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PROVIDENCE – A Central Falls man arrested by Warwick Police March 24 is the subject of a 10-count superseding indictment on a year-long identity theft spree stealing $14,000 from people in at least nine states.
Reynaldo Martinez, 25, of Central Falls, was originally indicted on the charges June 20. A federal grand jury returned the superseding indictment Tuesday. The new indictment charges Martinez with four counts of identity theft, two counts of access fraud, and one count each of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, attempted access fraud and interstate transportation of stolen goods, Acting U.S. Attorney for Rhode Island Stephen G. Dambruch reported Wednesday.
Warwick Police arrested Martinez at the Warwick Best Buy, 24 Universal Blvd, Warwick, March 24 at 12:06 p.m., charging him with identity fraud/impersonation.
According to court documents, for nearly one year beginning in June 2016, Martinez used stolen identities, fraudulent driver’s licenses and fraudulent ID cards to open or attempt to open retail store credit cards and lines of credit in stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts to purchase or attempt to purchase among other items electronic goods, iPhones, clothing and furniture, and to pay for approximately $14,000 in auto repairs.
Martinez remains in federal custody. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland.
Dambruch thanked the Middletown, Warwick, Richmond and Central Falls, R.I., Police Departments; Rhode Island State Police; Mansfield and Seekonk, Mass, Police Departments; West Hartford and Hamden, Conn., Police Departments; and the Richardson, Texas, Police Department for their assistance investigating the case.
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Brits want a greener society but two-thirds are worried that life is going to become more expensive, a new survey has found.
There was overwhelming support for a switch to a more sustainable lifestyle among the 2,000 UK adults asked but the view was that the government needs to make it affordable.
The view by 68% of people was that being more environmentally friendly would hit their pockets while only 43% said they would be happy to pay extra.
In fact, half of respondents admitted they're not bothered where their electricity comes from as long as it's the cheapest deal.
Taxpayer-funded electric car charging points installed at all homes was backed by 59% of people surveyed.
While more than two thirds – 70% – also think homeowners should get subsidies to have solar panels installed on their roof to create their own electricity.
And three quarters – 75% – of families think the government should provide subsidies to allow households to switch from traditional gas boilers to more sustainable heat pumps.
Overall, half of respondents in the Forbes Advisor survey said they are trying to cut down their energy usage to be both greener and save money.
To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.
On the streets where the electric car revolution continues to take hold, 68% of people are concerned it is going to make motoring more expensive and almost 80% felt that new homes should come with charging points for the new environmentally friendly vehicles.
Kevin Pratt, energy expert from Forbes Advisor, said: "The vast majority of people want to live a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly life but there are valid, if sometimes overstated, concerns that this switch is always going to hit them in the pocket.
"Electric cars are a good example. They often carry a more expensive price tag than a petrol or diesel equivalent, but their running costs tend to be much lower.
"What is crucial is that the nation's drivers have access to an adequate, accessible and affordable charging network.
"It is fantastic to see the support for a more sustainable future, but it's clear from the research that the government will need to nudge the public with further green incentives if it is to achieve its carbon neutrality targets."
The public also has concerns that brands use the word "sustainable" as a way of hiking prices, with 75% thinking they use it as an excuse to put prices up.
Hundreds of sharks invade rivers and canals in Florida to escape toxic 'red tide'
The research revealed 54% haven't switched energy suppliers over the past two years with some saying they felt they had the best offer available, others feeling that there wouldn't be much difference changing and some thinking that they couldn't be bothered moving or it was just too complicated.
Mr Pratt added: "Six in 10 of us feel our personal actions and choices contribute to a real impact on fighting climate change.
"There are little things we can do to be a little bit greener, whether it's upping our recycling game or switching to a 'green' energy tariff, where the energy supplier favours energy produced in an environmentally-friendly way, such as wind, solar, hydro, nuclear and anaerobic digestion.
"Many people assume green energy will be a more expensive option, but innovation and competition among providers mean there are many competitive eco-friendly tariffs on the market.
"That's why tariffs that use renewable energy are becoming increasingly popular with consumers. In April 2020 just 40% of tariffs were green. In April 2021 that percentage stood at 54%.
"What is certainly the case is that you can find out in about five minutes whether there is a cheaper green energy deal to suit your needs. The top 10% of customers who switched through our partner energy helpline last year saved at least £477."
Source: Read Full Article

domain: news


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Four in ten Brits concerned about their finances
This is according to research from uSwitch.com which found that a quarter (25%) now feel less confident about the country’s finances, a third (36%) feel less confident about their own finances while 37% feel less confident that we’re seeing the end of the recession.
The research also found:
- Two in ten Brits (20%) now feel less confident about their job while a third (37%) feel worse off after the budget
- 58% say now is not the time to make any major life changes or financial decisions
- According to consumers, unemployment (29%) is the biggest issue the Government needs to address followed closely by the benefit system (25%) and the national debt (24%)
Commenting, Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, said: “Wednesday’s Budget may have been billed as a growth budget, but consumer confidence has remained low. Over a third of Brits (36%) now feel less confident about their own finances, a quarter (24%) feel less confident about the country’s finances and a fifth (20%) are now less confident about their job, showing we’re not out of the woods just yet.
“Four in ten (41%) Brits may still be concerned about their own financial position, but with less people feeling worse off than after last year’s Budget, there does seem to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Following the announcement of a scheme to help at least 10,000 first time buyers nearly a third (30%) of Brits now say it’s a good time to be a first time buyer – last year just 8% felt this way.
“However it’s clear consumers are still feeling the pinch and need to take better control of their own budgets. Stripping down living costs and household bills to the bare minimum will help consumers enjoy more disposable income, and will also help them save for the future.”


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The next Active Time Report is scheduled for Thursday, June 4, Square Enix has announced.
The program is going to feature Final Fantasy XV director Hajime Tabata and global marketing manager Akio Ofuji, who are going to provide “development updates” for the upcoming title, and answer questions that are growing in popularity amongst the community.
The event is scheduled to air on YouTube and Twitch at 6:00 AM PDT / 9:00 AM EDT, complete with subtitles.
The last Active Time Report was held in April, where Tabata and Ofuji addressed a long list of complaints about the Final Fantasy XV demo. This also included the developer to talk about concerns relating to the game’s Cindy character who is apparently deemed “too sexy” by players.
Square Enix plans to release Episode Duscae 2.0, the updated version of Final Fantasy XV’s original demo, in early June. It is going to feature plenty of improvements and changes, gathered from feedback attained with the last release.
Square Enix will be hosting its E3 2015 press briefing on Tuesday, June 16.


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As of May 1st, Apple will be cracking down on App Store submissions. In a note published to app developers today, Apple revealed that it is going to begin officially rejecting new and updated apps that access the unique device identifier or UDID of an iOS device.
In addition, after May 1, newly submitted apps and app updates must be designed to support the Retina display of both the fourth generation iPad and the iPhone. Apps are also being forced to include full screen iPhone 5 support, rather than offering mere compatibility.
Starting May 1, the App Store will no longer accept new apps or app updates that access UDIDs. Please update your apps and servers to associate users with the Vendor or Advertising identifiers introduced in iOS 6. You can find more details in the UIDevice Class Reference.
Starting May 1, new apps and app updates submitted to the App Store must be built for iOS devices with Retina display and iPhone apps must also support the 4-inch display on iPhone 5. Learn about preparing your apps by reviewing the iOS Human Interface Guidelines.
Apple actually began phasing out developer access to the UDID in mid–2011, warning developers that they should begin to create unique identifiers specific to each individual app. If you’re not sure what the UDID is, let me explain.
The UDID is an alphanumeric string that uniquely identifies your iPad or your iPhone from all other devices. Each individual device has its own UDID. While developers were able to access the UDID for usage statistics and marketing in the past, Apple has been moving away from such uses for privacy reasons.
Apple’s use of the UDID came under scrutiny after several apps, such as Path, began accessing device information without user permission, prompting congress to get involved and take a look at Apple’s privacy policies. After this inquiry, Apple reaffirmed that it would disallow the use of the UDID, and it looks like the time has come for all developers to find an alternative solution.
While Apple has rejected some apps that use the UDID already, that will become standard policy, leaving developers to find a new way to track usage statistics and implement marketing tactics. Apple has released an alternative, the iOS Advertising Identifier, which is a non-personal identifier for iOS devices that developers can use instead, as it does not link personal information to specific devices.
Requiring Retina support for apps is also a huge step for Apple, marking a move towards the phasing out of non-Retina devices. Both the full sized iPad and the current iPhone sport Retina displays, and Apple is rumored to be launching a Retina iPad mini at some point this year.


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Continue Reading Below
The luxury housing market in Miami has seen a huge boom since the mass exodus of Americans from high-tax states like New York and California. Campins told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo that, in exchange, the market is doing “fabulous.”
People are largely relocating to areas like Fort Lauderdale in search of waterfront property, Campins said. And unlike overpopulated cities, there is plenty of supply to go around – especially in urban Miami.
“So Brickell, tons of supply, very difficult to sell,” she said, referring to the Miami neighborhood. “Miami Beach is doing very well and Fort Lauderdale is doing well.”
Campins highlighted a waterfront listing in Fort Lauderdale, which is on the market for $2.56 million and features five bedrooms and five bathrooms.
“So, you see what you get for your money here,” she said.
And even though prices have gone down in the condo market, Campins said Miami is selling about 10 million more homes than ever before.
“People are bringing their money here and they're putting it into real estate,” she said. “Anything under $1 million – it's a seller's market.”


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The Vashi Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) this month saw a 22-per cent fall in supply of onions,which has resulted in a 352-per cent increase in its wholesale price in Mumbai.
Till August 13 last year,the Vashi APMC received 83,850 quintals of onion. In the corresponding period this year,supplies dropped to 64,850 quintals. The cost shot up from an average of Rs 755 a quintal last year to an average of Rs 3,417 per quintal this year.
The wholesale price this month peaked at Rs 51.50 per kg on Monday,before dropping to Rs 46 per kg by the end of Tuesday.
Prices are high due to poor crop yield in the state. They are likely to remain high till October when the kharif crop comes into the market, said Ashok Valunj,Vashi APMCs head of the onion and potato section.
Maharashtra is the countrys top onion producer,contributing nearly 28 per cent of the total supply. Overall,onion production in the country dipped this year due to drought and inclement weather. In 2012-13,the total onion production in the country fell by 4.89 per cent. The output in Maharashtra,however,plunged 15.81 per cent.
There is a definite shortage in the market. Traders who have stocked onions are exploiting the market,knowing that new produce is not going to enter the market before October, said Narendra Kor,an onion farmer from Lasalgaon,the countrys largest APMC said.
In July this year,the Vashi APMC received 1.88 lakh quintals of onion,19.94 per cent less than the what it received in July 2012. Prices rose 213 per cent from an average of Rs 703 a quintal in July 2012 to Rs 2,194 in July 2013.
State agriculture department officials said they were prepared to crack down on hoarders. Vigilance squads are in place to check hoarding, said a senior official.


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THIS refers to the news story ‘No headway in $1bn China market access package’ (Dec 2). I was the first one to openly say that China cannot grant more favourable import tariffs to Pakistan products to enter China vis-à-vis agreement with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) where customs tariff has reached near zero.
Though it is China’s sincere intentions to support Pakistan in its trade balance, international agreements are an impediment. The ministry of commerce then later admitted that it is Asean which is the main hurdle in its exports to China.
Why is Pakistan not exploring the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) despite being a full member? Besides many other objectives of SCO, economic and trade is also one of the objectives of cooperation between SCO states.
Chinese President Xi Jinping in his speech on June 9, 2017, in Astana, Kazakhstan, during the SCO summit, offered free trade with China to SCO member states.
Moreover, the SCO and Asean have also signed a memorandum of understanding in 2005 for cooperation which surely will help China under the SCO to give more trade preferential to Pakistan. Thus the objective of Pakistani goods export of over three to four billion dollars in two to three years may become a reality.
If entry through this channel becomes possible from the tariff point of view, Pakistan must not forget to discuss non-tariff barriers of sanitary, phytosanitary and harmonisation efforts to be undertaken for accepting each others’ standards under mutual recognition agreement.
Ministries of commerce, industry, agriculture and foreign affairs should sit together to find ways and means to avail of this opportunity.
Zafar Hasan Khan
Director, Pak-China Business Council of FPCCI
Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2018


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Caravana is now taking drastic steps to cut costs and generate cash flow.
When Ernie Garcia talks to analysts at Carvana (CVNA) – Get Carvana Co. Class A ReportOn an earnings call last month, the company’s CEO said the used car retailer’s first quarter has been “challenging.”
“Some places are more bumpy than others,” Garcia said, according to the call transcript. “Unfortunately, in the real world, they’re rarely a perfect straight line to anywhere.”
The company just posted a “shattered quarter,” in JPMorgan’s words, as it reported a loss of $2.89 per share, well above the FactSet forecast of a loss of $1.44 per share.
Garcia cited factors such as omicron variants of Covid-19, used car prices and rising interest rates as contributing factors to the company’s disappointing quarter.
Shares of Carvana have fallen 83.4% since January to $38.40 at the time of writing. During this period, the market capitalization plummeted to $6.82 billion from $20.84 billion on Dec. 31. Basically, $14 billion in market cap has evaporated in less than five months.
Carvana, which went public in 2017 and is known as the “Amazon of car dealerships,” has been taking aggressive steps to turn things around, including laying off 2,500 employees, or about 12 percent of its workforce.
The company’s executive team will also forgo salaries for the rest of the year to cover severance packages for departing employees.
“We believe that these decisions, while extremely difficult, will result in Carvana restoring a better balance between its sales and staffing levels, and enabling Carvana to return to efficient growth in its mission of changing the way people buy and sell cars,” Carvana said in a statement. stated in the report. Regulatory filing.
The company announced on May 10 that it had acquired ADESA’s brick-and-mortar auction business for $2.2 billion. However, according to the Wall Street Journal, Apollo Global Management had to step in and put in $1.6 billion to salvage the deal.
“I think we feel good about the ADESA acquisition and the overall trajectory we’re in,” Garcia said on an analyst call.
On May 13, the company posted a slideshow on its website outlining its plans to cut costs and generate free cash flow.
Carvana said it will prioritize rapidly reducing selling, general and administrative expenses per retail unit “while being mindful of minimizing constraints on growth or impact on customer experience.”
‘Provide some clarity’
Wall Street initially appeared impressed with the plan as the stock climbed on May 16, but ended up gaining less than 1% to $38.23, 88% below its July 13, 2021, closing price of $323.07.
Several analysts, including Deutsche Bank’s Emmanuel Rosner, cut their price targets.
“We believe this report provides some needed clarity on the company’s operating plan that investors have been looking for beyond the first quarter, but execution will be key,” Rosner said, adding his price target Downgraded to $54 from $95 while maintaining hold. “We see significant upside if management can successfully achieve its goals, but it does not have a proven track record in cost reductions and needs to show tangible progress in the coming quarters.”
The company launched its first car vending machine in November 2013 and went on sale four years later.
Carvana is largely a family affair, as Garcia’s father, billionaire Ernest Garcia II, is a major shareholder in the battered company.
Garcia Sr. pleaded guilty to felony bank fraud charges in 1990 in connection with the collapse of Charles Keating’s Lincoln Savings and Loan Association and served three years of probation.
In 1991, he bought Ugly Duckling, a bankrupt car rental franchise, for $1 billion. Garcia II took the company public in 1996, took it private six years later, and renamed it DriveTime.
A young Garcia joined DriveTime in 2007 before co-founding Carvana with Ryan Keeton and Ben Huston. DriveTime is Carvana’s largest shareholder.
The father and son lost about 80% of their wealth in nine months.
Garcia Sr.’s total net worth is $5.23 billion, down $9.63 billion since the start of the year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.


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The arrogant thinking of liberal sports writers
The sports media has become predominantly liberal. That's not a good thing.
Why the 2022 Olympics will be an environmental disaster
15 crazy stats from the Super Bowl
These political Super Bowl ads suggest brands are bailing on Trump
10 tasty beer and food pairings for the big game


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Wendt Corp. has acquired a former Gibraltar Industries plant in Cheektowaga to meet its need for additional space.
The Town of Tonawanda-based maker of automobile shredders acquired the property at 2555 Walden Ave. through an affiliate for $1.75 million, according to county records.
The nearly 149,000-square-foot facility sits on 8.7 acres, east of Union Road. Hamburg-based Gibraltar closed the Cheektowaga plant after selling its processed metal products business in 2010 to Worthington Industries.
Michael R. Alpern of J.R. Militello Realty marketed the property.
"This increased capacity will allow Wendt to handle all of its current manufacturing, and it will provide additional internal capacity for manufacturing functions which are currently subcontracted outside of Western New York," the company said in a statement.
"Improvements and renovations will begin immediately, and Wendt expects to begin moving into the new facility by the end of the year."
Wendt will move its manufacturing operations for building auto shredders and nonferrous separation plants to the new facility. It will continue to use its Military Road facility for engineering operations and a test center for customers.
Alpern said the Cheektowaga facility's overhead cranes appealed to Wendt, given the large equipment the company works with. Wendt Corp. sells equipment it produces to steel mills that want to process their own material, as well as to scrap processors, who grind up metal collected at scrap yards. The company expects sales to surpass $100 million this year and is adding several jobs to its 90-employee work force.


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MONUMENT, Colo. (KRDO) -- October recognizes, observes, and celebrates many things, including National Women in Small Business.
"It's empowering," Lori Morrissey, owner of Lori Lynn's Cookies and Cream ice-cream sandwich truck says.
Lori began baking with her grandparents when she was five years old. The California transplant said her grandpa used to tell her that, one day, she'd sell her cookies.
"Now, here I am!" says Lori.
Lori Lynn's Cookies and Cream specializes in made-to-order ice-cream sandwiches. The cookies are prepared at a home-based commercial kitchen by one of Lori's six employees.
Lori's entire team, from the graphic designer to her bakers, are women.
"The women supporting women movement is so strong and that has really helped," she says. "It's just really great, as we work together, for them to see what we can do, what a woman can do, what we can do with our dreams."
Outside of her supportive group of friends, Lori advocates for herself and the business. She credits social media tools, including Facebook, as a large part of her success.
She uses her Facebook page to show customers where she’s driving to next. The Facebook page also promotes new flavors and posts about local involvement in charities and fundraisers.
Lori says the motto for her business is connecting people with cookies and ice cream. As we near the colder winter months, she says she'll continue that mission.


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How to make the best tap water in California
A California-based company is launching a new product that’s supposed to make it easier for Californians to make clean drinking water.
The WaterGuardTap can turn tap water into bottled water that is clean and free of harmful contaminants.
Its patented technology makes it more cost effective than other water purification technologies.
But some experts say it could have unforeseen health impacts.
For example, it could also make water from tap water taste worse.


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There's no fanbase as vocal as the Star Wars fanbase. From the release of the much-berated prequels to the now-much-berated sequels, the Lucasfilm franchise is airways surrounding by drama.
Whenever there's a stink rising from the Star Wars IP, you can be sure that the fanbase will speak up about it. As it turns out, that's exactly what's happening with the development of Star Wars Eclipse, a narrative video game created by Quantic Dream.
Fans tell Lucasfilm to dump Quantum Dream
After the announcement of Star Wars Eclipse in December, fans quickly took to social media to boycott the upcoming video game. Banding around the hashtag “BlackoutStarWarsEclipse”, Star Wars fans urged Lucasfilm to cut ties with the developer.
Fans noted a long-documented history of uncomfortable working conditions at the video game company. The company was accused of having a “highly toxic work environment”. Workers were allegedly subjected to long crunch, abuse and a workplace rife with pornography and anti-semetic references.
During court proceedings regarding the accusations, founder and co-CEO David Cage allegedly expressed highly sexist and homophobic remarks. According to reports, Cage ran out of court saying: “in my games, all women are whores” and “at Quantic Dream, we don't make games for fags”.
With such horrendous accusations, Star Wars fans are unhappy with Lucasfilm partnering with the studio. In response, fans have started multiple campaigns to convince the movie studio to stop the developer.
The fan campaign is still going strong
The backlash has been heavily backed by famous YouTube channel Star Wars Explained. As one of the more extensive Star Wars YouTube channels, SWE has a massive following of hardcore sci-fi fans.
“David Cage has a history of disgusting behaviour, especially towards women and the queer community,” the channel said. “The Star Wars Eclipse reveal had me *really* excited, but we will not be covering the game while Cage is involved, and we support the fans behind BlackoutStarWarsEclipse”.
Since then, thousands of fans have risen in support of the backlash with new campaigns popping up every week. One tweet from the most recent wave explained:
“We're now in a new year but old attitudes are still alive. Lucasfilm has yet to speak to the thousands of people upset with their decision to work with Quantic Dream on Star Wars Eclipse. In this new year we aren't going to be quiet anymore!”
Lucasfilm has remained completely silent on their decision to partner with the controversial developer. However, at this point, it looks like development will continue full steam ahead.


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LONDON/MILAN/BERLIN (Reuters) - German carmaker Volkswagen VOWG_p.DE has put the 1.5 billion-euro ($1.8 billion) sale of Ducati motorcycles on hold after resistance from German trade unions and internal rifts on strategy, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Ducati is wholly controlled by VW’s luxury brand Audi, which is at odds with the parent over strategy, and a decision to sell the 91-year old business, which is based in the Borgo Panigale district of the northern Italian city of Bologna, needs to be approved by VW’s supervisory board.
Labour leaders at VW, who hold half the seats on the 20-member board, have strongly opposed a sale regardless of price.
VW has told five bidders to hold off making binding bids for Ducati, which it put up for sale in April to help raise cash to fund a strategic overhaul following the emissions scandal at Europe’s largest automaker, the sources said.
The bidders, some of whom expressed astonishment and anger at the way the process had been handled, were ready to pay about 1.5 billion euros for Ducati, the sources said.
VW, Audi and union representatives declined to comment.
Italy’s Benetton family, U.S. automotive firm Polaris Industries and Ducati’s former owner Investindustrial made it to the last stage of an auction in July, along with private equity funds Bain Capital and PAI Partners.
The bids valued the business at 1.3 billion to 1.5 billion euros, representing a multiple of more than 13 times Ducati’s core earnings of about 100 million euros.
The auction had been expected to wrap up later this year with binding bids due in October, one of the sources said.
“At this stage it is highly unlikely that negotiations will be resumed this year,” one of the sources said, adding bidders were growing impatient.
“There are still differences between VW and Audi that need to be resolved and the unions are far from backing the sale,” he said.
A source close to Audi said a reshuffle of VW’s top management board, which swapped four out of seven executives, had slowed the sales process in July, undermining management’s ability to press ahead with the planned divestment.
Another source close to VW said no decision could be taken unless all the parties involved sat down and talked, but no meeting had been scheduled with VW, Audi, the German unions and possibly the Porsche-Piech family, which owns a majority stake in Audi’s parent VW.
This source said Audi was well aware that bidders were getting nervous, but stressed the need for consensus before the sale process could be resumed.
VW is due to hold a board meeting on Sept. 29 although any decision on Ducati’s sale is seen as unlikely, another said.
VW’s head of strategy, Thomas Sedran, told Reuters last month that the German group was in no hurry to find a new owner for Ducati as it was more focused on its multi-billion-euro shift toward electric vehicles and transport services than a divestment.
Additional reporting by Arno Schuetze and Jan Schwartz; editing by Alexander Smith
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Australians use the internet most to email, do on-line banking, pay bills, get news & weather and check maps. Research released by the Australian Communications and Media Authority also found that 73% of Australian households now having access to the internet.
In a significant indicator for radio streaming and podcasting, the growing household adoption of broadband internet connections has increased since March 2003, with over 5 million households now connected to broadband. 32% of internet users had connections with average download speeds greater than 1.5 megabits per second.
12% of internet users listen to online radio and 27% download audio.
The research, presented in a report titled Telecommunications Today Report 6: Internet Activity and Content, examines consumer adoption of the internet and the impact this is having on the growth of the digital economy in Australia. The study found that, overall, household internet users are accessing the internet more frequently, with an increasing number recording ‘heavy’ use (8 or more times per week).
The use of the internet for online purchases is extensive, with 54% of internet users in the quarter ending March 2008 buying a product online, an increase of 8% from 2006.
ACMA Chairman Chris Chapman says one of the main changes to consumer behaviour as a result of the internet is the willingness of consumers to engage in commerce online:
“Paying bills, airline ticket purchases and accommodation bookings have become some of the most popular activities on the internet.
“The internet has also become a significant social medium with the majority of internet users nominating email and socialising as activities they perform online. Changes to social interaction have been identified with a large number of internet users participating and using social networking sites, instant messaging, blogs and VoIP as communication tools.”
Internet users report a reduction in their use of traditional forms of media for entertainment and information activities – such as watching television, listening to the radio and reading magazines and newspapers. The internet has enabled users to engage in viewing and listening activities online by streaming or downloading videos, podcasts, music and television.
* Internet users reported watching television less often¡ªnearly a quarter of household users now watch less television, with this proportion increasing since the quarter ending March 2006.
* Internet users now read magazines and newspapers less. In the quarter ending March 2008, 18% said they read magazines less often and 17 per cent read newspapers less often.
* Internet users now listen to the radio less often, with this proportion increasing since the quarter ending March 2006.
In France, the OECD reported that the number of people watching television or listening to the radio via a computer was increasing, especially in younger age groups. In Great Britain, between 2000 and 2006 there was an 18 per cent increase in the number of adults playing or downloading music and a 16 per cent increase in the number of adults listening to web radio or watching television on the internet.
To see the Internet report, click the link below.


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New York health inspectors are too easy on restaurants, report finds
A state audit shows that New York’s Department of Health food safety inspectors haven’t followed through on hundreds of serious health violations found in restaurants across the state. Between 2014 and 2017, nearly 1,000 significant violations were noted in New York restaurants, yet 73 percent of the violations didn’t result in any enforcement at all. Those violations should have resulted in fines or even closure, according to the audit published by comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, which also found that data was reported incorrectly. State health officials have since agreed to review their policies. The report excludes New York City restaurants, which are inspected by the NYC Health Department.
Food critics dig the new full-service Peruvian dinner at Llamita
Chef Erik Ramirez recently transformed his fast-casual Peruvian restaurant Llamita into a full-service setting — and critics are already checking the place out. New York magazines’s Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite are happy to see ceviche on the new menu, in which the chef expertly uses peanuts, fried wonton skins, and “crispy” squid for added texture in the raw fish dish. The hangar steak, though, doused in a “creamy” blue cheese sauce and accompanied by roast potatoes and broccoli rabe, may just be Llamita’s best new dish, the critics declare. “It’s meat and potatoes with funk and flair, each well-cooked element contributing to a greater whole,” they write.
A ‘gelato burger’ has popped up on the Upper West Side
Spring appears to be here, and with it comes strange warm-weather concoctions like this gelato burger, now starring on the menu of Amorino, an Italian gelato chain at 414 Amsterdam Ave., between 79th and 80th streets. The Instagrammy dessert — the bun of which is made from chocolate and the “patty” is two scoops of gelato — has caused some confusion among diners, who reportedly think it’s an actual burger at first.
Two coming attractions
The Upper West Side is getting a new restaurant called the Boilery Seafood & Grill, opening at 710 Amsterdam Ave., between 94th and 95th streets. A Columbia classic is returning to 2897 Broadway, near 113th Street, but with a reversed name: Wu + Nussbaum, which used to be called Nussbaum + Wu until it closed last summer, is gearing up to open again. The previous version served bagels and sandwiches, but the new iteration promises noodles and dumplings, too, according to a sign.
Nomad’s new Korean hot pot restaurant On serves homey fare, critic says
New Yorker critic Hannah Goldfield swings by the recently opened Korean hot pot restaurant On — styled as o:n° — and finds the food “comforting and filling.” Here, the soup dish is cooked for diners, and the whole meal is meticulously timed: Within the first 10 minutes, a complimentary dish of “fluffy” chicken and tofu meatballs arrive, and at 20 minutes, the hot pot appears. The soups are “mostly mild” but can be spiced up with a douse of gochujang or Sichuan-chili oil, she writes. They’re still comforting, though, such as one made with bone broth mixed with oxtail, brisket, and whole cloves of garlic, which she calls “homey and pure.”
Bus crashes into Queens bagel shop
A Q18 bus crashed into a bagel shop in Sunnyside early Sunday morning, injuring five people inside the vehicle. The bus was on 58th Street near Woodside Avenue when a car reportedly flew past a red light and hit it, pushing the bus into Bagels Plus at 5720 Woodside Ave. It happened around 5 a.m., when the shop is supposed to open, but on this particular Sunday, the store was opening at 6 a.m. instead. The two employees inside the store were uninjured.


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On the front, the phone will come with a 16MP camera for clicking selfies. The inclusion of a better camera at both ends of the phone seemingly makes it an excellent choice to buy in the price range.
As for prices are concerned, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is expected to be around Rs 20,000. The Nokia 6.1 comes with upgraded features and fresh design when compared to its predecessor and is appealing to its audience in a right way. Now, it looks like Nokia has chose to move up the launch by a few days. Now, after the price cut of Rs 1,500, the device retails at Rs 15,499 for the 3GB variant and Rs 17,499 for the 4GB variant. However, this additional discount is only available when the payment is made through the PayTm Wallet and the Cashback credit after the purchase. Well, the comments are from the Nokia Mobile India Instagram account. This plan protects the Nokia 6.1 from theft, screen damage and liquid damage.
The dual-SIM Nokia 6.1 Plus features a 5.8-inch full-HD+ (1080x2280 pixels) display. Whereas, front-facing camera on this device could incorporate a 21MP sensor. The camera also allows high-quality 4K content shooting. The Nokia 6.1 Plus will be backed by 3,060mAh battery that supports QuickCharge 3.0.
Connectivity options on the Nokia 6.1 Plus will include 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack and a USB Type-C port. But later it was confirmed that there are two smartphones that are scheduled to be launched.
Trump says newspapers are in 'collusion' on championing a free press
Other newspapers joining the campaign said Trump's attacks diminish the importance of journalists in their communities. Their goal is to serve you, the reader, and they need your support, not derision.
Ariana Grande plans to change her name
The 25-year-old singer also talked about a track on her latest album Sweetener , which is called Pete for, well, obvious reasons. Comedian Pete Davidson was pulled over by police in upstate NY and his friend was booked for felony drug possession.
Nun Throws Out Epic First Pitch at Chicago White Sox Game
Sobieck got rave reviews after she bounced the baseball off of her arm and proceeded to throw a curveball for the first pitch. We talked to her a little bit but before we were talking to her, she was talking to someone and she wanted to warm up.
As much as we wish that "the most awaited phone" will be the Nokia 9, it probably won't be it because of two factors - it will be launched in India where flagship phones usually don't prosper and a lot of Indian customers have been asking for the Nokia X6 since its China's release. While HMD Global was initially expected to launch the Nokia 6.1 Plus only, the new teaser suggests the company might also announce the Nokia 5.1 Plus in India.
Ahead of the launch, HMD Global has reduced the price of the Nokia 6.1 in India.
Nokia 6.1 Plus has 64GB of internal storage and an expandable up to 400GB via micro SD card slot. The phone has a secondary 8MP selfie shooter.


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Sunday, 14 October 2012
RADARS Radio Rally. Sunday 21/10/2010
RADARS 'Ripon' Nth Yorks Radio Rally
Surplus Equipment Sale
Sunday 21st October 2012
Hugh Ripley Hall, Ripon
North Yorkshire, HG4 2TP
Doors open to stallholders 0800
Doors open to the public 1030
Entry on the door £2 per head (under 16's free)
Tables provided £10 each
Hot and cold food available on the day
October 14, 2012
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The US Department of Commerce has placed Chinese tech manufacturer Huawei, combined with 70 Partners, onto a trade blacklist. The transfer will need to advertising products to firms on the record prior US vendors to get licenses from the US authorities\.
The Commerce Department said Wednesday it’s reasonable basis to believe that”Huawei is engaged in activities which are contrary to US national security” US intelligence agencies have accused the business of placing”backdoor” access in its apparatus in the behest of the Chinese authorities, a quality that would permit them to spy on users of those devices. Beijing and Huawei have denied this a directive exists.
Huawei is among China’s biggest tech businesses and the second-largest cellphone maker worldwide — ahead of the United States’ Apple, but supporting the Korean firm Samsung.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross explained in a statement the transfer will”prevent American technology from being used by foreign owned entities in a way that possibly endanger US national security or foreign policy interests.”
“President Trump is acting once more to protect US national security. This Executive Order addresses the danger posed by foreign adversaries to the country’s communications and information technology and services supply chain,” Ross said earlier in the afternoon. “Under President Trump’s direction, Americans are going to have the ability to trust our infrastructure and data are protected.”
AP Photo / Mark Lennihan
Specifically, the firms had been added to the Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) Entity List, a dossier of overseas companies and individuals with different licensing regulations enforced to US companies that wish to sell them merchandise.
Earlier Wednesday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Commerce Department and other relevant US agencies to draw up a plan for barring US firms from utilizing telecommunications equipment created by foreign producers if they are deemed a”national security risk.”


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Late in the day yesterday, Sony Computer Entertainment's Official PlayStation Website launched a video that hinted at the company's E3 plans. Hosted by PlayStation Underground personalities Steve Truitt and Diane Mizota, the teaser talked about the company's big plans for next month's Electronic Entertainment Expo and how the publisher plans to do things. Several game titles were dropped, but one of the most interesting monikers was "Lumines 2," the previously unannounced sequel to last year's hit PSP puzzler.
Intrigued, we gave the publisher of the previous game (Ubisoft) a quick phone call to see if the French powerhouse had plans to surprise the media with a new title at the show. "We're definitely not publishing a sequel to Lumines," commented the representative we spoke with. "We don't know where it would be coming from."
Still curious, we also gave Sony representatives a ring as well... but were met with the same exact luck. "We're not doing Lumines 2," said the Sony folk. "It may have mentioned been in that video, but we can't speak on who might be doing it -- it isn't us, though."
So the question remains: Who is publishing Lumines 2? Did the video hosts make a mistake? Is the title wrong? Have Ubisoft and Sony representatives been kept in the dark for now? Who knows what the answer is. But if we are to believe the proposed "sneak peek" at the game that Sony hinted at on its E3 website, an announcement may be coming soon.
Expect an update when and if there's one to give.


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It is widely known that GM is doing it tough. Unfortunately, the hits keep coming for our American cousins with Chevrolet announcing it will cease Corvette production for one week, starting October 6th, in response to shrinking demand and declining sales.
The news gets worse with Chevy set to shed up to 75 workers from the Bowling Green's facility during the stoppage (on top of tens of thousands shed from GM plants and closures across North America). The job loses will come as a result of scaled back production targets for the 'Vette which will drop from 18.5 cars per hour to 15 cars per hour when operations get back underway.
With an 8.5 percent drop in Corvette sales through August compared to last year, little wonder that GM is making moves to ensure the survival and long term viability of the iconic muscle car.
It's certainly not good news for Chevrolet fans but it's not time to panic just yet. The Corvette has been in production since 1953 and has experienced production cuts during that time. If nothing else the Corvette has certainly proven to be resilient.


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A full day of Empowering Albright Voices panels and activities brings awareness to important social topics.
READING, PA – Albright College will host its fourth Empowering Albright Voices day on Oct. 7 – a full day of panels and activities that bring awareness to important social topics. The evening of October 6th kicks off the events with a keynote by Patrice Rankine, Ph.D., a discussion on tensions and challenges in building shared meaning within a diverse society, drawing from playwrights, poets and artists to illustrate how we might find resources to build shared meaning.
On October 7th at 5:30 at MPK Chapel, Albright College fashion students and The International Student Association invite you to join them for Global Intersections of Fashion! Enjoy an international fashion collection reflecting cultures, customs and music through this runway show. Come for the show and stay for the reception, including international appetizers, deserts and drinks.
The International Student Association (ISA) is excited to collaborate with the fashion students to create a platform for expression and meaning through traditional dress, highlighting fashion from around the world. Intersectionality shines a light on what different cultures bring to the world’s consciousness, particularly in terms of the visceral nature of clothing and artistic expression. Therefore, global voices — highlighting commonalities and celebrating differences — will be heard through the fashion and design of our participants.
All are invited to participate in our one of a kind fashion show! Together we will celebrate our diversity, cultures, customs and traditions through fashion. Special call for participation:
- Do you have traditional garb that reflects your cultural background?
- Do you have historical pieces, such as your great-grandmother’s wedding dress?
- Do you have traditional garb worn in ceremonies or dances representative of your home country?
Join us! Please email MeeAe Oh-Rank to sign-up to participate in the fashion show. Participants will receive more information as the event draws near. Practice will be held October 6 at 5 p.m., and the main event will be held Friday, Oct. 7 at 5:30 p.m. Please email any questions to ISA co-advisors, MeeAe Oh-Ranck and Becki Achey.
The following Empowering Albright Voices events are free and open to the public:
Meet Albright’s trustees
Oct. 7, 10 a.m., Albright Theatre, Klein Hall
Two separate panels of Albright trustees will share their personal stories and hopes for the 166-year old institution.
Interdisciplinary perspectives on the recent Roe vs. Wade decision
Oct. 7, 2:30 p.m., Klein Hall
Panelists will share legal, spiritual, medical and psychological perspectives of the impact of the recent U.S. Supreme Court abortion rights decision.
Practicing medicine on the top of the world: Utqiavik, Alaska
Oct. 7, 4 p.m., Albright Theatre
Within the Arctic circle, the Inupiat have thrived for thousands of years. Josh Williamson, M.D., will share his recent eye-opening medical experiences from working this underserved community.
A living history of empowerment from the voices of Albright Black alumni
Oct. 7, 7 p.m., Virtual, Klein Hall
Alumni spanning seven decades will share how Black students experienced and actively pursued empowerment on Albright’s campus, and how their experiences were influenced by national movements and contemporary culture.
See more Empowering Albright Voices events online and follow #EmpoweringAlbrightVoices on social media.


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By SILUMESI MALUMO
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has directed Minister of Finance Bwalya Ng’andu to create a Covid-19 recovery fund to support SMEs which have been negatively affected by the pandemic.
He has also directed the Minister of Commerce and Industry Christopher Yaluma to ensure that chain stores prioritise local products from farmers.
President Lungu said the recovery fund should be disbursed to the small businesses which have been badly affected during this period.
Mr Lungu said during the national address at State House yesterday that this was the only way to ensure that businesses thrive amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
“I urge the Minister of Finance to also find other sources to beef up the Covid-19 recovery fund in order for more enterprises can benefit,” President Lungu said.
The President said the K10 billion which was released earlier would be part of the recovery funds to help enterprises which had been hit hardest.
“I am asking the Minister of Finance to pursue other options in order to secure more resources to help our SMEs who have been hit hardest. These funds will be disbursed to small businesses.
The K10bn which I earlier announced would be part of the recovery funds but we need to find other sources to beef up the Covid-19 recovery fund so that more of our SMEs who have been affected badly can benefit,” President Lungu has said.
Mr Lungu also urged commercial banks to give loans to SMEs and households who had been affected during this period.
Meanwhile, President Lungu directed the minister of Commerce and Industry to ensure that chain storeS bought agriculture products from the local farmers.
He said that during this period it was important that local products were prioritised and stopped the dependency on importation.
This is the only way we can make our country’s economy to thrive amid Covid-19, he said.
Mr Lungu pointed out that chain stores would only be able to import products which they cannot source from local farmers.
He also appealed to farmers to create cooperatives so that they can be able to product quality products.
President Lungu observed the need for restaurants, salons, barbershops to operate normally but adhere to the laid down measures by the Ministry of Health.
He said failure to do so it would attract penalties or operating licences would be revoked.
And President Lungu said Government has released K500 million to pay retirees, K170 million to clear outstanding arrears and K140 million to pay off road contractors.
He urged the Finance minister to release K1 billion to pay the suppliers of goods and services.
By SILUMESI MALUMO


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THC is more necessary for healing advantages than CBD, new study says
a study that is new unearthed that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is much more essential forthe effects that are medicinal cannabis than initially thought. THC could be the primary psychoactive chemical ingredient in weed and it is more linked to the leisure value of marijuana.
Researchers in the University of the latest Mexico are believed to have fixed a significant space in clinical literary works with the use of a software that is mobile to gauge the real-time effects of cannabis-based services and products used every by day huge numbers of people.
THC a lot better than CBD at relieving symptoms???
The researchers have discovered that, contrary to popular belief, THC showed the strongest correlation using the therapeutic relief regarding the medication, also more powerful than cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is non-psychoactive and doesn’t produce a high, it is therefore considered more socially appropriate. And due to this, CBD is more from the medicinal value of cannabis than THC. Continue reading


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It’s one thing to take your clothes off for Playboy — but quite another thing to be depicted as a stripper, a new Manhattan lawsuit charges.
Seven former Playboy Playmates and 18 other professional models filed suit in Manhattan Tuesday, saying their photos were “illegally” used in doctored ads for the popular clubs Lace, Stiletto and Diamond Club Gentleman’s Cabaret in New York and Jersey.
For example, the Stiletto Nanuet club altered a photo of Playboy model Brooke Taylor, 30, a “world-renowned model who has appeared in Playboy, FHM, Maxim and Stuff,” the federal suit says.
The ad shows the stunning blonde topless and clad in red wings and panties while shooting a bow and arrow, court papers say.
The nudie club tweeted the photo last year with the message: “Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at Stiletto! Come grab yourself a girlfriend tonight.”
But the women’s lawyer, John Golaszewski, notes in the suit that “not only was this image altered to make it appear that Taylor was a stripper working at Stiletto, but the copy . . . also implies that patrons of Stiletto could come ‘grab’ Taylor and make her their ‘girlfriend.’ ”
Clothing designer Jessica Burciaga — who was crowned Playboy Playmate of the Month for February 2009 and dubbed Jennifer Lopez’s doppleganger — is also a plaintiff in the lawsuit.


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Once again I have all the top Apple news and rumors from around the web
Apple has filed an application for a patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a "method to send payment data through various air interfaces...
Apple widened its lead in 2013 U.S. smartphone sales versus its competitors, this quarter's Connected Home Report from research firm NPD shows.
The latest iPhone 6 rumors coming out of the far east point to some potential big chances coming to the world most popular handset. With new details...
For all those iPhone owners who have waited patiently to hunt like the Predator, your wait is over. The new FLIR One case brings true thermal vision to...
The iOS 7.1 beta 3, the third beta test of the iOS update, has just been released to developers for criticism and bug finding.
Apple scored a best-ever $10 billion in sales over the course of 2013, $1 billion of which was earned in December alone.
‹ Previous 4 of 16
Millions of consumers around the country turn to Gazelle when they want cold hard cash for their unwanted devices. And believe it or not, one of the...
With all the recent data and security breaches from many big name retailer over the past months, now is the time to better protect your smartphone from...
The Apple Q1 earnings are in and once again the results look incredibly promising. Apple netted $13.1 billion in profit on $57.6 billion in revenue for the
According to the Wall Street Journal, a new report claims that an Apple mobile payment system could be the next big thing out of Cupertino. The report...
A new Apple patent filed etailing methods of using and mounting sapphire to mobile devices was published today by the United States Patent and Trademark...
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Internet World in Los Angeles this week will host the premiere of several technologies aimed at improving the Web experience both for end-users and developers.
A beta version of the Netscape 6 browser will be unveiled by Steve Case, America Online chairman and CEO, during his keynote address Tuesday, according to company officials.
Netscape 6 will have a foundation in Gecko, Netscape's standard-based browser technology. Netscape 6 will replace the Netscape Navigator 4.x browser line.
Tribal rivalry Tribal Voice will demonstrate its PowWow 4 IM (instant messaging) client, which last year was embroiled in IM interoperability battles with ZY.com, which will release its new ZY modules this week. The modules are user-configurable items of content that can be reconfigured, changed, and placed on any Web page by inserting a single line of HTML.
Speed Content delivery will continue to play a large role at Internet World as faster Web site performance becomes the rallying cry of e-commerce companies around the world.
Akamai Technologies will unveil improvements to FreeFlow Streaming - its streaming media content-delivery solution - and add to its portfolio a new streaming media application.


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Source: Uswitch. Bandwidth Britain: Which UK Cities Need Better Broadband? Lockdown Britain has hit the sofa to stream more content than ever before. Official figures from the ONS reveals how the UK has spent its time during lockdown, in comparison to a previous study in 2015.
The ONS study found that the most popular lockdown activity was streaming video content, which took up two hours and 53 minutes each day, so it’s no wonder that our own recent study revealed that UK home broadband usage had increased by almost a third (29%) overall.
But, it’s not been smooth-streaming for over a third of the UK. A recent poll by YouGov discovered that 35% of broadband users in the UK have been dealing with slower than normal speeds since lockdown began.
How much bandwidth is the UK using and how is it affecting the quality of our connections?
Revealing the UK’s Top Broadband Issues
During lockdown, there has been an increased demand on the UK’s broadband connections, with one in five households (21%) suffering from dropped connections, buffering or slow connection speeds.
We dug a little deeper, scouring Reddit to discover:
- What the most common complaints were when it comes to broadband connections
- How often the UK searches Google for a solution to these issues
- Where in the country suffers the most with internet problems
Technical complaints topped the list. Broadband Speed was the top issue affecting users in Norwich — they were searching for a speedy solution more than anywhere else in the UK. Improving Latency was the top issue in Cambridge who were the most fed up with having to wait for their connections to respond.
We also discovered a number of customer service related complaints such as Switch Broadband Provider and Cancel Broadband — it’s clear that Glasgow has had enough!
Have you suffered from any of these broadband-related issues? We’ve put together a handy guide to solving the most common internet problems so you can troubleshoot any issues that might arise.
Top 10 Bandwidth Hungry Apps Revealed
Following a surge in demand, Netflix applied restrictions on streaming quality to reduce the amount of bandwidth used in order to help the video run as smoothly as possible. Our study found that per hour, Netflix would use around 1GB of bandwidth data at standard definition.
The popularity of cloud gaming, such as Google Stadia and NVIDIA GeForce NOW has boomed, but so has the requirement for the bandwidth to operate the games; which is why they have scored so high on the scale — Google Stadia uses 4.5GB of bandwidth per hour of play.
What is cloud gaming and why does it use so much bandwidth?
Cloud gaming isn’t powered by consoles or computers, but the games are streamed from the cloud via a data centre providing the processing power. Every single move that a gamer makes is communicated between the gamer and the data center and as such, requires a lot of internet bandwidth to provide smooth game play.
Where do the UK’s Biggest Bandwidth Users Live?
Our study named Southampton as the UK location experiencing the biggest surge in broadband use – jumping 49% to 44 hours and 36 minutes a week during lockdown, but which area in the UK is using the most bandwidth-hungry apps?
The UK’s Most Used Apps During Lockdown
Our research found that the average household has eight devices that connect to the internet, but what have been our most used apps during lockdown, and how much bandwidth do they eat up per hour? We took to Google Trends to find out:
Revealed: The Winners and Losers of Lockdown Entertainment
Video Calls Winner — Zoom
Video-calling has seen a huge surge in popularity, with two thirds of consumers (68%) saying they have used the technology since the lockdown started. Zoom has been the app with the biggest increase in search interest in the UK.
Using just 0.54GB per hour, it’s also one of the least bandwidth-hungry video-calling apps. Out of all the video-calling apps, Google Hangouts uses the most bandwidth – 0.70GB per hour.
Films and Box Sets Winner — Hulu
Surprisingly Hulu tops the list as the most popular lockdown video streaming service, with 49% more searches than pre-lockdown. Even though Hulu isn’t officially available in the UK yet, it seems many people were still able to access Hulu’s content. Apple TV is a close second, with 44% more people tuning in. Disney+ and Netflix are much further down the list than we predicted, with just a third more searches on average.
Is this because most people interested in streaming already have these services? Or maybe they’ve exhausted all of the content and are looking for new streaming sources? Amazon Prime Video bottoms out the list, with a negligible increase in interest of 0.1%.
Catch-up TV Winner — My5
When it comes to streaming catch-up TV, it’s My5 that tops the list with 100% more people searching for the service than before lockdown, followed by All4 46% more and BBC iPlayer with just 19% more people searching for the service.
Music Streaming Winner — Apple Music
Spotify needs to move over, Apple Music has taken the top spot during lockdown when it comes to searches. The music streaming platform has seen a 40% increase in searches. Interestingly, it could be the streaming quality that has knocked Spotify off the top spot. Streaming Spotify for one hour will use 0.04GB data, compared to Apple Music which uses 1GB and is much higher standard.
Solving the UK’s Top Broadband Issue
Whether you’re using your broadband to work from home or play from home, there is nothing more frustrating than when your internet connection drops out leaving you disconnected from family and friends.
We’ve asked our broadband expert Nick Baker to give us some pointers on solving the UK’s top issue — Slow Broadband Speed — helping you to get back online as soon as possible.
10 Tips to Help Improve Broadband Speed
There are a number of reasons why your broadband connection could be slow, including multiple devices accessing the same network in your area, or a large number of devices on your home connection.
1. Carry out a broadband speed testso you can see just what speeds you’re getting. Try doing this at different times during the day and take a screenshot or a note of the result.
2. Check and see if your browser software is up to date. Having the latest version of your browser can really help speed up the way web pages load.
3. Is your router next to any other wireless devices? Anything from a wireless doorbell to fairy lights can have an impact on the speeds you’re getting. My tip would be to place your router on a small side table away from any other devices (rather than on the floor) and keep it switched on at all times.
4. Ensure you have a strong password protecting your Wi-Fi network to make sure nobody else is using it — this is particularly important if you live in a flat or apartment.
5. Is your router firmware up to date? Your router should update automatically, but you can force a reset (check the back of the device for instructions) and this can help with broadband speed.
6. Have you tried using a cable? Routers usually have an Ethernet cable socket in the back of the device so you can connect directly to them. Try using this and running the speed test again to see if you get faster results. Again, keep a note of these speeds.
7. Have you checked for interference on your phone line? Purchase some microfilters or get them from your provider. Plug them into every phone socket in your house as they split the broadband and phone signals so they don’t interfere with one another.
8. Are you using a phone line extension cable? These (especially if they are long) can impact the speed of your broadband. If you need to use one, make sure it’s high quality and as short as possible and not tangled up.
9. Plug your router directly into the main phone socket. These sockets usually have a line running across the front of them. Make sure your router is connected to this socket then try running the speed test again.
10. Contact your broadband provider. If all else fails and you’re still struggling, then it’s worth getting in touch with your broadband provider. You can share your speed test results and they will work through a series of diagnostic tests to isolate the issue and get you back up to speed in no time.
- Google Search volumes accessed on 1st June 2020
- Google Trends data accessed between 1st April and 31st May 2020
- Social listening took place 11th-18th May 2020
- Ofcom Connected Nations Report Spring 2020 Update
- YouGov Lockdown Internet Performance poll accessed June 5th 2020
- Coronavirus and how people spent their time under lockdown: 28 March to 26 April 2020
- Uswitch: https://www.uswitch.com/broadband/broadband-issues/


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When there’s Big News in the Whole Grains Council, we send out a press release and post it in the press release section of this website. But every day, the momentum of whole grains moves forward in many smaller ways, which you can read about here in our blog. Come back often, and see what’s new.
With a steady source of butter, sugar, and artisan chocolate at their disposal, pastry chefs have a knack for navigating direct routes to our taste buds. But recently the biggest source of flavor in baked goods is coming from somewhere you would never expect: the flour.
Millet requires very little water and tends to be resistant to many of the pathogens and pests that plague commodity crops like corn and wheat. Given these agricultural benefits, it’s no wonder millet’s popularity is on the rise in dry regions from Asia, to Africa, to our very own Western US.
In the past five years alone, more than 100 new studies have deepened our understanding of the health benefits of whole grains. Follow along the research journey, and learn why nutrition experts recommend this one simple swap for better health.
80-85% of the world’s plant-based food supply comes from annual plants, that have to be grown from scratch every year. Experts worldwide think perennial grains, with long, drought-resistant roots, make more sense in a time of climate change.
Since October’s grain of the month is corn, we hope you’ll indulge us as we take you on a quick journey south of the border and bring you fresh culinary inspiration you can take straight to your kitchen.
As a wrap up to September’s Good Grains for a Good Cause campaign, we’re pleased to award Okanogan County Community Action Council with a whopping 125 cases of whole grain foods, generously donated from food companies across the country. Read on about how these donations are making a difference in...
Lots of whole grains are tasty and affordable. If you’ve walked past any of these grains in favor of trendier, ﬂashier ingredients, it’s time to do a double take. The building blocks of a healthy meal may already be in your pantry.
When the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act shifted the landscape for what types of foods were allowed to be sold at schools, these students did not sit around and complain. Rather, they put on their aprons and got to work.


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The company’s lettuce robot — which scans a field using computer vision and douses just the weeds with deadly fertilizer — seems to be gaining traction in the market. Heraud says that 5 percent of the lettuce produced in the U.S. has been grown in California and Arizona using Blue River lettuce robots. “If you’ve eaten lettuce over the last few months, odds are the lettuce has been scanned by the lettucebot,” says Heraud.
The lettuce bot, which is in its fourth generation, can boost the yield of farms by 10% and can reduce operation costs by replacing human labor. Manually spraying and pulling weeds on a lettuce farms is a difficult job.
When it is time to begin waste collection, the driver of the refuse truck presses a button. This starts the robot, and the drone simultaneously lifts from the roof of the truck. Flying through alleyways, the drone quickly finds the location of the refuse bins and communicates their positions to the robot. This is followed by automatic waste collection and emptying by the robot. In the cab, the driver is able to monitor the exact location of the robot and the emptying process.
The ROAR project, Robot-based Autonomous Refuse handling, is a collaboration between the Volvo Group, Chalmers University of Technology, Mälardalen University, Penn State University in the United States, and Renova.
Two Tucson-area men, along with a robotic device made in the Tucson area that specialize in water rescues, are working with Greek officials to try to reduce the number of drownings of fleeing refugees off the country’s coast.
The robotic devices — known as EMILY — are manufactured at Hydronalix, a company in Sahuarita. EMILY stands for Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard.
One of my neighbors is on a team at the Super-Regionals in San Antonio, TX this week. While we marvel at the Atlas humanoid robot, it is even more impressive to see high school students with their limited budgets and time, push the boundaries of robotic imagination. The video below shows the sophistication of the competition – starting around 2:35.
The 2015-2016 game, FIRST® RES-QSM, is modeled after rescue situations faced by mountain explorers all over the globe. Played by two Alliances of two robots each, robots will score points by: “resetting” Rescue beacons; delivering Rescue Climbers to a shelter; parking on the mountain; and parking in the Rescue beacon repair zone or floor goal.
Robots may also score points by retrieving debris from the playing field and placing them in mountain or floor goals, and also by hanging from a pull-up bar during the last 30-seconds of a match.
While the Atlas robot may not boost the quarterly earnings of Google parent Alphabet for a while, it appears to be the next step for robotics, according to Max Wolff, chief economist at Manhattan Venture Partners.
"My guess is early on we're going to see defense use, law enforcement use, hazardous waste use and some surgical and medical equipment use," Wolff said on CNBC's Tech Bet.
The robo-advisers have quickly attracted a growing number of investors. They have also caught the attention of established financial players. Digitally driven investment providers were estimated to hold $53 billion at the end of 2015, according to the Aite Group.
With few exceptions, these services share the same widely established investing philosophies: Create a low-cost diversified portfolio for the long run; don’t ever — ever! — time the market; and focus on meeting goals, be it for retirement, a down payment or college.
The cameras also help the bots figure out where they’ve been—a seemingly simple enhancement that makes a host of new skills possible. For example, some robot vacuums—like the ones from iRobot and Samsung below—can now clean half your home, return to their bases to recharge their batteries and then pick up where they left off without traversing the same area again. This allows designers to crank up the suction power, since conserving battery life is no longer a concern. The bots can simply recharge as many times as needed to get a job done.
For the first time, we’re also seeing robots that can connect to the Internet, allowing you to activate them using a smartphone app from another floor in your home or from across the country. Don’t have time to vacuum before a last-minute guest comes over? No worries. Just turn on your robo housekeeper from the grocery store.
In stepped companies such as year-old Fetch in San Jose and six-year-old Harvest Automation in Billerica, Mass. Both say their robots can keep up with a briskly walking person for about eight hours on a fully charged battery. Fetch says its basic models can carry as much as 150 pounds; Harvest, 50.
Tim Barrett, the chief operating officer of shipping company Barrett Distribution Centers, says that with eight Harvest prototypes moving goods around its Massachusetts warehouse, the company didn’t need to install a pricey conveyor belt.
Makers of semiconductors spend upward of $5 billion to build and operate fabrication plants—known as “fabs”—that run 24 hours a day so they can recoup their investment before the equipment becomes obsolete in five years or so. Rows of pristine machines sit in windowless cleanrooms, which are almost as free of humans as they are of dust. Intel and Texas Instruments have spent decades perfecting this almost sci-fi form of manufacturing. Now they want to show the rest of the world how it’s done.
The chipmakers have set their sights on what researcher IHS estimates is a $185 billion global market for gear to automate industrial production. To capture a portion of that spending, they’re prodding companies to bring the Internet of Things—a term that describes a world in which physical objects are embedded with electronics and talk to each other—into factories. “It’s moving beyond hype and into engineers rolling up their sleeves,” says Doug Davis, senior vice president of the IoT division at Intel, which had more than $2 billion in sales last year. “The economic value and impact are unquestioned.”
ProGlove, developed by Workaround, is an “intelligent” glove that uses chips to power a simple display on the wrist. If the person wearing the glove completes an assembly task correctly, a large green check mark appears.


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One stated goal of Chicago-based Inventables, which makes desktop CNC machines and related supplies and equipment, is to democratize 3D carving. It’s a lofty ambition, but the company has the support of a raft of backers including Cue Ball, which led its $11.5 million series C funding round. True Ventures, Greycroft, Pipeline Capital, Draper Associates, Relativity CEO Mike Gamson, and LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner also contributed capital, bringing Inventables’ total raised to more than $20 million.
CEO and founder Zach Kaplan said the influx of funds will bolster the development of Easel, Inventables’ free web-based software, as the company works to broaden its compatibility with machines from third-party partners.
“We are excited to see thousands of American businesses using our products for production,” said Kaplan. “This investment enables Inventables to enhance the functionality and compatibility of our Easel software, helping our business customers produce products faster and more profitably.”
Inventables, which Kaplan founded in 2002 as a hardware and raw materials supplier for product designers and 3D printers, initially pitched its carving hardware as a cheaper, more accessible way to accomplish some of the design work enabled by 3D printers. This struck a chord with Kickstarter backers in 2014, who pitched in over $600,000 in 86 minutes for its first-generation portfolio.
The company offers two millers: Carvey, a compact and noise-dampened CNC router for studios, and X-Carve, a professional-grade shop tool. Carvey features a fully enclosed frame and built-in settings for your materials, plus automatic calibration. X-Carve, by contrast, comes in three sizes and has stepped motors, a controller, and rails, and it can be customized with options like dust control and specialized carving bits (which range in price from $15 to $36).
X-Carve starts at $1,349, or $113 per month on a payment plan. Carvey, which is currently unavailable, has an MSRP of $2,499.
No matter which machine they have on hand, Inventables customers use Easel to sketch, import, and build carved objects like signs, kitchen gadgets, and even electric guitars. Easel’s pre-carve checklist addresses any mistakes made during the design process, and it ties in with a web collection of community-generated projects that showcase makers’ work and surface tips and videos, along with downloadable files.
Inventables says that this year, its users will carve more than 4 million projects. In 2015, Kaplan said he hoped to reach one million Easel users and sell “hundreds of thousands of [carving] machines.”
“It is rare that you have the opportunity to be part of a company that has the highest integrity and character of management with a highly purposeful and exciting product that can reshape and define an entire category,” said Cue Ball founder and CEO Tony Tjan, who plans to join Inventables’ board of directors. “The integration of software to an incredibly well engineered, high-value 3D carving machine is simply amazing. We are honored to be part of this investment group and join Zach and his leadership group.”


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Veppo’s Electronic Cigars are in the company of men, among the biggest names in sports and multimedia. The company’s line of E-cigars have hit a large demographic right where it matters – in the heart. Both Men’s Journal and Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins, have given Veppo e-cigar some media attention and a big boost of confidence.
Culturally, cigars are associated with successful men, and so word of Veppo’s name being dropped by the likes of Dan Snyder of the Washington Redskins NFL football team, as well as a write up in Men’s Journal magazine, have certainly been puff-worthy and encouraging to the rising industry of e-cigarettes.
Veppo was first honored with a review in Men’s Journal magazine, having been selected as a “Gear Lab” feature pick. The write up not only reviewed the brand, directing attention to Veppo’s high standards, but also its “standout feel”, ideal for a long-running vaporizer with 1,800 puffs. Veppo’s coverage in Gear Lab symbolizes the vaporizer industry’s rise to the mainstream, as this magazine department is written and reviewed by experts, with a total magazine circulation of over 700,000 readers.
Cigar Bar in Redskin’s FedEx Field
Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins, has had a notorious relationship with cigars over the years, including his controversial decision to open a cigar bar in FedEx Field, ignoring a statewide ban on smoking in bars and restaurants and allowing smoking in designated locations. Veppo recently announced that the Redskins team has ordered disposable e-cigars for use in stocking the FedExField Box, including for Veppo fan Dan Snyder himself. Snyder ordered the products hoping to reduce falling ash on fans below, the natural result of old technology cigars.
Snyder himself was forced to give up his love of cigars back in the early 2000 decade, after a bout with thyroid cancer, and after a heart-wrenching talk with his young daughter who feared for his life after learning of smoking’s dire effects in school.
Many former cigar lovers have made the choice to switch over to Veppo e-cigars and e-cigarettes because of the superior design, which allows nicotine volume control, a “gentle buzz” in the words of Men’s Journal, as well as a no-nicotine setting for those who wish to slow and gradually cease their intake permanently.
VEPPO vaporizers are not only rising in mainstream popularity, but are gaining attention from popular men’s journals, as well as celebrity endorsements, for their innovative design. In the eyes of Veppo, the cigar continues to remain a symbol of male success and power, and a distinct aspect of American culture, even though the technology is shifting from tobacco smoke to simple, smokeless vapor.
For more information on vaporizer flavors, products and design information, visit http://www.VeppoCig.com/.
About Veppo: Veppo is an American-based company specializing in personal vaporizers, e-cigars and e-cigarettes. Their customer support line is available six days a week, as well as a live chat feature on their website.


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- Diamond producer Lucapa (LOM) is looking to take a majority stake in the Lulo project
- Located in Angola, the mine generates around $221 million in revenue each year
- Angola’s national diamond company currently holds a 51 per cent stake in the project, while Lucapa has a 30 per cent interest
- It is expected discussions will be finalised in the first quarter next year
- Lucapa’s share price is up over 4.5 per cent and trading for 12 cents each
Diamond producer Lucapa (LOM) has told the ASX it is in discussions to assume a majority stake in the Lulo diamond project.
The project is located in the Lunda Norte diamond hub in Angola, Central Africa, where the production facility is capable of processing 1.1 million tonnes each year and uses technology which recovers diamonds up to 1100 carats in quality.
As it stands, Lucapa has a 39 per cent interest in the Lulo diamond project. Angola’s national diamond company, Endiama, currently has the majority stake, with a 51 per cent holding. The additional 10 per cent is held by private company Rosas and Petalas.
In its release to the Australian market today, Lucapa detailed it plans to finalise discussions surrounding increasing its holding in the project during the first quarter next year.
For an agreement to proceed, Lucapa also needs to negotiate terms with the Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum to secure approval before taking the majority stake in the joint venture.
Annually, the Lulo diamond mine generates roughly $221 million (US$150 million) in revenue. An average price per carat of around $2800 (US$1900) has been achieved.
In early trade, Lucapa’s share price is up over 4.5 per cent and trading for 12 cents each.


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The Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX,) Africa’s biggest business opportunities show, has this year surpassed all previous attendance records in terms of the number and reach of countries that participated. Held from 21 to 23 June at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, SAITEX hosted buyers from a total of 72 countries, a massive 37% increase on 52, the previous record.27 of these countries were from Africa.
Among the countries which exhibited this year who were not at the 2014 show were Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Togo, as well as the USA.
“It’s obvious SAITEX has global appeal, but its capacity to draw visitors and exhibitors from so many countries is testament to its importance as Africa’s biggest business opportunities event,” said John Thomson of organisers Exhibition Management Services. “Further proof is the number of business transactions that resulted from the show and the feedback from participants on the huge, incomparable networking opportunity SAITEX offers.”
Jiangsu Zongshen Motor Tricycle Manufacturing Co Ltd signed a deal with Great Ocean Import and Export Company, to export their motor, electric and green energy tricyles to Africa. Marc Ho, the representative for the manufacturing company said they wanted to test the market in South Africa first and then expand into Africa in the longer-term. The parts will be imported into South Africa for assembly.
Natasha Agostini, Head of Trade at the Embassy of Brazil confirmed that at SAITEX Brazilian exhibitors found valuable business contacts in South Africa. This year, the Embassy brought agricultural products from the different regions of Brazil. They were able to make contact with distributors across the African continent, as well as in Asia and Europe.
“Brazil has participated in SAITEX for 19 years,” said Agostini. “We really value the experience we have here and we have had fantastic results, that is why we continue to bring new companies as well as companies who have already participated in the show.
“I believe that coming to SAITEX is one way of raising awareness amongst Brazilian companies to start seeing South Africa and the rest of Africa as important markets for their products,” said Agostini.
Eva Suto of first-time SAITEX exhibitor, the South African & Eastern European Commercial, Cultural, Tourism and Knowledge Centre said the organisation and the companies it hosted on its pavilion had established connections with more than 60 companies from 11 countries during the three days of the show – these included government delegations and agencies. “We had some great leads from Belarus, Ukraine, Mauritius and South Africa that are potential business contacts,” Suto said. “We have already received feedback from visitors from Swaziland, Pakistan and China. Our exhibitors are working on building a relationship with their new-found contacts and preparing for the new business.”
Mauritius significantly increased its trade potential as a result of exhibiting at SAITEX – with some of its exhibiting companies signing big deals. Enterprise Mauritius, which serves to promote Mauritius as a reliable and preferred sourcing destination for quality products and services, is involved with thedistribution of LED television sets, made in Mauritius for the Zimbabwean and Mozambican markets. Orders of more than R2.8m were signed at SAITEX this year – with negotiations for more orders in progress.
Tshepa Sejosengoe, Business Advisor of Maphuki Designs, part of the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) pavilion, said he had received many enquiries for their leather belts and handbags.
Patrick Nkolisa, Sales Director for Metrotile said, “We had a very good show with a lot of enquiries from South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Botswana. This was our first time exhibiting at the show and we will definitely come back next year.”


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Android in-app billing enters testing before roll out next week
Google now accepting submissions
Discussed since the start of the year, Google has finally pulled the dust sheets off its official in-app billing system, allowing developers to monetise free releases.
The new in-app billing framework has entered a round of testing, with Google encouraging studios to submit their apps to the developer console to put the set up through its paces.
Testing the waters
"During these test transactions, the in-app billing service interacts with your app exactly as it will for actual users and live transactions," Google's Eric Chu said on the Android developers blog.
"To get you started, we've updated the developer documentation with information about how to set up product lists and test your in-app products.
"We encourage you start uploading and testing your apps right away."
Naturally, while apps can be submitted with in-app purchases in tact, they won't actually go live on Android Market until the new billing system goes live, with Google committing to a full roll out "next week".
Some Android games have already been running successfully with their own IAP systems; Spacetime Studios' MMOG Pocket Legends has been generated around $3,000 daily on Android for example using PayPal, Google Checkout and Amazon's Pay Now.
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How GO2bank Will Help Customers Without Credit Union Account
As part a strategy to broaden its market for financial solutions, Green Dot Corp. Wednesday released GO2bank, a mobile-banking application planned to assist the 7.1 million unbanked houses in the United States manage their financial resources.
Green Dot claims it is launching the program as a way to eliminate the pricey fees numerous unbanked consumers are billed for financial services, such as check paying. In 2019, almost 12% of unbanked consumers utilized fee-based monetary services for such services as check cashing, money orders, and also bill repayment, according to a 2019 study from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp
. The brand-new application includes over-limit security of approximately $200, up to 7% cash back awards at more than 90,000 retail circulation areas, consisting of CVS, Buck General, Walgreens as well as Walmart, a 1% interest rate return on Go2bank savings accounts, and accessibility to a GO2bank bank card without any debt check or yearly cost, along with a debit card.
On top of that, Go2bank customers can access their account via a network of greater than 19,000 no-fee ATMs, and also the capability to secure and open their account making use of the mobile application. Go2bank individuals getting straight deposit can additionally access funds as much as 2 days early. Individuals obtaining government advantages can access funds as much as 4 days early.
Green Dot, which offers greater than 33 million customers through its retail as well as direct-to-consumer products, sights GO2bank as part of lasting method to deliver solutions that bring in new customers and also maintain their loyalty, a business representative claims via e-mail. https://www.clipsit.net/www-go2bank-com-start-activate-your-go2bank-card/
" Also lots of Americans battle to access their money, are paying way too much for monetary items, and are adversely impacted by the absence of options developed to fit their needs," Dan Henry, president of Environment-friendly Dot stated in a prepaid declaration. "GO2bank is constructed to be the go-to location for seamless, budget friendly, helpful banking-- incorporating the safety and security, stability, and also experience of an FDIC-insured bank with the innovation and also agility of a leading fintech."
Environment-friendly Dot is sustaining the launch of GO2bank with a national television advertising campaign including two commercials, along with a brand-new Web website, electronic marketing, social media, and also direct-mail advertising.


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ABB Australia has acquired Bob White Electrix and LE Jarvis for an undisclosed amount as part of a strategy to broaden its motor and generator repair and service business in Australia. ABB anticipates the acquisition will close in July.
Tasmanian company Tamar Valley Dairy has signed a five-year contract with Coles to produce its private label yoghurt range. Initially, Tamar Valley will produce seven product lines of Coles’ private label yoghurt, but the two companies will collaborate over the five years to create new product lines and grow the business.
Sanderson Australia has acquired Total Systems for Management (TSM) in a move to strengthen its position as a software provider to the food and drink industry.
Tetra Pak has acquired the business of Sealing Technology Ltd, enabling Tetra Pak to offer customers a complete solution for post-gassing and heat-sealing technology for bulk powder packing.
Heat and Control has added Spray Dynamics to its portfolio. The Spray Dynamics range of coating and seasoning applicators applies oils, seasonings, vitamins, tack and release agents, chocolate, yoghurt and candy coatings, antioxidants, polishing wax and anticlumping agents.
The ACCC has said it will not intervene in Amcor’s proposed acquisition of flexible packaging company Aperio.
Campbell Brothers has announced that its testing services business, the ALS Group, has acquired two UK companies: Eclipse Scientific Group and Advanced Micro Services (AMS) for around AU$39m. The acquisition is expected to be completed by 3 April 2012.
FMC Corporation has opened a Technical Centre in Singapore, featuring a state-of-the-art food laboratory. FMC said its new facility - located in Singapore Science Park 2 - will serve the technology and formulation needs of FMC’s growing food and beverage customer base in Singapore and South-East Asia.
Packaging giant Amcor has announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire the Aperio Group for $238 million, subject to regulatory and other conditions, including ACCC approval.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) has warned the ACCC that Amcor’s proposed takeover of its rival, Australian packaging company Aperio, could cost hundreds of jobs.
Nestlé is set to build a new €220 million Nescafé Dolce Gusto factory in Germany.
A New Zealand High Court decision has forced the NZ government to reconsider allowing a Chinese company to purchase a group of 16 dairy farms.
Leading global specialty chemicals and food ingredients company IMCD has acquired two major companies in India and Australia, strengthening its expansion strategy in the Asia-Pacific region.
Bright Food Group has completed its acquisition of a 75% equity stake in Food Holdings Pty Ltd (Manassen Foods) and signalled its commitment to the Australian food industry by opening a permanent office in Sydney.
Katronic Technologies’ range of non-invasive, clamp-on flowmeters is available in Australia through AMS Instrumentation & Calibration.


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Notifiable data breach scheme now live in Australia
With GDPR coming into force in May 2018 – and bringing with it a whole host of changes including new data breach notification requirements – you’d be forgiven for thinking that this was one of the only major new pieces of legislation impacting the cyber insurance market.
But the EU isn’t alone in introducing new notification requirements. As of last week, Australia introduced its own Notifiable Data Breach (NDB) scheme.
This marks a major change to the legislative environment in Australia, and the organisations that the NDB scheme applies to will have to make sure that they’re aware of their obligations under the act because non-compliance can result in some hefty fines.
That said, although this is a significant change, it is important to note that dealing with a data breach isn’t the only cyber risk that businesses face. Australian organisations have had to deal with cyber risks for some time now, and there has already been a large number of cyber insurance claims in Australia for issues like cybercrime and system business interruption. The NDB scheme now adds to these exposures, but it certainly doesn’t replace them.
To find out more about this important change, please read our one-page NBD Quick Guide detailing the scheme, who it affects and what it organisations will be required to do.


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HONOLULU, HAWAII – Residents of Hawaii are now able to make online purchases with ease, as a new super purchase option has been rolled out in the state. This new feature allows users to easily input their zip code and select their country from a dropdown list.
The state selection includes all 50 US states and territories, as well as options for Canadian provinces. The country selection also offers a wide range of choices, from the United States and its territories to countries around the world. This new feature aims to streamline the online shopping experience and make it more convenient for Hawaii residents to make purchases from various retailers.
In addition to the convenience factor, the super purchase feature also helps ensure accurate delivery and shipping information by allowing users to input their zip code and select their country accurately. This information is crucial for ensuring that online purchases reach their intended destination in a timely manner.
The rollout of this new feature in Hawaii reflects the growing demand for streamlined and efficient online shopping options. As more and more consumers turn to online shopping, retailers and e-commerce platforms are continuously working to enhance the user experience and provide convenient solutions for their customers.
The super purchase option is expected to not only benefit consumers in Hawaii but also contribute to the overall growth of e-commerce in the state. With simplified and accurate address input, online retailers can expect an increase in sales and customer satisfaction.
Overall, the introduction of the super purchase feature in Hawaii marks a significant step towards improving the online shopping experience for residents. This innovation is set to bring about positive changes and bolster the e-commerce landscape in the state.


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Producer prices in Luxembourg increased by 2.2 percent year-on-year in April of 2021, easing from a 3.6 percent jump in the previous month, as prices of consumption goods plunged (-9.8 percent vs 4.4 in March). However, producer inflation quickened for both intermediate goods (6.7 percent vs 4.6 percent) and energy (3.4 percent vs 3.0 percent), while it flattened for equipment goods (0.0 percent vs -0.1 percent). On a monthly basis, producer inflation slowed to 0.8 percent, from 1.6 percent in the prior month. source: STATEC, Luxembourg
Producer Prices Change in Luxembourg averaged 1.98 percent from 1981 until 2021, reaching an all time high of 26.30 percent in April of 1982 and a record low of -14 percent in September of 2009. This page provides - Luxembourg Producer Prices Change- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Luxembourg Producer Prices Change - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2021.
Producer Prices Change in Luxembourg is expected to be 3.30 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Producer Prices Change in Luxembourg to stand at 5.50 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Luxembourg Producer Prices Change is projected to trend around 3.00 percent in 2022 and 2.20 percent in 2023, according to our econometric models.


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Facebook has had is assets frozen by a New York Court after a web designer filed a lawsuit claiming he owns 84 per cent of the company.
New Yoiker Paul Ceglia went to the Supreme Court of Allegany County with piece of paper in his pocket which was apparently signed in April 2003 by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
The contract thereon details a deal in which Zuckerberg hands over 50 per cent of The Face Book in exchange for Cegila designing it for him.
As if that wasn't enough: "Under Paragraph 3 of the contract, the Seller and Purchaser agreed that for each day after January 1, 2004, the Purchaser would acquire an additional 1 percent interest (in the business), per day, until the website was completed," the lawsuit reads.
Citing this clause, Ceglia reckons he's entitled to an additional 34 percent stake in the company, bringing his total claim to 84 percent.
Facebook branded Ceglia's lawsuit frivolous and reckons in any case its statute of limitations has run out. "We believe this suit is completely frivolous and we will fight it vigorously," Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt in a statement.
Facebook is commonly estimated to be worth $6.5 billion, which is thought to make Zuckerberg worth about $4 billion.
The bloke famously started a Facebook-alike at Harvard and there is a growing queue of people who claim to have been ripped off by him along the way.
The CEO has also been accused of securities fraud by former Harvard chums the Winklevoss twins in a case that is still pending.