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NEW YORK Issues due to low levels of vitamin D are on the rise and potentially could cause severe repercussions for overall health and fracture rates, according to a new report by the International Osteoporosis Foundation.
Vitamin D is mainly produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight, and, to a lesser extent, is derived from nutritional sources. It plays an important role, through its influence on calcium levels, in the maintenance of organ systems, and is needed for normal bone mineralization and growth. Insufficient levels may lead to increased risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture, and, in severe cases, to the development of rickets, a softening of ones in children that can lead to skeletal fractures and deformity.
The cultural push to avoid sun exposure and the wearing of traditional clothing that covers the skin are examples of reasons for inadequate levels of vitamin D across the globe.
Based on this study’s findings, national plans of action should encourage safe, limited exposure to sunlight and improved dietary intake of vitamin D, whilst considering fortification of foods as well.
The reports can be found in the scientific journal Osteoporosis International.


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There's been tons of publicity around Lena Dunham's and Amy Poehler's new books, so it's no surprise that sales wise, the lady memoirs race is pretty even.
Dunham's Not That Kind of Girl retraces her awkward upbringing via disturbing recollections like this. Meanwhile in Yes Please, we learned that Poehler has the "Angelina Jolie of vaginas" and that she once dated John Stamos. The Hollywood Reporter broke down the first-week sales of both books, writing:
Each garnered a big advance (an eye-popping $3.7 million for Dunham, low seven figures for Poehler) and huge amounts of publicity. The result? A virtual tie. Dunham sold 38,000 copies during the first week after her book's Sept. 30 release, and Poehler moved 37,000 copies after her book's Oct. 28 release, according to Nielsen BookScan.
Has anyone read both? For comparison, Tina Fey's Bossypants, released in 2011, sold 38,000 in its first week and went on to sell 2.5 million copies.
Images via Getty

domain: news


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Jerry Rice and Cris Carter battle over Madden 25 cover
Ah snap, it's on!
Since all of you have been keeping up to date with all the latest Madden news, you're aware of the fact that the upcoming Madden 14 is now retitled Madden NFL 25, right?
Well, since every Madden needs a cover, EA Sports has decided to go legacy style for this one, and is pitting a number of legendary players against each other. This week, it's Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Cris Carter.
You can vote by tweeting to @SportsNation with the hashtags #Madden25Rice or #Madden25Carter.
I think you all know what to do. Us Chris Carters need to stick together, right? Setup email comments
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Is the Apple television coming this year? Is it even coming at all? We can’t answer those questions, but more details seem to be leaking out about the mythical television set of lore. Cult of Mac reports that a source has seen the fully working TV in the flesh, and has spilled the beans about what to expect. Most of what is outlined matches up with previous rumors, such as Siri integration, but there’s one or two odd details.
The source says that the TV looks a lot like the current Apple Cinema Display, but “much bigger.” An iSight camera is also built into the frame, which will allow consumers to make FaceTime calls. The camera will track the user’s face across the room, allowing for video calls across different angles instead of straight on.
As for how you control all of this? Using Siri. The personal voice assistant will fully be on board the TV, allowing consumers to control various aspects of the TV, including initiating FaceTime calls. Other than that, the interface of the television wasn’t described, or any other pertinent details such as pricing or release date. Cult of Mac vouches for the source, however, saying that they have been reliable in the past.
While one analyst believes the Apple television won’t be released in 2012, previous rumors have said that components are being sent to manufacturers for production this year. Sharp is expected to make use of its IGZO panels in the television, and Apple is said to be trying to bring as many content partners as possible on board with a streaming model.


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Zimbabwe Digital TV News
Vubiquity and Discover Digital launch VOD with TelOne Zimbabwe
Dec 11, 2018 – Vubiquity (NASDAQ: DOX) has announced a deal with Discover Digital to provide international plus local content throughout the African continent, starting with TelOne DEOD (Digital Entertainment On Demand) in Zimbabwe.
News categories: Vubiquity, Discover Digital, TelOne, Darcy Antonellis, Stephen Watson, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Zimbabwe
Kwesé iflix launches in Zimbabwe
May 31, 2018 – Kwesé iflix has launched an entertainment platform that will bring live coverage of all 64 FIFA 2018 World Cup games, and thousands of premier entertainment programmes, to millions of Zimbabweans via its new mobile app.
News categories: Kwesé, iflix, Econet Wireless, Kwesé iflix, Joseph Hundah, Mark Britt, Douglas Mboweni, Apps, Digital TV, Mobile, OTT, Zimbabwe
iflix extends footprint to sub-Saharan Africa
Jun 1, 2017 – iflix has announced the establishment of iflix Africa to bring its service to sub-Saharan Africa. With launches planned in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, iflix Africa will increase iflix’s global footprint to 23 territories.
News categories: iflix, Mark Britt, Andre de Wet, Digital TV, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, OTT, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
Amazon Prime Video launches globally
Dec 14, 2016 – Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has announced that Amazon Prime Video is now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe. Customers can watch on Android and iOS phones and tablets, Fire Tablets and LG and Samsung smart TVs.
News categories: Amazon, Tim Leslie, Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, Chile, Colombia, Congo-Brazzaville, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Digital TV, Dominican Republic, DRC, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Melanesia, Mexico, Micronesia, Mobile, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, OTT, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Polynesia, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Vatican, Venezuela, Vietnam, Worldwide, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
ShowMax expands internet TV service to sub-Saharan Africa
May 13, 2016 – ShowMax has officially launched internet TV services to 36 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. The company originally launched in August 2015 with the largest subscription video on demand catalogue on the continent.
News categories: ShowMax, Barron Ernst, Africa, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo-Brazzaville, Digital TV, DRC, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mobile, Namibia, OTT, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe chooses Eutelsat to accelerate transition to digital TV
Nov 17, 2015 – Eutelsat (Paris:ETL) has announced that it has sealed a contract with the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) for Ku-band capacity on EUTELSAT 3B. The capacity will be used to deliver channels to a nationwide network of 48 DTT transmitters.
News categories: Eutelsat, Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, Michel Azibert, Obert Muganyura, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Satellite, Terrestrial, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe buys satellite capacity from Eutelsat
Sep 21, 2015 – According to newspaper reports, Zimbabwe has bought satellite capacity from Eutelsat to guarantee universal availability of digital broadcasting. The Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe has also purchased 400,000 set-top boxes from a Chinese manufacturer.
News categories: Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe, Huawei, Digital TV, Satellite, Set Top Box, Zimbabwe
AzamTV adds capacity on EUTELSAT 7B
Mar 10, 2015 – Azam Media is ramping up satellite capacity through a new transponder leased on EUTELSAT 7B. Complementing capacity used on the co-positioned EUTELSAT 7A satellite, it will host new services for the rapidly growing AzamTV pay-TV platform.
News categories: EUTELSAT, Azam, Michel Azibert, Rhys Torrington, Burundi, CABSAT, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Malawi, Rwanda, Satellite, South Sudan, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Sub-Sahara Africa's 'My TV' Secures DTH Operations With Conax Chipset Pairing
Mar 7, 2012 – Conax has announced that Nigeria-based pay-tv operator My TV is further extending its 6-year relationship with security partner Conax and has committed to deploying a Conax Chipset Pairing solution for its satellite platform.
News categories: Conax, My TV, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Conditional Access, Congo-Brazzaville, Digital TV, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Satellite, Seychelles, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
- Globecast, Viaccess-Orca and MainStreaming announce end-to-end OTT platform
- Mola chooses Broadpeak CDN for live sports streaming in Indonesia
- NEXTGEN TV Broadcast Collaborative to bring ATSC 3.0 to Washington D.C.
- DataMiner manages ARD's Euro 2020 live OTT broadcasts
- Freecaster secures Live and VOD content with BuyDRM
- Conviva publishes first State of Streaming Advertising report
- TiVo signs MobiTV agreement with the NCTC
- KBS selects ATEME broadcast encoders
- Amino working with PCCW Media to renew Now TV UX
- Zappware-powered A1 Xplore TV comes to Fire TV sticks
- SES renews Comcast Technology Solutions distribution agreement
- Riivi chooses Norigin Media for Smart TV app testing
- NexStreaming releases NexPlayer for Nintendo Switch
- Elliptic Labs to trial presence detection and gestures for Smart TV
- Carbon Trust releases white paper on CO2 impact of streaming
- ZEE5 to launch in the U.S. on June 22
- Piracy still a major challenge in the Nordics
- Vewd offers ATSC 3.0 integration options
- Broadpeak's CDN and Multicast ABR power Megacable's Xview+
- TEGNA selects TVSquared for ad measurement and attribution


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42 results were returned
In this month's report, we look at the relevance of disclaimers when assessing likelihood of confusion in Patent- och registreringsverket v Mats Hansson (Case C-705/17). We also look at criminal sanctions for the ...
Today’s CJEU decision in Coty Germany GmbH v Amazon (C-567/18) falls in line with the previous German decisions: A company storing goods on behalf of a third-party seller without awareness that said goods infringe ...
The High Court has refused permission to serve outside the jurisdiction a claim for trade mark infringement, passing off and unlawful means conspiracy.
In a judgment dated 26 March 2020, the General Court clarified the elusive question of the registration of signs consisting of the shape of the product as trademarks.
On 14 April the IMF issued a stark warning that the global economy was potentially facing the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The High Court has considered infringing trade mark use, appropriate form of relief for trade mark infringement and breach of a co-existence agreement, and partial revocation of trade marks.
It has recently been reported in the press that footballer Paul Pogba has filed an EU trade mark application seeking coverage for his iconic ‘dab’ celebration.
You can listen to the clip here.
Earlier this week, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (a specialist court which is part of the Business and Property Courts of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales) issued its decision in Response ...
It is often crucial for tech, international brand companies and design-based businesses to demonstrate convincingly that they are the first to record a new idea, design or code. Most importantly though, it is trite that ...
For the 11th year running, Bird & Bird has been recognised as one of the world's top firms in World Trademark Review's (WTR) guide to international trade mark practice, the WTR 1000.


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WINNIPEG — Health Canada has issued a warning to anyone who owns a propane tank, after the organization found it could be missing an important additive.
On Friday, Health Canada issued an alert saying certain propane gas sold in Manitoba and Saskatchewan contain an insufficient amount of the required odourant that is added to propane to help alert consumers to a gas leak. Failure to detect leaking gas can pose fire, explosion and burn hazards to consumers if the gas is in the presence of an ignition source.
The affected propane gas was manufactured by Crescent Point Energy and sold between April 2009 and October 2015, however, it’s unclear the amount of gas sold without the additive.
The gas was delivered by various companies directly to consumers for use in storage tanks or sold at retail locations for use in portable refillable tank such as those used for recreational vehicles, barbecues, stoves and other appliances. Some of the propane was also sold to businesses.
Health Canada said there have been no reported incidents of injuries related to the warning so far.
If you are concerned about your propane tank you can contact a local retail propane supplier for an inspection. Other options include contacting the Crescent Point Energy hotline at 1-866-421-4266 or going online to arrange for an inspection.
If the propane contains insufficient odourant, Crescent Point Energy will immediately arrange for appropriate odourization or provide a replacement portable propane tank.


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In 2015, Walmart filed a lawsuit in federal court against unconstitutional and protectionist provisions of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code that restrict who is allowed to sell spirits at retail. The Texas Package Stores Association (TPSA), a trade group whose website boasts that it was “organized to protect the interests of package store owners in the State of Texas” and to “prevent the passage of legislation and taxes that would be harmful to the industry,” intervened in the lawsuit to defend the laws Walmart challenged:
• A ban on “public” corporations. Texas is the only state in the nation that allows private corporations to compete in the retail sale of spirits, yet it prohibits publicly traded companies (and private companies with 35 shareholders or more) from doing so.
• A “consanguinity” loophole to the five-permit limit. Although one Texas law limits liquor-store owners to five permits, another law creates a glaring and unfair loophole. This so-called “consanguinity” exception allows a liquor store owner’s closest blood relatives (i.e., relatives within the first degree of consanguinity) to obtain additional permits, and then to immediately “consolidate” those additional permits with the owner’s existing permits. In this way, liquor store owners with at least one living relative can acquire as many additional permits as they like. As a result, large chains of stores dominate the retail spirits market in communities across Texas, including Spec’s (168 stores), Twin Liquors (100 stores), Gabriel’s (49 stores) and others.
In March 2018, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman struck down these laws, declaring them unconstitutional.
“The court concludes that the public corporation ban was enacted with discriminatory intent: one of the Legislature’s primary purposes in passing the ban was to exclude out-of-state companies from participating in the Texas retail liquor market,” Pitman wrote. He noted that when efforts were made to repeal the public corporation ban, “TPSA successfully lobbied against these repeal efforts by making blatantly discriminatory arguments in testimony to the Legislature.”
As for the “consanguinity” loophole, Judge Pitman found that the statute “does not favor family-owned businesses; it favors businesses that are owned by people with certain types of family members.” He wrote that “the [consanguinity] exception creates an opportunity for a limited class of businesses to avoid the five-permit limit and thus promotes the growth of large package store chains.”
The TPSA, which has appealed the ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, claims to represent members as small as single-store operators. However, seven of TPSA’s eight executive committee members are affiliated with the state’s largest liquor store chains — Spec’s, Twin Liquors, Gabriel’s, WB Liquors, Pinkie’s, Sigel’s and Goody Goody — which according to TABC records own a combined 432 stores. In other words, the TPSA is fighting to protect a loophole that powerful owners have used to gain an unfair advantage over the same small operators the TPSA claims to represent. For that kind of representation, let’s hope those association dues are cheap.
But the true disappointment is that these unconstitutional laws must be litigated at all. These discriminatory laws represent government regulation at its worst, picking winners and losers in private industry and depriving Texas consumers of the choice they deserve.
Our Legislature has repeatedly deferred and let the courts do their work for them. Now it’s time for our elected officials to stand with Texas consumers, repeal these unconstitutional laws and level the playing field.


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Fukushima – Even though foreign spectators have largely been barred from the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, a traditional craftsman Fukushima Prefecture is hoping the global sporting events will help showcase a locally produced, centuries-old popular good-luck doll to a broader, international audience.
“My goal is to increase the number of people who love daruma dolls and I hope my products will provide opportunities for people around the world to become fans of Japan,” Takaaki Watanabe, the 14th-generation member of a craftsman family with some three centuries of history, said in a recent interview.
Found throughout Japan, the bulbous daruma doll is modeled after the founder of Zen Buddhism and cherished as a lucky charm. The ones made in the city of Shirakawa are considered distinctive as they feature multiple symbols of good fortune.
Pine trees, plums, cranes, turtles and bamboo are all shown on the face of the dolls as symbols of fortune. The hair around the doll’s ears is pine and plums, the eyebrows are cranes, the mustache is a turtle and the beard is bamboo, said Watanabe.
When traditional craftworks were solicited from Japan’s 47 prefectures to be Tokyo 2020 official licensed products, Shirakawa daruma dolls were among them.
Although games organizers eventually decided to bar foreign spectators from the Olympics and Paralympics, Watanabe, 29, sees the Games’ potential to draw attention to the host country as well as all the locations hosting events.
While most competitions for the two events take place in Tokyo, some have been held in Fukushima and other northeastern areas as part of efforts to showcase the region’s recovery from 2011’s earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters.
“I would like to turn the traditional crafts industry into a growing sector which will be perceived as cool and hip,” said Watanabe, who keeps himself busy at a newly-opened tourist facility in Shirakawa.
As part of efforts to reach out to a wider group of consumers, including young people, Watanabe has organized tie-ins with a number of popular virtual characters as well, such as Line Friends from the Line messaging app, producing more than 100 kinds of unique daruma dolls.
With the Tokyo Games initially promoted as the “Recovery Olympics,” several baseball and softball matches — including their openers — were held at the Fukushima Azuma stadium in the prefecture, albeit behind closed doors to prevent the spread of infections.
Watanabe’s company, Shirakawa Daruma Sohonpo, was flooded with orders in the run-up to 2020 before the Games were postponed.
But once the Olympics and Paralympics were postponed for a year, the wave of orders suddenly slowed and they have not recovered since, he said.
Initially, Watanabe was planning to sell the products at various events at the ballpark, but those events were canceled after the decision was taken to ban spectators. Almost all the competitions at the Olympics were held behind closed doors, while a decision on the Paralympics is yet to be made.
“We just have to weather the hardships and seize opportunities in the future,” Watanabe said, hoping that people who have watched the Summer Games will find the traditional daruma dolls through online stores selling official Games merchandise and become fans of Japan and Japanese culture.
Shortly before the opening of the Tokyo Games, the company opened Daruma Land, a facility consisting of a workspace, exhibition hall, souvenir store, hands-on workshop space, and outdoor cafe, among other attractions.
Visitors can watch how the dolls are made and experience painting them. They can also play games and buy dolls from a 2-meter tall capsule-toy dispenser machine.
There is a Japanese idiom — nana korobi yaoki, meaning “fall seven times but get up eight times” — often mentioned in reference to daruma dolls, Watanabe said, and he opened his store on July 8, or on the eighth day of the seventh month of the year, with that saying in mind.
The never-give-up mentality associated with daruma dolls overlaps with the spirit of recovery from the 2011 nuclear disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in the prefecture, Watanabe said.
“The tradition of Shirakawa daruma will continue as long as there are people who want them,” he said.
The Olympic and Paralympic versions of Shirakawa daruma dolls are sold at Tokyo 2020 official shops.
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.


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Gamers desperate to get their hands on Grand Theft Auto IV today are being targeted by record amounts of spam offering free entry to a competition to win PlayStation 3s and the much lauded game. However, these illicit emails actually contain spyware and â€œTrojan Horseâ€ viruses intended to steal personal financial information and attack victimâ€™s computers.
Record numbers of malicious spammers are targeting disappointed fans of the latest instalment in the video game series, Grand Theft Auto, with viruses and spyware intended to steal personal information.
Today saw the release of the much anticipated video game â€œGrand Theft Auto IVâ€ for the PS3 and the Xbox 360, with avid gamers queuing up for the midnight release.
Some gamers have been left disappointed as game stores have revealed that their stock has depleted to the point where some gamers will be left wanting, despite pre-ordering the game, to which spammers have become wise.
ClearMyMail, the online spam-blocking software service has reported that more than half of the spam being blocked by their service today is Grand Theft Auto IV related, with the vast majority offering the opportunity to
win a PlayStation 3 complete with the game upon opening the email, and others inviting the victim to pornographic websites, which links to viruses.
Dan Field, Managing Director of ClearMyMail.com said, â€œWe are seeing unprecedented levels of spam in relation to the game; with more than half of the spam our service is blocking relating to Grand Theft Auto, most of which contain viruses and spyware.â€
He continued, â€œSpammers are like con-men – they are the ultimate opportunists and like nothing more than to prey on the susceptible. My advice to anybody who receives these emails is to refrain from opening it, and to wait until they can legitimately purchase the game, even if disappointed by the record sales of this morning.â€
Stuart Rowe, Chief Operating Officer at Play.com ,verified the gameâ€™s status within the gaming world as he said, “Grand Theft Auto IV is going to break all previous records when it comes to gaming.â€
“We’re experiencing trading levels similar to what we would see in the run up to Christmas, taking over 80 orders per minute at peak times. UK based ClearMyMail.com is the only company in the world to offer a complete no spam guarantee. The software prevents all forms of spam and phishing emails, cutting out the risk of fraud.
The system has the ability to also stop the new wave of “image-spam” that has been increasingly hitting in-boxes.


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DTS Virtual:X immersive audio added to MStar’s TV SoCsThursday, January 25th, 2018
DTS Virtual:X Immersive Audio Technology Integrated in MStar’s TV System-on-Chip Platforms
- Partnership allows TV and set-top box vendors to deliver virtualized immersive sound to consumers from any content
CALABASAS, Calif. & HSINCHU, Taiwan — DTS, a global leader in high-definition audio solutions and a wholly owned subsidiary of Xperi Corporation (Nasdaq: XPER) (“Xperi”), is pleased to announce the integration of DTS Virtual:X® post-processing technology in a wide range of MStar Semiconductor’s smart TV system-on-chip (SOC) platforms. MStar’s adoption of DTS Virtual:X technology allows TV vendors to deliver stunning virtualized immersive sound to consumers from any content. Televisions with DTS Virtual:X technology are expected to be available in early 2018.
“We are excited to partner with the number one TV SOC provider, MStar, to allow TV vendors to include DTS Virtual:X technology in their products through MStar’s SOC chipsets,” said Joanna Skrdlant, general manager, home audio, Xperi. “DTS Virtual:X technology continues to be adopted by leading brands who wish to provide consumers an immersive sound experience through sound bars, A/V receivers, and now, TVs. We look forward to continuing this collaboration and working with TV OEM partners to deliver the DTS Virtual:X experience to consumers.”
Eighty-six percent of U.S. consumers own a TV with a screen size larger than 40 inches, and 18 percent own a TV larger than 60 inches, according to the Consumer Technology Association’s 19th Annual Consumer Technology Ownership and Market Potential Study from April 2017. Due to this market demand for larger screen sizes and thinner form factors, TV speaker driver size and placement is limited and the audio experience from a TV alone is compromised. DTS Virtual:X technology addresses this problem, providing an immersive sound experience without the need for larger drivers or additional speakers added to the television.
“We are very pleased to work with Xperi and integrate DTS Virtual:X technology into MStar’s SOC chipsets,” said Mike Chang, corporate vice president, MStar. “This partnership allows our customers to offer consumers premium, immersive sound in a variety of their home entertainment products.”
DTS Virtual:X technology supports any input source from stereo to a 7.1.4 layout (11.1 channels) and plays back an immersive experience. DTS Virtual:X technology has been designed to work with all DTS codecs, including the flagship DTS:X. For legacy content, an efficient upmixer is included to provide a natural, immersive experience. The flexibility of its architecture enables product manufacturers to utilize one or more features concurrently, including Virtual Height and Virtual Surround.
- STARZ domestic OTT subscribers up 700,000 in 1Q 2023
- New DIRECTV STREAM customers get priority access to Telly waiting list
- Insys Video Technologies simplifies video streaming with Bitmovin
- BeIN Media and Google Cloud announce media and broadcast collaboration
- Activated STBs grow to 3,166,461 for South Africa's Openview
- Singtel TV subscribers down 6,000 in 1Q 2023


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Having gone with some quizzical design choices over the last two decades, the Rockets opted for something safe, something familiar, a dash of ketchup and a touch of mustard in their new array of game uniforms unveiled Thursday night at Toyota Center.
The team’s primary red and white uniforms incorporate the same custom “Rockets” and “Houston” typefaces used on the black uniforms the team has worn for the last two seasons and that will continue as one of five uniforms the Rockets will don in the 2019-20 season.
Another of the five 2019-20 uniforms is an old, well-remembered favorite — the familiar red-yellow “ketchup and mustard” uniforms worn by the 1994-95 NBA championship teams.
That design will be worn for one year only, during the 2019-20 season to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the franchise’s first title.
The new uniform array replaces the Gothic-style print font that had been displayed on Rockets uniforms since the team moved to the Toyota Center in the fall of 2003.
Ken Sheirr, the Rockets’ senior director of marketing, said the new designs incorporate changes encouraged by the family of owner Tilman Fertitta while retaining the color red and incorporating players’ desire for more black in the basic uniforms.
“Red is critical for us,” Sheirr said. “Red is our bloodline, and we weren’t getting away from red. We really wanted to clean up (the uniform) font and get something cleaner and to incorporate black into our color palate.”
With the NBA having done away with “home” and “way” jerseys, the red jersey is known as “Icon” and the white as the “Association” jersey. The 1993-94 model is known as the “Classic” and the black uniform as the “Statement” outfit.
The Rockets also will have a fifth design, known as the “City” jersey, that will be unveiled around Thanksgiving.
The uniforms are available for ordering at the Rockets’ website for $109 each but are not yet available for sale at local retail outlets. The Icon and Association jerseys will go on sale Sept. 1 and the Classic jersey on Oct. 15, the team said.
Both Icon and Association uniforms include touches of black around the armholes of the jersey and on the sides of the shorts, with black bands on the short surrounding the Rockets’ “R” logo to indicate a rocket headed toward takeoff.
Sheirr said the Rockets wanted to change the old uniform design, which he described as having Gothic and Asian traits, because the letter design was such that it could be only used in a straight line, not in a curved pattern atop the uniform numbers.
The team earlier this year unveiled a new universal logo, which includes the city name and nickname plus the “R” logo, that is available on T-shirts, caps and other apparel that is now available for sale.
Sheirr said the Rockets’ and NBA design team elected to move ahead with the new Icon and Association designs after players approved of the same typeface used on the black uniforms. The team also did a “Red Nation” version of the black jersey that was used on occasion last year.
Sheirr said the design process required two years and “tons of tweaks” in working with the NBA, the Fertitta family, players and Nike to come up with the final models displayed.
Sheirr did not estimate how many times the team will wear each design during home games, but he said that the night’s jersey design will be available before the game at the NBA Locker Vision website.
The new uniforms represent the fifth basic design in Rockets history, which began with the green and gold design worn in San Diego before the team moved to Houston in 1971, the ketchup and mustard design of the championship years.
That was followed, in 1995, by the radical change, at the insistence of owner Leslie Alexander, away from the red, white and yellow to a toothy, needle-nosed rocket ship as the team’s logo and striped pajama-style jerseys, with an odd touch of George Jetson styling thrown in.
Then came the current design, which, oddly enough, is being phased out as its typeface bears a slight resemblance to the typeface associated with pop culture’s Gothic-tinged flavor of the moment, “Game of Thrones.”
Unlike the Astros’ uniform relaunch in 2012, the Rockets opted for mannequins rather than live models to unveil the uniforms before an audience of season ticket holders.
Fan reaction was generally positive, especially in light of the unusual sartorial choices that have been part of Rockets lore.
“I was scared, thinking they were going to come out with something crazy,” said fan Daniel Campos. “So when they showed those, I was excited.”
Although players were not on hand for the unveiling, the new design drew a thumbs-up on Instagram from guard Eric Gordon, whose approval was endorsed by Chris Paul.


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New owners of Eva’s On Main said they want the public to know that the beloved downtown Summerville restaurant will stay mostly the same, as it has been for a half-century.
Co-owner Whitney Easler said regular patrons have pleaded with her and owner Ray Easler to keep the iconic eatery operating the way it did when its original owner, Eva Hinson, was in charge.
“(Hinson) has been a staple in this community up until the time that she passed away,” Whitney Easler said. “I can’t tell you the number of locals we have met and spoken with who remember her peeling potatoes or snapping beans, sitting in a rocking chair in the kitchen.”
After Hinson died in 2011, her restaurant changed hands several times until the Easlers purchased it at the end of last year. Located at 129 S. Main Street in Summerville, the cozy diner-like eatery sits directly across from Hutchinson Square.
The couple said they were living in Florida when they learned the business was for sale. With family members living in Summerville, Mt. Pleasant and North Charleston, the Easlers said it was the perfect opportunity to relocate to the Lowcountry, where they had always planned to settle.
Whitney Easler said she and her husband visited Summerville in October and dined at Eva’s on Main to “scope it out.” After exploring the menu and meeting locals, she began researching the iconic restaurant’s history. She learned that Hinson opened her restaurant in the early 1940s and then moved it to the Main Street location in 1952.
“We saw that it was primarily southern comfort food that she served,” Whitney Easler said. “Everything fresh, nothing processed;and that’s what we’re all about as well.”
Ray Easler has 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry and his wife also devoted her career to hospitality. Whitney Easler started out waiting tables while in college at the University of South Carolina before working her way up to director of convention and catering services at large clubs. Later she began doing marketing and operations within the industry.
At Eva’s on Main, Ray Easler works with longtime Kitchen Manager Beanie Hunt to keep the kitchen running smoothly; his wife takes care of the customer service side.
“I focus on the front of the house — meeting our customers, making sure they’re attended to,” Whitney Easler said.
As far as the menu goes, she said it’s similar to what Hinson offered.
“Eva was known for offering a selection of meats and a choice of two or three side items — mostly fresh vegetables,” Whitney Easler said.
The couple explained how they thought it was best to “keep it simple” and even added the tagline “simply southern” to their business name.
While most of the classic menu remains the same, a few new items have been added. They include the “Heaven’s to Betsy Special,” a farmer’s omelet with home fries and smothered in sausage gravy, and the “sweet and savory” selection — a french baguette dipped in Eva’s secret batter, topped with a praline drizzle and toasted pecans.
In the past month-and-a-half, Whitney Easler said she’s witnessed business steadily increase, with customers praising the pair for their work to re-establish the popular comfort food hub.
“It’s been amazing. We have met so many kind and welcoming people from Summerville, Goose Creek, Moncks Corner and Charleston,” she said. “Everyone has been so supportive and made us feel so welcome.”
As for the future of Eva’s On Main, Whitney Easler said because the building is showing some wear, renovations will get underway to paint the walls, repair the booths and replace kitchen equipment.
No matter what cosmetic changes take place, she said the restaurant will retain its “old time, quaint environment.”
“We think of ourselves as providing Southern comfort with Southern hospitality,” Easler said. “We want people to feel like this is home. They can come here and have breakfast or lunch with their families, with their friends.”


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Cryptocurrency Trading In India 2020
· Bitcoin marketplace Paxful reported % growth between January to May from around $ million to $ million. WazirX, a Mumbai based crypto exchanger grew % in March and % in. · After nearly two years of a blanket ban on cryptocurrency trading in India, the Supreme Court of India made a ground-breaking decision. On 4th Marchit lifted this ban and removed all the restrictions for trading cryptocurrencies in India.
As of Marchcryptocurrency is legal in India. · Cryptocurrency trading could resume, it is a small expectation of consumers in India. The reserve bank of India has warned users and cryptocurrency traders about the risks associated with the new system. While the prime minister of India. indirectly projected the ambitious picture of its own cryptocurrency on July 2, The 4th of March, proved to be an iconic day when the Supreme Court of India passed their judgment on a two-year-old banking ban on cryptocurrency trading.
In Aprilthe Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had imposed a ban that barred any financial. · In Februarythe honorable Supreme Court of India lifted the two-year-old ban on cryptocurrency trade and investment in India as imposed by the Reserve Bank of India in This has paved the way for hassle-free cryptocurrency investment and cryptocurrency trading in India without any legal worries. · Retail investors aged between 25 and 40 are spending millions on trading in cryptocurrency in India every day, according to two of the top exchanges.
· The ban on cryptocurrency trade in India could soon be a reality, and it’s indeed disappointing for everyone.
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While countries such as Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Spain, Germany, the Philippines, the U.S., and more are embracing cryptocurrencies by regulating its trade, India might just choose to stay behind in this race. Well, the Indian federal government plans to propose a new. · Along with all this, came the historic verdict of the ban of cryptocurrency in India as the Supreme Court refused to address this electronic form of money as legal tender.
Now in with the whole world being digitized, the Supreme Court decided to lift the ban this March. It is a big step for the whole fintech industry. · Bitcoin marketplace Paxful reported % growth between January to May from around $ million to $ million.
WazirX, a Mumbai based crypto exchanger grew % in March and % in April on month-on-month basis, according to TechSci.
17 hours ago · by Archana Chaudhary and Siddhartha Singh India plans to introduce a new law banning trade in cryptocurrencies, placing it out of step with other Asian economies which have chosen to regulate the fledgling market.
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The bill is expected to be discussed shortly by the federal cabinet before it is sent to parliament, according to people [ ]. · Updated GMT ( HKT) March 5, San Francisco (CNN Business) India's top court struck down a ban on cryptocurrency trading by. Best Cryptocurrency Trading Platforms in India Here you have the answer to where you, as a trader from India, can trade cryptocurrency.
Our list of crypto platforms are run by solid brokers, that can be trusted and offer trading in both bitcoins and other. · Cryptocurrency exchanges responded with a lawsuit in the Supreme Court in September and won respite in March The win in court prompted an almost % surge in trading in just two months since March, according to TechSci Research, reviving concerns as more Indians risk savings amid job losses and an economic slowdown worsened by the.
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Anyway, WazirX is a trustworthy, secure platform that has 86 different cryptocurrencies available to trade. 1 day ago · This growth has occurred in spite of the volatility and uncertainty in the worldwide markets through Read on to learn how the P2P cryptocurrency market in India has made these strides.
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Growth in P2P Cryptocurrency Transactions. P2P Bitcoin trading in India has reached a new high. · Bitcoin Cryptocurrency Crosses Rs.
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11 Lakh Mark in India Supreme Court recently overturned the RBI ban on cryptocurrency trading in India. By Tasneem Akolawala | Updated: 6 November 11 Author: Tasneem Akolawala.
Cryptocurrency trading in India a complete guide
· India is reportedly planning on introducing a new law to ban cryptocurrency trading in the country, a move that would be a blow to the rapidly growing cryptocurrency scene in the country.
According to Bloomberg, the new law is expected to be discussed shortly by the federal cabinet, before being sent to the country’s parliament. · Trading through virtual currencies have become one of the major platforms to invest money, especially Bitcoins.
However, a recent report by Bloomberg Quint, stated the Indian government is planning to bring a law which will ban the use of Cryptocurrency in India avqr.xn----dtbwledaokk.xn--p1ai: Yash Tripathi.
Supreme Court allows crypto currency trading in India March 4, 0 1 minute read The Supreme Court on Wednesday revoked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) circular banning cryptocurrencies and bitcoin etc. in banking transactions. · There is now a small hope for consumers in India that the cryptocurrency trading may start again.
As per the latest judgement by the hon'ble Supreme Court of India in case of Internet and Mobile Association of India v. Reserve Bank of India 3, the court set aside the RBI notification dated on the grounds of proportionality. The Author: Rahul Chopra.
Cryptocurrency Trading In India 2020 - P2P Cryptocurrency Market Size Soars In India
· As on Februarythere were around 50 lakh traders in India in 24 exchanges and cryptocurrency trading volumes are in the range of 1, bitcoins a day, or. · Present Scenario of Cryptocurrency in India. Lately, in March the ban which the RBI had imposed, was lifted by the Supreme Court, and trading in cryptocurrency has been made legal since then.
With this lifting of the ban, you can trade in cryptocurrency, but with all the precautions. Mentioning the lifting of the ban, NASSCOM tweeted. 2 days ago · 2. There Are Numerous P2P Trading Platforms To Choose From.
If you are looking for a P2P trading platform for cryptocurrency, there are many options that you can choose from. This has helped to increase the popularity of cryptocurrency in India.
These platforms allow you to buy cryptocurrency for a long term investment or sell BTC to INR easily. · Miguel Cordon · · 1 min read. it does not support cryptocurrency trading, two sources said. trading in India saw a % surge. · Leading Indian IT company, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), is launching a cryptocurrency trading solution for banks to allow their customers to invest in cryptocurrencies. TCS is part of the Tata.
· India’s Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned central bank’s two-year-old ban on cryptocurrency trading in the country in what many said was a “historic” verdict. The Reserve Bank of India. 2 days ago · The rumor mills surrounding Indian cryptocurrency regulations do not seem to die down, the latest being possible tax liabilities on bitcoin income for traders.
India at present doesn’t have a working cryptocurrency regulatory framework in place despite the March order of the Supreme Court nullifying the Reserve Bank of India’s banking ban on cryptocurrency exchanges. The post Crypto India. · Cryptocurrency Trading, India Bitcoin, india crypto, india cryptocurrency, india lockdown, Unocoin, Wazirx, Zebpay Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons Use Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash.
· Bitex’s entry comes at a time when several domestic and foreign players commenced operations in India after the Supreme Court reversed the ban Estimated Reading Time: 4 mins. · Cryptocurrency is a digital kind of currency that is used in trading and transactions.
It is just like paper currency, only that it is not physical. A fun fact is that a cryptocurrency is a decentralized form of money, meaning it is not and cannot be regulated by any government or group of governments.
· Home >News >India >Indians are spending millions daily on cryptocurrency trading Bitcoin, the world's largest digital asset, rose to $19, on 30 Author: Prasid Banerjee. · The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down the curb on cryptocurrency trade in India. “SC rules curb on crypto currency trade illegal,” the report said while adding that the order lifted ban on trading in virtual currency, cryptocurrency and bitcoins. Bitcoin, the most valued cryptocurrency in the world, was down per cent at $8, The market cap of the currency.
· Though as said after every night there is a bright shiny day awaiting. This bright day in the world of Cryptocurrency was Januarywhen the RBI and government of India had unauthorized the ban on cryptocurrencies and legalized the trading of virtual currencies in the country.
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An Indian government panel tasked with looking into the cryptocurrency policy was also reportedly in favor of a sweeping ban on cryptocurrency dealings. Besides making it completely illegal within the world’s second-most populous nation, those breaking the proposed regulations may. · Bloomberg reported that India is on the brink of banning cryptocurrency trading in the country. There is a bill reportedly in the works that is making its way to parliament. Similar to China, India, is not closing the door on blockchain innovation and will embrace the technology, but trading of digital currencies could be on the chopping block.
· By Nischal Shetty, CEO & FOunder, WazirX. Significant developments taking place in the recent months indicate the growing appetite among Indians for cryptocurrency trading, and it. · Although there are still some fears around a blanket ban of India's digital asset market, the peer-to-peer (P2P) trading market continues to surge. It hit an all-time high in August, and the speed of its growth has not yet slowed.
The growth initially began after the Supreme Court found the Reserve Bank of India's ban on financial institutions facilitating cryptocurrency exchanges to be. · InIndia's central bank prohibited the country's banks from working with crypto businesse, but the decision was overturned in March of by the supreme court The Indian government is preparing a law to ban cryptocurrency trading, according to a Bloomberg avqr.xn----dtbwledaokk.xn--p1ai: Peter Wind.
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An investment fund has pulled out of plans for a multimillion-pound leisure complex in Banbury.
The Castle Quay 2 project included a cinema, hotel and supermarket and was being brought forward by Aberdeen Standard Investments. It had already received planning consent.
In response Cherwell council has revealed it is preparing a plan to undertake the development itself.
It said it was in the "early stages" and a decision is due on 18 December.
The new complex would be an extension to the Castle Quay shopping centre, which is also mainly owned by Aberdeen Standard Investments.
A number of brands including The Light cinema, Lidl and Nandos have committed to the scheme and work had been due to start this year.
Cherwell District Council's lead member for finance, Tony Illott, said the project would "just die" if the authority did not step in.
'No job losses'
He felt Aberdeen Asset Management's merger with Standard Life was behind the investment fund's decision to pull out.
"They've been taken over by another larger company and they don't feel it fits into their portfolio," he said.
The council is now considering buying the existing shopping centre outright as well as backing the extension plans.
It said there are "no indications" of how much it would cost, other than it would be "tens of millions of pounds".
Aberdeen Standard Investments has run Castle Quay, which currently has 88 units, for more than a decade.
If the purchase by Cherwell District Council goes ahead, the authority said work on the Castle Quay 2 project could start next summer and be finished by winter 2019.
No compulsory job losses are expected as part of any purchase by the council, which said staff would be offered the chance to transfer.


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Neymar $95 million $79 million $25 million Soccer 5.’Rawlings Sporting Goods has signed a deal to acquire Easton custom football jerseys Sports, which manufactures bats, bags, helmets and other baseball and softball equipment and apparel.LeBron James $88 million $28 million $60 million NBA 6.San Francisco Giants MLB $3B 23.We’ll have to see how the Houston Rockets do with Dwight Howard.
I thought they worked hard.New York Jets NFL $3B 20.29 Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers ‘Dec.
‘With baseball in World Series mode, MLB has named the 14 finalists for the Hank Aaron Award and the MLB Players Assn.Discover said it is planning pieces of content throughout the year across the NHL’s and its own platforms to highlight the impact https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0868JB5GB growth of hockey across the United States and showcase the importance that Hockey is For Everyone.Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers 7.New England Patriots NFL $4B 8.Jeep also has air time during the game.
We are thrilled and excited to host the 2018 NHL Winter Classic between the Rangers and Sabres and thank commissioner Bettman for his support in choosing Citi Field, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086ZJXBZ9 in a statement.Quibi, short for quick bites, raised $1 billion from investors.According to the Baltimore-based company, Harper will wear Under Armour cleats and apparel during games and will be featured in various POP and advertising promotional campaigns.Key elements also include digital and social media.
Kevin Durant $63 million $28 million $35 million NBA 8.Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers 2.7 CBS ‘Super Bowl LVI SoFi Stadium Los Angeles Feb.
‘AP: Short-video app Quibi said it is shutting down just six months after its early April launch, having struggled to find customers.


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With a remake of its 1950s Cinquecento, the once-ailing Italian carmaker shows design can be its competitive ace
Fireworks studded Turin's night sky on July 4 as 100,000 Italians gathered at Fiat's headquarters to celebrate the remake of the carmaker's historic Cinquecento—exactly 50 years after the iconic 1957 model made its debut. The new version of the cuddly car immediately struck a national heartstring: It has racked up more than 57,000 orders, prompting Fiat to expand annual production by 20,000 to 140,000 units at its Tychy plant in Poland. "It has the same elements of cuteness and seriousness as the original," says Fiat 500 designer Frank Stephenson.
Few would have believed two years ago that financially ailing Fiat could wield automotive design as its competitive ace. But that's exactly what Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne is doing. When Marchionne joined the company in June, 2004, from Geneva-based SGS SA, the world's largest goods-inspection company, Fiat was nearly bankrupt following years of lackluster models, poor quality, and spiraling costs.
Marchionne was the fifth CEO in four years, but in his short tenure he has enabled designer Stephenson to put the company back on the map with a head-turning model that echoes BMW's smash hit Mini.
That's no coincidence. Stephenson spent 11 years designing cars for BMW and was the mastermind behind the 2001 Mini, which has sold more than 1 million cars since its launch. An American born in Casablanca, Morocco, he landed in Europe after studying at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. At BMW, which he joined in 1991, he also penned another hit, the sporty X5 SUV. In 2002, Fiat's management lured him to Ferrari where he became director of Ferrari-Maserati Concept Design & Development. In 2005, Marchionne moved Stephenson to Fiat, with the daunting brief of transforming Fiat's styling into automotive art.
Walking around the new 500 with a reporter, Stephenson points to the round headlight eyes, the "baffo" moustache, and the stacked taillights as characteristics that link the car to its predecessor. In fact, the new Cinquecento, which will be called the "Fiat 500" in markets outside Italy, is closer to the 1950s version than the new Mini is to the Rover Mini. But Stephenson's formula for remaking a hit 20th-century model into a retro chic money-spinner is the same. "It has to be love at first sight," says Stephenson. "Otherwise there is no reason to buy a Fiat."
It's true. As quality and safety become increasingly standardized, design is the biggest factor setting any model apart from the pack. Stephenson got the proportions and styling right on the 500, and then used Italian design flair inside and out to make people smile—or sigh with desire. Scroll through the 500 Web site and you stumble on "make-up," for options that personalize the look of the car. How very Italian.
Stephenson's talent is making cars "fun." At age 47, the boyish designer is full of mirth on the job. With the Mini, he wowed the automotive world with an endless array of options to personalize one's car, sparking unprecedented passions. Swarms of buyers named their cars and treated them like pets. Wheels, trims, and gadgets multiplied the personalization quotient. The option for a white roof with a colored body, giving the car an unusual two-tone look, drove production managers at BMW mad, but car buyers loved it—and paid for the choice. "The accessories really make money. We learned that from the Mini. The level of accessories bought for a Mini has gone way over anyone's expectations," says Stephenson.
With the 500, Stephenson takes the desire to get personal to a whole new level. Fancy a fragrance diffuser? Or, perhaps, an additional front bumper bar, a replica of the one worn by deluxe versions of the original 500? No problem. For the 500, Stephenson also devised a glass-roof option (for a bit of premium car cachet) and a pastel color scheme to make the auto stand out from other small cars on the road. How about mauve tinted a pale blue? "They are pastels brought back in a modern way," he says. "They set the car off and give it a retro look—a kind of advanced retro."
Alfa Romeos Next
Of course, all that design doesn't come cheap. The Fiat 500 starts at €10,500 ($14,700), and with all the nifty extras it reaches €14,500 ($19,900). That makes it cheaper than a Mini, but it's clearly an upmarket city car of the same ilk.
Much credit goes to the engineers for crafting a peppy small car that handles well, in itself a revolution at Fiat. But it's the 500's design that is going to stoke sales—or at least that's the hope as Fiat starts churning out customized 500s from its Tychy plant in Poland. For his part, Stephenson is already on the way to his next assignment: designing a hot new lineup of Alfa Romeos, which will pave the way for the sporty brand's all-important reentry into the U.S. market in 2009.
Marchionne plucked another design ace, Pininfarina's Lorenzo Ramaciotti, to join Fiat as group chief of design as of Sept. 1. With Ramaciotti, a veteran designer of Ferraris, on board, Fiat's drive to seduce buyers with Italian good looks has only just begun.


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Executives from the footwear industry kicked off FN Platform early Monday morning with an overview of the mounting tariffs dogging manufacturers and the exhaustive rulings on how certain materials get classified by U.S. Customs.
As Matt Priest, president of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, put it, “This is the dirty underbelly of the footwear industry.”
The laws in place are old, complex and, in many cases, inconsistent, said the experts.
Still, they are important to understand.
Priest said that more than 2.3 billion pairs of shoes were imported into the U.S. last year, amounting to 7.32 pairs per person. Of that total, $2.5 billion in duties were paid to the U.S. government.
According to fellow panelist Greg Tunney, president and CEO of RG Barry as well as current FDRA chairman, the footwear industry, at $60 billion, is taxed 10 times more than the cellphone sector.
“We are highly taxed and highly tariffed,” he said.
To illustrate his point, Tunney said RG Barry registered about $20 million in net operating profits last year. For that period, it also paid out $8 million in tariffs.
“We spend about half our profits on tariffs,” he said. “That’s a big, big deal.”
Priest said “tools of the trade” exist to lower tax rates. Among them is tariff engineering, in which manufacturers adjust the materials used in shoes. Legislation and free trade agreements can also help, Priest explained, but they are lengthy, drawn-out processes.
“The goal is to one day get to a zero tax level,” Priest said.
John Pellegrini, the FDRA customs counsel from McGuire Woods LLC, also served as a panelist.


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Lexus has revamped all of its global models with distinctive lines and design cues including its spindle grille and signature headlamps and taillights. Now, that commitment to design will be reflected in Lexus display at the North American International Auto Show.
Lexus is set to introduce the LF-LC 2+2 hybrid sport coupe concept vehicle, created at the company’s Calty design studio in Newport Beach, Calif., at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 9, 2012.
Features of the new CTX, to be introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month, includes automatic traction control, electronic fuel management, cruise control and a console with cupholders. But it’s not a car or a truck: it’s a lawn tractor.
According to Kris Malkoski, Craftsman vice president and general manager, CTX is a premium tractor series, priced from $3,000 to $6,500, and available “loaded with automotive features.”
Continue reading Coming to Detroit Auto Show, a New Model That Mows Lawns
With its new four-door Panamera Turbo S, Porsche once again raises the bar for sporty four-door luxury cars by delivering ultra high performance and efficiency, sports-car-like driving dynamics, and first-class comfort in a purely Porsche package.
Porsche will reveal its most powerful Panamera for the first time in North America on April 20, 2011 at the New York International Auto Show.
Continue reading Panamera Turbo S Is the Ultimate Porsche Gran Turismo


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As recent history has shown, many anti-breeder animal rights extremists continuously advocate for incremental breeding and sales restrictions that they hope will eventually lead to outright bans on all animal breeding and ownership. They collectively consider all breeders and pet stores as substandard and inherently not interested in practicing or promoting animal welfare. These politically-aware extremists recognize that most purebred dog fanciers and enthusiasts have not historically thought of themselves as similar to, or aligned with, pet stores or professional breeders. As a result, they employ a “divide-and-conquer” strategy to further split the political strength of breeder groups. This is the strategic foundation that California’s AB 485, which seeks to limit Californians from purchasing purpose-bred dogs from regulated retail sources, is built upon.
Over the past few years, a multitude of local jurisdictions have considered proposals to ban the sale of pets at pet shops, claiming that such proposals would put substandard breeders out of business. As the proposals move from one jurisdiction to another, the template stays largely the same. Proponents make inflammatory allegations about abuses by breeders (whom they collectively call “puppy mills”) or unsubstantiated or false claims of animal population issues. Their proposed solution to these ills urges banning the sale of purpose-bred pets in lieu of sales of animals obtained from shelters and rescues. Animal rights groups count on the idea that the philosophical division between breeder groups will prevent them from uniting against their incremental, yet no less radical, agenda.
Sponsored by the same group that attempted to institute mandatory spay/neuter in California in 2007, AB 485 seeks to ban the sale of pets from known, regulated and inspected sources (including breeders and handlers subject to federal licensing), and requiring pet shops to only sell pets from unregulated and uninspected sources (i.e., shelters, rescues, and other similar organizations) that are not subject to state consumer protection laws or other guarantees. In essence, retail pet store bans, including AB 485, remove available consumer protections for new pet owners, limit the ability of pet owners to obtain the appropriate pet for their lifestyle, and potentially increase public health risks (which are not limited to geopolitical state boundaries). Furthermore, AB 485 will dramatically reduce every Californian’s access and ability to choose a pet with the predictable type, mandated care, and substantiated health backgrounds that come with purebred pets from regulated sources.
AB 485’s proponents misleadingly claim that the bill will promote the purchasing of purebred dogs from local breeders. That claim, however, fails to shed light on the fact that many local anti-breeding laws and breeding restrictions, also supported by these groups, have already eliminated hobby breeding and now make obtaining a specific type of dog bred by a local breeder increasingly difficult.
Predominantly, when governments attempt to limit the legitimate sources from which a person may obtain a pet, it not only interferes with individual freedoms, it also increases the likelihood that a person will obtain a pet that is not a good match for their lifestyle and the likelihood that that animal will end up in a shelter.
It has never been more important than it is now for all dog lovers and those concerned about the future of our breeds to work together to preserve the freedom of individuals to choose from a variety of pets and to find one that is the right match for their lifestyle. Such pets can come from a variety of sources including directly from the breeder, from a retailer, or from a shelter or rescue. The decision to acquire an appropriate pet should be made by consumers themselves, not restricted by an arbitrary government limit pushed for by extremists who ultimately seek the end of dog breeding and animal ownership.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) emphatically supports freedom of choice in selecting a pet. AKC actively promotes efforts to ensure that people are educated, understand the demands of responsible ownership and have access to a pet that is right for them. AKC strongly opposes any measure that restricts choice by compelling people and/or retailers to obtain pets solely from shelter or rescue distributors. On these principles alone, AKC opposes Assembly Bill 485.
AKC will provide updates on AB 485 as developments warrant. For more information on AB 485, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Collaboration Coming Soon: Google Docs for iPad, Android Mobile Devices
Sep 22, 2010, 01:33 (0 Talkback[s])
Re-Imagining Linux Platforms to Meet the Needs of Cloud Service Providers
"Google this week said that it will begin offering its Google
Docs productivity suite for the iPad and Android-powered mobile
devices in the next few weeks, giving mobile users the ability to
work and collaborate in real time from their smartphones.
"In a blog post on its website, Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) said
enterprise workers will be able to "co-edit files simultaneously
from an even wider array of devices," and, unsaid, give iPad users
a viable alternative to Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iWorks presentation,
word processing and spreadsheet management suite.
"The announcement was made at this week's Google Atmosphere
cloud computing conference in Paris where the company bragged that
more than 3 million companies and 30 million users are now using
its cloud-based messaging and collaboration tools."


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Apple continues to beta test the next version of its popular platforms. macOS Big Sur is part of the process, of course, and today the latest beta has been seeded.
Apple has released macOS 10.13.5 to the public. The new update for Mac is available now for download over the air (OTA).
In this guide, we'll demonstrate how to create a USB install drive from your downloaded macOS High Sierra software update so that you can install it to multiple machines without redownloading, perform clean install, keep a copy safe for troubleshooting purposes and more.
As part of its list of supposed hardware upgrades coming to Apple's pro-level iMacs later this year, the Pike's Universum blog mentioned in passing that the next major version of macOS (10.13) won't use a mountain or a park name anymore.
Visits from Mac computers identified as running macOS 10.13 have been increasing across iDownloadBlog and various other publications in recent weeks. And now, what looks to be the first public sign of macOS 10.13 has been spotted on Mac App Store, as per Pike's Universum which provided reliable information in the past. Apple will preview the next major versions of macOS, iOS, watchOS and tvOS at its annual developers conference which kicks off with a keynote on June 5.


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Cloudya App Update for iOS 14.3, as of 12/14/2020
As of Saturday, 12.12.2020, version 1.3.6 of the Cloudya app became available for download from the App Store. This version contains a critical update that is necessary for the use of the app under iOS 14.3 which will soon be released by Apple. Unless the Cloudya app has already been updated automatically, this must be done manually via the App Store on your iPhone.
Why an update is critical ?
Previous versions of the Cloudya app are not compatible with the latest iOS 14.3. The old version is non-functional and freezes completely, making phone calls impossible and also blocking the device and calling functionality of the device holistically until Cloudya is stopped. Developers have developed a hotfix in a very short time, which was already uploaded to the app store on 11.12. and is now available after passing Apple’s approval processes.


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UPDATEDApple's iOS 9 update is rumored to launch on September 16 for iPhone and iPad.
UpdatediOS 8.4 is the latest iPhone and iPad update that's stable, and now it includes Apple Music streaming.
UpdatedWe wanted a bigger iPhone and Apple has, finally, delivered - but make sure you REALLY want a bigger iPhone, as this is huge.
UpdatedThe impressive new iPhone has arrested the slide for Apple - and shown us that the Cupertino brand can still make a brilliant smartphone.
UpdatedThe plastic-bodied 5C appears to be a one-off, but it's worth looking at the colourful, even cheaper handset again.


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In the past few years, the fast charging technology has been developing rapidly. The new 100W charging tech by Xiaomi seems like it is all set to leave all the rest behind if things actually turn out to be true. For now Huawei, Oppo and OnePlus have their own fast charging technology but all those might soon be left behind when the new 100W charging from the makers of the Pocophone F1 will be introduced.
Bin Lin, the CEO at Xiaomi, shared a video on the Chinese messaging and social platform Weibo which showed a super powerful charging device in action through 91 mobiles. The video has shown a device which is yet to be named device being charged alongside what looked like the Oppo R17 Pro. The unnamed handset by Xiaomi seems to have the 4,000 mAh Battery and has left behind the Oppo even with the 50W Super VOOC charging.
The video has shown the Xiaomi handset that went from dead to 100% in surprising 17 minutes. During the same tenure, Oppo managed to charge the device to 65 percent. Technically the Super VOOC is the fastest charging method for any devices which are available in the market at present and means that it is surely a big victory for Xiaomi.
The Chinese based company is yet to reveal any details on the new 100W fast charging tech or when it might reach upcoming Xiaomi handsets. Amidst an era of wireless chargers, no one knows what is the future of the fast chargers. But the users will surely prefer the 100W charging tech considering the fast life of most of the smartphone holders. Apple is already ready with its wireless charging pad and is soon expected to launch the charging pad that can charge multiple Apple devices. Xiaomi has to clearly standout to convince the users for the fast chargers.
Photo Credits: Mr. Phone


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FILE PHOTO: The EQC, the first fully electric Mercedes car is shown at a presentation in Stockholm, Sweden September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Esha Vaish/File Photo
WARSAW (Reuters) – Daimler-owned Mercedes-Benz Cars will start producing electric batteries in Jawor, Poland, the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Tuesday, as the company looks to ramp up its investments into electric batteries in the coming decade.
“We are very happy that an investor that has been with us for a few years has entrusted us again and in the same place in Jawor,” Morawiecki said at a press conference, according to public news channel TVP.
Daimler is already building a plant to produce engines in Jawor.
Mercedes-Benz Cars board member Markus Schafer told the conference that the new investment would create 300 jobs and that investments would total over 200 million euros.
Daimler will buy battery cells worth more than 20 billion euros ($23 billion) by 2030 as it readies mass production of hybrid and electric vehicles, the company said in December.
The company is one of a number of German automakers expanding in electric vehicles as European regulators clamp down on toxic diesel emissions.
The auto industry currently has a range of different battery recipes competing for use in battery cathodes. One is NCA, or lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide, produced by Panasonic and used by Tesla.
Chinese manufacturers use a composition called LFP which has a lower energy density but does without cobalt, while Japanese carmakers use LMO, or lithium manganese oxide, which is used by Nissan and LG Chem.
Reporting by Pawel Florkiewicz and Joanna Plucinska; Editing by Louise Heavens


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E3 is dominated by console games. But a new online gaming service named Onlive may change not only how people game, but whether they ever buy another console system.
The idea behind Onlive is simple; serve games from the cloud to the gamer, no console required. The actual execution is another story, with issues like bandwidth and massive data centres making things much more complicated.
But the cloud, video and massively-scaled computing has come a long way in the eight years since Onlive was founded, and here on the E3 floor the company demonstrated console games playable through low-end PCs, Macs and soon though the company’s own proprietary set top box for televisions.
And from what I can tell, it works. Playing a console game through the system feels exactly like playing it on a console, minus the slab of plastic under your television. Since Onlive is tracking your controller’s input and then sending back video from the game running on its own servers, the client on your computer is very small and not resource intensive.
This is a sea change in gaming, since gamers can now subscribe to games instead of buying them, rent them is they feel like it, and will have access to a library of games they may never have had access to before, particularly Mac users who have been the poor neglected stepsister of gaming for decades.
Onlive rolls out today in the US, and though they wouldn’t commit to a specific date for a Canadian release, they did say they will be rolling out to other regions once they’ve deployed successfully domestically.
On a meta level, Onlive signifies that the cloud has reached a new stage. Video games are just about the most taxing computing process possible, and if it’s now possible to stream them through the internet to home users, clearly we’ve moved forward. Even if Onlive fails, the cloud clearly is capable of success.


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|Delayed - 01/26 04:00:01 pm|
Semtech Corporation : quaterly earnings release
|11/20/2020 | 09:15am|
The company will report its earnings for Q3 2021 on 11/25/2020. Generally, the company reports earnings worse than estimates. In recent months, the 11 analysts from Standard & Poor's consensus have revised their EPS estimates upward.
© MarketScreener.com 2021
All news about SEMTECH CORPORATION


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MicroStrategy has spent another $147 million on buying Bitcoin
Bitcoin has slipped rather significantly over the past couple of months – weakness that MicroStrategy Inc (NASDAQ: MSTR) used to increase its exposure to the world’s largest cryptocurrency.
MicroStrategy has been buying BitcoinCopy link to section
The Nasdaq-listed firm has bought another 5,445 bitcoins (approximately) since the start of August.
MicroStrategy spent about $147.3 million on the purchase that translates roughly to $27,053 per Bitcoin “inclusive of fees and expenses” as per its regulatory filing on Monday.
Last month, the business intelligence platform did reveal plans of raising up to $750 million. On Monday, it confirmed that it sold 403,362 new shares to secure cash that it used to acquire these bitcoins.
BTC is worth about $5,000 less than its year-to-date high at writing.
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MicroStrategy is in loss on its Bitcoin investmentCopy link to section
MicroStrategy now holds a total of 158,245 Bitcoin at an average purchase price of $29,582 (approximately) – which means its historical investments in the cryptocurrency is currently in a significant loss.
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Nonetheless, the fact that it chose to tap on the recent weakness suggests that it remains ever-so bullish on BTC as a long-term play and a store of value.
The news arrives about a couple months after MicroStrategy said it returned to profitability in its second financial quarter – in which it bought about 12,333 Bitcoin, as per the earnings release.
Shares of the cloud company are currently down nearly 30% versus their year-to-date high.


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Tesla CEO Elon Musk is now the seventh-richest person in the world, surpassing legendary investor Warren Buffett, as Tesla’s stock continues to skyrocket.
Musk surpassed Buffett on Friday after Tesla shares hit an all-time high, giving Musk a net worth of about $70.5 billion, roughly $1 billion more than Buffett, according to Bloomberg’s calculations.
Tesla shares continued to surge Monday and hit another new high. The shares jumped 12 percent in morning trading and brought the company’s market valuation to $325 billion, making it the 10th-largest U.S. stock by market value.
Investors now believe that Tesla could report a fourth straight quarter of profits when it posts second-quarter results on July 22, meaning it could be considered for inclusion in the S&P 500.
The company’s stock is up more than 300 percent for the year.


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A hearing officer for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has dismissed all of Amazon (AMZN)’s objections to a successful union election at the retailer’s JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island, clearing the path to certifying the results. In March JKF8 workers voted to join the independent Amazon Labor Union, marking the first union victory at the retail giant. Rather than recognizing the union Amazon took it to court, filing 25 objections with the National Labor Relations Board alleging the ALU and the Brooklyn-based region of the board itself (Region 29) “suppressed and influenced” the outcome of the election.
After conducting a Zoom hearing over 24 business days, hearing officer Lisa Dunn recommended “that the employers’ objections be rejected in their entirety and that Amazon Labor Union be certified as bargaining representative.”
Both parties will have until Sept. 16 to file exceptions to the hearing officer’s report, after which the NLRB will either issue an order for a re-run election, or to certify the election. ALU president Chris Smalls said the results of the hearing prove “that our campaign was power.”


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This Friday, the gamers’ charity SpecialEffect will celebrate their fifth One Special Day fundraiser.
In a new record for the event, over 75 games industry partners have now pledged their support, ranging from mobile and PC developers, through to media and trade bodies.
With demand for the charity’s services increasing and other fundraising events being cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19, this year’s One Special Day has taken on an extra significance, as SpecialEffect’s Founder and CEO Mick Donegan explains:
“Despite the challenges of recent months, SpecialEffect has been continuing its work to bring the joy of video games and technology to some of the most disabled people on the planet. Our staff have worked tirelessly to respond to an increasing number of enquiries from all over the world, carrying out remote assessments and providing specialist equipment and advice. Meanwhile, the R&D team have been working hard to finish some exciting new accessible gaming projects, such as Eye Gaze Games, which have the potential to open-up the world of gaming to 10,000s more people world-wide. Securing the future of these services is vitally important for the people we support, which is why One Special Day 2020 is more important than ever.”
Since its inception in 2016, One Special Day has raised over $1,000,000 towards the work of SpecialEffect to help people with disabilities in the United Kingdom and all over the world. The companies supporting the event raise money by donating revenue, holding events and contributing to special Humble Bundles. This year, many will also be staging virtual fundraising challenges, including Zoom quizzes, socially-distanced physical challenges and livestreams.
Some campaign highlights to look out for include:
- One Special Bundle, which is available now on the Humble Bundle website and features titles from nine partners.
- One Special Night, which takes place on Thursday 1st October from 8pm and sees SpecialEffect hosting eight of the games industry’s leading lights, including Double Fine’s Tim Schafer, for an evening of exclusive online talks.
- One Special Game, a competition where fan-artists have been given the opportunity to create their own poster for iconic games such as Mass Effect, Stardew Valley, Monument Valley and Need for Speed, with the winners announced on Friday 2nd October.
The range of events and activities, coupled with the number of games industry companies rallying to the call, makes this the biggest One Special Day yet. And that’s very good news for disabled gamers all over the world!
If you’d like to get your company involved in One Special Day, there’s still time. Go to www.onespecialday.org.uk to donate or, for more information, contact Nick Streeter at firstname.lastname@example.org


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The shopping group, which also owns supermarket chain Waitrose, revealed annual pre-tax losses of £517millon for the year ending January 30 after its department stores were hammered by lockdowns and pandemic-related costs. The staggering drop in revenue comes just 12 months after the chain unveiled a booming £146million profit and represents the 92-year-old firm’s worst trading figures since the Second World War.
As a result the group said it does not expect all of its 42 remaining John Lewis shops to reopen at the end of this lockdown.
Emergency talks with landlords have been launched before a final decision is made at the end of March.
But insiders say eight stores have been earmarked for closure, on top of the eight announced last July.
The closures will result in the loss of hundreds of in-store jobs and will have a devastating impact on surrounding businesses that require the department stores to drive consumer traffic.
In a further blow to workers, the group confirmed it had scrapped its much-heralded staff bonus scheme for the first time since 1953.
Chairwoman Sharon White said: “There is no getting away from the fact that some areas can no longer profitably sustain a John Lewis store.
“Regrettably, we do not expect to reopen all our John Lewis shops at the end of lockdown, which will also have implications for our supply chain. We are currently in discussions with landlords, and final decisions are expected by the end of March.
“We will do everything we can to lessen the impact and will continue to provide community funds to support local areas.”
The news is the latest blow to Britain’s high streets and comes as supermarket Morrisons saw pre-tax profits halve last year after the group was hit by £290million in pandemic-related costs.


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LAST UPDATED : Jul 30, 2018, 10:33 PM IST
- National Museum will expand to old ASI office
For a decade, the National Museum has been looking for more space to expand. The plan has now been fast-tracked with Archaeological Survey of India recently vacating the building that’s adjacent to the museum. Even though final plans are still in the works, officials said the ASI building won’t be razed, as was proposed earlier, but will be integrated with the museum.
- Delhiites ditch open markets in favour of malls during rains
Rains in Delhi not only lead to jam-packed roads but also affect the shopping and eating habits of Delhiites. Street markets face a rather dry spell as the city’s shoppers prefer to skip the puddles in the street markets and head to malls instead.


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Sweet tooths rejoice! Though the dessert chain shuttered all 48 of its stores last week, Crumbs cupcakes may survive after all. In a deal announced Friday night, an investor group that includes Marcus Lemonis of CNBC reality show The Profit and financial services company Fischer Enterprises signed on to help provide financing to the chain. You can stop sobbing into your carton of Baked By Melissa now.
Earlier in the week, Crumbs chief executive Edward M. Slezak said that the company was already in talks with various companies about Crumbs' financial future, acknowledging the "emotional connection" many people had to the brand (a connection that perhaps explains why stale cupcakes are currently selling on eBay for upwards of $200? Come on, people), but only in our wildest buttercream-frosted dreams did we think that salvation would come so soon. The investor group will be providing finances to assist in Crumbs' bankruptcy filing, and will then acquire Crumbs' assets, create a privately held company (Crumbs losing its Nasdaq listing was a precursor to the news of its closing), and reopen stores, potentially using a franchise model.
But! The reopened shops may look a bit different than the ones you know, love, and occasionally stop at for a sprinkle-laden breakfast on your way to work (no? Just me?). Lemonis, who owns Florida candy chain Sweet Pete's Candy, cites Crumbs' limited cupcake-only offerings as one reason for the chain's downfall. He says that the investment group will be looking to expand offerings to include candy, cookies, and pies to the menu to make it into a "dessert destination," which I'm wary of but not exactly sad about. With Crumbs' mad-genius bakers, the possibilities are endless — Red velvet cookies? Cookie dough candies? Snickers pie? Who knows what our collective dessert future holds! Until the stores reopen (there's not timeline in place yet), we'll have to survive on these cupcake hacks to fill the Crumbs-shaped holes in our lives.


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COMMENTARY: Battle over E-cigarettes in Oklahoma is getting lost in the weeds
Published: March 10th, 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY — As a new legislative week begins at the Oklahoma Capitol, proposals are advancing to clarify that e-cigarettes are products that cannot be sold to minors. Such is already policy in many businesses which sell such devices. In simplistic terms, at least, the disagreement is not over the question of sales to youth, although that comes up in most discussions of the new proposals.
Disagreements about the bills are in plain view, but rest on distinctions made in the weeds – in the details of existing laws, court rulings, the silence of federal law, proposed regulations and emerging science. The future of e-cigs gets wrapped up in discussions over phrases like “electronic smoking devices” and “personal vaporizers,” and such.
Advocates of e-cigs testify passionately about benefits gained from abandoning traditional cigarettes to use non-tobacco products, but antagonists consider the devices gateways to tobacco use.
In or out of the weeds, the e-cigs often get confused with “alternative nicotine products,” largely because of provisions like those proposed in the Legislature that would amend the Prevention of Youth Access to Tobacco Act. Wording within the proposed reforms touch both non-smoke tobacco products and e-cigs, assuring the issues might be blended in final consideration.
In the absence of a Food and Drug Administration edict on the comparative safety or danger of personal vaporizers (as fans dub them), those who want to treat e-cigs as the moral and technical equivalent of tobacco have and nearly free rein to denounce the products or to ignore the independent studies finding them safe, or comparatively so.
‘Twas not always thus.
Not so long ago, e-cigarettes in nascent stages of development were largely unregulated hereabouts. Presently, they face “only” normal sales taxes, like any other legal product, but not the punitive taxes applied to tobacco products.
Now vapor products are under clear attack, in measures at all levels of Oklahoma government, and in the rest of the land of the free.
They face a ban on state property due to Gov. Fallin’s executive order issued on Christmas Eve, and were the focus of a striking state Health Department “advisory.” At the local level, including the state’s largest public universities, they face a cluster of stiffer new regulations or outright bans. Those efforts have been encouraged through a controversial grant program run by the state Tobacco Settlement Endowment Truast (TSET), incentivizing local governments to attack e-cigarettes.
The new legislative efforts to keep vapor products out of the maelstrom of new government regulation could be viewed as merely a defense of the state’s semi-libertarian status quo over recent decades, one that will soon, without new laws along the lines proposed in House Bill 3104 and Senate Bill 1602, be a distant memory.
Emergence of personal vapor products and development of new alternative nicotine products have expanded the arena personal choice for thousands of Oklahoman’s, and you might think that would be largely a good thing.
Yet these devices have also awakened the urge of government officials to regulate or tax the products.
And, as the old saying goes, the power to tax is the power to destroy.
You may contact Pat at Patrick@capitolbeatok.com .


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The stock of Uxin Ltd. (Nasdaq: UXIN) ended nearly 2 percent lower Tuesday, at $3.29 per American depositary share, after a number of investor rights law firms called on stockholders to join in a class action suit against the company.
Robbins Arroyo LLP, Bragar Eagel & Squire P.C., and Rosen Law Firm were among firms filing suits against the Beijing-based online used car sales platform. They alleged that Uxin filed “materially false and misleading” statements, as well as failed to disclose certain information in its IPO documents.
Specifically, the allegations claimed that Uxin planned to stop providing complementary services such as inspections to its customers but instead partnered with dealers providing the services, which materially impacted its 2B business.
Uxin completed its initial public offering on Wall Street in late June, raising $400 million by selling 25 million ADSs at $9 per share. Since then, its stock slid, with some ups and downs, to the lowest of $3.29 per share by the end of November, dampened by narrower-than-expected losses.
Uxin includes Uxin Auction, which auctions used cars to businesses, and Uxin Used Car, which sells to consumers and provides them with financing. For the three months through September, the company reported revenue of $125.5 million, a 60 percent year-over-year increase, but also a net loss of $86.3 million, sending its stock tanking 12 percent at the announcement.
In December, Uxin took a brief jump on the stock market to $9.55 per share, fueled by its partnership with Alibaba’s (NYSE: BABA) Taobao and the Double 12 Shopping Festival that followed and spurred its sales.
Since then, Uxin’s shares have been trading just below $4 apiece, further dampened this week by multiple class action lawsuits.
(Source: Thomson Reuters Eikon)


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A K-SHAPED recovery for the Singapore economy seems the most likely outcome, with IT, advanced manufacturing and financial services leading the way, while other sectors are likely to suffer a more prolonged impact, economists told The Business Times (BT).
Singapore's third-quarter economic contraction shrank more slowly at 7 per cent year on year, an improvement from the 13.3 per cent contraction seen in the second quarter, according to advance estimates by the Ministry of Trade and Industry. On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 7.9 per cent in Q3, staging a dramatic rebound from the 13.2 per cent contraction clocked in Q2, when Singapore was on a partial economic shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Q3's performance was mostly lifted by manufacturing, the only sector that expanded, with a 2 per cent growth. This was offset by the construction and services sectors, which saw quarter-on-quarter gains but remained in contraction on year-on-year basis.
Nonetheless, economists were mostly in agreement that Q3 marks the start of Singapore's economic comeback since the trough in Q2, although recovery will be uneven. In other words, it will take the form of a "K shape".
"The recovery will come to different industries at a different pace, and it will also feel very differently to different segments of the society," DBS senior economist Irvin Tan told BT.
For example, the manufacturing sector made a strong and rapid recovery, emerging to become the main driver of growth in Q2 and Q3, Mr Seah said. At the same time, the construction sector spent several months in the doldrums, while recovery is still "not in sight" for the hospitality and aviation sector, he added.
For now, prospects look positive for the technology, financial services and manufacturing sectors, which are poised for expansion. But there is also a darker aspect to the K-shaped recovery, economists warned, one that highlights a widening income gap.
Maybank Kim Eng senior economist Chua Hak Bin said the uneven recovery has resulted in "divergent fortunes" between lower- and higher-income households. "The pandemic recession has a disproportionately large negative impact on the lower-wage workers. Most of the services sectors' hardest hit - retail, F&B, recreational, tourism, hospitality - employ workers earning wages below the overall average," Dr Chua noted.
Mr Seah said while the high-income group may have felt the recovery with the rebound in the equity market, lower-wage or displaced workers likely have not felt any recovery yet.
Although the worst is believed to be over, there may still be job losses and business closures in the coming quarter.
OCBC chief economist Selena Ling said they are likely to be concentrated in those industries that have not been allowed to resume yet, such as entertainment spots and clubs, although other sectors facing significant pressure from the lack of consumer demand - including tourism, retail and aviation - may not be spared.
On the bright side, some economists are hopeful that a possible Phase 3 reopening in the fourth quarter can support economic recovery, and Ms Ling believes Q4 GDP is likely to contract a milder 1.3 per cent year on year, with full-year GDP shrinking 5.5 per cent.
UOB economist Barnabas Gan is predicting a 5.2 per cent contraction for Q4, with full-year GDP declining 6.5 per cent.
"The possible move to allow more people to attend social events would likely benefit Singapore's food and beverage, wholesale and retail trade and hospitality-related services. In a nutshell, Phase 3 will be largely beneficial for the services sector, which accounts for over 60 per cent of GDP," said Mr Gan.
However, both DBS's Mr Seah and Maybank's Dr Chua believe Phase 3 may only bring an incremental economic benefit to lift growth, with the bigger boost coming from a relaxation of border controls. He said his full-year GDP forecast of -6 per cent implies a Q4 contraction of 3.4 per cent.
Meanwhile, Mr Seah is expecting a Q4 contraction of about 5 per cent, with full-year GDP shrinking 6.5 per cent.
Barclays regional economist Brian Tan is predicting a full-year GDP contraction of 6 per cent given that the economy shrank by 6.9 per cent year on year in the first three quarters of 2020.


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StarSat, the rebranded pay-TV service previously known as TopTV, is adding 10 new channels to its bouquet to expire on December 31.
The extra channels, available to all subscribers, have been added and will remain until StarSat’s new packages are introduced at the start of 2014.
Once the new packages are available, customers will be able to choose which package to upgrade to.
Among the new channels are Nat Geo Gold, Star Kung-fu 1 and Star Bollywood.
StarSat expext to be able to offer more than 100 channels from January


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Sony announced that the Glacier White PS4 will be available to purchase in United Kingdom starting this friday.
The most surprising fact about this announcement is that the console will be more expensive than the standard black PS4. According to Sony, the Glacier White PS4 will be £20 more expensive, which means it will cost around £350. This is certainly an odd price, specially when considering the fact that players can purchase the White PS4 bundles for the same price.
Sony has yet to reveal when will the standalone console arrive at other European countries and confirm if it will ever be available in North America.