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Best of Weekender: Sex, health, music, and comfort food in the time of coronavirus
Chennai based musician and singer, Nitika Kurian has embarked on a journey of nostalgia through the release of her powerful R&B musical singles. Her new song, titled Blue, is a soothing number, inspired by the ocean, and her love for it.
Keba Jeremiah, who has worked with musical legend AR Rahman, plays the guitar for this track.
Nitika’s musical numbers can be downloaded across all major musical streaming platforms, such as Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, and Deezer among others. Her earlier song, Phoenix, garnered over 58.1K streams till date, while her recent song, Blue, has got over 1.65 K streams since its release on March 27th.
Don’t miss our exclusive interview with this talented singer as she talks about the release of her new single and what made her venture into song writing.
Eat foods that come from the farm to your table
If you want to get well, begin with your nutrition, says Nikhil Chaudhary, wellness coach and dietitian. He goes on to explain how we need to make healthy choices to combat disease. Ultimately, it is your immune system that fights viruses, and food can impact the immune system in a positive or negative way.
Most diseases like diabetes, heart disease among others are not genetic - a lot of scientific evidence is now coming out on this. Many of these diseases happen because of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle.
Read all about how Nikhil has reversed many of these lifestyle diseases with the right diet and exercise.
Pets need to be both comfortable and healthy during the pandemic
Our pet animals hold a special place in our hearts and they often know when we are feeling blue or down in the dumps.
With the coronavirus pandemic affecting citizens globally and keeping us in isolation indoors, our pets have been our constant companions. We need to take necessary precautions to make this lifestyle shift easier for them as well.
Meet Devanshi Shah, Founder and CEO of, which aims to build a safe and loving environment for pets. In an exclusive interview, she talks about how we can be better pet parents and how to safeguard our own health.
Safe sex is important during the lockdown
Even for couples who live together and are either married or in a steady relationship, it is not quite business as usual.
While some say the frequency of physical intimacy has actually decreased because couples are too tired after doing their household chores, some are finding more time for sex and togetherness.
Delhi-based pulmonologist Dr PP Bose and Mumbai-based physician and researcher Dr R Ghosh have some advice for couples during the lockdown.
Read our interviews with doctors and couples to find out how to practise safe sex during the time of coronavirus.
The Conrad, Bengaluru
Many five-star hotels are offering home deliveries during the COVID-19 lockdown, so if you have a special event coming up at home, or if you want to treat yourself to some luxurious fare for a change, a world of options have opened up for you.
The Taj Group of Hotels is offering a variety of hampers like the Gourmet hamper, Bakery and Confectionery hamper, and the Wellness hamper. The Oberoi, Bengaluru, is currently offering a special Easter Week home delivery menu. The Easter menu includes staples like Hot Cross Buns, Mini Babka cakes, Easter Ham and much more.
Don’t miss reading all about the five-star menus on offer during the lockdown.
Still from the movie, Family
The recently trending movie, 'Family', released this week. It was virtually directed and conceptualised by Prasoon Pandey. The 4-minute, 35-second light-hearted film is also a united effort from superstars representing various linguistic groups of the country, who were seen speaking their native languages.
Other films like 3rd Wedding Anniversary, Ek Choti Si Ego to Tutti Frutti, have also been shot in indoor locations.
Read all about the short films that will offer short bursts of entertainment if you don’t want to invest in a three-hour movie.
Are you oscillating between stress and boredom? At this time, when each one of us is forced to stay indoors for the sake of social distancing, it is easy to run the risk of eating the wrong foods and eating too much.
The first things we reach out for when we are lonely, are comfort foods. Most of the time, these comfort foods lack nutritional value and are very high in calories and poor-quality ingredients, besides being high in starch and sugar.
You cannot avoid your favourite comfort foods but make sure you make them the right way. Whether it is a platter of onion pakoras or a plate of sweets or glass of homemade sherbet, just make sure you use fresh ingredients and healthy condiments.
National Beer Day is one of the best-known beer festivals in the world
Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the world. There are a number of beer festivals that take place annually, like Oktoberfest in Germany, The Great British Beer Festival in England, and Asia’s largest beer festival Qingdao, among others.
April 7 is usually observed as ‘National Beer Day’ every year but though it was not celebrated this year, beer lovers could check out what breweries in India have been doing with the drink that "cheers the spirit and softens the temper".
Meet Hari Singh, Founder of Briggs Brewery, who tells us all we need to know about craft beer, from selecting the right ingredients and what makes this type of beer so popular.
Don’t miss reading all about the different varieties of beer and brewing processes in the country.
Meditation is good for health
We may be currently stuck at home due to the 21-day lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic but it is very important to have a fitness regime in place.
According to multiple research, being sedentary not only has a detrimental effect on physical health, but also affects mental health. Working out regularly and being physically active can help lower stress and blood pressure, reduce the risk of stroke, and prevent the onset of diabetes.
World Health Day falls in the month of April, so take time out to read our tips on fitness, the importance eating healthy, sleeping soundly, working out, and maintaining virtual connections during the pandemic.
Cops find innovative ways to convey their messages
While citizens in India remain indoors, following the 21-day lockdown in the country, cops in various Indian cities and states are getting quite creative when it comes to spreading the message of staying indoors, practising proper hygiene, and following government protocol.
Some cops have come up with novel ways of sending their message across as they tell people to stay indoors. From wearing coronavirus-themed helmets to donning T-shirts with ghost and skeleton motifs to putting up interesting dance performances on how to wash your hands, our cops have been at their innovative best during the pandemic.
Check out what police officers from various cities have been doing, and how they are creatively making people stay off the roads with their coronavirus messages.
Ankit Chhajer and Jigar Doshi
Ankit Chhajer and Jigar Doshi, the Co-founders of Komparify.com, recently launched Flixjini, an app to help people find the right movie to watch, by aggregating content from all streaming services in one place.
Jigar and Ankit met each other during their undergraduate days in engineering school, and then headed their separate ways for higher studies. When both of them moved back to India in 2009, they were baffled by the complexity of discovering the right mobile plan for themselves. That led them to start komparify.com - a discovery platform for Mobile Plans, Internet Plans and DTH Plans and now, they have launched the Flixjini app too.
Read all about the launch of Flixjini and how it can help you select the best TV shows and movies to watch.
Entrepreneurship might appear glamorous. However, running a business is tough. Malini Agarwal, founder of MissMalini Media, who is also an Indian digital influencer, TV host, entrepreneur and best-selling author, is often approached by business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to share the secrets of her success.
Don’t miss reading her key learnings over the years.
Are your favourite writers JRR Tolkien and Nassim Taleb? Are your heroes of fiction, Aragorn and Gandalf. Do you believe that entrepreneurship is as much a game of psychology as it is a game of strategy? If so, you will find a kindred soul in Sanjay Bhatia, Co-Founder and CEO of Freightwalla, a technology enabled freight forwarding company.
Freightwalla provides instant quotations for ocean freight, real-time tracking and digital solutions to streamline logistics operations. Sanjay’s motto for life is, ‘You only fail if you never try’ and he believes that this is the best way to conquer obstacles on the journey of life.
Don’t miss reading all about his greatest loves, regrets, heroes, and much more in his responses to our Proust questionnaire.


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While analysts have endorsed the plan, McComb has laid off many high-level execs and hired Project Runway star Tim Gunn as chief creative director, prompting complaints from designers.
Current and former Liz Claiborne executives said that Mr. McComb had damaged morale by effectively creating two tiers of brands — winners (like Juicy, Lucky and Kate) and losers (like Ellen, Dana and Sigrid). “It’s no fun to learn you haven’t made the A Team,” said one well-known designer whose brand is up for sale, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the company forbade employees from discussing the changes.
...Four made [the] cut: Juicy Couture, Lucky Brands, Mexx and Kate Spade. By 2010, the company plans to open 300 new stores for these labels. It will operate 148 Juicy stores, up from 56 today; 311 Lucky stores, up from 189; 120 Kate Spade stores, up from 40; and 275 Mexx stores, up from 234.

domain: news


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For a while now, the lack of PWA acceptance by Apple has caused frustration in the development community. While Google has pioneered the use of service workers to support: offline capabilities, the add to homescreen feature, and push notifications, Apple has made no indication that they will support this technology. Until now.
Having your site only available on desktop is no longer an option. Think of how often you search, research, and view sites on your mobile device – even when a desktop machine is present. Your customers do the same thing. If your company site isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re missing out on a lot of […]
Recently, PINT was approached with this question about mobile web design: “Which is better and why – responsive or adaptive?” Our experts from the Creative and Production departments weighed in, and we wanted to share the answer.
Site Speed Loading Matters More Than Ever Recently our CEO Thomas Powell was interviewed for a piece in ChannelPro SMB called “How to Boost Speed On Slow Websites. The article got me thinking about how crucial page load speed has become, and how universally important it is to everybody involved in website development. Poor performance is […]


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Discount store Target Corp. reported a double-digit increase in sales and earnings for its holiday quarter, thanks to the new tax legislation as well as 3% increase in traffic to its store. However, the company’s expenses were hit by increased compensation costs and an increase in employee wages that impacted profit margins to some extent.
On an adjusted basis, the company’s earnings dipped 5.5% to $1.37 per share and were above the midpoint of the company’s recent guidance range of $1.30 to $1.40.
Comparable store sales jumped 3.6%, driven by higher footfalls to its stores and traffic growth in its digital platform. The comparable store sales for the quarter were also driven by a 4% jump in comp sales in January alone.
For the first quarter of 2018, Target expects a low-single-digit increase in comparable sales, and both reported and adjusted earnings are expected in the range of $1.25 to $1.45.
For full-year 2018, the company forecasts reported and adjusted earnings per share to fall in the range of $5.15 to $5.45. The company anticipates a low-single-digit increase in comparable sales during this period.
Video game company Electronic Arts, Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) reported lower earnings and revenues for the fourth quarter of 2021. Earnings also missed analysts' forecast. During the March quarter, net bookings
Shares of Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN) were in green territory during afternoon hours on Tuesday. The stock has gained 32% over the past 12 months and 23% since the
Space tourism company Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) ended the first quarter of 2021 without generating revenue and continued the losing streak even as uncertainty over its test flight


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'Please help fund my trip': Begpackers linger at Melaka's Jonker Street despite ban
Foreigners selling handmade items at Melaka’s famous tourist district have been warned by authorities, but some have persisted in order to fund their travel expenses.
MELAKA: A lanky Caucasian man with tattoos on both arms strummed his guitar while seated at the heart of Melaka’s famous Jonker Street.
The tune of an Eagles’ classic — Hotel California — emanated from his small speaker, as he sang along in a soft voice, glancing hopefully at passers-by.
A handful of people dropped some money into a plastic container set in front of the performer, while others stopped to look at the items he was displaying. There were around 20 friendship bands cobbled together using twine, pin buttons and beer bottle caps.
When approached, the man stared warily at the camera.
“No photos please, but feel free to look, yes. If you like them, just pay me any amount and it’s yours,” said the man, who identified himself only as James, a tourist from Great Britain.
He gestured to a cardboard sign that said: “Please help fund my trip. I accept any amounts of cash.”
“I’ve been travelling for close to a year now, jumping from one city in Asia to the next. Been saving up to go to Thailand next,” he said in a crisp British accent.
“I hope to collect enough in two weeks because visitors to Jonker (Street) have been pretty generous,” James added.
James represents a type of tourist that has become a scourge across many cities in Asia, including Hong Kong, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Melaka — the "begpackers".
These are typically foreign visitors who busk, sell knick-knacks or simply hold a sign asking for money to fund their round-the-world trips.
They have drawn criticism from certain quarters for travelling despite not having the financial means to do so, particularly to places where the tourist dollar is important to the local community.
A small group of begpackers made headlines at Jonker Street in May, when they were pictured on social media selling items near Melaka’s Hard Rock Café Hotel.
AUTHORITIES ISSUE DIRECTIVE TO REMOVE FOREIGN PEDDLERS
In a post on Facebook, Mr Michael Quay described how some of these peddlers threatened to throw his phone into the river when he tried to take pictures of them selling items illegally.
The post brought national attention to the matter. Shortly after that, the New Straits Times reported Melaka city mayor Mansor Sudin announcing that the city council had issued a directive to the enforcement officers to have all the foreign peddlers removed.
"We understand that these people are supposedly here on tourist visas, so how can they do business or sell anything here? That is an offence. We ordered them to leave prudently and they cooperated," he was quoted as saying.
"However, if they had not adhered to our warning, then we would have proceeded to issuing notice, compounding or even confiscating their things."
Mr Mansor added then that the council had stationed two council officers to patrol the area and work together with the police and Immigration Department to stop the tourists from peddling.
Just three months following the directive, begpackers have again been spotted at Jonker Street. CNA saw a total of five people, over two days on Jul 29 and Jul 30, asking for money to fund their travel expenses.
A male US citizen of Chinese descent, who was spotted selling bracelets made of string and everyday items, told CNA that he was trying to fund his plane ticket back to Los Angeles.
“We are not even begging. We are selling items that can be used. And we don’t even disturb anyone, neither the visitors nor the businesses here,” said the man, who declined to be named.
He pointed out that he was contributing to Melaka's tourism because he stayed at a hostel and bought food from eateries in the area.
"Some of the money we earn is used to pay for rent and food. I still pay the RM10 (US$2.38) tourism tax for each night I stay in Malaysia," he said.
"THEY SHOULD BE BUYING FROM LOCALS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND"
Ms Ng Shin Yun, a local who has been operating a licensed drink stand specialising in coconut shakes at Jonker Street for two years, told CNA that she has seen the begpackers every day over the last month.
“They are foreign visitors and they should be buying from locals, not the other way around. Also, they are doing business without a licence or permit or rent while we have to (be subject to these conditions),” she said.
She also expressed hope that the authorities would frequently patrol the area to stop them from operating.
“I don’t see anyone stopping them, and they do it every day from 6pm without fail,” she added.
CNA has reached out to the Melaka Town Council for comments.
While some business owners are unhappy, others noted that the presence of begpackers has no impact on the locals.
Ms Suzy Goh, owner of Kocik Kitchen, a popular Peranakan restaurant near Jonker Street, said that while she is aware of the concerns of locals, she is indifferent to whether action needs to be taken against them.
“I saw the complaints online. Yes, they have been selling near H&M and Hard Rock Hotel. Some of them have tattoos, and are very vulgar, very fierce.
“I know they are not allowed to do this without a licence, and the authorities have clamped down hard on them. But as a Melakan, I have no objections," she said.
She added: “They want to earn their living to have some pocket money. I think it’s fine. If they don’t steal, they don’t rob, I think it’s fine. As long as they don’t block the main entrances of shops or the walking paths for tourists, I’m alright with it.”


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Originally published on Energy Post
by Sonja van Renssen
Retail energy prices are rising dramatically across Europe even as wholesale prices and consumption are coming down. Taxes and levies – set by national governments – are the main culprit, says the European Commission. Energy Post offers a sneak preview of an analysis of energy prices and costs expected from the European Commission on 22nd January.
The European Commission has nearly finalised its policy paper on energy prices and costs, plus an analysis of their drivers and implications. Below, Energy Post gives a “top 10” selection of insights from the analysis, based on the latest draft. The paper is due to be formally approved by all 28 Commissioners on 22 January. It will be issued alongside a new industrial policy for Europe (see our article “Climate policy bumps into competitiveness in Europe”), 2030 climate and energy proposals and non-binding guidelines for shale gas development.
- Electricity retail prices are rising despite wholesale prices coming down. Wholesale electricity prices declined by 35-45% from 2008-12, even as retail prices rose by 17.5% for industry and 20% for households. Wholesale prices have converged – thanks to EU energy policies – even as retail prices continue to diverge. The Commission plants to launch “an action plan on retail markets” by the summer.
- Gas prices for industry have increased by less than inflation. They grew by less than 1% a year from 2008-12; for households, they grew by 3% a year. In comparison, retail electricity prices rose by 3.5% a year for industry and 4% a year for households.
- Taxes and levies are primarily responsible for driving up European electricity prices. Since 2008, this is the component of the retail price that has seen the greatest increase: 36.5% for households and 127% for industry (not counting exemptions). This has not helped competitiveness: EU electricity and gas taxation is higher than elsewhere in the world.
- Electricity and gas prices could be a lot more competitive. Over half of EU households still face some kind of electricity price regulation. This curbs the scope for competition and the potential for the drop in wholesale prices to be reflected in retail prices. Vulnerable consumers should ideally be protected through social or industrial policy. Over half of the gas used in Europe is still indexed to oil.
- Energy costs for households and industry have increased even as consumption has decreased.Energy efficiency improvements have been insufficient to keep up with rising prices. Households’ share of budget for energy grew by 15% from 2008-12 although electricity consumption dropped by 1% and gas consumption by 15% from 2008-11. Industry consumed 4% less electricity but paid 4% more in for it in total.
- Retail prices are diverging, not converging across Europe. The gap between the highest and lowest prices paid for electricity and gas by consumers across member states has grown over time, especially for households. Consumers in the most expensive member states pay 2.5-4 times as much as those in the cheapest.
- European averages hide tremendous variation. National increases in household electricity prices range from -34% to +55% and although the average EU gas price rose by less than 1% a year for 2008-12, some industries reported rises of 27-40% from 2010-12.
- Network costs are the hardest to understand. Gas is particularly difficult. Even for electricity, there is great variation among member states driven by national differences on network tariffs and the physical infrastructure in place.
- The energy price gap between the EU and other major partners is growing. EU industry gas prices are 3-4 times more than in the US, India and Russia, and 12% more than in China. EU industrial electricity prices are more than double those in the US and Russia, and 20% more than in China (although 20% less than in Japan). The Commission posits that European electricity supply is more reliable than elsewhere, however.
- EU energy-intensive goods still dominate global export markets. This is true despite the widening disparities in energy prices since 2008. But the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that this share will go down, with energy prices as one driving factor; others include recession in Europe and global shifts in demand.
Underpinning this European Commission paper on energy prices and costs is a much more detailed analysis of this issue prepared by the Commission’s Economic and Financial Affairs department. Energy Post will therefore follow up next week with a more in-depth analysis of what make energy prices tick in Europe and how they compare to the rest of the world.
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Festivities come with their own traditions and we make our own movie traditions for every occasion. Similarly, all of us have our own Halloween night favorites, whether it’s a gory slasher like Scream, a fun Tim Burton movie like Beetlejuice or the family-friendly classic Hocus Pocus. Every year there are new additions to the spooky collection, competing to become a Halloween tradition.
This year too we have a new contender with Adam Sandler s Netflix release of Hubbie Halloween. Here’s what Sandler had to say about the movie becoming a tradition, “We kept saying we wanted to do a Halloween movie.
I remember when I was a kid and Charlie Brown did a Halloween special and it was like the greatest thing ever that you had something dedicated to Halloween. So we kind of wanted to make a movie that you know, hopefully, every year they go, ‘Oh yeah, let’s watch Hubie Halloween and get into the spirit.”
In other words, Hubie Halloween was made specifically as an entry into the Halloween classics library. While appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show, Adam Sandler explained that he has always wanted to make a movie devoted to the holiday with his collaborators that could be enjoyed year after year by people of all ages.


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It’s official. adidas has confirmed that one of the most hyped Yeezys of 2020 will drop later this week. After first being teased back in December 2019, the Yeezy Boost 380 ‘Onyx’ is set to launch on 28.11.20.
As with any Yeezy, the ‘Onyx’ colourway won’t be an easy cop – guaranteed to fly out when they drop on Saturday. Saving you the stress of trying to bag a pair on launch day, we’re giving you the chance to enter the exclusive online raffle! Stay locked in to find out how…
Yeezy Boost 380 ‘Onyx’
Dropping in its darkest colourway to date, the latest Yeezy Boost 380 has a stealthy, one-piece Primeknit upper. Light and breathable with a subtle camo print, they offer a snug, sock-like fit, while the new 380 lacing system keeps you locked in.
Underfoot, they’re sat on a brown-tinted midsole with a translucent finish that lets you see adidas’ legendary Boost midsole inside. With subtle hits of gum, they’re finished with the iconic midfoot strip that’s synonymous with the new Boost 380.
Get Exclusive Access
Exclusively available to JDX members, the online raffle will give you chance to cop before launch day. Sound good? Find out more here.
Entrants must be signed up to JDX by 11.59PM, 25.11.20. Terms and Conditions apply.


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While a number of economic sectors in the region have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic since the beginning of the outbreak in January this year, some have been impacted worse than others. Notable is the case of automotive sales. Even before the coronavirus outbreak, car sales in some GCC countries including the Sultanate had fallen by approximately 30 per cent, partly due to cost-cutting measures announced by governments and other actions that have limited the spending power of public and private sector employees.
The slump in new car sales comes amid rising inventories at auto plants, warehouses, and ports despite offers by manufacturers and distributors to offer their vehicles to customers at low prices. Today, new models are coming on the market even as car distributors struggle to get rid of their inventories of new cars made during 2018 and 2019. Promotional advertisements on social media constantly try to encourage customers to buy recent models with incentives in the form of interest-free funding, free insurance and free registration. The models on offer are not only small saloon cars but also four-wheel drive vehicles preferred by many young people in the region. No doubt, the market suffers from a large oversupply amid a modest demand for cars.
Unlike other goods, the business of automotive sales and marketing requires investment in support infrastructure, in the form of showrooms, expansive display areas, and well-equipped facilities for repair and maintenance. Today, some entrepreneurs have turned to social media to sell vehicles in cooperation with overseas supplier at concessional prices, often to the detriment of local distributors.
It is possible that this sector will face another dilemma in the coming years, especially when hybrid cars that operate on a combination of electrical power and fossil fuel come on the market in large volumes. Today we see that electric and hybrid cars can perform reasonably well because of their environment-friendly features – characteristics that will appeal to environment-conscious customers, as well as official institutions. These new vehicles not only offer better fuel efficiency but also do not pollute the air. Their arrival into the region will not only offer people a wide choice of models to choose from, but will also contribute to the gradual phasing out of older models in the coming years.


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Sony and Honda will form a new company to develop electric vehicles following the introduction
There’s a Paris Agreement-style treaty for plastic from the UN, Australian humpbacks are no longer
Kraft Heinz could make vegan Macaroni & Cheese developed using AI thanks to a new
The latest IPCC report on climate change is truly shocking in its outlook, but there
Marine biologist Carissa Cabrera is dedicated to helping the public understand climate solutions.
Los Angeles is set to get the nation's first electric fire truck.
Black activists sparked the environmental justice movement and continue to move the needle forward in
Vegan milk, made with whey protein grown using fungi, is coming to stores thanks to
Wildfires are getting worse, even during the winter months. But a new bill opts to
The Academy Award-winner invested in planet-friendly startups and other stars followed.


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You may remember in late January we showed you the white Google Nexus S, now we have some more photos for you to check out following ElectricPig’s hands-on with the handset, this will undoubtedly frustrate those of you who are still eagerly awaiting the release of a white iPhone 4.
You can see a full gallery of white Nexus S photos here, some of which are side-by-side with the original black Nexus S, we are still wondering why Samsung chose a black bezel to surround the large touchscreen display, do you think that a white bezel would have looked better?
It has only been roughly two months since the Nexus S hit the North America, therefore some are surprised to see a white variant on its way already, Apple’s plans for a white iPhone 4 seem to have died down despite it being 7 months since its release, therefore many believe if Apple unveil a new iPhone in June it will be white (see here).
According to another recent ElectricPig article the white Nexus S will be a Vodafone exclusive in the UK, at the time of this post we are still unsure as to whether any U.S. carriers will be offering this new variant, we will have to keep you posted as we find out more.
Below we have embedded two more photos of the white Nexus S, do you prefer it to the black version?
*Identifying Monetised Links - outgoing links that we monetise are marked with an '*' symbol.


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Port City Logistics is expanding their operations in the Wilmington area through an investment of $16 million. Moreover, this latest investment from Georgia based logistics company will create 75 new jobs in the area.
150,000 square foot warehouse facility
Savannah-based Port City Logistics is a full-service logistics company which provides wide range of services to a diversified customer base. These include warehouse distribution, drayage, brokered transportation solutions and over-the-road trucking. Furthermore, the Port City Logistics operates through a network of 14 distribution centers. In addition, the company is now planning to build a $16 million warehouse facility near the port of Wilmington. The high velocity facility will spread across 150,000 square foot of space. Moreover, N.C. Council of State has already approved the property’s transaction. “We are delighted to welcome Port City Logistics to New Hanover County, North Carolina. “When companies are ready to connect with global markets, they are drawn to our state because of our workforce, excellent transportation network, and attractive quality of life.” North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said in his statement.
75 new jobs
Wilmington’s transload cross-dock warehouse facility is likely to add multiple employment opportunities for residents. So far the company has announced to create at least 75 new positions. Moreover, Port City Logistics announced that they will offer an average salary of $64,833. The average annual salary of New Hanover County is $53,421. Hence, the proposed salary of Port City Logistics in more than $10,000 higher than the County’s average salary.
One North Carolina Fund’s grant
Furthermore, One North Carolina Fund approved $112,000 performance based grant which will help in expansion across North Carolina. However, the company must meet capital investment and job creation targets to qualify for the payment. Wilmington will give the company approximately $45,000 over a period of five years. Moreover, New Hanover County will grant $67,500 over five years. “We are always looking for ways to pursue excellence and create innovative supply chain solutions and by spending time with the teams at NC Ports and Wilmington Business Development, we saw great alignment and knew Wilmington was where we needed to be.” Eric Howell, CEO of Port City Logistics stated in his press release.
Browse for job opportunities across United States
Keep up with the latest employment news across United States


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The Central Bank of Nigeria orders ban on cryptocurrency in Nigeria in its most recent communication through a circular that was published on Friday. It has ordered deposit-taking banks and other financial institutions to close accounts of those people that are associated with trading and purchasing of cryptocurrency in the country.
The communication about the ban on cryptocurrency in Nigeria that came as a shock to many was made abruptly as no one was informed prior. The Central Bank went ahead to threaten severe action against any financial institutions that did not act accordingly and continued to cooperate with those dealing in the digital currency.
However, because of the nature of cryptocurrency that is it operates in a decentralized system. This simply means there is no single unit in control of the whole system, as there is no single unit in charge of the system cryptocurrency cannot be regulated and therefore cannot be banned. This is one of its greatest advantages and that is why it continues to become popular in different parts of the world.
The financial authorities in Nigeria already knowing this decided to limit operations of other financial institutions with people who deal in cryptocurrency. Any banks and other financial institutions that are found to be holding accounts for those in this trade will be dealt with severely.
Such a regulation means that people with digital currency will not be able to exchange it for the Nigerian currency making their money almost useless. It can only facilitate purchases ad payments that accept money in cryptocurrency.
Many have noted the ban on cryptocurrency in Nigeria as a huge block in innovation and technology advancement in Nigeria. As many African countries struggle to be on the same playing field as the rest of the world when it comes to innovativeness, it seems the governments are always in the way of such growth through their limited contribution towards innovative projects and coming up with regulations that limit technological growth. In 2020, Nigeria was named the second-fastest-growing market for Bitcoin after the United States.
For now, only Peer 2 Peer transactions can take place that is trading the cryptocurrency amongst themselves since its ownership has not been criminalized.
Why the ban on cryptocurrency in Nigeria
It is still not clear what could have caused the abrupt regulation as many Nigerians can only speculate. Some people attribute it to the EndSars protests that shook the country in October last year. As the organisers gathered funding for the protests the country blocked their bank accounts leaving them with the alternative of cryptocurrency that saved the day. In a number of countries where digital currency has been banned, the governments explain that digital currency cannot be regulated because of its nature which poses risks like attracting criminals to do their money laundering work.


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As GM’s government-imposed deadline approaches Monday, it is highly likely the automaker that once dominated the global market will file for bankruptcy protection just like Chrysler did a few weeks ago.
Last year, Toyota overtook GM to become the world’s largest automaker, and its rise to the top seemed unstoppable. Japan appeared to be No. 1 again, at least in one industry.
But the automobile world looks totally different than it did six months ago. Toyota has announced a record net loss of more than ¥430 billion for fiscal 2008 and is projecting a ¥550 billion net loss this year.
Toyota is not the only one suffering. Nissan, once the darling of the stock market, has gone into the red for the first time since Carlos Ghosn took charge. Only Honda and Suzuki ended fiscal 2008 with net profits.
Even in the United States, Toyota suddenly appears vulnerable. Production and sales organizations need to be consolidated. Lexus, its luxury brand, finally lost its title as the most reliable make in J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction rankings for the first time in 15 years, falling behind the likes of Buick and Jaguar.
Meanwhile, in Europe, two major players — Fiat and the Volkswagen Group — are making headlines, but not for the same reasons as their Japanese or American peers. Ridiculed and nearly bankrupt only five years ago, Fiat has re-emerged under the regime of CEO Sergio Marchionne. The company has taken a stake in Chrysler and is also bidding for one in Opel, the German GM daughter that’s looking for a white knight.
But Fiat’s plans don’t stop there; they are also after GM’s business in Latin America. If all of these acquisitions succeeded, Fiat would become the world’s No. 2 auto manufacturer.
As for VW, this is another company that has rebounded from difficulties, fighting off a takeover attempt last year by Porsche, its largest shareholder. In April, VW made headlines when its Golf VI was selected World Car of the Year in New York.
But its new Polo concept car, unveiled a month earlier at the Geneva Motor Show, was probably even more important in the global competition for eco-supremacy. The Polo wowed the audience with a remarkable fuel efficiency of 30.3 km per liter. This is far better than Toyota’s Prius and even drew praise from the Nikkei, which said such a vehicle could knock Toyota and Honda off their green-technology thrones.
So are we witnessing the arrival of an era dominated by European automakers, or will the old regime continue to hold court? The answer is a clear neither-nor.
Let’s make a quick assessment of the players by market.
North America: Ford is the only maker likely to avoid the fate of Chrysler and GM, but it will struggle for its future; only optimistic observers believe it will return to profitability in 2010. Clearly, U.S. dominance of the automotive world is over.
Japan: Japan’s automakers are struggling, but not quite as badly as the Americans. Indeed, some of them might come back stronger in the near future. There is no doubt Toyota is great position with its high technologies, deep pockets and global market presence.
While Honda might have pulled out of Formula One, it also won the 2009 World Car of the Year award for cleanest car with a fuel-cell vehicle — the Honda Clarity FCX. The company’s success with the recently launched Insight, Honda’s first hybrid to top the domestic sales rankings, was also noteworthy.
The third remarkable auto force in Nippon is Suzuki. Not only did it manage a net profit last year, but it also appears well-positioned to weather the storm and tap future demand, thanks to its focus on small cars and its presence in India.
Europe: In this region, the picture is more complex. Apart from Fiat and Volkswagen, the German automakers seem to have an edge over their competitors, especially the French. The technological power and premium image of Daimler, BMW and Audi constitute strengths that cannot be easily destroyed by a financial crisis.
In addition, BMW benefits from having the Quandt family as a strong shareholder, as Audi benefits from its links to powerhouse Volkswagen. And even Daimler won some breathing space on March 22, when Abu Dhabi’s Aabar became a new major shareholder.
What about the emerging economies of China and India?
China: The Chinese market is on track to sell more than 10 million units this year and will possibly surpass the American market to become the global No. 1. But the country still lacks one or two automakers that can make global headlines. Such companies will likely arrive, eventually, but it will take a few more years.
India: Tata is different. With the Nano, the first car to sell for less than $2,500, they have made headlines and already received 203,000 orders. If Tata is to weather the financial storm well, it will have to become a new force in autos.
South Korea: Hyundai of South Korea meanwhile is already a global force but still lags in top technologies, especially “green” cars.
Summing up, it looks as if the Japanese and German makers still have the global edge and will keep it for years to come, if only for their undisputed lead in technology. But demand is a different story, because it takes place outside of Germany and Japan. With China, India — and probably Russia — emerging as major markets, Germany and its makers will benefit from a large European hinterland that includes Eastern Europe.
Here in Japan, however, the story is different. Interest in cars is rapidly declining. The Tokyo Motor Show in October is struggling to attract exhibitors from overseas while China’s appeal continuously grows. Japanese auto makers clearly need a business model that doesn’t rely only on a strong home market and a few key technologies, like hybrids.
Global competitors are quickly catching up and already leading in some areas. The fact that these rivals come from both Europe and Asia — and no longer from the U.S. — is a new twist that makes the situation harder to predict than ever before.
Jochen Legewie is president of German communications consultancy CNC Japan K.K.


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Labour groups allege workers at Canadian Tire supplier factories paid poverty wages
Canadian Tire Corp. has failed to ensure garment workers in its South Asian supplier factories are paid a living wage, labour groups allege in a complaint filed with a federal corporate watchdog.
The Canadian Labour Congress and the United Steelworkers Union filed the complaint with the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise on Tuesday, calling on the office to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in the retailer's supply chain.
The complaint alleges that workers in Bangladeshi garment factories that supply Canadian Tire subsidiary Mark's with clothing sold under brand names like Wind River, Denver Hayes, Dakota, and Helly Hansen are paid "poverty-level wages."
"Mark's' failure to ensure a living wage is paid to workers in its supply chain is a human rights abuse," the complaint addressed to Ombudsperson Sheri Meyerhoffer said.
Canadian Tire said it works to ensure that its suppliers comply with all local laws, including compensation.
"As part of our activities to ensure compliance, (Canadian Tire) regularly tracks wage rates and works with reputable third parties to audit factories that manufacture our owned brand products," the company said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.
While the company's suppliers may pay slightly more than the legal minimum wage in Bangladesh, garment workers still earn less than $1 an hour on average, said Kalpona Akter, executive director of the Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity.
Workers live in overcrowded housing and struggle to buy food despite working as much as six days a week and 12 hours a day, she said.
"Many face a constant struggle to feed themselves and their families and live one step away from abject poverty," Akter said during a news conference.
The average garment worker earns about $173 a month -- an amount that would have to increase four or five times to pay workers a living wage, she said.
Marty Warren, Canadian national director of the United Steelworkers Union, said that Canadian Tire's suppliers contravene international human rights standards.
"The women and men employed in Bangladesh garment factories like those used by Mark's and Canadian Tire live in poverty," he said during a news conference.
"Canadian Tire has influence and resources to ensure that rights are respected," Warren said. "They need to be pushed to live up to their responsibilities."
The complaint requests that the federal corporate watchdog "determine the extent of their human rights abuses in the Bangladesh ready-made garment industry" and the company's "failure to ensure workers in their supply chain are paid a living wage."
The labour groups are asking the watchdog to recommend that Canadian Tire publicly commits to ensuring a living wage is paid to all workers in its global garment supply chain.
Bangladesh is one of the world's largest garment exporters.
Several Canadian apparel retailers including Lululemon Athletica Inc. and Loblaw Companies. Ltd's Joe Fresh clothing brand have sourced apparel from the South Asian country.
Lululemon launched an investigation in 2019 after reports surfaced of worker abuse at a factory in Bangladesh that supplied the athleisure retailer.
In 2013, a factory that collapsed in Bangladesh killing more than 200 people made Joe Fresh-brand clothes.
Loblaw said at the time that it has vendor standards, which ensure products are manufactured "in a socially responsible way."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2022.
Nine out of 10 Canadians believe there could be a recession in 2023, according to a new national survey, with four out of 10 calling it 'likely.'
At first glance, it might seem like the deals have never been better as posters in store windows and online ads trumpet a steady stream of holiday sales. But some consumers say the discounts are more hype than real.
With the 2023 post-secondary education application deadlines approaching, many students across Canada are looking for alternatives to university and college, leaving parents anxious taking a ‘gap year’ could mean they never return to school.
Wouldn't it be nice to never have to work again? While this may sound like a dream to many, it is entirely possible. CTVNews.ca personal finance contributor Christopher Liew shares a handful of helpful tips on how to potentially achieve financial independence.
Recent homebuyers with variable-rate mortgages will find the adjustment to higher interest rates more painful, said Bank of Canada senior deputy governor Carolyn Rogers.
Buying your first car can be as exciting as it is daunting. Whether you’re buying a car off the lot from a dealership or purchasing a car in a private sale, contributor Christopher Liew shares in an exclusive column for CTVNews.ca a few basic tips that you should always keep in mind.
In March 2022 alone, food banks across Canada had 1.5 million visits, a 15 per cent increase from the year prior and the highest recorded usage on record.
Many Canadians have one or two old credit cards that they no longer use. Before you jump to close your old, unused credit card, CTVNews.ca contributor Christopher Liew outlines some of the pros and cons of closing a credit card account, so you can make the most informed decision.


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The Nokia Lumia 800 has been on sale in the UK for only two days now, but Brit magazine What Mobile awarded the Windows Phone handset the Mobile of the Year title.
The award was voted on by the magazine's readers during the month of October - before they even get to touch the Nokia Lumia 800. They must really be excited about the new handset.
Here's what Richard Melville, editor at What Mobile, had to say about the Nokia 800:
“It’s no secret that Nokia make great phones but with a new Windows Phone Mango operating system, great design and a competitive price, the Lumia 800 feels like real innovation for smartphones and, importantly, one that’s cool enough to attract everyone from gadget geeks to casual, fashion conscious phone users.”
To find out the winners of other categories in the What Mobile Awards 2011 ballot, you can read the magazine that comes out on November 24.
The award sounds all fishy, but it may be just us. Voting for a phone you've never seen in person? Now that's beyond us. Plus we hardly see the "real innovation" in the Lumia 800 that the magazine editor speaks of. We guess, it's one of those things.


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76ers Announce Crypto.com Sponsor Patch With NFT Tie-In
After being the first NBA team to add sponsor patches to their jerseys, the Philadelphia 76ers are now the second team to partner with a cryptocurrency and NFT company for their on-jersey sponsorships. The partnership also has an exclusive NFT component.
The Sixers had previously worn StubHub patches, but just announced today that Crypto.com will take over that real estate beginning on the team’s first preseason matchup on Oct. 4.
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) September 22, 2021
In addition to the jersey patch, the team is launching an NFT on the Crypto.com NFT platform.
"Crypto.com will be woven into the fabric of our identity, and together, we will change the landscape for how crypto is integrated in sports,” 76ers president of business operations Chris Heck said, according to NBC Sports. “We will also leverage Crypto.com’s forward-thinking, global expertise to unveil our first-ever NFT program. These are the types of creative, innovative partnerships that we crave, and we’re thrilled to share this with our fans in Philadelphia and around the world for years to come."
This won’t be a one-off thing, either. Each year, NBA teams have a special “City Edition” jersey, which reflects some aspect of the team’s history or its location. Philly Voice reported that when the Sixers debut their 2021-22 City Edition jersey, there will also be an NFT tie-in, meaning this partnership with Crypto.com goes just beyond wearing their logo and dropping a single NFT.
A cryptocurrency/NFT company placing a logo on sports jerseys shows that even when an entire company’s business model is built around something that can literally never be tangible, there will always be a place for logo placement in the real world.
It also shows what we’ve seen developing for a while: that there’s a place for NFTs in the promotional products space. Some companies have done it well, and others have whiffed, but it’s such new territory that there's room for experimentation to find what works best.


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The Times of India reports that the iPhone 4 is no longer available in India and has also been pulled out of China and Brazil. A quick look at the online Apple Stores for China and Brazil seems to confirm that.
I have to think that iOS 8 won’t run on the iPhone 4 — iOS 7 already struggles on that device — so Apple doesn’t want to be selling a phone that doesn’t run its latest operating system when it’s released.
This part isn’t correct, however:
Apple had decided to resume production of iPhone 4 to compete harder in markets such as India, Brazil and China.
Apple continued to sell the iPhone 4 at least in China after the introduction of the 5s and 5c.


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Two years ago, chemical company BASF signed an agreement with bioprinting company Poietis regarding the 3D printing of skin for cosmetic testing purposes. BASF wanted to use Poietis’ 3D laser-assisted bioprinting technology to further develop its Mimeskin tissue. The technology works by focusing a laser on a cartridge of bioink, which causes droplets of the ink to fall onto a substrate seeded with cells. This allows very precise positioning of cells in 3D structures.
“Bio-printed 3D models are the method of choice for the predictive evaluation of ingredients as these models reproduce the cell environment in vitro by having mechanical and metabolic functionalities close to the vivo,” said Fabien Guillemot, Founder and President of Poietis.
Now BASF and Poietis want to take their collaboration to the next level, having learned a great deal over the last two years about how to successfully engineer skin in the lab.
“During our cooperation, we gained important insights like the parameters and kinetics of dermis maturation. A mature and thick dermis is an essential condition to obtain optimum results in epidermal printing,” said Sebastien Cadau, responsible for tissue engineering development at BASF.
A big step was accomplished when Poietis’ technology was used to create an automated reproduction of Mimeskin, which is one of the closest equivalents to the original physiological equivalents of real human skin.
“In a second step, we now want to jointly improve the skin models by increasing structure complexity and adding new cell types,” said Cadau.
There are many benefits to using 3D printed skin for cosmetic testing. One major reason to do so is that it eliminates the need for testing on animals. For humane reasons, this is an obvious plus, but another benefit is that animals don’t always react to chemicals the way humans do, so animal testing doesn’t necessarily offer a perfect indication of how humans will react to a certain substance. The only way to accurately gauge how safe something is for human use is to test it on actual human skin – and since cosmetics companies can’t test on actual humans, the next best thing is human skin created in the lab. Since 3D printed skin such as Mimeskin is essentially real skin, this makes it an effective surface on which to test ingredients that may eventually be used by humans.
BASF successfully tested a number of active ingredients for cosmetics through the collaboration with Poeitis. In the years to come, the company plans to further develop and market several of those ingredients. At the cosmetic trade show Cosmetagora this year, BASF presented its ingredient Dermagenist, its first active ingredient whose efficacy was confirmed through the use of laser-assisted 3D bioprinted skin models.
“This agreement confirms a fruitful scientific collaboration and strengthens our partnership with the leading ingredients manufacturer for the personal care market,” said Bruno Brisson, Poeitis Co-Founder and Vice President Business Development. “This is a formal recognition of Poietis’ unique technology and its valorization driven by new developments since the creation of the company.”
Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.[Images: Poietis]
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Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) representatives recently joined the UAE’s Ministry of Economy delegation which attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2023 in Russia. The visit aimed to explore new opportunities for collaboration and strengthen economic ties between the UAE and Russia.
During SPIEF, RAKEZ Chief Commercial Officer, Anas Hijjawi, participated in a panel discussion titled ‘UAE Industrial Clusters: New Opportunities for Russian Exporters’. The discussion shed light on how RAKEZ, as one of the largest and fastest-growing regional economic zones, can serve as a strategic platform providing new avenues for Russia’s exporters seeking to expand their production facilities in the current geopolitical landscape.
During the panel discussion, Hijjawi highlighted the numerous advantages and preferences that the UAE’s economic zones offer to Russian investors, including a business-friendly environment, robust infrastructure, collaborative opportunities, access to modern facilities, and a wide range of support services. He emphasised the importance of conducting market research, forming strategic partnerships, adapting products to local demand, and engaging in proactive marketing and promotional activities for Russian companies seeking to enter the UAE market.
Furthermore, he stressed the significance of establishing Russian clusters within the economic zones, citing the benefits of enhanced collaboration, access to specialisedresources, networking opportunities, streamlined government support, and the development of state-of-the-art industry ecosystems.
In a notable development on the sidelines of SPIEF, RAKEZ and Business Russia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to pave the way for stronger trade, economic, scientific, and technological relations between the UAE and Russia.
The MoU, signed by Hijjawi and Business Russia’s Chairman, Alexey Repik, aims to encourage closer contact between the two entities, promote economic growth, and facilitate active participation in business events held in both countries. It also facilitates information exchange in areas of mutual interest, covering the economy, foreign trade, changes in law, regulations, prospective projects, and spheres of interest, thereby fostering a stronger partnership between RAKEZ and Business Russia.
RAKEZ Group CEO, Ramy Jallad, said, “We are thrilled to have entered into this mutually beneficial collaboration with Business Russia, as it is a significant milestone in strengthening the trade and economic relations between the UAE and Russia. This MoU opens up new avenues for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and business opportunities between the two countries through our organisations. We look forward to fostering a productive partnership that will benefit companies from both regions and contribute to the growth and prosperity of our respective economies.”
Today RAKEZ is home to around 800 Russian companies operating in different sectors ranging from startups and SMEs, to large manufacturers.


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According to animal rights charity PETA, which filmed the footage, Australia is the world’s largest exporter of wool and a source of wool used by Forever 21. The charity claims the videos ‘show workers beating petrified sheep in the face, deliberately mutilating them, and cutting the throats of fully conscious animals’.
PETA is calling now on consumers to boycott the brand until it agrees to stop selling wool.
The footage reveals sheep being hurt by workers
“Sheep are beaten and mutilated for woolly jumpers, coats, and scarves, and Forever 21 is profiting from this cruelty to animals,” PETA Director, Elisa Allen, said in a statement sent to Plant Based News.
“PETA is calling on caring people to give sheep some peace on Earth this Christmas by choosing only wool-free, vegan apparel.”
PETA adds: “One of the videos…reveals..shearers striking sheep in the face with sharp metal clippers, kneeling on their stomachs, and throwing them about.”
“Forever 21 takes the issues of ethical sourcing and animal welfare extremely seriously and has worked with PETA on several important initiatives over the years, including our fur-free policy and permanent ban on Angora rabbit hair,” a Forever 21 spokesperson told PBN.
“To the best of our knowledge, Forever 21 does not source any materials from farms in Australia and therefore refutes the accuracy of PETA’s claims.
“We remain deeply committed to working with vendors that employ strict animal welfare practices.”
*This article was updated on November 26 to include Forever 21’s statement.


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ALL we want for Christmas is to look like Kate, apparently, as the Duchess of Cambridge's delicate nose tops the list of the most requested celebrity face parts by plastic surgery patients this year.
If you thought she was lucky for finding love, marrying a prince and now expecting a baby, it seems her natural beauty can now be added on to the list of things to envy Kate for.
Over the past year requests to plastic surgeons to look like Kate Middleton have trebled, new figures reveal.
While the bedroom eyes of Rosie Huntington-Whitley and the sexy full pout of X factor judge Nicole Scherzinger are also must-haves for women wanting to change their looks.
And it's not just women who are turning to celebrities for inspiration when undergoing plastic surgery.
There has been a jump in men citing star's body parts as their ideal when going under the knife.
Top of men's wish lists is a jaw like heart throb Robert Pattinson, Ashton Kutcher's chiseled cheeks and Zac Effron's luscious locks and smouldering eyes.
Clearly hoping to fake their way to heart throb status, men also want the lips of Ryan Gosling and the nose of notoriously cheeky ladies' man Jude Law.
The figures have been released by the Transform Cosmetic Surgery Group who offer cosmetic procedures such as breast enlargement, face lifts, botox and liposuction and have seen a huge rise in people requesting specific celebrity body parts.
A spokesman from the company said: "People are choosing celebrities who are sophisticated and naturally beautiful."


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Toshiba has partnered with esports team Panda Global, in a deal which will see Panda Global athletes using Toshiba technology both in tournaments and during streams.
“Toshiba understands the unique needs of gamers and we are constantly striving to deliver high performance SATA and NVMe solid state drives to empower esports and gaming enthusiasts,” said Alex Mei, Toshiba’s vice president of consumer SSD’s and storage outbound marketing.
“Panda Global will be leveraging our retail Toshiba-OCZ Series SSDs throughout the year when training and competing and we are thrilled to work with such a fast growing and talented team.”
Panda Global is a big name for Toshiba to partner up with, although the financials behind the deal haven’t been disclosed. However, Panda is viewed as community leaders in several sports, well recognised in the Smash Bros. scene, and also competing in several other sports.
Harddrive technology might not be the sexiest partnership in the world, but Toshiba will no doubt be hoping that attaching their name to a popular endemic brand can give them a boost, as has been seen with several other tech brands.


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ENDESA and Iberdrola have reached an agreement with numerous large chains such as McDonald’s and Carrefour to install charging points in their car parks.
Hypermarkets, shopping centres and petrol stations are to receive the charging points as the green revolution continues to gain momentum across Spain in an effort to reduce the country’s carbon footprint.
Certain chains across Andalucía, including Malaga already have Iberdrola charging points in selected McDonald’s chains after an agreement was brokered last year, with an aim to increase the points by the end of 2020.
Alongside Malaga, Madrid, Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha also have points in various retail areas across the city.
Endesa have also been busy negotiating contracts with major retailers such as Consum, Ballenoil petrol stations as well as McDonald’s to also install charging points.
Endesa’s plan is to install 8,500 charging points by 2023 whilst Iberdrola aims to install 25,000 points including in public areas, housing estates and urbanisations.
Electric vehicles in Spain are becoming increasingly popular with many car companies such as Toyota and Mercedes pledging to eliminate standard fuelled vehicles in the future.
In 2019, electric and hybrid vehicle sales have increased by 176% year on year and in terms of European market share, Spain is well on its way to reaching a 2% market share.


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Turning The ‘Internet of Things’ Into An ‘Internet of Outcomes’
Over the next five years, it is estimated that businesses will collectively spend nearly $6 trillion on IoT solutions and all signs point to this figure rising. The reason? IoT technology provides a data-driven avenue through which today’s businesses can optimize their operations to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Digital leaders have identified IoT technology as an integral part of their efforts to digitally transform the way they collect, store and analyze information and fuel top-to-bottom decision-making. And the latest IoT innovations offer capabilities that truly drive insightful value – forecasting, risk management, logistics and retail included – positioning adopters for market success. For example, a COO can see the materials flowing into his production facility in real-time, and optimize to meet demand. A farmer can grow more food with fewer chemicals by assessing important agribusiness data throughout all operational layers. A quality manager can remove defective materials before they get to the manufacturing line, predicting and mitigating any issues that would have previously remained unseen. An oil refinery can improve the safety of all its workers through location tracking, vital sign monitoring and danger scanning (e.g. gas leaks) at all times. With the latest and greatest implementations of device connectivity through big data and cloud capabilities, the Internet of Things turns into an Internet of Outcomes, reaching out to and helping end-users in ways never seen before.
Strategic IoT Industry Partnerships Will Push the Digital Economy Forward
The benefits of collective industry efforts and co-innovation partnerships are not unknown to many business markets, but they are a new endeavor in the IoT industry, as the need to fuel faster growth increases – innovation that will benefit customers immediately and truly reveal untapped potential in the field of IoT connectivity.
We’re already seeing many organizations turning to collaborative partnerships, partnering with other technology leaders to provide products and services that create better experiences for end-users. Case in point – SAP recently announced a new strategic partnership with Robert Bosch GmbH, a multinational engineering and electronics company, during the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) in Germany. The goal of this endeavor is to enable customers to use S4HANA in the Bosch IoT Cloud, providing customers to process enormous quantities of IoT data for applications in real-time, with truly impactful outcomes.
For our joint customers, this means secure and more efficient connectivity for vehicles, manufacturing machinery and tools that can be accessed on today’s leading opens platforms. For SAP and Bosch, two companies that put their customers first, this is an important milestone – one that goes beyond our individual gains. Both companies share the same vision: driving greater customer experiences, as all end-users will quickly benefit from stronger connected services that they wouldn’t be able to receive working with each company independently. We’re working closely to streamline our environments, learn from our joint engagements, which will only create more improvements and breakthrough projects for the future.
The ‘Internet Of Outcomes’ Is On The Horizon, And The Journey Starts Now
By harnessing the power of cloud computing, machine learning, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics, IoT has the capabilities to truly disrupt any industry. This means innovation will come from within and outside traditional industry definitions.
And this innovation is happing fast. It isn’t enough just to “sense” your surroundings by collecting information-consider that IOT phase 1. For IoT to live up to its $6 trillion expectations, it will need to move beyond being a “data source” and begin to deliver actionable insights. Just because a device is connected to a network does not mean that it necessarily delivers any value to an end-user. Better investments must push the Internet of Things into its next stage – the Internet of Outcomes – and produce quick, actionable outcomes out of sensor-driven monitoring. The possibilities are endless, but only if co-innovation and a shared industry agenda starts now.
To learn more, check out SAP’s “10 Days of IoT” series, where stories and news are shared around how SAP’s IoT innovation brings meaningful change to organizations and industries around the world.


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There are nearly one hundred enormous cargo ships backed up off shore at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which handle 40% of U.S. imports. Some ships have been waiting to dock and unload since August 23. And one of these idle ships was the likely cause of a large oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach in Southern California, as the ship’s massive anchor may have struck an underwater oil pipeline.
This backup has spread to other ports throughout the U.S., and has helped worsen a general shortage of all types of goods from computer chips to books to toasters to shoes to machinery and large equipment — basically every category of consumer and industrial goods. And these shortages have led to record-breaking price increases, which have skyrocketed living costs while many working class families are already struggling.
A number of issues have led to this backup of cargo ships, ranging from a shortage of truck drivers to move the cargo, to international factory closures that lead to shipping delays, and port shut downs due to COVID outbreaks.
Last week, President Joe Biden, worried about his tumbling approval rating, tried to intervene and force the warehouse and dock workers who unload the ships at the ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach to move to 24/7 shifts, and the union leaders of the Teamsters and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have agreed.
But this is hardly a solution. According to an ILWU spokesperson, there has been nothing in the union contract that prohibited 24/7 shifts:
“It’s important to let people know that our contracts allow the employers and the terminal operators to work 24 hours a day. … So it’s not something that is brand new.”
The problem has been that Port management has refused to hire more workers to staff an extra shift. This wasn’t a major problem for shipping before the pandemic but now that there is such a backlog, the absence of that extra shift is making things worse.
But Port management still doesn’t want to pay out the funds to hire more workers, despite record volume and profits in the shipping industry. For example, the seven largest shipping carriers (including Maersk, COSCO and Hapag-Lloyd) reported more than $23 billion in profits in the first half of this year, compared with just $1 billion in the same period last year. And total volume at the Port of Los Angeles has increased by 27% from the previous year.
Instead of increased hiring, the plan is to get the work done with increased overtime. In other words, the brilliant plan agreed to by Biden and the leadership of the Teamsters and the ILWU is to make already overworked dock workers do even more work to unload record levels of cargo, only putting their safety at greater risk.
But prior to the latest agreement, Port management has not wanted to pay out the additional costs of overtime to staff an additional shift. Like many companies during the pandemic, they have tried to take advantage of labor shortages by squeezing more work out of fewer workers. Even if overtime is paid, it is very unlikely the backlog will be addressed without hiring additional workers.
The problem at the ports goes way beyond not having 24 hour shifts. Most U.S. ports still rely on individual trucking instead of trains to move the large containers out of the ports. And for the past several months there has been a severe shortage of truck drivers to meet the growing backlog.
Part of Biden’s plan has also been to secure pledges from Walmart, Amazon, FedEx, UPS, Target, Home Depot and others to also increase shift times towards 24/7 to move more goods. But, here too, squeezing more out of an already overworked workforce only increases risks to workers’ safety. And it is unlikely that any of this will be enough to change things very quickly.
Under the plan, the goal is to process and unload 3,500 extra containers during the night each week. But even if this works, it would still take months to deal with the hundreds of thousands of containers already sitting on the docks and the ships off shore. Some experts expect the backlog to last until 2023.
Prior to Biden’s latest plan, for weeks the ports were already operating at 20 hours each day with four hours for cleaning and refueling, and the backlog was still growing. In the words of one truck driver interviewed by CBS news in Los Angeles, “It’s not going to solve anything … Even if you’re there 24 hours working it’s gonna be even worse. Why? Because it’s gonna be more people coming in the terminal who are just gonna sit there. It’s just ridiculous.”
This supply chain crisis is just one more example of how dysfunctional the system of capitalism is — this system can’t even organize the basic production and distribution of goods. And all the Biden administration has to propose is to increase the exploitation of workers to make up for the complete incompetence of the ruling class.


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By comparison to the record year for Netflix, and the irrepressible rise of Disney+, Amazon has somewhat flown under the radar as a VOD player over the past year.
The news however that Amazon now has 200 million Prime subscribers globally generating US$126 billion of value for the company should come as no surprise given the ubiquitous status of a company as sprawling as the rainforest after which it was named.
The milestone was announced in a letter to investors from outgoing CEO Jeff Bezos, who noted that subscribers had increased by 50 million year-over-year. It previously took Amazon two years to amass 50 million subscribers. The figures demonstrate that Amazon has a dominant position in households across the world and across all aspects of consumer life as a genuine megacorporation.
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With so many people interacting with images uploaded through Instagram, consumer brands that are not taking advantage of this engagement-rich tool are potentially missing the chance to reach new and existing customers in an exciting way, says integrated PR, social media and search agency Punch Communications.
Instagram launched in 2010, and in the space of two years the free photo sharing programme has gained more than 30 million members who have uploaded more than 400 million photos. The service allows users to take a photo, apply a digital filter to the image and then share it on a variety of social networking sites, including Instagram itself and Statigram, an Instagram web viewer and search tool.
Brands that share images on Facebook alongside an update typically receive up to 80 per cent higher engagement levels than on a post without an accompanying image. In addition, using innovative filter functions, such as those available on Instagram, makes images more interesting, personal and appealing to consumers.
Last year, Instagram added a hashtag function to help users discover both photos and each other; it works in a similar way to Twitter, in that it groups common themes together and makes them searchable. Statigram allows users of Instagram to search for these hashtags, as well as giving them access to all their images online and source information on who has engaged with their profile.
Instagram and its hashtag capabilities can be used by consumer brands as a social media marketing tool in a number of creative ways, such as promoting events and products. For example, Tiffany & Co. used Instagram a part of a campaign to promote its new range of jewellery; the company asked people to take photos that depicted love and apply the hashtag #truelovepictures. Not only did this allow the company to identify the campaign’s success, but also those brand fans who took part acted as promotional ambassadors for the new product range.
Pete Goold, managing director of Punch Communications, specialists in social search and other integrated PR services, said: “Instagram is a simple tool to use and with added functions like the hashtag and filters, it makes images more visually appealing and also easy to find.
“Due to the increase in mobile social network usage, and in-built cameras being a common feature of a smartphone, interaction levels are extremely high; with the amount of people using the free tool, brands that sell tangible goods like fashion products or other image-driven items are missing out on reaching consumers if they don’t choose to use it. Brands of this type that are already utilising social networking sites would be wise to add Instagram into their digital strategies to increase levels of engagement and brand awareness in a creative way.”
If you are researching or looking to employ the services of PR, search and social media agencies, then contact Punch Communications to see what an integrated approach can do for your business. Please call 01858 411 600, or visit the Punch website at www.punchcomms.com.


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- Al Wahda Mall introduces hassle free parking for its women shoppers by dedicating more than 80 pink parking bays in the mall parking arena, making it the first mall in Abu Dhabi to lead the way with and promote the Abu Dhabi government’s initiative
- Al Wahda Mall is known for introducing novel initiatives and programs that are in the best interests of the mall visitors
- Focusing on the convenience and ease for women shoppers, these parking slots are allocated in the ground floor of the mall and the extension area
Al Wahda Mall, an Iconic landmark & favourite shopping destination located in the heart of Abu Dhabi city with over 350 plus stores and over 100 Kiosks. Spanning across an area of 3.3 million square feet(BUA), the mall attracts around 30mn visitors annually on average, more than 50 % of which are women. Due to the mall’s growing number of women visitors, the mall periodically engages into various awareness programs as well as activities to engage and encourage maximum participation. Aligning itself with the government initiatives, Al Wahda Mall has now allocated over 80 parking bays, reserved for women known as ‘Ladies Parking’, making it the first mall in Abu Dhabi to have led the way.
Commenting on this new announcement, Mr. Mohammed Nauman Thakur, General Manager, Al Wahda Mall said, “More than 50 percent of women shoppers at Al Wahda Mall are women, hence we are always looking at providing them with the best shopping experience and club it with convenience and ease. Reserved parking spaces for women shoppers, encourages them to visit the mall more often and eases out their woes to look out for parking giving them a feeling of oneness with the mall. We are looking at aligning our mall initiatives with that of the government, and provide women with pink parking bays known as ‘Ladies Parking.’ We are very pleased by this initiative and would be looking forward to spread the message and benefits to as many mall goers as possible. We would want everyone to take advantage of our new set-up and enjoy all that the mall has to offer.”


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Increase in high street retailers in financial difficulty
24 Dec 2013
24 Dec 2013
Despite the tills ringing merrily over the run-up to Christmas, there has been a rise in the number of retailers facing critical financial problems, according to research from Begbies Traynor.
The firm's survey shows an 8% rise overall in retailers facing 'critical' difficulties compared to the same period last year, while the number of retail businesses with 'significant' financial issues is up by 15%.
While traditional high street stores are still being adversely affected by higher fixed costs from business rates and rental payments, Begbies Traynor says online start-ups are also starting to feel the pressure. Its research shows that 1,816 non-store firms are currently in 'significant' financial distress, a rise of 28% from the equivalent period last year.
Julie Palmer, Begbies Traynor partner, said: 'A flush of online start-ups, which are typically at higher risk of failure in the early stage of their life cycles, has driven a significant rise in financial problems in non-store retailers. Many of these are falling victim to larger online and multi-channel competitors who offer lower prices due to greater buying power, increased visibility from better search engine rankings, or the convenience of click-and-collect.'
Those most at risk are second hand stores and market stalls (29% rise in 'significant' distress rating) and food, drink and tobacco retailers (up 20%), along with electrical goods merchants (up 16%) and clothing and footwear retailers (up 12%).
In contrast, department stores which also have an online presence have done better, partly because consumers want to do all their Christmas shopping under one roof plus the convenience of what Begbies Traynor calls 'omni-channel retailing'.
Palmer warned there are likely to be more high profile retail failures at the start of 2014, stating: 'The approaching December quarter rent day will be an ongoing concern for many struggling retailers whose only source of income is through their bricks and mortar premises'.


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Spider-Man for PlayStation 4 has had a recent influx of new information surrounding the anticipated superhero title. The first current-generation game for your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has recently been confirmed to be releasing September this year, and is one of the many PS4 exclusives releasing this year – alongside God of War and Detroit: Beyond Human. It has been confirmed that Spider-Man will never release on Xbox.
Insomniac Games has recently been teasing the reveal of two more suits as a pre-order bonus. after unveiling the first suit (Spider-Punk) last week. Two more suits have been hidden to be confirmed at a later date, and recently Insomniac accidentally released the trailer for the second suit to be revealed on their Twitter account. While the tweet was deleted almost immediately, users were quick to download the video and repost it to their own timelines. YouTubers who attempted to do so received a copyright strike from Sony.
Spider-Man‘s second pre-order bonus will be the Iron Spider suit for Spider-Man, according to the trailer. In the bottom right, there is a graphic stating that the suit is actually inspired by a suit from the upcoming motion picture Avengers: Infinity War. This does seem to be the case, however, the Iron Spider suit was actually introduced in the Civil War comics back in 2006-2007. The graphic does seem to be more of a way to advertise the upcoming film, rather than directly pay homage to the comics, but Insomniac may do so in the future when the suit is officially announced.
In the trailer, reposted by Twitter user Kulturpat, Spider-Man can be seen swinging around the city in the suit, and climbing onto a Manhattan skyscraper. Game Informer recently went in-depth on how the web-swinging mechanics will work in the game. Spider-Man also salutes a pedestrian while swinging past them – whether you can do this whenever you want while exploring the open world, we have yet to see. When Insomniac announce the suit officially they will most likely detail the ability that comes with it, as it was confirmed that each suit will have a unique ability, and you can customize them and assign them to different suits.
#SpiderManPS4'te Iron Spider kostümü de olacak. pic.twitter.com/gTreqS6bFz
— Kültürpat (@Kulturpat) April 12, 2018
We’ll be sure to keep updating you as more information is released this month for Spider-Man.
Spider-Man releases on September 7, 2018 exclusively for PlayStation 4.
Source: @Kulturpat (via VG247)


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Most people say they wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a real $100 bill and a forged one.
A recent rash of counterfeit $100 bills has Bainbridge investigators telling shoppers to guard themselves -- and their money -- from scammers.
Six Bainbridge businesses and banks were hit by the counterfeiters on May 27.
Bainbridge Public Safety officers arrested Antonio Ward, Cynthia Akins, Shontae Akins, Paul Smith and Mary Baker after they say the group passed the bogus bills.
Officers say the scammers bleached $5 bills, then printed $100s over them.
They say there are a couple easy ways you can tell if a $100 bill -- or any denomination bill -- used to be something else.
Says case investigator Mark Esquivel, "If you hold it up to the light, you'd see the original picture of Abraham Lincoln, but of course, he's on the $5 bill, and it'd be a $100 bill over that."
Fake bills can cause a domino-effect of problems once they get into circulation.
Says Fred's customer Dierdra Glenn, "It's hard times and people are trying to use counterfeit bills, and then the person that's next in line will be the one that gets in trouble for it if they give it to someone else."
When you add the internet to the mix, it makes the problem even worse --- with millions of buyers on sites like Craigslist, it's easier now than ever to get scammed.
Havana, Florida resident Daniel Musgrove says he uses cash for most purchases.
Musgrove says, "If people can figure out how to make their own, why work? Why struggle if I can print it in the bathroom, or in the garage?"
Investigators say it's important to check your bills before leaving a store when you get change back.
They say this makes the store more likely to believe you're not a scammer yourself.
Investigators say the most commonly counterfeited bills are 20s and 100s.


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Buoyed by strong international sales, Harry Winston Diamond Corp. more than doubled its second-quarter profits Tuesday and solidly beat analysts’ estimates.
The Toronto-based retailer and supplier of diamonds reported a 149 percent leap in profits, posting net earnings of $49.9 million, or 81 cents a diluted share, for the quarter ended July 31, versus net income of $20.1 million, or 33 cents a diluted share, for the year-ago period. Analysts anticipated 43 cents a share.
"You start one way as a baby, but why shouldn't you be able to choose your own path as opposed to culturally people telling you which way to go?" - Thom Browne at his men's spring 2018 show, where he celebrated gender fluidity. #pfw #wwdmens (📷: @delphineachard)
"I think that all anyone really wants in life is to have people understand us for who we actually are, despite everything," says Ruth Negga. The actress talks "Preachers" season 2 and more on WWD.com. #wwdeye (📷: Dan Doperalski)


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“Since 2011, while selling the highly durable phones of other companies, we found that it is possible to create an even tougher product. We are not saying that this phone is indestructible. If you really want, you can break any device, this phone is just more resistant than others,” said Redlainas CEO Albert Židonis.
Getnord Onyx body is made of aluminum alloy and is also designed to meet military industry standards MIL-STD-810G and IP68. It can survive 30 minutes submerged in water of up to two metres and is designed for the harsh conditions experienced by those working in heavy industry, construction, law enforcement and the military.
“Our products are focused on real consumers who need a tough phone, whose main characteristic is its strength, not beauty. We are not trying to create a trendy brand, because these phones for the hard-working professionals. Our phones somewhat heavier, stronger and have put a lot of metal, ” said Židonis.
The Lithuanian company selling the highly durable mobile phone range Getnord not only in Lithuania, but also in Germany, Italy, France and the UK.
“Lithuania is a very small market, but it is important to us. We are a Lithuanian company, we want to present all our designed products here,” said
The majority of the phone‘s space is occupied by a 4000 mAh battery. The standby time is 580 hours and talk time – 16 hours. Getnord Onyx costs €399.
While this and other Getnord branded phones are manufactured in China, Kaunas based company Redlainas CEO Albertas Židonis says that it is a purely Lithuanian product.


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UMEME primes for increased power supply
KAMPALA, DECEMBER 17 – Ugandan electric power distributor UMEME will be commissioning a new 40Mw substation in Namugongo on the eastern flanks of Kampala before the end of December, as part of ongoing efforts to improve supply and ready the network for future growth, officials say.
Speaking today during a media tour of the facility whose construction is at an advanced stage, UMEME Deputy MD, Mr. Sam Zimbe said the new substation would improve quality of supply by easing pressure on existing substations at Ntinda, Kireka, and Mukono.
Although current demand in the Namugongo service area is at about 15Mw, the new substation has been given a 25Mw redundancy to accommodate future growth in the fast expanding neighborhood. It has been designed to have two incoming feeders and three outward feeders to Sonde, Kyakiwajjala and Bukerere areas, explained Emmanuel Kiremire, UMEME’s Senior Manager for Technical Services.
The two incoming feeders also minimize disruption to supply in event of failure of either of the lines with supply automatically switching to the available line after one minute of outage. The double redundancy also extends to the station’s ABB supplied transformers and switch-gear that will be connected to UMEME’s SCADA system through which the distribution network can be remotely monitored.
“The switching capacity here is equivalent to about 40,000 new domestic consumers but because we have mix of commercial and domestic users we can safely accommodate 30,000 new connections,” Kiremire said adding that he expected that capacity manage growth in the load over the next 5-10 years.
“What we are doing now is to improve the quality of supply and also ready the network for an anticipated increase in power supply when two new generation projects – Isimba 183Mw and Karuma 600Mw come online starting late 2016,” Kiremire further said.
Uganda currently has an installed generation base of 850 Mw but is only able to dispatch 630Mw as a result of gaps in the transmission and distribution infrastructure as well as aged conductors across the network.
UMEME which has spent $5 million on the substation and $2million on the associated feeders hopes to have added an additional 150,000 retail customers to its network by the end of this year while another 200,000 new connections and two new substations are planned for 2016. The distributor says between $80-120 million will be spent on those new investments and the customer base is expected to.
The customer base is expected to reach 1 million connections in 2016 from 800,000 today. Retail customers account for 30 percent of UMEME’s revenue. Half of these are currently connected to the pre-paid metering system resulting in significant gains for the distributor’s cash flows.


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Redmi 9 Power, Redmi 9A affordable phones get expensive in India: Check new prices
Redmi 9 Power and Redmi 9A get expensive in India starting today. Check new prices of these two affordable Xiaomi phones.
Updated:Sat, July 17, 2021 2:55pm
By Sneha Saha
Several phones from brands like Redmi, Samsung, Poco and more have received price hike in India. Some of these phones include the Redmi Note 10 series, Samsung Galaxy M02, Poco M3, among others. New additions to the list of phones that get expensive in India are the Redmi 9 Power and the Redmi 9A.
Both the Redmi 9 Power and the Redmi 9A have received a price hike in India by Rs 500. The price hike on these two budget phones is applicable starting today. After the price up, here's how much you will need to pay for the Redmi 9 Power as well as the Redmi 9A:
As mentioned, to buy both phones you will need to spend Rs 500 extra from now on.
Redmi 9A, Redmi 9 Power new prices
Redmi 9 Power 6GB RAM + 128GB storage will now be available at Rs 13,499. The model was previously available at Rs 12,999. Other two models of the phone 4GB RAM + 128GB and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage are available at Rs 11,999 and Rs 10,999, respectively. These two models have not received price hike.
Redmi 9A budget phone with 3GB RAM + 32GB of internal storage will now be available at Rs 7,799. The model was previously available at a lower price of Rs 7,499. The base model of the phone with 2GB RAM + 32GB storage has not received a price hike and is priced at Rs 6,999.
The price of both these Redmi models have gone up on online as well as offline stores starting today.
Both the 9 Power and the 9A are one of the best phones in their respective price segments. Launched last year, the Redmi 9 series is said to get the successor soon. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer is expected to launch the Redmi 10 series in India soon. The company is yet to officially confirm the budget Redmi smartphone series.


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tna has launched performance 5.0, a revolutionary new approach to high-speed production line performance ahead of this year’sinterpack in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Comprising a brand new high performance vertical packaging system, high-speed multi-head scale and the world’s fastest case packer for flexible bags, tna performance 5.0 gives food manufacturers the chance to double their output thanks to ultra-high speed equipment.
Customers can maximize their production flexibility with faster changeovers and more product capabilities in a single system. tna’s performance 5.0 will set new industry standards and enable food manufacturers to take their productivity to the next level.
“tna performance 5.0 is about a lot more than just individual product innovations,” comments Alf Taylor, CEO and co-founder of tna. “Our ultimate goal is therefore to equip today’s food manufacturers with technology that is capable of the highest speeds as well as continuous improvement, so they’re ready for the next stage of food production. That way, their equipment won’t just meet the requirements of today, but will also easily adapt to their future needs. We’re extremely proud of how far we’ve come until now and cannot wait to demonstrate at this year’s interpack just how much further we can take the industry!”
Capable of speeds of up to 300 bags per minute (bpm), the new tna ropac5 will be officially unveiled at interpack in May. The release will then be followed by the launch of the tna robag® 5, the latest generation of tna’s flagship vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) packaging system at Pack Expo later that year.


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Vitamin D lowers chances of viral infection
Immune receptors function better with higher vitamin D levels
by Newsletter Editor
Because vitamin D levels decline in the fall and winter when there is less and weaker sunlight, people may catch cold more easily, doctors said. In the first phase of this two-part study, researchers measured vitamin D levels in three healthy groups: young people aged 20 to 30, middle-aged people 31 to 59, and older adults aged 60 to 86, and found circulating vitamin D levels decreased with age.
In the second phase of the study, using the same group of volunteers, doctors found that the special immune receptors designed to intercept and kill viruses were more likely to function normally as levels of vitamin D increased.


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Megadimension Neptunia VII (Shin Jigen Game Neptune VII) will be release in North America and Europe in 2016 according to Idea Factory International. The PlayStation 4 role-playing game has been shipped in Japan last April 23 and it is slated to be release in the west in the spring of 2016.
Naoko Mizuno, director Shingo Onodera, and character designer Tsunako returned to the development team for the newest installment in the Neptunia franchise. The gamefeatures three dimensions and three different stories: “Rei-jigen Neptune Z” (Zero-Dimension Neptune Z) where Neptune and Nepgear lose their way in Zero Dimension and fight alongside the new character Uzume Ten’ōsei/Orange Heart; “Chō-jigen Neptune G” (Hyperdimension Neptune G) where Neptune and her friends live in the Gamindustri world; and “Shin-jigen Neptune H” (Heart Dimension Neptune H), a mysterious dimension. (Via: Anime News Network)
Last Updated on January 27, 2021 by Yu Alexius


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Russ Raybould, the namesake of Lincoln, Neb.-based retailer Russ’s Market and co-founder of its parent B&R Stores, passed away Sept. 13 at age 92, the company said.
B&R Stores operates six Russ’s Market Stores in Lincoln and one in Hastings, Neb. In 1984, Raybould launched the price conscious Super Saver brand. Today there are nine Super Saver locations. B&R Stores also operates Grand Central Apple Market in Kearn


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By: Lucia Moses | Digiday
There are those who proclaim the rise of digital media is finally giving way to a “golden age of journalism.” And then there are the pessimists who see little but doom or gloom.
And, to be fair, there’s ample evidence for each view. Just check out the Pew Research Center’s 11th annual State of the News Media report that’s being issued today. This year’s study goes in-depth into the revenue picture for news, the rise of digital reporting and growth of digital video. In many ways, this is the best of times and the worst of times for the industry. You can read the full report at the Pew website or check out a few handy charts here. Meanwhile here’s the speed-read version: