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TAYLOR, MI -- Vice President Mike Pence said a new North American trade treaty is “absolutely essential” to keep Michigan automotive manufacturers competitive.
Pence visited Michigan Wednesday as part of an effort to convince Congress to ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which Pence said would “level the playing field” for American workers and manufacturers and bring billions of dollars in new investment. Pence made several stops in Southeast Michigan Wednesday, fundraising for the president’s re-election campaign and addressing auto industry stakeholders at a public event in Taylor.
Michigan was Pence’s first stop on a nation-wide tour to gather support for the USMCA, which would replace the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. The vice president said Trump is delivering on his promises to support Michigan workers, and asked attendees in Taylor to contact their representatives in Congress.
“The truth is, we need to hear from Michigan,” Pence said. “We need to hear from the Motor City. We need to hear from the backbone of the American auto industry.”
Trump and leaders of Canada and Mexico signed the free trade agreement in 2018, but each country’s legislature must ratify the agreement. With Democrats in control of the U.S. House, the deal’s fate remains in doubt.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., indicated earlier this month that the House will not consider the new trade deal without tighter enforcement provisions. Pelosi is also seeking labor reforms in Mexico, which would ideally prevent companies from taking advantage of cheap labor.
Trump will meet with Pelosi next week. Pence said the USMCA needs to be ratified this year, but did not give a firm deadline.
The USMCA doesn’t go far enough to protect U.S. jobs, said American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations President Richard Trumka. In a statement published after Trump signed the agreement, Trumka said the deal is “nothing more than a rebranded corporate handout.”
Before Pence arrived in Taylor, auto industry leaders discussed the positive impacts of Trump’s new trade treaty. Executives at Ford Motor Company, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said the new North American trade deal is a critical piece of legislation for Michigan’s auto industry.
Lisa Drake, vice president of global purchasing and powertrain operations at Ford Motor Company, said the auto industry would be thrown into “chaos” without a modern trade deal.
“If it gets to a point where it becomes political, if we don’t have an agreement on the table, it’s devastating for us,” Drake said. “We are here to make sure the administration understands ... we really need a swift passage of the legislation.”
Trump has been a vocal opponent of NAFTA, blaming it for allowing corporations to offshore production facilities to Mexico at the cost of millions of American factory jobs. Re-negotiating NAFTA was among Trump’s top campaign promises in 2016 and featured heavily in his message to Michigan.
Pence touted economic growth under Trump, including record low unemployment for African-Americans and a booming stock market. Under Trump, 480,000 manufacturing jobs were created across America and 26,000 in Michigan, Pence said.
The vice president said the USMCA is needed to continue the momentum. Pence said the new treaty would create 76,000 jobs in the automotive sector.
“The American Dream is coming back,” Pence said.
The U.S. International Trade Commission found the USMCA would have an overall positive impact on trade, GDP and employment, according to an April 18 report.
The commission estimates that USMCA would add 176,000 jobs and increase American exports to Canada and Mexico by 6 percent and 6.7 percent, respectively. Production of automotive parts and employment in the automotive sector is expected to increase under the USMCA, according to the report.
A new trade deal is needed to keep American manufacturers competitive in the global marketplace, Drake said.
The new trade deal played a “key role” in Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ recent decision to invest $4.5 billion in Michigan, said Head of NAFTA Purchasing and Supply Chain Scott Thiele.
Pence highlighted investments announced by Michigan’s big three automakers, crediting Trump for making good on a promise to rebuild the state’s manufacturing industry.
Ford Motor Company, Fiat Chrysler Automotive and General Motors each announced multi-million dollar investments within the last several months.
Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes said if Trump had been in charge during the Great Recession instead of President Barack Obama, “places like Taylor and Dearborn would have been devastated.”
“Instead of taking credit for the achievements of the Obama Administration, Pence should explain to Michiganders why he and Donald Trump have spent their time in the White House attacking the interests of the working people they promised to help,” she said in a statement.
Pence said the president is “grateful every day" for Michigan’s support in 2016. Close wins in Democratic “blue wall states” like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania helped send Trump to the White House.
How and where vehicles and vehicle components are manufactured was a key component of trade negotiations between the U.S. and its neighbors. The USMCA added more stringent “rules of origin” requirements to ensure vehicles are built in North America.
Under NAFTA, Pence said companies can take advantage of loopholes to “buy parts from China, assemble them in Mexico and sell them in the United States, duty-free.”
The USMCA would require automobiles to have 75% of its components manufactured in one of the three countries to avoid tariffs, up from 62.5% under NAFTA.
The new deal also requires 70% of all steel, aluminum and glass used in the production to originate in North America. If ratified by Congress, the USMCA would require 40% to 45% of parts to be made by workers who earn at least $16 an hour.
Auto executives said aluminum and steel tariffs are harming their industry. Pence said those tariffs could be reconsidered if the USMCA is passed.
Pence was met at the Detroit Metro Airport by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents and attended a private fundraiser at the Detroit Athletic Club to raise money for Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign.
The vice president toured a Ford Motor Company truck production plant in Dearborn, where he drove a white Ford F-150 off the production line.
Trade could factor into 2020
The deal could become a campaign issue in during the early stages of the 2020 election.
Trump called NAFTA one of the “worst trade deals in the history of the world" at a rally in downtown Grand Rapids on March 28.
“Your empty factories are still all over the place," Trump said. “They still haven’t recovered from NAFTA. Well NAFTA’s gonna be a thing of the past.”
Democratic presidential hopefuls have dedicated less time to trade in the early stages of the 2020 campaign.
According to a March analysis by the Peterson Institute of International Economics, few candidates have took a stance on the USMCA.
U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., strongly oppose free trade pacts like the USMCA and Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Trump withdrew the U.S. from in 2017.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, said he opposes the USMCA because it doesn’t go far enough to protect American jobs. Ryan decided to enter the race after General Motors announced it was closing five facilities in North America, including its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant in southeast Michigan.
At an April 13 rally in Macomb County, Sanders called on Trump to scrap the new USMCA, saying it would allow companies like General Motors to outsource auto jobs.
“For once in your life, keep your damn campaign promises," Sanders said. “Go back to the drawing board on NAFTA.”
Republican National Committee spokesperson Michael Joyce said Michiganders have a lot to celebrate under the Trump administration.
“Jobs and investment are coming back to Michigan thanks to President Trump and Vice President Pence, and their new trade deals like the USMCA will only further advance Michigan’s economy,” Joyce said.
Joyce said the Green New Deal, which proposes sweeping economic reforms to address climate change and income inequality, would put “thousands” of Michigan auto workers out of work. The nonbinding resolution is supported to varying degrees by several Democratic presidential candidates.
During an MSNBC town hall in Auburn Hills, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said the Green New Deal could keep auto jobs in the U.S. by offering economic incentives to companies that build energy-efficient vehicles.


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Moto X (2015) should be released around August / September, suggests Motorola President14
Rick Osterloh, Motorola's President, today confirmed that the company's trying "to stay on a roughly annual cycle for all of our products, including Moto X." Since the previous Moto X models were introduced in August and September, respectively, that's when we should expect to see the third-gen Moto X.
Last month, Motorola and Qualcomm confirmed that a new Moto flagship smartphone powered by a Snapdragon 810 processor would be introduced this year. Most likely, this will be the next-gen Moto X (unless things somehow take a surprising turn). If a recent rumor is to be believed, the new Moto X could be "smarter than any other smartphone", though for now we don't know what that might mean.
Just like the current Moto X, the upcoming Motorola flagship smartphone should be customizable via Moto Maker, running near stock Android (probably the latest version that will be available at the time of its launch). Well, we're looking forward to seeing what Motorola can do with its next flagship.
source: Rick Osterloh / Twitter

domain: news


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Wholesale price inflation in India hit a zero level in November, the lowest in about five and half years, on account of decline in prices of food, fuel and manufactured items. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation was at 1.77 per cent in October and 7.52 per cent in November 2013.
As per data released by the government on Monday, the food inflation fell to nearly three year low of 0.63 per cent. Food inflation is on decline since May.
This is probably the first time when WPI inflation has hit exact zero level. The last time WPI was lower than this was (-)0.3 per cent in July 2009.
Onion price contracted 56.28 per cent as compared to a contraction of 59.77 per cent in October. In case of vegetables, the contraction was 28.57 per cent. However, prices of protein rich items rose during November at 4.36 per cent, while inflation in potato stood at 34.10 per cent.
Inflation in manufactured products, like sugar, edible oils, beverages and cement, fell to 2.04 per cent in November as against 2.43 per cent in the previous month. Prices in fuel and power segment contracted by 4.91 per cent, as against 0.43 per cent inflation in October.
The sharp drop in WPI inflation, which fell for the sixth month in a row, came at the back of retail inflation declining to a record low of 4.38 per cent in November.
The decline in both retail and WPI inflation for November coupled with contraction of industrial production to 4.2 per cent in October, will put pressure on RBI to lower interest rates to boost growth.
The Reserve Bank of India has maintained a status quo in interest rate since January. The RBI factors in retail inflation while formulating its monetary policy. Finance minister Arun Jaitley too on several occasions had nudged the RBI to cut rates. The issue also figured during a debate in the Lok Sabha last week.
RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has emphasised that interest rate cut by itself would not lift the economy. Industry has been demanding easing of interest rates to boost growth, which has slumped to 4.7 per cent in 2013-14. The economy is estimated to grow in the range of 5.4-5.9 per cent this fiscal.


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Avengers Campus Assembles for a Summer 2021 Opening
The Disneyland Resort's new Marvel-themed area, Avengers Campus, will open early this June at the Disney California Adventure Park.
Avengers Campus -- the Disneyland Resort's new area based around the world of Marvel -- is slated to open at Anaheim's Disney California Adventure Park on Friday, June 4.
"We are so excited to soon welcome our guests to Avengers Campus, the first land dedicated to Super Heroes at Disney California Adventure Park," said Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock. "Guests of all ages can find their powers and our cast members will unite to create these special moments and memories."
"Avengers Campus will be a place where fans and guests can finally step into the universe they love, and stand alongside some of their favorite heroes," added Dave Bushore, Marvel Studios' Vice President of Franchise Creative and Marketing. "The optimism inherent in Avengers Campus captures the diversity, power and teamwork these extraordinary characters possess, and now they come together to unite people from all over the world under one guiding principle: We are stronger together."
Avengers Campus is located right beside the existing Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Breakout! attraction in the area once occupied by A Bug's Land. The Marvel-themed land was originally slated to open on July 18, 2020, though was delayed as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. After temporarily closing their doors back in March of 2020, both Disneyland and California Adventure are scheduled to re-open the public later this month on April 30 with limited capacity, as well as with mask and social distancing guidelines in effect.
Avengers Campus includes all-new attractions, including WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, which is accompanied by the WEB Suppliers and The Campus Supply Pod gift shops, where visitors can pick up "official Avengers Campus gear including performance fleece hoodies and tees, headwear, drinkware and other Super Hero supplies, or even a friendly sidekick, one of those pesky interactive Spider-Bots."
As far as food goes, there's the Pym Test Kitchen. Based on the world of Ant-Man and the Wasp, Marvel calls the restaurant "the place to go for new, inventive food offerings." The House of Ideas also explains that guests will be able to "watch the Pym food scientists at work in the kitchen lab, they will see the transformation of a regular-sized pretzel after going through a Quantum Tunnel -- and it comes out either big or small!" Then, for "older heroes," there's the Pym Tasting Lab next door, which offers craft beer, as well as the in-universe beverage Pingo Doce. Guests can also pick up their wrap of choice at Shawarma Palace or a churro spiral from Taneleer Tivan.
Finally, guests can meet the likes of Captain America, Black Panther and Black Widow at the Avengers Headquarters, or even train with Okoye and the Dora Milaje. They can also pay a visit to Doctor Strange down at the Ancient Sanctum. Other heroes set to roam around Avengers Campus include Iron Man -- complete with his new Mark 80 suit -- as well as Ant-Man, Wasp, Thor, the Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel.
Avengers Campus opens at Disney California Adventure on June 4.


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Ultima creator Richard Garriott has some very harsh words for the state of game design in a new interview, claiming, "I think most game designers really just suck."
A week of Windows 10, holograms and Exploding Kittens on Mars
Office 2016 launching this year, touch apps coming soon
Microsoft reveals the next version of Windows 10
Introducing Windows 10 for phones
Hands on with HoloLens
Download: Windows 10 build 9926
Richard Garriott, the man who created the Ultima game franchise, is returning to his roots for his latest game, the fantasy RPG Shroud of the Avatar, which has launched a Kickstarter campaign.
If you were around when it came out, chances are there's a soft spot in your heart for Ultima VII: The Black Gate, and believe it or not, this RPG classic just turned 20 today.
In the inaugural installation of our brand new segment, we take a look at one of the most revolutionary RPGs of its time, Lord British's Apple II masterpiece, Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness.


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Check out the latest and greatest Battlefield 2142 screenshots. We have a collection of over 130 shots from the game! Battlefield 2142 will be available in stores on the 17th of October.
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Washington | Damage from the worsening US-China trade war is beginning to weigh on the world's biggest economy, with American manufacturing joining a spreading contraction that has already hit 70 per cent of the world's factories.
Amid a dearth of signs Washington and Beijing are set to resume stalled talks, and days after the latest round of US tariff hikes hit exports from China, data showed US manufacturing shrank last month for the first time in three years.
Closely watched ISM gauges deteriorated for US production, new orders and - in a potential political body blow for President Donald Trump - employment, which remains the shining light of the American economy.
The report "is the latest and so far most undeniable evidence of the rising cost of the trade war and growing stress on manufacturing", said Tim Quinlan, a senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities.
"In a $US21 trillion ($31 trillion) economy, the direct impact of tariffs remains manageable, but businesses can no longer pretend that tariffs are not impacting activity."
The US over the weekend slapped a 15 per cent impost on $US110 billion of Chinese shipments. Beijing retaliated by doubling tariffs on about $US75 billion of US goods, to 10 per cent.
The next leap in tariffs is only weeks away, with around $US263 billion of Chinese goods facing a 5 percentage point increase to 30 per cent from October 1.
Another $US156 billion of largely consumer goods from China will be hit with a 15 per cent tariff on December 15, a measure Mr Trump announced a month ago after becoming enraged at a lack of progress with Beijing over a deal.
Financial markets continue to succumb to ever-gloomier sentiment around what many investors regard as a worsening outlook because of the tariff escalation.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 285 points, or 1.08 per cent, on the first day of trade after Monday's Labor Day holiday in the US. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield crashed to a three year low of 1.44 per cent.
The ISM US manufacturing purchasing managers' index fell to 49.1 per cent in August, the lowest since 2016. A reading below 50 per cent indicates the sector is shrinking.
The US index joins around 70 per cent of PMIs around the world that are now flashing warning signs, registering below 50, according to Morgan Stanley - a spread of negative readings unseen since the global financial crisis.
"Bottom line: not good," said Tiffany Wilding, PIMCO's US economist, of the ISM report.
"Despite our expectation for a pick-up in activity ahead of possible tariffs, manufacturing production fell further in August," she said.
Mr Trump resumed his Twitter assault on the US Federal Reserve and claimed the US was "doing very well in our negotiations with China".
He warned Beijing against taking a "long-shot" by waiting 16 months until next year's presidential election, saying when he wins the deal would get "MUCH TOUGHER!".
"In the meantime, China's Supply Chain will crumble and businesses, jobs and money will be gone," he wrote on Tuesday.
China, for its part, continues to confront the Trump administration, with officials filing a complaint this week to the World Trade Organisation over the latest round of tariffs hikes.
A state-run Chinese television anchor told CNBC that people in China had "found a way to understand" Mr Trump, after more than two years in office, by ignoring his "perplexing and exhausting" rhetoric.
"We actually want to see what he does."
The biggest stories in business, markets and politics and why they matter.
Need to know. Our daily reporting, in your inbox.
- 15 mins ago
- Matthew Cranston
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A suit brought against Ford Motor Co. over a Lincoln Town Car that allegedly caused a man's garage to burn down is set for case management Wednesday.
Plaintiff Danny Dawson is suing Ford on property damage claims worth more than $100,000.
Dawson claims that his father's Lincoln Town Car caught fire while Dawson was storing it in his garage in 2007.
The blaze destroyed the garage and its contents.
Dawson alleges that Ford negligently designed a car with flammable parts.
Ford had sought to have the suit dismissed last year.
Madison County Circuit Judge Andreas Matoesian denied that move in March 2010.
Ford denies Dawson's claims.
The case management conference is set for 9 a.m.
Todd Sivia represents Dawson.
Michael Borree represents Ford.
The case is Madison case number 09-L-1305.


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When did ben affleck start dating jennifer garner
According to his executive profile, he graduated from Stanford Law School and wrote a book titled Garner and Affleck were married in 2005 and announced their plans to divorce in June 2015.
“They’ve been together six months — and it’s getting pretty serious,” an insider told the magazine.You always have the choice to experience our sites without personalized advertising based on your web browsing activity by visiting the DAA's Consumer Choice page, the NAI's website, and/or the EU online choices page, from each of your browsers or devices.To avoid personalized advertising based on your mobile app activity, you can install the DAA's App Choices app here.In an Instagram post earlier this month, the actor opened up about his his recovery and his stay in a rehab facility.
"The support I have received from my family, colleagues and fans means more to me than I can say.
It's give me the strength and support to speak out about my illness with others," he said.


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Food retail and distribution firm, BWG Holdings Ltd, whose businesses include the SPAR and Mace franchises for the Republic of Ireland and Appleby Westward and the Bargain Booze franchise in the UK, has reported continued growth for 2004.
The group's turnover increased to €1.618m from €1.455m in 2003, on a like for like basis.
Sales increased by 11% for approaching the €1bn mark.
Its chain of supermarkets, EUROSPAR, extended its outlets to 27.
The group's operating profit climbed to €48.7m from €36.2m in 2003, on a like for like basis.
Commenting on these results Mr Leo Crawford, Group Chief Executive of BWG Group Ltd., said: "2004 was another year of continued progress for BWG across its food retail and distribution businesses.
"Approaching SPAR’s €1bn sales target ahead of plan is testimony to the robustness of our customer proposition, quality of our staff, support of our independent retail partners across the country and strength of our convenience brand in local communities.”
BWG opened 57 new convenience stores taking the total number of SPAR and Mace outlets to 547, representing a total investment of €200m over the past two years.
More than 1,200 new full and part-time jobs have been created across Ireland as a result.
In addition, the group recently completed a €2.5m investment in a new Value Centre Cash & Carry depot in Wexford.
The firm will add 35 new stores across the SPAR network, creating 600 new jobs this year, costing €100m.


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Cryptocurrencies have become increasingly popular among investors over the past few years. However, with the recent market volatility, choosing the right coins to invest in is more important than ever. As the market continues to evolve, investors are looking for the next big opportunity to invest in. This article will discuss the top 3 cryptocurrencies to buy this week: AVAX, ATOM, and LTC.
Table of Contents
What is BYDFi Crypto Exchange ?
BYDFi is a cryptocurrency derivatives exchange that was founded in 2019. The platform provides traders access to various crypto trading instruments, including perpetual contracts, futures, options, and spot trading.
One of the key features of BYDFi is its user-friendly interface, designed to make trading accessible to novice and experienced traders. The platform also offers a variety of trading tools, such as technical analysis indicators and charting tools, to help traders make informed trading decisions. BYDFi aims to provide a secure, reliable, and user-friendly platform for traders to access the crypto derivatives markets.
AVAX is a relatively new blockchain that has gained much traction in the past few months. It is a fast and scalable blockchain that aims to compete with Ethereum. The AVAX network uses a consensus algorithm called Avalanche, which allows for near-instant transactions and high throughput.
Avalanche is a blockchain platform designed for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, and its native cryptocurrency is AVAX. It has become one of the most promising blockchain platforms in the market, with its high scalability, interoperability, and low transaction fees.
AVAX has seen tremendous growth in the past few months, with a market cap of over $5.7 billion, making it one of the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. The token has been gaining attention from investors due to its potential to become a leading DeFi platform. In addition, it offers several unique features, such as the ability to create custom subnets, allowing developers to launch new blockchain networks within Avalanche.
According to Price Prediction, Avalanche could reach a maximum value of $700 by 2032, which implies that it’s a good option if you’re looking to invest in cryptocurrencies for the long term. With its potential growth, it appears to be a safe and profitable option.
In the 2H timeframe, the price action of $AVAX/USDT is getting rejected from the horizontal resistance zone. Therefore, a downward movement is expected from here. On the other hand, if it breaks the horizontal resistance zone after a successful retest, it can go upward.
ATOM is another blockchain that has been gaining a lot of attention recently. It is a decentralized network that allows for interoperability between different blockchains. ATOM is designed to solve the blockchain fragmentation problem by providing a unified platform that connects different blockchains.
Cosmos is a decentralized network that aims to solve the problem of blockchain interoperability. Its native cryptocurrency is ATOM, used for staking and governance within the Cosmos ecosystem. ATOM has a market cap of over $3.3 billion, making it one of the top 25 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Cosmos is unique in that it allows different blockchains to communicate with each other, enabling developers to create decentralized applications that can be used across different blockchain networks. Cosmos is quickly gaining popularity among developers, investors, and users with its interoperability and scalability.
Investing in Cosmos (ATOM) is a wise decision, according to financial experts who have predicted its price to reach or even exceed $60 by 2025. In the 2D timeframe, the price action of $ATOM/USDT is consolidated inside the symmetrical triangle. We must wait for a successful breakout or breakdown to confirm its next direction of $ATOM.
LTC is a popular cryptocurrency that has been around since 2011. It is a decentralized network that allows for fast and low-cost transactions. LTC was created as a faster and more efficient alternative to Bitcoin.
Litecoin is one of the earliest cryptocurrencies and is often called the “silver to Bitcoin’s gold.” Its market cap is over $6.7 billion, making it one of the top 15 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. In addition, LTC is a fast and secure cryptocurrency offering lower transaction fees than Bitcoin.
Litecoin has been gaining attention recently due to its potential to become a leading payment cryptocurrency. Its fast transaction times and low fees make it ideal for everyday transactions, such as buying goods and services online.
Litecoin has been a wise investment choice and can be conveniently monitored with relevant fundamental & technical signals due to its large online presence. In the 6H timeframe, the price action of $LTC/USDT has broken the resistance trendline and horizontal S/R zone. Currently, the price is bouncing, the price may drop after filling the order block.
The cryptocurrency market constantly evolves, and investors must stay current with the latest developments. AVAX, ATOM, and LTC are three cryptocurrencies that have gained much attention in the past few months.
These cryptocurrencies have unique advantages and growth potential, making them attractive options for investors looking to diversify their portfolios. However, as with any investment, it is important to research and make informed decisions based on your risk tolerance and investment goals.


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Judge Orders Craig Wright to Physically Appear in Florida Lawsuit
Ethereum (ETH) Soars 8%, Outperforms the Broader Crypto Market
Markets Update: Crypto Prices Surge After Last Week’s Pullback
Piixpay Lets You Pay Bills and Invoices With Cryptocurrency
How to Stay Safe When Using Darknet Markets
OPACITY LAUNCHES CRYPTO FILE STORAGE
New SLP Token Allows You to Transact in BTC But With BCH Fees
Meet the Developer Who Added Schnorr Signatures to Bcash
Venezuela Issues 50,000 Bolivar Bill Amid Persistent Hyperinflation
Review: The Corazon Trezor by Gray Is Made of Titanium
An In-Depth Look at Iris, a New Decentralized Social Network
Bakkt Announces Bitcoin Futures Launch Date in July
Coinex Exchange Lists the first SLP-Based Stablecoin Built on Bitcoin Cash
Indian Government-Backed Program Offers Crypto and Blockchain Course
John McAfee’s New Trading Platform Aims to Give Traders a Magical Experience
Legal & General Partners with Amazon to Develop Blockchain System
Initial Exchange Offerings Are Showing No Sign of Slowing Down
Bitsa Is a Crypto Card Europeans Can Top Up With BCH
CME’s Bitcoin Futures Hit New Records
Microsoft Adds Blockchain Tools to Power Platform
Excerpts from what could be India’s new cryptocurrency bill have been leaked. While local media...
Ahead of the G20 summit, India’s new finance secretary has confirmed that the report detailing...
The Indian government has been progressing on cryptocurrency regulation. A recent report from the Ministry...
The four-week window that the Indian supreme court has given the government to come up with crypto regulation...
An Indian government-supported blockchain summit is drawing many policy makers with the aim to speed...
The Indian government has reportedly confirmed that the report containing a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies...


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Yes, there are already plenty of great games for Gear VR, but Samsung wants to keep enriching the platform with content. That's why it is introducing Internet for Gear VR, a web browser for people who own its smartphone-powered virtual reality headset. Show More Summary
Without the phone, Samsung's Gear VR transforms you into a bug-eyed monster.
Samsung has toyed with the idea of non-rigid screens in the past. A semi-famous demonstration of the flexible YOUM display showed us that a future of bending, folding or rollable screens may not be just a pipe dream, either. It seems Samsung is serious about the idea. Show More Summary
You’re strapped into a virtual reality delight and you want to Google something. What do you do? Now you can use a web browser built and optimized specifically for Samsung’s Gear VR. The company announced the web browser today, and it’s called simply “Samsung Internet for Gear VR.” Here’s what Samsung VP Chan-Woo Park had to say about the launch: As a… Read More
The jump in design and quality from the Samsung Galaxy S5 to the Samsung Galaxy S6 was one of great magnitude, but should we expect a similar jump for the Samsung Galaxy S7? A new report says no, but that's not totally surprising.
Maybe it’s my game industry roots talking, but when I think of virtual reality, the last thing I imagine is checking updates on Facebook or poking through a Reddit thread. Yet come tomorrow, December 2, Samsung is going to provide proof of this concept with a virtual reality web browser called the Samsung Internet for […]
For those looking to consume even more content through a VR headset, Samsung announced an optimized web browsing experience for owners of the Gear VR. Thanks to the launch of Samsung Internet for Gear VR, which takes place tomorrow,Show More Summary
Samsung is working on its first app for iOS, and it’s going to allow iPhone owners to use its new Gear S2 smartwatch. The South Korean company is working on the Gear Manager app now, according to sources — and Samsung is keen to make it available as soon as possible. The Gear S2 is […] (via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)
Samsung has finally dropped the Innovator Edition tag from its virtual reality collaboration with Oculus, and along the way the company has made dozens of little changes to the hardware that holds your phone in place. While everyoneShow More Summary
Samsung Internet for Gear VR is a new web browser for the virtual reality headset that allows you to browse the web in a fully immersive environment. The app will allow you to browse the web and enjoy a variety of content without the need to download a bunch of additional stuff to your phone....
Up until the middle of 2014, Samsung looked like it could easily command the biggest share of the smartphone market and, as such, take home a massive chunk of the revenues. The company had correctly predicted that smartphone screens would become bigger and, as consumers got used to the idea of having a five-inch device, sales would skyrocket. Show More Summary
We might as well give up on trying to figure out whether or not Samsung cameras are dead or not, because every week we come across new, contradicting information about whether or not Samsung is actually planning to shutter its camera business. A new report from Korean news website EDaily says Samsung is set to [...]Show More Summary
The new guy was previously responsible for Samsung Knox, Samsung Pay, and Tizen.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung appointed a new mobile president at Samsung Electronics for the first time in six years after growth stalled at the world's largest smartphone maker. The Samsung Group conglomerate said Tuesday that Koh Dongjin was promoted to president. Show More Summary
Those hoping Samsung would release an S6 Active with double the on-board storage are in luck as AT&T is now a 64GB variant of the rugged smartphone.
Electronics giant makes changes as part of larger management reshuffle.
BYD and AESC have certain advantages in the EV battery realm, but Panasonic, Samsung SDI, and LG Chem are widely regarded as the leaders in this realm. A new report from Navigant Research puts LG Chem at the top. Will we get as muchShow More Summary
Of all the electric vehicles on the market, only Tesla’s Model S and Model X use small, cylindrical, 18650 battery cells (which Tesla gets from Panasonic). However, Chinese automaker JAC Motors is breaking away from the mold, and Samsung...Show More Summary
Long serving head of mobile JK Shin has finally been replaced by R&D head Dong-jin Koh, as Samsung tries to get flagging mobile sales back on track.


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Know Your Parts, the industry awareness campaign initiated by the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), now has a new slogan and messaging: It’s What’s Inside that Counts!
“Using members’ and supply chain partners’ feedback in conjunction with recent professional technician focus group research, AASA has concentrated the new Know Your Parts campaign slogan and communications on the benefits of using quality components,” said Steve Handschuh, president and COO of AASA. “Just as qualified repair professionals depend on their knowledge and experience, quality parts are determined by the technology, research and development, and the manufacturer who stands behind them in other words, it’s what’s inside repair professionals and parts that counts.”
Handschuh reiterated AASA’s commitment to the Know Your Parts campaign. “AASA will continue to move ahead with the Know Your Parts campaign. We remain steadfastly dedicated to promoting quality products from full-service North American manufacturers in the face of low quality products that continue to flow into the U.S. aftermarket.”
The main message of Know Your Parts is that regular vehicle maintenance increases the safety, dependability and value of consumers’ second largest household investment: the family car, according to Handschuh. “Our recent market research leading up to the launch of this new phase of the Know Your Parts campaign shows that the majority of shop owners and professional technicians prefer quality over price when making buying decisions,” he said. “The Know Your Parts message is directed at these repair professionals: ‘When you need to replace parts, be sure to use premium parts from a trusted full service manufacturer.’”
“Premium parts are the best value for repair professionals because they offer the highest performance and durability,” added Jack Cameron, AASA vice president and staff executive of the AASA Marketing Executives Council, which spearheads the Know Your Parts campaign. “Comebacks are the worst enemy of repair professionals, impacting the shop’s efficiency and profitability. Premium parts from trusted full service manufacturers are key to doing to the job right the first time.”
During AAPEX 2011, AASA will hand out campaign materials at the Know Your Parts exhibit, Sands #3800, and its Member Center, Sands 104. The Know Your Parts new campaign materials will be made available at the Know Your Parts website www.KnowYourParts.com.
“It has never been more important for the automotive aftermarket industry to stand united and support the Know Your Parts campaign,” Handschuh said. “At AAPEX 2011, AASA and its full service supplier members will renew the call for the automotive aftermarket to stand united and ‘Know Your Parts.”
AASA (www.aftermarketsuppliers.org) exclusively serves suppliers of aftermarket components, tools and equipment, and related products. It is a recognized industry change agent promoting a collaborative industry environment, providing a forum to address issues and serving as a valued resource for members. AASA is an affiliate association of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA).


text: In the third-party delivery world, it can be easy for a restaurant brand to get lost – or even just diluted in a sea of other dining possibilities. Uber Eats recently announced that it is weeding out several thousand virtual restaurant listings that are basically replica menus being promoted under different virtual brands, Restaurant Business reports. This is allowing some restaurants to occupy a larger digital footprint than they merit, while crowding out smaller restaurants. While the step is a positive for smaller restaurants with a single brand, it also underlines the power of branded apps for restaurants looking for footing in a crowded market. According to the research site FinancesOnline, the number of people using food delivery apps in the United States is expected to reach 54 million this year, up from 44 million in 2021. Restaurants must have a strong online presence, and yet it’s becoming more difficult (and important) to stand out. As a recent whitepaper from Fast Casual emphasizes, relying on third parties for digital ordering can cost restaurants money and opportunity. Bad service from the third-party provider can be perceived as a negative experience with your restaurant. By farming out the ordering and delivery process to third parties, restaurants also lose valuable customer data they could use to build loyalty with their guests. If you don’t already have your own branded app, consider partnering with a provider that can allow you to connect with customers, build your loyalty program, sell gift cards, connect with them through geolocation and build an overall online and app-based ordering experience that you can control.


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Indian contact centres face up to data theft outrageby
The India contact centre industry was bracing itself for the fall-out from a Channel 4 documentary which exposes data theft in the country, setting its main trade association on a desperate defensive gambit.
The documentary focuses on two middlemen, one of whom is captured on camera offering to sell a database with the credit card, passport and Internet banking details of as many as 200,000 people. The second middleman reportedly offered to sell the personal details of customers of companies like Halifax, Bank of Scotland and Woolwich for £5 each.
During the investigation for Channel 4’s 'Dispatches', one of the middlemen Sushant Chandak, offered to sell a database with credit card details of 200,000 people as commercial leads. At a meeting in Kolkata, he boasted of a network of agents in call centres across India. "I have a good rapport with them. We cooperate. I pay them, so they trust me," he says.
In addition to credit card numbers, Chandak was also offering passport numbers, driving licence numbers and personal banking details of British citizens, the report said. At a separate meeting, Chandak offered the details of 8,000 mobile phone users. He even apparently had tapes of customers being called at home from a call centre.
The second middleman, known only as Ghufran, offered details of customers with British financial firms like Halifax, Nationwide, Woolwich, Bank of Scotland and NatWest for five pounds each. He claimed the information was obtained by technical support staff who visited call centres and used memory sticks to download recent sale transactions.
A leading data protection lawyer Stewart Room - who has played a role in the documentary - has been quoted by national daily The Times of India as saying that "the evidence is so compelling" that it would trigger "an official chain reaction against outsourcing to India". He insists that the impact of the documentary will outrage customers.
The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) is going on a damage limitation offensive, going so far as to claim that the TV firm’s year long investigation ended up with the wrong conclusions.
Sunil Mehta, Vice-President of Nasscom, has been sent to London to handle damage limitation among the UK media.
It said it had asked Channel 4 for evidence of its claims, but that the channel had refused to part with its information. A Channel 4 spokesperson said: "As a responsible broadcaster, our role is to bring our findings to the attention of the public. It is not the role of journalists or broadcasters to act as agents of the police or any other authority."
Nasscom president Kiran Karnik said: “We are concerned about the verifiability of such stories, especially sting operations where monetary inducements were provided. These operations sometimes go beyond uncovering wrongdoing and actually induce criminal activity that is then recorded and aired.”
He added that there was the suspicion that such investigations were based on international jealousy of India. "Few other countries are subject to the same level of scrutiny, [but] concern over data security is not limited to any one country," said Karnik. "Such stories go to prove the lengths to which some vested interests will go to threaten this global industry with its reputation for customer value and security."
Karnik said the TV channel’s sting operation was an attempt to induce criminal activity by offering money. "What you call a sting operation has actually tried to induce criminal activity and then make a show of it. It’s like creating a story and then printing it," said Karnik.
"We are concerned about the verifiability of such stories, especially sting operations where monetary inducements were provided. These operations sometimes go beyond uncovering wrongdoing and actually induce criminal activity that is then recorded and aired.
"In this particular case, one of the alleged criminals has stated the data he offered for sale was fake. This, and the lack of prompt cooperation by the producer with enforcement agencies, makes difficult the task of bringing to book the criminals involved."
This is not the first time that Indian BPO employees have been accused of data theft. Earlier this year, an HSBC employee in Bangalore was arrested after allegations of him stealing £2,30,000 from British customers’ accounts.
The impact of the disclosures could be significant. Already 80 per cent of people in the UK believe that financial services companies which outsource services to overseas countries are damaging their brand image.
These are the findings of a survey on behalf of the International Financial Services District Glasgow which asked more than 2,000 adults across the UK if companies which offshore operations damage their brand in doing so.
A massive 80 per cent said they thought offshoring did damage the brand with just 7per cent saying it did not. Age plays a part in attitides: 89 per cent of over 50s said they thought offshoring damaged the brand
Some 49 per cent said they would consider switching their custom because of offshoring, but in practice only one in 10 said they had already switched their custom to another company because of the offshore issue.
Jim Watson, project director for the International Financial Services District, Glasgow said that sticking closer to home would help maintain brand integrity for firms. "We are finding that companies see the benefit of locating within the UK as well as offshore," he said. "Offshoring can be appropriate in some situations, but we are seeing a trend towards ‘multi-sourcing’, where firms have a balance of onshore and offshore services.
"If brand damage is translating into increased customer churn, financial services organisations need to assess where best to locate their services. Regional financial centres in the UK, such as Glasgow, are becoming increasingly attractive to international companies which have their main operation in London."
For their part, Indian BPO firms appear to following the Nasscom party line. S Nagarajan, co-founder of one of India's largest third-party BPOs, 24/7Customer, was quoted this week as arguing: "India is one of the safest countries to do business. If the TV channel did this thing with the intention to expose, then I feel it's not fair.
"If it were a sting operation, I would still say it's unfair as these things happen in every country. In fact, it happens in larger numbers in other countries. India is very conservative and God-fearing and hence the extent of such occurrence is rare here. Also, our security norms are world-class."
The long term impact of the documentary is yet to be seen, but it’s clear that this latest row is not about to blow over.
By Stuart Lauchlan


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One of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges, Gemini has announced intentions to invest $24 million in its Gurgaon location, signaling the company’s intention to expand its technology and development operations in India. Gemini, founded by the Winklevoss twins, has over 500 workers worldwide today, with about 70 professionals working in its Gurgaon center.
With this large investment, the exchange hopes to more than double the staff at its Gurgaon location to over 150 within the next two years. The Gurgaon operation center, the second-largest engineering center after the United States, will be crucial to Gemini’s global operations.
The Gurgaon office is important to Gemini’s overall strategy, according to Tyler Tiwana, Managing Director of Asia-Pacific, while addressing journalists from ZyCrpto on the development, says, “Our Gurgaon office will work alongside our existing offices in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Singapore.”
When asked how significant the office will be, Tiwana responded, “Our Gurgaon office will be the second-biggest Gemini engineering hub after the United States.” It was also later revealed that the growth is in line with Gemini’s goal to create goods and services via cryptocurrencies and Web 3 innovation.
Gimimi CTO Gemini To Invest $24 Million In An Engineering Hub
Information has it that Gemini, in April, announced its intention to launch its engineering department in India. In a recent announcement, Gemini revealed its plans to create products that have the potential to launch in the next dispensation of creative, financial, and individual freedom using cryptocurrency and Web 3 innovation.
In a recent announcement, CEO APAC & Global CTO, Gemin, Pravjit Tiwana revealed that the company is currently in the final stage of opening its engineering center in Gurgaon, India, and will soon start its hiring process. Tiwana also said sometime on April 20th that their Gurgaon office, when launched, will be the biggest Gemini hub for engineers.
They say that this center will complement their United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Ireland offices. Tyler Tiwana reaffirmed Gemini’s commitment to developing the bitcoin sector. Also, in his statement, Tiwana says, “We think that the power of cryptocurrency and blockchain can open up countless opportunities for people and businesses.”
He also reaffirms the importance of this project to the company’s planning strategy. He added that “Our investments in the technology and development infrastructure in Gurgaon region is a testimony to our commitment to deliver innovation in the industry.”
Gemini Optimistic In it’s New Market, Promises Inclusive Operation
Gemini’s entry into India is anticipated to support the development of the nation’s cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem, generating job opportunities and advancing technology in the country. It demonstrates the firm’s long-term dedication to supporting its expanding user base and creating innovative solutions for the Bitcoin industry.
The company has also revealed that choosing India as the best location for its new engineering hub will help the Indian government complement its efforts in encouraging new startups in India, ranked internationally as the best-performing country for startups. Information also has it that the cryptocurrency companies are currently having a hard time in India, as with their counterparts in the United States.
These companies have gone ahead to launch build technological hubs and office despite these setbacks. Further investigation into this trend revealed that top cryptocurrency firms like Coinbase, has also sighted technological hub in Hyderabad, while Ripple has their operational offices located in Bengaluru and Mumbai. The Bengaluru was later converted to a technology hub.


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The Russian company Atomyze, which benefits from a license issued by the Central Bank of Russia, will launch a token backed by the price of palladium. The latter was developed in collaboration with Nornickel, a Russian metals giant owned by Vladimir Potanin, for whom these digital assets have the ability to dethrone cryptocurrencies.
Russia will launch its first stablecoin via Atomyze
Atomizethe first Russian company in the blockchain sector to have obtained a license from the Central Bank of Russialaunched the first palladium-backed token. According to the statement, this is the company’s first structured digital financial asset.
This new token will be insured by the palladium of the Russian giant nornickelleading producer of nickel and palladium in the world, which provides 3/4 of world production. Palladium is a rare metal, used in particular for catalytic converters, dental alloys and also in the jewelery sector.
According Vladimir Potaninthe main shareholder of Nornickel, but also considered the most powerful Russian oligarch in the country, ” the era of tokenization promises a new tomorrow:
“This is a truly significant event. Russian companies and individuals have the opportunity to invest in this metal. »
Atomyze, for the creation of this new token, is supported by Rosbanka subsidiary of Société Générale recently acquired by interruptsa holding company co-founded by Vladimir Potanin.
The Russian universal bank thus becomes Atomyze’s first partnerand its first investor alongside the broker Vector X.
👉 To understand everything: What is a stablecoin?
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Tokens backed by physical values, better than cryptocurrencies?
The issuance of the token will be ensured by GPF investmentsan international fund specializing in precious metals. According to its managing director, Vladimir Pronskyinvestment in metals is experiencing a high increase :
“The investment attractiveness of the platinum group of metals, and palladium in particular, is confirmed by the growing global demand. Being a precious metal, and in fact an industrial metal, palladium is present in all high-tech productions. The CFA for this metal, in our opinion, seems to be a very promising financial product for investment. »
For Vladimir Potanin, these tokens backed by physical products, such as metals, have enough advantages to be able to relegate cryptocurrencies :
“Unlike cryptocurrencies, ‘industrial’ and other tokens are backed by physical assets, and the use of blockchain technology makes their transactions reliable, convenient and transparent. The token will defeat the cryptocurrency, pushing it to the sidelines of the digital economy. »
The “palladium token” will be backed by the price of the palladium, and in effect becomes a stablecoin backed by the price of a physical product, in the same way as the gold tie (XAUT), for example, although the term stablecoin is not mentioned in the release.
👉 Read also: Vladimir Putin signs the law prohibiting the use of cryptocurrencies as a means of payment
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UK-based Good Hair Day or ghd launched the ghd Royal Dynasty Instagram filter to accompany its brand-new Christmas collection. This makes the company one of the first business accounts in Australia and New Zealand to do so.
ghd created the Royal Dynasty campaign with the help of Australian media production agency Made In The Pile. Ludovic Dellazzeri, managing director at ghd Australia shared that the filter concept has helped bring the campaign to life. “The filter gives users the chance to wear their very own royal crown through augmented reality,” said Dellazzeri. “We have been working with the team since March to ensure we were one of the first brands in Australia and New Zealand to host our very own branded filter.”
Instagram users may access the filter through visiting the brand’s Instagram page @ghdhair_anz


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Regulatory changes, such as the recent World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling to open financial markets including the payment card market, will allow international competition and further change in China’s electronic payments (e-payments) market, according to a research report by Mercator Advisory Group.
The report, entitled
‘China’s E-Payment Market 2012’
, notes that China, the world’s second largest economy, is also the world’s largest payment card market and projected to surpass the US as the leader in card payments as early as 2013. At the same time, China’s payment market remains closed to foreign companies, and international card networks have also been mostly excluded from the domestic market.
“China’s e-payment market is undergoing a very important era of change,” said Terry Xie, director of the group’s international advisory service and principal analyst on the report. “It is rare to see so many major changes happening at once. And that has major impacts of the global payments industry, more so than many have realised. The local banking and payments industry is trying to adapt to the new era, and so should the global payments industry and the players in it, who may need to re-evaluate their China strategy as well as their global strategies.”
The report provides an overview of China’s e-payments market, including a background of overall macroeconomic growth and trends. It examines developments in credit and debit card issuing markets, as well as the acceptance market, and updates in online and mobile payments. In addition, the research reviews strategic issues and changes in the industry, including the slowing credit card market, new payment regulations, the WTO ruling and its impact, the migration to chip cards, and a view of the Chinese co-branded credit card market.
The US money market fund reforms came into effect in 2016 and are already dramatically shaping US fund industry with investors flooding out of prime funds and into government securities. While the reforms are similar, they are not the same. GTNews interviews Yeng Bulter, global head of the cash business at State Street Global Advisors on the differences.
There are various ways for financial institutions to benefit from advanced technologies and business models provided by FinTech's. Whether a business' approach is radical or incremental, data management can help a company to increase their return on investment, argues André Casterman, INTIX.
Tim de Knegt, strategic finance and treasury manager for the Port of Rotterdam, discusses how he is using blockchain, the challenges he will face in his role of treasury over the next 12 months and the advice he would give to someone starting out their career in treasury.
As the May 25 deadline for Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) inches closer, many treasurers are being lumped with the task of ensuring their wider company is compliant.


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Could a Biden presidency spell the end for online gun sales? That’s exactly what joebiden.com claims as one of Biden’s goals: “End the online sale of firearms and ammunitions. Biden will enact legislation to prohibit all online sales of firearms, ammunition, kits, and gun parts.” Not only does Joe Biden hope to eliminate online purchases of guns, he wants to end online ammunition sales as well.
According to Breitbart News, Biden’s gun control policy includes a “provision that could require every AR-15 rifle be registered under the National Firearms Act of 1934.” This could potentially also mandate that gun owners must pay a $200 federal tax per AR-15. At least 18 million AR-15s are owned in the United States, which means a collective tax of $3.6 billion, quite a payday for the government.
Photo: @mworkman via Twenty20
Many firearms experts are advising that Americans purchase any guns they’ve had on their wishlist sooner rather than later. If you’ve been putting off getting that AR-15, now might be the time to make your purchase online while you still can. AR-15s likely won’t be getting any cheaper under a Biden presidency. The best safe, legal way to buy and sell guns online is Guns.com. Your one-stop shop for firearms, ammo, and gear, Guns.com works within federal regulations to make your online gun buying experience stress-free and easy. Enjoy their no hassle, no headaches approach to gun buying and secure the firearms you want while you still can. Find your gun today at Guns.com and check out their great deals on AR-15s here and magazines here.
Biden also wants to “create an effective program to ensure individuals who become prohibited from possessing firearms relinquish their weapons.” The gun control position of the Biden team is leading some experts to express concern for the 2nd Amendment rights of Americans under a Biden presidency. This comes despite the fact that 2020 was a record-breaking year for gun sales in America, with surprising demographics of first-time gun owners.
Photo: @Mehaniq via Twenty20
Worried about the availability of AR-15s and magazines under Biden’s gun control policy? Get peace of mind by purchasing your own AR today through Guns.com and their easy, safe approach to online gun buying. They also have plenty of magazines and ammo. Visit Guns.com today.


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18 New Lipstick Releases That You Should Be Buying ASAP
Happy (Belated) National Lipstick Day! Yes, it's a real holiday, along with National Watermelon Day, National Raspberry Cream Pie Day and National Fruitcake Toss Day. (Look them up, they're all real.) National Lipstick Day may not be as big as New Year's Eve and Christmas quite yet, but July 29 is still a big deal, especially among beauty lovers.
The way to celebrate National Lipstick Day is obviously with a brand new lipstick. And what better time is there to stock up on one, two, or maybe four new lipstick colors? You could select cult classic shades or restock your favorite ones, but why not try some brand new lippies? In honor of the occasion, check out 18 of the best new lipstick launches that are worthy of a spot in your makeup bag.


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"We are determined to open up new markets around the world for the very best whisky our distillers have to offer — and to drive down any tariffs they face. By strengthening ties with key partners, identifying new markets and tackling tariffs, the UK Government is paving the way towards an even brighter future for Scotland’s whisky industry," Mundell said in a statement, as quoted by the Sky News broadcaster.
UK Trade Secretary Liam Fox noted that overseas export costs reduction could contribute to increasing sales.
According to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) annual report, issued in May, Scotch whiskey sector, bringing some 5 billion pounds ($6.5 billion) to the UK economy and providing 40,000 people with jobs is one of the crucial manufacturing sectors for the United Kingdom.
Brexit negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union officially kicked off on June 19, and are due to be completed by March 30, 2019. The 12-point Brexit plan, announced in mid-January, stipulates that that the United Kingdom will be able to sign trade agreements with any states and blocs. In late June, London said it planned to boost trade relations with 48 non-EU countries after leaving the bloc.


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NH senator asks USPS, GAO to resolve mail delivery problems
CHESTERFIELD, N.H. — U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., is asking the Inspector General of the U.S. Postal Service to conduct an investigation into mail delivery problems in the village of Spofford and other towns in the Granite State.
"Spofford residents report that beginning in May 2019," wrote Hassan in a letter dated Jan. 27, "when their previous mail carrier retired, they began experiencing several mail delivery issues, including multiple-day delays impacting medications and documents, deliveries to incorrect addresses, and significant errors in mail tracking systems. Despite contacting their postmaster, residents report no improvements in mail delivery and difficulties in reporting their issues. Since December 2019, residents report that mail delivery issues have worsened with delays lasting more than a week, reportedly because of a shortage of drivers."
Hassan wrote that her office "has worked diligently to resolve these issues with the aid of the Northern New England District Office in Portland, Maine."
However, she wrote, "major problems remain." Hassan asked that the Inspector General determine "the systemic causes of these issues" and identify potential solutions.
Hassan is also requesting that the Government Accountability Office, an independent government agency, "examine the Postal Service's rural delivery performance and report to Congress on what could be done to improve rural delivery service."
"I am concerned that [the Postal Service's] efforts to address financial and operational challenges in the past several years have disproportionately affected rural communities," wrote Hassan in a letter to the GAO, also dated Jan. 27. "I routinely hear from constituents who have experienced delivery and other problems and have been unable to resolve the issues with the USPS."
Hassan noted that the USPS has been facing challenges "in responding to customer issues" in the face of competition from commercial delivery and email services.
In her letter to the Inspector General, Hassan wrote that she has heard from constituents and post office employees not only in Spofford, but also in Sunapee, Newport, Bradford, Gilford and Laconia.
The chairman of the Sunapee Board of Selectmen told Hassan that between Nov. 27 and Dec. 4, 2019, the Town Office did not receive any mail at all. In Bradford, residents complained that sometimes it took up to a week to get their mail. "When they attempted to pick up their mail from the Bradford Post Office after significant delays," wrote Hassan, "they were informed that the mail has yet to be broken down for delivery."
When Hassan's office contacted the Laconia Post Office about delayed mail deliveries, she was told it was due to inclement weather. "However," she wrote, "residents report delivery delays even when the weather was not an issue, reportedly because of staffing shortages ..." Residents in Gilford and Laconia told Hassan's office that even when the mail is delivered, it is late and sometimes "left on the side of the road or tossed in snowbanks ... When mail or packages have gone missing, residents report that they are unable to contact the post office and their complaints have gone unanswered."
Many analysts blame the challenges facing the USPS on the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, signed into law by Congress in 2006, which requires the Postal Service to prefund its retirees' health benefits up to the year 2056. By the end of fiscal 2017, USPS owed the fund more than $38 billion.
"This is a $5 billion per year cost; it is a requirement that no other entity, private or public, has to make," wrote Barry Ritholtz, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, in 2018. "If that doesn't meet the definition of insanity, I don't know what does. Without this obligation, the Post Office actually turns a profit."
Ritholtz noted that some have called this a "manufactured crisis."
"It's also significant that lots of companies benefit from a burden that makes the USPS less competitive; these same companies also would benefit from full USPS privatization, a goal that has been pushed by several conservative think tanks for years," he wrote.
Bob Audette can be contacted at 802-254-2311, ext. 151, or firstname.lastname@example.org.
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UK-based cross-border payment platform Kapaga has raised £1.5m in a funding round led by Tiger Global.
Contributions also came from angel investors, including Chris Adelsbach, Andreas Mihalovits, and Mark Ransford.
The FinTech company, which has a team of over 20 employees, will use the funds to expand its operations across the EU later this year. It plans to release mass global payment services and virtual cards in the coming months.
Launched in 2021 by Katya Dorofejeva, the company offers a variety of B2B payment services aimed at SMEs and startups. It claims the cloud architecture gives companies transparency and efficiency in streamlining cross-border payments so they can easily send and bill money to 190 countries, in multiple currencies. It currently has over 150 clients.
Kapaga claims many SMEs lack access to a modern payment infrastructure or a rejected by traditional financial services.
Its cross-border platform can automate customer onboarding and streamline international payments.
Kapaga CEO Katya Dorofejeva said, “We are excited to offer our customers an unrivalled experience when it comes to accessing a reliable and transparent tool for cross-border payments.
“Our value lies in our ability to remove hurdles when it comes to opening business bank accounts and offering payment services at a fraction of the cost versus high street banks and legacy providers. We aim to board and activate customers in under 48 hours, start to finish. All of this is now available through one application and one dashboard to stay in control of your payments.”
Tiger Global has had a busy year of investing into FinTech. It recently joined the $300m Series D funding round of Southeast Asia-focused payments infrastructure platform Xendit. The company, which stylises itself as the “Stripe of Southeast Asia”, has annualised transactions of 200 million and a total payments value of $15bn.
Copyright © 2022 FinTech Global


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How Phoebe Philo Redefined Fashion
After 10 years as a creative director of Céline, Phoebe Philo is leaving the fashion house. The word about Philo’s departure was out since a while ago, but the designer denied all the rumors. Her last work for Céline will be the Fall 2018 collection, that will showcase in March.
“Working with Ce‚àö√â‚àö√ñline has been an exceptional experience for me these last 10 years. I am grateful to have worked with an incredibly talented and committed team and I would like to thank everyone along the way who has been part of the collaborations and conversations‚Äö√Ñ√∂‚àö√ë¬¨‚àÇit’s been amazing.’- the designer stated.
After her arrival in Céline, Phoebe changed the whole perception of the fashion audience for the brand. She managed to transform it into one of the leading fashion houses with recognizable and trendy aesthetics. Referred to as the “designer who knows what women want’, Philo has her fair share of successes and victories in fashion. She is solely responsible for redefining some of the biggest stereotypes in women’s clothing. Thanks to her innovative approach, she changed so many of our perspectives of what is fashionable and classic. The chic camel coats, work pants and masculine outwear is a part of our everyday life to this extent, all because of Phoebe Philo.
Before Céline, Philo worked 8 years in Chloé, from 1997 to 2006. Phoebe was the creative director of Chloé for five years, since 2001. She took over the leading position in the French fashion house in 2008. Until then, Céline was nothing but a forgotten brand that didn’t rank high in the fashion industry.
Philo grew to be one of the most influential designers thanks to her broad-minded thinking and innovative creations. She has a huge impact on the fashion we know today. Lead by her motto “for women, by a woman’, Phoebe is responsible for many of the trends we can’t live without. Her strongly accented sense of mixing feminine and masculine cuts changed the way women dress. We all followed her immaculate vision of minimalism without even knowing it. That is her biggest power as a designer and a trendsetter. She made the same trends apply to all ages, sizes, and races, which is an achievement worth a lot of praise.
Phoebe’s next move is still a mystery. Every single fashion house will be lucky to have such a genius as a part of their leading team. There is speculation that Philo will be taking over Christopher Bailey’s spot in Burberry. For now, she looks forward to a well-deserved rest from all the craziness going on in the fashion world.


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Reliance-owned online grocery supply provider JioMart released its app for Android and iOS users alike. The launch of the app on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store came soon after RIL president Mukesh Ambani announced plans to expand the delivery service during the 43rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Reliance.
JioMart services are currently available in over 200 cities in India and consumers can purchase products via payment options such as net banking, credit / debit cards, food sodexo, ROne loyalty points and cash on delivery (COD).
The Reliance JioMart app is an extension of the JioMart e-commerce website, where the company has a range of over 50,000 items in the categories of foodstuffs and daily needs. For the latest app, consumers can search and shop straight from their mobile.
The app is very user-friendly and comes with a top search bar from which one searches for the grocery object. There are different types, including fruits and vegetables, dairy and bakery, food, snacks, beverages, personal care, etc. There are already grocery products on sale in the app.
At AGM 2020, however, Mukesh Ambani said the platform would be extended to other categories including apparel, pharmaceutical, and healthcare. Once you place the first order on JioMart the company will include a complimentary COVID-19 pack.
JioMart provides 5% less than the MRP. So, with the launch of the app, JioMart will be hoping to give the established platforms like Amazon, Walmart-owned Flipkart, and BigBasket a tough competition.


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Three customs officials nabbed while accepting largest ever bribe of Rs. 125m
October 15, 2015 05:00 pm
Three customs officials were arrested a short while ago while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 125 million, the Director General of the Bribery Commission confirmed.
This is the largest ever recorded bribe nabbed by the Commission to Investigate Allegation of Bribery or Corruption.
Customs Superintendent Sujeewa Parakrama Jinadasa, Deputy Customs Superintendent Jagath Gunathilake and Assistant Customs Superintendent M.D.U.G. Perera were arrested while soliciting the bribe at a location in Colombo.
It has been reported that the customs officers in question had informed a foreign company that a post audit had found that a payment of Rs 1,500 million was required for the release of a consignment of spare parts, to be used by the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB).
However, when representatives of the company had stated that they were not legally obliged to make such a payment, the customs officers had negotiated to waive off the payment if they agreed to pay a bribe of Rs 150 million.
The representatives of the foreign company had then informed the Bribery Commission and following discussion the bribe was reduced to Rs 125 million.
The customs officers were arrested today while accepting the bribe from the company representatives at an agreed location in Colombo.


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On Sept. 24, new and existing customers who signup for an Unlimited Value plan with 2GB or higher of data will be able to purchase any smartphone or tablet with a down payment of $99.99 or less (with a mail-in rebate).
"T-Mobile is committed to making 4G
affordable with the latest wireless mobile Internet services and devices that fit within every budget," said John Clelland, T-Mobile's senior vice president of marketing, in a statement. "Our one-day,
in-store promotion will make it easier for customers to get greater savings by making all of our smartphones, tablets and mobile broadband devices available with minimal cost upfront."--Aaron Baar


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Pushing ahead on its TV Everywhere strategy, AT&T announced that it is expanding its U-verse Mobile app to four more devices: BlackBerry Curve 3G and three Android-based smartphones from Samsung, HTC and Motorola.
The 2.0 version of app, introduced in August for the iPhone, will now be available for the BlackBerry, Samsung Captivate, HTC Aria, and, coming soon, the Motorola Bravo and Motorola Flipout.
Currently, U-verse Mobile allows U-verse TV to download and watch full TV episodes over Wi-Fi connections in the U.S., from networks including ABC, ABC Family, Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney XD, ESPN, PBS Kids and TLC.
Customers also can manage DVR recordings with the app and browse the U-verse TV program guide. The app is available to all U-verse TV customers, and the ability to download and watch select content is available for customers that subscribe to the U300 package or higher.
"We're making TV content available where you want it, and on the devices that matter most to you," Jeff Weber, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets vice president of video services, said in a statement. "We're proud to bring this popular app to even more U-verse TV customers with our launch on the BlackBerry Curve. U-verse Mobile is available on four major mobile operating systems, and we'll continue to extend U-verse Mobile availability to even more devices in the future."
Starting next month, U-verse TV customers with Windows Phone 7 devices will be able to access mobile TV content as part of their subscriptions.
In addition, for Windows Phone 7 customers who don't live in areas where they can get U-verse TV, AT&T also will offer a $9.99 per month standalone U-verse Mobile plan, which marks the company's first U-verse service to be available nationwide.
\AT&T emphasized the multiscreen content offerings, noting that its U-verse Online entertainment website provides more than 100,000 TV shows, movies and video clips. Last week, the telco announced U-verse TV customers can activate service through their Xbox 360 for a one-time fee.


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Suzanne, commercial director at Stonegate, has spent her career within the licensed leisure sector, having previously held managed positions in national pub and restaurant companies including JD Wetherspoon and Laurel Pub Company.
A council member with UK Hospitality, Suzanne is responsible for the purchasing and property portfolio across some 700 Stonegate pubs.
Paul joined Ei Group in 2014, as managing director of new business to set up the Bermondsey Pub Company. He is responsible for Ei Groups’ sales, marketing, purchasing and retail development, along with supporting the successful achievements of the group’s five-year strategy, which includes ensuring key learnings from its managed operations are introduced into the leased and tenanted business.
Paul has 20 years’ experience in the sector including roles on the plc board of JD Wetherspoon and chief executive of Atmosphere Bars and Clubs.
Cask Marque director, Paul Nunny, said: “Our board will gain from the experience of these two retailers as we look to wider our accreditation to include all beer and focus on staff training.”


text: Just when we thought Gear Nutraceuticals were done with new products, they have come out with a new supplement announcement. As it stands right now the brand have promised their Shock Series of Pre Shock, Maxx Shock, and E-Shock, as well as the fat burner ThermoG. Joining that list of unreleased and so far physically unseen products is Gear’s oddly titled Pro Protein. An image of the item has been uploaded featuring a question mark dead center, as the brand are currently asking fans for flavor suggestions. The only other detail we have is seen on the supplement’s tub with 74 servings, which if the protein powder turns out to be a 5lb. We will be looking at a serving size somewhere around 30g. Unfortunately if you are like us, you may have seen a few too many failed releases from Gear Nutra to get excited over the Pro Protein preview. That being said the brand’s new product announcement is not without it’s promises. So to get your hopes up once again, Gear have said that they will be officially launching at the Arnold Classic, and have a presence at the Vitamin Shoppe in about five weeks.


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As part of their 241-registration plate campaign GWM ORA today announced they have cut the price of the ORA Funky Cat. Once starting at €33,495 (after subsidies and grants) The ORA Funky Cat is now available from €29,995*.
You can also avail of an ORA FUNKY CAT from €199 per month on PCP/HP.
The ORA Funky Cat was officially launched in Ireland in early 2023, with its retro futuristic styling, voice recognition, wireless phone charging, Android Auto, Apple Carplay and Sat Navigation as standard this car makes a statement wherever you go.
Speaking after the announcement, Pat Ryan Managing Director of GWM ORA in Ireland said ‘We are immensely proud to have launched the ORA brand into Ireland. The Funky Cat is a superb car offering heaps of technology and safety features – being voted the NCAP Best in Class Small Family Car. We are delighted to announce a very competitive price reduction and very attractive finance rate for the 241 period. We look forward to welcoming customers into our showrooms over the coming months.’


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European Milk Board highlights worrying future
According to a study commissioned by the European Milk Board (EMB) and the MEG Milch Board (the German Milk Board), only 77% of the production costs in the German dairy sector are covered by the farm-gate price.
The latest cost study, established by the German Office for Agriculture and Agricultural Sociology (Buro fur Agrarsoziologie & Landwirtschaft, BAL), was carried out in January 2017. It found that the average price of 33.76c for one kilogram of milk covered only 77% of the costs for German farmers (43.74c).
The study calculates the current costs of German milk production from EU figures and releases them on a quarterly basis.
On this topic, EMB President Romuald Schaber said: “The voluntary supply reduction scheme in the EU has curbed the growth in surpluses, putting a halt to the downward trend in prices”.
Examples of this recovery of prices are Belgium and Lithuania. In July 2016, milk prices in Belgium and Lithuania were at around 22c and below 17c respectively. Due to the voluntary milk supply reduction scheme, prices recovered to 34c and 30c respectively.
However, this is unlikely to last long – with increasing signs of a longer-term decline for milk prices on the horizon.
Schaber said: “It is important that we quickly establish a legal framework in the EU to enable us farmers to produce responsibly.
Without such a set-up in place, dairy farmers would effectively be forced by critical price scenarios to increase production, despite the fact that this would damage the entire market.
As a result, the EMB is calling on EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and the Ministers of Agriculture of the Member States to introduce a milk market crisis instrument based on the Market Responsibility Programme (MRP).
Schaber added: “In recent years we farmers and the policy-makers alike have come to the clear realisation that an overflowing milk market is extremely damaging to us in many areas.”
“With a crisis instrument in place, that automatically sets off stabilisation measures – such as a voluntary restraint on supply in times of market turbulence – the EU could finally contend with the chronic crisis in the milk market.”


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For many Rhondda residents stretching back for generations, Tonypandy has been the financial and social hub of the Valley.
Today, it is a shadow of its former self. An estimated 31 shops lie empty and many other units are occupied by charity stores and bookmakers.
These are classed as 'undesireable occupants' by property experts and led to the town coming 997th in a detailed study of 1,000 shopping centres across the UK.
That rating, by by property advisors Harper Dennis Hobbs, gave it the unwanted title of Wales’ worst shopping district .
The town’s residents and politicians have also launched a group called Improving Tonypandy and have brainstormed suggestions of what could be done.
But is it too little too late? We asked the town's shopkeepers whether Tonypandy could be saved.
Usman Hameed, Cwtch Comfort
Usman, 35, has been in the town for three years after he opened his furniture shop Cwtch Comfort.
He came to the UK from Pakistan in 2004 to study a degree in supply chain management at the then University of Glamorgan, and said: “It was my first business. I just didn’t have enough money and resource to go to a big city. So I saw a busy road and this empty unit and thought I would start here.”
His views on the town centre’s fortunes are downbeat to say the least.
“Tonypandy isn’t dying, it’s already dead,” Usman said.
“We have to work really hard to keep going. Profits are so much lower here than you would be selling the same stuff in Cardiff or anywhere else - even in Pontypridd.
“There’s not many people coming to ‘Pandy so we have to be really competitive. They want more than one shop to be open, so if there’s nothing interesting in the town, people will just go elsewhere, so when people actually walk into my shop, they often tell me ‘we didn’t know you were here’.
“The worst problem here is the business rates are still very, very high. My overheads are high too, and we pay £1,000 in rates every month - that’s another reason the shops are closing, because it’s so difficult to make ends meet.
“They should make business rates or rents free or much cheaper for a year or two. That way, more shops would open then more people would come in. That would help everyone.
“I don’t think I would open another shop in this town. I would consider somewhere else. The only way we survive here is because we sell on Amazon and online, but many other shops cannot do that.”
In terms of the Town Centre Maintenance Grant scheme being put on by RCT Council, which is offering shops a grant of up to £1,000, he said it wasn’t enough to make a difference for many businesses in the town, and that any works to the front of shops would cost “far more”.
Sayanthan Krishnamoorthy, Post Office
Sayanthan is originally from London, and was looking for business opportunities with his family three years ago, when they decided to put all their savings into taking over the Post Office and convenience store at the top of Dunraven Street, even going so far as remortgaging the family home.
But he said: “Unfortunately it’s not been as good as we thought it would be. The council is demanding rates that are way too high for us to survive. We asked them about 10 times to lower them, and they pointed us to the valuation office who pointed us back to the council.”
Sayanthan, 31, added: “You can see how many businesses have closed down in the centre, and we are now in the process of trying to sell it. There’s no way we can survive. We work pretty much around the clock and don’t get anything out of it. Everything goes back into the business, and it’s just going from bad to worse.”
He said the council could help by making rates more “reasonable”, but that otherwise it will turn into a “ghost town”.
He added: “People won’t come unless there are a variety of shops. Free parking was a good start, but still nothing is coming to the town. The council needs to rethink what it is doing and encourage more businesses to come in. It’s the same story all over the town. Whoever comes in cannot survive and so they sell on for a lesser price. It goes round in circles.”
Yako Yahia, King Cod
Yako came to Tonypandy from London in 2011 after the death of his partner, and he wanted a change from where he lived in London.
He explained: “I was looking for peace and so I contacted an agency in Wales who had an empty shop here. I saw a sign for the shop on the high street here and that was it.
“I saw that I could have peace in Tonypandy and there are nice people, friendly people here. It made me want to move. I love it here now. I want to be a part of the community and help.
“But the economy here is tough. Everything is expensive and the rates are very high. The council needs to help us.
“The charges shouldn’t be so high. It’s killing smaller businesses, which they need to grow. They should also build houses and bring more people here to make the area larger.”
Yako, 50, concluded: “If the council don’t act quickly, in two years, it will be a ghost town. Every day it’s going down and it will be harder to save this town.”
Christina Slade, A Day to Remember/Something Borrowed Something New
Christina opened her shop in April last year after her store in Porth was sold off.
She said: “People blame ASDA and they blame pedestrianisation. These things haven’t helped but I don’t think ASDA can be blamed as that’s the culture we’re living in.
“It’s disappointing. I stand at my doorway and look at the street and all the empty shops looking at me - there are five in a row permanently closed. I’m a wedding shop and trying to bring some quality to the town.”
She said the road needs to be opened up and a “big investment” made in the town, and called the town centre grant scheme a “joke”.
She added: “The cost of doing up the roller shutter doors on my shop would cost between £1,500 and £2,000 alone, so it’s really insulting that there’s just £25,000 for the whole town. And business rates are a major factor too. There should be more scope to help small businesses and starting businesses get up and running.
“No one starts a business on a Monday and is millionaire by Friday. It takes time to work these things out, and no two seasons are the same.”
Christina, 37, put the last of her savings in to set the business up, but is now facing closure in a dispute over business rates, due to what she calls a lack of help.
She added: “There are 31 empty shops I counted in the centre of Tonypandy a couple of months ago. More are closing than opening. But Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
Irene O’Brien, Crafty
Irene, 69, has run the shop since December 2015. She said: “I’m retirement age but if I was at home all day I would be pulling my hair out. I wanted something to do - it’s a fulfilment of my hobby.
"I used to make things for the woman who owned the shop. She had a lot of outstanding accounts, so I said to her I would take responsibility for them. At the moment I have not had a penny out of the shop. It’s going to take a little while to pay off these things and make it mine. I’m trying to stock it as I go along and any money that comes out goes straight back into the shop.”
She added: “I’m lucky. I’ve got lovely customers. I love the shop because it enables me to do what I want to and I can meet nice people.”
Irene said she pays £600 for rates for her shop, but that it’s “far too much”.
She added: “There are ways to make it work, but the worst part is people come in here and say ‘it’s pointless coming to ‘Pandy - there’s nothing here’, but nothing is ever going to be here with that attitude.”
Mike Penrose, Dunraven Shoe Repairs
Mike opened the store when he was 24 after working for Clarkes in nearby Williamstown, and is one of the longest-running traders on the street.
He said before the town centre was pedestrianised, the town was “thriving”, but then took a turn for the worst.
“The problem is stores like Asda and out of town shops and the internet, but there’s nothing we can do about that.
“I’m afraid then when RCT Council started charging for car parking, businesses went because of that, even though they have since scrapped the charge.
“Things aren’t good in this town. We used to have four working here when I first opened, now it’s just me. I even had to lay my son off. The council doesn’t give a toss.”
Mike, 63, said he was “insulted” by the council’s maintenance grants, saying: “They are offering £50,000 to be split between Tonypandy and Mountain Ash meaning £25,000 each. £25,000 is a morning’s takings for Asda. It’s insulting. I have been here for 35 years and I have paid so much in rates.
“£50k won’t even pay to sweep the roads. All these empty shops in Tonypandy - this money just isn’t enough. This town will be the same in 20 years.”
Wendy Allsop, of Improving Tonypandy, the group aiming to halt the town’s decline
Wendy said: “We need Tonypandy back in the 20th Century. Just opening the road isn’t going to do that, there has to be major investment that encourages small start ups as well as big businesses and people to take on the smaller shops.”
She said the rent prices were good, but that rates were not, and when potential shopkeepers worked out how much they would have to pay in total, they realise they could “be working for nothing”.
“The council needs to help people get businesses up and running. It’s the first three or four years that are your most expensive outlay - you have to built a good reputation. The council should help them not just by saying ‘here’s £1,000 to do up the front of your shop’, but it should be relief from rates.”
What the Welsh Government said
Rates are set by the Welsh Government, and when contacted, a spokesman said “more than three-quarters” of ratepayers in Wales receive help.
The full statement read: “We know non-domestic rates can represent a high proportion of costs for small businesses. That’s why are providing over £200m of relief to help ratepayers in Wales with their bills this year, including our fully funded, £10m scheme which is providing targeted support for retail businesses on the high street.
"As a result of the support we are providing, more than three-quarters of all ratepayers in Wales receive help with their bills and over half pay nothing at all – that’s compared to just a third in England.
“We are currently consulting on how we can make our new permanent Small Business Rates Relief Scheme for 2018 more generous for ratepayers. The consultation closes October 13 and we encourage all ratepayers to make sure they have their say.”
What the council had to say
A spokesperson for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council said: “The council is committed to improving its town centres, and a number of initiatives are underway to achieve this in Tonypandy.
“During April, the council introduced free parking in Tonypandy, Mountain Ash and Porth, and reduced charges in Pontypridd and Aberdare, to encourage more people to visit our town centres.
“Following representations by local councillors, traders and residents, the council is reviewing the current pedestrian and vehicle arrangements within Tonypandy town centre.
“There is an option to open the pedestrianised area to traffic in one direction and the council has provided funding, through its 2017/18 capital Programme, to develop this proposal and carry out initial feasibility work.
“When the council met with traders to discuss these proposals, they were well received and further consultation will take place with the wider community in the near future.
“The council has also recently announced a town centre maintenance grant is being piloted in Tonypandy and Mountain Ash, giving landlords and businesses up to £1,000 to improve their shop fronts.
“This is aimed at improving the town centre scene, again encouraging more visitors and in turn new investment by the private sector. Grant applications are being accepted from October 9.
“Furthermore, the council has again committed to hosting a Christmas event in Tonypandy this year, and is also investigating the possibility of free public access wifi across our town centres.”
Gareth Wyn Hughes, Councillor for Tonypandy, added: “Many towns across Wales have been presented with challenges by changing shopping habits, and I can’t see this trend changing too much in the near future. Therefore, I think we need to be creative in how we attract people to town centres, with more of a focus on leisure and cultural activities, such as live music and a variety of places to enjoy good food.
“As I have previously stated, I think that the plans to review the current pedestrianised area and to re-introduce traffic flow through Tonypandy Town Centre are positive moves in terms of making it easier for people to stop and shop in the town, and hopefully improving footfall.
“There have already been some really positive actions taken by the Council, such as the removal of parking charges and the recent announcement that Tonypandy will be one of the pilot towns for the new Town Centre Maintenance Grant, which will provide financial assistance to shop owners/landlords for improving the appearance of shop fronts.
“At the recent Town Centre Forum meeting, the Council’s Town Centre team sought input from local businesses about what support they could provide to them, and following the feedback, are now in the process of arranging social media training through the Welsh Government funded Superfast Business Wales, with the workshops hopefully being held in November.
“A number of traders have raised the issue of the cost of rates and how this puts a significant strain on them. Unfortunately, rateable value of businesses is set by the Value Office Agency and traders can contact them to express their concerns.”


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Alibaba Singles' Day sales up 40% YOY while JD.com follows closely
Alibaba ($BABA) reported sales from Singles' Day to be $25.3 billion, which is a 40% increase from last year's figure and more than estimate of $24 billion by Citigroup.
JD.com ($JD) also revealed its Singles' Day sales figure the first time. The figure US$19.14 billion demonstrated that JD.com is a serious challenger to Alibaba.
US sales between Thanksgiving (Nov 24) until Cyber Monday (Nov 28) amounted for $12.8 billion in 2016. The one day sales from just Alibaba's platform, not even counting figures from JD.com and other smaller eCommerce players, is already more than double of the four days sales in US.


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by Pam Martens and Russ Martens
Wall Street on Parade
Emails released by WikiLeaks have led to the outing of an elaborate scheme to scour, buff and shine the decades of scandals attached to Hillary and Bill Clinton using the marketing, branding and messaging tricks employed by corporations to resuscitate a stale, discredited or sagging brand. We’ve also learned that at least one of those re-branders, Wendy Clark, had to sign a non-disclosure agreement with the Clinton camp, agreeing not to divulge details of her work. Clark acknowledged that agreement at a recent Fortune Magazine forum.
Clark is widely considered a corporate branding genius, having been responsible for the “Share a Coke” campaign at Coca-Cola which featured folksy names on the side of their cans and bottles. In January of 2015, it was reported that Clark was taking a three-month leave of absence from her demanding and high-level position as President of sparkling brands and strategic marketing in North America for the Coca-Cola Company. On April 6, 2015 a week before Hillary Clinton announced that she was a candidate for President, Coca-Cola announced that Clark was returning to her post at the company. (Clark is now CEO at DDB Worldwide, North America, a global advertising agency.)