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Geely to drive up exports as sales at home slow
Faced with slowing car sales at home, Geely Automobile plans to boost exports in the second half of the year, while rival carmaker Great Wall Motor says it may fall short of its sales target for the year.
Geely, whose privately held parent firm Zhejiang Geely Group last year acquired Sweden's Volvo Car from Ford, said export sales rose 93 per cent in the first six months to 13,385 cars. That compared to less-than-stellar 6 per cent growth in domestic sales, which rose to 199,996 units.
Exports will 'be very important for Geely' in the second half of the year, chief executive Gui Shengyue said yesterday.
Executives said the company planned to export more than 5,000 units a month in the fourth quarter of the year, up from around 3,000 units per month in July and August and an average 2,200 units per month in the first half.
Geely's top five export markets in the first half were Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Iraq and Chile.
Its best-selling models in overseas markets were the Englon sub-brand's 'Kingkong' compact sedan, which retails domestically from 53,000 yuan (HK$64,000), and the GLEagle marque's 'Panda' minicar, which sells from 38,000 yuan.
Strong exports should help the company meet its sales target of 480,000 units for the year, representing 15 per cent growth from last year. That comes despite Geely booking total first-half sales 213,381 cars, up 9 per cent from a year earlier.
Seasonality is expected to play a part, too. First-half sales typically account for 45 per cent of the full-year figure, with the remaining 55 per cent coming in the second half of the year, Gui said.
Geely said yesterday that first-half profit rose 17 per cent to 937.65 million yuan, while revenue rose 14 per cent to 10.54 billion yuan.
Meanwhile, Heibei province-based Great Wall said it wouldn't launch price cuts even if it meant sacrificing some sales volumes.
'There is a chance we may fall short of our [500,000 unit] sales target,' chairman Wei Jianjun said yesterday.
'The reason for this is we won't cut prices ... because we need to maintain good profitability.'
Great Wall, the mainland's biggest homegrown manufacturer of SUVs and pickup trucks, expects to 'maintain a reasonable sales volume' even if it falls short of this year's target.
The first batch of the company's newest SUV model, the H6 Hover, is scheduled to start coming off the production line on Thursday. The H6 is one of four new models Great Wall will launch this year following the opening this month of its new plant in Tianjin.
A new model from the popular Voleex line of sedans, the C50, is scheduled to start production next month.
Like Geely, Great Wall is also eyeing exports as a way to weather slowing sales growth at home. Exports to more than 120 countries amounted to 1.84 billion yuan in the first half, accounting for 13.4 per cent of the firm's total revenue.
In terms of revenue by segment, exports of SUVs rose 79 per cent, sedan sales were up 78 per cent and overseas sales of pickups increased 8.1 per cent.
Great Wall's first-half net profit more than doubled, rising 109 per cent from a year ago to 1.81 billion yuan. Sales rose 49.8 per cent to 13.67 billion yuan.
The company says export sales rose by this much in the first six months, selling 13,385 cars


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AMD and Nvidia match up well in Ubisoft’s new The Division, with Nvidia capturing the pole position and AMD holding well in the mid-to-high-end segments. Early NV drivers for the game were bugged but the company has already pushed an updated beta to resolve the issue.
Microsoft has finished up its E3 2014 unveil, and it’s game heavy as promised — but why such reliance on pre-rendered footage?
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October 26, 2020
Canada Emergency Business Account now open to businesses using personal banking accounts
Today, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Chrystia Freeland announced that as early as October 26, 2020, the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) will be available to businesses that have been operating out of a non-business banking account.
To be eligible, businesses must have been operating as a business as of March 1, 2020, must successfully open a business account at a Canadian financial institution that is participating in CEBA, and meet the other existing CEBA eligibility criteria. The deadline to apply for CEBA is December 31, 2020.
CEBA is part of the Government of Canada’s economic response plan to help Canadians and Canadian businesses deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The measures under this plan are helping businesses keep their doors open, keep their employees on payroll, protect the jobs that Canadians depend on, and recover quickly when the time comes.


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Whether or not department store chain BHS continues to form part of Britain’s high street landscape beyond the end of today depends on the outcome of a crucial vote by the group’s creditors.
BHS has gone cap in hand to many of its store landlords asking for rent cuts of up to 75%. BHS says any failure to agree the cuts will result in the store chain going bust.
The retailer’s financial woes have forced it to propose a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). Seen as an alternative to insolvency, the CVA process asks creditors to agree to accept less money in order to keep struggling businesses going. BHS’s creditors meet to vote on the CVA proposals today. The result is expected to be known before the end of the day.
BHS’s problems stem back many years. The company has reported seven continuous years of trading losses totalling £415m. When the current year’s trading losses are included, that could rise closer to £500m.
Investment firm Retail Acquisitions bought the 164-strong stores group from Sir Philip Green for £1 last year in the belief that it could turn around BHS’s fortunes. However, it appears that the group’s problems are much worse than was appreciated at the time of the deal.
BHS’s management believes it is paying well above the market rent for some of its stores. BHS has identified 87 stores where it wants to see rent cuts of between 25% and 75%. These include its stores in Southport, Warrington and St Helens.
It is not seeking any rent cuts at its store on Liverpool’s Lord Street.
In its CVA proposal, the company states: “Without a reduction in BHS Limited’s lease obligations as planned under the CVA Proposal, the business does not have the working capital capability to meet its debt and working capital requirements beyond the next rent quarter date.”
However, even if the landlords agree to the rent cuts, it doesn’t mean the group is safe. That’s because it also needs to find fresh sources of funding. The CVA proposals reveal that BHS directors are currently looking for up to £100m of new money to help it pay off its current debts.
However, the company’s survival plan took a blow last week when one of the country’s most influential investment funds said it was against the CVA. Hermes Investment Management, which is the landlord of two BHS stores, said any rent cuts would be unfair on its other tenants.
Chris Taylor, head of private markets at Hermes said: “We believe CVAs should be approached with caution. They have the potential to create unfair competition on the high street by prejudicing some retailers at the expense of others and compromising the position of landlords.
“Central to our occupier-led approach is a close and open dialogue with all our tenants. We therefore want to reach a solution that is fair for all our tenants and do not believe BHS’ CVA proposal will achieve that.”
The group’s problems are further compounded by what is believed to be a multi-million pound pension deficit that must be plugged. It is also looking for other savings, including stripping out tiers of management.
Launching the CVA proposals, BHS chief executive officer Darren Topp said: “Although a difficult process to go through, this sets in motion the comprehensive updated turnaround plan that we have identified, and gives British Home Stores a secure financial footing from which to grow and deliver sustainable profitability.”
Property industry observers believe that a majority of BHS’s landlords will agree to accept the cuts. It is thought many of them are worried that they would not be able to easily re-let stores vacated by BHS in what is already a difficult retail market.


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FILE – In this July 1, 2017, file photo, a cashier rings up a marijuana sale at the Essence cannabis dispensary in Las Vegas. Complaints that the state releases no information about who applies for and receives dispensary licenses in Nevada’s booming retail marijuana business are spurring lawsuits and legislative proposals that appear poised to push the process public. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
AP | AP
LAS VEGAS — A judge says she’ll coordinate the handling of seven lawsuits filed by dozens of companies trying to get the state to disclose the criteria officials use to award lucrative marijuana dispensary licenses.
Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez on Monday pushed back a scheduling hearing one week to get attorneys for all the cases together.
She plans later to hear arguments on a request to freeze, at least temporarily, the issuing of a second wave of cannabis licenses that state tax officials approved in December.
Companies accuse the state of improperly choosing winners and losers from 462 applicants for 61 new dispensary, cultivation, laboratory and production licenses.
The court challenges come with the state Legislature considering new laws allowing the release of marijuana dispensary application information now labeled confidential.
Several companies have sued the state tax department, arguing that no one knows for sure the criteria officials use to award new licenses. They complain the state releases no information about who seeks and receives permission to sell cannabis to adults, many of them tourists, in the nearly 2-year-old market.
The hearing will focus on a second wave of dispensaries approved in December to open into an evolving regulatory environment where local lawmakers are considering allowing pot lounges on or near the Las Vegas Strip.
The companies say Nevada unconstitutionally picked winners and losers from 462 applicants for 61 new dispensary, cultivation, laboratory


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Target facing lawsuits in Minnesota from data breachMoorhead, MN (WDAY TV) - More fallout for Target following that massive credit card security breach affecting about 40 million shoppers.
By: WDAY Staff Reports , WDAY
Moorhead, MN (WDAY TV) - More fallout for Target following that massive credit card security breach affecting about 40 million shoppers.
The retail giant is now facing lawsuits, including in Minnesota.
Three Target shoppers filed two separate lawsuits in federal court, claiming negligence by the company.
One states Target knew or should have known about the security vulnerabilities when dealing with sensitive personal information.
The other claims the company broke state law by not alerting customers quickly enough.
One legal expert says it could become a class action lawsuit.
Joe Tamburino- Legal Expert: "If you go at it by yourself, then it sometimes becomes unmanageable. Most of the time in these large suits, you're gonna want class action only because you're gonna have one person speaking for the group and yes, it is difficult to do, but at least you can control the situation."
Shoppers in California and Oregon have also filed suit. Target says it typically doesn't comment on pending litigation.


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Digital TV News: TV Time
WP Pilot VOD powered by Redge Media
Sep 1, 2022 – WP Pilot, the most popular vMVPD platform in Poland, is now available with VOD functionality. The deployment is based on Redge Media Service Delivery Platform powering applications for web browsers and Connected TVs.
News categories: Redge, WP Pilot, Przemysław Frasunek, Marcin Malicki, Content Distribution, Digital TV, IBC2022, Poland, Streaming
Vault AI selects Whip Media global audience engagement data
Aug 18, 2022 – Vault AI will be using user level data from TV Time, Whip Media's TV show and movie tracking app, to expand its global content data and add more granularity to how content and characters impact audience demand, affinity and emotional response.
News categories: Whip Media, Vault AI, Vincent Muscarella, David Stiff, Big Data, Digital TV, Worldwide
A quarter of U.S. households subscribe to broadband but not Pay TV
Oct 20, 2021 – Research from TDG finds that the number of U.S. households subscribing to a broadband service but not a pay-TV service will grow from 38 million in 2020 to 54 million in 2025, up 42% in the five-year period.
News categories: TDG, Paul Hockenbury, Michael Greeson, Digital TV, Market Research, Streaming, Terrestrial, USA
Nielsen relaunches streaming measurement suite
Oct 7, 2021 – Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) is bringing its streaming solutions together in a single measurement suite encompassing ad-supported and subscription-based service models across content, ads and platforms.
News categories: Nielsen, Deirdre Thomas, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, Streaming, USA
Viant ad platform integrates TiVo TV viewership data
Jun 9, 2021 – Viant Technology (NASDAQ: DSP) has entered into a license agreement with TiVo (Nasdaq: XPER), integrating TiVo’s linear TV viewership data feed into Viant's Adelphic advertising software.
News categories: Viant, TiVo, Jon Schulz, Fariba Zamaniyan, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, USA
Virgin Media launches Horizon-powered TV platform in the UK
Nov 10, 2020 – Virgin Media has announced its new TV platform, Virgin TV 360. The advanced TV line-up includes a Mini box, new TV remote with voice control and smart features which offer an integrated, voice activated and personalised service.
News categories: Virgin Media, David Bouchier, Annie Brooks, Cable TV, Digital TV, RDK, Set Top Box, UK
TV Time acquires Mediamorph
Oct 15, 2019 – TV Time has announced the acquisition of Mediamorph. Mediamorph's Content Value Management cloud platform powers the largest entertainment companies. TV Time provides consumer insights around TV and movies to media companies and content creators.
News categories: TV Time, Mediamorph, Richard Rosenblatt, Rob Gardos, Big Data, Content Distribution, Digital TV, MandA, Streaming, Worldwide
Half of UK homes now subscribe to TV streaming services
Aug 7, 2019 – Around half of all UK homes now subscribe to TV streaming services according to Ofcom’s Media Nations report. The number of UK households signed up to the most popular streaming platforms increased from 11.2m (39%) in 2018 to 13.3m (47%) in 2019.
News categories: Ofcom, Yih-Choung Teh, Digital TV, Market Research, Streaming, UK
U.S. pay TV households to decline 4.2% this year
Aug 6, 2019 – Cord-cutting in the US continues to accelerate, with the number of cord-cutting households jumping another 19.2% this year. According to eMarketer, the number of households without a traditional pay TV subscription is quickly approaching those that have one.
News categories: eMarketer, Eric Haggstrom, Digital TV, Market Research, USA
- J:COM deploys Qwilt Open Caching solution
- Breezeline Stream TV comes to Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio
- Sale of Millicom to Apollo Global Management and Claure Group in discussion
- Comcast cable video subscribers down 2.034 million in 2022
- Disney strikes streaming measurement deal with EDO
- ITV increases investment in InfoSum
- German study shows high losses from TV piracy
- European Audiovisual Observatory publishes report on media ownership in Europe
- NBA games to be available in VR through Meta Horizon Worlds
- Simply.TV signs metadata deal with YouSee
- Verizon FIOS consumer video subscribers down 80,000 in 4Q 2022
- Unified TV ad measurement to be launched in Finland
- KPN introduces KPN TV+ streaming service
- ENENSYS releases ATSC 3.0 modulator for digital TV transmitters
- iWedia report reveals drivers behind set-top box OS selection
- Fabric acquires Internet Video Archive (IVA)
- MENA pay TV subscriptions to grow by 2 million over next 6 years
- Prime Video and DAZN sign global distribution partnership
- CIMM, 4A's and TVB looking at action plan for U.S. local TV measurement
- U.S. TV viewing remained high in December


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Starting on December 3 and running through December 9, Star Wars Battlefront II will be on sale at Target for $39.99 ($20 off) for PS4 and XBOX One platforms.
WDW News Today is reporting that Star Tours attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park is planning on updating the ride experience giving riders the option of experiences elements of Episode 1-6 or 7-8 and beyond – essentially splitting the characters and locations from the Prequel and Original Trilogies from current Sequel Trilogy (pre- and post-Disney acquisition of Lucasfilm if you will). Head on over to WDWNT for the details.
EA has posted their latest trailer for Star Wars Battlefront II showcasing the single player campaign. This game looks gorgeous and I can’t wait to start playing!
Check out this new look at the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront II game featuring John Boyega. This looks AMAZING!
A reddit user DarthCaloNord found that there is an unannounced exclusive Sphero R2-Q5 coming soon to Apple stores while scrubbing through the Sphero Droids app code. The product itself seems to be confirmed via this hidden page on Sphero’s website.
Thanks to Prensa Imperial for the heads up.
UPDATE: The page on Sphero’s website has been removed.
The official Star Wars app has been updated with new content allowing collectors to “Find the Force” this Force Friday. Click on through for some screen grabs from the app. Head over to StarWars.com for more details.
Thanks to Twitter follower iOrder66 for the alert.
Discovered through recent filings with the FCC, there appears to be an R2-D2 and a BB-9E app-enabled droid coming from Sphero for The Last Jedi.
Thanks to @ManaByte on Twitter for the heads-up.
Walmart.com has posted a listing (found with a simple search) for a Jakks Pacific Pinball game for the The Last Jedi that give ultra-clear images of some of the new characters from the film. Click on through for the images.
Last year during the height of the #WheresRey campaign, Hasbro addressed parent/fan/collector concerns regarding the omission of Rey as a game piece in the Monopoly The Force Awakens Set.
Today, the Chicago Tribune has posted a follow-up and “due to insufficient interest”, the game won’t be updated to include her (in the U.S.). But all is not lost as the representative for Hasbro states that the piece was in fact made and is available through Hasbro’s Customer Service department.


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Subcontractors have slammed Fowler Welch’s plans to review rates in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. The company, which specialises in the delivery of ambient and temperature controlled products to major supermarkets, has told its subcontractors it is reviewing rates in response to falling fuel prices. In a letter sent to its subcontractors last week the company states: “We are currently looking at carrying out a rate review to reflect the drop in the price of fuel. “The saving year […]
Europa Worldwide Group has appointed entrepreneur Rob Jones (pictured) as its first non-executive director.
Pallet networks need to find ways of raising more revenue from customers if more of them are not to go the way of UK Pallets, the boss of Bullet Express has warned.
Turners (Soham) saw revenues and profits increase in 2019, according to its most recent financial results.


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A sentence in its FY 2017 fourth quarter earnings report directly refers to the Samsung Galaxy S9 - the first time we've seen the name officially written down.
"In the first quarter, the company expects the mobile business to improve its earnings, led by an increase in sales of flagship products with the launch of Galaxy S9," it says.
The phone is expected to be unveiled during an Unpacked event on the eve of Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona in February.
The press conference takes place on 25 February and will be streamed live for all those who can't attend in person. It is also thought that the larger version of the Galaxy S9, the S9+, will be unveiled at the same time.
To be honest, the name doesn't come as a shock. Not only does it comply with traditional Samsung naming conventions and has been bandied around the industry as a rumour for some time, the official invite for Samsung's 2018 Unpacked event has a massive "9" on the front.
Pocket-lint will be in attendance both at Unpacked and Mobile World Congress to bring you all the news and hands-on action as they unfold.


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GOLDRUSH RALLY & FORZA FRANCHISE COMBINE FOR THE ULTIMATE GEARHEAD DESTINATION
The ultimate luxury lifestyle road-rally meets iconic racing videogame
LOS ANGELES, CA, (MARCH 23, 2017) – goldRush Rally – the premiere automotive lifestyle rally in the United States has announced the route and registration opening for the 2017 goldRush Rally. On the route, they will meet up with Turn 10 Studios, creators of the award-winning Forza franchise.
To be called “9INE”, signifying the ninth goldRush Rally event, the annual road rally attracts enthusiasts and influencers from around the country. These likeminded gearheads gather to appreciate the high-performance automotive lifestyle, while enjoying breathtaking driving routes, five-star accommodation and VIP entertainment throughout the program’s tour.
This year’s participants will prepare to make their way through the United States, traveling from Beverly Hills in Los Angeles to Las Vegas. However, they will be taking the “long way around” – with stops in San Francisco, Sunriver, Seattle, Spokane, Jackson Hole and Park City, UT.
One of the most exciting stopovers will occur at the midway point in Seattle, WA. goldRush Rally 9INE participants will be treated to special private event hosted by Turn 10 Studios: home of the Forza franchise.
This special event will include a car show, featuring all 100 team cars participating on the rally, along with some of the Forza featured vehicles.
Rally participants will be treated to a private tour of Turn 10 Studios, where they will be guided through the creative and design process, and compete in a competition on the Forza Motorsport gaming sled. Once completed, the visitors will enjoy lunch with the Forza team.
As the culmination of the event, the Forza development team will select a winner from the goldRush fleet. The victorious owner will then have their vehicle immortalized in the next version of Forza Motorsport video game.
“It is an incredible honor to be invited to Turn 10 Studios,” said Ramin Arami, founder of goldRush Rally. “For a huge Forza addict such as me, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 9INE is shaping up to be an adventure like no other.”
While the event is closed to the public, goldRush and Forza fans will be able to follow along via social media, as well as view special coverage from the event on ForzaMotorsport.net
The 2017 goldRush Rally takes place on May 12-20, 2017. The selected route covers the western states. Full rally and route details are available on goldrushrally.com
ABOUT GOLDRUSH RALLY
See more of what you’ve been missing at goldrushrally.com
ABOUT THE FORZA FRANCHISE
Welcoming racing gamers of all types, the Forza franchise combines unprecedented visuals with the industry’s leading simulation engine. It gives everyone the opportunity to truly feel what it’s like to own, race and customize the cars of their dreams. Exclusively published by Microsoft Studios and developed by Turn 10 Studios, the award-winning Forza franchise is the best-selling racing franchise of this console generation. It currently hosts 14 million players on Xbox One and Windows 10, and has generated more than $1 billion in worldwide retail sales to date. Available now, the critically acclaimed Forza Horizon 3 for Xbox One and Windows 10 has sold more than 2.5 million copies worldwide and has seen players drive for more than 100 million hours of gameplay.
More information on the Forza franchise can be found at forzamotorsport.net with media assets located at news.xbox.com/media.
FOLLOW GOLDRUSH RALLY
Josh Bulrice ID Agency – PR Manager
Aimee Shackelford – Event Manager


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IFF’s Nourish division has rolled out a “nutrient-dense hydrocolloid” from red seaweed to stabilize plant-based milks. The ingredient enables brands to formulate vegan dairy with shorter ingredient lists, a long sought-after quest in plant-based development.
Launched in the US, SeaFlour is positioned as a non-allergenic “seaweed flour” or “natural seaweed” with high-suspension abilities. It also is traceable from its source off the coast of Indonesia and requires only minimal processing after harvest and drying.
“SeaFlour has a unique synergy with plant proteins, keeping plant-based beverages stable while providing smooth, creamy texture and mouthfeel throughout their shelf lives,” says Michael Cammarata, senior beverage technologist at IFF’s Nourish division.
“This eliminates the need for additional stabilizers. With this single ingredient, manufacturers have the potential to reduce fat and sugar levels in their products without compromising texture or mouthfeel.”
Marine ingredients trending
Seaweed has been gaining traction in F&B launches over the last few years for its clean label and sustainable appeal.
Innova Market Insights observes that F&B launches tracked with seaweed ingredients have witnessed growth of 10.63% CAGR (Global 2017-2021). Within the same time frame, dairy alternative drinks containing the ingredient grew at 14.91%, albeit from a small base.
Hydrocolloids is not the only space growing with seaweed ingredients. The marine ingredient has also gained traction in the personal care arena for its bioactives, including polyphenols, polysaccharides, proteins, peptides, amino acids, lipids, vitamins and minerals.
It has also proven popular in the snacking space for its positive impact on the environment, health and coastal communities.
Consumers’ quest for natural additives
Innovations in clean label seaweed hydrocolloids come as consumers pressure industry to limit the use of carrageenan, a widely used hydrocolloid sourced from red seaweed.
Carrageenan-free chocolate milk: High-pressure jet tech safeguards smooth mouthfeel (foodingredientsfirst.com)
Carrageenan is the hydrocolloid of choice for the stabilization of neutral pH, milk protein-based beverages, according to Nesha Zalesny, hydrocolloids technical consultant at IMR International.
“One of the biggest advantages of carrageenan is that it interacts with casein protein to form a three-dimensional network that suspends protein or cocoa particles. Because of this, use levels can be very low, in the 0.018%–0.025% range.”
In February 2021, Cargill unveiled its WavePure ADG line from red seaweed powder offering gelling and thickening properties in dairy products.
Cleaning up the label in plant-based products
Plant-based beverages have traditionally required more ingredients than milk-based beverages when it comes to stabilization since they lack the casein needed for synergy with carrageenan.
Formulators turn to blends of gellan gum with acacia gum, for example, for plant-based drinks. Mouthfeel is then added with a viscosifying hydrocolloid, such as locust bean gum, tara gum, xanthan gum or carboxymethyl cellulose, details Zalesny.
These hydrocolloid blends can create longer ingredient lists, creating opportunities for single-function ingredients that can simplify the formula.
“Nearly 40% of consumers surveyed look for plant-based milks with all-natural ingredients,” says Dr. Greg Paul, North America category lead, dairy and nutritional beverages of IFF’s Nourish division.
“Using natural ingredients like SeaFlour allows food manufacturers to drive brand differentiation and sales in the plant-based beverage category.”
Social and environmental sustainability story
In addition to its clean label boost, SeaFlour is traceable “from sea to shelf.”
The seaweed is cultivated without the use of fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides.
After harvesting, the seaweed is simply washed, dried and milled with minimal processing. This technique preserves the natural fiber, protein, and mineral content, according to the company.
“Consumers expect plant-based beverages to contribute to a healthy diet,” says Gisele Barros, global product marketing leader of hydrocolloids, IFF’s Nourish division. “Increasingly, these same consumers expect their beverage choices to contribute to a healthy planet too.”
In addition to boasting a low carbon footprint, SeaFlour’s raw material sourcing supports the local farming community and is in the process of being incorporated into IFF’s Responsible Seaweed Program.
This is a holistic approach to social, environmental and economic improvements in seaweed processing. This initiative also aligns with IFF’s recently launched 2030 “Do More Good Plan,” an environmental, social and governance (ESG) roadmap.
By Missy Green
Danone has appointed three deputy CEOs to “better connect categories and regions” and drive the delivery of its ‘Renew Danone’ strategy. The new appointees are Veronique Penchienati-Bosetta, Shane Grant and Juergen Esser. They will report to Danone CEO Antoine de Saint-Affrique.
PepsiCo Portugal has announced that it will invest €7.5 million to construct a new biodigester, which will turn organic waste into biogas. As well as helping its Carregado facility to achieve a 30% reduction in carbon emissions, the biodigester will also contribute to reducing gas consumption, allowing the installation to use the biogas produced during the anaerobic digestion process.
Kerry is sponsoring The Kerry Upcycled Food Foundation Fellowship in a new partnership with the Upcycled Food Foundation (UFF), the non-profit subsidiary of the Upcycled Food Association (UFA). The research fellowship is the second initiated by the UFF and will work toward advancing the understanding of the market, consumer perception and technical opportunities of upcycled food.


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Most Americans know that a good credit score is essential to the health of their personal finances.
But many may not realize that a bad score can cost them thousands of dollars when it comes to buying a house or car, or opening a credit card account.
On a five-year $20,000 auto loan, for instance, someone with a poor credit score — around 600 — could pay $5,000 more in interest over the life of a loan than a person with a stellar score above 700, according to the Consumer Federation of America, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization in Washington.
In a recent survey, the Consumer Federation and VantageScore Solutions found that over 80 percent of Americans knew that 700 was a good score and that mortgage lenders and credit card companies pay attention to scores. But only 22 percent knew how much a bad credit score could cost them on typical loans.
“Of greatest concern to us is that most consumers don’t understand how badly they’d be penalized when applying for a loan with a low credit score,” said Stephen Brobeck, the federation’s executive director.
“If your score is 700 or above, you’re not going to be penalized much, if at all,” he said. “If you’re below 600, you definitely will be penalized.”
The Consumer Federation and VantageScore, a credit scoring company based in Stamford, Connecticut, surveyed 1,005 adult Americans in April.
The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
And poor credit scores hurt consumers in other ways, said Liz Weston, a personal finance columnist for NerdWallet, a financial website based in San Francisco. Bad credit can make it more expensive to rent an apartment and harder to receive a good rate on car insurance, as well as lead to higher deposits for utilities.
Weston said bad credit can cost the average consumer an additional $200,000 over his or her lifetime. “It really does permeate your financial life,” she said.
People with poor credit scores can pay about 1 percent more in interest for a mortgage than someone with good credit, Weston said. While that may not seem like a big difference, when spread out over a 30-year loan, the extra 1 percent can add up to tens of thousands of dollars.
The difference in rates can be even larger when it comes to home equity and auto loans, she said. In some cases, someone with bad credit will pay twice the interest rate as someone with a good score. “Home equity and auto loans are incredibly sensitive to credit scores.”
Given the much higher rates, the Consumer Federation’s Brobeck said he recommends that people with low credit scores ask themselves: “Do I really need this loan?”
People should consider buying a less expensive car that they can pay for in cash or with a smaller loan, for example. Or if possible, find a relative to co-sign for a loan.
“Then work really hard to increase your score,” Brobeck said. “Make those payments in full, on time every month.”
One of the most common ways in which consumers hurt their credit is by skipping credit card payments, which can reduce their score by 100 points — the difference between a good score and a bad one.
“If you skip a payment, you are really torpedoing your score,” Weston said.
She recommends reducing credit card balances to less than 30 percent of their limits, which can go a long way toward raising a score. Maxed-out credit cards are a signal to lenders that consumers may be financially stressed and a greater credit risk.
“People underestimate how much their credit card balances are hurting them,” Weston said. “If you consistently max out cards looking for rewards, that hurts you, even if you pay them off every month.”


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The rising cost of Thin Mints … Inflation has caused the price of just about everything to skyrocket and no one can stop it -- not even the Girl Scouts. This year, when these little fundraising cookie-peddlers hit the pavement to sell you Thin Mints and Samoas, customers may have to shell out more cash. Boxes of cookies, which have been priced around $5 for the past several years, are going up to $6 in some parts of the country.
Meanwhile...The Girl Scouts introduced a new, limited-edition flavor called Raspberry Rally, and they've become such a sensation that boxes are going for some pretty big bucks on eBay. The treats, which have been described as a fruit-flavored version of Thin Mints, were made available online only, and quickly sold out in many areas. Girl Scouts USA told People they are "disappointed" about the "unauthorized resales."


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VANCOUVER, B.C.--Shane Macaulay just got himself a free MacBook.
Macaulay, a software engineer, was able to hack into a MacBook through a zero-day security hole in Apple's Safari browser. The computer was one of two offered as a prize in the "PWN to Own" hack-a-Mac contest at the CanSecWest conference here.
Credit: Joris Evers
Hack-a-Mac winner Shane Macaulay
attacks a MacBook at the
The successful attack on the second and final day of the contest required a conference organizer to surf to a malicious Web site using Safari on the MacBook--a type of attack familiar to Windows users. CanSecWest organizers relaxed the rules Friday after nobody at the event had breached either of the Macs on the previous day.
Macaulay teamed with Dino Dai Zovi, a security researcher until recently with Matasano Security. Dai Zovi, who has previously been credited by Apple for finding flaws in Mac software, found the Safari vulnerability and wrote the exploit overnight in about 9 hours, he said.
"The vulnerability and the exploit are mine," Dai Zovi said in a telephone interview from New York. "Shane is my man on the ground."
Apple spokeswoman Lynn Fox declined to comment on the MacBook hack specifically, but provided Apple's standard security comment: "Apple takes security very seriously and has a great track record of addressing potential vulnerabilities before they can affect users."
Dai Zovi plans to apply for a $10,000 bug bounty TippingPoint announced on Thursday if a previously unknown Apple bug was used. "Shane can have the laptop, I want the money," Dai Zovi said. TippingPoint runs the Zero Day Initiative bug bounty program.
A TippingPoint representative said the company would pay, after looking at the vulnerability. "If it is an actual zero-day in Safari that's fine with us," said Terri Forslof, manager of security response at TippingPoint.
The successful hack comes a day after Apple release its fourth security update for Mac OS X this year. The update repairs 25 vulnerabilities.
CanSecWest organizers set up the MacBooks connected to a wireless router and with all security updates installed, but without additional security software or settings.


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Spotify Lite Music App Launched In India With 10MB In Size
The App Is Free To Download From The Google Play Store On Android Phones.
Most popular music streaming service Spotify has officially launched its lite version app in India. The new app is now available for all Android users.
The key highlight of the Spotify Lite app is around 10MB of installation size. So, it doesn’t take up too much space on your phones. Just like the main app, users can play favorite songs and artists, save them, share with others, and discover new music.
Moreover, users can easily control their data and storage. Besides that, Spotify Lite also allows you to control your cache, and clear it with a single tap.
“We announced the availability of Spotify Lite Beta in India a couple of months ago to gauge user interest, which was high. As a result, Spotify Lite is now out of test mode, and available as an app for all users in the country. This small, fast app will make millions of free songs more accessible to anyone who may have an older mobile device, limited storage on their phones, are in poor internet connectivity areas, or just don't want to spend excess data on listening to music,” says Amarjit Singh Batra, MD – India, Spotify.
Furthermore, India is getting the Spotify Lite app along with 35 more countries including Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, South Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia.


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A delegation of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Wednesday handed over eight ladder-fitted auto rickshaws and safety equipment to the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco).
Members of the USAID Pakistan Power Distribution Program, led by Saleem Arif and Ziaur Rahman, met with Pesco Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Brigadier (retd) Tariq Saddozai at Wapda House Peshawar and expressed hope that the donated rickshaws and equipment will help the company promptly address consumer complaints and ensure safety of linemen.
The delegation members proposed methods to the Pesco chief to curb power pilferage, reduce line losses and improve recovery of outstanding dues.
They also discussed issues pertaining to the company’s electricity distribution system and delays in addressing consumer complaints.
Saddozai, the Pesco CEO, said that to improve operations and ensure that consumer complaints are promptly addressed, the company’s offices of City Division and Kohat Road sub-division will be computerised.
An improved meter reading system will be introduced in the two divisions, which will serve as models of the new arrangement.
He said that the new system will be monitored and once it fulfils requirements, it will be implemented in all sub-divisions of Pesco.
“Pesco is striving to improve its facilities,” Saddozai added.
He appreciated USAID for extending help to the company so it can render better services to its customers.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2012.


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SM Prime Holdings Inc. is opening its first mall in the Cagayan Valley region, marking the company's 65th shopping center in the Philippines.
Dubbed SM Center Tuguegarao Downtown, the mall is taking the company's mall portfolio floor area in the country to 8.0 million square meters with its 37,000 square meters of space. The retail complex is already 90% leased even before its Oct. 12 opening, with SM's own brands, such as ACE Hardware, Surplus, Watsons and BDO, anchoring the mall.
The launch of SM's 65th mall in the country follows the launching of SM City Puerto Princesa in Palawan, SM CDO Downtown Premier in Cagayan de Oro, S Maison at Conrad Manila in Pasay City and SM Cherry Antipolo in Rizal, which all opened in 2017. It is pushing to take its expansion initiative into 2018 with the opening of 10 new malls.


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7-Eleven will launch its new stamp redemption for “A Childhood Dream Come True” travel essential series on 17 April. To kick off the campaign, it has gathered over 100 fans for a flash show-up in Causeway Bay yesterday.
7-Eleven’s customer research showed that dim sum is one of Hong Kong people’s favourite food categories. The new campaign aims to tackle those extremely relatable - “craving Dim Sum” moments around the clock with ready-to-eat products.
Following the redemption of the ceramic bowls, 7-Eleven rolled out the limited edition flower-shaped ceramic plate series, and also the Sanrio 3D character glass jar today.
Contestants were encouraged to take photos of two cups of Cardiff City FC Blueberry against the background of a Malaysian sight.
According to the Singapore Tourism Board, visitors from China had increased by approximately 13%, from 2.8 million in 2016 to 3.2 million in 2017.
In total, the Health Sciences Authority has suspended the tobacco retail licences of six tobacco retailers for selling cigarettes to under-18 minors.


text: CWmike writes "It's a matter of opinion which company makes the better operating system or is likely to grow its smartphone market share. But numbers don't lie — or exaggerate. A little less than a year ago, Wall Street reached a Microsoft vs. Apple milestone: for the first time, Apple's corporate value surpassed Microsoft's. What has happened since? With Apple due to report its latest quarterly earnings on Wednesday — Microsoft reports its numbers next week — we look at some recent numbers, as well as data over time."


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5.8-Inch OLED iPhone 8 Will Reportedly Have 5.1 To 5.2-Inch Of Usable Display, Here’s Why
We all know that Apple is planning on shipping a majorly overhauled iPhone during 2017. With the iPhone 6s and 7 ranges standing as an evolution of the iPhone 6, both in terms of physical design and capability, next year’s iPhone will represent an opportunity for Apple to once again innovate and show the competition what it needs to aspire to.
However, whilst it’s generally accepted that change is coming, there’s conflict about exactly what those changes will be. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Barclays Research, and Japanese publication Nikkei, have all previouslychimed in with 2017 iPhone predictions, and all have slightly differing opinions on what Apple will bring.
One of the areas of conflict is the display size, and the size of the device in general, of a future iPhone. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously stipulated his belief that Apple will release a new model iPhone, complete with OLED technology, that will come with a 5.8-inch panel.
However, since that prediction may have led some to think that Apple will be moving to a mammoth 5.8-inch device, Kuo has issued another research note clarifying that although the device will have a 5.8-inch OLED panel, the usable area from an interaction perspective will be around the 5.1 to 5.2-inch mark and that the iPhone as a whole won’t be any larger than current models:
We predict OLED iPhone will be 5.1-5.2”, despite various market speculation. In terms of the display size of the OLED iPhone, current information from the upstream points to 5.8”, while that from the downstream points to 5”, which does not conflict, in our view. We predict OLED iPhone will adopt a 5.7-5.8” flexible OLED panel (with Samsung (KR) as the exclusive supplier). Nonetheless, for ‘specific design purposes’, the actual active area may be around 5.1-5.2”. Other than the OLED model, we expect Apple to launch new 4.7” and 5.5” TFT-LCD iPhone models.
Interestingly enough, this speculated 5.8-inch iPhone is expected to be the third device in next year’s range. Analysts are still expecting Apple to release standard 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models, presumably under the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus monikers, complete with the use of existing LCD display technology. The use of OLED will likely be exclusive for the top-end 5.8-inch model because there is simply no manufacturer out there that could meet Apple’s demand of OLED panels for iPhones. It is important to note that OLED panels are difficult to manufacture in comparison to traditional LCD/LED panels.
If accurate, the aforementioned iPhone would very much be offered as a “Pro” model that would stand out from the other two models.


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The Miami boutique fitness scene is heating upOct. 02, 2014 | 2 Comments
With six new studios, it’s easier to sweat (indoors) in Miami and Miami Beach than ever before. Here are the hottest workout destinations of the moment.
Now you can finally reserve a treadmill at Barry’s BootcampSep. 25, 2014
You can stop jockeying for position at the studio door now.
SoulCycle bans fitness instructors from its classesMay. 02, 2014 | 91 Comments
A hidden fitness-world policy of banning instructors is brought into the spotlight. See what people are saying about the controversial practice, here.
Barry’s Bootcamp to open two new New York studios this summerMar. 12, 2014
The booming workout brand is set to open its largest New York City studio yet in Noho, and a second Hamptons spot in Amagansett.
Pulse Points: News that got our hearts racingMar. 08, 2014 | 2 Comments
We recap everything earth-shattering that happened in health and wellness this week: March 1–7, 2014.
Pulse Points: News that got our hearts racingFeb. 07, 2014
We recap everything earth-shattering that happened in health and wellness this week: February 1–7, 2014.
Barry’s Bootcamp apparel to be sold at Bloomingdale’sJan. 31, 2014
Fitness studios like Barry’s are not just selling workouts anymore, they’re selling brands that cool-hunters—sweat-addicted or not—want to be associated with.
Barry’s Bootcamp partners with Hu Kitchen at its New York studiosJan. 15, 2014
Organic Grain-Free Chicken Tenders post-treadmill? Sounds delish.
Pulse Points: News that got our hearts racingJan. 10, 2014 | 1 Comment
We recap everything earth-shattering that happened in health and wellness this week: January 3–10, 2013.
Barry’s Bootcamp’s once-a-year Holiday Sale is here!Dec. 13, 2013
For the next three days only, you can purchase classes for just $27 each, whether you buy 2 or 200.
3 cool class packs for the boutique fitness fanatic in your lifeDec. 07, 2013
These creative bundles will wow the unwrapper into working out, stat.
Are New York’s boutique fitness class prices out of control?Nov. 07, 2013 | 16 Comments
Now 45- to 60-minute classes that cost $30 and up are the norm. It’s a fact: working out in a boutique studio will trim your body fat and your bank account.
Refrigerator Look Book: John and Rachel MumfordNov. 04, 2013
What does the Los Angeles power couple behind Barry’s Bootcamp whip up at home besides post-workout protein smoothies? We sprinted over for a look.
Barry’s Bootcamp expands across the country, and beyondSep. 10, 2013
The supremely sweaty workout beloved by boutique fitness aficionados (and celebs) is opening in Boston and Miami this fall—and that’s just the beginning.
Refrigerator Look Book: Barry JaySep. 04, 2013
Barry’s Bootcamp founder reveals what he stocks up on to stay so totally toned. (Spoiler alert: He’s strict!)


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5 Ways China's tariff delivers combo punch to America’s pig farmers5 Ways China's tariff delivers combo punch to America’s pig farmers
April 3, 2018
China is top producer of pork and also the leading consumer of pork. Can China produce enough pork to self-sustain its pork demand? Yes. Last year, China produced 97% of the pork consumed in the country while 1% was sourced from the United States.
Despite the fact other pork-producing countries can certainly makeup the gap, a 25% tariff on U.S. pork is going to have an impact in the pork trade boxing match. Only time will tell if it is going to be positive or negative. Here are five things to consider.
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‘Dispensaries knew they had to change’: How the cannabis industry adapted in the pandemic
The stress levels experienced in the past year caused many consumers to turn to cannabis as a coping mechanism.
That increased interest led dispensaries to bump up their ad spend, adopt the buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS) model, implement curbside pickup, and even offer virtual consultations. Some dispensaries started or increased local delivery.
But the changes in public life also brought about radical changes in consumer behavior. While 4/20 and the Friday before Memorial Day had been the top two sales days for dispensaries every year of the past five years, they each failed to crack the top five last year, according to Nina Simosko, chief commercial officer at Akerna, a cannabis software company.
The biggest sales day last year was New Year’s Eve 2020 at $89.4 million, according to data from Akerna subsidiary MJ Freeway, a platform that tracks cannabis sales in 23 U.S. states where it’s legal.
Consumer tastes changed too. Dispensaries also saw increased interest and sales of edibles. In September 2020, 54% of cannabis users reported using edibles in the last year, compared to 35% of users in 2018, according to a survey of 4,600 U.S. cannabis users by New Frontier Data, a data analytics firm focusing on the global cannabis industry.
The two combined to bring about a radical change in an already rapidly evolving industry. These variables could present a new starting ground for businesses where cannabis has recently become legal for recreational use, including Virginia and New York.
“Seeing those low sales, dispensaries knew they had to change the business model,” she said. This year, Akerna forecasts that the 5-day period ahead of the holiday (Friday, 4/16 to Tuesday, 4/20) will bring in a predicted $370 million in sales. Global cannabis sales were north of $21 billion in 2020, up 48% from 2019, according to Akerna data.
After cannabis was labeled as an essential service by California in late March 2020, thereby able to keep its doors open amid the pandemic, Jeff Ragovin, chief commercial officer at Fyllo, a cannabis software company, says clients — which include Apothecanna and Grassroots — upped their ad spend to let customers know they were still open for business.
After March 15, average weekly traffic to Fyllo client sites increased by 35%-50% for a few months, indicating a large spike in interest in CBD products. Over the same period, ad-attributed revenue also increased by 78% for these sites.
“We saw seismic increases in audience-based targeting during the latter half of 2020 and consistent growth throughout the first few months of this year,” said Jackie Berg co-founder and CMO of CBD Marketing Hub, a CBD and cannabis marketing agency.
This year, cannabis brands also pursued women and nearly 50% of 4/20 ad campaigns are targeting female consumers, Berg said.
According to a February report by Akerna, women across all age groups drove cannabis sales in the first quarter of 2020, and the average amount they spent increased 50% in March 2020. The survey did not provide exact figures.
Columbia Care, which owns and runs dispensaries in multiple states, tripled its ad spend compared to the first quarter of 2020, said Jesse Channon, the company’s chief growth officer. “Programmatic display has done really well for us,” he said, adding that their return on ad spend is three times.
It also forced brands to try new things to meet this changed consumer behavior.
Columbia Care started a new virtual shopping experience, called Virtual Care, in which customers can book appointments with so-called budtenders to “walk” around the store and learn more about products.
While customers cannot transact in Virtual Care, they can purchase products online, or opt for an express in-person pickup. “We stood it up just for Covid, but now we think it will stick around,” said Channon. The company is also planning to expand its home delivery service, currently available in nine states.
“It’s been quite a year,” Ragovin said. “You couldn’t get a haircut, but you could buy weed.”
‘Content and commerce are converging’: Kroger Precision Marketing svp Cara Pratt on evolution of retail media, new offering
More and more companies are getting into the retail media space. As competition heats up, a Kroger executive talks about the grocer's latest attempt to stay ahead of the curve.
‘I’m embracing the discomfort’: Fashion brand execs share how their office style has transformed
For some — particularly those that get personal fulfillment from their style — the return to the office is, indeed, a good reason to go all out.
Marketers are going beyond the individual and using personality to sell at Advertising Week
During day four of Advertising Week, marketers looked to go deeper with their audience by showing a softer side of the celebrities and creators they work with.
SponsoredHow advertisers are navigating advanced TV and premium video convergence
Nicole Schumacher, vice president of product marketing, Xandr Advertisers have a number of priorities and considerations as premium video content for viewers evolves. Media types are converging as audience behaviors diverge, adding nuance and complexity to each phase of campaign workflows. It’s the age of innovation for all types of video advertising, including convergence — […]
‘It’s crucial to fighting pay gaps’: How tech companies are leading the way in salary transparency
A growing cohort of progressive tech companies are offering salary transparency policies, which help tackle the gender pay gap.
Why a shoe brand is maintaining its digital paid media strategy well beyond the pandemic
By investing more in digital channels, the company was aiming to meet the tradesmen and women who typically shop for its shoes and work boots in-store wherever they were spending their time online.


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Showcasing the high-performance Redshift MX electric bike
IRVINE, CA – July 31, 2017 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Alta Motors has already proven the capability of their Redshift MX electric bike at EnduroCross. During the first official race for the bike at the 2016 Phoenix EnduroCross, Kurt Nicoll took the vet class win with a last lap pass. For 2017, Alta will become an official partner with the AMA EnduroCross series to help show off the bike to all the racers and fans.
“The extreme obstacles encountered during an EnduroCross race allow the Alta Redshift MX to demonstrate its benefits over the competition,” stated Jon Bekefy, Director of Marketing at Alta Motors. “Riders no longer need to worry about a clutch or shifting during competition and the bike will not stall, which makes those moments less disruptive. Now our riders can focus on clearing the obstacles, which is a big advantage. We’re excited to be entering the Pro Class this year and showcasing the advantages of the Redshift MX.”
You can learn more about Alta Motors motorcycles here: www.altamotors.co
The 2017 AMA EnduroCross series, presented by Moose racing and PJ1 will include seven rounds, starting on August 19th inside the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
2017 AMA EnduroCross Championship Schedule
|August 19||Las Vegas, NV||Orleans Arena|
|September 23||Reno, NV||Reno – Sparks Livestock Events Center|
|September 30||Denver, CO||National Western Events Center|
|October 14||Everett, WA||XFINITY Arena|
|October 28||Scottsdale, AZ||WestWorld|
|November 4||Boise, ID||Ford Idaho Center|
|November 18||Ontario, CA||Citizens Business Bank Arena|
*Subject to Change
For more information, visit www.endurocross.com.
The Alta Redshift MX electric bike has already had some EnduroCross success in the Vet class. For 2017, you can expect to see a few riders competing in the Super EnduroCross (Pro) class.
About Bonnier Corporation
Bonnier Corporation is one of the largest special-interest publishing groups in the United States, with more than 30 multichannel brands extending into all platforms including magazines, digital media, books, events and product licensing. Bonnier Corp.’s brands include Popular Science, Saveur, Field & Stream, Popular Photography, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, Cycle World, Working Mother and Outdoor Life. Bonnier Corp. is owned by Sweden-based Bonnier AB, a multichannel media conglomerate operating in 15 countries.
Source: Bonnier Corporation


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The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) is developing new technologies which include remote sensing, laser land-leveling, bio-fertilisers and solar tube-wells for enhancing the efficiency in agriculture sector.
The plan is to develop genetic modification expertise for producing high yield/pest resistant crops. MoST will produce, preserve and process fruits and vegetables that satisfy food chain requirements of the international market.
“The ministry will establish facilities for producing quality controlled halal food for Muslim consumers in different parts of the world and will support schemes for modern techniques in poultry, livestock and fish farming,” an official told the media.
Pakistan Council of Science and Technology Chairperson Dr Mudasar Asrar said that despite contributing 20-25% of the GDP and being the mainstay of our economy, it has not been possible, for one reason or the other, to exploit the livestock and agricultural sector to its full potential.
Significantly lower average yields of crops, persistent decrease in the quantity as well as the quality of water available for irrigation, high cost of fertilisers, limited availability of quality certified seeds, weak pest management and large post harvest losses are only some of the factors, limiting the growth of this critical sector, she said.
“Today about 30-35 million people in rural areas are engaged in raising livestock and about a third of their income is generated from selling livestock products.”
Pakistan is still spending a significant amount of foreign exchange on the import of food grains, meat and dairy products, she said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2015.
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French raincoat retailer K-Way is poised to open its first-ever standalone store in the UK with a flagship in central London.
The brand already trades in the UK via online, but the store – slated to open in May – will be K-Way‘s first foray into bricks-and-mortar retail in the country.
The iconic rainproof brand will take up a 1300sq ft shop in Henrietta Street, Covent Garden and will launch with the spring/summer 2017 range of predominantly menswear, alongside some women‘s and children‘s wear.
K-Way is the latest to join the likes of Oliver Sweeney and Fred Perry on Henrietta Street, which Capital & Counties Properties – better known as Capco – has repositioned to include a mix of casual retail and upmarket dining.
K-Way was established in 1965 in Paris, by Leon Claude Duhamel.


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The future is here! Nope, I’m not talking about Robopip‘s landing on planet Earth. This is about the world’s very first open trading platform – Tradable!
Tradable was hailed as “The Most Innovative Financial Company” in the forex industry during the recently concluded Forex Magnates Summit. What makes it unique is its amazing app store.
It features an app store similar to the Apple iTunes Store and Google Play, except it’s designed specifically for forex trading. It houses a handful of applications that are designed by third-party developers.
You can find an app for almost anything you need – charting software, EAs, indicators, news, and even games! Talk about a fully customized trading experience!
The apps usually allow trials from 5 to 90 days, so you can test them before you decide to purchase them. Most apps will set you back between $1 and $5, while others charge a subscription fee of up to $20 a month.
The beauty of the app store is that clients are protected from purchasing programs from shady sources that may not deliver service at par with expectations.
It goes without saying that there has been a lot of interest in the app-based platform ever since it was launched. Traders, app developers, and brokers alike found its unique offerings very promising.
In fact, leading financial products companies like Knowsis and Corrsight have already begun developing apps for the platform.
It has already been picked up by two brokers. Last month, FSA-regulated Tradenext became the first broker to go live with the Tradable platform. And earlier this month, London-based SVSFX followed suit.With the Tradable platform gaining praise from all around (even from established institutions such as Financial Times and CNBC) I wouldn’t be surprised if other brokers tie-up with Tradable as well.
It could become a very popular choice among those who wish to expand their client base and differentiate themselves from other brokers.
It’s nice to see new innovations like this in the retail forex industry. Revolutionary products like this increase competition in the industry, as we see that more and more brokers are trying to set themselves apart by offering alternatives to your run-of-the-mill platforms.
More importantly, it shows us that industry players aren’t content with the status quo and are continuously trying to push the envelope to give traders a better experience.


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The news was officially announced and confirmed on the show's official Twitter page on Tuesday.
YouTube is delving into original programming with the release of its first four original programs.
If you want to take your entire family somewhere exciting and adventurous, Latin America is a perfect destination to go.
Pokémon is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a new 3DS bundle and an advertisement that will air during the Super Bowl on Feb. 7.
Check out Siri's Mexican version.
Pre-orders are now available for those wishing to acquire Nintendo’s “The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD” on Wii U.
Here are the Latinos nominated for the 2016 Golden Globes.
"Tom Clancy's The Division" alpha version has been made available on the Xbox One.
Sony has announced the game titles getting a $299 discount until Dec. 19.
Surface Book: Where is it available?
Before the release of "Fallout 4" on Tuesday, a deal for the game came out for Xbox One, PS4 and PC users.
Gamers are in for a treat now that Black Friday deals on consoles, games, and bundle packs are here.
After not getting enough attention when they began their Amazon Black Friday sale last Sunday, the company has offered two Kindle promos where consumers can each save as much as $30.
Consiga dos boletos por el precio de uno con el código OBWW2018.
The superhero movie "Deadpool" has crushed box-office records despite the restricted rating (Rated R) given to the film.
This was the first time in their 52 years in the industry to reveal three cover girls.


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Browser maker NeoPlanet is teaming up with portal site Lycos and its partner Valent Software, in which Lycos has an equity stake, to offer a browser that lets users surf the Net, send instant messages and email, and participate in what it calls "virtual communities."
NeoPlanet offers a browser that companies and individual users can customize with their own branding or look. The company builds its browser around Microsoft's browser engine and has released a preview of a browser built around America Online's browser engine as well.
The companies call NeoPlanet Version 5.0 an "Internet Desktop," capitalizing on the trend of migrating applications and services traditionally found on the computer desktop to Web sites--or, in this case, to the Web browser itself.
More specifically, the launch of NeoPlanet 5.0 coincides with the recognition of instant messaging as a crucial communications tool. The technology has taken center stage this summer as Microsoft and AOL have battled over use of the technology.
"The point of the Internet Desktop is that it has all the applications a user wants to use online," said Drew Cohen, NeoPlanet chief executive. "We had a browser and an email application, but now we have added an instant messaging application with a community-centric view. Over time you should expect to see NeoPlanet offer more and more of what was previously available as individual applications."
NeoPlanet's new offering also will get a boost as Packard Bell NEC makes it the default front end for its Urocket online service, launched in June with connectivity provider UUNet and content provider Lycos.
Under the deal with NeoPlanet, Urocket revenues are shared among the three companies. NeoPlanet typically makes money by driving traffic to content and e-commerce partners listed on channels built into the browser, as well as from advertising.
Instant messaging poses one of the biggest opportunities for companies trying to amass loyal user bases. AOL so far has owned the market, with about 78 million registrations roughly split between its home-grown AOL Instant Messenger and its acquired ICQ instant messaging service. (Since one person can enter multiple registrations on both services, AOL has fewer than 78 million people using its services.)
In combining the browser and the messaging software, NeoPlanet is taking a page from AOL's proprietary service playbook.
"AOL has always been a service provider," Cohen said. "They've always thought of the entire end-user experience, including community, communication, and content as an integrated experience. Browser and instant messaging applications have been about technology. What we're doing is taking a kind of hybrid approach where we're combining these independent applications into an integrated product without being tied to a proprietary online service."
Some have speculated that Microsoft may try to catch up to AOL by wrapping its messaging software into its Internet Explorer browser, which by most accounts has pulled ahead of AOL's Communicator browser in market share.
A Microsoft spokesperson said the company is looking into ways to "enhance" its various messaging applications but declined to comment on any plans to put messaging capability directly into the browser.
NeoPlanet has long sought to position its product as a unique option in the browser market, which has been dominated by Microsoft's Internet Explorer and the Communicator browser that America Online acquired with its purchase of Netscape Communications. NeoPlanet's most unique feature so far has been to let users determine the look and feel of the browser interface.
NeoPlanet 5.0 will offer direct access to Lycos Clubs, a service launched in April that lets users set up special-interest pages and send instant messages to other members. Club users can also post photographs, transfer files, and create home pages.
In addition to Packard Bell and Lycos, New Line Cinema, Network Associates, Loral Space & Communications, and others will customize NeoPlanet for their customers.
NeoPlanet is one of a handful of alternatives to Internet Explorer and Communicator in the desktop browser market. Another alternative is the browser from Norway's Opera Software, which developers have lauded for its adherence to Web standards. Another product, recently launched, is the Multiple Unit Development browser, or MUDBrowser, from Sigma.


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For the past several weeks, I have been dealing with an update error for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare on an Xbox One console in our house. Now, I’m self-throttling my broadband data so I don’t go over Comcast’s 300GB/mo cap. [Read more…]
Activision dropped the first official trailer for the upcoming installment of Call of Duty, which is due out November 6 on PC, Xbox One and PS4. This is Black Ops III with a story mode that seems to come out of the Terminator franchise with a plot centered around the blurred lines between humanity and cutting-edge military robotics that define the future of combat.
Black Ops III is the first title from Treyarch that takes advantage of the three-year dev cycle for the series, which is now split among Treyarch (Black Ops), Infinity Ward (Ghosts) and Sledgehammer Games (Advanced Warfare).
One of the big new features is that the entire campaign can be played in four-player co-op online or two-player co-op locally on a split screen. Also, a Specialists system allows you to choose from nine player types in multiplayer for a unique play style and a power weapon or ability specific to that class.
There is plenty new stuff to be excited about in Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 and it certainly looks like the three-year dev cycle is paying off.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 releases November 6, 2015 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. You can Pre-order the game now and gain access to the Black Ops III Multiplayer Beta here on Amazon.
Best Buy has a deal for this week only that allows you to trade in your old Xbox 360 or PS3 and get a minimum of $175 toward a new Xbox One. And now that the Master Chief Collection is bundle with it for just $350, you end up out of pocket only $175 for the purchase price of the Xbox One.
This deal ends May 2, so find your local Best Buy and jump on it quick if you want it…
Microsoft Studios and 343 Industries has launched Halo: Spartan Strike for Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, iPad, iPhone and Steam (the desktop online gaming service) as a $5.99 download. [Read more…]
Microsoft announced today that soon U.S. and Canadian residents will be able to add a over-the-air TV tuner to the list of programming services available on the Xbox One. This means access to broadcast networks like CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS will be available on the Xbox One for free [Read more…]
It’s official. Halo 5 will arrive on Xbox One on October 27, 2015.
The launch date was revealed last night during a commercial break of the season finale of The Walking Dead. Two commercials showed competing viewpoints of the Master Chief and the mysterious Agent Locke, with the final commercial flashing the 10.27.15 release date.
While that’s great we have a release date now, it is still several months away. The Halo Master Chief Collection gets more and more stale by the day. Let’s just hope 343 doesn’t screw up the Halo 5 launch the way it did the Master Chief Collection with unplayable multiplayer matchmaking.
You can pre-order Halo 5 on Amazon.com.


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Growth coming to Crestview station
The next phase of development around Crestview station is starting to ramp up after sitting idle for several years, and it comes as retail and office leasing appears to be gaining momentum after a slow start.
With housing continuing to be in high demand, developer Trammell Crow Co. broke ground in May on the second phase of apartments at the Midtown Commons complex. The next phase of construction will add 246 apartments to the 316 built in phase one.
The overall development plan calls for 850 apartments at Midtown Commons to be built in four phases, said Mark Fowler, Trammell Crow senior vice president of development management.
In April, Trammell Crow sold 50 acres of adjacent land to homebuilder D.R. Horton Inc., which plans to build 305 homes on smaller lots, Fowler said. D.R. Horton recently broke ground on the first phase of the project.
The area has been a desirable place to live, with occupancy at the Midtown Commons complex hovering at about 95 percent for the past 18 months.
Despite high apartment occupancy, however, retail has been lagging — much as it has been at other transit-orient developments. Since 2010, Black Star Co-Op Pub & Brew has been the only retail tenant.
But it appears that situation is changing, retail real estate professionals said.
“Traction has really picked up on interest in the property,” said Edvin Beasley, a retail leasing agent with Stream Realty Partners LP.
High-end CNN Hair Salon and an acting and modeling agency have recently signed leases in the first of two nearly identical commercial buildings, each with 14,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space. And if contract negotiations with another potential tenant go well, the first building will be 85 percent leased.
Health care, education, creative industries
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Linkin Park - LIVING THINGS Vinyl Release Details
It's been known for a week or two that Linkin Park's LIVING THINGS will see a vinyl release, with pre-orders being taken on international retail outlets such as Amazon, however over the weekend a release date has been revealed as well as the artwork that will support the vinyl edition of Linkin Park's new album. The album is being listed on Amazon Germany, Amazon Japan and Amazon Canada along with an official posting on the Warner Bros. International Catalogue. The album is slated for an October 30th release in Canada and November 23rd release internationally. It's worth noting that Amazon Japan are listing it as a US import from October 30th too.
View the artwork below
CASTLE OF GLASS Music Video + Medal of Honor: Warfighter Beta Release Date Revealed
According to the Director of Programming for Microsoft's Gaming Network XBOX LIVE, Major Nelson, the release date for the Medal of Honor: Warfighter Multiplayer Beta will be October 5th. Linkin Park's upcoming music video for the song CASTLE OF GLASS, which will accompany the release of Medal of Honor: Warfighter, will be available five days later on October 10th or earlier if the Medal of Honor: Warfighter Multiplayer Beta reaches 3 Million Downloads.
You can watch Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of the Behind the Scenes of Linkin Park's CASTLE OF GLASS Video Shoot available now on Medal of Honor's Youtube Channel.
The Medal of Honor: Warfighter video game will be released on PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 on October 23rd.
Linkin Park - iHeartRadio Music Festival 2012
Check out this HD recording of the iHeartRadio Music Festival Show - 09/22/2012


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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has confirmed it is investigating the actions of banks in the country, after they reportedly closed down the accounts of various bitcoin businesses.
, ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the investigation was in its early stages:
The chairman added: "We are asking the banks why they acted as they did and what contact there was between them."
The investigation was prompted by Queensland Nationals Senator Matthew Canavan, who reportedly urged the ACCC to investigate whether the banks had acted in an anti-competitive manner, after they reportedly decided to shut the accounts of some 17 bitcoin businesses.
CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


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The UK manufacturing sector expanded at the fastest pace in four months in August driven by new orders, amid broad based expansion across all product categories.
That's up from 51.1, and it moves further above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.
The index for new export orders was also revised down to 51.3 from a flash reading of 52.2.
Commenting on the data, Rob Dobson, director of IHS Markit, said: "The key question is whether this positive start to the second half of the year can be sustained".More news: US Orders Russian Consulate in San Francisco to Close
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A PMI of 56.9 represented the second-highest level of activity in the industry in three years, and rose from 55.3 in July. Business conditions improved across the three main subsectors - consumer, intermediate and investment goods - and at smaller and large-scale producers alike.
It said survey data had also revealed a fractional rise in employment in August, following a moderate contraction the previous month. Purchase price inflation accelerated for the first time in seven months during August.
"After a loss of momentum in fiscal year (FY) 2016, IHS Markit forecast the Indian economy to recover marginally in FY 2017, with real GDP growth expected at 7.3 per cent", Lima added. "In addition, manufacturers' optimism regarding future production growth only edged up in August to its five-year average, suggesting that they will invest only cautiously in extra capacity".
Group's Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) jumped by 3.8 points to 59.8 last month, marking an eleventh consecutive month of growth.
Greece's jobless rate stood at 21.7 percent in May, the highest in the euro zone. Still, the PMI report showed input costs rising due to higher prices for energy, fuel and metals.


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Armed with more than 15 years experience in the international equipment supply business, veteran entrepreneur, Aldo Andreu charged back into the amusement and gaming market in a big way with the partnership purchase of Miami Slot Sales LLC, betting that his experience and knowledge of this industry will help manage the success and major expansion plans throughout the international market
Miami Slot Sales is a equipment sales company providing casinos and gaming distributors with popular models of reconditioned slots and gaming products from brands such as Atronic, Novomatic, IGT, WMS, Bally, Aristocrat, Sega and several others.
Andreu is now the president/CEO and managing partner and plans to expand its select supplier network which is located within the United States, Europe, Asia and South America.
Andreu said “it will be the first of several moves in the next couple weeks to help find additional suppliers and factories of new gaming equipment to help supply request of these products by our international customers” that he plans to make for his new company. A Weekly Saver Flyer is sent to all customers around the world to promote current games available and new products offered by the company.
With his entrance, Miami Slot Sales has already been appointed as the newest authorized distributor for ABACO, which manufactures the Automated Computer Controlled American Roulette, which is popular in many casino locations around the world.
Andreu worked in the past for Mars Electronics International, James Industries South and sold his own previous company, Andreu International Corporation, a successful and world renowned distribution company. He has been out of the business for five years due to a non-compete clause that was part of the sale. That clause has now expired, and he’s moving back into the market.
For more information, visit the Web site.


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The owner of six of China's fastest privately-owned computers continues to rake in cash thanks to more than a little help from orcs and elves. Video game publisher and online operator The9 said today it posted $66.3m in second quarter 2008 revenue, an immense 69 per cent increase from the same period last year. The lion's share …
Bummer, I guess I'll play some Warcraft, at least my buddies will be there.
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While touting their robust subscriber growth, operators of virtual pay TV platforms have been met with a collective “meh” from investors, who see the low-priced, low-margin skinny vMVPD bundles as poor replacements for fast declining linear video businesses.
During its first-quarter earnings call Wednesday, AT&T presented investors the most robust case to date on what it sees as a currently painful “transition” to OTT video and why it believes it will come out ahead in the long run.
For the quarter, AT&T added 312,000 DirecTV Now customers while losing 187,000 customers across its linear DirecTV satellite and U-verse IPTV platforms. The virtual platform now accounts for around 17% of AT&T’s 25.4 million pay TV customers, up from just 1% a year ago.
Speaking to investors, AT&T CFO John Stephens used the term “transition” a dozen times. And, at least in the beginning, transitions are painful.
With the virtual platform base-priced at $35 a month, AT&T conceded to already feeling the aches of margin pressure.
“Transitions such as this are never easy, but we have shown that we're able to do this time and time again, whether it'd be with our voice or broadband or wireless services,” Stephens said. “We don't expect video to be any different. We do expect revenue and margin pressure as we manage through this, especially this year.”
Stephens believes the debut of the new DirecTV Now operating platform, launching in beta in the ongoing second quarter, will provide some relief.
He hopes that additional revenue can be spun off from DirecTV’s new cloud DVR, as well as VOD and pay-per-view capabilities.
“These new services will add new revenue streams and help counter some of the revenue and margin pressure we are dealing with,” Stephens explained.
He said further revenue could be realized through advanced advertising and collected data insights on the IP-based DirecTV Now platform. Notably, AT&T's advanced advertising unit, AdWorks, reported a 9% revenue gain for the quarter, driven in part by the addressable IP capabilities of DirecTV Now.
“On the advertising, I'd point out that this quarter we were up 9% in revenues. We have a base of about $350 million a quarter, in that range … So the team is actually proving that this works already with our existing [framework], if you will, of the inventory of ads that we get as the distributor from the content folks,” Stephens said.
“So we're making it work. We're getting higher CPMs and getting higher revenue streams and making it more effective. We feel really good about that. As we go through this year, we hope to add a lot more inventory from underneath our umbrella of ownership companies to that, and we'd like to develop that.”
He noted that digital advertising could soon be an $80 billion business.
“We're not what I would call in that piece a significant player,” Stephens noted. “We believe that we can be. We have the capabilities to be.”
Data insights is another emerging revenue opportunity for AT&T, he said.
“If you think about digital and the opportunity to grow that, and anything about the opportunity to take all of our digital insights and data insights and help advertisers make sure their advertising is working effectively and efficiently, we believe that there's a real opportunity there,” Stephens added.
While mentioning a range of opportunities, Stephens stopped short of specifying just what the dollar figures might look like. This is undoubtedly key for analysts, who are pretty aware on a granular level that virtual services are trading at pennies on the dollar in regard to much higher margin linear services. For his part, however, the CFO also spoke to the other side of the equation: customer set-up costs, noting DirecTV Now’s lack of truck rolls as a major cash flow saver.
“Moving to the DirecTV Now platform or moving to a thin client platform eventually for the home is really going to change the free cash flow aspects because of the upfront cost of truck rolls,” Stephens explained. “If you will, climb the roof costs—all of that can change as well as some of the things with regard to billing and administrative costs, the fact that it's an automatic bill or it's a credit card bill, all of those things will change.”
While it does seem to have the makings of a plan, it's tough to say if AT&T knows exactly how virtual pay TV margins will match up to the salad days of linear once all of this revenue potential is finally realized ... or is deemed not to have panned out.
Perhaps most compelling—and ephemeral—of all, Stephens said, will be AT&T’s ability to dovetail the virtual pay TV platform with its core wireless business.
“Bundling all that with wireless, that's the real strength in it,” he said. “That's what makes it worth all the efforts that we're going through to transition it. So it's not just one individual piece, but it's the collection of those pieces that make this very attractive.”


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BookMyShow has said it is looking to push its live events business to bring its revenue level with its current movie ticketing vertical.
The company already provides online ticketing for sports and non-sports live events, such as Disney’s Aladdin.
As it stands, cinema tickets provide around 65 per cent of the firm’s revenue, according to the Business Standard newspaper, while the rest comes from live event ticketing, including plays, music concerts, matches in the Indian Premier League and other sporting events.
With the growing competition in the Indian movie ticketing space, BookMyShow is aiming to boost its non-movie business to half its revenue by 2020-21.
“As with movie ticketing, we are in for the long haul. That is why we prefer to be promoters and producers of live events. We started with Disney’s Aladdin and are preparing to get Cirque du Soleil (Montreal-based theatrical producer) to India in November,” said Albert Almeida, chief operating officer of the non-movies business, according to the Business Standard.
“Live events (the business) has two major challenges. First, it is heavily taxed, at 28 per cent. Second, the infrastructure for live events is severely lacking. So, producers have to invest more while putting up these shows. Both these escalate costs. We’re still in the phase of convincing people to pay a premium for these events, which means revenue will grow gradually.”
He added that brand partners will be key to BookMyShow’s success in the live events business.


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After Slow Start, New-Energy Carmakers Accelerate Into Second Half of 2017
A host of policy changes at the start of 2017 dampened sales for China’s new-energy carmakers in the first half of the year, but improving conditions and growing clarity since spring are leading manufacturers to predict strong momentum into year-end.
The first-half weakness showed up in results for BYD Co. Ltd., China’s leading manufacturer, which reported that revenue from its new-energy car business rose just 2.1% in the first half of the year to 15.6 billion yuan ($2.4 billion), accounting for about a third of its revenue. The actual number of new-energy vehicles sold fell to nearly 40,000 in the six through June, down about 18% from the first half of 2016. That weak performance dragged on BYD’s profit, which sank 24% for the period.
“In the first half of 2017, under the influence of policies such as the scaling down of subsidies and policy adjustments which changed the qualification requirements for the subsidies, the sales of new-energy automobiles of the group experienced a year-on-year decrease to a certain extent during the period,” BYD said in a statement with its interim results.
Just weeks earlier, rival BAIC Motor, the nation’s biggest maker of pure electric vehicles (EVs), said it sold just 36,000 vehicles in the first seven months of the year, putting it well off its target for selling 170,000 units for all of 2017. Industrywide, the figures were better, with new-energy vehicle sales growing 21% in the first seven months of the year to 560,000 units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
But even that growth was less than half the rate for all 2016, when the government began an overhaul of a subsidy system that was designed to promote the sector, but instead resulted in widespread fraud from both manufacturers and buyers. The former group took advantage of state grants to boost their income, even as they developed cars that sometimes never entered mass production. The latter group often purchased cars to get similar subsidies, even though they never intended to drive them.
To remedy the situation, the government forced carmakers to re-register all their models with the government after the end of last year, saying only models that met its standards could be sold. At the same time, it rolled out a new policy requiring all vehicles to be driven for at least 30,000 kilometers before buyers could collect government rebates and other subsidies.
“The entire country’s new-energy carmakers are facing similar challenges,” said the sales manager at a midsized carmaker, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media. “One of the main reasons is the 30,000 kilometer restriction. In addition, the new-energy car industry has already entered into a kind of cycle where a big portion of sales come in the second half of the year.”
He added that his own company’s sales were weak in the first half of the year, but declined to give specifics.
The latest monthly data showed that after the slow start to the year, sales industrywide are slowly gaining momentum as more cars receive government approval and the broader system overhauls start to take effect. Following the central government’s lead, many local governments are also adjusting their own local incentive programs, and many of their newer plans are only now being rolled out.
As that happens, sales growth has been accelerating, reaching 34% in June and zooming ahead by 55% in July, according to the automobile association’s data.
BYD Chairman Wang Chuanfu said that his company’s own sales have been recovering since April, and returning to a growth track. He added his own belief that retirement of the old subsidy system was positive, despite short-term difficulties, and would help the industry’s development over the longer term.
“With the continuous technological evolution of new energy automobiles and the increasing attractiveness of new-energy automobiles to consumers, the development of new-energy automobile industry will gradually migrate to performance-driven from policy-driven in the future, and the performance and safety advantages of new-energy automobiles over traditional fuel vehicles will become the key factors influencing customers’ choices,” BYD said in its statement.
Contact reporter Yang Ge (email@example.com)
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Reports claim that Julien Merceron, Konami’s worldwide technology director and the one overseeing the creation of the Fox Engine, has left the company.
Merceron joined Konami in late 2013 after a four year span at Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix.
His time at Konami saw the creation and development of the Fox Engine, which recent titles run on including Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain and PES 2016.
Why Merceron has left the company is still not clear, though it’s not uncommon for employees to leave companies after big projects have been shipped.
In May of this year Konami president, Hideki Haykawa, stated the company would focus heavily on mobile games as they went forward.
“Our main platforms will be mobiles,” he said. “Gaming has spread to a number of platforms, but at the end of the day, the platform that is always closest to us, is mobile. Mobile is where the future of gaming lies.”
We don’t know how Merceron’s departure will affect the company, but this isn’t the only big figure Konami have lost recently.
Do you think Konami have made some bad decisions recently? What would you do in their shoes? Let us know in the comments below.


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Powering their way into Turkey and the rest of the world
Power has become an indispensable resource and advancing technology has only made this resource dearer. The need for a generator becomes greater especially when one begins losing money and customers.
Turkey's AKSA Power Generation is a pioneer in the field of power and electricity generation. This year marks an important milestone for Aksa- it has been three decades since the first generator was manufactured by the company in 1984. Today, Aksa has become a global brand with manufacturing facilities in three continents and exporting muscle in more than 160 countries. It is the largest generator manufacturer in Turkey with sales exceeding US$300mn and employs over 1,000 people.
Mr. Alper Peker, the general manager of AKSA has been a part of the company since 2002. Between 2007 and 2013, he worked as the general manager of the Chinese operations, which also has the biggest production capacity worldwide. In 2013, Mr. Peker has been appointed as the general manager of AKSA Power Generation head quarter in Istanbul.
The company has accelerated its investments outside of Turkey since 2007. In 2012, the company commissioned its new factory in China with the highest generator manufacturing capacity. Aksa manufactures products in its factories located in USA, Turkey, China, Singapore and Kazakhstan adhering to UL, ISO, CE standards. With exports to over 160 countries and around-the-clock customer service in 81 cities in Turkey, AKSA Power Generation is a unanimous choice for the region.
A cardinal rule in the generator manufacturing business is to be able to provide uninterrupted power whenever needed. For instance, if a mobile base station could continue its operations when power outage occurs at -20 C at an altitude of 3280 ft, this would be possible due to the generators that we produced.
"Although many people are not aware of this, we carry the responsibility of uninterrupted vital communications services. We design and manufacture products that serve to urban city center requirements as well as tough challenging geographical conditions. If our generators are silent and reliable enough to be operated in a hospital as well as at military defense points under challenging conditions, that we call it success," said Mr. Peker.
AKSA Power Generation has been endowed with awards- the company received The Stars of Export Award in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Category from Mr. Nihat Zeybekci, minister of economy of Turkey and Mr.Mehmet Buyukeksi, chairman of the Assembly of the Turkish Exporters. Besides this, AKSA was also given the Best Customer of the Year 2013 award by South Korean engine manufacturer Doosan Motor Company.
"Every five minutes globally, a new customer buys an AKSA generator. We aspire to continue our reliable brand image of our firm with the same consistency and transfer our knowledge to future generations," added Peker.
The company is working to meet the target of the Turkish economy to achieve US$500bn worth of exports by 2023.
"We constantly increase our effectiveness in the international markets by cooperating with the most powerful suppliers in the world like Mitsubishi, Cummins and Doosan, with whom we share the similar ideals on customer service and reliable brand image."


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Fitch Ratings, one of the “Big Three” credit rating agencies in the world, says in a just released note to investors that MGM Cotai should produce $220 million in earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA).
MGM Cotai is set to open in the last quarter in 2017 at a cost estimated at $3.3 billion.
Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts is continuing a worldwide expansion that includes MGM National Harbor near Washington D.C. which opened in December and MGM Springfield set to open in 2018 in Massachusetts.
MGM’s Cotai Strip resort features 1,400 hotel rooms, a luxury spa, high-end retail shops, and 500,000 square feet of gaming space. Other recent resort openings in Macau include MGM Cotai’s adjacent neighbor, Wynn Palace, with a cost of $4.2 billion and more than 1,700 rooms and the Parisian Macao, Las Vegas Sands’ newest property with 3,000 rooms.