing performance, a jump in integrated graphics capabilities and longer battery life all promise to keep you productive, entertained and multitasking for hours before worrying about finding the nearest power outlet to recharge.
Heavy gamers and number-crunchers working in large spreadsheets and databases will likely want the power of discrete graphics, but Intel claims that Kaby Lake’s integrated HD Graphics will allow home users to play their favorite games in HD with fluid graphics. In addition to better processing and graphics performance, mobile computing users will appreciate the power efficiency of Kaby Lake’s architecture, which will deliver longer battery life.
2. Design Details
Design will play a big role in 2017 as all the leading laptop manufacturers look to slim their notebook offerings. We saw Apple not only trim the thickness of its MacBook Pro late last year, but the company also shaved off some of the chunky bezels on the system, creating a machine that’s more compact.
On the PC front, Dell has been doing this for years with its XPS 13 notebook, and more recently we’re seeing slimmed down, nearly bezel-free displays come out from rivals HP and Lenovo on convertibles like the Yoga 920 and the Spectre x360.
This year, this slimmed down design trend will extend from consumer notebooks into business laptops. Lenovo showed off a new ThinkPad X1 Carbon at CES that’s thinner and comes with smaller footprint, essentially allowing the 14-inch notebook to occupy the space of a 13-inch system.
With more power efficient processors at its core, notebook manufacturers will either shave off the extra space on laptop designs—allowing for a smaller notebook with the same size display as last year’s model—or use the same footprint to increase the screen size.
3. Thunderbolt 3
USB Type-C was so 2016. 2017 will be the era of Thunderbolt 3. Thankfully, or rather confusingly, both connectivity standard uses the same reversible port, and the difference is that Thunderbolt 3 ports are designated with a small lightning bolt symbol.
Thunderbolt 3 promises faster data transfer speeds—up to 40 Gbps—more bandwidth and support for power delivery for laptops. The protocol can push up to 100 watts of power for charging a notebook. For video, you can connect up to two 4K UHD displays with a single cable.
With Thunderbolt 3 support on board, docking stations will become even more robust and powerful, giving you desktop-like access to ports and peripherals once the dock is connected to your mobile device. One use for Thunderbolt 3 is that you can add a graphics box, allowing mobile users to have workstation-like power when at their desks.
Whether you’re looking for a convertible or a more traditional notebook, the Windows ecosystem promises to give you plenty of options in terms of form factor and design. At CES, we saw Dell embrace the 2-in-1 convertible design with a new Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, a hybrid notebook with a 360-degree hinge that allows the laptop to convert between laptop and tablet modes. The 2-in-1 model uses an even more power efficient Intel Core M processor from the Kaby Lake family, rather than the mainstream Core i series CPU on the original notebook, to keep things slim and light.
Buy beyond the 2-in-1 design, there were a few interesting models that debuted at CES, and we can expect even more design diversity to come. Intel’s new Compute Card promises to bring smarts to your TV, appliances and business products using a modular concept. Essentially, if your smart TV begins slowing down at home after a few years because the processor can’t keep up, you can swap in a new Compute Card module, allowing you to retain the display, but get upgraded guts. It’s a modular take on the Compute Stick, which we reviewed last year, from Intel, and it gives Intel an entry into the growing Internet of Things market.
In the modular computing space, Lenovo was a big proponent last year, and the trend appears to continue into 2017. The ThinkPad X1 Tablet gets a refresh this year with Kaby Lake, and the modular keyboard, projector, 3D scanning camera and battery packs all make a return. In the phone space, Lenovo subsidiary Motorola made a big splash last year with the Moto Z and the Moto Mods, which we’ll likely see refreshed at some point this year.
We also saw a gaming beast of a laptop from Acer. Dubbed the Predator 21x, this 20-pound laptop requires two power supplies to drive its dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 graphics. There’s a massive 21-inch curved display, and the system is VR-ready. Razer introduced a concept notebook, called Project Valerie, that will give you three fold out displays, each 17 inches large! That’s three 4K displays on a 17-inch notebook—ideal for multitasking and gaming on the go. Without a release date in sight, Project Valerie became too tempting for some, and Razer unfortunately announced that its concept devices were stolen from the show floor at CES.
And if you thought tiny netbooks were dead with the rise of Ultrabooks, think again. Hong Kong PC-maker GPD just announced a 7-inch GPD Pocket laptop, which is powered by an Intel x7 processor. As its name implies, the netbook can slip inside your pocket, so no manbag is needed for this device.
5. Cut the Cords
After years of talk and tease, wirelessly charging your computer is finally a reality in 2017. With its new Latitude 7285, Dell brought the power of wireless Qi charging to its tablet. Simply place the tablet onto Dell’s new optional wireless charging pad accessory, and your slate will begin to replenish juice without any cords.
Dell promises wireless charging support will roll out to additional PC models in the future, and it’s unclear if other manufacturers will follow Dell’s lead.
The only drawback with the implementation is that it still requires a charging pad—like the ones used on select phone models, like Samsung’s Galaxy S7 Edge—and it’s not the future forward technology concept we’ve seen in the past that uses wireless frequencies to recharge your laptop. In the past, we’ve heard of concepts that use invisible wireless waves—like the frequencies used for Wi-Fi—to recharge your devices anywhere in the room. That’s a far more convenient option, as you don’t need to place your device on a mat or pad.
Still, Dell’s embrace of wireless charging is far more elegant than having to fumble with a power cable, even if it’s the reversible cable over USB Type-C.


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NEF board to investigate CEO
DTI received an anonymous tip-off accusing Philisiwe Mthethwa of fraud and corruption.
JOHANNESBURG - The Department of Trade and Industry has dismissed allegations that National Empowerment Fund (NEF) head Philisiwe Mthethwa has been placed on special leave.
The department reportedly received an anonymous tip-off from a whistleblower accusing Mthethwa and two employees of involvement in fraud and corruption.
An auditing company has since been appointed to conduct a forensic investigation into the matter.
Department spokesperson Sidwell Medupe said Mthethwa is still the CEO of the NEF.
"Ms Mthethwa has not been suspended or placed on special leave. The department has requested that the NEF board investigate certain allegations."
The NEF made headlines earlier this year after it emerged that Mthethwa had granted businesswoman Khanyi Dhlomo a R34 million loan to fund her upmarket retail store, Luminance, in Hyde Park.
Dhlomo has denied claims that she secured funding unfairly.


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Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Uber has laid off about 350 employees in its self-driving, Uber Eats and other teams, marking the final phase of layoffs that began earlier this year, the company confirmed Monday.
The announcement by Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in a companywide letter to employees marks the third and final round of cuts this year. The layoffs started in August, when about 400 employees in the California-based ride sharing company's marketing team were laid off. Last month, 435 employees were laid off from the company's engineering and product teams.
Uber's advanced technology group, Eats, global ride and platform departments, will be affected this time, Khosrowshahi said in the email, along with performance marketing and recruiting.
"Days like today are tough for us all," Khasrowshahi wrote.
"The ELT (executive leadership team) and I will do everything we can to make certain that we won't have another day like this ahead of us," he added. "We all have to play a part by establishing a new normal in how we work: identifying and eliminating duplicate work, upholding high standards for performance, giving direct feedback and taking action when expectations aren't being met, and eliminating the bureaucracy that tends to creep as companies grow."
About 1 percent of the company has been laid off in total, an Uber spokesperson told TechCrunch.
It's also the first round of layoffs for the self-driving division, since it developed its own unit in April.
TechCrunch previously reported that the layoffs come after Khosrowshahi asked his executive leadership team if they were to start over would their respective organizations look the same. A spokesperson said engineering and product team leaders responded 'no' and Chief Product Officer Manik Gupta and Chief Technology Officer Thuan Pham had found duplicate roles.


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WTTC predicts Beijing will "leapfrog" Paris in next decade
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released its Cities Economic Impact Report, which presents analysis of 82 cities around the world.
According to the report, Paris is the world’s most powerful city destination with a travel and tourism sector worth almost US$36 billion in terms of its direct GDP contribution to the city in 2022.
Beijing is currently the second highest ranking city destination in the world with a travel and tourism sector worth nearly US$33 billion. However, WTTC predicts it will leapfrog Paris within the next decade, growing to US$77 billion.
Before the pandemic struck, China’s national travel and tourism sector saw phenomenal growth over the last decade.
Beyond the capital of Beijing, investment in China's travel and tourism saw Shanghai’s sector grow to be worth nearly US$30 billion last year, and it's predicted to more than double in the next decade, becoming the world’s second most powerful city destination after Beijing.
The Chinese coastal city of Sanya has also become a popular tourist destination in recent years for holidaymakers, witnessing 10.2% growth. Its travel and tourism sector represents 43.6% of the city’s total economy, while Macau’s represents 40.4% of its total economy.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO, said: “Major cities such as London, Paris and New York will remain global powerhouses but over the next few years, Beijing, Shanghai and Macau will be moving up the list of top city destinations.
“Tourists will always have favourite cities that they will return to, but as other countries prioritise travel and tourism, we're going to see new and emerging destinations challenging the traditional favourites.”
Other cities outside the top 10 showing promising growth as emerging destinations include the Polish capital of Warsaw which has seen a 14.4% increase in its GDP contribution in 2022 versus 2019.


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One of my favorite stories from Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America involves the creation of the frozen margarita machine. As I point out in the book and during my lectures, there are many origin stories for the tequila cocktail, but everyone agrees on who created the machine that launched a thousand icy swirls: Dallas native Mariano Martinez, who fashioned it in 1971 from a soft-service ice cream machine and went on to become a millionaire with his eponymous restaurants.
How authoritative is this origin story? No less an authority than the Smithsonian asked for and received Martinez's first frozen-margarita machine a couple of years back, and they're now prepared to debut it to the world next week.
It'll be shown as part of the museum's “FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000,” an exhibit that'll document how America became such a food-obsessed culture. Part of that story, of course, is the rise of Mexican food in the United States–and a big part of its success is owed to the frozen margarita machine.
“I am truly honored to have my machine featured in the Smithsonian's exhibit about food history,” Martinez said in a press release. “I never dream[ed] of being an inventor, let alone creating something that would affect people across the country. I simply wanted to keep my customers happy, and I still get to do that every day thanks to the margarita machine.”
Hopefully, the Smithsonian will also invite Martinez, who was one of the most delightful interviews I've ever conducted (we'll still talk every once in a while, just for the hell of it.). Congrats, Mariano, and everyone else: the Reconquista continues…


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RICHMOND, Calif. (KGO) -- The JCPenney at Hilltop Mall in Richmond might not have much longer.
The retailer has announced it's closing 138 of its stores nationwide including the one in Richmond.
"The department store model is dead," said John Cumbelich.
Cumbelich is the CEO of a Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Firm. He calls internet shopping the final nail in the coffin of large department stores.
"There needs to be a reason to go to that place that can't easily be replicated on the internet," said Cumbelich.
JCPenney's CEO has said the move will allow the company to adjust its business to compete against the growing threat of online retailers.
"I'd like to see something around some kind of family oriented maybe some kind of recreation for the younger kids, the teenagers," said shopper Teresa Mahaffey.
"Lots of different ethnic food styles that I think people would dig to have in the mall," said Deseary Cherbak.
Other flagship stores here like Macy's own the property they're on. The mall itself is up for sale.
By phone, Richmond's City Manager said he'd like to see something mixed use with more residential properties. Cumbelich says that's definitely the way to go. "To create neighborhoods to create pedestrian traffic," said Cumbelich.
"This used to be a drive in so that'd be nice to go back to some kind of drive in," said Mahaffey.
Whatever Happens at Hilltop, shoppers here there's always other places to go as well.
"We shop all over the Bay Area," said Mahaffey.


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Assetto Corsa Competizione – El DLC BRITISH GT PACK para consolas ya disponible – GameOverLA.com
Yesterday was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the new DLC of Assetto Corsa Competizione, the DLC PACK BRITISH GT
It includes some of the best known tracks in the UK (Snetterton Circuit, Donington Park Circuit and Oulton Park Circuit) offering all the action of the British GT Championship 2019 by SRO Motorsports Group for Assetto Corsa Competizione.
Additionally, the BRITISH GT DLC Pack includes more than 40 new liveries and 70 drivers from the 2019 season, including the championship season.
If you already have the Season Pass, it’s included in this latest DLC pack!


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LoneStar92 Announces Two More Great Shows
LoneStar 92 is your ultimate concert connection! LoneStar 92 is teaming up with Dos Amigos to bring you more live music.
LoneStar 92 and Dos Amigos are proud to welcome Parker McCollum, Saturday April 21st. Tickets will go on sale today, Monday March 19th at 12 noon!
Nothing is better in the summer time than live Texas Music under the stars! LoneStar 92 and Dos Amigos would also like to welcome back the Josh Abbott Band. JAB will return to Dos Amigos, Friday, June 22nd. Those tickets will also go on sale at 12 noon today!
Our website, Lonestar92 will be the only place you will be able to purchase these tickets, right now! This is just the beginning of our summer full of concerts!
Don't forget Dos Amigos will have Whiskey Myers this Saturday! Tickets are on sale now!


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Dutch drink less of prosecco
The number of gallons of drinking prosecco in the past years has decreased by 19 percent. It remains, however prosecco is three times greater than champagne, that 1 percent decrease in the literaantal. In the revenue remains champagne bigger.
In Europe, the situation is the other way around, here is champagne in value is greater but there are more litres of prosecco drunk. That allows the supplier of big data to IRI. The United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Germany are included.
With prosecco in the Netherlands there is a decline of 14 percent in sales, while the sales of champagne is growing. The champagne sales amounted to 10 million euro and shows a growth of 5 percent in value.
The European champagne market continues to grow light in value, with an increase of 0.9 percent, but a decline of 0.3 percent in volume. It is striking that France, where the most champagne is produced, a decline of 1.2 percent. In total, there are in France 921 million euros in champagne sold, this is 66 percent of all champagne sales measured in Europe.
Prosecco is the cheapest in Spain, almost a quarter of the British price. In Spain consumed 200 times more cava than prosecco. Cava grows greatly in volume in most countries, also in the Netherlands grows cava with 19 percent.


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By Euro Weekly News Media • 08 February 2019 • 15:30
SEVERAL THOUSAND jobs are to be cut at a Spanish supermarket chain after it announced a loss of €352 million.
The company crisis at DIA will lead to the dismissal of 2,100 workers in Spain after a decrease in sales of 11.3 per cent in 2018.
DIA is in the middle of a restructuring process after losing 90 per cent of its market value in the last twelve months.
The retailer has struggled and lost market share over the last few years as the end of the economic slump saw customers turn away from the discount supermarket chain.
The company has around 42,000 direct employees between Portugal, Argentina, Spain and Brazil.
Share prices have however recently risen 57 per cent after Russian tycoon Mikhail Fridman made a €300 million takeover bid valuing the group at more than €400 million.
Investment group Letterone, headed by the businessman, said it will offer 0.67 euros per share for the 70 per cent that it doesn’t already own.
Russian tycoon launches €300m bid for struggling supermarket chain in Spain
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BLACKSTONE AFFILIATE TO BUY BOCA RESORTS: An affiliate of New York investment firm the Blackstone Group has agreed to buy the luxury resort company Boca Resorts in a stock deal worth nearly $1-billion, officials said Wednesday. Boca Resorts said it signed a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of the Blackstone Group for $24 per share, valuing the Boca Raton company at about $966-million. The price is 28 percent higher than Tuesday's closing price of $18.76. The Blackstone Group also agreed to assume company debt. Chairman and CEO H. Wayne Huizenga holds about 98 percent of the company's vote and has agreed to vote his shares for the deal. The transaction is expected to be completed by early 2005.
ALLSTATE LIKELY TO RAISE RATES: Allstate Corp. Chief Executive Officer Edward Liddy said the second-largest U.S. home and auto insurer will "probably" raise rates in Florida. Allstate on Wednesday said Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne cost it $1.06-billion. While Allstate has restricted sales in Florida, the company wants to continue to do business in the state, Liddy said. Raising rates in Florida "is really only one part of an overall solution," Liddy said.
GRAND JURY INVESTIGATING INSURER: One of the nation's largest insurance companies, American International Group Inc., said Thursday it has been notified by the federal prosecutor in Indiana that it is a target of a federal grand jury investigation into "nontraditional" insurance products. The Indiana probe concerns "nontraditional insurance" or "income smoothing" products marketed by the New York company. They apparently involved agreements with businesses that would appear to be insurance and would be accounted for as insurance, but did not involve risk transfer, AIG said.
VIACOM, DISNEY TO PAY FINES: Viacom Inc. will pay $1-million and the Walt Disney Co. $500,000 to settle charges they violated rules for airing commercials during children's programs, federal regulators said Thursday. The combined penalty is the largest imposed by the Federal Communications Commission for such violations.
Amazon.com: Amazon.com on Thursday reported it had more than tripled its third-quarter net earnings, thanks to stronger sales in North America and internationally.
AT&T Corp.: The nation's largest long-distance company posted a large third-quarter loss after recording huge charges related to the company's retreat from traditional telephone services, which has included at least 7,500 more job cuts and a writedown in the value of the company's long-distance network.
Coca-Cola Co.: The beverage giant reported a 24 percent drop in third-quarter profit on flat revenue, but beat analysts reduced expectations that were tempered after the company's warnings.
Paradyne Networks Inc.: The Largo maker of high-speed Internet access equipment said its net loss in the quarter ended Sept. 30 widened slightly from a year earlier because of a write-off of purchased research and development related to its August acquisition of the assets of Net To Net TechnologiesInc., business restructuring charges and amortization of deferred stock compensation and intangible assets. Paradyne's net loss remained flat on a per-share basis because of a minor increase in common shares outstanding.
Google Inc.: Google Inc. exceeded analyst expectations in its first quarterly earnings report as a public company, propelled by a continued surge in online advertising distributed by its Internet-leading search engine.
Hershey Foods Corp.: The nation's largest candymaker reported an almost 16 percent jump in third-quarter earnings on Thursday, citing strong sales of new products and higher prices.
Maytag Corp.: The household appliance maker reported Thursday its third-quarter earnings fell almost 80 percent from a year earlier as restructuring costs, higher steel prices and lower sales of Hoover floor care products took a toll.
Microsoft Corp.: The software company said its fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 11 percent, beating analysts' expectations, as it benefited from stronger-than-expected computer and server shipments.
Nicholas Financial Inc.: The Clearwater car finance company reported record results for the second fiscal quarter, with earnings up 49 percent and revenue up 27 percent. Nicholas has 34 branch offices in the Southeast and Midwest.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.: Higher ticket prices and onboard revenues coupled with increased capacity to help boost third-quarter results nearly 50 percent at the world's second-largest cruise company despite the effects of four hurricanes.
Sears, Roebuck and Co.: Mired in a deepening retail slump, the country's third-biggest department store chain reported a third-quarter loss Thursday and warned that 2004 earnings will be lower than expected after back-to-school and fall sales were weaker than usual.
UPS Inc.: The world's largest shipping carrier reported a 20 percent jump in third-quarter profit on solid increases in revenue and package volume.
Wendy's International Inc.: The restaurant company on Thursday said earnings for the third quarter were up more than 4 percent, partly because of increased sales at its Wendy's and Tim Hortons restaurants. The company also lowered its 2004 earnings expectation again, this time from $2.32 to $2.37 per share to $2.25 to $2.30.
Xerox Corp.: The maker of copiers and printers reported Thursday that third-quarter profits increased 39 percent, citing strong sales of new products and demand for document services. The results beat the consensus estimate of 14 cents per share of analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call.


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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Producer prices fell 0.6% in March as energy costs retreated after a sharp gain in the prior month, according to government data released Friday.
This is the biggest one-month drop in wholesale prices since last May.
Energy prices fell 3.4% in March after a 3% gain in February. This offset a 0.8% rise in food prices.
Excluding food and energy, core PPI rose 0.2% for the third-straight month. About a quarter of the increase came from prices for civilian aircraft, which rose 0.7%, the Labor department said.
Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a 0.3% monthly fall in headline PPI and a 0.2% gain in core producer prices. See comprehensive MarketWatch calendar.
Analysts said that the PPI index has been volatile in recent months due to swings in commodity prices.
But the underlying trend in wholesales prices remains “tame,” said Jim O’Sullivan, chief U.S. economist for High Frequency Economics.
“March’s producer prices data won’t concern the Fed one bit,” said Paul Dales, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics.
In a separate report, the Commerce Department said retail sales fell by the biggest amount in nine months in March.
Stocks were lower after the retail sales report as the weakness surprised economists and investors. The S&P 500
Producer prices of intermediate goods such as flour or cotton yarn, which have been processed but require further processing, fell 0.9% in March, the biggest drop since October 2011.
Core intermediate goods, watched by the Federal Reserve for signs of inflation, rose 0.2% in March.
Prices for crude goods like grains, livestock and crude petroleum not fabricated or manufactured and not sold to consumers, fell 2.5%.
Taken over 12 months, producer prices are up 1.1% in March, down from a 1.7% increase in February. This is the smallest year-over-year advance since last July.
Core prices were up 1.7% in March, the same as February. Year-over-year core prices have come down steadily after rising 3.1% in January 2012.
In others sign of tame inflation, intermediate prices are down 0.8% over the past year and crude good prices have dropped 0.3% over the same period.


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Hannaford Is Hiring Around 2,000 Store Associates In New England
Hannaford stores are busier than ever, as you may have noticed the last time you went. It's all because of COVID-19 and the increased demand for food and other merchandise. Many people are cooking more meals at home, and/or stockpiling essential items such as flour and toilet paper. As a result, Hannaford plans to bring on an additional 2,000 employees in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont, according to a press release. There are both full and part-time opportunities available.
The press release states Hannaford is specifically looking for people to work the front end and Hannaford To Go, as well as grocery stockers.
If you're interested, complete an online application at Hannaford.com / Careers.


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The BlackBerry Storm was officially launched yesterday, and you can't go anywhere in the UK without seeing someone fiddling with their iPhone, but have Apple and RIM gained enough fans to make the traditional smartphone players worried?
Well according to the latest figures from market research firm Canalys Nokia in particular should be concerned.
Both RIM and Apple have won larger shares of the smartphone market, while Nokia's share fell to 38.9% in the last quarter from 51.4% for the same period a year before.
However, Apple's market share jumped to 17.3% and RIM's to 15.2% in the quarter.
"The introduction of the iPhone 3G in July and Apple's expansion into many more countries helped propel the vendor to second place globally", Canalys said in a statement.
The team also added that the newly released Storm, coupled with the already popular Bold and Pearl, may see RIM take the second spot off Apple in the fourth quarter of 2008.


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Governor JB Pritzker and battery manufacturing company Gotion announced the company's decision to locate its new state-of-the-art $2 billion electric vehicle lithium battery manufacturing plant in Manteno. The plant is expected to create 2,600 jobs and begin production in 2024.
"Energy and environmental protection are our common challenges. To address them, solar power, wind, and energy storage systems are becoming the backbone of a new energy system and accelerate the revolution in the global energy landscape," said Li Zhen, Chairman of Gotion High-tech. "When we come to Illinois, we are not building a new factory but are planning to reuse an existing one and bring it back to life again."
Gotion's new EV battery plant will help bolster the supply chain and meet growing demand for batteries across the EV sector, including Gotion's partners, as well as additional EV manufacturers across North America. The facility will focus on lithium-ion battery cell, battery pack production, and energy storage system integration.
Once completed, the facility in Manteno is expected to produce 10 GWh of lithium-ion battery packs and 40 GWh of lithium-ion battery cells. The site will cover approximately 150 acres.
With competitive incentives through REV Illinois, infrastructure, access to markets, as well as an abundant and qualified workforce, Gotion selected Illinois to locate its gigafactory after a competitive nationwide search. Illinois' assets combined with a comprehensive REV Illinois incentive package and the state's new Invest in Illinois Fund helped secure Gotion's historic investment in Illinois.
Gotion's total incentive package from the State of Illinois, which includes REV, Invest in Illinois, and other incentives, is valued at $536 million. Through REV, Gotion is eligible to receive tax benefits totaling $213 million over 30 years. The REV agreement specifies a minimum company investment of $1.9 billion and the creation of 2,600 full-time jobs that are paid at least 120% of the average wage of similar job classifications in Kankakee County.
Gotion will also be the first recipient of Invest in Illinois funding in the amount of $125 million in capital funding to the company. The Fund was signed into law in early 2023 to make Illinois more attractive when vying for large projects in highly competitive sectors like clean energy.
Gotion was also approved by local authorities for property tax abatement for 30 years.
As part of Illinois' commitment to build out comprehensive EV hubs and support Illinois' workforce, the state will also fund a new manufacturing training academy nearby, as well as award an additional grant to workforce providers to expand training and prepare regional employees for the new jobs.


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S America steps up efforts to make lithium batteries – Taipei Times
South American nations are stepping up efforts to propel themselves further down the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain by leveraging their vast mineral wealth, expanding processing capacity and targeting vehicle manufacturing.
Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Brazil plan to coordinate action on turning more of the region’s mined lithium into battery chemicals, as well as moving into manufacturing of batteries and EVs, Argentine Mining Undersecretary Fernanda Avila said.
The drive across the key producing regions of South America reflects a burgeoning global trend by resource-rich nations to chart a course away from merely supplying raw materials into higher-value activities to boost growth, raise incomes and make the most of their resource endowments.
In Asia, commodity powerhouse Indonesia has laid out its ambition to become a global battery hub for electric vehicles as demand for greener transport skyrockets.
“We have to prepare ourselves for what’s coming and be able to adapt — beginning perhaps with cells, working toward industrialization and getting to batteries,” Avila said in an interview from Toronto, where she is part of the Argentine delegation presenting at the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention.
The so-called lithium triangle of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia accounts for more than half of global lithium resources, and Brazil and Argentina have automaking experience.
That could be the basis of a regional electro-mobility platform, she said.
So far, South America has seen limited success moving into higher-value lithium products — let alone making batteries or EVs on a commercial scale.
However, political will, technological shifts and geopolitical tensions might aid their push.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and concerns over China’s dominance of key parts of the supply chain are accelerating the splintering of traditional trade ties and spurring efforts to foster local industries, especially those involved in the energy transition.
The US’ Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which US President Joe Biden signed into law in August last year, is pushing EV makers globally to produce more vehicles in North America and secure the key minerals for them outside of China, in particular in nations with free-trade agreements with the US such as Chile and Australia.
Argentina is presenting its case for IRA inclusion, despite not having a free-trade agreement with the US.
However, the focus is on adding value at home, Avila said.
The country has set up a working group with its three main lithium-mining provinces, recently broadening the scope by adding other government entities and private-sector representatives.
The group has started to discuss setting aside quotas of lithium for domestic use, prices for which would probably be tied to the market, “but in some way preferential,” she said.
China’s Chery Automobile Co (奇瑞汽車) wants to build a US$400 million EV and battery plant in Argentina amid a rush into Andean lithium supplies.
Jujuy, one of three lithium-producing areas of Argentina, is in talks with a company from China to make battery cathodes in the province, Jujuy Governor Gerardo Morales has said.
Jujuy is also working on a broader provincial framework featuring tax cuts to lure investments.
The idea is to lay the groundwork for making batteries locally, with China’s Ganfeng Lithium Co (贛鋒鋰業) and Gotion High-tech Co (國軒高科股) expressing a willingness to help.
There is also a lot of interest from European, Asian and US companies, Avila said.
“Adding value is central for us,” she said. “We know the industry today is growing and there’s a lot of pressure and price volatility. But it’s about making the most of this window of opportunity, not just by shipping out lithium carbonate.”
Comments will be moderated. Keep comments relevant to the article. Remarks containing abusive and obscene language, personal attacks of any kind or promotion will be removed and the user banned. Final decision will be at the discretion of the Taipei Times.


text: Harborside, a prominent Bay Area dispensary chain, wants to establish itself as the dominant player in Northern California’s cannabis industry. To do that, it’s gone to Canada. Harborside on Monday joined a growing wave of American cannabis companies that have listed shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange as a means of accessing capital to operate and grow businesses still deemed illegal under US federal law. Following a previously announced reverse merger with Lineage Grow Co. Ltd. — a deal initially valued at C$200 million (about $150 million) — the resulting company, known as Harborside Inc., is trading on the CSE under the ticker symbol HBOR. Harborside, one of the oldest licensed cannabis businesses in the United States, also became known for a years-long campaign to prevent a shutdown of its operations by the federal government for allegedly violating US drug laws despite California’s having legalized medical marijuana. Harborside won that fight in 2016, when the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California dropped its case against the company. “I think it marks a very important milestone in the growth of the cannabis industry,” Steve DeAngelo, who co-founded Harborside as a medical cannabis dispensary in 2006 and serves as the firm’s chairman emeritus, told CNN Business last week. “When you have an organization like Harborside that came from deep activist roots and was engaged in that activism in a very intense way, and now has been able to transition into a profit-making cannabis company that’s going to be valued at $300 million Canadian, is a tremendous validation.” Harborside is a vertically integrated operator, meaning it controls businesses that grow, manufacture, process and sell cannabis. The company owns more than two dozen cultivation, manufacturing and retail licenses in California, which is now one of 11 states where the recreational use of cannabis has been legalized. Harborside’s bustling flagship retail store in Oakland is like a rustic Apple Store, where edibles, vaporizers, creams and other forms of cannabis are displayed in sleek cabinetry and shelving made of wood and glass. During the past 12 years, the Oakland dispensary and another Harborside location in San Jose have accumulated more than C$400 million in sales. In 2018, those dispensaries generated C$50 million in revenue, according to regulatory filings. Harborside Inc. owns or manages six dispensaries in California and Oregon and has agreements to purchase two dispensaries and a cultivation operation in northern California. A recently completed C$19.65 million investment capital raise and the public stock currency from the CSE listing will help Harborside achieve those plans, Harborside CEO Andrew Berman told CNN Business. “We’re very much California-focused,” Berman said of the moves the company has planned for the coming 12 to 18 months. “The market’s too big to pass up on now.” Harborside has a letter of intent to acquire Airfield Supply Co., a San Jose, California-based dispensary and cultivation center in an all-stock deal valued at US$41.8 million, securities filings show. The acquisition, which is expected to close within 12 months, also has conditions that Harborside raise $60 million, according to filings made with Canadian securities regulators. Harborside has put considerable time and money into getting its operational house in order in advance of becoming a publicly traded firm. The company reorganized its head office, brought in leadership familiar with meeting regulatory requirements and buttoned up standard operating procedures, Berman said. Harborside officials remain closely attuned to the company’s long-standing brand and role in the cannabis activism movement. “We don’t want to lose what we built in this whole process either,” Berman said. The reverse takeover process that Harborside is using to list on the CSE allows private firms to forgo some of the costlier aspects of a public offering by combining operations with a company that is already public. And unlike a more traditional public offering, Harborside is not generating proceeds from the reverse merger itself, but will be more readily able to raise funds by issuing stock going forward. Cannabis companies that operate under state-regulated programs have limited access to capital in the United States. Large banks and private equity firms have been wary about investing and stock exchanges reluctant to list shares of US companies that directly handle the federally illegal substance. Those companies have as a result migrated to the Canadian Securities Exchange, which has openly welcomed cannabis firms for more than five years. As of Monday, about 170 cannabis companies were trading on the CSE, with roughly 40% of those firms having material operations in the US, said Richard Carleton, CEO of the exchange. US cannabis companies raised $3.2 billion in 2018 and are on track to surpass that total this year, Carleton said, noting close to $1 billion has been raised by CSE cannabis firms to date. Most have come to the CSE as a result of a reverse takeover. Los Angeles-based MedMen made perhaps the biggest of such deals when it listed on the CSE in 2018. At the same time, legal Canadian operators, such as Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis, have been able to list on the New York Stock Exchange. In Harborside’s case, technically the firm was acquired by Lineage Grow Company, which operated two cannabis stores in Oregon. Until US federal law allows for cannabis companies to openly bank — and efforts to do so are advancing through the House of Representatives — “plant-touching” American cannabis businesses will continue to look toward options such as reverse takeovers in Canada, said Harrison Phillips, vice president at Viridian Capital Advisors, an investment banking and advisory firm in the cannabis industry. If federal banking laws were to change, the companies on the CSE would likely then move to uplist to larger exchanges such as the Toronto Stock Exchange, the NYSE or the Nasdaq, he said. “It’s hyper-growth, so companies need to be able to raise as much capital and deploy that capital to sustain growth,” Phillips said.


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Final Fantasy 14 remains the darling of Square Enix titles as publisher announces slump in its financial results latest report.
Total net sales in the last fiscal quarter (April-June) were 74.8 billion yen, down nearly 16% from a year earlier, while operating income was 14.4 billion yen, down nearly 17%. Net income actually rose due to foreign exchange gains.
However, while net sales of HD games declined year-over-year, sales of MMO games increased year-over-year.
In fact, for the first time, MMO games have a higher share of sales than HD games, even though the MMO category only includes Final Fantasy 14, Dragon Quest 10, and Final Fantasy 11.
Square Enix said that “Final Fantasy 14’s paid subscribers grew year-over-year,” while HD games “didn’t reach the previous year’s level of sales despite multiple new releases.”
Despite its success, the report states that Final Fantasy XIV has no plans to release any expansion packs this fiscal year — instead, the company will “focus on retaining users through various operational initiatives.”
However, Final Fantasy 14’s next patch will be released later this month, and it will include a farming sim mode. What’s more, HD games are still likely to dominate this fiscal year with titles like Forspoken and Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, followed by Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.


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A recent survey reveals that more people are starting a business to strengthen their financial security despite the current economic climate.
The research was carried out by business consultants www.getsetforbusiness.com who surveyed businesses established for less than six months on their motivations for becoming self employed. Over 40% of respondents indicated their main reason was the fear of redundancy from employment and the subsequent removal of financial security.
Over 200 business owners were questioned and other motivations included the flexibility of working from home and not having to answer to bosses.
Recent figures released by Companies House and the British Banking Association show further signs of business confidence. Over 27,000 new Limited Companies were incorporated in England and Wales in July 2008. In addition, the latest figures (Q3 2007) for the leading high street banks providing small business services show that:
• Overdraft borrowing is £9.0 billion, a fall of one per cent over the year, reflecting a lower reliance on temporary, cash flow finance.
• Term lending stands at £39.9 billion, having grown nine per cent over the 12 months to September.
• Deposits total £48.8 billion, having increased by eight per cent over the 12 months to September.
• Over 585,000 small businesses established new banking relationships in the latest 12 months.
GetSet for Business has actually seen a 20% rise in the number of businesses seeking support in the last six months compared to the same period last year.
Managing Director, Kate Beever, commented
“Our customers are clearly eager to gain the right support for their business from the outset. The credit crunch has actually encouraged business owners to plan ahead more significantly to prepare for a potential slump in their market. GetSet for Business gives users the confidence, knowledge and direction to consider and prepare for every area of the business and produce an online, bespoke business plan.”
Established businesses can also earn revenue through the GetSet affiliate scheme. For more information contact the sales team on 0161 286 3001 or visit www.getsetforbusiness.com.
Notes to Editors:
GetSet for Business Ltd was established by Manchester based entrepreneur, Kate Beever. Membership to the online programme costs just £129 for annual access.
Kate Beever has been advising new and growing businesses for over ten years and identified the need for an all encompassing business planning tool on the internet. Kate also runs a successful business consultancy, Trade Solutions which helps businesses address their growth potential by formulating business plans, raising finance and developing strategy.
GetSet for Business is willing to offer a competition to readers, giving 12 months free access to the programme with free evaluation and feedback on the user’s business plan. If this is of interest, please contact us to discuss further.
Images available on request
For further information contact:
GetSet for Business Ltd
T: 0161 286 3001
M: 0771 980 3569
This press release was distributed by ResponseSource Press Release Wire on behalf of GetSet for Business in the following categories: Business & Finance, for more information visit https://pressreleasewire.responsesource.com/about.


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More than 2,000 farmers blockade dairies in third night of protests over milk price war
More than 2,000 dairy farmers have joined a third night of protests over the prices they are paid for milk, organisers claimed last night.
Members of Farmers For Action (FFA) have staged a series of blockades at milk processing plants across the country over prices paid to them by supermarkets.
Protests were under way last night in Somerset, Shropshire and Worcestershire.
Protest: Farmers for Action supporters gather at Market Drayton Cattle Market ahead of an evening blockade in protest at wholesale milk prices
Dairy farmers fear they will be forced out of business because of cuts in the price paid to suppliers, combined with the rising costs of feed for cattle.
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman and Farming minister Jim Paice are due to meet farmers at the Royal Welsh Show today, where an FFA demonstration is also planned.
Mrs Spelman said farmers needed to be paid more for the milk they produce if the dairy industry was to avoid becoming ‘a shadow of its former self’.
Fearing cuts: Farmers warn they could be forced out of business because of cuts in the milk price paid to them
Young farmer members Sian Dunlop, Hannah McKeraghan, Margaret Whiteford, Abby Johnstone, Anna Yates and Hayley Currie in a bath of milk in protest at the cuts
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, she said: ‘Dairy is our biggest, most iconic farming sector and recent farm gate milk price cuts have been a severe blow for thousands of people, putting the future of the entire industry at risk.’
While it is illegal for the Government to set milk prices, she said there should be a ‘strong’ code of practice to regulate the relationship between farmers, supermarkets and milk processors.
‘Only the entire industry working together can get itself out of this mess,’ she said. ‘The code would cover issues such as the way price is worked out, notice periods, contract lengths, volume and exclusivity rights.’
Labour Welsh Assembly member Alun Davies held talks with Mr Paice last night, along with counterparts from the Scottish government and Northern Ireland Assembly.
In a statement, the ministers said: ‘The dairy sector is a key part of our agricultural industry and all the governments in the UK are determined that it should have a profitable and sustainable future.
More than 300 dairy farmers blockade the Arla milk processing plant in Ashby De La Zouch, Leicestershire, demanding an increase in the price of milk they receive from the dairies and supermarkets
Members of the Gisburn WI protest about the low price that dairy farmers receive for their milk outside an ASDA store in Colne, Lancashire
‘The industry needs to address both the immediate issue of the price paid for milk and also the structures and mechanisms that will help underpin the long-term viability of the sector.’
FFA spokesman Andrew Hemming said more than 2,000 farmers were taking part in the action last night.
He said 800 farmers had blockaded the Robert Wiseman Dairies plant in Bridgwater, Somerset, while 300 farmers were at the Wiseman plant in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire.
And more than 1,000 farmers, many with tractors and farm vehicles, were protesting at the Wiseman plant in Market Drayton, Shropshire.
The farmers’ anger has centred on cuts of up to 2p a litre in the amount they receive from major milk processors, set to come in from August 1.
Robert Wiseman Dairies and First Milk are cutting the price by 1.7p a litre, Arla Foods UK by 2p and Dairy Crest by 1.65p.
The processors say they must make the cuts because the price they can sell cream for on the commodities market has fallen.
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Google Nexus 7 price drop for India
We like to bring relevant news to our Phones Review readers in India and if you’re thinking of purchasing a tablet device you may be interested in this information. The Google Nexus 7 has just seen a price drop for India that makes it rather tempting.
A few online retailers now have the Nexus 7 16GB Wi-Fi version at a price of Rs. 9,999. Earlier in the summer Amazon.in had a price of 11,999 for this tablet although on Google Play it was originally Rs. 15,999. Flipkart is also selling the 16GB Nexus 7 model for Rs. 9,999.
Interestingly the 16GB Nexus 7 is still priced on the Google Play Store at Rs. 15,999. Meanwhile, there has also been a price cut for the 32GB version of the Nexus 7, which is now available for Rs. 12,999 on Flipkart.
We should point out that these prices are for the original Nexus 7 tablet that released last year, and not the Nexus 7 2, which has already released in some world regions. This might then be an indicator that retailers could be clearing stock and that the Nexus 7 2 is on the way to India soon.
The Nexus 7 2012 that is the subject of these price reductions has a quad-core Tegra 3 processor, a 7-inch IPS display with resolution of 1280 x 800, 1GB of RAM, and runs Android 4.3. Even though a newer version is on the way, there’s no firm release date for India yet.
Considering this we feel the above lower prices could appeal to many potential tablet buyers. Will you be taking advantage and buying the Nexus 7 at these prices? Let us have your comments.


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Myanmar Pearl Enterprise handles oyster fishing and breeding, as well as the culturing, harvesting, and selling of pearls.
M&G Jewelers Opens State-of-the-Art Watch Repair Center
The 15,000-square-foot facility in Rancho Cucamonga, California is the company’s third repair center.
Los Angeles—Jewelry and watch repair business M&G Jewelers has opened a new state-of-the-art watch repair service center.
M&G started as a regional repair business almost 30 years ago, serving retailers in Southern California, and has since expanded to serve more than 4,000 retail locations across the country.
It had two repair facilities—one on each coast—but now has added a third that is adjacent to its facility in Rancho Cucamonga, California.
The 15,000-square-foot center, a five-year project in the making, is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery, the company said.
The M&G team worked with WOSTEP, the Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program, to learn the machines and processes.
“The watch industry is something that, every year, grows and grows,” M&G Jewelers President Juan Guevara told National Jeweler.
“All the brands, every year, need more and more help, so I wanted to be ready for any opportunity that opened up.”
On the inside, the facility’s rooms meet cleanroom standards set forth by the International Organization for Standardization, ensuring the watches don’t get dust or other microscopic air particles in them that might inhibit their functionality.
It is the only watch facility in the United States to offer this environment, Guevara said.
Each watch that enters the center has its information recorded and stored in a custom database, and all watchmakers, jewelers and staff undergo a background check.
Additionally, M&G Jewelers said it has enacted strict security procedures at the facility that are implemented daily, including a metal-free dress code, monitored privileges for entering and exiting—accompanied by metal detectors—and armed guards.
Meanwhile, watchmakers and staff have access to high-quality work benches, desks, tools, and machinery for the repair process.
Seeing the use of natural light as essential to the watch repair process, the new facility aims to provide as much of it as possible to help employees, and their eyes.
The walls of the front entrance display a metal link design representing a traditional metal link watch brand (pictured at left).
The center of the floor has a replica of a watch’s internal wheel and the thin, circular light fixtures represent the traditional circular frame of a watch face.
The facility will be able to service Bulova, Swiss Army Watches and Movado, and has been certified to receive spare parts from Swatch Group U.S.
The full list of services
Pricing also varies by brand and can be found on each company’s website separately.
M&G Jewelers offers services for both the trade and consumers, the latter of which started five years ago.
Interested retailers can have a landing page on their website powered by MyJewelryRepair.com (M&G’s consumer-facing component) to walk customers through the process of sending their watch in to the company.
Gold has had its share of ups and downs over the last 5 decades. Here’s why the metal is having another big comeback.
It was originally slated for June 12-15 at the Expo Centre in Arezzo, Italy.
As the importance of mine-to-market grows, some worry about its feasibility for all the diamond industry’s players.
The diamond miner and seller is marketing the stones for their glow.
Learn how to increase customer loyalty and revenue by making JM™ Care Plan a cornerstone of your business plan.


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Narrator: This is Science Today. A nationwide study conducted by Mayo Clinic scientists found that arm fractures - particularly in adolescent boys - have risen dramatically in the last three decades. Part of the problem is that children are not getting enough calcium in their diets to produce strong bones. Instead, studies have found that they're consuming too many soft drinks. Joanne Ikeda, a nutrition expert at the University of California, Berkeley, says this can lead to a whole host of health problems.
Ikeda: In the long term, we are going to pay more money out in health care costs than we're going to gain in terms of the profits from selling this stuff to children. I think we need to look at this over a period of years - yes, a school district might make a few hundred thousand dollars over a period of years, but society will be spending millions of dollars on the health problems that are going to result from poor quality dietary intake.
Narrator: For Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.


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Amazon is clamping down on video pirates, banning streaming devices that enable buyers to watch illegally available content.
While Amazon hasn't made an official announcement on the matter, it is "drawing a line" under the sale of Kodi-style boxes that encourage piracy.
The restricted products section of Amazon's selling guidelines page spells out the firm's stance.
"Products offered for sale on Amazon should not promote, suggest the facilitation of, or actively enable the infringement of or unauthorised access to digital media or other protected content," it says. "Any streaming media player or other device that violates this policy is prohibited from sale on Amazon."
It goes on to state that it is the seller's responsibility not to sell these types of players. If you do, Amazon "may immediately suspend or terminate your selling privileges and destroy inventory in our fulfilment centres without reimbursement."
Payments and remittances may also be withheld or forfeited, it adds.
The best-known of this new crop of piracy-enabled streaming boxes is the Kodi box. Kodi is open-source software that can be tweaked to let viewers illegally stream copyrighted material, like Premiership football matches. Some retailers even sell them pre-loaded with the necessary software (so-called 'fully loaded' boxes), so buyers can just fire them up and start watching.
Recently, the Premier League won a landmark ruling which should help combat the problem. Previously, it could only block individual streams, which would be replaced straight away by other streams. But thanks to the recent ruling, the English Premier League can request internet service providers to block the computer servers hosting these streams, thereby tackling the problem at source.
One man was recently given a suspended prison sentence and fined £250,000 for selling fully-loaded Kodi boxes.
Owning a Kodi box isn't illegal in itself, but certain uses of them are.
Source: The Inquirer


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LG Teases The Imminent Arrival Of The G2 Mini Smartphone Via Facebook
LG has announced the arrival of its G2 Mini flagship with a post on its Facebook page. The smartphone is expected to make its debut at Mobile World Congress at the end of this month.
While all the talk over the past few weeks has been about the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S5, there will, of course, be plenty of other handsets to look forward to at MWC. LG has played out a smart move by reaching out to the social media to announce — or rather hint at — the arrival of its upcoming Mini smartphone.
The company will surely be hoping that this builds enough hype for the device before its big unveiling in Barcelona.
There’s not much to go with this teaser at the moment, but the smartphone will almost certainly be a shrunken down version of the LG G2 as one of the images suggest. This is what Sony did exceedingly well with the Xperia Z1 Compact as it was pretty much a smaller variant of the Xperia Z1 flagship, with most of the hardware unchanged.
Stay tuned to Cult of Android for more on the LG G2 Mini and other MWC announcements; we’ll be there from February 23 to bring you all the news as it breaks.
- SourceLG Facebook
- ViaAndroid Central


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The Competition Bureau, a federal government watchdog, has initiated a lawsuit against both the Big 3 wireless carriers, Rogers, Bell and Telus, and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) for misleading consumers through advertising premium texting services that are billed as being free, but allegedly incur hidden fees.
The damages sought include $10 million each from the carriers, and another $1 million from the CWTA. The reason for bringing the case forward after a five-month investigation is based on the allegation that the carriers knew their customers were being charged discreetly for services that included ringtones, trivia questions, jokes and other texting services. Rather than outwardly disclose the costs, the bureau claims the carriers buried the fees in monthly statements.
Though the carriers ultimately acted as facilitators, since they didn’t actually own the content, the bureau believes them to be liable because they profited from these services and created the false impression that their customers weren’t paying for them in the first place.
Commissioner of Competition, Melanie Aitken, said that there were “far too many cases” of consumers only becoming aware of the costs after they were recorded in their monthly bills. This, despite advertising that implied the services incurred no extra costs. According to the bureau’s report, these premium-rate services can cost up to $10 per transaction, and up to $40 for a monthly subscription. The report also alleges that customers weren’t properly informed to accept or not accept any fees or costs associated with using these services.
The carriers have yet to respond to the allegations, but the CWTA issued a rebuttal claiming that the carriers have no real control over how the texting services are rolled out and who operates them. Their main role as a facilitator, it says, is to manage billing for them. The statement, however, doesn’t really acknowledge the fact that consumers may have been misled by ads.
Instead, CWTA’s president and chief executive officer, Bernard Lord, criticized the bureau for launching the lawsuit and stifling potential innovations and technologies related to mobile.
The case will be heard at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice under the misleading advertising provisions of the Competition Act.
Aside from the financial restitution, the bureau is also seeking full refunds to customers, a stop to all misleading advertising and full disclosure of associated costs, plus corrections and updates to the terms and conditions laid out by the carriers.
The combined $31 million sought in the case can be considered a very low amount for the carriers, who have been raking in record profits for years.


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Interest rates to rise early next year, says NIESR
Rates have been held at 0.5 per cent, a historic low, since March 2009 but NIESR projects they will “increase gradually” from early next year despite a slowdown in the UK economy.
After an initial rise, it predicts rates will increase by 0.5 per cent annually, reaching 2 per cent by the end of 2018.
UK economic growth slowed in the third quarter but NIESR predicts this softening in growth will be “temporary”. It calculates the economy will expand by 2.4 per cent overall this year, and 2.3 per cent next year.
In other forecasts, NIESR said the rate of consumer price inflation will rise from close to zero per cent in 2015 to 1.1 per cent in 2016 and that from the middle of 2017 onwards inflation will be close to the Bank of England’s target of 2 per cent.
Unemployment will remain at around 5.25 per cent through the remainder of this year and in 2016.
Bank of England governor Mark Carney is expected to discuss the interest rate outlook tomorrow when the latest inflation report is published.


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Crews begin setting up displays for 2020 Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Only a few weeks away from Thanksgiving, it’s almost time for the 27th annual Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights in Garvin Park.
Electrical crews, other groups and volunteers joined forces to set up the 65 light displays around the park on Saturday.
Since the Fantasy of Lights is a drive-thru event, the yearly spectacle won’t be affected much by COVID-19. However, a couple of changes have been made.
For instance, people can choose more of a “hands-free” payment option and purchase tickets online this year. Meanwhile, the one-mile walk through won’t be held at this year’s event, but they will still have carriage rides.
“We’re so grateful that Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights has always been a drive-thru event, a socially-distanced event, so we are able to present this magical mile of holiday lights, just like we always have," Pam Kirk, director of marketing and community relations at the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center said. "Families are wondering what are we going to do for the holidays, things are so different. Well, Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights is not going to let you down.”
One new display will be put up this year, and it’s a lion painting a gift box.
The Fantasy of Lights raised a record $180,000 last year, so event organizers say they are hoping to at least match that total this year.
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