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achieve results. Kim Kardashian offered a candid look at the ups and downs of her weight-loss journey for the 2022 Met Gala.
“So I’m at 118 [pounds] again. I got to 120 [pounds] it tripped me up,” the 42-year-old reality star revealed to her personal trainer during a new episode of Hulu The Kardashianswhich premiered on Thursday, November 10th.
In a confessional, Kim broke down her approach to training to reach her goal weight. “Well, I fit the dress, but I’m not going to stop working out. I’ve got this sauna suit and I put it on and it makes you sweat – even if it’s waterweight it’s going to help,” she explained ahead of the May event.
As the cameras rolled in Season 2, the Skims founder made headlines for her performance in vintage Bob Mackie dress during fashion’s biggest night. “It was this or nothing,” said the TV personality Fashion in the same month and referred to the dress previously worn by Marilyn Monroe in 1962. “I didn’t starve myself, but I was so strict.”
A month later, Kim slammed critics who questioned her decision to lose 16 pounds in three weeks. “It was just important to me to achieve this goal,” she explained in an interview The New York Times. “I just couldn’t have gone [if I didn’t loss the weight]which wouldn’t have mattered.”
The businesswoman added: “For me it was like, ‘OK, Christian Balle can do it for a film role and that’s acceptable.’ Even Renee Zellweger increased for a role. It’s all the same to me. I didn’t say, ‘Hey everyone, why don’t you guys lose that weight in a little while?’”
At the time, Kim revealed that she had “lost 21 pounds” since preparing for the event in New York. “It taught me a lot about my lifestyle and my health,” she said on the today show about her original weight loss plan. “Since then, I’ve continued to eat very healthily. I’m not trying to lose any more weight, but I have more energy than ever. I cut out so much sugar, a lot of the junk food I ate… I just completely changed my lifestyle.”
The aspiring lawyer also called out claims that she damaged the iconic dress after wearing it. “It was such a process. I showed up on the red carpet in a robe and slippers and put on the dress at the bottom of the carpet and walked up the stairs,” she continued. “I had it on for probably three minutes, four minutes and then I changed at the top of the stairs. Ripley’s [and I] worked so well together. There were handlers and gloves that put it on me.”
In a statement released the same month, Ripley’s addressed the controversy, saying: “Kim Kardashian wearing the ‘Happy Birthday’ dress has been heavily denied, but the fact remains that she in no way inferred the garment in the small crowd worn to the Met Gala.”
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of Kim’s preparation for the Met Gala:
https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/pictures/kim-kardashian-reveals-her-target-weight-for-2022-met-gala-details/ Kim Kardashian reveals her goal weight for the 2022 Met Gala: details


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Research Perspective and Comments & Analysis
Blueberry Consumers Trending Younger As Overall Consumption Rises In U.S.
By Mark Villata, Executive Director For The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
Demand for blueberries is growing by leaps and bounds. Americans are nearly twice as likely as they were nine years ago to buy blueberries this year. The number of households saying they purchased blueberries within the past month (69 percent) has nearly doubled since 2008.
Today’s blueberry consumers are also trending younger and more diverse; they are more likely to be 35- to 44-year-olds (often parents with kids at home) and minorities. When one considers this shift in buyer demographics, and the fact that 57 percent of consumers have seen news stories about the healthfulness of blueberries, it’s evident that the industry’s investment in communicating the role blueberries play in a healthy lifestyle is paying off. With the Mom market representing $2.7 trillion in annual spending in the U.S. and the Hispanic market expected to hit $1.5 trillion in buying power by 2015, connecting with this next wave of purchasers will continue to be a key strategy in driving demand.
A Fit For Modern Lifestyles
As consumers place greater emphasis on finding healthy, flavorful options that are also convenient, blueberries rise to the top of ideal options. Marketers looking to move product quickly off shelves should continue to position blueberries as a good fit for modern lifestyles.
When asked what they like best about blueberries, consumers cite a variety of attributes including health (84 percent), taste (81 percent), convenience (61 percent) and versatility (44 percent) — evidence that they view blueberries as a simple yet beneficial addition to their diet.
The majority of consumers (84 percent) choose fresh blueberries over other forms, preferring to eat them “out-of-hand” as a snack (60 percent), over yogurt (54 percent), in smoothies (49 percent) or over cereal (48 percent) — all ideal options for busy families or individuals.
The favorite way to use frozen blueberries is in smoothies. Forty-nine percent of the general population, and 54 percent of women between the ages of 25 to 44, say they like to use frozen blueberries in smoothies, which have become a popular source of fuel for the health-conscious and time-pressed.
The Blueberry Effect
With 99 percent of consumers believing blueberries to be a healthy food and 68 percent stating awareness of specific health benefits (a 115 percent increase over 2004), there’s no doubt consumers associate blueberries with a healthy lifestyle. This is good news for marketers, because awareness of the fruit’s nutritional benefits is closely tied to propensity to purchase.
When consumers see blueberry items on menus, 58 percent perceive the specific dish as being healthier, 24 percent perceive the restaurant as offering healthy fare, and nearly 20 percent say they order that specific dish.
Make Use Of The Web
As they seek to enhance their own bottom line, blueberry marketers have much to gain from web-based communications.
Nearly 60 percent of consumers say they are very likely to purchase blueberries based on information they’ve seen on social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. To draw more consumers into the store, retailers should consider promoting special blueberry offers through these channels.
As more people are made aware of the many ways blueberries fit in a healthy, dynamic lifestyle, demand for this small package with big benefits will continue to grow. Marketers and merchandisers with an eye on the bottom line should take a closer look at the great potential of this little fruit. To view an executive summary of the research, visit blueberrycouncil.org/blueberry-marketers.
Methodological notes: The research was conducted by Hebert Research, Bellevue, WA, on behalf of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council in May 2013 among 3,765 nationally representative Americans ages 18 and over. Data was collected via a combination of online, mobile and telephone surveys. Respondents were categorized into a general population group of 1,797 primary shoppers and an oversample of 1,968 women ages 25 to 44 who also identify themselves as primary shoppers. The general population group was used as the baseline for all comparisons with 2004 and 2008 data. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 2 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample. The margin of error for any subgroups will be slightly higher.
Unlike Rest Of Industry, Blueberry’s Health Pitch Has Fueled Production And Demand
President Reagan’s economic program was ridiculed by some as “supply side” economics. The Keynesian view, which was conventional wisdom at the time, was to supercharge demand — expecting businesses to keep up, to employ people and to get the economy going.
Although President Reagan never used the “supply side” term, his program was deemed to be focused on creating investment incentives. The theory was that new products and services created their own demand. So it is with blueberries.
Without question, consumption has boomed. Though some of this growth was facilitated by increases in U.S. production, which grew steadily — from 80 million pounds of fresh harvest in 2000 to 281 million pounds in 2012 (according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Services) — the explosion in production came from the Southern Hemisphere — with Chile alone going from 6 million pounds in 2000 to 117 million pounds in 2012 (according to the U.S. Department of Commerce).
Fifteen years ago, there was virtually no Southern Hemisphere blueberry production. Today, about half of the blueberry consumption in the U.S. is supplied by imports, and both Peru and Mexico are expected to boom in the future.
Obviously, few people would plant blueberries or look to establish a Southern Hemisphere blueberry industry if they didn’t believe the demand would be there, but it is also true that the year-round volume secured year-round shelf-space at retail and funded enhanced promotion. Indeed the decision to go to a mandatory assessment for research and promotion for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council was driven, in no small part, by projections of massive increases in blueberry production, which motivated the industry to work hard on increasing consumption.
The blueberry health pitch is also somewhat distinct from that of the produce industry at large. Much of the trade’s health focus is built around the idea that eating more produce means eating less of other things and that this change in eating habits will reduce obesity as well as obesity-related health issues. Our industry’s overall health focus is not built on any specific health claim related to produce. That is why no specific mix of produce need be promoted; it is just that “More Matters!”
When you have a fruit that is delicious, available year-around, very convenient to eat, and it supposedly has so many benefits, it is not surprising that consumption keeps rising. It is all upside and no downside.
New technology from companies such as Naturipe even brought blueberries into the seasonal oatmeal selection at McDonald’s. The plan is to bring blueberries into greater use in foodservice — where sales growth has lagged compared to retail.
The blueberry success is an incredible story, but it is hard to know what the lesson is for the rest of the produce industry. Many items that we need boosted in consumption are bitter greens and don’t have the natural appeal of sweet fruits such as blueberries. Many items need to be cooked or are large and bulky. They are not the perfect snack size like the blueberry.
Perhaps some new research would help to find specific health benefits, but it is not clear to what extent these specific benefits drive consumption, as opposed to a general perception that blueberries are good for you, tasty and convenient.
There is a bit of a chicken-and-the-egg quality to the blueberry story. The demographics of usage has broadened — well it is hard to imagine that the demographics of consumption would not change if the market was to absorb such enormous increase in production. More people report they ate blueberries within the past 30 days. Well isn’t that part of year-round production keeping blueberries on the shelf 52 weeks a year in every supermarket? In addition, though 57 percent of consumers have seen news stories about the healthfulness of blueberries, causality is not proven.
The key issue is that a well-received product met an opportunity to become a year-round item. The transition led to more year-round shelf space and the adoption of new habits, say putting blueberries on oatmeal rather than bananas. This fortuitously happened in a well-organized industry that was prepared to invest in expanding demand and researching technology to boost usage.
One thing we don’t have evidence of is that increased consumption of blueberries has led to greater overall produce consumption. That’s a research study that would be well worth doing.

domain: news


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Rise in revenue for Apollo Tyres
ERJ staff report (TP)
Gurgaon, India – Apollo Tyres announced an increase of 18% in revenue for its European operations in its first quarter results for 2014-15.
For the quarter ended 30 June 2014 – Q1 FY2014-15 (April – June) – Apollo reported a profit of Rs 228 crore (€27.8m) on net sales of Rs 3235 crore (394.9m).
The company’s Indian operations registered a 6% increase in revenue in the first quarter, while European operations, “continuing its good performance”, registered an increase of 18% in revenue, as compared to the same period last year.
Sale of part of its African business in the last fiscal, led to the company reporting flat revenue growth on a consolidated level in the first quarter.
Onkar S Kanwar, chairman of Apollo Tyres, said: “Increased vehicle sales in the past quarter across geographies, and especially in India, along with a better product and market mix, helped us report good numbers in the past quarter.”
The Q1 FY2014-15 (April - June) results in comparison to Q1 FY2013-14 show net sales stood at Rs 32.35 billion (Rs 3235 crore) from Rs 31.9 billion (Rs 3190 crore).
Operating profit this quarter was Rs 4.58 billion (Rs 458 crore) – an increase of 13%, from Rs 4.04 billion (Rs 404 crore) in Q1 FY2013-14.
Also, net profit grew 37% to Rs 2.28 billion (Rs 228 crore) from Rs 1.66 billion (Rs 166 crore) in the same period last year.
Kanwar added: “Along with our decision to go ahead with a new Greenfield facility in Eastern Europe, we also have plans in place to expand the truck-bus radial capacity at our Chennai plant and re-jig the product mix of our facility in Kalamassery, Kerala.”
Related story – Opinion: Back-seat for European tire market on Apollo B?


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British Airways’ boss has urged the UK government to ease visa restrictions on Chinese travellers as the carrier unveiled a new codeshare agreement with China Southern Airlines.
The deal means that BA customers can now book seats on China Southern flights to four destinations – Shenyang and Harbin (via Shanghai) Changchun (via Shanghai or Beijing) and Dalian (via Beijing).
BA currently operates 10 flights per week to Shanghai and also flies daily to Beijing – both from Heathrow. Although the airline axed its route to Chengdu in January 2017.
Alex Cruz, CEO of British Airways, said: “We are excited by today’s announcement, which will help to drive tourism and economic and cultural exchange between the UK and China, by facilitating reciprocal leisure and business travel.
“Now we need the British government to take urgent action on its visa policy by making it easier for Chinese businesses and tourists to come to the UK. China is the world’s second largest economy and we need to do all we can to encourage these trade links. This is even more critical post Brexit.”
As part of the deal, China Southern Airlines customers will be able to book seats on BA flights from Heathrow to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle and Belfast.
China Southern called the agreement with BA a “significant milestone” in its network development strategy.
“The United Kingdom is one of the most competitive markets, and by partnering with British Airways, each airline can use its strength to benefit the other and offer more choice and enhanced connectivity to all guests, while experiencing the world-class services and products offered by both airlines,” said the airline in a statement.


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Sony to reveal launch of 3D TV by end of 2010
LONDON - Sony is expected to launch its 3D television technology to consumers by the end of next year.
Chief executive Howard Stringer will tell a technology trade show in Berlin today that Sony is ready to bring 3D to market, the Financial Times reports.
In excerpts of his planned speech, revealed by the FT, Stringer says: "Today, 3D is clearly on its way to the mass market.
"As with high definition a few years back, there are a variety of issues yet to be addressed. But the 3D train is on the track and we at Sony are ready to drive it home."
Unlike the polarisation technique used to make 3D films, Sony's 3D television will use "shutter" technology, which can darken one lens while the other remains transparent.
The shutters are controlled by signals sent from a transmitter to create the 3D experience.
In July, BSkyB said it was planning to launch Europe's first 3D channel next year, featuring a mix of films, entertainment and sport.
The service is to be available via Sky+HD set-top but viewers will need a "3D Ready" TV. Last year, BSkyB aired a live event, a concert by the rock band Keane, in 3D for the first time.
Sky and Sony have previously teamed up for a joint marketing push to promote Sky's HD channel and Sony's HD technology.
In January this year Howard stringer said that 3D and online connectivity were the bedrock of Sony's future growth plans.
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Nintendo announced the NSO Expansion Pack in a Direct presentation in September. At the time, players were cautiously optimistic about the chance to play classic Nintendo 64 games on their Switch systems. Who doesn’t want to take Star Fox 64 on a long plane ride?
Now that the service is live, are Switch owners still excited about it? Not really. Unfortunately, the Expansion Pack has failed to live up to expectations.
Is It Worth the Price?
The first sign of trouble that fans noticed about the service was the indefensible price. The base plan for Nintendo Switch Online only costs $20 per year. For that price, it includes access to online multiplayer and a collection of NES and SNES games.
HAHAHAHA pic.twitter.com/S2h4C7ahtF— MutantAura (@MutantAura) October 26, 2021
The Expansion Pack costs more than double that, $50 per year, and includes nine N64 games. Some other bonuses are included, like the upcoming Happy Home Paradise expansion for Animal Crossing: New Horizons and a selection of 14 Sega Genesis titles.
The addition of downloadable content is a nice bonus, but the price doesn’t seem to match what subscribers are getting. Thirty dollars feels like a lot of money for nine games from the 90s, and that’s assuming they even function correctly.
The addition of N64 titles to Nintendo Switch Online is the primary draw for the Expansion Pack. However, emulation issues have made the launch of this service a nightmare. Screenshot comparisons reveal that the titles look worse on Switch than the Wii U, which launched in 2012.
Videos on social media show the games performing poorly on Switch hardware. The N64 titles sport bizarrely low framerates and inexplicable crashes. Gamers have also reported experiencing game-breaking latency issues while playing with friends in Mario Kart 64.
Social media users find it hard to believe that games released nearly 25 years ago are struggling to run on hardware from 2017.
Con: The button mapping for N64 on Switch is so terrible that I'm still in disbelief that there's no option to remap— Blessing Adeoye Jr. (@BlessingJr) October 26, 2021
Pro: Star Fox 64 ages so gracefully it's ridiculous pic.twitter.com/9koZVwK7fB
To make matters worse, Nintendo has chosen to offer no options for button remapping on N64 titles. This lack of remapping is a problem because of the vastly different designs of the Switch and N64 controllers.
The awkward solution offered by Nintendo leaves several control schemes available on the N64 inaccessible on Switch. Nintendo’s chosen layout makes muscle memory from N64 games worse than useless, as players relearn how to interact with classic games.
For example, Eurogamer points out that players can’t shoot and move to the right at the same time in Sin and Punishment.
Wait for Updates
It’s not all bad news for Nintendo, though. The company announced during the September Direct that Paper Mario and Majora’s Mask are joining the Expansion Pack service soon. As they roll out these updates, fans hope that Nintendo will also address the odd decisions that make playing these N64 games such a frustrating user experience.
The new service could be a worthy addition to any Switch player’s gaming rotation if they do. Without some quality-of-life upgrades, however, gamers are better off passing on the NSO Expansion Pack.


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isn't waiting around for the next wave of consoles
to hit before melting eyeballs in the living room. In fact, publisher Electronic Arts announced that the German developer is already prepping a follow up to Crysis
, this time for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 as well as the PC.
Creatively titled Crysis 2
, the title is the first built using the studio's new console-ready
middleware, CryENGINE 3
. Nothing else is known, though with E3
kicking off this week we've opened up a new box of tissues just in case we hear more.


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Viva Voluptuous, a luxury online retailer for plus size swimwear and lingerie, has announced it is relying on public support to make its intimate apparel industry debut.
The brand launched its first 30-day crowdfunding campaign last week (Tuesday 27 Feb) via the Kickstarter website, with the goal of raising £5,000 towards developing a new exciting swimwear range for plus-size women.
The UK-based plus size brand, which offers sizes spanning from underband 36 to 48 inches and cup size D to I, is urging the general public to join the curvy revolution by helping to expand its sexy and supportive range for plus size women by offering its new swimwear collection on a reward basis to those who pre-order.
Founder and director of Viva Voluptuous Ltd, Liz Willis, stated: “We have already been blown away by the amount of support we have received in our quest to ensure that every woman feels sexy and supported in her lingerie and swimwear, no matter what her size, and we are thrilled to be offering our loyal customers and other brand advocates the chance to help advance the revolution.”
Viva Voluptuous claims to be the only brand world-wide that refuses to skimp on fabric or change its designs to dowdy prints and beige when underband sizes surpass 38 inches.
Willis added: “With the number of plus size women in the UK on the rise and the body positivity movement gaining momentum, we feel that it is very important for companies like us to keep our foot on the accelerator and continue to not only meet, but exceed the needs of a group of women who have been ignored in the undergarment community for far too long. We believe that Kickstarter and the support of the general public will go a long way helping us do this.”


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Dubuque, IA, April 12, 2018 --(PR.com
)-- Enlighten Mystic Minds launched emmclothing.com, a website devoted to the clothing brand & boutique, on April 9th. emmclothing.com will make it possible for customers to engage more with the business on the internet, including the ability to purchase clothing products on the online store and have them shipped anywhere in the US.
“The new website is sleeker and offers us far greater opportunities for getting the word out about our products and it’s easier to use than ever before,” the company’s CEO, Mitchel Arthofer, said about the new domain and website design.
The new website comes after a recent remodel of their storefront in Dubuque’s Millwork District at 800 White Street. They have also recently announced that they will be releasing an additional 65 products in the enlighten clothing line.
United to All, Biased to None.


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New look for speakerinnen.org!
It took almost a year and many volunteer hours of time, discussions, ideas and (mostly digital) meetings - but today the new speakerinnen.org page finally goes online. Designed by Salit Krac, the developers of the team have given the website a new, more contemporary look. The main new feature is the layout of the entire site, where women experts can register their competences free of charge.
We are especially pleased that new great illustrations by Malwine open the site. They show partly known, partly unknown women in different roles - as speaker, moderator, discussion partner - roles for which event organisations can find contact persons on Speakerinnen.org.
Our new illustrations of women speakers by Malwine
At the same time, our cooperation page of the Speakerinnen Vorarlberg is going online in the same look. Around 100 Vorarlberg women experts and speakers are already online here and can be found with their expertise and contacted for events, interviews and more.
After the relaunch is before many more tasks: Now that we have reached this milestone, there is still a lot to do! We are working intensively on improving the search function on Speakerinnen.org so that users can search for experts in an even more targeted way. And we are in contact for further cooperations, which we will tell you about soon!
More illustrations by Malwine


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Today Google announced the latest version of its mobile operating system: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It’s an incremental upgrade — a number of valuable features have been added, but there’s no real revamp to be seen. Still, these features are incredibly competitive, and in many ways threaten Apple’s latest mobile operating system, iOS 6.
Google’s voice transcription and search now has the look and feel of Siri’s UI, the camera app works in a more streamlined fashion with swipe to preview, and Google Now goes a step further than Siri to offer everything you need to know without you ever saying a word.
That said, here are the top five features of the new platform for your drooling pleasure. Check it out:
Despite the fact that there’s a clear shift over to voice, the keyboard still remains one of the most important features on a smartphone. We recently saw none other than RIM debut a slick new predictive keyboard that knows what’s being typed based on context, and now Google has done pretty much the same.
The new Jelly Bean keyboard lets you get started by typing a word or two, and then based on what you’ve said, Android makes a few educated guesses on what your next word will be and offers them up as options before you’ve even started typing the next few words.
Voice text has also been significantly improved and pretty much kicks Siri right where it hurts: in the data. Google has shrunk down the voice transcription software to fit inside the device itself, rather than over the network connection. This means that users can type with their voice whether they have service or not.
Android Beam has been a feature in Ice Cream Sandwich for a while, but it has ended up being even more limited than Samsung’s NFC application S Beam. But Google has smartly added some new faetures to the application to keep you as future-friendly as NFC itself.
Android Beam now lets you tap your phone to any other NFC-enabled Android Beam phone to share photos and videos. You can also automatically pair any NFC-capable Bluetooth device, including speakers, headsets, etc., with your phone by simply tapping the phone against the device. “It’s that easy.”


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The J. D. Power ‘India APEAL Study’ is a study conducted every year in India to gauge the performance of the Indian Car Industry in terms of customer satisfaction. It was started is 1998 to analyze the satisfaction of customers with the cars as well as improvements made by the car companies to meet the requirements of the customers. This year it was conducted from November 2011 to July 2012 and 8000 owners of new cars responded to the study within two months of ownership. The categories for the study are – vehicle exterior; vehicle interior; storage and space; audio/ entertainment/ navigation; seats; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); driving dynamics; engine/ transmission; visibility and driving safety; and fuel economy.
In the overall results, Maruti claimed three awards and Toyota claimed two. Also the in general satisfaction of customers towards their cars has increased by a decent amount from last year. The category that was given most importance was the ‘visibility and driving safety’ and ‘fuel economy’. Though a noted increase in importance has been observed for the ‘interior quality and features’ in the past few years with manufacturers responding with lots of improvements as well. A noted improvement in satisfaction has been seen in the small car and MUV/SUV segment in terms of interior quality.
Another major change noticed was satisfaction levels with diesel engined cars over the last 4 years. In 2009 petrol car users were more satisfied with their cars than diesel car owners but in 2012 it’s exactly opposite with satisfaction of diesel car owners being much higher than petrol car users. This shift is due to the wide gap in the petrol and diesel prices where more people are opting for diesel cars and are relatively spending a lot less on running their cars than petrol cars.
The winners in the different car segments are –
- Compact Car – Chevrolet Spark and Maruti Suzuki Estilo tied in this category
- Premium Compact Car – Honda Jazz
- Midsize Car – Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire won for the 5th consecutive year
- MUV/MPV Segment – Toyota Innova won for the 6th consecutive year
- SUV Segment – Toyota Fortuner.


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Inside This Issue - News
Food Marketing Institute president and chief executive officer Leslie Sarasin compared the change occurring in the relationship between supermarket retailers and their customers to what happened to mankind’s view of its place in the universe when Nicolaus Copernicus developed the theory that the Earth revolves around the sun, rather than the other way around.
Safeway Inc. president Robert Edwards will succeed outgoing chief executive officer Steve Burd on May 14.
Tesco PLC’s abandonment of its Fresh & Easy chain in the United States will cost the chain more than $1.8 billion. The total includes $263 million in operating loss and about $1.56 billion in noncash items.
David Campisi, a 30-year retailing veteran who most recently headed an apparel company, has been named president and chief executive officer of Big Lots Inc.
The influx of new generic drugs hoisted earnings but tempered sales growth in the first quarter at CVS Caremark Corp.
Former Supervalu Inc. executive Peter Van Helden has been named president and chief operating officer at Stater Bros. Markets. He succeeds Jim Lee, who will retire next month.
Walgreen Co. debuted its latest flagship store here late last month.
Community pharmacy has to continue to work to shape public policy to improve patient outcomes, executives at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and members of its board of directors stressed at the association’s Annual Meeting here last month.
Shopko Stores Operating Co. has appointed Michael Cooper to the position of senior vice president of marketing. He reports to Jill Soltau, president and chief merchandising officer.
Supervalu Inc. has named Rite Aid Corp. chairman, president and chief executive officer John Standley to its board of directors.
FreshDirect, an online retailer of grocery and fresh food, will expand its service to customers in 90 ZIP codes in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.


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Important Milestones In Indian Telecom Sector In 2020
Besides, the Supreme Court has announced its verdict on adjusted gross revenue dues. Notably, that was a landmark decision announced by the apex court as telecom operators finally knew how much they have to pay or shell out from their pockets to clear the dues. So, we are listing all major milestones achieved by the telecom industry this year.
Reliance Jio Number One Telecom Player; Launches Postpaid Plans And JioPhone Users
This is quite surprising for the telecom industry as Reliance Jio became the number one player in just four years of operations. The operator is currently serving its services to 404.15 million users along with a 35.19 percent share in September as per TRAI data.
Besides, the operator launched five postpaid plans of Rs. 399, Rs. 599, Rs. 799, Rs. 999, and Rs. 1, 499. In addition, the telecom operator has launched plans for Jiophone users along with work from home packs and few internet packs.
Reliance Jio Becomes Debt Free Before The Actual Time
After becoming the number one telecom operator, Reliance Jio sold its stake to 13 international firms to reduce the debt burden. So far, Reliance Jio raised Rs 1.52 lakh crore after selling a 32.9 percent stake in its platform. The investor list includes Facebook, Vista Equity Partners KKR, Mubadala, Google, Silver Lake, General Atlantic, ADIA, TPG, L Catterton, Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, Intel Capital, and Qualcomm Ventures.
Department Of Telecommunication Bans Chinese Equipment Vendors In The BSNL 4G Tender
Even though half of the BSNL telecom equipment is from Chinese vendors like Huawei and ZTE, the DoT has asked the operator to use domestic vendors in the 4G network deployment. It is worth mentioning that both Huawei and ZTE are under the ministry scanner ever since the tension between India and China started. Similarly, the ministry has asked all private players to review the security of their networks.
Telecom Operator Launched Several Initiatives During Lockdown
All telecom operators have launched plans for their customers, especially for those who are working from home. Operators have launched new prepaid plans and special tariff vouchers to cater to the needs of the customers. Let's start with Airtel work from home plans.
The operator also has announced free talk time for its customers, especially to low-income groups. Additionally, the operators launched special apps and other initiatives to help people during the lockdown.
Supreme Court Verdict On AGR Debt
The apex court asked Airtel, Vodafone-Idea, and other operators to AGR payment in 10 years; however, they have to pay 10 percent of the amount by March 2021. Earlier, telecom operators and the Department of Telecommunication had asked for 20 years to pay the debt. According to DoT, Vi (Vodafone-Idea) has to pay Rs. 50,339 crore, Airtel has to clear Rs. 25,976 crore and Tata Telecom has to pay Rs. 12,601 crore.
Reliance Jio Launches In-Flight Connectivity
Reliance Jio has recently announced the launch of in-flight connectivity for its customers. The operator has also joined hands with AeroMobile, which is a subsidiary of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. The telecom operator has also launched three plans of Rs. 499, Rs. 699, and Rs. 999. It includes 250MB, 500MB, and 1GB data. These packs also ship 100 minutes for calling, 100 messages only one day.


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Ottawa-based e-commerce darling's reign ends amid recent stock slide.
Ottawa firm says it plans to boost its headcount from its current 400 to more than 500 over the next 12 months as it diversifies beyond its traditional core customer base.
Crestpoint Real Estate Investments and Crown Realty Partners purchased the 1.17-million-square-foot downtown property in a transaction that closed last week.
Launch of new networking space in former Mitel building on Legget Drive "like a homecoming" for the Kanata North tech community.
Tetia Bayoro's business, Chap Chap Snacks, sells traditional African snacks on a subscription basis, sending customers a new package of goodies each month.
Support makes art more accessible to Canadians while also empowering artists to showcase their talents on the world stage.
While some in Ottawa’s business community believe the worst economic impact of the pandemic is behind them, other industries face a prolonged recovery.
A permanent shift is underway in the way we work, connect with clients and think about our city as a whole.
Site is part of the larger Hub350, which is billed as a “state-of-the-art global technology centre” bringing together local tech, finance and academic talent.
Tech sector’s relative strength may help it address its long-standing labour shortage by attracting students to the industry.


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Lava Mobile has introduced Rupee Symbol in mobile phones. It is a matter of pride for India to be the fifth nation having a currency symbol of its own.
Lava B5, the latest model from Lava bears the rupee symbol in its keypad. Incidentally B5 is also the first phone with world’s first Alpha keypad with keys arranged in ABCD order. There was a lot of discussions regarding the time period required to incorporate the “” symbol in computer or mobile keypad. The estimated time varied from 6 months to two years.
“We took this as challenge to ensure that Indians can type “” symbol long before than the anticipated time. Around the occasion of Independence day announcing the incorporation of “” symbol in the mobile keypad will be a tribute from Lava family to the entire nation. The currency symbol on the keypad of their mobiles will make millions of Indian proud. We are happy to be the catalysts of spreading this spirit.” – Said Mr. S.N Rai- Co Founder and Director, Lava Mobile.
This may not be a technological breakthrough for Lava but this definitely is a testimony of the passion to provide value to the user by adopting new concepts. It also shows their commitments to adopt new design, technology and innovation in the shortest possible time.
About Lava Mobile
Lava international started operation only 14 months back, captured almost 6 percent market share. Today LAVA boasts of a network of 1,000 distributors and presence in 50,000 retail counters.


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Wednesday, 2nd February 2011
In Japan Travel News,
Chinese New Year boosts Japan tourism
Chinese tourists are expected to descend on Japan in a bid to snap up electronics and other retail goods ahead of the Lunar New Year.
Reuters reported that many shoppers from China have been seen in the Akihabara area, an "electronics mecca" in Tokyo.
The holiday officially starts on February 3rd but already consumers have been visiting Japan to purchase new items.
"The number of Chinese customers in our store has increased a lot compared to last month because of the Chinese New Year holiday," Chen Rui, a sales clerk at the Laox electronics shopping centre, told the news provider.
"Most of them buy electronics such as watches, rice cookers, cameras and camcorders."
Figures from the Japanese foreign ministry cited by the news agency suggest that the total number of Chinese visitors to the country will eventually reach ten million a year.
It is believed that Japan will provide multiple-entry visas to Chinese travellers visiting the nation regularly.
Written by Mark Smith


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Submitted by Islam Soliman on January 24, 2023
Arrow has added Lenovo’s Truscale IaaS offering to its Arrowsphere platform following a new distribution deal with the technology company.
Arrow’s partners will be able to use the offering to allow clients to use and pay for data centre hardware and services without having to purchase the equipment.
Giovanni Di Filippo, EMEA President of Infrastructure Solutions Group, Lenovo, said: “Lenovo TruScale IaaS helps channel partners seize every customer opportunity with access to scalable, fully integrated solutions, which they can offer through a pay-as-you-grow model.”
Eric Nowak (pictured), President of Arrow’s enterprise computing solutions business in EMEA, added: “Customers can now scale without any incremental capital investments.”


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Fresenius Kabi has developed a system of tagging its anesthesia and analgesic products so they can be read using any standard UHF RFID reader, thereby providing visibility into when drugs are received at a hospital, stored in cabinets and removed for administration to patients.
SUKU and Smartrac have teamed up to build a solution for the authentication and test result verification of goods being manufactured, shipped and purchased around the world, to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
The supply chain damage-management specialist will lead the sponsorship lineup at this year's virtual event, taking place on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.
The DoD's latest contract with Savi Technology focuses on Internet of Things solutions leveraging satellite and cellular networks, while phasing out active RFID, thereby providing agencies with IoT-based visibility of assets and inventory as goods move around the world.
Several companies are conducting early testing of Avery Dennison's Maxdura device—which comes with a built-in battery, a sensor and UHF functionality—so that data can be captured as perishable foods, drugs or other goods pass through portals where tags are being read.
Swinburne University of Technology has teamed up with Software AG to provide Internet of Things solutions that are now being tested by Bega Cheese and other companies to boost product quality and operational efficiency for the production of food, composite materials and other goods.
Avery Dennison's 2020 market research found the retail market is accelerating its transition into IoT and RFID to bring transparency to supply chains for shippers, retailers and consumers, as part of what it calls a revolutionary digital transformation.
The GS1 Registry Platform enables product information to be shared throughout the supply chain and with customers via RFID, barcodes and digital printing.
The company has invested in the technology so it can accommodate customers interested in automating the distribution of their goods efficiently and safely.
CSafe Global has partnered with Cloudleaf to build Internet of Things sensors into its temperature-controlled containers so that life science companies and shippers can view and manage temperatures and other conditions during global shipments.


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Shelby American Inc., the hot-rod maker that bears the name of late automotive icon Carroll Shelby, is consolidating its headquarters in Las Vegas as it gears up for global expansion.
The company announced it will open a new 135,000-square-foot facility by Dec. 1 near the bright lights of the Las Vegas Strip and bustling McCarran International Airport.
Currently Shelby American’s more than 110 employees work in five buildings on the outer fringes of Las Vegas putting together powerful Shelby Cobras and manufacturing a catalog of high-performance car parts.
The new headquarters will put the entire production process under one roof.
“Shelby American is gearing up for global expansion,” company President John Luft said in a statement. “Our new facility allows us to be more nimble and accessible to our customers while dramatically improving production and operational efficiency.”
The building fronts Interstate 15 and is one block off of Las Vegas Boulevard. It’s a prime location, the company says, to gain exposure to tourists who would not otherwise make the 20-mile trek to see its current facility near Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Shelby American wants to bring people through its sprawling automotive museum and daily factory tours as it moves into the European and emerging Asian markets.
“The decision to move operations into our new headquarters is consistent with what Carroll did many times in the past,” Luft said.
In March 1962, Shelby launched Shelby American Inc. from a red brick shop in Venice Beach. That year, Shelby, a retired race car driver, took a lightweight two-seat roadster and married it with a powerful V-8 Ford Motor Co. engine.
The first Shelby Cobra sports car was born.
In the mid-1960s, Ford hired Shelby to pump up the performance of its Mustangs. Before he got his hands on the car, Shelby called the Mustang a “secretary’s car.” By 1966, Shelby Mustangs were winning on racetracks and drag strips across the country.
To keep up with production, Shelby later moved his company to a larger facility near Los Angeles International Airport. Over time, the value of original Shelby Cobras skyrocketed.
Shelby was caught in controversy in the early 1990s after he sold several Cobra 427SC cars that he billed as original 1965 versions cobbled together from long-lost parts — for hundreds of thousands of dollars — when it was discovered that the chassis were in fact new. This meant they were worth far less than the true original Cobra 427 models.
After the fallout, Shelby relocated his company from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. He focused his attention on building and selling the chassis and fiberglass or aluminum bodies of the Shelby Cobra, which the company still sells today starting at $80,000.
A decade later, Shelby and Ford rekindled their relationship. Shelby American now makes the cult classic GT350 and GT500 Cobra, as well as other vehicles.
The GT500 kicks out 662 horsepower, making it the most powerful production V-8 in the world. It's currently the only pre-titled car — meaning officially a Ford product — with the Shelby name. Ford pays Shelby a licensing fee.


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The digital version of Wind Waker HD is now available in North America and to celebrate that, Nintendo has released a brand new launch trailer for the game. This trailer doesn’t show off the new features included in the HD version, but rather focuses on the story and the size of the adventure to give new players a glimpse at what awaits them.
Toward the end, you can see the Wii U Deluxe bundle that will come with a download for the game, scheduled to be released on October 4th. Will you be picking this up, or perhaps waiting for the new Deluxe bundle to be released on the 4th? Let us know in the comments.
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U has hilarious glitches
- Fire ravages one of Nintendo UK's repair centers
- eBay reveals a couple of Wii U deals for Blac
- Reggie: “Mario Kart 8 doubled our Wii U
TAGS: Legend of Zelda, Nintendo, wind waker hd


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Jul 29, 2015
LONDON, UK. 30th April 2015: The wide variety of applications in which small UAVs can be deployed is growing every day, as this growth-platform finds new uses. The demand for small UAVs will be significant, with a wide and varied geographical spread.
Jul 28, 2015
LONDON, UK. 29th April 2015: Civil helicopters extend the reach and expand the capabilities of businesses, governments and security agencies.
Jul 23, 2015
LONDON, UK, 29thof April 2015: A new report by visiongain predicts that the world market for chilled processed food will reach $198.02bn in 2015.
Jul 22, 2015
LONDON, UK. 24th APRIL 2015: Visiongain’s brand new 358 page report Oil & Gas Infrastructure Security Market Forecast 2015-2025: Prospects for Leading Personnel, Perimeter, Maritime & Cyber Security Companies in a Lower Oil Price...
Jul 21, 2015
LONDON, UK, 24th of April 2015: A new report by visiongain predicts that the world market for crop protection (agrochemicals) will reach $57.83bn in 2015.
Jul 16, 2015
Cell-based assays market to reach $5.5bn in 2018, forecasts new visiongain study A new report by visiongain predicts the overall world cell-based assays market will be worth $5.5bn in 2018.
Jul 15, 2015
LONDON, UK, 21st of April 2015: A new report by visiongain calculates that the global medical device contract manufacturing market will reach $51.7bn in 2015 with revenues showing growth to 2025.
Jul 14, 2015
LONDON, UK. 17th April 2015: A new report by visiongain predicts that the world market for Cosmetics Packaging will be worth $27.1bn in 2015.
Jul 09, 2015
LONDON, UK. 17th April 2015: The advent of connected devices and M2M is offering a tremendous opportunity for healthcare professionals.
Jul 08, 2015
LONDON, UK. 16th April 2015: In many ways, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are the first step on the road to semi-autonomous or fully-autonomous self-driving and driverless vehicles.


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MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Gov. Kay Ivey announced Monday that the Alabama Department of Commerce has opened a business development office in Stuttgart, Germany to enhance the state’s strategic efforts to attract European companies considering job-creating investments in the U.S.
Christoph Doerr, an experienced German businessman who spent seven years in charge of an industrial operation in Alabama, serves as the director of the state’s new European office, which began operating earlier this month.
Doerr’s job will be to build on Alabama’s long-standing economic development activities in Europe. In 2018 alone, European companies announced projects in Alabama involving nearly $1.5 billion in new capital investment and 1,500 jobs, according to data from the Alabama Department of Commerce.
“Communities across Alabama have seen real benefits from the state’s economic ties to Europe, thanks to robust levels of two-way trade and significant investment that has created thousands of jobs,” Ivey said. “Establishing a European business development office to strengthen this relationship and spark even more economic activity just makes sense for Alabama.”
Doerr traveled to Montgomery last Friday for meetings with Ivey and Alabama Department of Commerce Sec. Greg Canfield. He also met with Bob Smith, the assistant director of Commerce’s business development team who directs European strategy, and Hilda Lockhart, director of Commerce’s International Trade Office, among others.
“As we see investment from Europe on the rise, particularly in the automotive, aerospace, forest products and chemical sectors, it has become more apparent to us that having representation on the ground in Europe will help provide new connections, not only with companies within those sectors but also to help us advance our trade opportunities,” Canfield said.
Smith said Doerr has solid contacts in industrial fields such as engineering, tooling, machining and additive manufacturing in Germany and other areas on the continent. With more than 20 years of management experience, Doerr has developed an extensive network of business connections in the region, he added.
“Christoph can generate business development leads and open doors for Alabama’s team as we seek to build relationships with decision-makers in Germany and other European countries that can translate into jobs here at home,” Smith said.
Doerr today serves as CEO of Innoteque Solutions in Kornwestheim, Germany, about 5 miles from Stuttgart, a major industrial center that is home to global automaker Mercedes-Benz. From 1996 to 2013, Doerr was president and CEO of Aluminumtechnologie Schmid GmbH, a high-precision CNC machining and die-casting company.
Between 2005 and 2012, Doerr was responsible for the launch and operation of the Aluminum Technology Schmid North America production plant in Auburn that acted as a Tier 1 and Tier 2 auto supplier. The plant today operates under the ownership of Italy-based 2A S.p.A.
“During these years, I developed a deep knowledge of Alabama’s culture, customs and business advantages,” Doerr said. “I personally experienced the benefits of investing in Alabama, and I can share that with prospective companies, not just theoretical information about a business location in the state.”
Alabama’s economic ties with Europe – in particular, Germany — trace back for decades. Germany has become Alabama’s No. 1 source of foreign direct investment, totaling $8.5 billion since 1999, according to Alabama Department of Commerce estimates.
While major European corporations such as Mercedes-Benz, Airbus, GKN Aerospace, Evonik, BASF and Siemens all have operations in Alabama, the state has also attracted a significant number of smaller European businesses, particularly specialty manufacturers.
A total of 82 German companies have operations in Alabama, more than any other foreign country, according to Alabama Department of Commerce data. Other European countries with a significant business presence in Alabama are France (51 companies), the United Kingdom (26 companies) and Sweden (11 companies).
In addition, countries in the European Union are a major destination for Alabama exports, which exceed $7 billion annually, according to E.U. data. Top categories for Alabama-made goods shipped to the E.U. are motor vehicles and parts, minerals, aerospace products, paper and chemicals.


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A handful of tweaks improve the Start menu, Task Manager, and File Explorer, but the most anticipated new feature is absent.
Stories by Preston Gralla
Russia is not faring well in the less-obvious cyber war. One reason: Russia's ally Belarus was still using Windows XP to keep the trains running on time.
Before Russia invaded Ukraine, cyber attacks were already under way. Not surprisingly, Windows systems were a common target.
More than six years after Microsoft launched Windows 10, Windows 11 is finally here.Has it been worth the wait?
The new release brings the non-subscription version of Microsoft Office closer to what’s available with Microsoft 365 or Office 365 -- but only partway.
At a time when more people use voice assistants to retrieve the most basic information, Microsoft’s Cortana doesn’t provide even the basics about protecting against the coronavirus.
The 'Big Reveal' for Microsoft's new operating system wasn’t so big and revealed very little. And what it did reveal was often wrong.
Microsoft recently announced the upcoming release of Windows 11 and is now releasing early preview builds to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel.
Microsoft’s messaging around its upcoming Windows 10 variant has changed over time. You have questions? We have answers.
When is a "major" OS upgrade not really a big deal? And just what would constitute big changes in Windows 10?
Windows Me was unstable, unloved and unusable. But was it really the worst OS Microsoft ever produced – worse even than Windows 8?
Microsoft recently announced it's permanently closing its retail stores worldwide. It should have axed the Windows store instead.
And that’s partly because it’s making it easier for Microsoft to head in a direction it was already taking.
The digital assistant isn’t going away, but we’re near the end of the road for another me-too technology from Microsoft that nobody wanted.
The agency needs to demonstrate that it has truly abandoned the practices that unleashed WannaCry on the world.
Innovation Awards 2022 is the market-leading awards program for celebrating ecosystem innovation and excellence across the technology sector in ASEAN.
Selling to CIOs is a Matter of Articulating Innovation


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Bank of Commerce Holdings (BOCH)
BOCH Price and Sentiment
BOCH Latest news
TACOMA, Wash. and SACRAMENTO, Calif.
Columbia Banking System and Bank of Commerce Holdings Announce Shareholder and Regulatory Approvals and Anticipated Merger Closing Date2021-09-22 16:01
TACOMA, WA and SACRAMENTO, CALIF., Sept. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Columbia Banking System, Inc. (NASDAQ: COLB, “Columbia”), the holding company for Columbia State Bank, and Bank of Commerce Holdings (NASDAQ: BOCH, “Bank of Commerce”), the holding company for Merchants Bank of Commerce, today jointly announced approval by Bank of Commerce shareholders for their proposed merger, and the receipt of all required regulatory approvals. The merger was announced on June 23, 2021 and the transaction is expected to be completed on or about October 1, 2021.
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bank of Commerce Holdings (NASDAQ: BOCH) (the “Company”), a $1.917 billion asset bank holding company and parent company of Merchants Bank of Commerce (the “Bank”), today announced that the Board of Directors has authorized a cash dividend of $0.06 per share for the 2021 third quarter.
While continued low interest rates and muted loan growth are likely to have hindered HBAN, CFR, TFSL, EBC and COLB in Q2; credit quality improvement on economic recovery is a bright spot.
Bank of Commerce (BOCH) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of -19.35% and -5.66%, respectively, for the quarter ended June 2021. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?
SACRAMENTO, California, July 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bank of Commerce Holdings (NASDAQ: BOCH) (the “Company”), a $1.917 billion asset bank holding company and parent company of Merchants Bank of Commerce (the “Bank”), today announced financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2021. Net income for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 was $4.1 million or $0.25 per share – diluted, compared with net income of $3.8 million or $0.23 per share – diluted, for the same period of 2020. Net income for the six months ended June 30, 2021 was $9.1 million or $0.54 per share – diluted, compared with net income of $4.8 million or $0.28 per share – diluted, for the same period of 2020.
Bank of Commerce (BOCH) doesn't possess the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely earnings beat in its upcoming report. Get prepared with the key expectations.
Bank of Commerce (BOCH) saw its shares surge in the last session with trading volume being higher than average. The latest trend in earnings estimate revisions may not translate into further price increase in the near term.
BOCH Merger Investigation: Halper Sadeh LLP Announces Investigation Into Whether the Sale of Bank of Commerce Holdings Is Fair to Shareholders; Investors Are Encouraged to Contact the Firm – BOCH2021-06-24 13:10
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Halper Sadeh LLP, a global investor rights law firm, is investigating whether the sale of Bank of Commerce Holdings (NASDAQ: BOCH) to Columbia Banking System, Inc. is fair to Bank of Commerce shareholders. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Bank of Commerce shareholders will receive 0.40 Columbia shares for each Bank of Commerce share that they own, subject to certain potential adjustments. Halper Sadeh encourages Bank of Commerce shareholders to click here to l


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Shein and Temu: Western customs exposed to tax evasion?
A US parliamentary report has condemned Shein and Temu for exploiting a customs loophole to evade taxes and human rights controls. Europe is not immune to this risk.
To import their products into the US market, Gap and H&M paid $700 million and $205 million respectively in customs duties last year. Shein and Temu paid zero dollars. This has prompted a parliamentary enquiry to reveal that the two Chinese e-tailers are circumventing customs by sending hundreds of thousands of small shipments that fall below the customs tariff threshold.
Under the so-called "de minimis" rule, imports worth less than 800 dollars are exempt from tax. Previously set at 200 dollars, this threshold was raised in 2016, leading to an increase in the number of 'de minimis' shipments. Thanks to their extremely low prices, Shein and Temu alone are responsible for a third of these micro-shipments, and the number is growing. By 2022, the two Chinese companies are estimated to have reached 600,000 daily shipments. And the Washington report is the first document to make the phenomenon official.
Having swept through the American market in the space of a few months, Temu is now joining Shein on the European market, raising the question of what protection the European Union has against these customs bypasses. European customs authorities have not yet responded to our request for information. But for the French Secretary of State for Ecological Transition, Bérangère Couillard, there is no doubt this poses a risk for Europe.
"Of course Europe could also be affected by this problem", the Minister told us on July 11. "We need to take a close look, because the way to combat Shein-style models is to study all their biases. And I think that if there are biases in the United States, it is probably also the case in Europe. At the same time, it's up to the Member States to make it clear that buying Shein has consequences for workers and the environment. This is to combat imports, which can arrive at prices defying all competition, which makes them attractive to consumers."
On both sides of the Atlantic, the question of human rights is intrinsically linked to these customs issues. In the United States, the investigation by the US House of Representatives is part of the fight against products linked to the Uighurs, who have been banned from the American market. However, by evading US customs, Temu and Shein are also evading cargo controls linked to respect for human rights.
"The only step Temu has taken to ensure that it does not sell goods produced by forced labour is to require its sellers to agree to the 'Third Party Code of Conduct' on its website, which includes the boilerplate wording that the company has a 'zero tolerance policy' for the use of forced, indentured or prison labour. This code makes no mention of Xinjiang, the UFLPA (Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act) or any other legal provision," says the parliamentary report.
The report also points out that, despite being valued at 100 billion dollars (compared to 64 billion for Shein), Temu has no programme for auditing or ensuring the compliance of its suppliers. Above all, the portal admits to the US authorities that it has no system in place to prevent the sale of products linked to Uighurs. Many of the 600,000 shipments passing under the US radar could therefore be the result of forced labour in Xinjiang.
Copyright © 2023 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.


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Facebook on Wednesday confirmed that it really is functioning on its personal voice assistant, carving out a space amongst competitors like Apple’s Siri and Amazon Alexa.
“We are functioning to create voice and AI assistant technologies that could perform across our family members of AR/VR items like Portal, Oculus and future items,” a spokesperson told Reuters. Voice commands can be particularly critical for AR and VR headsets, considering that they are commonly not utilized in mixture with a keyboard, mouse, or touchscreen.
Portal is essentially the company’s video get in touch with hardware. Adding a voice assistant would naturally turn it into a video-capable smartspeaker akin to the Google Property Hub or Amazon Echo Show.
The assistant was 1st exposed earlier nowadays by CNBC, which stated that it really is becoming crafted by a Redmond, Wash., group commonly assigned to extended-term projects. Improvement started in early 2018, and Facebook has allegedly been contacting vendors in the smartspeaker provide chain, probably pointing to a devoted item.
Any Facebook-branded smartspeaker would face an uphill battle. Amazon and Google are by far the dominant players in the market place — Apple’s HomePod, backed by billions of dollars, is estimated to have claimed just 1.six% of the market place in the December quarter. Facebook has also been wracked by scandals, which could only add to suspicions about the privacy of smartspeakers.


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Tipster shares 5G iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro CAD files which corroborate earlier leaks
It is very hard to believe but we are only approximately 3 and a half months away from the unveiling of the Apple iPhone 13 series. And that means the number of leaks pertaining to the four new units should start picking up exponentially. For example, yesterday a Twitter tipster revealed that the iPhone 13 family will have larger batteries ranging from an 8% hike to 2046mAh on the iPhone 13 mini, a 9.9% increase to 3095mAh for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, and a nice 18% pop to 4352mAh for the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
With Apple expected to add the 120Hz ProMotion display to the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, such a hike is necessary. Remember, this means that the display on those models will refresh 120 times per second delivering silky smooth scrolling and improved animation. If those numbers prove to be legit, the top-of-the-line iPhone 13 Pro Max will be the first iPhone to sport a battery weighing in at over 4000mAh.
CAD file shows off new rear camera design for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini
Another Twitter tipster shared some CAD designs for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro which managed to corroborate several previous leaks such as the narrower notch, a slightly thicker footprint (due to the larger battery inside each model), and the new camera design for the non-Pro versions.
all four will have sensor-shift OIS (optical image stabilization). This means that instead of moving the camera lens to reduce/eliminate the "shakes" that appear on smartphone videos, the camera sensor will make the necessary adjustments instead.While you wouldn't know this from looking at the CAD files, all four models will be powered by the 5nm A15 Bionic SoC and
04 Oct, 2021iPhone 13 series battery life revealed
14 Sep, 2021Last-minute leak tells all you need to know about iPhone 13
12 Sep, 2021Apple insider gives mini-preview of Tuesday iPhone 13 California Streaming event Latest iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro leaks reveal potential storage, color options
09 Sep, 2021LG takes over most iPhone 13 camera production as sensor-shift tech is tipped again


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More than 13,000 members of the Indian gaming community attended the first-ever S8UL Gaming Fest, presented by Lenovo and Intel, a two-day event at Bangalore’s Manpho Convention Centre that celebrated the development of Indian gaming and esports.
There were about 30 S8UL gamers in attendance, and they enjoyed connecting with other gamers, participating in entertaining tournaments, cosplay and experienced cutting-edge gaming technology. The Esports Club (TEC) participated in co-hosting the event.
The gaming carnival, which was organised by S8UL Esports in partnership with the Esports Club, witnessed an unprecedented response from the gaming community as it also garnered over 50 million views on Instagram stories, 200 million overall impressions across all social media channels, and was trending at #2 and #4 on YouTube.
S8UL Esports is the brainchild of Indian esports industry veterans and distinguished gamers Naman Mathur (Mortal), Animesh Agarwal (8Bit Thug) and Lokesh Jain (Goldy). Following the success of the event, the organisation officially announced that the gaming fest will be back next year on an even bigger scale and will be hosted in Mumbai.
Commenting on the fest, S8UL co-founder and CEO Agarwal said, “The S8UL Gaming Fest was a unique celebration dedicated to our fans, providing them with a platform to connect with their beloved creators. The response we received in terms of interactions on social media as well as the turnout at the event was truly overwhelming. Engaging in exciting activities with the community that has been such a big part of our journey was heartwarming for each one of us. We extend our gratitude to all the attendees, especially to our partners and sponsors whose stellar support enabled our initiative to turn into a grand success. Looking ahead, we cannot wait to bring the second edition of this unforgettable experience for our fans on an even larger scale and are confident that it will exceed everyone’s expectations.”
The gaming fest enabled fans to immerse in the world of premium gaming experiences with VR and Racing Simulators and the opportunity to try their hands on the latest gaming devices from Lenovo and Intel that were on display at the fest. Adding to the excitement, Mortal and 8Bit Sid unveiled the latest Lenovo LOQ product too, at the event.
The Esports Club co-founder and COO Mansoor “Nabu” Ahmed said, “The two-day extravaganza has brought sheer delight to the gaming community, and we’re even more excited to continue making it even better alongside S8UL. Stay tuned for more epic gaming experiences!”
The gaming fest’s main attractions included the S8UL Creator Valorant Tournament, which witnessed intense battles between the organisation’s popular creators such as ScoutOP, SnaxGaming, PayalGaming, Regaltos, 8Bit Mamba, and KrutikaPlays and among others. At the event, fans were also finally able to get their hands on the S8UL Esports merchandise.
Going beyond the tournaments and merch, gaming aficionados had the opportunity to gain insights and tips from the distinguished creators of the industry who were part of the YouTube panel discussion. Fans gained valuable knowledge directly from their favourite content creators, about their journey in the digital space.
Additionally, the fest also hosted a Gaming Cosplay Competition on both days. Attendees showcased their remarkable costumes and accessories with the winner being rewarded with a Lenovo Gaming Laptop.
The S8UL Gaming Fest was organised with the support of Youtube India, MOGO, ACT Fibernet, Lenovo, Intel and the Esports Club.


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Monthly Archives: December 2011
Par Tendance Hôtellerie
Kimpton Hotels Chain is known for its effective online activity on social media websites.
The chain has reinvented the radio-like promotions “be our 6th participant to win”
They launched “Password Campaigns” : Passwords published on social networks to enable hotel guests to win prizes.
They organize a live twitter every wednesday: #winewednesday
******************************* Read the rest of this entry →
How Independent Hoteliers can Capitalize on the Smartphone Revolution through the Use of Social Media, to Entice Business Travelers
This research paper, realized for the validation of my Bachelor of Science in Hospitality, compares the online presence of World Hotel Groups and Chains and Independent Hotels and suggests web-marketing solutions adapted to Independent Hotels, so they can compete with the big “boys”.
By Mickey Alam Khan
While the economy is on a slow mend, most luxury brands have shown their resilience and reported strong performance.
There is no doubt that marketing is at the heart of efforts to keep demand for luxury products and services alive.
So who was the smartest luxury marketer of them all? Read the rest of this entry →
by Brian Anthony Hernandez
Klout just unwrapped sashes, a visual update to its Topics feature, which rolled out in September and lets you gain insights on top influencers and +K recipients for specific content areas.
The sash concept is simple. A blue sash goes to Klout users with the most +Ks for any topic, while a gold sash is given to top influencers based on Klout’s analysis. People who fall into both categories receive a blue-and-gold sash.
The visual distinctions are aimed at providing a more accurate representation of a user’s influence. Read the rest of this entry →
For the month of December, Marriott Rewards is giving away five million points to members who ‘Like’ its new Facebook page.
Marriott Rewards new Facebook page offers members a new way to join the conversation and connect with the program and each other.
There will be daily point giveaways as well as a sweepstakes with a grand prize of one million Marriott Rewards points, enough to stay for free at any of Marriott Rewards 3,500 hotels around the world.
Each day from December 1-31, five instant winners will be awarded 1,000 Marriott Rewards and all members who register for the sweepstakes on the Facebook page will be entered to win five first prizes of 100,000 points and fifty second prizes of 10,000 points as well as the million point grand prize. Sweepstakes winners will be selected in January 2012. For more information on how to enter and official rules.
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Increasing demand for power and favorable government regulations supporting sustainable development to drive global solar panel recycling market through 2024
According to a report published by TechSci Research on “Global Solar Panel Recycling Market By Type, By Process, By Shelf Life, By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2024”, the global solar panel recycling market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 20% through 2024, on the back of increasing volume of decommissioned PV panels coupled with strict laws to boost effective recycling. Moreover, initiatives undertaken by governments of various nations for the reduction in carbon emissions and adoption of renewable energy are boosting the global solar panel recycling market.
By process, solar panel recycling market, globally, has been categorized into thermal, mechanical and laser processes. In terms of value, mechanical process accounted for the largest market share in 2018 and is expected to capture more than half of the global market by 2024, on the back of economical and environment-friendly nature of the process. Asia-Pacific solar panel recycling market is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate, globally, during the forecast period. Growing environment sustainability concerns and cost advantage of solar panel recycling in emerging economies, such as India and China, are expected to fuel the market in Asia-Pacific during forecast period. However, Europe, which dominated the market in 2018, is expected to continue dominating the global solar panel recycling market in the coming years, on account of various government measures to regulate the recycling process in countries such as the UK and Germany.
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“Growing energy crisis and high rate of carbon footprints in the atmosphere are boosting the need for sustainable power generation across the globe, thereby resulting in the adoption of solar panels. The average life of a solar panel is around 10 years. Increasing installation of solar panels would end up eventually in landfilling, which would create environmental problems in later stages. Increase in the volume of decomposed photovoltaic panels coupled with stringent environmental laws introduced by the governments are anticipated to boost efficient and effective recycling, which would bolster the global solar panel recycling market growth over the course of next five years.”, said, Mr. Karan Chechi Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm.
“Global Solar Panel Recycling Market By Type, By Process, By Shelf Life, By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2024” has evaluated the future growth potential of the global solar panel recycling market and provides statistics and information on market size, structure and future market growth. The report intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment decisions. Besides, the report also identifies and analyzes the emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities in the global solar panel recycling market.
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TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research-based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends.
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Trend Micro looks at security for Internet of Vehicles and other IoT ecosystems
A new security solution that helps enterprises safeguard their connected devices and services against cloud, network and endpoint threats was introduced at the recently held Microsoft IoT Expo in Taipei.
Developed by Trend Micro Incorporated, in collaboration with Microsoft, the newly announced information security protection software development kit enhances security amidst rapid expansion of integration in the global IoT, and specifically the Internet of Vehicles (IoV).
Jerry Liao, chief architect of IoT security for Trend Micro, said: “Despite growing excitement about the possibilities of IoT, information security in the industry is still lagging, particularly for connected device endpoints - making them especially vulnerable to attacks. There is a huge need for improved IoV security, and this new kit demonstrates Trend Micro's dedication to protecting its customers, as well as our proactive - not reactive - approach to security.”
Trend Micro’s information security protection software development kit proactively detects threats and conduct risk assessment, as well as endpoint level protection that activate system security when devices are under attack. The kit automatically connects to the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network, using machine learning technology to monitor abnormal conditions when deployed. Moreover, the kit is capable of extensive support for various IoT platforms, providing protection in real-time.
A recent Trend Micro report shows that 50% of surveyed corporations, government agencies and related organisations said the frequency at which their connected devices are under attack is on the rise, yet only 10% feel confident in their ability to confront those attacks, and nearly 80% agreed that cyber threats are becoming increasingly accurate and sophisticated.
You can find out more here.
Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this and sharing their IoT use-cases? Attend the IoT Tech Expo World Series events with upcoming shows in Silicon Valley, London and Amsterdam to learn more.
- » European Union Cybersecurity Agency focuses on connected cars in latest research
- » tado's first SaaS product speeds-up heating repairs while reducing carbon
- » IOTech raises $7.5 million in series A funding led by Dell Technologies
- » IoT-related services revenue in APAC to hit $96bn by 2023, says GlobalData
- » Telefónica presents second ‘Things Matter’ study, indicates significant increase in IoT usage in two years


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Apple Shipped 13 Million Apple Watch Series 6 And SE Units In Q4 2020
Apple is the number one smartwatch company according to new numbers shared by market research firm, Counterpoint.
That was helped by a massive 13 million Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE models being shipped in the fourth quarter of 2020.
While the overall number of shipments did fall slightly thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, Apple’s numbers were still hugely positive according to Counterpoint. And it was the 2020 new releases that spurned that on.
The Apple Watch Series 6 and SE did well, shipping 12.9 million units and accounting for 40% market share in Q4 2020. Samsung increased its share by 1%pt YoY, rebounding in the latter half of the year with the launch of its Galaxy 3 Watch.
The arrival of the capable Apple Watch SE at the impressive $279 asking price was clearly a big driving force for Apple, although some key features do make the more costly Apple Watch Series 6 a worthy upgrade for those able to spring the extra cash. The Apple Watch Series 6 starts at $329.
Counterpoint Senior Analyst Sujeong Lim also noted that the arrival of the mid-range Apple Watch SE will likely cause other companies to follow suit. Specifically Samsung.
Apple’s success with its Watch SE model will likely spur others like Samsung to release similar variants, moving closer to the mass market. Over a three to four years timeframe, we see budget players like OPPO and realme gaining a significant share, intensifying overall competition and bringing down the prices.
This year will likely see the arrival of the Apple Watch Series 7, but it’s unclear whether the Apple Watch SE will also see a refresh annually.


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Rising beef prices hit Aspen area grocers
The Aspen Times
As Memorial Day weekend approaches, so does barbecue season. It’s practically an American tradition to fire up the grill during the final weekend in May. In fact, May 28 is “National Burger Day,” and according to PBS.org, Americans eat nearly 50 billion hamburgers a year.
This year, consumers will pay more than they ever have for a pound of ground beef, as beef prices are at an all-time high in the United States with little hope of the cost dropping any time soon.
Rising beef prices are being blamed on years of drought throughout the Western and Southern U.S., especially in Texas and California. As the dry weather continues, feed prices are also spiking to record highs. Many ranchers are opting to simply sell their herds now, rather than risk losing more money from inflated costs to raise their cattle.
That created a temporary surplus of beef cows for slaughter, but just like the corn and hay used to feed cattle, the cow surplus has dried up. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the cattle population in the U.S. is close to 88 million, the lowest cattle count in more than 60 years.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nationwide average cost of a pound of uncooked ground beef was $3.82 in April 2013. Since then, the cost has risen 10 percent and averaged $4.22 a pound last month.
Ground beef is sold by how lean the beef is, with the leaner blends typically being higher priced.
Last week, the best local prices in the Aspen and Basalt areas ranged from $3.69 a pound for 8 percent lean at Clark’s Market, to $3.99 a pound for 93 percent lean at City Market.
Consumers also can chose to buy natural beef, or beef that is raised without antibiotics or growth hormones and are fed a diet of natural grains and grasses free from animal byproducts.
Clark’s Market sells Maverick Ranch ground beef at 91 percent lean that was going for $10.89 a pound, while City Market sells Crystal River Meats ground beef at 85 percent lean for $7.99 a pound. Whole Foods in Basalt also sells Crystal River ground beef that is currently on sale at $4.49 a pound for 80 percent lean.
John Hailey, general manager at the Aspen City Market, has watched the cost of ground beef climb for the past several years.
“Ground beef used to always be the cheapest option,” Hailey said. “But not anymore. The cattle market is challenged right now, and the cost of feed has really gone up. We’re doing our best to offer affordable options and encourage customers to shop the specials. If you look at prices right now, chicken is the best deal. You can buy fresh chicken breasts for $1.99 a pound, and that’s a solid deal. Ground turkey at $2.49 a pound is another affordable option and is much healthier for people than ground beef.”
Jim Strickbine is the manager at The Butcher’s Block in Aspen. He said he has seen a rise in pork-product sales as beef prices continue to climb, but he said his customers understand that The Butcher’s Block tries to sell a higher quality product, and they realize it may be a little more expensive than buying from a chain grocery store.
“We use trim from our primal cuts to make our ground beef,” he said. “That includes New York, rib eye and even some tenderloin steak trim. We’ll blend some round steak in it as well to add some fat content, which gives the meat some extra moisture. There’s really an art to making our ground beef.”
The Butcher’s Block ground beef is selling for $7.95 a pound and is generally around 85 percent lean, but can made leaner by request.
Strickbine said another way they keep prices as low as possible comes from the buying skill of owner Jack Frey. Frey, who has more than 50 years experience as a butcher and as a buyer, knows his product well.
“Jack knows how to purchase the best quality meats,” Strickbine said. “That leads to less waste on our end and helps us maintain our prices.”
T.C. Turner manages the meat department at Whole Foods in Basalt. He’s watched beef prices climb at a steady rate nationally and said he’s always looking for ways to offer the consumer a better deal.
“We sell only natural beef from Crystal River Meats in Carbondale,” Turner said. “Our ground beef is on sale right now, but I like to let people know we can help with costs by grinding ground beef fresh from other solid muscle meats, like chuck or round steak. Right now our naturally grown chuck steak is $3.99 a pound. We’ll grind the chuck for no extra charge, and it makes some of the best burger you’ll ever try.”
Restaurants also are feeling the effects of rising beef costs and also are having to be creative to combat raising menu prices. Brad Smith, the owner and manager of The Red Onion in Aspen, said this winter, his chef locked in a solid bulk price for beef that will continue through the end of this summer.
“We anticipated the price of beef to continue going up,” Smith said. “By locking in a fair price, we’re able to keep the cost of our hamburger the same without cutting back on the size or quality.”
Aspen resident Kelly Fravel was at The Red Onion on Saturday and said he’s watched prices for beef and other foods climb steadily since 2008. He said getting a quality hamburger at The Red Onion for under $15, especially being in Aspen, is a real bargain.
“I was at a grocery store here recently and saw an organic T-bone steak for $45,” Fravel said. “I almost took a picture of it to send to my friends who always comment how much of a paradise Aspen is. They obviously aren’t taking the cost of living into account.”
The one thing that all the stores agreed on was the consumer has to be savvier these days and watch for special sales and deals.
“Customers need to take a little extra time and do some comparative shopping,” Hailey said. “Watch those specials and buy bulk when you can. Beef prices look like they’re going to keep climbing, but we’ll continue to offer the best deals we can.”
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Source: PaxForex Premium Analytics Portal, Fundamental Insight
Companies have been affected by the pandemic in different ways, some for the better and some for the worse. The financial industry as a whole has been affected by lower interest rates, but those with strong credit card arm have been further affected by lower consumer spending and high loss provisions.
American Express (NYSE: AXP) was not left out, but the company is also in a unique situation, given its differentiated business model and customers. At the end of the first quarter, when the impact of the pandemic was the worst and the only thing businesses could rely on was uncertainty, American Express introduced four priorities for the year: supporting the workforce, protecting customers and the brand, maintaining a focus on growth and maintaining a healthy financial position. Recently the company announced second-quarter revenue; Stephen Squeri, the CEO, spoke about how American Express met those targets.
Net earnings were better than expected, at $257 million, despite an overall slowdown in costs and earnings per share of $0.29. Nevertheless, all-expense categories show improvement, even though some of them are still lower than last year. As of July, non-travel and entertainment expenses rose 5%, despite a 75% year-on-year decline in travel and entertainment expenses. As usual, membership fees provide some cushion against losses, gaining 15% of income.
Revenues rose between April and June, along with the economy showing signs of recovery as customers begin to show purchasing power after tough quarantine measures. While the numbers are showing a decline, Squeri emphasized that revenue was rising during the quarter. Customer satisfaction was rising year on year and resource depletion was not above average.
To survive the crisis, American Express has increased liquidity to record levels. The quarter ended with $1.6 billion in reserves for losses and $62 billion in reserves.
The company staked its efforts on solving current problems. As familiar expenses changed, American Express adjusted its compensation program to reflect new shopping trends. The company offers promotions in categories that are in demand, such as wireless, food, streaming, and food delivery. It has increased the number of participants in these high value-added categories. It has also focused on its small business membership through the Shop Small campaign, to which it has allocated $200 million to encourage small business spending.
As the pandemic spread, American Express created a CPR program to help pay for customers, as well as a deeper program for those who needed more time to repay their loan obligations and the loans themselves. As of the end of the second quarter, three-quarters of the pandemic assistance program had returned to pay their bills.
The company announced the resumption of relationships with British Airways and Marriott hotels. On the commercial side, the company saw increased demand for online shopping. The company has expanded contactless payment capabilities and is expanding digital payment solutions such as click-to-pay for secure transactions.
The big win for the company is that it was the first foreign payment network to license local currency transactions in mainland China.
American Express reported profits in a very slow period and maintained its dividends, unlike some other financial services companies. The company has a strong cash position and is focused on meeting new requirements and behaviors that focus on future growth. The company's share price fell by about 24% and its 12-month earnings-to-income ratio was about 19, which is an excellent indicator for the company.


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- Heddoko is a finalist in the 2015 Wearable Technology Innovation World Cup that will be held in Munich, Germany on /2/2.
The 3D garment technology by Heddoko has been chosen among hundreds of global competitors. Heddoko will demonstrate its first fully integrated garment live at the event and it will also announce two new partnerships.
Heddoko is the first company to launch a 3D motion capture sports garment and has been nominated as one of the 20 lucky finalists from among over 500 global companies for the Innovation World Cup.
This Innovation World Cup will take place in Munich, Germany at the 14th Wearable Technologies Conference 2015. The conference starts on February 2nd, 2015.
Now what has the company provided that made it such popular at the conference? Well Heddoko basically provided a solution made of smart compression shirts and pants that track the movement of the body joints.
This is done by the use of textile embedded sensors. It has been designed to be a virtual coach for amateur and professional athletes.
These new e-garments will transmit live data to the users by capturing the full body movements and modeling it in 3D. This then coaches the users to improve their performance and alleviate the risk of injury.
Mr. Elbawab the CEO of Heddoko stated that the motion capture has long been in existence in Hollywood and the gaming industry and now it is time to make it accessible to all sports enthusiasts.
Nod is powering the Heddoko garment and Nod Lab supplies the important motion sensing hardware and software that makes this innovative Heddoko garment possible.
Arun Karamcheti the Head of Partnerships at Nod Labs stated that sensing human motion is very a very difficult and complicated task.
However Nod Labs provides the essential parts for very accurate capturing of movements from multiple sensors over extended periods of time.
Then there is StretchSense which as important and essential to Heddoko as Nod Labs. This is because the StretchSense provides crucial stretch sensing technology to Heddoko.
Basically StretchSense develops and creates stretchable sensors that are reliable, accurate, easy to use, comfortable and do not interfere with natural motion.
The choice by Heddoko to select StretchSense as their supplier is very commendable. This is because StretchSense has also been nominated as a finalist in the WT Innovation World Cup this time.
The Heddoko solution includes a combination of an intelligent garment, a back-end system, a mobile application and a web dashboard. This intelligent garment then captures the data of the user’s movement and sends it to the mobile application in order for the user to read and analyze the data.
The mobile application basically carries out two important tasks. One of these tasks is that the application models the 3D movement of the user’s body. This then gives the users the important live coaching that they require.
Moreover it also transmits all the information to the artificial intelligence (AI) back-end system. Now the AI back-end system is very important as this system compiles and analyzes all the captured information over time in order to determine body metrics.
Secondly the application provides dashboards and reports that the users can edit and customize to track performances and enhance the user’s experience. It seems that the Heddoko garment is going to be a hit with such brilliant technology.
The 14th Wearable Technologies Conference 2015 will be held on the 2nd and 3rd of February in in Munich, Germany. The event is supposed to host more than 80,000 visitors and will have around 100 exhibitors.


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Steam Loses Another Game, Presumably To Epic
Although it hasn’t been confirmed, it looks like Anno 1800 is becoming an Epic Games Store exclusive. Originally scheduled for a Steam release, Anno 1800 will be discontinued on Steam after its release date of April 16.
We’ll update this story when we confirm which PC game store Anno 1800 is going to.
“Sales of Anno 1800 will be discontinued on Steam after April 16th due to a publisher decision to make the game exclusive to another PC store,” a notice on Anno 1800’s Steam page reads. “The publisher has assured us that all prior sales of the game on Steam will be fulfilled on Steam, and Steam owners will be able to access the game and any future updates or DLC through Steam.”
The notice doesn’t list what other store is getting the exclusive, but given what’s happened over the past few months, it makes sense to assume it’s Epic. Since 2018, several titles have left Steam just prior to release and gone to Epic instead. Some games have even been pretty major triple-A titles too, such as Metro Exodus and The Division 2. Prior to Anno 1800, Borderlands 3 was the latest triple-A title to join the Epic Games Store as an exclusive, although it’s only an exclusive for six months as opposed to other titles’ year-long exclusivity.
Also, when Ubisoft announced The Division 2 would be an Epic exclusive, Epic revealed that its partnership with Ubisoft would continue with “additional select titles.” No further details were supplied at the time, but Epic did tease that those titles are all scheduled for release “during the coming year.” Anno 1800 fits that criteria, so it would make sense to see the game launch on Epic come April 16.
There’s been a lot of vocal discontent for games that launch exclusively on Epic, especially if the titles were initially scheduled for release on Steam. After the announcement that Metro Exodus would be leaving Steam for Epic, both Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light were heavily review bombed by players disappointed in the decision. The same happened to Borderlands, Borderlands 2, and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel after the reveal that Borderlands 3 would be an Epic timed exclusive.
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Budgens in Byfleet Reopen their doors with Surrey Bees Training Honey
Taken From “GetSurrey”
An independent retail brand has re-launched its new-look Byfleet store.
Budgens opened its doors on Thursday (January 22) after undergoing a refit to install a new look and feel.
Store manager Dan Rapson said: “I’m delighted with our new store, we’ve got an increased fresh food selection, a really nice bakery and lots of fantastic new local suppliers too.”
The store, in Vanners Parade, which has been trading in the area since 2011, now includes an increased selection of fresh products, a fresh bakery and a focus on artisan and foods produced in the surrounding areas.”
Local suppliers including Surrey Bees Honey will now be stocked in store.


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Established in 2003, CIBL is a joint venture between SBI, which owns a 60% stake in the Russian entity, and Canara Bank, which holds the remaining 40%.
As per the terms of the share sale agreement and with approval from the Central Bank of Russia, Canara Bank’s entire shareholding was transferred to SBI on 30 November 2022.
However, Canara Bank is yet to receive payment for the sale, which is anticipated to close on or before 31 March 2023.
In a separate filing, SBI revealed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also approved the transaction.
“RBI has approved the stake purchase vide its letter no. DoR.LlC.No. 1409123.01.003/2021-22 dated 30 September 2021 valid till 30 September 2022 and also accorded its approval for extension of timelines till 31 March 2023 to complete the transaction,” SBI’s statement read.
After the transaction, SBI will own a 100% share in CIBL, which reported a turnover of $20.33m during the financial year 2022.