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Will Brexit Affect Singapore’s Economy?
The result of the UK referendum to leave the European Union has sent shock waves around the globe. The political and economic impact is being compared by some to the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, or the demise of the Soviet Union.
But will the reverberations of Brexit be felt as far away as Singapore? While the answer to this question will not be clear for some time, it is safe to say that business organisations in Singapore will have to take the implications of Brexit into account while dealing with the UK.
It is a fact that when Singapore companies want to access the EU market, they use London as a convenient entry point. But this may change now. It may make more business sense to use a location within the EU rather than outside it.
Future of the British Pound – The day of the referendum result, Sterling fell to a 31-year low.
The Sterling exchange rate against the Singapore dollar fell from $2 to $1.80. This precipitous fall could seriously damage Singapore’s trade with Britain. UK companies will already be paying more for imported goods, and this could result in a fall in demand and trade volumes.
EUSFTA – According to the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry, the European Union-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA) has so far been six years in the making, with initial negotiations starting as far back as 2009.
Now the result of the Brexit vote may have implications for the free trade agreement as far as the UK is concerned. In 2014, Singapore’s bilateral trade in goods with the EU was about $96 billion, and the EU was Singapore’s third largest global trading partner.
A large portion of Singapore’s EU trade is with the UK. Once London starts unravelling itself from the EU, Singapore’s businesses can expect to be confronted with the prospect of entering into fresh negotiations as they establish ties with organisations located within one of the 27 remaining EU countries.
What does the Singapore business fraternity say? – Singapore’s companies are aware that Brexit could change the EU market forever. If the ‘leave’ campaign gains traction in other countries, the situation could become even worse. Political instability can result in a slowdown in growth and a host of other issues.
The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) is the apex business chamber that represents 22,500 companies across a range of industries. It also serves as an interface between local and foreign business chambers and the government.
Soon after the British government announced that the referendum result was in favour of leaving the EU, the SBF made a formal statement in which it said, “The decision to leave the European Union adds more risk to Europe’s stability and to global markets at a time when the world economy needs more stability.
“The possibility of a weaker EU, given its importance as a trading and investment partner to Singapore, will have significant impact on our economy.”
The SBF has expressed concern that “as new configurations are negotiated and put together” Singapore businesses in the UK will face increasing uncertainties.
Stock market sees huge losses – Global stocks lost a record US$2 trillion in the immediate aftermath of Brexit. At the very least, for the UK, a sustained recovery would not seem likely any time soon.
Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings and co-founder of the Quantum Fund with George Soros in the 1970s, holds the view that stock markets and currencies will face long-term consequences. He says, “This is going to be worse than any bear market you’ve seen in your lifetime…
“The EU as we know it will not exist. The euro as we know it will not exist… These are going to be perilous times.”
Assuming Brexit goes ahead, the fallout for Singapore would not be limited to simply trade between the city-state and the EU. The repercussions would be more widespread and diffused.
The performance of the European market has been lacklustre for some time now. China’s economy continues to send out mixed signals, and growth rates are unlikely to ever return to the levels seen in the past.
Although the US has seen a fall in unemployment and economic recovery, these may have been due to the boom in shale gas – which seems to have more-or-less ended. Moreover, exports are not strong, and wages have been depressed for decades.
And in addition, because of weak commodity prices, there has been a contraction of orders in the energy sector. Many Singapore businesses are dependent on the oil industry, and the continued slackness in energy prices has been a major negative.
It seems inevitable that Brexit will compound the problems facing world trade, and Singapore’s export–driven economy is sure to feel its ill-effects.


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A trademark dispute over the rights to the phrase was bound to happen as dozens of iPhone apps provide a way to fart like the professionals -- from Bigfoot to an old man.
The brouhaha concerns Air-O-Matic of Florida, the maker of the popular "Pull My Finger" app, which claims the maker of rival "iFart Mobile" is misappropriating the phrase "pull my finger" in its advertisements. Such an assertion, according to iFart Mobile maker InfoMedia of Colorado, reeks of an misunderstanding of American fart culture.
Kevin Houchin, InfoMedia's lawyer, explains:
Houchin's comments were contained in a Colorado federal court filing (.pdf) seeking a declaration from a judge that InfoMedia's use of the phrase in its advertising campaign "did not and will not infringe upon any valid rights of AOM." A decision is pending.
Air-O-Matic, or AOM, claims iFart Mobile's advertising is creating confusion in Apple's app store fart space.

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Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Recall Issued Over Cancer Risk
A recall has been issued for several batches of Banana Boat sunscreen, after the spray was found to contain dangerous levels of benzene, which is a chemical classified as a human carcinogen that has been discovered in a number of aerosol sunscreen products in recent years.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the Banana Boat Hair & Scalp sunscreen recall on July 29, after routine sample testing confirmed the presence of potentially unsafe levels of the benzene in several brands of aerosol spray cans.
Benzene is an industrial chemical that has been associated with the development of several fatal forms of cancer, leukemia and other conditions, such as AML, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL), Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDL), Myelofibrosis and Myeloid Metaplasia, Aplastic Anemia and Thrombocytopenic Purpura.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), side effects of benzene exposure may increase the risk of cancer, and the chemical has long declared it is linked to fatal forms of leukemia and other cancers. The FDA considers it a solvent that should not be used in drug products, if avoidable. However, if benzene is not avoidable, it should be restricted to 2 ppm, FDA regulations state.
The Banana Boat recall comes after a number of similar aerosol sunscreen spray products have been found to contain high levels of benzene, including Neutrogena, Aveeno, Coppertone and others. As a result, a dozens of sunscreen cancer lawsuits have been filed by individuals diagnosed with lymphoma following regular use of the spray over large portions of their body.
The manufacturers of the recalled Banana Boat sunscreen, Edgewell Personal Care Company, told the FDA that benzene is not an intended ingredient in the products, but an internal review of samples identified the presence of trace amounts of the chemical, which was formed from the propellant that sprays the sunscreen out of the cans.
The recall includes three batches of Banana Boat Hair & Scalp Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 that are marked with UPC code 0-79656-04041-8 and lot codes 20016AF, 20084BF or 21139AF. The recalled sunscreen products are packaged in 6 ounce aerosol cans and were distributed nationwide through various retail channels.
Edgewell has notified its retailers of the potential benzene contamination and has instructed stores to stop selling the products and to remove them from stores shelves.
Consumers are being instructed to stop using the recalled Banana boat sunscreen spray products immediately and to properly discard them. Customers who purchased the recalled sunscreen products will be offered a reimbursement.
The FDA is encouraging customers to report any adverse reactions or quality problems with the recalled Banana Boat sunscreen to the agency’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.
Spray Sunscreen Benzene Problems
Concerns about high levels of benzene in sunscreen spray first emerged in May 2021, when the on-line pharmacy Valisure issued a warning that benzene was detected in 78 sunscreen and after-sun care products tested from their inventory.
Following the report, Johnson & Johnson issued an Aveeno and Nuetrogene sunscreen recall and just a few months later a Coppertone sunscreen recall was issued for similar benzene contamination problems.
Another Banana Boat sunscreen recall was later issued in December 2021, after internal testing discovered the benzene contamination in Banana Boat Ultra Very High Protection Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF, Banana Boat Simply Protect Kids Very High Protection Sunscreen Lotion Spray SPF 50+ and Banana Boat Dry Balance Very High Protection Clear Sunscreen Spray SPF 50+.
At the forefront of the sunscreen litigation, at least eight class action lawsuits filed against Johnson & Johnson were centralized for coordinated management as part of a federal MDL, or multidistrict litigation, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
In October 2021, a Johnson & Johnson sunscreen settlement was reached to resolve the centralized class action lawsuits, which all raised similar allegations that consumers developed various forms of blood cancers following regular use of recalled Neutrogena or Aveeno products.
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Philippines July 2016 Auto Sales Posts 22 percent growth
The Philippine Automotive Industry has set a new sales record for the month of July. In a report issued by the joint Marketing Committee of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (“CAMPI”) and Truck Manufacturers Association (“TMA”), sales for the month of July reached 29,967 units. Last month’s performance is 22 percent higher than July 2015 which did 24,569 units.
Sales from both Passenger Car (“PC”) and Commercial Vehicle (“CV”) segments increased compared to July 2015 results. Passenger car sales grew by 9.9 percent with 11,230 units sold this month. The Commercial Vehicle segment managed a significant 30.6 percent surge year-on-year with 18,737 units versus 14,348 units in 2015.
Within the CV segment, all categories exceeded sales records from July 2015. Category 2 (LCV) accomplished the biggest increase with 36.2 percent with 11,982 units from 8,798 units in July last year. While Category 5 (Heavy Duty Trucks and Buses) grew 34.6 percent with 171 units from 127 units. Category 1 (AUV) was able to achieve a 22.5percent climb with 5,767 units coming from 4,709 units.
Year-to-date automotive sales are currently at 197,448 units with Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation remaining as the top performer with 43.63 percent market share. Taking the second slot in the overall sales is Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation with an 18 percent share of the market. Ford Motor Company Philippines, Inc. is at third spot with 9.88 percent market share. In fourth place sits Isuzu Philippines Corporation with 7.77 percent share and rounding up the top five is Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. with 6.51 percent market share.
Read more: http://www.autoindustriya.com/auto-industry-news/campi-july-2016-auto-sales-posts-22-percent-growth.html#ixzz4HOWzKig4


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Labour is calling on McDonald’s to have more respect for their workers and offer them more guaranteed work hours.
McDonald’s is proposing to guarantee its workers 80 per cent of their rostered hours, Labour’s spokesperson for Labour Issues Iain Lees-Galloway says.
“This offer has been dismissed as ‘a joke’ by the Unite Union representing them.
“These people often work much less than their rostered hours so they still won’t have any certainty they can pay their rent and feed their families each week.
“This follows Restaurant Brands – which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Carl’s Jr – and Burger King scrapping zero-hour contracts from their employment practises. Restaurant Brands is guaranteeing their workers 80 per cent of the hours they work and Burger King is moving to fixed shifts within the next six months.
“If other fast food giants operating in New Zealand are happy not to use these nasty contracts and can guarantee decent work hours, there is no reason why McDonald’s can’t follow suit.
“Come on McDonald’s, serve your workers up a bit of McHappiness,” Iain Lees-Galloway says.


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Retail inflation plummeted for the first time after six months to 6.58 per cent in February as prices of vegetables and other kitchen items reduced, the government revealed on Thursday.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) based retail inflation, remains above the comfort level of the Reserve Bank of India.
The retail inflation stood at 7.59 per cent in January this year and 2.57 per cent in February 2019, Firstpost reported. The inflation in the meat and fish segment was 10.2 per cent in February as compared to 10.5 per cent in the previous month.
CPI inflation has been increasing since August 2019 and has reduced for the first time since then. The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation in its data has revealed that inflation in vegetable prices reduced to 31.61 per cent from 50.19 percent in January.
The rate at which the price rose was also milder in case of pulses and eggs. The inflation in the food items was 10.81 per cent in February 2020, lower from 13.63 per cent in January, as per the National Statistical Office (NSO) data. However, the inflation almost doubled in 'fuel and light' sector to 6.36 per cent in February.
The government has mandated the Reserve Bank Of India to keep inflation at nearly 4 per cent. In its last meeting, the RBI maintained the key lending rate constant at 5.15 per cent amid high inflation.
Rahul Gupta, Head of Research-Currency, Emkay Global Financial Services, said that the retail inflation for February has reduced due to a reduction in food prices.
"Due to the coronavirus uncertainty, we expect RBI to take pre-emptive measure anytime soon or at April's MPC policy and cut repo rate. If the virus spreads further very rapidly then we can expect a deeper cut of 50 bps by RBI," Gupta said.
The NSO data further showed that inflation was 10.37 per cent in rural India and 11.51 per cent in the urban areas. In both cases, the rate of price rise was lower than January.


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Topshop’s Tweets: Topshop has a reputation for bringing the runway show experience to its customers, having offered a live-streamed online glimpse into its Topshop Unique shows since 2012. Now, to mark London Fashion Week, the retailer has teamed with Twitter to harness the trends that the fashion industry is Tweeting about during the shows and giving its customers the chance to shop those trends.
Topshop will take over six digital billboards in major U.K. cities including London, Manchester and Birmingham from Friday Feb. 20 through Monday Feb. 24, and display what trends are emerging from London Fashion Week via Twitter hashtags on those billboards. Topshop will also broadcast the trends via its own Twitter feed, its Web site and on a billboard in its Oxford Circus, London store. Customers who then Tweet those trend hashtags back to @Topshop will receive a shopping list of current season designs that chime in with the trends. The billboards will be produced by social content marketing platform Stackla, and are operated by Ocean Outdoor.
Added to that, Topshop will live-stream its fall 2015 Topshop Unique show online and in its Oxford Circus store Feb. 22. This season, Topshop is amping up the show content it streams online, and will broadcast content of guests arriving ahead of the show, with presenter Laura Jackson interviewing the front row names. The retailer will also post six-second videos of models just before they hit the runway on Twitter, made in a Vine Booth set up at the show venue, London’s Tate Britain.
Sir Philip Green, Topshop’s owner, commented: “Whether we are giving [customers] a look behind the scenes at the show or partnering with a global platform such as Twitter to allow them to shop the trends in real time, our aim is to create a truly inclusive experience,” he said. Sheena Sauvaire, global marketing and communications director of Topshop added: “Through Twitter’s listening power, we can allow our global consumer to shop the trends as and when they happen, and give them insight and access into runway shows,” she said, noting that the billboards represent “a first example of real time, shop-able billboards.”


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MIAMI BEACH (AP) The Port of Shanghai is getting a new cruise passenger terminal. Southeast Asian nations are teaming up on a website for cruise travelers, www.CruiseASEAN.com. Officials from China are using the 2008 Olympics to promote a triangle of northern cruise ports.
Hello Asia, cruising's new frontier.
Representatives from the Asia-Pacific region attended the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Conference in mid-March, beginning an aggressive marketing campaign with the goal of making Asia a competitor in the world cruise market. Many of them toured ports in Miami and Port Everglades to get a sense of U.S. port operations.
"Asia is blooming, maybe because people are too familiar with the south Caribbean or South America, and you know Europe is too expensive," said Michael C.Y. Chang, director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York. "Most of the countries in Asia are in a very good shape, and it's reasonable in cost and it has major wonders and culture."
The Asia-Pacific region lags behind the Caribbean, Europe and Alaska as a cruise destination. But Asian officials contend there is long-term growth potential for a region with improving ports and alluring destinations such as the Great Wall of China and the jungles of Indonesia. They predict that cruising will grow 40% to 1.5 million passengers in 2010 in the region.
Meanwhile, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, collaborated on the CruiseAsean.com website to promote the Southeast Asian cruise industry, which is predicted to grow 5% per year until 2020, to about 820,000 passengers. The site takes advantage of the trend of customers using the Internet as a preferred method of finding vacations.
Experts say infrastructure is a major obstacle to expanding the cruise market in Asia in terms of ship and passenger capacity, with many ports falling short of having adequate transportation in and out of port facilities, for example. Security, deployment costs and creating more interest in cruising among Asian travelers are other challenges.
The world's two largest cruise operators, Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., are establishing a presence in Asia. Carnival's Costa Cruises already offers Asia-Pacific vacations on the Costa Allegra, and Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas will become the largest ship in the region when it begins its deployment in December.
The Port of Shanghai is addressing some of the infrastructure concerns by investing in a 300,000-square-foot terminal to handle three 80,000-gross-ton cruise ships. Shanghai's busy port, the gateway to the Yangtze River, already is served by Costa, Princess Cruises and Holland America Line, which fall under the umbrella of Carnival.
The Chinese are reaching out to U.S. tour operators and travel agents to promote their country, which saw 1.7 million total U.S. visitors last year and hosts the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The port of Tianjin is billed as the gateway to Beijing. Two other ports in north China, Dalian and Qingdao, can hold large cruise ships, and both are set to have new cruise terminals within the next three years.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Nordic Games has announced it’s removed the Games for Windows Live and DirectX 10 requirements from Red Faction: Guerrilla.
In a post on the Steam Community forums, executive producer Reinhard Pollice announced a public open beta in order to test for stability, errors and bugs.
The game now contains full Steam Support, multiplayer and matchmaking via Steamworks, leaderboards, voice chat, and Steam Achievements.
Red Faction: Guerrilla will now use the DX9 Renderer by default as “DX10 created a lot of problems and resulted in performance drawbacks.”
Pollice said this should also fix any issues players encountered when using Windows 8.


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Expensive to make and less versatile than their fossil-based cousins, bioplastic products are not the solution to the world’s plastic woes—and are by no means as biodegradable as consumers are led to think, a new study concludes.
That means the real solution is to eliminate plastic packaging, make recycling a reality for the developing world, and enforce extended producer responsibility.
Despite the laudatory response to new products like Coca-Cola’s sugarcane-based PlantBottle, bioplastics can play only a minor role in this critically needed overhaul of the world’s recycling system, writes Yale Environment 360. Digging into the reality of just what is meant by “compostable” bioplastics, the publication adds that while the products “can be broken down by microorganisms and become part of the natural world again in a short period of time,” this process will only happen “if the plastic is collected and composted in carefully controlled, high-temperature industrial composting facilities.”
The problem? “There aren’t many of those, especially in developing countries where the problem of plastic pollution is most severe.”
In the absence of such facilities, bioplastics either end up buried in landfills, where low oxygen levels leave them slowly leaching methane, or they end up alongside their fossil kin, littering coasts and killing marine life.
And the impacts don’t end there, E360 adds. Not only do the sugars used in the creation of bioplastics “often come from transgenic crops sprayed with herbicides and pesticides,” those crops take up land that would otherwise be used to grow food.
“Some 11 million tonnes of plastic now find their way into the oceans each year—three million more than previous estimates,” notes E360, citing a study recently published in the journal Science. That figure is set to triple by 2040.
There is a solution to this “burgeoning problem,” but it comes with a high price tag. According to a recent report by Pew Charitable Trusts and Systemiq, what’s needed is a US$600-billion overhaul of the global plastic system, one that “reuses and recycles plastic in a circular economy.” If adopted, such a revamped system could reduce plastic waste 80% by 2040, says E360.
Critical elements in the overhaul include eliminating any unnecessary plastic packaging, “scaling up collection and recycling efforts in moderate- and low-income countries, where the vast majority of ocean plastic originates”, and putting “an end to exports of waste plastic, which would force countries where the waste is generated to come up with solutions to the plastics problem.”
Also critical will be the related endeavour of forcing the companies that use plastic packaging step up and “play a lead role in its recycling and reuse.” Currently, it is governments that take the lion’s share of responsibility for recycling.
“It’s called extended producer responsibility—product take-back,” said Marian Chertow, an industrial ecologist at the Yale School of the Environment. Governments need to say, “We can’t recycle all of this stuff,” she told E360. “We can’t pay for all the costs of recycling. We have to work with you, the producer.’”
Inertia and investment in a status quo “still geared to use new plastic made from cheap oil, not recycled plastic, which is more expensive” will be big obstacles to overhauling how the world deals with its plastic waste. “As long as we continue to produce virgin resin, recycling will never happen,” said Ramani Narayan, professor at the School of Packaging at Michigan State University.
Another critical factor in the overhaul will be crystal-clear communication—or, at least, something better than the messaging on offer now. “The information on the label about plastics is vague and unintelligible,” said Simon Reddy, one of the authors of the Pew report and director of the charity’s ocean plastic program. “The recyclability should be first and foremost.”
The overhaul would also have to account for regional differences: Europe’s recycling rate in 2017 stood at 42%, compared to 8.4% in the United States, and largely due to a lack of recycling systems, “as much as 95% of the plastic that is transported by rivers into the world’s oceans comes from 10 rivers in Asia and Africa.”
Bioplastics, meanwhile, still seem to be having their moment in the limelight. “A leading Dutch sustainable chemistry company, Avantium, working with Coca-Cola, just announced the development of a 100% plant-based bottle made of PEF—polyethylene furanoate, which is produced from sugars,” writes E360. “Avantium says its bottle is better than PET as a container for soda and other products and breaks down completely in a year in a composting facility, and in a few years in the natural environment.”
Sceptics have met this announcement with requests for published specifics. “Even if this plastic technology proves to be as beneficial as the company claims, the company would need to scale up production to replace PET, which would take years,” writes E360.


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This gaming PC has so many games
This gaming PC has so many games
Cryptocurrency has been all the rage in 2021, no doubt in part to the incredible gains that some coins have posted over the past few years. Many investors that had never thought of buying...
We’re expecting huge savings across big-name brands such as Apple, Ring and Fitbit
For the price, it is a superb value! I highly recommend it."
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Over 4,000 Amazon shoppers gave these high-tech headphones a flawless five-star review — here's why.
Sony wants cross-platform multiplayer, or cross-play, in more games, PlayStation chief Jim Ryan told Axios in a recent interview.Why it matters: Times have changed. Market-leading PlayStation notoriously dragged its feet in allowing multiplayer games to connect PlayStation fans with players on other devices.Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free."We support and encourage cross-play," Ryan told us, noting cross-play with PlayStation works on numerous big games
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 18, 2021 / With more people working from home than ever before, the need for ergonomic furniture has greatly increased. There are countless options, but when it comes down to choosing new home office furniture and devices, Amazon Prime Day is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of amazing deals to upgrade the home office.
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Because I’m so attached to my beloved laptop, I never thought about buying a tablet (I honestly believed it was a waste of money). The minute I turned on the tablet, I was surprised by the high resolution (like, it shines brighter than the sun). It’s ten percent brighter and has two million pixels more than the older generations of Fire tablets.
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The map shows that in some areas more than 20 per cent of residents did not have internet access in their homes


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BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning people about scammers trying to sell unproven and illegally marketed COVID-19 testing kits and medications.
Some of these products claim to treat, cure, or prevent COVID-19. The FDA says they have not been evaluated for safety or effectiveness and could be dangerous.
The FDA says because COVID-19 is new and has not been seen in humans before now, there are currently no drugs to treat the virus, or vaccines to prevent it, that have been approved by the FDA. The only way to be tested for COVID-19 is to speak with a healthcare provider.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE FDA:
- Consumers and health professionals should be cautious of websites and stores selling products that claim to prevent, treat, or cure COVID-19
- Do not take any form of chloroquine unless it has been prescribed for you by your healthcare provider and obtained from legitimate sources
- If you have symptoms of COVID-19, follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines and speak to your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will advise you about whether you should get tested and the process for being tested in your area.
Click here to report a typo.


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|A tra fillet proccessing line at Song Tien Fishery Factory in Dong Thap Province. The Prime Minister has called for efforts to develop local markets and expand export markets throughout the country. — VNA/VNS Photo Dinh Hue
HA NOI (VNS)— Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked ministries, branches and localities to create favourable conditions to attract investment, especially foreign investment and investment in high-tech projects.
The Government leader made the request at the cabinet's April meeting, which opened in Ha Noi yesterday to review socio-economic development during the first four months of the year and discuss measures for the following months.
He asked for better trade promotion, development of the local market and expansion of export markets for the country.
It is necessary to consistently pursue the 2013 socio-economic targets, strengthen macro-economic stabilisation measures, control inflation and provide capital for prioritised sectors to ease difficulties in production and trading, the Prime Minister said.
Dung said that better observation and more drastic measures are needed in the restructuring of public investment, State-owned enterprises and the banking sector.
He also requested ministries, branches and localities to take measures to ensure traffic safety, reduce traffic congestion and the number of accidents.
Meanwhile, he stressed, they should be active in the prevention of outbreaks of blue-ear disease, avian influenza H5N1 and H7N9, while also implementing measures to protect national sovereignty and ensure national defence, political security and social order.
At the meeting, cabinet members said the April Consumer Price Index increased by 0.02 percent against the previous month, the lowest level in April for four years.
Interest rates fell, helping business and production, and the national foreign currency reserve increased remarkably.
Meanwhile, export value was estimated at US$39.46 billion, a year-on-year rise of 16.9 percent. Social security has been ensured and people's living conditions have been improved.
The cabinet members also pointed out shortcomings, including in processing and manufacturing, sectors that have been hit hard by high input costs, low purchasing power and slow sales.
It is necessary to remove barriers, create conditions to promote production and maintain business growth, and develop agriculture and industry, they stressed.
At a general meeting of the National Assembly's Economics Committee also held yesterday, members expressed concerns over reduction of investment revenues and the number of firms reducing their operations.
Bui Sy Loi, deputy head of the NA Social Affairs Committee, noted that workers have been shifting to informal sectors, at 36.6 per cent in 2012 compared with 34.6 per cent in 2010. Loi called for renewing poverty reduction and new rural areas policies.
Vu Viet Ngoan, head of the National Financial Supervisory Commission, said as aggregate supply has been reducing, it would be difficult to reach the 5.5 per cent growth target for 2013.
"Shifting policies to promote production and increase growth is necessary and we should not be too worried about inflation this year," he said. — VNS


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Calling all agents! This is the last chance for those looking to build their international portfolio to register for OPP's London Networking Day this Friday. Developers from Cyprus, Bulgaria, Australia and the Bahamas are waiting to meet local agents - and only a few places are left.
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What they say:
With names like The Rum Kitchen and Foley's already under their belt, GoodLife Projects are looking to expand their success in London's restaurant world with a new spot near Old Street. Passo will be inspired by LA's culture while serving classic Italian sharing dishes, all expertly prepared with a rare panache not often found in modern eateries. The venue already has several acclaimed names attached to it, from interiors by Alexander Waterworth (of Soho Farmhouse) through to head chef Massimo Laquinoto, who previously worked at Shoreditch House. Split into three, Passo will have an outdoor terrace, a deli-style dining area and a larger, 140-cover eating space, with interiors that include the likes of a copper-clad pizza oven and a large marble bar.
What we say:
With a menu boasting seemingly-simple dishes created with impressive technical flare, the food here is all about classic Italian flavours and freshly prepared ingredients. With DJs spinning from Thursday and into the weekend and some seriously sexy interiors, Passo looks likes it's going to be giving a whole new theme to Italian dining. Think an 'LA meets East London twist', the venue will centre around an open kitchen where diners can watch the magic happen. The wine list has been carefully curated by top sommelier and wine writer Zeren Wilson, with the cocktails coming courtesy of acclaimed mixologist, Sam Anyanwu. Cocktails and wine will be available at a deli bar which also offers take away, and ingredients will be sourced from local suppliers where possible. Open from 7am until dinner, Passo looks like it's going to be another great addition to GoodLife Projects' collection.


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October 13, 2021
North Carolina-based has received bridge note financing to expand its growth strategy. The funds will help to bring long-term stability to No Evil Foods, the first Certified Plastic Negative plant-based meat company, as it looks to grow its environmentally sustainable, socially conscious plant-based food footprint.
Led by early-stage alt protein investor Big Idea Ventures, the bridge note financing has been completed as the brand pivots into a new stage of growth. The company has nationwide distribution in the natural and traditional retail channels, and will now look to expand distribution partnerships, product launches, and manufacturing strategy.
With a focus on maximum nutrition through its utilization of blended proteins, fermentation, and upcycled ingredients, No Evil Foods became the world’s first Plastic Negative Certified plant-based meat brand in 2020 and is available nationwide in retailers like , Sprouts, and Walmart, as well as co-ops and independents.
“In an increasingly competitive fundraising landscape, we are thrilled to have the support and endorsement of Big Idea Ventures. The team recognizes our clean label innovation and commitment to sustainability as an asset,” says , Chief Creative Officer at No Evil Foods.
“This round of bridge financing will support the company through a necessary evolution in our business model, ultimately strengthening the long-term stability of the company. We’ve successfully completed the first step of that pivot and we’re looking forward to growing our community of investors and achieving our goals,” added Mike Woliansky, No Evil Foods CEO.


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“Exciting independent brands” are being sought to fill a new pop-up shop in Altrincham town centre.
The Stamford Quarter is giving businesses the chance to take over a specially created ‘blank canvas’ store on George Street for between one and six weeks.
It will give small and independent businesses the chance to trial a first bricks and mortar concept with minimum risk.
Businesses will be charged weekly bills and rates as well as a ‘fit-out’ charge. The contract offers amenities such as rearrangeable fittings, window display opportunities and a separate social media account for promotion.
James Tootle, Head of Retail at Bruntwood Works, said: “Brands will be able to drop into a ready-made store environment right in the heart of Altrincham.
“It’s all been designed for minimum fuss and maximum flexibility to allow businesses to focus on their product and customer experience.”


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Southwest Airlines will go live in the Travelport GDS on May
The launch will come even though Southwest has virtually
eliminated capital projects this year in order to save more than $1 billion
during the Covid-19 crisis, said CFO Tammy Romo during the airline’s Q1 earnings call.
Romo called the GDS launch a “critical work stream.”
Southwest announced last August that it would for the first
time offer full functionality in a GDS. The Travelport launch is to be followed
by a launch in the Amadeus system.
The carrier has had a limited content arrangement with Sabre
since the 1990s. But travel advisors who book the carrier through Sabre must call
the airline to make ticket modifications.
Within Travelport and later Amadeus, travel advisors will
have industry-standard ticketing and settlement capabilities for Southwest.
Source: Read Full Article


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5G has been a thing during the pandemic and even more so with brands trying to get you to buy their 5G monicker phones. However, a recent report by the Financial Times said that the phase may have worn out now, as consumers are starting to have second thoughts.
In the report, it is said that consumer demand for 5G smartphones in Southeast Asian markets is now starting to decline. Just for the second quarter of this year, there is a 7% drop in 5G phone shipments. 7% doesn't sound like a lot, but the shipments come in big volumes so that's a lot of cut-off units.
Canalys analyst, Chiew Le Xuan said "the hype of 5G has dwindled", and consumers have already shifted back their focus to more practical aspects of a phone. This includes the usual battery life, storage, processor speed and camera quality. Even more so, consumers have yet to see how 5G making an impact in their daily online social activities, as 4G is already good enough for that.
Despite this, the industry is heading towards the 5G era and the technology is expected to grow across Asia in the next few years, but only probably benefiting large companies on their Internet of Things products.
Has 5G affected your life so far? Let us know in the comments below and do stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.


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Publisher parent responds to Valve’s disappointment
[Update: Following the twitter statements made earlier, THQ Nordic’s co-founder and group CEO Lars Wingefors has issued the following press statement:
“I fully support our sub-groups’ autonomy to run their respective businesses. I believe it’s in the group’s, and ultimately the consumers’, best interest that business decisions are made close to the market and this is the group’s consistent business model.
I firmly believe that Deep Silver and Koch Media have carefully considered the advantages and disadvantages, opportunities and risks in their decision to go solely with Epic Games Store. The decision has my full support.
I have noted that there is some confusion about the two different THQ Nordic entities, the parent company and the operating entity in Vienna. As already communicated to shareholders last year, the parent company will change its name to better reflect its status.”]
As we have reported over the last several days, 4A Games survival shooter Metro Exodus has a one year exclusivity deal to be sold on the Epic Games Store. This late-in-the-day news upset Steam owners Valve, calling the practice “unfair to customers” who had been expecting the sequel to appear on Steam, after a lengthy pre-order period on the platform.
Speaking on Twitter, THQ Nordic has noted that the decision to make Metro Exodus an Epic Games Store exclusive ultimately came from Koch Media, the owners of the Metro IP. Although THQ Nordic own both Koch Media and their in-house publisher Deep Silver, no further information was forthcoming from the parent company, as they “will not comment on this matter”.
THQ Nordic did, however, note that they are not ruling out any possibility of further releases seeing similar exclusivity. But said that, in the here and now, they prefer to “allow players to choose the platform of their liking” making their products accessible to as many outlets as possible.
Regardless of all the business-speak of the last few days, there’s also the possibility that this is essentially several companies upset/pleased that they aren’t/are going to make dollar from Metro Exodus. In my humble opinion, I don’t think making things easier, fairer, or providing variety for the consumer is even remotely part of the itinerary here, no matter who’s doing the talking.
Metro Exodus launches February 15 on PS4, PC and Xbox One. All previous Steam pre-orders will be honoured on that platform.
The decision to publish Metro Exodus as a timed Epic Store exclusive was made entirely on Koch Media’s side as Metro is their intellectual property. They are a sister company of THQ Nordic (Vienna), which is the reason why we can and will not comment on this matter. We do
— THQNordic (@THQNordic) January 29, 2019


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Published on : Aug 31, 2015
China’s efforts to revive its slowing economy have strengthened the domestic technology sector. The government’s decision to devalue yuan in August has made the competition tough for the U.S.-based technology firms as their products have become more expensive than those manufactured by the local technology companies. Increasing demand for local technology product and services has restrained the growth of many U.S. firms in the second largest market of the world. Also, devaluing Chinese currency has made locally-manufactured goods cheaper abroad. This has been in sync with the government’s policies to promote foreign sales by local technology vendors.
Analysts have pointed out that with the government focussing on exports to boost the economy, Chinese technology firms will become aggressive in the international market. Though China was earlier known as the low-cost manufacturing hub with large appetite for consumption that made it the prime target for the U.S. companies, domestic companies have started developing home-grown designs for computers, mobile devices, and other products and are making their presence felt in the global markets.
China is the world’s largest market for smartphones. Domestic companies Xiaomi Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co. have introduced attractively designed and competitively priced products to push Apple Inc. at third position in terms of sales across the globe. Slowing Chinese economy has made the smartphone manufacturers to look abroad for sales that has led Xiaomi to sell its products in India and Brazil. Chinese customers are increasingly preferring local companies to buy server systems, networking devices, and personal computers, making it difficult for the U.S. companies such as Cisco Systems Inc., and Hewlett-Packard Co. However, the declining yuan has helped some of the U.S. companies to procure goods bought or manufactured in China at a lower price, thereby increasing their profit margins.


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DULUTH, Ga. NCR Corp. announced this morning it has acquired uGenius, the pioneer in video teller machines being used in as many as a dozen credit unions.
NCR, which bought a minority stake in uGenius a year ago, said the deal will help it continue to grow its APTRA Interactive Teller technology, which allows consumers to conduct remote, assisted teller transactions over an ATM speaking with a live teller who has control of the machine.
The deal comes as CO-OP Financial Services has rolled out its own version of the video teller aimed exclusively at credit union, in conjunction with Diebold.
“Video banking or, as we prefer to call it, remote assisted service will continue to gain momentum in the U.S. and other countries in 2013,” said Peter Leav, executive vice president, NCR Corp. “By acquiring uGenius, we are delivering against our corporate strategy of innovating for our customers and reinventing NCR as a software-driven business, while allowing us to enhance existing technology platforms and create a new segment of remote assisted service.”
In 2011, NCR and uGenius, based in Sandy, Utah, collaborated to build the first ATM that lets consumers talk to a live credit union or bank teller 24 hours a day with a live, remote hook-up.
Among the credit union using the uGenious technology are: Wright-Patt CU, Gesa CU, Missoula FCU, Community Choice CU and Hudson Valley FCU.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.


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A policy brief from the Tax Foundation and the Badger Institute.
On June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., expanding the ability of states to require out-of-state retailers to collect and remit state sales taxes on transactions involving in-state residents. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) has announced that expanded remote sales tax collection will begin October 1, 2018, after the Department takes administrative steps necessary to ensure compliance with Wayfair. This expanded sales tax collection authority is expected to bring in approximately $90 million in additional revenue for Wisconsin in 2018-2019 and $120 million annually in subsequent years. This projection can reasonably be expected to increase as e-commerce continues to gain prominence in the national and global economies.
Compared to many other states across the country, Wisconsin is much better prepared to adhere to the Supreme Court’s standards for constitutional collection of sales taxes on remote transactions, so Wisconsin taxpayers can reasonably expect to start seeing expanded online sales tax collection in the allotted time frame. Further, Wisconsin policymakers have already grappled with how to use any new revenue from expanded online sales tax collection authority. In 2013, when the potential for congressional action on online sales taxes seemed likely, Wisconsin policymakers enacted a law requiring the state to apply any potential new revenue to reducing state individual income tax rates.
Today, legislators have the opportunity to revisit and expand upon that contingent legislation in the current policy landscape. Wisconsin is now ripe for tax reform, and revenue from expanded remote sales tax collection should be applied toward its highest valued use: permanent, comprehensive tax reform that broadens tax bases and lowers rates.


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Source tax on export may double in upcoming budget
Exporters feel raising source tax will put more pressure on the RMG sector
The government is again planning to double the source tax on export earnings.
At present, source tax is being levied at the rate of 0.5% from the export income of all types of goods, which will expire on June 30.
According to the sources of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the Ministry of Finance, a proposal to increase this tax rate to 1% may come in the upcoming budget.
Economists feel the idea of raising source tax on export is one of the plans of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) or the government to increase revenue.
Regarding the matter, exporters said that raising the source tax would put more pressure on the RMG sector and at the same time, on remittances.
More than 80% of Bangladesh's export income comes from the readymade garment sector alone. Accordingly, entrepreneurs in this sector become the most vocal against attempts to hike the source tax on exports.
Asked about this, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan, who is now in Geneva, Switzerland to attend the ILO (International Labour Organization) meeting told Dhaka Tribune: “We are in crisis with foreign currency. To increase this (foreign currency), I think exporters need to be further encouraged. During this time, the decision to raise source tax will really put the opposite pressure on the whole sector. At the same time, it will discourage importers.”
He further said, "In FY19-20, our exports were 28 billion and in the 10 months of the current FY21-22, it has reached $44 billion. It will increase further in the next fiscal year. In that case, the NBR's income from 0.5% tax is now doubling. So I don't think it is the right time to rise it up."
“This is not the right time to raise source tax. The effect of Covid-19 didn’t wear off yet. Besides, a kind of recession has started in the world and sales outlets are closing in many places.
“Production costs have increased, the cost of transporting other goods including ship freight has also increased. There is also the possibility of raising gas prices soon as well and now on top of that raising source tax on export will create huge pressure on the readymade garment industry. There will be a crisis in the management of the organizations,” said Shahidullah Azim, vice-president of BGMEA.
According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), in the first 10 months of the current fiscal year (July-April), the export revenue was $43.34 billion. EPB is expecting that by the end of FY22, the total export earnings will touch $51 billion.
In 10 months, the export income has increased by more than 35%. The NBR expects that around Tk250 crore will come from taxes on the source of export earnings in the current fiscal year.
However, in the next financial year, the export sector is not likely to grow much. The finance department estimates that export earnings could grow by 20% in FY23.
Renowned economist Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, thinks that the NBR, out of its revenue mobilization compulsion, is choosing to raise income tax at the source as it is the most efficient tax collection tool.
He, however, said: “We hear about problems which transpire during the final tax adjustment of the amount deducted at source. This process should be made more transparent based on documentation and has to be specific to the performance of the taxed entity.”
He pointed out that the tax rate should be applied to all exporters equally, and that no discrimination should be made between RMG and non-RMG exporters.
The noted economist and public policy analyst also suggested that if the export-oriented sectors, including the RMG, feel that they need additional policy support to retain their competitiveness, they should approach other relevant agencies including the Ministry of Commerce, not necessarily the NBR.
“Like earlier, the proposed increase in advance income tax on export revenue may be an opening gambit for the NBR. This rate may get negotiated downward – keeping it above the current rate – through discussions,” he said.
The government imposed the source tax on exports for the first time in 2005. Initially, the rate was 0.25%. Later, it was raised at different times and was set at 1% in fiscal 2014-15.
For the last two years, the government has been levying a 0.5% source tax on export earnings considering the pandemic situation.
Though source tax is equal for all export-oriented sectors, non-RMG sectors have to pay taxes at a rate almost 2.5 times as high as that applicable for the RMG sector.
The Exporters Association of Bangladesh (EAB) has already urged the government to continue 0.5% tax deducted at sources, widely known as source tax, on exports for at least five years in a bid to keep up Bangladesh's export competitiveness amid the ongoing crises – soaring production costs, falling rates of taka against the dollar and surging freight charges.
EAB President Abdus Salam Murshedy recently submitted the proposals to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) seeking its attention in formulating the national budget for the upcoming FY23.


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According to the company, the polymer was developed to respond to formulators’ demands for silicone free products and is the first in a range of ingredients that will use the EcoSmooth silicone-free platform.
“Our customers and industry brand owners have asked for formulation choices; some requesting non-silicone options. Dow Personal Care works closely with customers to ensure we’re meeting brand owner and consumer needs,” Courtney Fretz, strategic marketing manager for hair care at Dow Personal Care, told CosmeticsDesign.com USA.
Dow Personal Care claims the EcoSmooth Silk polymer is a complete departure from the more traditional approach to conditioning in personal care products.
Unlike most conditioning polymers EcoSmooth Silk is not cationic. Instead of using the traditional co-acervation mechanisms associated with cationic conditioners, the polymer binds hydrophobically to the hair shaft replacing one hydrophobic chain with another, the company claims.
Shampoo for Asian and European hair
Unveiled at in-cosmetics Asia held in Bangkok last week, the ingredient is designed to be used in shampoos for Asian and European virgin (non-dyed) hair.
Fretz explained that differences in the hair types between populations are likely to be why EcoSmooth Silk performs particularly well on Asian and European hair.
“European and Asian hair tends to be round while African hair tends to be flatter and oval in shape. This difference in hair shape may cause the film to form differently on different types of hair,” she said, adding that further studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.
In addition, to performing well on wet combing and hair breakage tests, EcoSmooth Silk can also help prevent product build up when compared to silicone-containing shampoo.
“Build up on hair is a common consumer concern,” Fretz said. “The performance benefits offered by EcoSmooth Silk Conditioning Polymers represent a distinct benefit to formulators looking to address the issue of build-up or foam stability as they develop new formulations,” she added.
In addition, Fretz told CosmeticsDesign.com USA that the ingredient may offer additional manageability when compared to silicone options.


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Excited about NFTs? Turns out they're not just shaking up the art world, but also warming the planet
The creation of an average NFT has an environmental footprint of over 200 kgs of planet-warming carbon.
Bitcoin hits record high before landmark Coinbase IPO
The largest US cryptocurrency exchange's listing on the Nasdaq on Wednesday is consider...
The status and future of NFTs and crypto art in India
Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are another example of the type of innovation crypto-asse...
A question for the art world: Will NFT craze last or is it just another form of 1637 'tulip mania'?
In 1637, a single bulb of the prized Viceroy tulip sold for 6,700 guilders.
Crypto art is not just for art’s sake, it’s investment
Artistes, musicians and art collectors are minting millions with non-fungible token (NFT) art.
Crypto-art: It's not just for art’s sake, it’s investment
If the West has been swooning over non-fungible token (NFT) art, Indian aesthetes too have begun trawling through marketplaces for digital collectibles — music, videos, animations, installations.
What is NFT, and why it matters in the crypto world
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a class of cryptocurrency assets in which each item, or token, is entirely unique. This makes them useless as a currency, but quite useful for other things—such as crypto art.
Bitcoin hits highest level in two weeks as big-money bets flow
On Monday, NYDIG, a provider of Bitcoin-related financial services, announced that it raised $200 million from investors including Stone Ridge Holdings Group, Morgan Stanley, New York Life, MassMutual and Soros Fund Management.
Women investors’ interest in cryptocurrencies rising
On India’s cryptocurrency exchange ZebPay, the average ticket size of women investors increased to Rs 5.7 lakh in the September-February period, compared to Rs 3 lakh in the March-August timeframe last year.
What goes into building a SIP in Bitcoins? Bitbns Founder Gaurav Dahake reveals
Bitcoins and cryptocurrencies have been gaining momentum for the past 10 years. However, while most of us are aware of bitcoins, our understanding and personal investments in this avenue are relatively low.
Bitcoin and Ethereum prices 'seem high,' says Elon Musk
The chief executive of Tesla Inc, whose recent tweets have fueled the digital-currency rally, made the remark on Twitter while replying to a user who said that gold was better than both bitcoin and conventional cash.
Contours of India's Cryptocurrency Bill may trigger legal tussle
The focus will particularly be on defining cryptocurrencies as 'private' and 'public' as the government is looking to allow public ones, such as those floated by countries, and ban private ones.
Cryptocurrency Ethereum hits record high ahead of CME futures launch
Ethereum has seen year-to-date gains of around 120%, compared with bitcoin's 30%, and hit a new high of $1,576.7 in early London trading on Wednesday.
India’s cryptocurrency bill catches industry off-guard; investors nervous
Industry watchers said the government’s definition of ‘private’ could imply that any digital currency that is not sovereign could be seen as a ‘private’ currency, including Bitcoin.
Ethereum becoming more than crypto coder darling, grayscale says
“Over the course of 2020 we are seeing a new group of investors who are Ethereum first and in some cases Ethereum only,” Michael Sonnenshein, managing director at Grayscale Investments LLC said in a phone interview.


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Global Marketing News – 26th April 2017
Research has revealed the top social media advertising trends of 2016, conversational commerce has taken off in China, and a mobile marketplace has been launched for East African farmers.
Latest posts by Elin Box (see all)
- Bing Ads Launches Exact Match Impression Shares - November 14, 2017
- Bing Shopping Campaigns Launch In Canada And India - November 3, 2017
- Amazon Winning India’s Ecommerce Battle - October 24, 2017


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Neo smartphoneis a cutting-edge brand in recent years, the domestic smartphone manufacturers has been taking since the introduced of Neo N001, cheap with high line, demonstrate cost-effective mobile phone for everyone.
The recent they has launched low-end smartphone through Neo N002 products thats also using MTK6577 chipset, the price of 868 yuan mainstream dual-core hardware configuration of the Neo N002 living in popular domestic phone ranks.
Neo phone recently started the development of a new product, understand this flagship product will be equipped with the latest MediaTek MTK6589 quad-core processor.
Neo N003 packs with pure white body, romantic and gentle, with a full round corner and slim body, subtle elegance at the same revealing; NEO N003 will be powered by a the MediaTek MT6589 quad-core 1.3G processor, with the phone to unlimited power, comes standard with 1GB of RAM and 8 GB of ROM, it’s powerfull device for your daily activity.
The most important is the Neo N003 will lead into a new era of mobile phone HD IPS screen it in the screen material as same with iPhone, and a resolution of up to 1280×720 pixels, it continues to lead the market, becoming one of the few in the mobile phone market has one HD resolution mobile phone.
Neo N003 not only has high-definition screen, but also with up to 12 megapixels CMOS image sensor, also equipped with LED flash. Terms of pixel values, 12 million pixels have been the equivalent of the current entry-SLR level. Camera dynamic image support for 1080p (1920 × 1080, 30 fps) video recording, turns out to be the whole machine into the HD era.
With the launch of Neo N003, we have reason to believe that this upgrade version from Murinho, not just a text with the trademark of replacement, but raise the overall brand philosophy and soul, so that consumers really feel Mourinho change and innovation, looking for opportunities in the innovation, development and growth opportunities.


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Print Advertising News, Articles & Analysis
Read the latest Print Advertising News, Articles & Analysis at Campaignlive UK
Botanical drink No1 Rosemary Water has reinvented its advertising message, after its previous campaign was banned by the ad watchdog
No1 Rosemary Water, a drink made with extracts from the herb, has had nine of its executions banned by the
Iceland has been rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority for a press ad and web page claiming its high-end crumpets
The best press ads of 2017 featured beautiful design, strong copywriting and clear illustrations of campaign messages.
Oliviero Toscani, the photographer behind some of Benetton's most controversial advertising, has returned for the fashion brand's new global campaign
Gary Lineker is appearing in various states of undress in a campaign for shirt retailer TM Lewin.
Public Health England is today launching a £2m campaign to "Keep antibiotics working" by discouraging people from using them when
After years of being "shy" about how it sources its coffee, Nespresso is putting its partnership with farmers at the
Johnson & Johnson has breached the UK drug regulation code in three places in promotions for smoking cessation product Nicorette.
Anti-animal product campaign Go Vegan World this week escaped a ban from the ASA for a print ad that several
Account Manager - packaging and branding £30,000 - £40,000 Gabriele, London (Greater)
Associate Director - Communications - e-sports £75,000 f1 Recruitment, London (Central), London (Greater)
CFO Chief Financial Officer £107K Basic Morgan Rutherford Associates, London (Central), London (Greater)
Strategy Director - branding, digital, comms, leisure, retail, media, international, charity Up to £80K plus benefits Rare Selection, London (Central), London (Greater)
Head of Digital £35,000+ dependent on experience Owner Breeder Media Group, London (Central), London (Greater)
Technical SEO Executive Amazing company benefits and culture! Dot-Gap, London (Central), London (Greater)


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Whitney: `Dangerous' Fed Policy Not Helping Banks
Aug. 31 (Bloomberg) -- Banking analyst Meredith Whitney discusses Federal Reserve policy. She speaks on Bloomberg Television's "Bloomberg Surveillance." (Source: Bloomberg)
Most Recent Videos
Former Sony CEO Idei on the Challenges Facing Japan Inc.
50:22 - Nobuyuki Idei, founder and CEO of Quantum Leaps Corp. and former CEO of Sony, discusses the challenges facing Japanese companies with Bloomberg's Shery Ahn on "Bloomberg Markets." (Source: Bloomberg)


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Wienerschnitzel UTEP Location Now a Hamburger Stand
Another long-time west side fast food restaurant is no longer. The Wienerschnitzel at 2222 N. Mesa near UTEP is now a Hamburger Stand.
But unlike Charcoaler, which recently announced it would cease operating at the end of January, Wienerschnitzel is basically going through a name change.
Not only does the signature A-frame look remain, but the new Hamburger Stand will continue to feature menu items from Wienerschnitzel as well as Tastee-Freez, its other sister company.
Over the last few years, the company has been replacing poorly performing Wienerschnitzel locations with Hamburger Stand locations in an effort to boost sagging sales.
The Hamburger Stand, known for its low cost hamburgers, is now the fourth hamburger franchise near the UTEP area catering to budget-conscious college students who typically look for cheap eats.
Whataburger, Johnny Rockets, and McDonalds all have a location within a block in either direction.


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Long before the advent of NFTs and cryptocurrencies, Balenciaga was pioneering new and exciting shapes in the field of fashion- something that was never seen before. This included the sack dress, the babydoll dress, as well as the cocoon coat. With several such design innovations, this company contributed to the formation of a new silhouette for women.
This makes it poignant that the Balenciaga: To The Moon NFT collection would be launched on the NFT of Crypto.com. It has been inspired by the collection of Lorenzo Riva of about 8,000 drawings that were created by the founder of the company at the height of the couture movement. Being the artistic director of the company in the 1980s, Riva went on to receive such pieces from the then head of the company.
Balenciaga Taking Major Strides In NFTs
With such a prestigious project, it is expected that the NFTs would come with some redeemable. In fact, Riva has actually decided to go down on rewards and select owners of the NFT will get the chance to receive gift cards, Balenciaga gear, and even the 1970s drawings by the founder of the company.
Also, every NFT holder will be receiving a whitelist spot for any of the upcoming Lorenzo Riva X Cristobal Balenciaga NFT drops. NFTs have been ruling up the traditional markets for quite some time now. They have actually forced companies to start pivoting as well as adopting new ideologies. With such a forward-thinking ethos in their head, Riva has collaborated with Artvein and Cointelegraph to take fashion into the Metaverse.
Balenciaga: To The Moon has also brought on Animal Concerts as their strategic partner. The ecosystem thus created will definitely move towards a more utility-driven value, with a bigger push towards marketing and several new rewards.
It is also expected that every NFT holder of Balenciaga will receive a free Metaverse concert ticket to the Animal Concerts in 2022.


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Earlier this year, Nestle Everyday for its Theater in a Cup campaign wanted to reach out to people in both metros and rural areas in India. Facebook worked with the brand and its agencies, Publicis Delhi and Media Alliance, to develop creative based on people’s bandwidth strengths and device types. With Facebook’s ability to bandwidth targeting, people accessing Facebook with lower bandwidths on feature phones and low-end smartphones received still images from Nestle Everyday, and people with stronger bandwidth connections and more sophisticated devices received videos in News Feed.
Facebook now informs that the campaign increased brand awareness by 9% and purchase intent by 5%. Facebook credits this to its Creative Accelerator program – a program designed to help brands unlock the power of personal storytelling in high-growth countries or emerging countries like India. Through the program, the Facebook Creative Shop has been working with seven clients and their agency partners in India, Indonesia, South Africa, Kenya and Turkey to bring brands’ stories to life.
Not just Nestle, Lifebouy used photos and videos showing its soap’s effectiveness on germs to talk to moms in Indonesia about how washing hands helps keep families healthy. After the campaign, 9.4% more moms in the area associated the brand with the statement “protects effectively from germs.”
In Kenya, Coca-Cola launched a photo ad campaign designed to spread a locally relevant message of happiness. Compared to similar campaigns, ad recall increased by 18%.
Facebook also states that the success the program is witnessing is also due to the changing behavior of content consumption by netizens. “People everywhere are embracing visual communication formats, like video, at a staggering rate. More than 50% of people on Facebook in the UK, Brazil, South Korea, Singapore, Israel and the UAE watch a video every day,” informed Nikila Srinivasan, Emerging Markets Monetization at Facebook.
Bandwidth targeting that gives advertisers the ability to send ads based on the quality of a user’s network connection, moderating type of ad to whether a user is on a 2G, 3G or 4G / faster connection isn’t new technology for Facebook. With Creative Accelerator Facebook is not only sharing the knowledge to target developing markets but also creating campaigns, building creatives for the wide array of devices and mobile connections.
“Over the past year, as we began to make an investment in engineering, in product, in sales, in creative shops in high-growth markets, something that we tried to do is go in-market and understand how people wanted to connect with brands, and how brands were connecting with people,” Nikila said to TC. She added that there’s a particular focus on “what kind of visual languages people want to use when they interact with brands.”
With success is these initial campaigns Facebook is now looking to scale the Creative Accelerator Program globally. Middle East would be the next destination, people out there now consume more video per person than any other region in the world.


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By the end of 2008, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies plans to lay off around 11% of its 40,000-person global workforce as part of what the company calls its long term commitment to the hard disc drive business. The company expects the moves to save it $300 million over the next five years through streamlined operations and better efficiency. By the middle of that year, Hitachi expects to have shut down an HDD component factory in Guadalajara, Mexico, and phase out the production of media components at its Odawara, Japan, operation. The company will shift some production to factories in China, the Philippines, and Thailand. Hitachi's U.S. operations, located in San Jose, California, will continue to produce media components for the company.
News source: InfoWorld


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June 1, 2012
Google To Charge Merchants For Shopping Search Placement
Google unveiled big changes on Thursday to its shopping business, saying product search results for U.S. users will be swayed by how much retailers and advertisers pay.
The company currently displays product search results based primarily on relevance, and the program is free.The new changes, which will likely be seen as controversial by some in the e-commerce business, will take effect by October.
The search giant said it would rename its service “Google Shopping” from the current Google Product Search.
"We are starting to transition Google Product Search in the U.S. to a purely commercial model," said Sameer Samat, vice president of product management at Google Shopping.
"This will give merchants greater control over where their products appear on Google Shopping.”
Google has been in the product listing and search business for about a decade, having provided merchants with free access to shoppers during that time.
The company generated revenue by running paid product search ads along with the unpaid product listings, said Eric Best, CEO of Mercent, which helps retailers sell through Google and other e-commerce websites.
"Today, that model goes away," he told Reuters.
"It's a very big deal."
The changes could help Google earn additional revenue and profit from its retail advertisers, which account for as much as 40 percent of the company´s advertising base, according to Best.
Google Product Search brings in around $650 million in annual sales in the U.S. and about $1.3 billion worldwide, according to estimates by ChannelAdvisor, which helps merchants sell their products and services online.
"That's the free sales that are going to disappear unless they decide to pay," said ChannelAdvisor CEO Scot Wingo.
Under Google's new system, retailers may have to spend an additional $130 million a year in the U.S. along, and $270 million globally, to fill that sales gap, he estimated.
"The winner in this is Google," Wingo told Reuters. "That extra spending is pure margin and will drop to earnings per share."
Google´s new policy is not sitting well with some of the retailers ChannelAdvisor works with, who are questioning the company´s motives.
Indeed, the October rollout of the changes does not give merchants much time to adjust to the new system in time for the key holiday shopping season, he added.
However, for merchants, there are upsides and downsides, Best said.
"The downside is that retailers are going to have to pay for performance when it comes to e-commerce traffic and revenue driven by or through Google.”
"The free traffic is disappearing."
Best said the changes might be seen unfavorably by some in the Internet community because Google's search results have typically not been influenced by money.
"Pay-for-placement to some degree is an alternative to purely organic relevancy results.”
"The fact that shopping results will be more closely tied to bid-for-placement will not sit well with all advertisers."
Google said the changes would help retailers make their products more visible to shoppers searching on Google. The old system, the company said, was difficult to regulate because retailers could list a lot of products for free.
However, Best said that merchants who have to pay might reduce their clutter.
"Having a commercial relationship with merchants will encourage them to keep their product information fresh and up to date," Google's Samat wrote in a blog posting on Thursday.
"Higher quality data - whether it's accurate prices, the latest offers or product availability - should mean better shopping results for users, which in turn should create higher quality traffic for merchants."
But ChannelAdvisor's Wingo is skeptical of that argument.
"That's a slippery slope because this could apply to websites, not just product listings," he said.
"Why have organic search at all? Anyone can set up a website and use it for spammy purposes. That's what Google is supposed to deal with."
In the future, they will have to pay for that themselves, Wingo said.
Some merchants may decide to simply list more products for sale on Amazon's and eBay's online marketplaces, which would be a bonus for those companies, he said.
Shares of Google´s stock fell 1.3 percent at $580.86 on Thursday. The shares have fallen 13 percent since January.
Shares of Amazon´s stock rose 1.8 percent to $212.91, while eBay lost 1 percent to $39.19.


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Russia Far Eat. File Image / Pixabay
Russian trading firm Imtrade has begun offering IMO 2020 compliant VLSFO in the Russian Far East market.
Sales began earlier this month, a spokesperson for the company told Ship & Bunker, adding that is currently the only player offering the 0.50%S material in the Far East market.
Pricing for the RMD-80 product is around $550/mt on a delivered basis, a premium of around $150 over HSFO, and is being made available at Vladivostok, Nakhodka, Vostochnyi, and Kozmino.
The fuel oil blend meets ISO 8217:2010 specification with a typical sulfur content of 0.485%.
Other product typicals include a viscosity of 30-40 cSt, density of 0.9669 kg/L, and cat fines of less than 10 mg/kg.
Imtrade says it has an initial blending capacity for the product of 4,000-5,000 mt/month with the possibility of increasing output to 8,000-12,000 mt/month.
The new global 0.50% sulfur cap for marine fuel comes into effect on January 1, 2020.


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If you’re sick to death of the reality and dumb games shows crowding the air waves this summer, Discovery Channel’s fall programming lineup is offering a welcome reprieve.
The new PROTOTYPE THIS! 13-part series kicks off this October, providing viewers with the opportunity to live with a team of engineers through the design process—from the early drawing board stage through production and view all the ups and downs along the way. The series, shot entirely in high definition, features a so-called dream team of electronics specialists, engineers, professors and special effects experts who combine their various talents and ideas to create forward-thinking products that tackle the modern inconveniences and problems we all confront on a daily basis. Some of the innovations on tap for the series: a road rage-proof car, a six-legged robot that carries a human through any terrain and a waterslide simulator that provides an amusement park-like thrill ride from the comforts of home. Perhaps the most out there is a high-tech alarm clock that, get this, provides the usual wake-up chime along with an automated shower, valet service and mechanized butler to kick you out the door. Now couldn’t you use one of those?
Science fiction author Isaac Asimov may have the best rules for effective brainstorming and creativity. His never-before-published essay, "On Creativity," recently made it to the Web pages of MIT Technology Review.
Much has been made over the potentially dangerous flammability of lithium-ion batteries after major companies like Boeing, Sony, and Tesla have grappled with well-publicized battery fires. Researchers at Stanford University may have come up with a solution to this problem with a smart sensor for lithium-ion batteries that provides a warning if the battery is about to overheat or catch fire.
In this new Design News feature, "How it Works," we’re starting off by examining the inner workings of the electronic cigarette. While e-cigarettes seemed like a gimmick just two or three years ago, they’re catching fire -- so to speak. Sales topped $1 billion last year and are set to hit $10 billion by 2017. Cigarette companies are fighting back by buying up e-cigarette manufacturers.
Advertised as the "Most Powerful Tablet Under $100," the Kindle Fire HD 6 was too tempting for the team at iFixit to pass up. Join us to find out if inexpensive means cheap, irreparable, or just down right economical. It's teardown time!
Focus on Fundamentals consists of 45-minute on-line classes that cover a host of technologies. You learn without leaving the comfort of your desk. All classes are taught by subject-matter experts and all are archived. So if you can't attend live, attend at your convenience.


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April 8, 2016
3 Min Read
At last week’s Innovation Takes Root conference, organized in Orlando by biopolymers manufacturer NatureWorks, Plastics Today had the opportunity to catch up with Max Senechal, Metabolix's vice president of strategy and commercial development, and to talk about the latest news from Metabolix. The conversation centered on the company’s Mirel amorphous PHA biopolymers, and of course, on the memorandum of understanding the company recently signed with Korea-based CJ CheilJedang Corporation for a strategic commercial manufacturing arrangement for these specialty PHAs.
“The memorandum of understanding is the next step in scaling up the production of a-PHA,” said Senechal. “Production will take place at CJ's existing Fort Dodge, Iowa facility based on Metabolix's PHA technology, and we’ll sell it. The production unit will have a capacity of 10 metric tons per year, which is enough product to support strategic applications.”
So why is amorphous PHA so special? Over the past few few years, Metabolix has transitioned from a producer of commodity biopolymers to a specialty biopolymer company, with products designed to improve the characteristics of PLA and PVC. A-PHA is a key development, which Metabolix worked on for quite a number of years.
“It’s a unique PHA”, said Senechal. “And it’s extremely versatile, which is why it is front and center to the strategy of Metabolix.
Metabolix’s strategic pivot is built around three key components, according to Senechal, all three of which are enabled by a-PHA. “In the first place, we have use of a-PHA as an additive for PVC, second as a modifier for PLA and third, in pure PHA, where functional biodegradation is important.”
He continued: “In PVC, the play is different. It is not about biodegradation or biobased. A-PHA is inherently safe and completely miscible with PVC, which opens up opportunities for PVC as a compatibilizer. As a process aid, it allows more filler to be added to the formulation and improves performance.”
As a modifier for PLA, it fundamentally alters the properties of the resin. “A-PHA is a rubbery, soft PHA which is able to modify crystalline PHAs for injection molding.
Asked about specific applications, Senechal said that the company was looking for applications that “bring significant value”, as the polymer is not necessarily the major polymer in the system.
“Metabolix has taken its new Mirel amorphous PHA biopolymer materials to market and is working closely with processors and brand owners in a range of applications,” he said. “But launching a new product is extremely challenging: not just making it, but also creating a new market.” Which is why the MOU with CJ is so important – it ensures availability of the product. But what about the price of the new PHA?
“We are positioning our PHAs as specialty materials,” Senechal admitted. “With the improvements and benefits our PHA delivers, especially in PVC and PLA, we are pricing in a way that aligns with the value our product delivers. At Metabolix, we’ve been down the commodity road. And now, with our new workhorse - a-PHA - we have successfully realigned into a specialty producer.”
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First Two Cannibal Corpse Albums To Be Reissued On Vinyl
This is sweet.
This year’s going to be a big one for Cannibal Corpse.
They’re celebrating their 25th year as a band, as we’ve reported previously.
The band’s 1991 classic Butchered At Birth will be reissued on picture disc vinyl through Metal Blade.
The reissue will be available — with its uncensored original artwork — starting February 19.
A similar 25th anniversary edition picture disc for the groups 1990 debut Eaten Back To Life will be available January 22.
You should get these, especially if you’re a dumbass and don’t own them in any other format.


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Gurugram-based short infotainment video platform Bolo Indya raised $400,000 ( Rs. 2.95 crores at current exchange rates) in a round led by Inflection Point Ventures along with existing investors from Eagle10 Ventures.
The company will use the fresh capital to develop personalisation and recommendation engines to further expand its flagship platform Bolo Meets.
With the latest round, the startup’s total funding is close to $1 million so far.
The startup’s platform Bolo Meets lets content creators leverage their social capital across the user base of more than 6.5 million. Users can conduct micropayments to avail one to one and one to many live video sessions with them around their expertise area.
The company claims that content creators on its platform are already earning up to Rs 60,000-70,000 per month, with more than 50,000 bookings since the launch of Bolo Meets. Top categories on the Bolo Meet platform include astrology, lifestyle, fitness, language learning, singing, dancing, standup comedy and instrument learning.
“Short videos in local languages are expected to see the demand of over 80 million users by 2022, just fourth to Youtube, payments and ecommerce. This is where Bolo Indya wants to bring in video commerce for personalized online services to build a product which adds contextual value to the time spent on internet by regional language users,” Varun Saxena, founder, Bolo Indya, said in a statement.
9Unicorns backs KIKO TV
Smooth Tag Technologies run KIKO TV, an AI (artificial intelligence)-based live streaming ecommerce platform, has raised undisclosed seed investment in a round led by 9Unicorns.
The round also saw participation of several angel investors including Vinayak Srivastava and Saket Dandotia (Co-founders– Toch), Sunil Kumar Singhvi (Managing Partner at Singhvi Heritage LLP), and Srinivas Kotta (Senior Technical role at Adobe).
“We believe 9Unicorns and Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma are ideal investors and mentors for the long journey ahead for KIKO TV. We are very excited and enthusiastic about this partnership. KIKO will be using the funds for building and improving our technology and expanding our customer base,” Shivam Varshney, founder, KIKO TV said in a statement released on Monday.
Founded in 2020 by IIT Bombay alumni Varshney and Alok Chawla, the platform enables online retailers and influencers to create content for marketing, branding and sales while enabling a one-on-one live selling session with the potential buyers, creating a more authentic experience of the transaction. Apart from viewing, liking and sharing the videos, any user can become an influencer and sell their own product or brand instantly on the platform.
Bombay Play secures seed capital
Bangalore-based live social gaming platform Bombay Play raised $1 million (Rs. 7.3 crores at current exchange rates) in a seed round led by the country’s first gaming and interactive media venture fund, Lumikai.
Existing investors in Bombay Play include Playco and Leo Capital.
Founded by Oliver Jones and Abhas Saroha, Bombay Play claims its first multiplayer game ‘Card Party’ has been downloaded more than 10 million times.
The studio has now raised $2.5 million in seed financing, and will use the funds to accelerate product development on multiple live, social, multi-player card and strategy board games, while doubling down on its current early hits.
Jones previously led game design at Glu Mobile and Zynga, before co-founding Moonfrog Games, where he helped create one of India’s most successful card game, Teen Patti Gold. Abhas previously led engineering at Zynga, Moonfrog, and Makemytrip.com. The co-founders have worked together for nearly a decade.
Justin Waldron, co-founder of Zynga and Playco, which recently raised $100 million at a $1 billion Series A valuation has joined Bombay Play’s Board of directors.
Veranda Learning Solutions buys coaching startup Chennai Race for Rs 100 crores
The Kalpathi Group-owned Veranda Learning Solutions announced the acquisition of Chennai Race, a coaching institute for Banking, SSC, and PSC exams in a deal valued Rs. 100 crores, which includes stock and earn out. A new brand, Veranda Race, has been created out of this acquisition.
Veranda Race will initially offer result oriented online training programs for Banking, Staff Selection Commission and TNPSC. By December next year, the startup plans to launch course content in 11 Indian languages.
“We expect Veranda Race to grow significantly in the coming months and years with addition of more products and languages. Race is a great brand to bring under our newly launched venture, as it opens new possibilities in the core areas of our business. The acquisition of Race will bolster our offerings and will further define our position in the sector,” Suresh Kalpathi, CEO, Veranda Learning Solution said in a statement.
Bharath Seeman, promoter, Chennai Race & Head of Veranda Race, added, The Veranda Race programs are set for rollout nationally, in the coming months, targeting a revenue of INR 50 crores in the first year. By the end of 2021, our content will be available in 11 Indian languages and we would be training around 50,000 to 60,000 students across the country. We have priced our courses around INR 7500/- which includes course materials and mentoring support”.
LEAD School acquires AI-powered gamified student assessment platform QuizNext
Mumbai-based LEAD School, an edtech startup operating in the K-12 space announced on Monday that it has acquired QuixNext, an AI-powered gamified student assessment and practice platform.
The acquisition will let LEAD School enhance its overall product offerings by integrating new features from QuizNext, which will help schools build their assessment needs. This will also involve getting students into a habit of practicing by gamifying elements and personalised recommendations.
The move follows LEAD School’s recent completion of a $28-million Series C funding round led by WestBridge Capital along with existing investor Elevar Equity.
Currently, LEAD School Integrated System (IS) serves over 4 lakh students and 16,000 teachers through 1,000+ partner schools in 400+ cities across the country through a hybrid--online and offline model.


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Mon December 17, 2018
- New EU referendum would break faith with Britons, May to warn MPs - Theresa May will warn MPs against having a new referendum if Parliament is deadlocked over Brexit.
- Asos profits hit by fashion price-cutting - The online fashion giant says cutting prices to match rivals has not shifted more clothes.
- Student loan change adds £12bn to deficit - A change in how student loans appear in the public finances will add pressure to cut tuition fees.
- Hull hotel cancels homeless people's Christmas day booking - Carl Simpson told the BBC his Christmas hotel booking for 24 homeless people had been cancelled
Are You Insured? Are You Covered?
Posted by Administrator : Thursday 7th March 2013
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY! In this day and age it seems as if everyone is trying to sell you insurance for everything such as pet insurance, phone insurance, laptop insurance and tablet insurance. Although these may seem like money making schemes there are certain types of insurance you should always take seriously.
In terms of protecting your livelihood and protecting what is important to you, it is essential to have home and content insurance, not just for a theft but also in case of damage repairs. Unfortunately no one can predict when Mother Nature may call upon you where it is a flash flood, falling tree or severe winds. If you combine this with accidents such as fires and water damages, it makes it that more important to ensure you’re covered.