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Earlier this week Arcadia, the group in charge of Topshop, Burton, Miss Selfridge, Wallis and Dorothy Perkins, announced it would be permanently closing another 31 UK stores.
The fashion group, owned by Sir Philip Green, collapsed into administration at the start of December after it became the latest company impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
It is understood the latest set of cuts will result in the closure of 21 out of 70 Outfit stores and the loss of 700 jobs.
Outfit, which was acquired by Arcadia from Sears in 1999, is not a fashion brand itself but sells all of Arcadia's retail brands, including Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Burton and Wallis.
The move came a day after the deadline for rescue bids set by administrators at Deloitte.
In Wales, non-essential retail has been closed since December 20 under Alert Level 4 restrictions and won't be reviewed again until January 29.
It means many Outfit stores in Wales won't reopen again when lockdown measures are lifted by the Welsh Government.
Those already closed include Newport, which is based in Newport Retail Park, Off Spytty Road, and Llantristant, Talbot Green Retail Park. Both stores shut up shop on December 31.
While the Outfit store in Broughton closed on January 14.
Other Welsh Outfit stores impacted by the latest news include Swansea based in Morfa Park and Llandudno Outfit. Both of which will be closing by January 31.
Llandudno had been offering a click and collect service during lockdown but it's understood the store will fully close from Friday, January 22.
In addition to the 21 Outfit branches, Arcadia has confirmed a further 10 of its stores across the UK will also remain closed but is yet to confirm the brands affected, reports the Express.
There's been no update on other Outfit stores in Wales, however, including Canton, Merthyr Tydfil and Llanelli.


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CD Projekt has issued a more detailed press release about The Witcher 2 video that leaked last week, touching on the voice work, the game engine and the studio’s continuing desire to get the game on consoles.
The Witcher 2 video that appeared on YouTube last week generated a lot of interest among gamers but also some worry: The performance is choppy and the voice work is painfully bad. CD Projekt responded quickly with a press release acknowledging the authenticity of the trailer but saying little else; today, however, in response to a clamor from fans, the studio talked a bit more about what lies in store for the game.
First and foremost, the video was created using an “early alpha version” of the game, so performance is iffy at best and the voiceovers, as expected, are purely placeholders. “We’re proud that our team members can imitate native English actors so well that some people would even consider these VOs being part of the final product,” said Senior Producer Tom Gop. “However, we are not planning to change Red into the world’s first non-native recording studio for English movies and games by using non-native non-actors. Don’t worry, we’ll stay in our day jobs. The voices in the video are not in any way final, and were only created for the purposes of the video.”
No release date for the game has even been proposed at this point, and Gop warned fans not to expect anything soon. “The Witcher 2 is still deeply in the development stage and as it is huge and complex, there is still many, many hours of work in front of us,” he said.
The game is being developed by the same team that worked on the first Witcher, but will be built on all new software. BioWare’s Aurora engine, which powered the first game as well as the earlier Neverwinter Nights games, has been replaced by a new engine that was created specifically to avoid the “bottlenecks” that cropped up during the development of the first game.
And in spite of the fact that The Witcher: Rise of the White Wolf remains in limbo and appears to be a dead issue, CD Projekt apparently hasn’t given up on bringing Geralt to consoles. The studio said that while The Witcher 2 will be developed for the PC, it also wants to release a console version and promised it would say more about platforms once it has officially announced the game.
So there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth. More information, including a proper launch trailer, will be released once a deal has been signed with a publisher; in the meantime, don’t worry so much about what you saw, or didn’t see, in the alpha trailer. “Despite the fact that we did not want to publish this video, we’re happy with the huge interest it gained,” Gop said. “As always, please let us do everything we can not to disappoint you.”

domain: news


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Google Drive, the company's push into cloud-based storage, has a problem. Google Inc.'s (GOOG) product has been considered overpriced, and thus not competitive, or at least not competitive on that single basis. So, Google has dropped the prices drastically. Now, the search company has to wait to see if that draws customers from other services, or whether the decision has come too late.
The evolution of cloud-based services has happened at such a lightning-fast pace that only one misstep in service or price can cost a company significant market share. Based on an analysis by Tech Crunch, the Google change is meant to allow it more readily challenge the success of Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) Azure, of Amazon.com Inc.'s (AMZN) S3 and of Dropbox. The tech site reported:
ALSO READ: Nine Retailers Closing the Most Stores
Google drastically dropped the price for storage on Google Drive this week, to the point where it now undercuts virtually all of its competitors. At $9.99 per month for a terabyte of online storage, Google puts all of its competitors to shame, but there is more going on here than just a price war.
Dropbox wants $9.99/month for 100GB, SugarSync has a $55/month plan for one terabyte of data that is shared by up to three users and Microsoft's OneDrive, which only features annual plans, starts at 50GB for $25 per year, which is even more expensive than Google’s new $1.99/month for its 100GB plan. Apple wants $100 per year for its 50GB plan.
Additionally, Google's website shows that its price for 1 TB storage has also dropped to $9.99 a month.
Users of these services may have no idea how much storage they need before they pick one service. They also may be confused about what each plan offers. Some consumers will pick the product that matches the hardware they use. This may be the cause with Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) product. Both brand loyalty and ease of choice could be Google's enemy as much as pricing. The consumer also has to decide whether to switch or pick a new service based on $3 a month.
One of the aspects of pricing services that did not exist a few years ago is that some of the decisions made by companies have to be guesswork. The results of that guessing may not be clear for several years to come.


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First, the partial eclipse will start at around 11:42 am Indian Standard Time and the annular eclipse will appear to occur from 3:30 pm and will continue up to 4:52 pm, though for different intervals for a particular region, depending upon one’s geographical location. The partial eclipse will end at around 6:41 pm IST.
Is there a solar eclipse tomorrow in India?
The 2021 annular solar eclipse will start at 01:42 PM (IST) and will be visible till 06:41 PM (IST). The total duration of the annular eclipse will be around 3 minutes and 51 seconds.
What time is the eclipse tomorrow in India?
NASA has published an interactive map, which shows the path of the 2021 solar eclipse across Earth’s surface. It reveals that solar eclipse will be visible in India, but only from Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. The full eclipse is expected to occur at 3.19 pm, the maximum eclipse at 4.11 pm.
What time is the solar eclipse tomorrow?
The partial solar eclipse begins at 2 a.m. EST (0700 GMT), the greatest point of the total solar eclipse occurs at 2:33 a.m. EST (0733 GMT) and the partial eclipse ends at 3:06 a.m. (0806 GMT), according to NASA.
Can we eat during solar eclipse?
It is believed that the rays of solar eclipse can affect cooked food, which when consumed during the eclipse period may cause indigestion and an upset stomach. A few researchers have accepted the fact that eating during the eclipse period causes indigestion.
Is solar eclipse visible on 10th June in India?
The solar eclipse of June 10, 2021 (Thursday) will not be visible in the skies in most of India. However, the solar eclipse will be visible to people in some extreme regions of Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, shortly after daybreak.
Is today solar eclipse in India?
Solar eclipse 2021 in India
Today’s eclipse will not be visible in most parts of India. While several countries in the world will witness the annular solar eclipse, India will not be able to witness the rare comic phenomenon except in extreme parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh.
Can I see the solar eclipse in 2021?
Left: The annular (“ring”) solar eclipse of June 10, 2021, will be observable (weather permitting) from remote parts of Canada, Greenland, Siberia — and the North Pole.
Is there any eclipse in 2021?
What is known as an annular solar eclipse will happen on Thursday, 10 June 2021. Notably, this will be the first solar eclipse of 2021 among the two lined up for this year. According to Timeanddate.com, this solar eclipse on June 10, 2021 will start at 01:42 p.m and will last till 06:41 p.m.. in India.


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Despite the fact that the UK is likely to miss its target of achieving £1 trillion worth of exports by 2020, the logistics industry should support the latest government efforts to encourage overseas trade. David Williams, managing director of leading freight forwarder Rhenus believes that the UK is sitting on an untapped reserve of exporting potential that could significantly improve the country’s economic performance.
Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), show that in October the UK’s trade deficit widened by £2.3 billion to £35.4 billion, compared to September 2015. Adding to the gloomy picture, exports of UK goods decreased by £0.7 billion to £23.5 billion in October 2015.
Despite these poor performance figures, Rhenus believes that slicker logistics is one of the keys required to unlock the UK’s export potential.
Commenting on the longer-term export trend, David Williams said: “Latest figures confirm that Britain is 14 years behind hitting its 2020 export target, a goal set by Chancellor George Osborne in 2012. But despite being behind schedule, the government continues to encourage export. In November it made a further commitment to get 100,000 more British businesses exporting in the next five years.”
The challenge of sluggish exports has been brewing for some time and ONS figures show exports fell by nearly £6 billion last year to £515 billion. This was attributed mainly to the strong pound and weakening demand for British goods overseas.
In November 2015, the government launched its Exporting Is Great campaign, trumpeted as the biggest initiative of its kind by Francis Maude, trade and investment minister.
Improving digital tools for companies looking to start exporting and pursuing free trade agreements to reduce red tape and cut costs of exporting by getting rid of tariffs, are some of the activities being actively pursued by the government.
However, Williams believes UK businesses could do more to help themselves. He said: “While the government is doing its bit – providing practical support and guidance – manufacturers and logistics companies alike could be more proactive when it comes to exporting.”
Rhenus has undertaken its own campaign to encourage exporters, placing adverts in various industry media and producing a series of country guides illustrating the various freight routes it now covers. The freight forwarder aims to provide the most competitive rates to encourage new exporters. Part of a global freight forwarding company, Rhenus can connect UK exporters to 390 locations worldwide.


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Microsoft's surprise launch of Office Mobile for the iPhone today shows that the software giant continues to favor Windows' future over Office's fortune, analysts said today.
And they just don't get that strategy.
"It's puzzling, [Office] on iPhone but not on iPad," said Frank Gillett of Forrester Research, referring to the Friday launch of Office Mobile for iOS.
Office Mobile for iOS stores documents on SkyDrive or SkyDrive Pro, depending on whether the Office 365 subscription is a consumer- or business-grade plan. (Image: Microsoft.)
"They're continuing the artificial advantaging of one product over another to change customer behavior," Gillett said. "We think that's a major mistake. In their eyes, not providing Office for iPad will motivate people to buy Windows tablets. That's baloney. People have already bought iPads. You're going to deny them Office and piss them off? That makes no sense. And it's not helping sort things out any faster for Windows 8 [on tablets]."
Bob O'Donnell of IDC was also mystified about the appearance of Office for the iPhone, but no sign of a native app for the iPad. "It sure seems like their strategy," O'Donnell said of the apparent preference of Windows. "But we think that's the wrong strategy now."
Microsoft, said O'Donnell, believes that Office is key to selling Windows RT hardware, including its own Surface RT. (Office Home & Student RT is bundled with Windows RT.) While he agreed with Microsoft, saying, "Office is really the only benefit [that comes with] Windows RT," and that the surest way to kill the tablet OS would be to release Office for the iPad, he said Windows RT was already on its deathbed.
"Almost every OEM that had a first-generation [Windows RT] product has canceled second-generation products, so we just don't see how it can do well, even with Office,' he said.
If Windows RT can't cut it, O'Donnell suggested, what's the point of sticking to a strategy that's not working?
The iOS app, officially labeled Office Mobile for Office 365 Subscribers, hit the App Store earlier today. While it will run on Retina-equipped iPads and the iPad Mini — all three shipped in 2012 — in a chunky expanded view, the versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint are definitely "iPhone-ized" in that they're designed for the smartphone's smaller screen.
That distinction was critical to Wes Miller, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft. "They could have Office for the iPad, but they want to emphasize that Windows is the way you get a great experience on tablets. They're holding that back, but it's their set of cards to hold."
Most analysts, including Miller, have concluded that Microsoft decided to withhold Office because the Windows group viewed the suite as a major selling point for its tablets. Meanwhile, the thinking goes, the Office group lobbied for a release on rival platforms by claiming it could book impressive revenue. Windows won the debate.
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For generations, coffee has been Uganda’s principal export.
However, the cash crop suffered major setbacks at the turn of the millennium due to a combination of factors such as the coffee wilt disease. Matters were not helped when the old coffee trees could not yield much and the changing weather patterns disrupted many farmers.
However, the intervention of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) led to a massive overhaul of the sector.
For instance, the agencies embarked on a long-standing replanting pro-gramme in 2010 that saw the replacement of the stock lost to coffee wilt disease as well as the sensitization of farmers on the best farming practices. The results started to be felt in 2016 with the increased production to 4.6 million bags of 60kg.
Since then, results have surpassed initial expectations and by 2019, coffee production had increased by 56 per cent to 6.950 million bags. In that three-year period, the volume of coffee exported also increased by 17 per cent from 3.56 million bags to 4.17 million bags.
The most important aspect of these statistics is the value of Uganda’s coffee, which has steadily been improving. The 2020 figures from UCDA show that the 5.4 million bags exported earned the country $515m, up from $436m in 2019.
VALUE CHAIN BENEFICIARIES
In fact, Dr Emmanuel Iyamulemye, the UCDA managing director, projects that Uganda will be able to produce 20 million bags by 2025. What’s more, as coffee makes a comeback, opportunities are opening along the value chain.
In Uganda, coffee supports over 3.5 Coffee million families at all levels of the value chain, especially for income security and contributes to between 20 and 30 per cent of foreign exchange earnings.
The typical flow of coffee from production to consumption shows that the crop is cultivated primarily by an estimated 1.7 million households and they range from smallholder farms under 0.5 hectares to two hectares.
What follows is the aggregation level that includes agents of coffee processors, transporters and traders. The value-chain stage employs more than 300,000 people. The next level is processing stage. According to UCDA figures, Uganda has more than 500 hulleries and dozens of washing stations, not to mention exporting grading plants.
All these have created opportunities for the youth to gain employment, thereby reducing dependence and idleness that breed crime. Lastly, farmer sensitization, mobilization and training of farmers have been crucial in convincing financial institutions supporting the coffee value chain mostly through savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs).
Based on these facts, it is not surprising that the coffee renaissance has caught the attention of agriculture stakeholders. Just as Iyamulemye notes, increasing coffee export earnings show that if done well, agriculture can support millions of Ugandans, especially the youth, earn a decent living.


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On Saturday, February 23, 2019, five teams of fifty young entrepreneurs participated in the inaugural Junior Achievement Trade Show.
Hosted by Tysons Corner Center in Tysons, Virginia, the JA Trade Show was an opportunity for the 2018-19 JA Company Program students to ignite their entrepreneurial spirits by debuting their new businesses to the public in their very own mall storefront.
The JA Company Program is a competitive, six-month-long program in which high school students are challenged to work in teams and put their business ideas into action by launching and operating a startup under the guidance of business professionals.
The students spent the afternoon discussing and demoing their products, selling to new customers, and premiering their company commercials. Collectively, the teams made more than $2,500 in sales.
The teams were evaluated and interviewed by a panel of local business and civic leaders:
Camille Francis - Sr. HR Coordinator, Capital One
Dan Jones - Cyber Risk Services Manager, Deloitte
Jimmy Lewandowski, Associate Director, Northeast Business Development Operation, EY
Team ComfortKey, a business that addresses the issue of harassment by selling keychains equipped with an alarm and flashlight that can be used for self-protection, received the award for Best Overall Company.
Team Sipsy Straws, a business that sells non-toxic, re-usable straws to help eliminate plastic waste while raising awareness about the effects of plastic waste on marine life, received the awards for Best Commercial and Best Sales.
On April 6, the five teams will formally pitch their business ideas at the JA Spark Tank Competition for a chance to represent Junior Achievement of Greater Washington at the 2019 National Student Leadership Summit in June.
JA of Greater Washington congratulates this outstanding group of students on an excellent exhibition and wishes their companies continued success. A huge thank-you is extended to the three JA Trade Show judges, Camille, Dan and Jimmy, who provided invaluable support and guidance for the teams.
To view more photos from the event, click here.


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Last Friday, a South Korean court ruled against the release of a blockchain-based play-to-earn (P2E) game, determining that the in-game non-fungible tokens (NFTs) promoted speculation.
SkyPeople, the South Korean developer of the NFT game Five Stars, argued that the game items and characters minted as NFTs were records of ownership rather than rewards.
However, the Seoul Administrative Court disagreed, saying that NFTs cannot be seen as game items if they are traded on exchanges.
In South Korea, all video games must acquire an age rating from the Game Rating Administration Committee.
The committee has banned games that involve cryptocurrencies or NFTs due to a local law that prohibits firms from promoting speculative behaviors to players via cashable rewards.
South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol had promised to abolish the P2E ban in his election campaign last year.
In the meantime, South Korean P2E game makers have released blockchain-based games outside the country, hoping that the local ban will eventually be lifted.


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Nike Inc. on Thursday said it has sold its majority ownership stake in the United Soccer Leagues to Atlanta-based NuRock Soccer Holdings LLC.
The Washington County-based sportswear giant (NYSE: NKE) acquired 98 percent of the Tampa, Fla.-based professional soccer league as part of its $582 million purchase of London-based Umbro last year.
USL includes around 127 professional soccer clubs — including the Portland Timbers — as well as 550 youth league teams. But those franchises are independently owned, so NuRock ultimately acquires an administrative and marketing company with annual revenue of around $5 million, according to USL President Francisco Marcos.
NuRock operates an Atlanta franchise in USL’s Premier Development League and holds the franchise rights to USL First Division teams in Atlanta and Birmingham, Ala.
The Timbers are currently in first place in the USL First Division.
Terms of the sale were not released.
In conjunction with the deal, Nike said it has reached a long-term agreement with the USL in which its Umbro brand will be the league’s official sponsor and exclusive ball supplier.
Nike shares closed Thursday up 2.5 percent to $56.83, but fell 1 percent in after-hours trading to $56.26. They have traded between $38.24 and $68 in the last year.


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Posted by Mary Ann Neder | Jun 10, 2013 | 0
At today’s WWDC Conference, the world was introduced to the newly redesigned iOS 7 for the iPhone and iPad. This overhaul gives iOS devices a much cleaner, more efficient look and adds several new enhancements to what already appears to be a monumental improvement to the existing software. The only drawback…we will all have to wait till this fall.
Posted by Mary Ann Neder | Jun 06, 2011 | 0
If you missed today’s WWDC 2011 keynote, you can now watch Steve Jobs and his entourage via streaming video on Apple’s Special Event Page. Topics covered include the new Mac OS X Lion, iOS 5, iCloud and more. The video runs approximately 117 minutes long. Enjoy!
Posted by Press Releases | May 30, 2011 | 0
CodeCrop today announces Snap 1.2, an update to their popular camera app for iOS devices. Snap turns the iPhone camera into a productivity tool: snap a photo, write as many notes as you want, move them with your finger and the picture is saved with the notes overlaid on it. Easily share on Facebook, Twitter or email. Version 1.20 brings digital zoom, background transparency change and an exclusive symbols keyboard. In anticipation of WWDC, Snap will be on sale until June 6th.
Posted by Mary Ann Neder | Mar 28, 2011 | 0
This morning, Apple announced the dates for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) where the company will showcase upcoming software upgrades for iOS and Mac OS. The event will be held in San Francisco at Moscone West from June 6 through June 10th. Philip Schiller, Apple senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing stated that this will be an event an iOS or Mac OS X software developer will not want to miss. However, only 10 hours since the announcement had been made, tickets for this event are now completely sold out. The press release appears below:


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The acquire-off of online video-led social networking large TikTok has led to its Chinese mum or dad organization, ByteDance, getting categorized as a hyperscale datacentre operator, Synergy Analysis has confirmed.
The analyst house’s quarterly hyperscale datacentre sector tracker knowledge exhibits that in just 3 several years, ByteDance has risen from obscurity to turn into the world’s seventh-major datacentre spender.
According to Synergy’s next-quarter information, Amazon stays the world’s largest datacentre investor and spender, followed by Google, Microsoft, Fb and Apple.
ByteDance is one particular of three Chinese players whose datacentre expenditure and enlargement programs have been flagged as noteworthy by Synergy in its 2nd-quarter sector tracker, with Alibaba rated sixth and Tencent eighth in phrases of datacentre shell out.
“The simple fact that Amazon, Microsoft and Google keep on to account for more than fifty percent of the world’s put in base of hyperscale datacentres is not seriously new news,” said John Dinsdale, main analyst at Synergy Analysis Group.
“However, what we are observing is a major drive from the Chinese hyperscale operators, with a great deal of new datacentres currently being opened. ByteDance is notably noteworthy as it is practically a new entrant to the hyperscale scene.
“It was little acknowledged a few many years back, but has become a main player, thanks in substantial portion to the results of TikTok.”
The short-sort movie-sharing site has risen to prominence about the past 3 years, with market estimates suggesting it at the moment has almost 690 million energetic every month consumers.
In accordance to Synergy’s facts, China – together with the US – is dwelling to far more than fifty percent of the world’s hyperscale datacentres, of which there are now 659 in existence as of the conclude of the second quarter. This is extra than double the selection that ended up live and operational in mid-2016.
“The following most well-known spots are Japan, Germany, the United kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland and India, which collectively account for 25% of the full,” claimed the company in a assertion.
In accordance to Dinsdale, Synergy’s facts displays that, on normal, 16 new datacentres have come on line each individual quarter through the earlier three several years.
“The growth of hyperscale datacentres is fairly substantially on a straight-line trajectory,” he said. “On best of that new datacentre construct, the hyperscale operators are also including potential at present services and are often ripping out and replacing server components that has achieved the conclusion of its operational lifespan. That all adds up to substantial and increasing quarterly investments in datacentres.”


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Dallas Towing Firm Goal
News from Secure Towing
Countless Americans are often unprepared for the unpreventable automobile problems or break downs that are bound to eventually occur.
As a result, numerous vehicle drivers have taken actions to guarantee that roadside aid is offered when dreaded malfunctions and repair service issues occur.
Safe Towing.Com is an on-line service that operates through a network of acquired provider that have arrangements with the firm's dispatch to perform roadway and also towing service for SecureTowing.com participants. The result is a budget-friendly service that supplies satisfaction, comfort as well as a sensation of safety and security to millions of here drivers.
Safeguard Towing.Com has actually been extremely successful, providing a beneficial service that charms to its 16 million motorists throughout America who identify the worth and tow truck dallas tx 75236 ease of an emergency road and also car solution. auto tow in dallas tx When when driving, dallastowing.net check here customers understand they are covered and shielded by a company that shows fantastic get more info consumer treatment and has actually been providing these solutions for motorists given that 1962!
The dispatch center supplies benefits to over 16 million individuals a year and aids 100,000 stranded vehicle driver monthly. Safe and secure Towing.Com is the primary rated dispatch service for on-time arrival and also customer contentment, according to an international advertising international customer center.
The business now has more than 45,000 tow truck firms contracted across the country to better offer its members.


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The Nitol-Niloy Group, Bangladesh's largest distributor of Tata Motors, has shown interest in assembling the Nano overseas. The Bangladesh-based Tata Motors distributor could soon set up a Nano assembling plant in the country.
A Matlub Ahmed, the Chairman of the Nitol-Niloy Group, was in India recently when he said that he had given a proposal to the Tata Group about assembling the Nano there (Bangladesh), which he feels could help the carmaker gain good market share in the country.
As per Ahmed, "We are selling 200-300 Nanos in Bangladesh every year. I am telling Tata Group to have a major share of the automobile market in Bangladesh if Nano and some other models can be assembled in our country." The Bangladesh-based company is assembling a few commercial vehicles for Tata Motors currently.
Earlier, Tata Motors confirmed that the Tata Nano would not be phased out as the once cheapest car in the world holds a lot of sentimental value. Also, recent reports suggest that the carmaker is testing an electric version of the Nano in hopes of reviving the brand.
The Tata Nano was a much-anticipated car when it was first launched in the country. Slowly, popularity declined, leading to speculations that the carmaker could phase out the car completely. However, with news of Tata Motors trying to shift focus on building an electric Nano seems promising.


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Sofia Motor Show
This yearís†Sofia Motor Show will run from 15-23 June at Inter Expo Centre, 147 Tsarigradsko Shose.
40,000 visitors are expected.
Show participants will include Alfa Romeo, BMW, Fiat, Jaguar, LandRover, Mercedes-Benz, Range Rover and Mini.
Car sales in Bulgaria continue to struggle, having declined nearly 10% in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the same quarter a year before.


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After huge success with Anjunadeep Open Air this past 2018 summer, the melodic deep house label is debuting a new European destination festival, Explorations. Little about the lineup or logistics are known but should be updated on the official Explorations page.
The June festival is sure to bring about some of the biggest acts that have come out of the label such as Lane 8, Yotto, Luttrell, Dusky, and more.
We’re excited to see the full announcement soon and we’ll be sure to provide updates!
Join us this June for Anjunadeep presents Explorations, a new destination festival, somewhere in Europe. Full announcement soon, sign up:https://t.co/ZtH6m19gSo@adexplorations pic.twitter.com/kfXnVPd1uY
— Anjunadeep (@Anjunadeep) January 9, 2019


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Norton Antivirus maker Symantec’s virtual private network service is sold as a means of ensuring that your traffic isn’t snooped on when you go online via poorly secured public Wi-Fi networks, hence the WiFi Privacy moniker. However, its features are the same as any other VPN service, with endpoints in 29 countries.
A branch of GCHQ, Britain’s intelligence and security service, is investigating one of the UK’s biggest data breaches at a single firm, involving unauthorised access to 5.9 million Dixons Carphone customers’ cards.
Good news for the UK’s tech industry – as the Prime Minister announces private and government backed funding boosts and a new specialised visa scheme to attract tech talent.
Demand for professionals with artificial intelligence (AI) skills in the UK has almost tripled over the last three years, according to research.
Under-reporting is a huge problem when it comes to cyber crime, depriving law enforcement organisations of key insights and opportunities to connect criminal activity.
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain remains the leading European destination for international tech investors, with UK tech companies attracting almost three times more venture capital investment than any other European country over the past two years, according to a study on Friday.
Amazon is known for its amazing bargains during major sale periods and the spring back holiday in the UK is no exception.
A hacker who carried out attacks on a string of companies before selling customers’ data on the dark web has been jailed for more than 10 years.
Valve has received an unexpected set-back in its games streaming plans. Earlier this month we wrote that it was to release Steam Link for Android and iOS, which enables you to stream full PC games to your mobile device over a home network.


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In a fraught dispute that is delaying a major international trade deal, Spanish cheesemakers have accused Mexico of ‘cheese piracy’. The debate between the two countries focusses on the world-famous manchego cheese, and whether Mexican manufacturers have any right to use the name for their products.
Spain’s answer to that is an emphatic no. Its leading cheesemakers argue that theirs is the only version of the cheese worthy of the name: it is, after all, made from 100% ewe’s milk, from Manchega sheep bred in central Spain – in the flat plains wandered by Don Quixote and his poor squire, Sancho – and produced in an officially designated region that spans the provinces of Toledo, Ciudad Real, Cuenca and Albacete. It has a strong, rich taste and is often served as a tapas drizzled with olive oil and eaten with a slice of crusty bread, and ideally accompanied by a glass of Ribera del Duero or Rioja.
No one is more protective of this sought-after product than Ismael Álvarez de Toledo, president of the Spanish Brotherhood of Manchego Cheese (the fact that there is a Manchego Brotherhood tells you how seriously the Spanish take their cheese). As he told the UK’s Telegraph newspaper this week, ‘This cheese has a natural environment in which it is produced. If you make a drink called Scottish whisky, it is because it is distilled in Scotland, and not Wales or anywhere else. It would be absurd for Mexicans to sell Scotch made in Cuernavaca or Monterrey. This is just the same.’
But Mexico, which also produces a cheese called manchego, disagrees. The Mexican manchego is made from cow’s milk and is sometimes fattened up with vegetable oil; it is cheap to buy in supermarkets and is often melted in quesadillas, tacos and fajitas.
Though it shares a name with its Spanish counterpart, Mexican cheesemakers say that their version of manchego isn’t trying to be something it’s not. Miguel Ángel García Paredes, president of Mexico’s Canilec dairy association, told the Spanish newspaper El Pais, ‘No one who wants to consume [Spanish] manchego cheese is going to enter a shop and be confused by Mexican manchego. They will go to a gourmet store.’ Paredes added that Mexico is not guilty of cheese piracy and that ‘it’s impossible to copy a cheese’.
Spain isn’t so sure of consumers’ ability to distinguish between the two cheeses, it seems. Álvarez claims that the confusion is affecting international sales of the Spanish manchego, particularly in America. ‘If we try to sell cheese in Miami – or anywhere where there’s a Mexican influence – and say, “Right, here’s our manchego for $15 a kilo,” people are going to say, “But we can get manchego for $7!”’, he told the UK’s Guardian newspaper. He describes the Mexican manchego as an ‘insipid’ cheese with a ‘fake’ name.
The manchego dispute is now delaying the renewal of a trade deal between the EU and Mexico that was originally signed in 2000. The EU wants to secure exclusive labelling rights for products such as wine and cheese, and had hoped that the new Mexican deal could be revised and signed before Christmas. But the manchego battle that’s being fought between Spain and Mexico still seems far from yielding a victor.


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In an effort to maintain its status as a cryptocurrency hub, Switzerland has taken steps to help blockchain companies access the traditional financial system by making it easier for them to open.. Reuters
Japanese cryptocurrency firm Tech Bureau Corp said on Friday it now estimates $62 million worth of digital currencies were stolen in a hack last week, but added that the amount could still rise as the.. Reuters India
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Hackers stole $60 million in cryptocurrency from Zaif, the Japanese digital exchange.
Business Insider says the exchange is owned by Tech Bureau Corp, an Osaka based company.
The company said hackers..
The current XRP price momentum is a lot more bullish than anyone could have predicted. After a strong day of gains yesterday, the upward momentum seemingly continues without missing a beat. In fact, a.. The Merkle
The rise of Bitcoin made some early investors very rich. For instance, anyone who purchased Bitcoin a few years ago at a few dollars has a success story to tell. Currently, the value of Bitcoin is.. The Next Web
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As controversies surrounding Bitmain’s looming IPO spell uncertainty for the future well-being of the mining goliath, competitors are fast to move in on the manufacturer’s territory.One of these.. Bitcoin Magazine


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Everything you need to know about the ban on halogen bulbs in all stores today.
As part of the government’s commitment to combat climate change, HALOGEN light bulbs will be prohibited from sale in the UK today. Everything you need to know is right here.
The government revealed plans for the ban last year, and it was supposed to go into effect in September. It’s part of the UK’s larger attempts to combat climate change, with merchants no longer allowed to sell the bulk of halogen bulbs for common domestic use from today.
When the halogen lights inevitably quit working, homeowners will have to switch to LED equivalents.
LED lights are supposed to save money on electricity bills in the long run, despite being more expensive to purchase at first.
In 2018, the UK began to phase out the sale of higher-energy halogen light bulbs, with LED bulbs accounting for almost two-thirds of all bulbs sold in the country.
The light bulbs are more energy efficient, producing less heat while producing more light.
Because most LED bulbs come with Edison or bayonet fittings, switching from a halogen lamp to an LED should be simple.
However, if the halogen light is installed directly into the ceiling, it could not be compatible with the new LEDs.
The switch to LED is expected to save 1.26 million tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of removing almost 500,000 automobiles off UK roads.
According to the government, the average household will save £75 per year on energy expenditures.
Energy efficiency is now represented on a scale of A to G on new labels that have begun to appear on boxes.
Customers will be able to make the best decision and select the most ecologically friendly lights as a result of this.
“We welcome the Government’s next move in the transition to more sustainable lighting products,” Stephen Rouatt, Chief Executive of Signify UK, which owns Philips lighting, stated earlier this year.
“Using energy-efficient LED counterparts for halogen and fluorescent lights on a larger scale will considerably aid the UK’s decarbonisation efforts while also cutting consumers’ monthly electricity bills.”
Fluorescent light bulbs will be phased out of the market in September 2023.
These sorts of lights, such as strip lights, are commonly utilized in offices.
Other measures have been established by the government to aid in the fight against climate change.
This includes the recently enacted right-to-repair rules. “Brinkwire News Summary.”


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You can't buy, sell or trade GDP, but this week's report of a barnburner 7.2 percent rise in gross domestic product is very significant. It informs us of the likelihood of a true recovery boom -- call it the Bush boom -- in the months and quarters ahead.
Within the third-quarter report, capital expenditures rose 11 percent overall and 15.5 percent for equipment and software. This beats the previous quarter, when equipment and software climbed more than 8 percent. The rally in tech stocks and new upwardly revised tech-industry estimates confirm that we're in the midst of a replacement cycle for computers and that fast-rising demands for broadband and Internet services are for real. Big DVD sales in electronic stores are more confirmation of the tech upswing.
What's extremely impressive is that 7.2 percent GDP occurred alongside a huge $36 billion drawdown of inventory (which followed an $18 billion de-stocking in the second quarter). So this was reflected in real final sales of businesses, a huge increase of nearly 8 percent in worldwide aggregate economic demand, and final sales at home (less trade), which increased 6.6 percent. In fact, private sector GDP -- the classic free-enterprise measure of consumption and investment, which has averaged 6.1 percent at an annual rate over the past two quarters -- hit a 7.8 percent moon shot in the latest report.
Total spending in the economy also surged by 9 percent, combining 7.2 percent real growth with 1.7 percent inflation. This "money GDP" measure is a useful proxy for total business sales. According to economist John Ryding at Bear Stearns, non-farm business sales increased by 11.6 percent annually in the third quarter. With an implied productivity gain of 9 percent for the total non-farm economy, unit labor costs will come in way below business profits.
In simple language, when prices rise faster than costs, profits go up -- and business profits are the mother's milk for the stock market, and future corporate production and hiring.
According to this week's data, economic profits from national income accounts (the very broadest measure of corporate profits) are roughly 50 percent higher than their bottom, which registered near the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Broad stock averages, meanwhile, have increased about 35 percent from their year-ago lows. On this basis alone, the stock market still looks to be 15 percent undervalued at the minimum.
As might be expected, the markets liked the news. Stock averages traded up about a half of a percentage point, the dollar firmed slightly, and Treasury bonds fell only a bit. As for this last indicator, at 4.35 percent, the 10-year government bellwether issue is still way below the 4.6 percent peak it registered early last summer.
Going forward, abnormally low inventories will be rebuilt, which will provide 1 percent to 2 percent higher GDP growth in each of the next several quarters. The third-quarter tally was no fluke. GDP will continue to grow rapidly as the step-up of inventory production creates a flood of new jobs in both manufacturing and services. The recent rally in raw industrial commodity prices -- providing both an incentive to produce and an economic reason to meet rising demands in the U.S. economy and overseas (especially China) -- only bolsters the inventory case.
Speaking of incentives, the Bush tax cuts have significantly lowered the after-tax cost to businesses of producing inventories and spending on new business equipment. Meanwhile, post-tax returns to investors have improved handsomely. A 50 percent cash bonus for the immediate tax write-off of new equipment will continue to figure into the impressive rebound in business-investment spending.
Yes, indeed -- the Bush boom has begun at last. This tax jolt has ended the prior capital bust -- which lasted a long and dreary three years -- and ignited a new capital boom.
But give due credit to House taxmeister Bill Thomas for crafting important pro-growth legislation to reduce tax burdens on all kinds of capital formation. Also give credit to Alan Greenspan & Co. The central bankers provided the necessary liquidity to finance these new investment tax incentives.
Of course, demand-side pessimists think these tax-cut effects will wear off in another quarter or two. But they'll be proven wrong because they do not understand the incentive model that rewards additional work, risk and investment when all three get paid more after-tax. This inflation-free economic boom, bolstered by continued technology advances in broadband and Internet services, could last seven to 10 years -- just like the prior two booms of the 1980s and 1990s. Just think of it.


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A couple of days ago, we told you that heavy demand for the BlackBerry Priv
had led the manufacturer to push back the shipping date on new orders to the week of November 23rd
. Pre-orders of the company's first Android powered handset started shipping on November 6th. But today, a fresh report reveals that not only are new orders delayed, but some pre-orders are now being delayed as well, and won't arrive until November 24th. The pre-orders in question are for the unlocked version of the Priv, ordered from BlackBerry's online store. Those affected have received an email from BlackBerry, explaining the delay in shipping.
Besides BlackBerry's ShopBlackBerry website, U.S. consumers can purchase the Android powered slider from AT&T. Verizon has also announced that it will be offering the phone soon
"This is a follow-up to the email we sent you on Friday to keep you updated on ShopBlackBerry PRIV pre-order deliveries. Due to demand, there has been a delay in shipping PRIV smartphones to some customers who pre-ordered. We continue to deliver PRIV devices and expect all remaining pre-orders to arrive no later than November 24th. Once your order has been shipped you will receive a confirmation by email so you can track your order."-BlackBerry email
With the BlackBerry Priv apparently off to a good start, yesterday images of a new Android powered 'Berry surfaced
. Dubbed the BlackBerry Vienna, this model features a physical QWERTY keyboard, physical Android keys under the screen, and a look that doesn't exude the premium feel that the Priv does.


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Retailers Association of Massachusetts President Jon Hurst said Thursday the group will begin gathering voter signatures this weekend to ensure a spot on the 2018 ballot.
Retailers push ahead with ballot question to lower sales tax →
But in a blog posting this week, Hurst declared retailers were running out of patience.
Offsetting votes? Ballot proposals both raise, lower taxes →


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The Logistics Powerhouse on the Cutting Edge of Innovation…
As blockchain technology becomes more ingrained in business practice, the enthusiasm for the growth of these innovations is growing substantially.
according to James Altucher report, FedEx (FDX) in 1974 was on the verge of bankruptcy. The company was millions of dollars in debt and didn’t have sufficient funds to pay its outstanding bills. It got so bad that it began asking its pilots to use their own personal credit cards to fuel planes, before long, the company had just $5,000 in cash.
As a final “Hail Mary,” FedEx founder Fred Smith did something extreme — you might even say reckless. With the remaining company funds, Smith flew to Las Vegas and sat down at the blackjack table, playing hand after agonizing hand. Several turbulent hours later, Smith had pulled off the unthinkable… Chips in hand, he approached the casino cage with roughly $27,000 in winnings — enough to fuel his motley fleet of planes for one more week.
Not long after, Smith was able to raise an additional $11 million in funding — enough to keep the company afloat. Since that time, taking big risks has practically been in the company’s DNA. And doing so has frequently put it on the cutting edge of innovation. So, FedEx was the first to introduce a real-time package tracking system to help people keep tabs on their shipments. It was also one of the first to take advantage of cellular technology to enable package tracking in the field.
FedEx (FDX) and blockchain technology
Therefore, over the last 15 years, the company has invested heavily in automating over 130 of its facilities. It leverages state-of-the-art robotics for tasks such as sorting, and it utilizes software to help manage all elements of its facilities. In some of the more automated facilities, close to 80% of packages move through the winding maze of conveyor belts and sorters without any human labor at all.
Now is blockchain. Given the company’s ambitious technology projects, it’s no surprise that FedEx is one of the most vocal supporters in the push for blockchain in the supply chain.
In September, the company announced that it was joining companies like J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank, IBM and Intel as part of the Hyperledger blockchain consortium. Hyperledger is a collaborative effort by some of the largest corporations and academic institutions in the world to develop and promote cross-industry blockchain technologies. The initiative covers a broad range of sectors including finance, healthcare, government and logistics.
Hyperledger enables organizations to build robust, industry-specific applications, platforms and hardware systems to support their individual business transactions by creating open source distributed ledger frameworks and code bases. Prior to the announcement, FedEx was already a big proponent of blockchain.
In May, Smith gave a keynote address at Consensus, one of the most widely watched blockchain events. He described the massive potential of blockchain to reduce friction in cross-border logistics. Cross-border logistics are complicated — the standards, laws and terminology vary from one country to another. Blockchain offers a potential solution to make this information commonly available to everyone. Separately, the company is also investigating the use of blockchain to maintain a chain of custody for the logistics industry. This would allow end-to-end transparency all the way from the source to customer delivery. These initiatives are taking place both in-house and as part of the blockchain industry groups to which FedEx belongs.
In addition to Hyperledger, FedEx is a founding member of the Blockchain in Transport Alliance — a consortium of firms developing blockchain standards for the freight industry. It’s also a member of the Blockchain Research Institute.
Looking under the hood, the company is an international shipping behemoth with over 670 aircrafts, 425,000 employees and 175,000 motorized vehicles — all working in collaboration to deliver an astonishing 14 million daily shipments.
Without a doubt, FedEx’s vast logistics infrastructure provides global scale and a defensible moat against outside competitors. And while some have raised concerns about Amazon’s increasing push into transport and logistics, I believe that these fears are overblown. For one thing, in order for Amazon to truly pose a threat to FedEx, it would need to replicate the company’s 40 years of experience in complex logistics expertise. Even Amazon, with all its funding and top-tier talent, will have a hard time replicating the knowledge and infrastructure that FedEx has built over the years. Secondly, let’s not forget the vast suite of services offered by FedEx. In addition to the company’s core air service, it provides (among other things) ground package transit, freight, and FedEx Office, where you can copy, print and ship.
The company estimates that 96% of customers use two or more of these services. In other words, in order for a competitor (such as Amazon) to truly pose a threat, it would have to offer the full suite of services currently offered by FedEx. Finally, FedEx is in no way dependent on Amazon. Unlike rival UPS, revenue generated by the eCommerce giant represents less than 3% of FedEx’s revenue.
This is notable — the company has achieved its phenomenal success by riding the tide of global trade and eCommerce growth, without significant contribution from Amazon. That is to say, Amazon represents just one player in the vast growing eCommerce landscape. As Amazon seeks to become a bigger player in the logistics and transportation space, an increasingly. Fragmented set of eCommerce competitors will grow to rely on shipping companies like FedEx as a trusted ally for their logistics needs. To service these companies, FedEx has been increasingly offering additional services. For example, the FedEx return service makes it simple for online retailers to issue shipping labels to customers to return products. Separately, the company has more than 11,000 locations where customers can securely pick up packages. When it comes to financials, the company is no slouch.
In 2018, the company’s revenue grew by 8.6% to $65.5 billion, while adjusted EPS grew by 26.6% to $15.31 per share (from $12.09 per share in 2017). The company recently announced that it will be expanding its delivery schedule for FedEx Ground from five days per week to six — allowing it to better utilize its extensive fixed assets and increase capacity with minimal additional capital expenditure.
Operational enhancements like this are one way the company hopes to achieve its ambitious financial goals, including continuing to increase EPS 10–15% and achieving a 10%+ operating margin. That’s not to say it’s all smiles and sunshine. In recent months, the company’s stock has been used as a barometer for speculation on the impact of U.S./ China tariff negotiations. And while this has weighed heavily on the share price over the past few months, the company has stated repeatedly that the actual impact on the business is not anticipated to be significant.
On top of that, last month the company’s stock took a hit as its earnings were negatively impacted by increased labor costs in the first quarter. This was despite the fact that revenue and pretax income were both up over 11% year over year. In fact, the company even went so far as to raise EPS guidance for the full year by $0.20, despite the quarterly setback. As astute value investors, we know a good thing when we see one.
The company currently trades at just 14.6x forward earnings (compared to the broader market, which is trading at 16.9x forward earnings). And with the stock currently underperforming the S&P 500 by nearly 15% year-to-date, I believe now is a good time to cash in on this undervalued logistics play. Takeaway: Given FedEx’s ambitious technology investments (including blockchain), its defensible
position as a logistics leader, its ongoing commitment to developing new services and implementing operational enhancements, and its attractive valuation, I’m extremely bullish on the stock. I advise readers to buy FedEx (FDX) up to $255 per share.


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Amazon Recorded Excellent Quarter With Sales Increase of 24 Percent
Amazon announced financial results for its third quarter ended September 30. Net sales increased 24% to $70.0 billion, compared with $56.6 billion in third quarter 2018. Excluding the $500 million unfavorable impact from changes in foreign exchange rates throughout the quarter, net sales increased 25.
Operating income decreased to $3.2 billion, compared with operating income of $3.7 billion in third quarter 2018. Net income decreased to $2.1 billion, or $4.23 per diluted share, compared with $2.9 billion, or $5.75 per diluted share, in the same period last year.
Operating cash flow increased 33% to $35.3 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $26.6 billion in 2018. Free cash flow increased to $23.5 billion for the trailing twelve months, compared with $15.4 billion last year. Common shares outstanding plus shares underlying stock-based awards totaled 511 million on September 30, compared with 507 million one year ago.
“We are ramping up to make our 25th holiday season the best ever for Prime customers with millions of products available for free one-day delivery,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO. “Customers love the transition of Prime from two days to one day, they’ve already ordered billions of items with free one-day delivery this year. It’s a big investment, and it’s the right long-term decision for customers. And although it’s counterintuitive, the fastest delivery speeds generate the least carbon emissions because these products ship from fulfillment centers very close to the customer it simply becomes impractical to use air or long ground routes. Huge thanks to all the teams helping deliver for customers this holiday.”
In the last quarter of 2019 the company expects net sales between $80.0 and $86.5 billion. That will be a growth between 11% and 20% compared with fourth quarter 2018. This guidance anticipates an unfavorable impact of approximately 80 basis points from foreign exchange rates. Operating income is expected to be between $1.2 billion and $2.9 billion, compared with $3.8 billion last year.


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You probably already watch YouTube videos with your friends.
Now, a new app from Google startup incubator Area 120 lets users watch YouTube videos with friends, even if they're not all huddled around the same screen. The app, called Uptime, was launched on Saturday.
Uptime lets you share videos and respond while watching them, as well as get recommendations from your friends and other users you follow on the app. You can also react to videos with things like emojis and hearts. While you watch a video, you can see an icon from your Google account moving around the screen to signify progress in the video.
Google and Area 120 didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.


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Impacts can be severe when storms bear down on areas with dense populations. But while storms and other severe weather events can cause millions of dollars worth of damage to individuals and companies, some businesses enjoy benefits. For example, engineering firms, hardware, and home improvement companies, and generator manufacturers often see revenue increases as a direct result of weather events.
While storms rarely result in long-term financial improvements, and companies shouldn't count on them to improve long-term revenue, a business increase during storm season can be enough to shift investor sentiment and cause a rally in stock values.
Home Improvement Companies
The Home Depot, Inc. (HD), Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (LOW), and Walmart (WMT) are three companies that may see an increase in business in a weather event's aftermath.
These big-box retailers have been top picks to buy ahead of a storm for the potential increase in stock value, as they can still see an increase in sales even if a weather event does not have a significant impact. That's because they sell supplies that people need before a storm, including batteries, snow shovels, generators, and various building materials to prepare for the storm.
If the storm ends up being significant, these companies may see another sales increase in the aftermath as consumers purchase materials needed to clean up and rebuild.
Demand for generators increases if a storm results in major power losses. Generator manufacturers like Generac Holdings (GNRC) usually benefit from this. It's one of the top publicly traded manufacturers of home backup generators, and it was the first company to engineer affordable home standby generators. The company provides portable, residential, commercial, and industrial generators that are in high demand if a weather event results in power outages.
Engineering companies often benefit from rebuilding efforts after major storms. These companies include AECOM (ACM) and Fluor Corp. (FLR). Both of them are major government contractors, which means they can potentially benefit from federal disaster relief.
In addition, Fluor has a diverse business including engineering, procurement, construction, fabrication and modularization, commissioning and maintenance, and project management services, all of which may see additional revenue following major storms.
AECOM's business is equally diverse, as it provides services for projects including highways, bridges, government and commercial buildings, water facilities, and power transmission and distribution.
Battery sales usually increase before storms are expected as consumers stock up on batteries to power their flashlights and radios.
When you think of household batteries, Panasonic Corporation (PCRFY) and Duracell Inc. may come to mind. Berkshire Hathaway acquired battery company Duracell from Proctor & Gamble in 2015 by buying all remaining shares.
Water Solution Companies
Clean water shortages can occur after a major storm hits, especially when flood water affects public drinking water. Companies that can test and treat water, as well as transport it, are needed and are often contracted by the government to help in these cases. One of the leaders in this area is Xylem (XYL), making it a company to watch during storm season.


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Decrypt’s Art, Fashion, and Entertainment Hub.
Companies like Robinhood, Block, and eToro are already offering crypto alongside their stock offerings, so it's only a matter of time before crypto brokerages begin to offer stocks. That's the opinion of Jesse Powell, the CEO of early Bitcoin exchange Kraken and a well respected veteran of the crypto scene.
On the latest episode of Decrypt's gm podcast, Powell noted that crypto exchanges are moving towards offering a "super wallet" of sorts that allows consumers to buy or trade everything from crypto to NFTs to stocks.
"I think you'll see these crypto exchanges all kind of converge on a very similar feature set that becomes a sort of super wallet, omni-product app with NFTs, spot trading, FX, maybe even stock trading, maybe even some more extreme crypto stuff," said Powell. "I think we've said before that [stocks] are something that we're exploring and I think makes sense to do."
Powell's perspective is worth noting since he has been involved in crypto since almost the very beginning, founding Kraken as a Bitcoin exchange in 2011 after running a previous company that facilitated trading in World of Warcraft gold and other digital items.
Kraken is less well known than its larger rival Coinbase, but the company has long done a healthy trade in the US and other large markets, and is the go-to exchange for many professional crypto traders. More recently, it has focused on trying to lure more retail investors, "trying to onboard the next billion users to crypto," Powell said.
Even as more and more companies offer crypto, Powell says he is not worried this will put significant pressure on the trading fees that are by far the largest revenue stream for Kraken and other exchanges.
"I don't really think there's like a lot of pressure on trading fees. I still feel like they're fairly low." he said. "I guess they could go to zero. But I don't feel like, when the price of something is moving 20 percent everyday, I don't think people bat an eye at 20 basis points."
He added that many investors are "relatively insensitive" to the fees and that, "Ultimately, it's going to come down to the best UX and being able to do more of what you want in one place."
Meanwhile, Powell says Kraken has already been diversifying its revenue streams within crypto. He pointed to the company's forthcoming NFT offering and to DeFi staking, which he says is becoming a part of the company's business.
Powell, who is polite and soft-spoken in person, is also known for his pugnacious stances towards regulators, famously pulling Kraken out of New York in 2015 in response to that state's controversial regulatory framework known as the BitLicense. In 2018, he described New York as "an abusive, controlling ex you broke up with 3 years ago but they keep stalking you."
Kraken's opinion on New York's crypto decree—which was launched by a regulator who left soon after to advise crypto firms on how to navigate the very same license he created—hasn't improved of late.
"After all this time, I mean, if we just looked back and did a study of the economic damage done by the BitLicense, I'm sure it would be tremendous—in the billions of dollars," he said. "But other states are getting to be more open and welcoming of Bitcoin, and even seeing it as something that can create growth in their economy, something they want to attract to their state."
The Kraken CEO also shared his candid perspective on a broad range of other crypto topics, including the forthcoming Ethereum merge and the role of NFTs in gaming. He also offered a salty take on San Francisco, where Kraken recently shut its office due to worsening crime, and a prescient warning about stablecoin-issuer Terra—which collapsed spectacularly this week.
Listen and subscribe to the gm podcast wherever you get your podcasts.


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(الاحد- السبت) ٨ صباحاً - 9 مساءاً
The famous Italian luxury sports car company Ferrari is finally preparing for the launch of its SUV after a long time, almost 20 years after its rival brands and we are excited to share what we know so far.
Releasing with top-notch engines like V6, Hybrid V8, and V12, Ferrari is going to push its limit this time with the all new Purosangue.
Recently Ferrari Purosangue announced that they are soon going to bring their latest model to the race. We now know Purosangue will be on the market with an advanced V12 engine with 800 horsepower, a composition no other rivals are offering as of now and this gives Ferrari a flaunting privilege.
Blueprint of the Purosangue’s front engine shows that there is not enough room for motors so they will be attached to the rear. It is safe to presume that the V12 and V8 will take power from the front end for the front axle.
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مفتوح (الاحد- السبت)


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In March, Montclair State University hosted Italian business leaders to facilitate a discussion on the relationship between their businesses and Italian Studies. Among those in attendance were scholar-journalist Daniele Balicco, Andrea Illy of Illycaffe S.p.A. and Altagamma, and Giovanni Colavita, CEO of Colavita USA. Terese Fiore, the Inserra Chair of Italian and American Studies at MSU, began the discussion by expressing her belief that the bridge between Italy and the United States could be improved and expanded.
She went on to introduce other leaders who share the goal of synergizing the two cultures. Margie Piliere from the Chief Economic Development Office at Choose New Jersey, stated that this progress begins locally, saying, “Choose NJ is a privately funded non-profit and we are focused very much on attracting new business to the state of NJ and we do this both domestically and internationally. We have been spending quite a bit of time on encouraging businesses from Italy to move here to NJ.”
The conversation eventually moved on to a core topic- that the Italian language is more than just “la bella lingua” (beautiful), but useful in a business context. MSU faculty member Enza Antenos teaches a course on the Italian market, stating “[it] allows students to see what they can do with the language…“[and] gives immediacy of delivery mode and wide online dissemination. Students publish articles through publishers in New York and within a month the articles had over 40,000 views. The business course has an impact beyond the university.”
Another engaging topic was that of internship programs offered by Italian companies to students who demonstrate competency and willingness to learn, regardless of their area of focus. On his program, Colavita asserted, “I don’t care that much what you teach them in terms of business. I care more about the culture, the language, because if they are smart people I will find them or create a job” and concluded by saying,
“Internships have been a huge opportunity for the students and the company. We have an Italian company and American company, and we need the two to talk and to be closer. So we send Americans to Italy and Italians to America.”
Read the full article here.


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Game Freak will self-publish the PC version of Little Town Hero on Steam when it launches at the end of this month. NIS America will handle the publishing for the PlayStation 4 version which will release in North America on June 23, 2020 and in Europe on June 26, 2020. The company will also publish the Big Idea Edition of Little Town Hero which will release for the Nintendo Switch on July 3, 2020.
Those who get a physical copy of the game will also get a ‘Life in the Village’ art book, a Little Town Hero: Town Tunes soundtrack CD, a poster, and a Defender Duo lapel pin set. You can check out more on that in our previous report.
So far there isn’t much more info about the Steam version of the game, but it will come with English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese language options.
Little Town Hero will release for PC via Steam on June 30, 2020. The game is currently available for the Nintendo Switch. It originally released exclusively for the Switch in October 2019. The PS4 version released in Japan in April 2020.


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How often do you take a selfie and what do you do with it? Post it to social media and wait for the likes to flood in, no doubt. Well, a new report commissioned by Sony Mobile looks at the future of the humble selfie and its potential future applications.
Based on futurologist predictions and an international OnePoll survey of 6,500 smartphone owners from the UK, France, Germany and Spain, the survey predicts the top 10 ways of smartphones:
- Dating: Taking a selfie with your date to find out what they really think
- Medical: Selfie or video calls rather than face to face appointments with a GP
- Banking: Selfies as an alternative to passwords
- Leisure: Around half of thrill-seekers would like to try a ‘selfiecoaster’ – a roller coaster that puts you in control of capturing your experience on the ride
- Fitness: selfies that work with AI to capture body monitoring e.g. testing heart rates and even suggesting how to improve on technique and how accurately a move is being performed
- Fashion: taking a 3D body image for made-to-measure clothes
- Retail: using your smartphone camera to try on different outfits suited to your body shape, at the touch of a button
- Social currency: paying for entry to the cinema or a tourist attraction through a selfie
- Robots: Using your smartphone to control drones or robots to take selfies from other or extreme locations
- Home: Using selfies to secure and access our homes and cars.
The survey also found that over a third of customers would feel more secure if banks were to use selfies as a security measure rather than traditional passwords. More than a quarter also stated that they would prefer to see their GP via a selfie or video call than a face-to-face appointment.
Sony commissioned the report as part of a marketing campaign for their Xperia XZ model which offers superior quality photos. The results of the study achieved coverage on Amateur Photographer Magazine, the Express and the MailOnline amongst other online publications.


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Ranging from $2,099 to $24,999
Gaikai-based PS3 game streaming service PlayStation Now was just revealed at this year’s CES, and now it’s making its way into the first television sets.
If you’ve been shopping for a new TV, here are the details on which Sony sets will launch with the service this summer. Three Bravia 4K Ultra HD TV models, ranging in sizes from 49 inches to 85 inches, and ranging in price from $2,099 (XBR-X850B) to $24,999 (XBR-X950B, shown above), will be released in June.
After forking over the cash, you’ll need to get going with PlayStation Now is a DualShock 3 controller, says Sony.
Or you could just use your existing TV and a PS4.


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Minecraft’s pixelated profit machine
FORTUNE — When programmer Markus Persson, 32, began working on a side project called Minecraft in 2009 there was little to indicate it would go anywhere. His boss certainly didn’t think so. “I didn’t see any potential in it, and that’s the honest truth,” says Carl Manneh, who was then CEO of photo-sharing site jAlbum. When Minecraft revenues surpassed jAlbum’s shortly thereafter, Manneh realized just how wrong he’d been. Now, Manneh runs Mojang, the 25-person team behind the game. And Minecraft has become a gaming phenom with no signs of slowing down.
Minecraft is a videogame only in the loosest sense. Digital sandbox is a more accurate description. Players are free to construct buildings and objects out of 3D cubes, polygonal Legos of sorts. The program, which is available for PCs as well as Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG) phones, eschews the ultra-realistic, blockbuster graphics of contemporary computer games. With its pixelated, blocky textures, Minecraft looks like a relic from the Atari era. In one mode, players must gather resources during the day and fend off monster attacks at night; in another, they are free to create whatever they like.
The game’s difficulty adds to the old school flavor. The learning curve can be punishing. In lieu of a manual, users are encouraged to buddy up with a “mentor” to show them the ropes or crawl user forums and web videos for tips on everything from scavenging for materials to building huge monuments. “The same thing that draws people to Minecraft is the same thing that draws people to make their own music videos or to try to sell their own crafts on Etsy,” explains Leigh Alexander, editor-at-large for game industry web site GamaSutra.
This freeform gameplay has generated a robust culture, with players creating and sharing their designs online. A common internet meme over the past year has been “xyz re-created in Minecraft,” from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater to Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. Although the Mojang team says its largest demographic set is under 15, Minecraft’s users range in age from 9 to 70, casual gamer to seasoned veteran. To date, the game has more than 25 million registered users, 5 million of which paid upfront for a premium version with additional features.
That has translated into a real business. The company reported $80 million in revenues — and $13.5 million in profit — through the end of 2011. Large publishers have come knocking with acquisition bids, rumored to be worth close to $1 billion. And rockstar entrepreneur Sean Parker flew the developers to London for a party hoping to woo them as a future investor.
A good barometer of how rapidly the game has grown in popularity is MineCon, the annual Minecraft convention. Its first gathering in Bellevue, Washington two years ago was a low key affair attended by Persson and around 50 other devotees. Last November, MineCon drew 5,000 fans, packing the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. “Going from your small offices [in Sweden] to MineCon, and meeting these people, that’s when we realized how big Minecraft was and what kind of impact the game has made,” says Manneh.
Minecraft’s success is largely due to Persson, its creator, described by industry insiders as bright with a sharp wit. He worked for some four-and-a-half years as a programmer for King.com, developing casual puzzle and shooting games with names like Funny Farm and Carnival Shootout before jAlbum. Persson never anticipated becoming a millionaire, let alone an industry luminary. Still Notch, as he calls himself online, already commands a sizable influence. More than 640,000 people follow his frequent updates on Twitter, while nearly 112,300 track him on Google+. (Persson declined to comment for this story.)
Indeed, just as appealing to fans as Minecraft itself is Persson’s anti-establishment persona. He is above all a programmer, but he hasn’t shied away from controversy. In an interview with an industry trade publication last year, Persson said he may have quashed Electronic Arts (EA) boss John Riccitello’s potential acquisition hopes over lunch. When the CEO of game maker OMGPOP, which was recently acquired for $210 million by Zynga (ZNGA), made disparaging remarks about the one employee who did not make the move, Persson came to his defense. He shot back on Twitter, “You’re an insane idiot.” And when a fan admitted, also via Twitter, that he couldn’t to afford to buy Minecraft, Persson publicly recommended he pirate a copy. Instead of pocketing nearly $3 million in dividends last year, he gave it back to Mojang employees, bolstering his Robin Hood image.
More importantly, Minecraft’s parent Mojang is bucking two of the biggest trends in games. It is unlike casual game makers Zynga and Rovio, pumping out low- and no-cost titles people play as diversions on the subway or at work. Nor is it like larger game firms EA and Activision (ATVI), which operate much like Hollywood studios, investing tens and sometimes hundreds of millions developing complex titles like Call of Duty. With its idiosyncratic approach, it is most like the old Blizzard, the small Irvine, California studio that wound up creating World of Warcraft, one of the most profitable franchises in history. (It eventually merged with Activision in 2007, an $18.9 billion tie up that created the world’s largest game maker.)
Mojang is looking at ways to expand, which includes everything short of being acquired. That includes placing its bets on an all-new unrelated adventure game called Scrolls, which will initially roll out in an invite-only “closed alpha” in the next two months. And earlier this week, Persson announced another game, dubbed 0×10C, an ambitious-sounding multiplayer space travel game.
Key to maintaining overall growth of Minecraft itself will be exploring opportunities that make sense for the game, says Scott Steinberg, head of business consulting for the video games firm TechSavvy. Mojang has been approached to develop the game into a TV show or film, although the company hasn’t committed to anything yet. A version of the game is headed to Microsoft’s (MSFT) Xbox Live this May. And merchandise, which generated nearly $1 million last year, will get a big boost later this year when an official Minecraft-inspired Lego set arrives. For Persson and crew, that is likely only to be the beginning.


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Packed with an array of vitamins, nutrients and good fats, it’s no secret that avocados are one of the most desirable superfoods in the produce aisle. Need another reason to make a bowl of guacamole right this second? Scientists are now saying that avocado is even healthier than previously believed, and that eating it every day reduces the risk of heart disease.
Iranian researchers analyzed 129 previously published studies to gain further insight into the relationship between avocado consumption and metabolic syndrome, which is defined as the cluster of risk factors that increases the risk of developing diabetes, stroke and heart disease. These risk factors include high blood pressure, elevated blood fat levels, insulin resistance, unusually high levels of C-reactive protein, abdominal obesity and abnormally high levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 or fibrinogen in your blood.
The researchers determined that the fleshy fruit — yes, it’s technically a fruit — lowers bad (LDL) cholesterol and raises good (HDL) cholesterol while influencing triglycerides, total cholesterol and phospholipids in a beneficial way. “The lipid-lowering, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-thrombotic, anti-atherosclerotic and cardioprotective effects of avocado have been demonstrated in several studies,” researchers concluded.
And it’s not just the flesh that’s beneficial — the peel, seed and leaves all play a part in reducing the risk of health problems. No wonder most of the previously published studies encourage daily avo consumption. Not that we’re complaining.
Yet because avocado is so high in dietary fat, many people worry about consuming it on a daily basis. But according to Health.com, research shows that “people who eat more avocados weigh less and have smaller waists than those who don’t, even when they don’t consume fewer calories overall.” Are you as psyched as we are?
If you are looking for a place to get your daily dose of the beneficial fruit, consider heading over to the world’s first avocado bar, Avocaderia in Brooklyn. At its recent opening the restaurant reportedly went through 200 avocados and sold out of every item on the menu by 2 p.m.
Or if you’d like to get your fix at home, head here for some delicious recipes, including avocado chocolate mousse, avocado toast and avocado stuffed with shrimp ceviche.
What Do YOU Think?
Is avocado a part of your daily diet? Will this new research motivate you to up your daily avocado intake? What is your favorite way to eat avocado?


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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — We all know how hard it is to start and maintain a business. In fact, the U.S. Small Business Administration says only about 50 percent survive at least five years.
But in Sacramento, which has been recently ranked as the best place in the country to open a small business, some extra help can go a long way.
Small business owners in under-served communities of Sacramento and Stockton will be able to get a little extra boost to grow through the Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) program.
Kaiser Permanente is partnering with the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City organization to give dozens of small business owners access to education, business coaching, mentorship, and, in some cases, access to money.
The program is offered at no cost to businesses that are accepted.
READ MORE FROM CARLOS:
“The goal is to help improve economic health to help improve community health,” said Trish Rodriguez, Senior Vice President and Area Manager for Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento. “By strengthening the business sector, those businesses will create jobs, and help improve the health of the community—because economic, social, and environmental factors in communities greatly affect people’s health."
Through ICCC, Kaiser officials said they plan to help small and medium-sized businesses by partnering with organizations that work with businesses owned by underrepresented groups like people of color, women, LGBTQ, immigrants, veterans and more.
Last year, the program helped 60 businesses. One of the several local entrepreneurs who benefited were Matthew and Jonathan Burgess, known in Sacramento as the Burgess Brothers. They were nominated and were part of the program.
The ICCC helped expand their business, from a restaurant to the now product distribute company for other restaurants and hotels around the country.
READ MORE FROM CARLOS:
"[Other business owners] haven’t met us in person, but it came through the tools coming through ICCC program, that’s why it’s so beneficial to include other businesses in our region,” Matthew told ABC10.
The brothers said they learned many things through the program, but they remember the series of webinars the most, "we actually pulled from that the next day."
The brothers said the program has also inspired them to give back to their community by telling others about it. "We give back by showing other diverse groups how to build business because that’s what its all about so so they have future and look for something beyond the 9 to 5 where they can build a legacy for their families,” Matthew said.
If you know of any businesses who could benefit from the ICCC, you can nominate them here. The deadline is Friday June 7th.
Follow the conversation on Facebook with Carlos.


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As we said recently, Pokémon Masters has recently evolved into Pokémon Masters EX, a massive update to a game designed to celebrate how far it has progressed because its manufacturer has to apologize for the lack of content.
Sure, the current update has garnered a lot of attention, but the hashtag on Twitter brings the database to people who are unaware of its existence.
Twitter share’s hilarious reaction, have a look at the below post.
— FlipSide13 (@FlipSide_13) September 1, 2020
— Frenchi 🙂 (@Frenchiiixd) September 1, 2020
— wɇɍǥᶜʳᶠ (@HadoukenEx) September 1, 2020


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The Lunar New Year is here and, ironically enough, it has been dubbed the Year of the Pig.
But with the global pig disease situation, specifically in terms of African swine fever (ASF), it seems like it can hardly be called the Year of the Pig.
So far, in the calendar year 2019, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has active reports on ASF cases in Romania, Moldova, Belgium, Ukraine, Chad, Poland, Latvia, Mongolia, Hungary and, perhaps most importantly, the world’s largest pork-consuming country, China.
There have also been reports of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Russia and Columbia, and classical swine fever in Japan.
And while most cases so far have occurred in wild boars or in small backyard herds, the threat of these diseases is real.
Maybe the Year of Pork Market Uncertainty?
In its most recent Pork Quarterly report, Rabobank reported that rising disease pressures are challenging the global pork market. The report notes that China’s need to lift imports will incentivize continued growth in key exporting countries, but it still remains uncertain how much pork China will import.
In China, Rabobank reported, ASF is reshaping the industry, and production expansion and replenishment are expected to slow, largely over biosecurity concerns. The supply of pork is sufficient to meet the demand in the first quarter of 2019, but local supply shortages can be expected in the subsequent quarters.
In the EU, the pork market is being hampered by ASF, and rising piglet prices in recent months signal a tight piglet supply.
In the U.S., pork production is expected rise 4 percent in 2019 with a large breeding herd and expectations of stronger demand from China, despite the uncertainty of the U.S.-China trade talks. The U.S.-based National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has urged negotiators from both countries to quickly resolve their trade dispute, and has asked China to make a minimum purchase of US$3.5 billion worth of U.S. pork.
In Brazil, the pork industry is expected to have promising prospects, and export growth is expected to be driven by China. The recent return of the Russian market, through the recertification of some Brazilian pork plants, are also expected to contribute to more pork exports.
Perhaps it’s another animal’s year
In the same Rabobank report, Chenjun Pan, Senior Analyst – Animal Protein, said, “The changes ASF will bring create opportunities for some, and threats for others.”
That could apply to producers of other proteins. So while 2019 may informally be the “Year of the Pig,” it could informally be the “Year of the Chicken” or the “Year of the Turkey”. We’ll see how things unfold for the rest of the year.


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Optima Sees Fracking Increasing Specialty Steel Demand
Demand for specialty-steel products used in hydraulic fracking is poised to continue rising next year as energy companies step up exploration and production in shale-rock formations, Optima Specialty Steel Inc. said.
Optima’s sales of steel tubing to natural gas producers have climbed 15 percent in 2012, and a similar increase is forecast for 2013, said Kevin Stevick, chief executive officer of the closely held company. Growth at the Miami-based company is coming from fracking in states including Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York, he said.
“Those regions are really building,” Stevick said in a Nov. 21 telephone interview. “We don’t see that slowing down.”
Optima competes with companies including ArcelorMittal (MT), Nucor Corp. (NUE) and Republic Steel Corp. in specialty steel for energy and auto markets. Demand for special-bar quality steel, which is used in some specialty-steel products, has increased 9 percent this year, compared with 7.5 percent in the overall steel market, Ken Hoffman, an analyst for Bloomberg Industries, said yesterday.
U.S. onshore gas production has risen year-over-year since 2009, according to data compiled by Bloomberg Industries.
“Overall, the prognosis for gas rigs continues to be positive, driven by shale-gas drilling,” Kuni Chen, an analyst for Stamford, Connecticut-based CRT Capital Group LLC, said yesterday in a telephone interview.
Optima said Nov. 19 it agreed to acquire KES Acquisition Co., which owns a mill producing special-bar quality steel. It will pay New York-based ALJ Regional Holdings Inc. (ALJJ) $112.5 million for KES. Optima’s Niagara Lasalle Corp. unit, which makes cold finished steel bars for auto markets, is KES’s largest customer, Stevick said.
The acquisition will increase Optima’s annual sales to about $700 million and improve its ability to fill orders quickly, the CEO said. The company’s mills have waiting times as long as 12 months, he said.
Two of the company’s major customers that drill for gas increased orders by 20 percent since 2011, Stevick said, declining to name them for competitive reasons.
Optima operates in a niche market for specialty steel that comprises about 2 percent to 3 percent of the total steel market, he said.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Simon Casey at email@example.com


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TRUE JOBS REPORT - Biden: Growing Government
FACT: Biden is growing Government FAST and GOV JOBS were the 2nd largest gain of jobs in July. While its good people are getting back to work, its pretty obvious that #Biden created little to no Leisure/Hospitality Jobs. That's just the result of CA, NY, IL, MI reopening from their extended #COVID Lock Downs. In fact 253,000 of those jobs were Restaurants & Bars. Those jobs were already created. They were just forced to hibernate for winter in Democrat run states. And now they're awake again for summer. However if you subtract all the sectors of Job creation one realities there are 297,000 Jobs created that are not in any industry? How can this be? What are those jobs then? Those are the new Government Jobs that create no revenue and only spend more money paid for by private industry Tax payers.
So if you subtract the Leisure/Hospitality Jobs that are not new and the balance of the Government Jobs, the TRUE Jobs created number is only a meager 266,000 new jobs.


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[photopress:ITLenovo_Vista.jpg,full,alignright]Microsoft has problems with its Office suite of programs in that online versions — Google and so on — are starting to eat into the market. So it has formed an alliance with Lenovo to jointly promote sales of Microsoft’s Office 2007.
Zhang Yaqin, senior vice president of Microsoft China, attended the press conference as an acting CEO of the company. Zhang said that the cooperation with Lenovo once again represents Microsoft’s long term commitment and strategy in China. (He did not mention there was something akin to panic at Microsoft headquarters at the way the online program market is growing.)
Lenovo will pre-install Office 2007 software in its consumer PCs. Users can use the software for free in the first three months and choose to uninstall it or purchase a legitimate copy for only RMB899 when the trial use period expires. This special offer is mainly targeted at Chinese families and students.
Microsoft’s Office 2007 in China normally sells for about RMB1,499 retail.
Source: Jongo News


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Shale gas and oil production, changing production costs in China and rising incomes in emerging markets will grow the demand for U.S.-made products, according to Bronson Hsieh, second vice group chairman of the Evergreen Group, operators of the global carrier Evergreen Line.
As keynote speaker at the Trans-Pacific Maritime (TPM) Asia conference October 17th, Hsieh noted: "Shale oil and shale gas bring significant changes to U.S. economic development. Shale oil increases the U.S.'s domestic supply and reduces oil imports. Shale gas enhances the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing by providing low-cost feedstock to petrochemical companies and inexpensive energy for other gas-intensive industries."
He added that U.S. government and states' incentive packages will continue to attract domestic and foreign investments and that modernization of port facilities and negotiation of free trade agreements will accelerate trade growth and cargo flows.
Citing the analysis of Boston Consulting Group, he said "Given the changes of production costs in China, the advantages of U.S. manufacturing will start to emerge." He believes that with rising incomes, emerging markets are expected to increase demands for high-quality American products, enhancing the growth potential of U.S. exports.
"If these trends continue as forecast, they will strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing and boost exports," he predicted. He added that cargo growth will also benefit container carriers by reducing equipment repositioning costs and adding more growth momentum to port throughputs.
In the long term, he concluded, export growth and declining oil imports will reduce the U.S. trade deficit, strengthen the value of the dollar and encourage imports.


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BUSINESS PEOPLE; A Co-Founder of Next Is Quitting the Company
By ANDREW POLLACK
Published: May 4, 1991
Susan Kelly Barnes, co-founder and chief financial officer of Next Computer Inc. and a longtime aide to Steven P. Jobs, the company's president, is leaving the company.
In a statement issued by Next, Ms. Barnes said the move would allow her to have more personal time. Mr. Jobs and other Next officials said the departure was unrelated to the performance of the company, which is based in Redwood City, Calif.
Next Computer, formerly known as Next Inc., has met with limited success so far in trying to sell advanced desktop computers. Recently, Mr. Jobs, who also co-founded Apple Computer Inc., has said that Next's sales have increased dramatically and could exceed $200 million this year. Nevertheless, there is still widespread skepticism in the computer industry about prospects for the privately held company.
Ms. Barnes, 37, will become chief financial officer and a managing director of Richard C. Blum & Associates, a San Francisco merchant banking company headed by the husband of Dianne Feinstein, the former mayor of San Francisco. Next officials said Ms. Barnes was traveling on family business and could not immediately be reached for comment.
Ms. Barnes, who previously was the controller of Apple's Macintosh division, was one of five Apple employees who followed the charismatic Mr. Jobs in 1985 when he left Apple and started Next after losing a power struggle with Apple's chief executive, John Sculley.
She is the second of those co-founders to leave Next. Dan'l Lewin, vice president of sales, left last year to join the Go Corporation, a company developing software for pen-based computers. Ms. Barnes's husband, Bud Tribble, is also a co-founder of Next and remains vice president of software.
As Next's chief financial officer, Ms. Barnes helped raise a huge amount of money that has helped Next weather its slow start. The most notable transaction was a $100 million investment by Canon Inc. in 1989 for a 16.7 percent stake in Next. That gave Next an implied valuation of $600 million, astonishingly high for a company that was not yet shipping any products.
Mr. Jobs, in an interview, said Ms. Barnes, who has a one-year-old child, had been discussing leaving for six months. "I respect her choice, and we're going to have to find another C.F.O.," he said, adding that the search had begun.


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The extended circuit breaker came with tighter measures that saw standalone bubble tea chains, bakeries and confectionaries, as well as home-based bakers to shutter.
Thankfully, places that sell hot food in addition to those mentioned above are still allowed to operate as part of essential services. So it's not like people can't satiate their sweet tooth, but it's only a matter of whether it's from their favourite brands.
Not long after the announcement, we started seeing unlikely F&B brands collaborations sprouting up during the CB period. Suddenly, Koi started teaming up with Grain, Milksha with Yum Cha Express, Each-a-cup with Enaq Prata shop, as well as LiHo and its many food collaborators. Talk about being creative to survive in hard times.
One such creative paring — or weird, for cake purists — is The White Ombre and chefs from a nearby coffee shop.
As their latest creations aren't chilled cakes, the bakery has been given the "approval from the authorities to operate", as explained in its ordering form.
Though they are shaped and decorated like cakes, these are in fact, familiar hawker dishes tastefully assembled by the bakery's pastry chefs.
Currently, there are three flavours to choose from, including Hainanese Chicken Rice Cake, Fried Rice with Prawn Paste Chicken and Prawn Roll Savoury Cake.
These savoury versions come in four-inch that will feed one to two pax, six-inch for three to four pax, and eight-inch for five to six pax.
You can opt for roasted chicken or steamed chicken for the Hainanese Chicken Rice Cake, and it comes with The White Ombre's special homemade chicken rice chilli.
As for the Fried Rice with Prawn Paste Chicken and Prawn Roll Savoury Cake, you can choose from seven different types of fried rice as its base. For the upcoming Mother's Day celebrations, all savoury cakes ordered also comes with a free customised Mother's Day message topper.
These are the fried rice options available:
- Yang Zhou Fried Rice
- Tender Beef Fried Rice
- Diced Chicken Fried Rice
- Mixed Seafood Fried Rice
- Salted Fish Fried Rice
- Sausage Fried Rice
- Petai Fried Rice
There'll be a $20 island-wide delivery with no minimum order required, and free delivery for orders above $60. Prices from the cakes range from $35 to $75, depending on the size.
Orders have to be placed three days in advance as they're expecting a high number of orders during Mother's Day.
So if you intend to get mum something different this year, better act fast before all the slots are taken up.
Click here for AsiaOne's Circuit Breaker Survival Guide (CBSG).
For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.