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Official data provided by the National Statistics Office in Malta revealed that the number of tourist arrivals during the third quarter of this year was 122,163 in Malta, while the total number of nights spent rose to 1,045,058 nights.
The same shows that although the number of business trips and overseas vacations increased during the third quarter of this year, compared to the figures for the same period in 2020, they are still below pre-pandemic levels, TheSchengen.com reports.
Previously, a report by the European Travel Commission (ETC) came to the conclusion that although demand for European travel has increased due to higher vaccination rates, volumes are still lower than the pre-pandemic period and will not reach the latter until 2024.
From July through September 2021, 61,936 overseas tourist trips were made for holiday purposes, followed by 41,986 trips to visit relatives and friends. The ages of the largest number of tourist arrivals ranged between 25 and 44 years, followed by 45 and 64 years.
The latest report shows that tourists from Italy and France visited Malta with 41.9 percent of the total tourist trips.
The largest number of guest nights, a total of 64.6 percent, were spent in non-rental accommodations, while the average length of stay for outbound tourists was 8.6 nights.
At the same time, the total spending of incoming tourists between July and September was 98.5 million euros, which is equivalent to 807 euros per capita on average.
The total number of outbound tourist trips between January and September 2021 was 179,847, an increase of 7.4% over 2020. The total number of nights spent by outbound tourists increased by 53.0%, to nearly 1.9 million nights. In addition, the total estimated spending for outbound tourists was 151.2 million euros, 29.7 percent more than that recorded in the same period in 2020, the statement said.
During the first nine months of 2021, figures revealed that total tourist trips between January and September 2021 amounted to 179,847 trips, an increase of 7.4 percent over 2020.
Meanwhile, during the third quarter of 2019, just under 142,000 people took overseas trips in the same period this year, while the number reached only 61,936.
According to the Office for National Statistics, the largest decrease in the number of holiday tourists was recorded, in the third quarter of 2019, almost 44,000 people went on such trips, compared to just over 8,000 during the same period this year, i.e. more than 80 for each person. cent decline.


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DIGICEL DRIVES BEST VALUE FOR ROAMERS – Dispenses with roaming rates across the Caribbean and US
Digicel, the best value mobile operator, will dispense with roaming charges across its Caribbean and the US markets, it was announced today.
The move which applies to voice, SMS and data roaming charges sees customers being able to communicate for the same great rates that they pay at home when they travel in the Caribbean and the US. It will be in place across the region by 1st October 2013 and customers will not be charged an activation fee.
As the first operator in the region to dispense with roaming rates, Digicel is reaffirming its commitment to customers and to ensuring that they always benefit from best value.
The moves comes on the back of the fantastic customer reaction to Digicel’s “Same Rates a Yaad” plan launched in Jamaica which has since been mirrored in markets like Barbados, Panama and Trinidad and the company’s ongoing mission to ensure that customers get more for less.
Brian Finn, Digicel Group Commercial Director, comments; “At Digicel, we are always looking for new ways to drive value to our customer base and to keep people connected. We are proud to be the first operator to be making this move and to be ensuring that our valued customers can communicate easily and economically wherever they are in the region.”
He continues; “This is all about giving our customers the freedom to communicate as they wish when they travel without the fear of running up high bills.”

domain: news


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NCM Museum Board finalized decision (released today via email to NCM members):
"The National Corvette Museum Board of Directors held their quarterly meeting and finalized plans for repair of the Museum’s Skydome building, and the eight Corvettes affected by the February 12, 2014 sinkhole collapse.
After careful review of additional information and revised plans with price quotes from the construction company, the board voted to completely fill in the sinkhole.
“We really wanted to preserve a portion of the hole so that guests for years to come could see a little bit of what it was like, but after receiving more detailed pricing, the cost outweighs the benefit,” said Museum Executive Director Wendell Strode. “At the June board meeting, the information available at that time indicated a cost of around $500,000 more to keep the hole, but after incorporating additional safety features and vapor barriers for humidity control, the price tag rose to $1 million more than the cost to put the Skydome back how it was.”
Keeping even a portion of the sinkhole would require 35 foot retaining walls to be built inside of the sinkhole, additional micro piling, visible steel beams running through the hole, and soil nailing. All of these additional structural features are to ensure the safety of the sinkhole and prevent cracking and breaking of the sides in the future, which could result in stability issues, but take away from the natural look of the original sinkhole. The board also considered future maintenance issues that could arise if the hole was kept and the possibility that the hole wouldn’t look like a naturally occurring sinkhole any longer.
“The interest in our new attraction has been phenomenal so we do plan to leave it ‘as-is’ through our Vets ‘n Vettes event November 6-8, 2014, after which time we will begin the process of remediating and filling the hole,” Strode added.
Chevrolet and the National Corvette Museum will restore three of the Corvettes that were damaged when they were swallowed up by the sinkhole.
Chevrolet will restore the 2009 Corvette ZR1 prototype, known as the Blue Devil, and the 1-millionth Corvette produced – a white 1992 convertible. The GM Heritage Center will oversee this process. In addition, the restoration of the 1962 Corvette will be funded by Chevrolet, but will be handled by the National Corvette Museum. A restoration shop has not yet been determined. The remaining five cars were determined to be too badly damaged to warrant restoration. They will remain in their as-recovered state to preserve the historical significance of the cars and what happened on February 12, 2014. They will become part of a future display at the Museum.
In total, General Motors will provide nearly $250,000 in support to help the Museum recover from the sinkhole. The National Corvette Museum celebrates its 20th anniversary this weekend as it welcomes the Corvette enthusiasts nationwide who have helped expand and support the non-profit Museum.
“Our goal was to help the National Corvette Museum recover from a terrible natural disaster by restoring all eight cars,” said Mark Reuss, GM Executive Vice President, Global Product Development. “However, as the cars were recovered, it became clear that restoration would be impractical because so little was left to repair. And, frankly, there is some historical value in leaving those cars to be viewed as they are.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Corvette enthusiasts from around the globe.
“There has been an outpouring of messages from enthusiasts the world over, asking us not to restore all of the cars,” said Wendell Strode, executive director for the National Corvette Museum. “For Corvette enthusiasts, the damage to the cars is part of their history, and part narrative of the National Corvette Museum. Restoring them all would negate the significance of what happened.”
Timelines for the start and projected completion dates for the three Corvettes’ restorations have not been established. They will be announced later."


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You might not live like a king but now you can be dead like one. Elvis Presley’s crypt, where his body spent two months before being moved to its final resting place in Graceland’s meditation garden, is up for auction.
Part of a “Sports Legends and Music Icons” auction, Presley’s crypt, which will start at $100,000, will be sold alongside other less-morbid items including Yoko Ono’s sunglasses, costumes from the Jackson 5, and Bette Midler’s boots. According to the Associated Press, the winning bid will also receive “opening and closing of the vault for burial, a memorialization inscription, and use of a chapel for committal service.”
Of course, spending money on Elvis’s crypt may be a waste of cash—everybody knows, the king lives!


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Wholesale used-vehicle prices fell “substantially” in August to cap off a summer that had been marked by more gradual monthly price declines.
Cox Automotive said Thursday that wholesale prices declined 4 percent in August compared with July. The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index — an indicator of used-vehicle market pricing trends — declined to 210.8, down from 219.6 in July.
But wholesale prices remained elevated year over year. They were 8.4 percent higher in August than in the year-earlier period, when the index stood at 194.5. Those numbers are adjusted for mix, mileage and seasonality.
On a nonadjusted basis, the index fell 2.6 percent in August from its July level, with prices up 5.9 percent year over year.
Used-retail sales did see some growth, rising 11 percent in August from July. But sales were down 9 percent compared with the same time last year, when they were more robust, according to Cox Automotive.
Average wholesale prices for 3-year-old vehicles, the largest model year cohort at Manheim’s auctions, fell 2.5 percent during the last four weeks.
Cox estimated used-vehicle retail supply stood at 47 days at the end of August. That was down from 53 days at the end of July but up from 38 days in August 2021. Wholesale supply ended August at 27 days, lower than 31 days in July but higher than 21 days in August 2021.


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Burberry's offer to give the factory it is closing at Treorchy in the Rhondda to the local community has been met with strong criticism.
Workers took their protest to London again on Saturday
The clothing firm which is moving production overseas is guaranteeing £1m either to keep the plant as a going concern or to redevelop the empty site.
But campaigners and politicians have dismissed the offer as a PR stunt.
Around 80 workers from the Rhondda travelled to London to protest outside Burberry's flagship store on Saturday.
The Treorchy plant is due to close in March with the loss of 300 jobs six months after the company first announced it was to move production overseas.
Friday's offer by the international clothing company to underwrite the factory and its assets to the tune of £1m has not been warmly received .
Unions said they did not want an empty factory, Welsh Secretary Peter Hain said they had to make sure the factory was indeed an asset, and not a liability to the local community while the assembly government's enterprise minister said the offer was "wholly inadequate".
Campaigners, who want the firm to commit not to transfer production of the plant's polo shirts abroad, travelled to demonstrate outside the New Bond Street store in London for the second time in two months on Saturday.
Celebrities have backed the campaign for the factory to stay open
The company said it could not have made the offer before now because it would have prejudiced the consultation period.
Stacey Cartwright, its chief financial officer, said: "We are in the unenviable position of having had to take a very difficult commercial decision
"In the way in which Burberry operates on the global stage we have to remain competitive to ensure the longevity of Burberry as a very strong British brand.
"The most important priority for us right now having taken this decision is to now look after the employees , look after the community."
Burberry has emphasised that it does not intend to abandon the UK and it has offered Welsh staff jobs at its Yorkshire plant.
But Ms Cartwright said the company would not offer any contract to workers if they took over the site as a co-operative, for which a plan has already been put forward.
Enterprise minister Andrew Davies said he understood that it would take "very substantial investment" to upgrade the factory so it would be ready for another company.
Rhondda AM Leighton Andrews said the £1m offer would no make difference to the anti-closure campaign.
"If Burberry think people are going to be assuaged by this offer today they remain I'm afraid very much mistaken."
He said while talks about a possible co-operative working on the site were still going on, that would not provide jobs for the majority of the Burberry workers now facing redundancy in the Rhondda.
He was joined in condemning the offer by Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans. She said: "This is a small gesture which does not even come close to keeping 311 jobs for present and future generations in the Rhondda."
A strong anti-closure campaign has recruited celebrities as diverse as opera singer Bryn Terfel and Man United football coach Sir Alex Ferguson.


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The Indian multilingual microblogging and social networking platform Koo was recently launched in Brazil. In addition, the platform also added language support for Portuguese, making the available in 11 native languages. Within the 48 hours of its launch in Brazil, the app occupied 1 million user downloads, 2 million Koos and 10 million likes and is currently on #1 spot on both the Android Play Store and Apple App Store.
“We saw more than a million users from Brazil join Koo in the last 48 hours and with one of the highest engagement ever seen. Brazil is big on social media and speaks Portuguese, the native language. Koo has become a cult brand in Brazil that enjoys an unbelievable fan following. We are proud to have started the movement of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ in the tech product world. We have made Brazil fall in love with India. With every new language and country launched, we will be getting closer to our mission of uniting a world that is divided by language-barriers,” said Mayank Bidawatka, Co-founder, Koo in the official statement.
After the launch, famous Brazilian celebrities including Rosana Hermann, Babu Santana, Claudia Leitte, and News outlet Choquei have also joined Koo App. Celebrity Felipe Neto even surpassed 450K followers in just two days after joining the platform, becoming the most followed user. Koo is also anticipated to see significant global popularity.
Based in Bengaluru, India, Koo was initially launched in 2020 with support of Kannada language. Later the app added support for Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Assamese, Marathi, Bangla, Gujarati, Punjabi and Hausa. Koo is further aiming to reach more countries globally making a strong foundation as a multilingual microblogging. According to the app information, soon Koo will also support more foreign native languages including Arabic, Spanish, French, German, Korean, Japanese and others.
Amid all the chaos in Twitter, the Koo App has steadily grabbed growth, becoming the 2nd largest multi-lingual microblogging platform available.


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The dispute accused saw Moroccanoil accuse Marc Anthony of trademark infringement
Morocanoil and Marc Anthony Cosmetics are said to have ended their ongoing legal dispute in a confidential global settlement agreement.
The Moroccanoil group of companies sued Marc Anthony Cosmetics, accusing the company of trademark and trade dress infringement, passing off and unfair competition in relation to its argan oil products.
Anthony challenged Moroccanoil's trademark registrations in Canada, the US and abroad.
All parties are said to be satisfied with the resolution and all proceedings between the two companies will now be discontinued.


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The trimaran superyacht Galaxy of Happiness in Beaulieu Sur Mer, France
Seen this weekend ahead of her international unveiling during the world’s most prestigious yacht show was the brand new 53-metre superyacht Galaxy of Happiness. Built as one of two identical sister ships by Latvian shipyard Latitude Yachts, Galaxy of Happiness is based on a lightweight trimaran hull constructed from a blend of fibreglass and carbon fibre. Two powerful engines propel the yacht to speeds in excess of 28 knots. Coste Design is the company behind the design and engineering of the project.


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The price-gouger-driven skyrocketing prices for insulin have endangered the lives of Americans with diabetes, who are rationing their supplies and trying not to die.
All of this is part of the story of how the for-profit US health care system is radicalizing Americans and driving them to desperate measures (this is the plot of the title story in my latest book).
The latest expression of this desperation is the "Caravan to Canada," groups of Americans with diabetes who form caravans of automobiles and buy insulin at Canadian pharmacies (Canadian insulin costs 90% less than the clinically identical US version, because Canadian pharmaceutical prices are fixed by a government agency called the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board).
America has about ten times as many people as Canada, a fact that worries some pharamceutical industry figures; the CBC quotes Barry Power, director of therapeutic content with the Canadian Pharmacists Association, saying "If you look at the disparity in the populations, a small percentage of Americans coming to Canada is a disproportionate increase for services and supplies that are earmarked for Canada."
Lija Greenseid, who organized the Caravan to Canada, lives in St. Paul, Minn. Her 13-year-old daughter has Type 1 diabetes and she and her husband buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
Last year, she said they spent $13,000 US just to obtain health insurance — and then $14,000 US out of pocket before her daughter's insulin was covered.
"It's a huge amount of money for us. Because of that, we didn't put any money into our kids' college savings accounts or put anything into retirement for the year. We really just had to pay our health-care bills," Greenseid said.
"So now you can see why we do crazy things like go across the border and buy insulin."
Why desperate Americans are driving to Canada in caravans for insulin [Emma Davie/CBC News]
(Image: Quinn Nystrom)
See also: Part protest, part survival tactic: How Americans are using pilgrimages to Canada to get cheaper insulin
An investigation by Propublica and Bayerischer Rundfunk found 187 servers hosting more than 5,000,000 patients' confidential medical records and scans (including a mix of Social Security numbers, home addresses and phone numbers, scans and images, and medical files) that were accessible by the public, "available to anyone with basic computer expertise."
America’s largest retailer will stop selling electronic cigarettes. Walmart announced the news today in response to a growing number of unexplained deaths involving vape devices throughout the US.
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Studies have shown cannabidiol (more popularly known as CBD) to be effective in two main areas: Pain relief and stress relief. Both of those make the non-psychoactive, cannabis-derived compound a natural for topical creams. There’s no shortage of CBD products out there, but here’s eight of our favorites, all specifically designed for dermatological use – […]
If you’re part of the maker community, you know Make:. Though Make: magazine is off the shelves as of this year, the eBooks and resources put out by Maker Media are still a fantastic resource for the new generation of tinkerers, hackers, and robotics geeks. If you’re in that tribe, listen up: they’ve released a […]
Life isn’t getting any less hectic, and pressure cookers are a quick, healthy solution for a growing number of kitchens. But if you thought your Instant Pot was versatile, there’s a major upgrade on the market: The Yedi 9-in-1 Total Package Instant Programmable Pressure Cooker. If you’ve somehow never used a pressure cooker before, try […]


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Volkswagen Group's Skoda division doesn't see Europe's economic problems slowing its growth.
Last year, Skoda reported record global sales of 879,200 vehicles. "We plan to continue to grow in 2012," Juergen Stackmann, the Czech-based brand's head of sales and marketing, told Automotive News Europe.
Europe represents 60 percent of the brand's global sales. "Our market share is currently just under 3 percent in western Europe. I see more potential for Skoda. Our goal is clear: We don't merely want to grow in emerging markets but in our core markets as well," Stackmannn said.
The former Ford marketing executive also confirmed Skoda's goal to increase its global new-car sales to 1.5 million by 2018, helping VW achieve its groupwide goal of reaching 10 million sales by the same year.
By 2018, Skoda wants 60 percent of its volume to come from outside Europe in developing markets such as China and India, compared with 40 percent now. Europe's share of the brand's global volume would reduce to 40 percent.
This plan is already gaining traction. In 2011, China became Skoda's largest single market based on unit sales, surpassing Germany to reach No. 1 just five years after the automaker first launched sales there. The three models that Skoda sells in China, the Fabia subcompact, Octavia compact and Superb mid-sized car, are all produced in a VW Group plant in Shanghai.
Skoda also has production operations with VW in Kaluga, Russia, and Pune, India. Stackmann said the brand will not expand into new markets like North America, Brazil or Argentina. "We are focusing on exploiting the potential of our existing regions," he said.
Skoda plans to add dealers in China and Russia to help boost sales in those countries. In China, Skoda will add 100 more dealers to its current network of 300 outlets. The company has 4,500 dealers worldwide.
Stackmann said that Skoda will continue the biggest model offensive in the brand's history. "Over the next few years, we will deliver a new product to our dealers every six months on average," he said.
Skoda recently launched the Rapid subcompact in India and the Citigo minicar, which is a derivative of the VW Up.
The company also is working on a compact, family-oriented sedan based on the Mission L concept. This new model will compete against cars such as the Renault Fluence when it debuts in in Europe, where it may also be called the Rapid, in the second half of 2012.


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New Scottish craft spirits collective aims to do things differently
A GROUP of Scottish bar and drinks industry veterans have joined forces to launch a new distribution company for independent, small-batch spirits.
Base Spirits Collective, described as a ‘co-operative distribution company’, is a joint venture between Ben Iravani, owner of Aberdeen bars Orchid and 99 Bar & Kitchen, Mike Aikman and Jason Scott, the operators behind Edinburgh bars Bramble, the Last Word and Lucky Liquor Co as well as drinks brands Seawolf, Cross Brew and Braemble, and Ian Melville, former brand development manager for Hi-Spirits in Scotland.
Melville, who is heading the company, said the aim is “to level the playing field for independent brands within the on-trade”.
Focusing initially on Scotland, the company will be working closely with cocktail bars in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee to grow its portfolio of spirits.
Base Spirits will also be serving Porter’s and Braemble cocktails at Edinburgh bar 56 North during the Edinburgh Festival.
“Initially we’re looking at a relationship-led approach to growth; working within our own networks to make sure we’re listening to the trade to see what it is they want and how they want to be supported,” said Melville.
“I think that’s very important – to listen to what’s happening rather than going out with [a set] model. You have to be quite flexible.
“For us, I think the idea is to make sure we’re working those relationships and make sure we’re gaining the growth we can within the networks we already have.
“And then we’ll be growing it via creative plans for each brand. Some cocktail competitions will definitely be happening in the future.
“It’s really listening to the trade to see what they require.”
Melville said the goal for the next year will be to establish “proof of concept” before recruiting more drinks producers to the collective.
The company will also be looking to recruit more staff from the trade.
“A lot of people tend to think when they’re bartending that they either become a bar owner or a brand ambassador,” said Melville.
“And I think there’s a lot of commercial experience gained when you’re behind a bar and a lot of parallels to be drawn between that and the sales element of our industry.”


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TOP 10 RIGHT NOW
Read it at Los Angeles Times
Toyota’s largest recall ever—sparked by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 2009 declaration that the cars’ design could cause acceleration pedals to get caught in the floor mats—has now led to the largest auto-industry settlement ever. Toyota announced Wednesday that it will equip 3.25 million cars with a new brake-override system and reimburse Toyota owners for the reduced value of their cars. On top of that, a warranty plan for the parts believed to cause the unintended acceleration will be made available for 16 million current Toyota owners. The whole settlement is estimated to cost Toyota at least $1 billion.


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A new study, published in The British Journal of Medicine, argues that fructose in soft drinks can be much more harmful than fructose in solid foods like whole fruit as it increases considerably the risk of type 2 diabetes. Fructose a sugar that is naturally present in a wide variety of food items like fruit, vegetables and honey. It is also an additive in soft drinks, packaged cereals, cakes and desserts in the form of ‘free sugars.’ The research was carried out by a team of scientists from the St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and the University of Toronto. They analyzed 155 studies with 5,086 participants. The team investigated the way fructose sugars impacted blood glucose levels in participants with and without diabetes for a period of 12 weeks.
Free sugars in sweetened drinks, on the other hand, are harmful to health and their consumption is to be limited severely. Sweetened or fizzy drinks are nutrient-poor and add up calories, eventually resulting in obesity. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin or when the insulin produced is not effectively used by the body. A regular consumption of sweetened drinks, add up the glucose levels in the body and the insulin produced will not be able to take care of the condition.
The study finds that natural fructose has no harmful effects on blood sugar levels when they do not add extra calories. On the contrary, they have positive effects on blood sugar and insulin control, in the case of people affected by diabetes in particular. The reason for this is assumed to be the high fiber content of fruit that slows down the release of sugars. When food is digested and absorbed by the body slowly, the rise in blood sugar and insulin will also remain slow. Dr John Sievenpiper, the lead author of the study said that the findings might help in forming guidelines regarding the food sources of fructose in preventing and managing diabetes.


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After months of radio silence, Sony has announced its summer PlayStation Showcase 2021 where the company plans on showing off its upcoming games.
The PlayStation Showcase will be live-streamed on Thursday, September 9, at 1 pm PST and it will be a look at what’s in store for the PS5. It’ll last around 40 minutes and will include updates from Sony developers for games that are releasing in the upcoming months and those coming next year.
Sony also mentioned the next generation of PlayStation VR will not make an appearance so curb your enthusiasm.
It has been a long time since fans have seen a State of Play from Sony. The last one was in April where we saw a ton of new indie games and gameplay from the then-unreleased Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Sony didn’t make an appearance at this year’s E3, repeating its 2020 move, so many suspected that the company will hold its own event at the end of the summer. Sure enough, people were right.
📅 Save the date!
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) September 2, 2021
So, this showcase appears to be Sony’s big video game event that would’ve been at E3 and filled with big announcements from developers. That said, Sony has not named which games will be at the events, so we’re left to speculate.
On the Horizon
Outside of one-off announcements for upcoming ports, like Ghost of Tsushima and Death Stranding Director’s Cuts, we have no idea what will be at the showcase. The biggest game on everyone’s mind is God of War: Ragnarok, the sequel to the smash PS4 hit. God of War: Ragnarok was supposed to come out this year, but due to the pandemic, it got pushed back to a yet unknown date.
I'm tired of NOT playing Elden Ring, Silksong, Black Myth: Wukong and God of War: Ragnarok
I've had enough pic.twitter.com/7LTXyZntMY
— MythyMoo (@MythyMoo) August 28, 2021
The other big game is Horizon Forbidden West, which got delayed to February 18, 2022. I believe there is a strong likelihood that Horizon Forbidden West will be at the Showcase considering the release date is five months away. Now will be a perfect time.
I can’t say the same about God of War: Ragnarok. Considering how quiet things have been, I doubt that game is coming out any time soon. Probably not until late 2022, if I had to take a guess.
Shot in the Dark
Some of the smaller-scale games we can expect would be Death Loop, which comes out next month, and Kena: Bridge of Spirits which releases on September 21. There also hasn’t been any information on The Last of Us Part II’s multiplayer which would be interesting to see. Other than that handful of games, it’s difficult to imagine what else will be at the Showcase.
Many of the highly anticipated PS5 games will be shown at the Tokyo Game Show in October and the Game Awards in December. The fan in me wants to see Final Fantasy XVI, but I don’t think it’s likely. Either way, the PlayStation will be exciting to watch because we have no idea what to expect.
The Showcase could very easily blow the competition out of the water or be a dud like this recent E3. Hopefully, it’s a killer show.
Are you thinking of attending PlayStation’s Showcase?


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IDW and Blacklist Games have signed separate agreements to bring fan-favorite franchises Contra and Bomberman to the board game world.
Konami's New York City office, which was formerly known as 4K Media, will now go by Konami Cross Media NY Inc.
Konami has announced a new Bomberman game by way of Famitsu. Titled, "Taisen! Bomberman" or, "Competition! Bomberman," the game will feature cross platform play between Android and iOS users when it launches this winter.


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Waitrose is turning to potato milk as it prepares to launch Swedish brand DUG on its shelves.
Soy, almond, oat and pea milk alternatives have seen their popularity soar recently, but their potato-based competitor will “dominate coffee shop menus” in the coming month, according to the upscale grocer.
“It’s the turn of potato milk”, Waitrose said in its latest food and drink report, as more and more people are ditching traditional dairy products to be more environmentally friendly and to help with animal cruelty.
DUG, which relies on research carried out by Prof Eva Tornberg at Lund University, is owned by Frankfurt-listed Veg of Lund.
According to Euromonitor, people who are cutting on animal-based products but not following a strict vegan diet already account for nearly half of consumers globally.


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Airbnb plans “aggressive investments” in China and India
China / India: Airbnb will be making “aggressive investments” in emerging markets like China and India after a huge spike in guests and listing numbers in both countries from 2017 to 2018.
The homesharing platform’s reasoning for last year’s 131 per cent growth in guests in China, and 65 per cent in India, was a surge in domestic travel in these markets. What’s more, the countries are attracting growing numbers of international travelers.
Airbnb regional director for the Asia-Pacific region, Siew Kum Hong, told Skift: “In 2019, we will double our marketing investment in India to drive awareness of Airbnb across the country and reach millions of potential guests.
“We are also working to integrate more local payment methods [in India] by the end of this year,” he added.
Three years ago, travellers from China accounted for 66 per cent of Airbnb’s guests whereas last year, that figure had risen to 91 per cent. Meanwhile, in India, 78 per cent of its guests last year were Indian travellers, compared with 53 per cent in 2015.
Airbnb’s head of communications for Asia-Pacific, Jake Wilczynski, declined to reveal the absolute number of guests it hosted in China and India last year, however he disclosed that China was now Airbnb’s top destination market in the continent.
Both countries are also home to large numbers of millennials (up to 410 million 15-27 year olds), which account for a crucial cornerstone of Airbnb’s bookers. Roughly 60 per cent of all guests who booked on Airbnb between 2008 and 2016 were millennials, while more than 40 per cent of all guests from India last year were reportedly people under 30 years old.
However, although more locals are choosing Airbnb for domestic travel accommodation, the company claimed that outbound numbers from China grew 80 per cent last year, and from India, it was 65 per cent.
Listings grew 106 per cent in China and 52 per cent in India, according to the rental platform.
Hong said: “There are now more than one million listings in Asia-Pacific. We have a goal to bring one billion users onto our platform in the next ten years, and emerging markets like China and India — the new centres of influence in global tourism — will be the engines of our growth as we work to meet that goal.”
If the projections are correct, 40 per cent of the one billion users, or 400 million, will be from emerging markets in Asia-Pacific, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America by the year 2030.
Across the world, Airbnb is facing up to a number of emerging global rivals, such as Tujia in China and Vancouver-based Cozystay, a vacation rental platform which serves Chinese travellers worldwide.
Cozystay CEO Galen Cheng told Skift: “China has a huge amount of housing, and 22 percent of those properties are vacant, which means that the option of listing those properties as vacation rentals is a good way for the owner to earn on their property investment.”
Airbnb is also competing with OYO in both China and India, after the latter’s launch of its OYO home-share brand OYO Living and its recent funding round.
In India, Taj Hotels recently launched Ama Trails and Stays and it plans to scale up the product to the first 100 units by the end of next year.
Despite this, Hong says that Airbnb will continue to focus on growing and supporting its communities in both China and India.


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When people talk about the promise of virtual reality, they talk about how this technology will one day upend the way we use computers.
So far, the promise is still just that for most people, but Logitech may have created a new tool that makes it far more appealing for artists.
The device is called the Logitech VR Ink Pilot Edition, a seemingly oversize novelty stylus that's actually designed to help you create drawings and designs in VR.
With its VR Ink Pilot Edition, Logitech wants to get you drawing in virtual reality.
You hold it like a normal pen, gripping the two buttons on its sides with your thumb and middle fingers, and your pointing finger on a button on top. Slap a headset on your head, pick up the pen, push down with your pointing finger and just start drawing. You can trace things in 3D space, like drawing literally in air, or you can sit at a table and draw on its surface, Logitech said. And the harder you press, either on the button or on the tip of the stylus, the thicker the line.
"It's natural -- and if you're a creator or designer, you want a natural and familiar input device," said Vadim Kogan, head of business development and partnerships for augmented and virtual reality for Logitech. Until now, if people wanted to draw or draft something in VR, they'd have to use a game controller, which Kogan said doesn't offer the precision Logitech's VR Ink device can.
"Ultimately, it's about intuition," he said. "It's about the fact that a lot of designers and creators have developed muscle memory" for a pen.
While there are still a lot of unknowns about Logitech's device -- the company declined to give a price or a firm launch date other than to promise more information later this year -- its entry into the VR world is another indication of continued interest in VR beyond the tech set. That's good news, considering sales of VR headsets have fallen short of some people's expectations, and VR app and game makers themselves have expressed concern about how long it's taken for everyday people like you and me to buy in.
But that hasn't stopped companies from pumping out new ideas. Facebook this month released its 9 Oculus Quest headset, a device designed for the mass market by promising to run high-quality games without the need for a bunch of wires or a powerful computer to power it. Game maker Valve, meanwhile, has also jumped in, offering a new headset called the Valve Index that promises new more intuitive hand controllers and higher-quality screens. Meanwhile, companies like HP have pushed to get their headsets in front of potential business customers.
Still, Logitech is treading carefully with its pen. The device I used, which was developed over the past year and a half, was still a 3D-printed prototype. Logitech said it's close to a final design. The company also wouldn't tell me how much the VR Ink Pilot Edition would weigh, which seemed important for something designed to be used as a drawing tool in the air. Again, Logitech said, more information would be announced later.
Logitech's device works with Valve's "lighthouse" sensors, meaning it was mostly aimed at HTC's Vive and the Valve Index, at least to start. Kogan said part of the reason for using the lighthouse sensors is their precision, though he said more announcements were to come.
"It's our first step," Kogan said, emphasizing the device is being called a "Pilot Edition." "We know this is not perfect."B:
【话】【说】【李】【濯】【尘】【突】【然】【回】【到】【了】【纳】【兰】【阴】【司】【身】【边】，【看】【着】【纳】【兰】【阴】【司】【说】【道】：“【已】【经】【处】【理】【的】【差】【不】【多】【了】，【他】【们】【体】【内】【的】【蛊】【毒】【也】【在】【扩】【散】，【就】【等】【您】【号】【令】【了】。” “【好】！【你】【看】【着】【这】【个】【死】【女】【人】，【让】【她】【亲】【眼】【看】【着】【这】【些】【人】【是】【如】【何】【痛】【苦】【的】【死】【去】。” “【是】！” 【只】【见】【纳】【兰】【阴】【司】【手】【指】【转】【动】，【嘴】【里】【念】【着】【一】【些】【陌】【凌】【涵】【根】【本】【听】【不】【懂】【的】【咒】【语】，【而】【拼】【命】【厮】【杀】【的】【人】，【不】【管】
“【你】【既】【然】【把】【自】【己】【改】【头】【换】【面】【了】，【为】【什】【么】【独】【留】【眉】【毛】【没】【做】？”【秋】【水】【示】【意】【护】【士】【递】【给】【苏】【淇】【一】【面】【镜】【子】。 【原】【来】【是】【自】【己】【的】【眉】【毛】【把】【自】【己】【给】【出】【卖】【了】！【苏】【淇】【疑】【惑】【地】【接】【过】【镜】【子】，【她】“【啊】”【地】【一】【声】【大】【叫】！【大】【家】【的】【视】【线】【都】【投】【在】【了】【她】【的】【脸】【上】。 “【你】【又】【给】【我】【整】【回】【了】【原】【来】【的】【样】【子】？”，【苏】【淇】【又】【惊】【又】【喜】！【她】【摸】【摸】【自】【己】【的】【脸】，【看】【看】【镜】【子】，【又】【看】【看】【秋】【水】，【全】【然】三中三高手论坛2016“【这】【是】【什】【么】【意】【思】？” “【辰】【易】，【我】【们】【明】【明】【说】【好】【的】【二】【十】【万】，【现】【在】【怎】【么】【少】【了】【十】【万】？” 【常】【威】【黑】【着】【一】【张】【脸】，【怒】【目】【而】【视】【道】。 【这】【明】【摆】【着】【是】【坑】【自】【己】！ 【本】【来】【就】【亏】【了】【一】【半】【转】【让】【超】【市】，【现】【在】【居】【然】【又】【少】【了】【一】【半】，【区】【区】【十】【万】【块】，【他】【常】【威】【就】【算】【不】【做】【生】【意】，【也】【不】【会】【转】【让】【超】【市】。 “【呵】【呵】，【老】【常】，【别】【怪】【我】【不】【提】【醒】【你】，【有】【十】【万】【块】【拿】【就】【不】【错】【了】
【当】【雪】【樱】【急】【匆】【匆】【来】【到】【大】【雪】【山】【门】【口】【时】，【倒】【是】【把】【守】【门】【的】【第】【一】【惊】【了】【一】【跳】。 【他】【没】【想】【到】，【这】【个】【平】【日】【里】【高】【傲】【清】【霜】【的】【女】【子】，【竟】【然】【会】【亲】【自】【来】【接】【这】【个】【剑】【离】。 【守】【门】【弟】【子】【急】【忙】【向】【雪】【樱】【告】【罪】【一】【番】。 【雪】【樱】【淡】【淡】【的】【回】【了】【一】【句】：“【做】【的】【不】【错】”【之】【后】，【便】【领】【着】【剑】【离】【和】【罗】【裳】【走】【了】【进】【去】。 “【雪】【师】【姐】，【门】【派】【到】【底】【出】【了】【什】【么】【事】？【我】【师】【父】【呢】？”【几】【人】【走】【了】
【高】【莹】【沉】【默】【片】【刻】，【抬】【头】【说】【道】：“【既】【然】【师】【兄】【看】【不】【上】，【那】【便】【罢】【了】，【我】【们】【几】【个】，【在】【这】【里】【已】【经】【叨】【扰】【甚】【久】，【也】【到】【了】【该】【离】【开】【的】【时】【候】。” 【高】【飞】【嘴】【角】【带】【着】【一】【丝】【微】【笑】，【论】【长】【相】，【高】【莹】【远】【不】【如】【柳】【如】【云】，【同】【样】【是】【经】【验】【不】【足】，【可】【她】【成】【长】【的】【速】【度】，【却】【远】【超】【柳】【如】【云】。 【连】【柳】【如】【云】【都】【感】【觉】【到】【一】【丝】【不】【妥】，【她】【应】【该】【早】【就】【看】【出】【不】【稳】【妥】。【这】【处】【神】【工】【馆】，【名】【义】【上】【是】
【在】【这】【时】【候】，【那】【头】【颅】【对】【于】【李】【浩】【的】【询】【问】，【却】【是】【一】【脸】【的】【不】【屑】。 “【这】【些】【事】【情】，【你】【以】【为】【我】【会】【告】【诉】【你】？【这】【可】【是】【我】【最】【大】【的】【秘】【密】！”【他】【这】【样】【不】【屑】【的】【说】【道】，【神】【色】【当】【中】，【隐】【隐】【间】【还】【有】【着】【一】【种】【难】【言】【的】【傲】【气】，【似】【乎】【已】【经】【抓】【住】【了】【一】【种】【让】【自】【己】【能】【够】【获】【得】【巨】【大】【优】【势】【的】【底】【牌】【一】【般】。 【这】【模】【样】，【让】【李】【浩】【知】【道】，【他】【已】【经】【误】【会】【了】【自】【己】【对】【于】【那】【传】【承】【的】【看】【法】。
“【讨】【厌】，【你】【就】【不】【能】【让】【我】【一】【个】【人】【静】【一】【静】【吗】？”【陈】【歆】【叶】【突】【然】【睁】【开】【眼】【睛】，【娇】【羞】【地】【瞪】【了】【柏】【易】【一】【眼】。 【但】【她】【的】【眼】【神】，【实】【在】【太】【没】【杀】【伤】【力】【了】，【而】【且】【反】【而】【让】【柏】【易】【看】【得】【热】【血】【沸】【腾】。 【如】【果】【不】【是】【考】【虑】【到】【她】【现】【在】【人】【还】【很】【不】【舒】【服】，【柏】【易】【真】【想】【不】【管】【不】【顾】【再】【把】【她】【拆】【之】【入】【腹】。 “【老】【婆】，【对】【不】【起】，【以】【这】【种】【方】【式】……”【柏】【易】【话】【还】【未】【说】【完】，【陈】【歆】【叶】【突】【然】【抬】


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The UK's Carbon Trust today offered up to £140,000 to trade
organisations willing to promote CO2 reduction
programmes, at a time when both consumers and regulators are
pushing the food sector to be more environmentally friendly.
Mars has become one of the first food processors to run afoul of
the EU's greenhouse gas controls scheme, with the UK's Environment
Agency yesterday fining the company €78,080 (£52,532) for breaching
Global warming is a real threat and needs to be addressed now,
argues BP group chief executive John Browne. He says that
manufacturers need to start taking steps immediately to reduce
carbon dioxide emissions in order to make a big...


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New Delhi, May 31 (PTI) Guargum prices were down by Rs 30 to Rs 5,250 per quintal in future trading today after participants cut down their bets amid a weak trend at the spot markets on muted demand.
At the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange, guargum for delivery in June month traded lower by Rs 30, or 0.57 per cent to Rs 5,250 per quintal, open interest were seen of 21,901 lots.
Similarly, guargum for delivery in July month enquired lower by Rs 20, or 0.37 per cent to Rs 5,330 per quintal, with business turnover of 23,650 open lots.
Marketmen attributed fall in guargum prices to offloading of positions by participants, triggered by a weak trend at the spot markets on sluggish demand. PTI SDG SUN ABI


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Apple’s lawyers argued that the company should receive an additional $500 million in damages since the jury found that Samsung willfully copied its products. Samsung countered Apple’s arguments and claimed the damages should be reexamined in a fair way.
Despite a call from the bench for “global peace,” Apple and Samsung continued to slug it out over patent issues in court late Thursday, The Washington Post is reporting. The two companies continued their fights about damages, the possibility of an injunction and the outcome of the August jury trial that put Samsung on the hook for $1.05 billion in damages to Apple.
Lawyers for both sides stuck to their guns even as Judge Lucy Koh — who presided over the jury case as well — poked holes in their arguments and expressed frustration with the drawn-out dispute.
“Is there some endpoint here?” Koh asked both sides, according to a live-blogged court report from the San Jose Mercury News. Apple lawyer Harold McElhinny’s response — that the issue won’t be resolved until the court enforces the law — left Koh “despondent” and with her head in her hands, the report said.
As the courtroom drama may indicate, little new information came out of the hearing, though Koh appeared willing to review some of the jury’s calculations for damages,the Associated Press reported. She did not, however, give an indication that she favored one side’s arguments over the other’s.
Koh, however, did say that she wanted to be done with her rulings before the start of the new year, the Mercury News reported.


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Tesla has started to hire roboticists to build its recently announced “Tesla Bot,” a humanoid robot to become a new vehicle for its AI technology.
When Elon Musk explained the rationale behind Tesla Bot, he argued that Tesla was already making most of the components needed to create a humanoid robot equipped with artificial intelligence.
The automaker’s computer vision system developed for self-driving cars could be leveraged for use in the robot, which could also use things like Tesla’s battery system and suite of sensors.
However, Tesla has never developed a humanoid robot before and doesn’t have expertise in robotics.
Musk described Tesla AI Day as a recruiting event to go get some of that talent.
While the focus was on AI, Tesla is also looking for roboticists now that Tesla Bot is in the cards.
Today, the automaker started listing some roboticist job postings related to Tesla Bot:
- Mechanical Engineer-Actuator Integration (Humanoid Robot)
- Mechanical Engineer-Actuator Gear Design (Humanoid Robot)
- Senior Humanoid Mechatronic Robotics Architect
- Senior Humanoid Modeling Robotics Architect
Tesla wrote in one of the job descriptions:
“The Tesla humanoid robotics modeling team is looking for a highly skilled and motivated colleague that would like to help building the next generation biped robot. You will be working closely with a multi-disciplinary team with the goal to build a humanoid robot that can support manufacturing operators in tedious and exhaustive tasks.”
Interestingly, Tesla specifically references “a humanoid robot that can support manufacturing operators” – something that the CEO didn’t emphasize during the presentation.
As for the job postings related to actuators, the automaker describes the new level of expertise that it is looking to develop in order to build Tesla Bot:
“Tesla’s actuator team designs and builds actuators for humanoid bi-pedal robots (Tesla Bot). The team joins mechanical, electrical, and electromagnetic engineering disciplines in a highly collaborative environment.
This position is critical to the development of the high-performance electromechanical rotary and linear actuator systems for humanoid bi-pedal robots (Tesla Bot). Tesla actuators need to deliver high performance, efficiency, and torque (force) density. You will join the team of electromagnetic motor design engineers to develop the most torque and force dense rotary and linear actuator systems in the world.”
The people hired for those positions are going to develop a working prototype of Tesla Bot, which doesn’t exist yet.
Musk said that Tesla aims to unveil a prototype next year.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Paddle8, a New York, NY-based online art marketplace, has raised $4m in funding.
The round was led by David Frankel of Founder Collective who has also joined the board of the company, with participation from Mousse Partners.
Paddle8 intends to use the capital to launch a new user interface focused on collector-to-collector engagement, dynamic editorial and customized navigation features and to roll out new tools and services for galleries, including a new point of sale transaction platform, private rooms and a set of mobile applications.
Launched in May 2011 by Aditya Julka and Alexander Gilkes and also led by and Managing Director Osman Khan and Managing Editor Andrea Hill, Paddle8 is a destination for examining, understanding and acquiring contemporary artworks.
It allows both new and seasoned collectors to access fine art works via a curated selection, insider opinions and a patented transaction platform that allows them and galleries to ship, insure and install works effortlessly.
The company has formed partnerships with leading museums across the world, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), over 200 galleries, including Gagosian and David Zwirner, and art fairs such as NADA, in addition to prominent brands affiliated with high net worth communities, including NetJets, Edmiston and Krug.


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Siri on the iPhone is great. While it still lags behind Google Assistant in a bevy of aspects, iOS users have always been fond of a virtual assistant which makes their tasks comparatively easier. However, there are certain features which are still missing which includes multi-user support. It seems Apple is listening to consumer demands and might be working on multi-user support for Siri. It was discovered in a new Apple patent that Siri will be able to respond to different voices. Let's dive in to see some more details on the matter.
New Apple Patent Details How Siri Will Be Able To Recognize Different Voices For Personalized And Accurate Response
First reported by AppleInsider, the USPTO office has granted a new patent from Apple which is titled as “User profiling for voice input processing”. Basically, the idea implemented in the Apple patent emphasizes more on the virtual assistant's accuracy but the feature can be part of the mix as a whole.
The Apple patent details that Siri would be able to recognize a voice, which possibly means different individuals and then respond accordingly. Siri could recognize the voice via different methods like biometric voice print, commands and even the username and password combinations.
A series of past commands would then be accessible on a per-user basis, allowing the virtual assistant to respond in a more personalized and accurate manner. During the HomePod's initial setup process, you have to permit the smart speaker to be able to read your personal information like text messages and more. Moreover, these commands can be carried out by anyone and not just the person who set the device up. So it's not like Siri will only be limited to an iPad used by the entire family.
One thing to note here is that this is just an Apple patent, for now, featuring multi-user Siri support on iOS devices. There's no word whether the functionality would ever see daylight. But we do hope Apple implements it in the future iOS releases. There will be more to the story, so be sure to stay tuned in for more details.
This is all for now, folks. What are your thoughts on multi-user support on Siri detailed in the new Apple patent? Let us know in the comments.


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T-shirts and windows and walls, oh my! If you want to make your creative mark you need the right kit. Luckily a new guide from Roland DG shows just how easy it is to grow a business with a vinyl
Mouvent will unveil its new textile machine – the TX802 – for the very first time at ITMA 2019, the world’s largest international textile and garment technology exhibition, which takes place in
The versatility and performance of the Xaar 1201 printhead was showcased in the new hybrid printer from d.gen, launched at FESPA Munich, Europe’s largest speciality print exhibition, held between
Neschen Coating GmbH is part of the Blue Cap Group and is a manufacturer of printing media, functional and repair films, laminators and industrial coating solutions. Neschen Coating GmbH is
Electronics For Imaging, Inc. is partnering with a global pressing and surface finishing technology leader, Freudenstadt, Germany-based Robert Bürkle GmbH, to commercialise the EFITM ecosystem of
KOHLSCHEIN, a leading manufacturer of eco-friendly display boards and also distributor of large format rigid media for signs & display, launched a new product for the printing and packaging
GMG presents with GMG ColorProof 5.11 for the first-time a version that provides automated notifications about new software updates. The so-called patches can be installed directly out of the
The latest Trident hybrid print finishing system from AXYZ Automation Group generated considerable visitor interest at FESPA 2019, held recently in Munich.
At the FESPA 2019 exhibition in Munich, Mutoh has received an EDP award in the category “Best Wide-format Multipurpose Printer” for its 64” / 1625 mm wide ValueJet 1627MH Hybrid printer.
Nazdar Ink Technologies has announced the appointment of Tom Glover as a Narrow Web Technical Sales
With a growing community of users worldwide, Colourgen Ltd is the latest appointment to the PrintFactory network. Colourgen makes discerning choices about the wide display graphic printing and
As the packaging print industry increasingly embraces PDF, Esko, a global provider of integrated hardware and software solutions for packaging, labels and wide format customers, is supporting
Mimaki has celebrated winning two awards at the European Digital Press Association (EDP) Annual Awards ceremony, held at FESPA 2019 last week. Mimaki’s Tiger-1800B MkII was the champion of the
The Westcoast Group of companies are pleased to announce that they have acquired Colourgen Ltd, the long-established wide format print distributor. The acquisition by the Westcoast Group
Out-of-home (OOH) media specialist BBF Grafismos y Publicidad in Madrid, Spain, has transformed its business model, using Canon UVgel wide format printing technology to bring production of
Farben Frikell has earned its position as a leading supplier to the German visual communications sector over five decades. Today the business operates from three locations in Berlin, Braunschweig
With a 40-year heritage in screen printing, Siepro Werbe- und Kennzeichnungsprodukte KG has earned its reputation as a leading specialist in working with self adhesive materials and films.
Poster Expo is an established provider of display solutions, located in Villeneuve-la-Garenne in the northern Paris suburbs. The 14-year-old company has developed a strong specialism in
Comdatek GmbH is one of the most successful companies in the German market when it comes to printed marketing communications. From business cards to banners, the digital printing company, based
It's been called one of the greatest comebacks in football history: Liverpool FC's home win against Barcelona, overturning a 3-0 first-leg deficit to win 4-3 on aggregate in the UEFA Champions
Durham Box, a UK-based corrugated packaging manufacturer has purchased an EFI Nozomi C18000 single-pass, ultra-high-speed LED inkjet corrugated packaging press from Electronics For Imaging, Inc..
Horizon, the award-winning digital print and design specialist, used FESPA 2019 to complete the signing of a third Durst production system as part of a move to future-proof its fast-growing
Leading printable media supplier, Soyang Europe has announced it is to become the UK distributor for creative wallcoverings manufacturer, DESARDI, as it looks to expand its creative material
FESPA today announces that the flagship Global Print Expo will return to Munich, Germany in 2021, together with its
Roland DG is delighted to announce that the new TrueVIS VG2 series
The winners of this year’s FESPA Awards were announced at FESPA’s annual Gala Dinner, which took place on Wednesday 15 May at Löwenbräukeller in Munich, Germany, during ...
A significantly expanded automotive toolkit is showcasing at this year’s Avery Dennison FESPA stand. Additions to the range include three new Supreme Wrapping Film colours, a new option for paint
Béflex, a PoC (Point of Communication) print expert company, will streamline its operations while strengthening business management capabilities in digital inkjet display graphics production with
Durst, manufacturer of advanced digital printing and production technologies, has won a European Digital Press Association (EDP) award for its P5 350 printing system for large format
FESPA is proud to announce the expansion of its textile portfolio with the launch of Sportswear Pro, a new exhibition
Agfa’s multi-award-winning Jeti Tauro H3300 LED inkjet printer adds another award to its already impressive track record. At FESPA 2019, it received the EDP Award in the ‘Large & Wide Format
Global printing industry leader Inkcups announced the release of its high-performance UV flatbed digital printer, the X5, to the European market at the FESPA Global Print Expo in Munich,
Sensient Imaging Technologies, a subsidiary of Sensient Technologies Corporation, will demonstrate its commitment to a safer and more sustainable future for the textiles industry with its range
Spain-based Ability Diseño Gráfico, a leading company dedicated to the production of high-quality flexographic clichés, is using the HP Scitex 11000 to meet the ever-growing demands of customers
MPI Instore Solutions, a leading print service provider in Denmark, has moved its printing of displays and POS in-house with
Southend-based print firm Solopress, have signed a deal with Agfa for two Anapurna H2500i LED hybrid wide-format presses. They will be driven by Agfa’s Asanti Production workflow.
A set of tools for fashion and décor artists to help streamline the process of designing prints for fabrics.
Launched today at the FESPA Global Print Expo in Munich, Blackman & White will be demonstrating how its latest cutting machine has moved the industry forward in terms of offering
When you're one of the best car racing teams in the world, you need the very best graphics. That's why Renault F1 Team has chosen Roland DG’s new TrueVIS VG2, the second-generation eco-solvent
Today, Epson announces the launch of two new SureColor SC-S signage printers, the SC-S60600L and the SCS80600L.
Fleet wrapping projects and affordable vehicle customisation have received a welcome boost with the launch of a new Mactac ColourWrap Series of cast films. The new Mactac ColourWrap materials, in
Electronics For Imaging, Inc. customers can drive future success in digital display graphics production thanks to the superior versatility, efficiency and quality available in the line-up of
Hall B6, Booth D20: SENFA, a leading global provider of high quality, digitally-printable fabrics for visual communication and bespoke interior applications, has announced the launch of several
Hall B6, Booth D20: SENFA will be highlighting its eco-friendly product design strategy to provide sustainable media at FESPA 2019.
Earlier this month, Harrods launched Fashion Re-told, London’s most luxurious charity pop-up, raising vital funds for the NSPCC.
Today we are celebrating the First Anniversary milestone of the HP Latex R Printer Series (HP Latex R1000 and HP Latex R2000), announced at FESPA last year, which signified HP’s breakthrough
Canon UK today launches the new Océ Colorado 1650 printer, extending customer choice by expanding the series of roll-to-roll large format devices featuring Canon UVgel technology.
Hybrid Services, the exclusive distributor for Mimaki inkjet printers and cutting systems in the UK and Ireland, has announced the launch of the new Mimaki JFX200-2513EX – an 8’ x 4’ flatbed LED
Esko, a global supplier of integrated hardware and software solutions for wide format digital print professionals, has announced the launch of a Motorized Roll Feeder for its Kongsberg C64
Durst, manufacturer of advanced digital printing and production technologies, has today at FESPA 2019 in Munich, Germany, launched the P5 350 and P5 210 new printing systems for large format
Page 3 of 17
Large Format Review provides daily breaking news on digital print technology as used for commercial production of print for wide-format sign and display, packaging and industrial applications. We also cover 3D print and additive manufacturing.


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The research house said it believes Padini's gross profit margin will be able to recover to a comfortable level of 38% from 31% in the recently concluded quarter with a better promotion strategy and lower inventory loss with the full quarter sales.
It added that some of the MCO rental rebates will be recognised starting July 2020 after reaching better agreement with landlords. An estimated half of the rebates were recognised in June.
However, Padini also plans to close a few stores that have reached the end of their tenancy agreements and are currently under monthly renewals, said Kenanga.
Padini's strategies include adopting a resilient business model and focusing on the value-for-money segment through its Brands Outlet stores.
It will not open more than 10 outlets in the local market to streamline cost allocation towards strategic locations and will expand regionally through own-managed stores to strategically control stores' value, which include Cambodia and Thailand.
The research house revised Padini's target price higher to RM2.90 from RM2.15 previously.
"With a two-year CAGR of 37%, we believe that Padini should be traded at a higher valuation level of 16x at plus-one standard deviation of five-year mean forward price-earnings," it said.
During a results briefing, Padini said 4QFY20 results indicated a gradual recovery in footfall post-movement control order with still tepid demand from the tourist-concentrated city stores such as KLCC and Fahrenhheit 88.
However, this was offset by positive recovery from suburban malls such as in Shah Alam, Penang and Johor.
"Nonetheless, the recovery of footfalls is still below the same period last year due to social distancing regulation which limits the number of customers into the stores at a given time, resulting long queues, concurrently limiting its SSSG recovery," said Kenanga.
For the quarter, gross profit margin contracted due to aggressive price discounts after the MCO was lifted, as well as higher inventory written down during the MCO.
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LONDON, England - The chairman of the executive board of TUI Travel - parent company for Holiday Hypermarket - joined a panel of ministers from around the world recently to discuss easing border control requirements for holidaymakers.
The discussion took place at the 2012 UNWTO & WTM Ministers' Summit, held in London, and brought key members of the private and public sector together to discuss stimulating countries' economic growth through tourism.
Public sector panellists included ministers from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
For those living in the UK, visa requirements are dependent on a person's type of British nationality. Some countries, such as Australia, require visas on arrival, while visiting countries such as Cuba, India and China requires pre-arrival visas.
E-Commerce Manager at Holiday Hypermarket, Calum Macdonald, comments: "Applying for visas before travelling or paying expensive fees at arrival gates is not a great way to start a holiday, whether you're heading to the Caribbean for leisure or doing business in the Middle East.
"We see this Ministers' Summit not only as a way to relax the barriers between us but also to generate jobs and support tourism worldwide. This is an industry that is absolutely essential for many countries as it creates opportunities for employment in countless goods and services industries."


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iPad Mini & 4th Generation iPad Announced
23rd October 2012
APPLE tonight unveiled the iPad Mini - and also a surprise: a beefed-up 4th generation version of the existing standard-sized tablet.
The new smaller handheld device will cost from £269 to £529 and go on sale on November 2.
It has a 7.9-inch screen and is just 7.2mm thin - 23 per cent less than its bigger brother.
It will have a dual-core A5 chip, FaceTime HD camera and a 5MP iSight camera on the back - which can take 1080p hd VIDEO. It has ten hours of battery life, just like the 4th generation of iPad. The iPad Mini will be available in both silver and black and weighs just 0.86lbs, with a newly-designed smart cover in a range of colours. But it will have a lower screen resolution than both its main rivals, the Kindle Fire HD and Google's Nexus 7.
Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced marketing chief Phil Schiller to reveal the new device.
He stressed that it wasn’t just a shrunken version of the existing iPad, saying: “It’s an entirely new design. There’s nothing as amazing as this.” Schiller had earlier told how the new 4th generation iPad - which will anger some fans, coming just six months after the New iPad was revealed - will have a A6X chip, doubling the performance for CPU tasks. It will also have Facetime HD and twice as quick wi-fi. Both devices use Apple's new Lightning Bolt connector.
Apple revealed the new products at the California Theatre, in San Jose. The event was followed online by millions of fans around the world. Cook told how sales of the original iPad this month passed the 100million mark in the two and a half years since launch. Earlier he also said the App store had hit a new downloads milestone of 35billion Apps. He added: “The App Store continues to exceed our expectations.


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Samsung seems to be taking a page out of Verizon and Motorola‘s book to help promote its line of Galaxy S phones. Samsung has fallen behind in the mobile market, and is now trying to take the lead with its star device (get it? Galaxy, star?). All terrible jokes aside, Verizon and Moto were rumored to have spent $100 million last year to promote the original Droid. That seemed to work very well, so Samsung is preparing to shell out big money for advertising all of its GS phones. These currently include the Fascinate (Verizon), Vibrant (T-Mobile), Captivate (AT&T), and the Epic 4G (Sprint). Samsung strongly believes their Hummingbird processor-powered device will catapult them straight to the top.
It's dads and grads season so that means you'll likely be making a purchase or two in the coming weeks. Our staff has picked out a few items that we think would make great gifts; they're also incredibly cool and handy to own yourself. Look for items from Libratone, Juiced, and others.
Verizon announces open enrollment for the Total Mobile Protection for this last week in May, while also expanding its TravelPass program to 16 Caribbean countries.


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Koji Tsuruoka said the thousand or so Japanese businesses with operations in the UK needed to know what Britain’s trading relationship with the European Union (EU) would be.
If clarity on what Brexit would actually look like did not emerge soon, many of them would have to relocate elsewhere, he told Sky News.
“Most of these companies would like to expand their capacity. But they need to know about the UK-EU economic relationship,” he said. “These are all global companies and therefore they have other possibilities other than staying.
“They may relocate. Or they may combine or consolidate. But you can’t make those decisions until you know what’s going to happen next. This is very important.”
Honda announced last month it would close its Swindon factory in 2021, casting doubt on the future of thousands of jobs.
Although the car giant did not say Brexit had prompted its decision, many observers criticised the government’s handling of the post-referendum negotiations.
“The car industry in the UK over the last two decades has been the jewel in the crown for the manufacturing sector – and now it has been brought low by the chaotic Brexit uncertainty created by the rigid approach adopted by prime minister Theresa May,” Des Quinn, the Unite union’s nation officer for the automotive sector, said.
In a letter to workers, the carmaker’s European boss said “uncertainty around the UK’s future relationship with the EU is not helping companies like ours to plan for the future”.
Nissan’s future investment in the Sunderland factory has been a critical issue since it announced it would build new cars there four months after the referendum in 2016.
It then emerged the government had “offered reassurances” to the company, sparking concerns over secret deals.
Another factor which could be encouraging Japanese firms to wind down their operations in the UK is a newly-signed trade agreement with the EU, which would slash tariffs on car imports into the EU to zero.
By contrast, should Britain crash out of the bloc with a deal on 29 March, tariffs of 10 per cent will be immediately applied to all cars sent to the continent from British factories.
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Paris court upholds eBay counterfeiting conviction
The Associated Press
PARIS — A Paris appeals court upheld Friday a counterfeiting conviction against eBay in a 2008 case brought by French luxury giant LVMH, but slashed the amount the online auction site has to fork over in damages.
The online auction house had initially been ordered to pay $49 million) in damages because counterfeit goods were sold on the site, but Friday's ruling cut that sum down to $5.7 million — prompting both sides to claim victory.
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, which has contended it was hurt by the sale on eBay of knockoff bags and clothes from its high-end stable of labels, hailed Friday's ruling.
"LVMH welcomes the establishment of this case-law, which constitutes a major step in the further protection of consumers," the luxury giant — home to such brands as Givenchy, Fendi, Emilio Pucci and Marc Jacobs — said in a statement.
The auction house had insisted that LVMH is trying to crack down on Internet auctions merely because it is uncomfortable with the business model, which tends to cut out the middleman. A top eBay official said he was "very satisfied" with the appeals court ruling.
Friday's decision confirmed the 2008 ruling against eBay on two fronts, faulting the online company for not doing enough to prevent fake goods from being sold on its site and ruling that eBay was responsible for the illicit sale of perfumes from the LVMH empire. Such perfumes can be sold only through the brands' "selective distribution" networks.
High-end fashion companies like LVMH make their money by selling exclusive products and fight a never-ending battle against cheap rip-offs and alleged affronts to their trademarks.
In an earlier instance of LVMH trying to protect its brands online, a Paris court in 2005 ordered Google to pay 200,000 (about $260,000 at the time) to Louis Vuitton for breach of trademark. In that case, Google had to stop displaying advertisements for Louis Vuitton's rivals when Web users typed Vuitton's name into the search engine.
A long-running French legal dispute between Louis Vuitton and Google has been sent back to a lower court after a European Court of Justice ruling earlier this year, and a new trial is pending.


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BJ’s Restaurants Inc. late Monday announced that Gregory Trojan will become president of the company in December and will replace Jerry Deitchle as chief executive early next year. RELATED • BJ's Restaurants: Menu helped drive 2Q sales increase • BJ's to roll out new menu, guest loyalty program • More restaurant industry executive changes Confirming a long-standing rumor of his upcoming retirement, Deitchle said he plans to step down from the CEO role on Feb. 1, 2013 ...
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Kendall Jenner shined at the
White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, decked out in a floor-length black gown that accentuated her famous figure.
20-year-old reality star and runway model stunned in the low-cut Vivienne Westwood creation, which she paired with strappy black heels and a diamond necklace that accentuated her slender neck.
PHOTOS: 2016 White House Correspondents' Dinner: Red Carpet Styles
Jenner was a guest of
USA Today, and sat at the table reserved for the newspaper. Jenner was one of several big-name celebs who attended the black-tie gala.
Jenner, who met President Barack Obama at the event, was also a target of his humor when he delivered the traditional tongue-in-cheek WHCD remarks.
NEWS: Kendall Jenner Among Many VIP Guests for Star-Studded WHCD
"We had a chance to meet backstage. She seems like a very nice young woman," Obama told the audience. "I'm not exactly sure what she does, but I am told my Twitter mentions are about to go through the roof."
WATCH: Kendall Jenner Reveals Which Tattoo Represents Her 'Devil Side' Related Gallery


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A Chinese website has published pictures of an upcoming Nokia S40 device boasting a 1GHz processor, confirming an earlier report of The Mobile Indian, that the Finnish handset maker is launching such a device.
Going by the looks, this device is expected to have the same touch and type input and will be built on the lines of the Nokia C3-01 device. As we had reported earlier also, the device will be featuring a mighty 1GHz processor and similar specifications as the Symbian siblings.
A 5 megapixel camera is expected to be included in the device as well. With the added megahertz, the new S40 device is expected to be faster and quicker along with being more efficient when it comes to resource utilisation like battery power and data connectivity.
In terms of difference as compared to the present S40 devices, the new device will feature a better much responsive capacitive touch screen possibly with a multi touch based optimisation on the operating system as well.
However, it is still not clear as when Nokia would launch this device in the market but as we can see, the device is almost ready and this is not a prototype of the device, it seems more like a factory line sample.
In the recent past, we have seen Nokia shifting their focus somewhat towards the development of the S40 operating system as well. Application upgrades aside, the pictures of the new device gives a new meaning to the future of the S40 operating system. But it is highly anticipated that the device will be announced this year itself by the Q4 along with the other upcoming devices as well.


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While beauty Inc @ 20, Donny Salazar, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fulfillment technology and service company MasonHub hosted a workshop session to help brands increase conversions, margins and average order volume through better use of omnichannel fulfillment processes.
Salazar explained how his platform connects with e-commerce providers and why brands should consider a “scaling strategy” for selling online. He also gave insights on how to maximize the pandemic online shopping boom beauty Brands this year and beyond. Salazar also explained what his team (and the technology they developed) from others in the market. (Note: He is a seasoned businessman who knows the weak points of direct selling well.)
“We help brands by focusing on scaling, which really means helping brands move into multiple channels,” said Salazar. “It’s not just e-commerce and not just wholesale, it’s widespread and requires inventory management to be managed through all of these unique and different channels.” This approach is based on a fulfillment technology that includes customization and testing functions, as well as transparent inventory views offers fully managed returns.
Salazar not only uses fulfillment technology to increase scale across all channels, but works with beauty brands to “bundle” products. As an example, he cited a brand with 35 or 40 storage units, but was able to bundle products in more than 600 combinations. The result is not only higher average order volume, but also lower costs as more items are shipped to a single buyer. For the customer, the value proposition makes selling easy.
“With bundling [technology], you can also put together product combinations that anticipate your customers’ needs, ”he said. “The other nice thing about this technology is that you can create as many different combinations as you want at the same time. And you can actually test what works best. “
Salazar discussed the benefits of drop shipping inventory from brands by ordering online from retailers like Sephora and Nordstrom and even Amazon – all done through MasonHub.
Independently of the workshop, Salazar shared insights into the second half of the year and the challenges and opportunities that brands are faced with. Even if vaccines are introduced and mask requirements are dropped, there are disruptions in the supply chain that are likely to continue.
“A big thing for the second half of 2021 is to continue to expect disruptions across the supply chain,” said Salazar. “The uncertainty caused by the pandemic makes it difficult for suppliers to predict demand, and because of this, we have seen large fluctuations in supply and production. There was also a bullwhip effect from the pandemic, which is still causing production delays because it is becoming increasingly difficult to get raw materials. “
Salazar said brands need to plan as much as possible “to get products asap and have a backup plan or you’ll miss your fourth quarter numbers”.
“Apart from that, big airlines [FedEx, UPS, DHL] still have over 100 percent capacity and I don’t expect this to go away anytime soon, ”he said. “Shippers must take the time to expand their capacity to handle the explosive growth of e-commerce, so expect persistent shipping disruptions and delays in the meantime. The good news is that we are making progress in overcoming the pandemic, but the supply chain has yet to keep up. “
Salazar also said that as more people return to in-person shopping and in-store, “retailers and brands need to make sure they are populating all of their channels properly. That means you have to make sure you have enough resources to supply your e-commerce, brick and mortar and wholesale channels: people, marketing money, technology, operations. “


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Salt, a new half-hour, bi-weekly talk show focused on the ups and downs of being Christian millennials of color during a time when media spaces are often populated with inauthentic “reality” TV shows, is scheduled to debut Sunday, October 11, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. ET on YouTube.
Hosted by Michelle Jenkins, Yeira De Leon, J. Jones, and L.A. Bonds, Salt will engage in no-holds-barred conversations ranging from news of the day to beauty, fashion and colorism in the Black community. The four outspoken women will also keep it real about their own personal relationships. Whether married, single or somewhere in between (think Netflix and Chill), “Salt” wants to add its flavor to your Sundays.
With a focus on faith and Christianity, Salt’s goal is not just to entertain. According to a statement released exclusively to NewsOne, the women also want to “win back the lost”
CLICK HERE to read story
“Salt”: New Talk Show For Black, Christian Millennials Hits YouTube [VIDEO] was originally published on praisecleveland.com


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Nike launches modest swimwear for Hijabi athletes
Following the launch of the highly successful Nike Pro Hijab in 2017, the American athletic titans has unveiled a new range of modest swimwear that caters to Hijab wearing women and is set to change the face of global sport.
The “Victory Swim Collection” body-skimming range includes a full coverage, water-repellent swimsuit that can be paired with other options including tunic tops, swim leggings and a hijab that can be mixed and matched.
The high-performance gear does not solely cater to Muslim athletes but to all women who want modest or protective options. The swimwear also protects women who suffer from skin cancer.


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The release of Pokemon Sword and Shield is on the horizon, and those of you waiting for new information won’t have to wait very long. Today The Pokemon Company announced that the next Sword and Shield info drop will be arriving tomorrow morning. We’re not sure what we’ll learn from it just yet, as The Pokemon Company’s tweet was purposefully vague.
In fact, the tweet tells us nothing outside of the fact that this new information – a Galar Research Update – will be dropping on October 16th at 6:00 AM Pacific, 9:00 AM Eastern. Aside from that, we’re left waiting until that news is published to find out more.
Just recently, The Pokemon Company tried something a little different when it comes when it comes to Sword and Shield marketing. The company hosted a 24-hour livestream on platforms like Twitch and YouTube in which it gave us an uninterrupted view of a clearing in the Glimwood Tangle – a forest in the Galar region.
The livestream offered various glimpses at Pokemon who will be in Sword and Shield, but the most significant reveal of the stream was that of Galarian Ponyta. A few days after the stream ended, The Pokemon Company revealed additional information about Galarian Ponyta, confirming that it will be a psychic type Pokemon that can prevent poison or even cleanse it from its teammates.
Galarian Ponyta will be exclusive to Pokemon Shield, going hand-in-hand with the recent announcement that Sirfetch’d will be a Pokemon Sword exclusive. Perhaps we’ll see more of those Pokemon in tomorrow’s Galar Research Update? Time will tell, and of course, we’ll be covering all of the new stuff here at SlashGear, so be sure to check back tomorrow morning.


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Four New Longtime Alaskans Inducted to the Alaska Business Hall of Fame
The Induction Ceremony will be held in Anchorage on Thursday, January 21, 2021.
Five outstanding Alaska business leaders will join the Alaska Business Hall of Fame at the annual Junior Achievement recognition event in January. Business peers recently selected Dave Allen, President and CEO of Allen Marine Tours & Alaska Dream Cruises, Randy and Chanda Mines, Owners of Bagoy’s Florist & Home; Rich Owens, Owner of Jewel Lake Tastee Freez; and Rex A. Rock, Sr., President and CEO of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation. These business leaders are honored for their direct impact toward furthering the success of Alaska business, demonstrated support and commitment to Junior Achievement’s programs, and demonstrated commitment to Alaska business.
The induction ceremony into the Alaska Business Hall of Fame will be held January 21, 2021 at the Dena’ina Civic & Convention Center. Junior Achievement of Alaska and Alaska Business are the Title sponsors of this event. Alaska Business will feature each of the Laureates in the January 2021 issue.
In 1987, Junior Achievement of Alaska began the Alaska Business Hall of Fame to honor outstanding individuals of Alaska business. Since then, the Hall of Fame has become one of the state’s most prestigious events, inducting new Laureates on an annual basis.
“This class joins a group of more than 100 Hall of Fame Laureates exemplifying the rich diversity of Alaska in terms of geographical regions, business, and industrial heritage, and cultures. In essence, the Laureates represent the foundation upon which the state of Alaska is built and continues to grow,” says Retired General Mark Hamilton, Hall of Fame 2021 Emcee.
The 34th annual celebration includes a reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. and dinner and induction ceremony at 6:30 p.m. The evening will also include a special recognition of the many past inductees who will be in attendance. Individual tickets are $150, with limited sponsorship opportunities available. Please call 344-0101 for more information. Purchase tickets online at alaska.ja.org.
In This Issue


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New Delhi: Earlier this month, American streaming service Netflix released the latest of its original feature films, a romantic drama titled Once Again starring Shefali Shah and Neeraj Kabi. Along with the much acclaimed Love Per Square Foot, drug tale Zoo and crime drama Brij Mohan Amar Rahe, the new Kanwal Sethi film is the most recent example of a Hindi movie that though, not technically made for the over-the-top (OTT) streaming service, decided to go the digital route instead of seeking a conventional theatrical release.
The logistics of Indian film production, distribution and marketing, industry experts say, are clearly responsible for filmmakers increasingly looking beyond theatrical showcasing.
“It’s a market-driven system and often, theatrical release is only meant to please yourself," said Sanjay Gulati, producer of Once Again. Statistics point to the same—the Hindi film industry makes around 2,000 films a year, but there’s space only for 200-300 to release in the 9,530 theatres in the country. A film like Once Again, that was made for a modest budget of around ₹ 9 crore, has to spend at least ₹ 50 lakh on publicity and another ₹ 25 lakh on distribution to get a meagre screen count of 100. Considering the clutter in theatres, GST on movie tickets plus exhibitor share, Gulati said the producers would perhaps be able to make in the range of ₹ 10 lakh and the film would be labelled a flop in an instant.
“That is nothing. For whom are you releasing the film then?" questioned Gulati who admitted having considered a conventional theatrical release but was more charmed by the wide reach and smooth access of streaming platforms like Netflix that come without a complicated distribution system and whose young, discerning audience base was perfect for the niche, coming-of-age love story and needed no additional marketing. Gulati said there was no point in streaming the film post a theatrical release because the eight-week window between the two, that is the norm as of now, would have killed interest in the film.
“Getting a theatrical release for your film in India is a struggle," said Brij Mohan director Nikhil Bhat. “You have to make sure there are no big releases in the weeks before and after your film, the timing has to be correct and the project has to be given its due marketing even though theatrical audience is limited. Netflix, on the other hand, took our film to 190 countries which was the best thing that could have happened to it. The point of making films is that people watch them, that may happen in theatres or on these platforms."
Netflix remained unavailable for comment but according to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix films released in 2018 have been viewed 850 million times by more than 120 million accounts globally. The recommendation engine of a service like that ensures that films are available to people across the globe in languages and devices of their choice at a time convenient to them.
Also Read: Are young Indians going from TV to online content?
To be sure, it’s a win-win situation for both the streaming service and the filmmaker. Industry experts say the movies can be bought for anything between a few thousand to a few lakh dollars paid in instalments over a period of time.
“It’s an opportunity for the OTT service to go beyond mainstream blockbusters and showcase good quality independent cinema and provide consumers the option to watch different kinds of content," said Girish Dwibhashyam, head-content at movie streaming service Spuul. “Plus, because these are small films that are unlikely to earn theatrical or even satellite revenue, the cost of acquisition is much lower and the producers are willing to negotiate."


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The Reserve Bank of India’s deputy governor T Rabi Sankar believes that domestic payments are pretty efficient, but cross border payments are “stuck in the last century.” He expressed an interest in using central bank digital currency (CBDC) to address challenges but did not explicitly say India’s digital rupee project would prioritize cross border payments.
In contrast, another report two weeks ago citing insider sources stated that wholesale CBDC would be the first priority, followed by retail CBDC. The central bank has said it will roll out a digital rupee by March 2023 in a phased manner.
The case for CBDC cross border payments
Talking about international payments, Rabi Sankar said, “CBDCs, in my view, is the most efficient answer to this… For example, if India and the US have CBDCs, we don’t have to wait for the banks to be open to settle transactions. The central banks on either side need not be open to get the finality of settlement. That massively takes out the settlement risk from cross-border transactions. So, the internationalisation of CBDCs is something I am looking forward to.” Money Control reported Sankar as making the statement today.
India has the highest volumes globally of international remittances – low value payments of under $200, often by migrant workers – reaching $89 billion in 2021, according to the World Bank.
There are several multi-CBDC initiatives aiming to address cross border payment inefficiencies. One of the two most significant in terms of the number of countries involved is the MBridge Project initiated by Thailand, with the central banks of Hong Kong, China and the UAE as participants. In terms of Indian exports, the latter three countries rank number two, three and four (after the United States). On the other hand, India has ongoing border tensions with China.
India’s fifth largest export destination is Singapore, which initiated Project Dunbar, an M-CBDC project that currently includes Australia, Malaysia and South Africa, with the Philippines considering joining.
Wholesale CBDC comes first
Two weeks ago, India’s Business Standard reported that the first phase of India’s digital rupee rollout would initially be used by ‘wholesale businesses’ with all participants identified. Typically a wholesale CBDC means only banks can use the digital currency, but in some countries, experiments expanded to include corporate payments.
The report suggested that pilots would only progress to a consumer-targeted or retail CBDC after the wholesale trials. At that stage, a decision would be taken on whether to allow any level of anonymity for smaller value payments.
Consistent with this report, earlier this week, we wrote that India’s central bank has started to work with the four state banks and fintechs.


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It has been estimated that streaming platforms will be increasing their budgets for original content to over $23 billion in the coming year. A single top streaming company has a $17 billion budget for 2023. These figures provide an idea of how big streaming has become and indicate that this is the way of the future.
In a couple of years, streaming platforms will be using 8K (growing to 12K over time) to replace 4K, a tremendous increase in pixels that may challenge current devices. One can only imagine the clarity and immersive potential. There will be a need for greater storage capacities on these platforms. Consumers will need more flash capacity and SSDs. This will give televisions and smartphones more capacity and speed to cope with the data.
Let us look at some of the changes that are anticipated.
Bundling and Unbundling
Traditional television bundles are bought by consumers in the form of packages. This is cheaper than paying for individual channels. But cable is finding it hard to keep up with competitors offering streaming services.
Unbundling lets viewers choose the channels they like and not pay for any others. Traditional providers are having to embrace this to keep their customers. Another strategy will be to buy out or merge with other services.
In the final reckoning, customers will choose the services that suit them.
The Advantage for Streaming Providers
Streaming providers can offer consumers a greater range of choices. Options include the capability to watch an episode of a favorite show that aired the previous night, live television, original shows, or full seasons of any show, old or new. Customers are demanding the entertainment they want.
Netflix is in the lead as far as streaming goes. For a monthly or annual subscription, consumers can watch whatever they want without the disruption of ads. Cable television is getting left behind. Hulu is also in the running, offering multiple packages from ads-included streaming to ads-free viewing. The Vidgo app can be used on certain devices, such as smartphones, Android and Amazon Fire televisions, and web browsers.
Six million households ended their services with cable television in 2020. A total of 31 million families were lost in recent years. With the social isolation caused by Covid, many families became more demanding and were able to get their needs met by turning their backs on cable and going into streaming. Cable still serves 77 million others, but the trend of moving from cable television to streaming services is set to continue.
Leaving Commercials Behind
The business model streaming services are using has enabled them to cut back on or cut out commercials altogether. This makes them even more popular with viewers, as advertisements are strictly curtailed or avoided completely. A subscription model with unbundling has taken its place.
The internet already offers banner ads instead of three-minute advertisements every half hour that streamers use. A decade from now, streamers are expected to have adopted this hybrid model. Advertisers are already adapting by referring viewers to their smartphones while watching television.
The future of streaming will result in more choices for viewers in the years to come.


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Green Week 2021: We found a Green Hero in You!
We got Green! The Green Week taught us about sustainability and what we can do ourselves to reduce climate disruption
The 2021 edition was an amazing week full of exciting activities organized by TGD, Studium Generale, and the GO Green Office. The week was all in the theme of finding the Green Hero in ourselves. Our Green Hero speakers told us how we can find the Green Heroes in ourselves as well! We can say that the Green Week successfully reached more than 1000 of you!
💫77 people enjoyed the lecture from Kaj Morel about Purpose economy.
💫Diana from D is for Dazzle answered questions about a sustainable lifestyle from 37 attendees.
💫385 people took the change to get inspired by Greta Thunberg and her documentary about her life as a young activist.
💫Rob Greenfield spread his message to 45 people all across the Atlantic Ocean.
💫400 students got an insight into how sustainability can be implemented in enterprises, explained by former CEO of DSM Feike Sijbesma.
💫Vegan dishes were cooked by 15 people during the vegan cook-along by the Vegan Student Association (VSA) Eindhoven
💫Student team panelists from 6 student teams shared Green Hero stories to 41 students and employees.
💫Robert Metzke spoke about decoupling growth from resource consumption to 35 people.
💫Also, University Rebellion discussed together with 35 participants about possibilities for innovation in Education.
💫And we could make 15 people happy with some new clothing items by doing a clothing exchange!
Did you miss it? No worries, you can still watch the recordings back!
The student team panel hosted six students from the TU Eindhoven’s well known student teams and spin-offs. The panellists got the opportunity to discuss their personal opinions and experiences with issues relating to sustainability, their personal motivations; the contributions they wish to make and their thoughts on how such projects can work within or against the current systems. The panellists included one participant from each of: Lightyear One, Team CASA, Solid, CORE, Team Energy, and Virtue having Beatrix Bos as a moderator.
Q&A Sustainable Fashion
Diana Leeflang, known for her YouTube channel Disfordazzle, which attracted more than 250,000 followers over the years, is joined us for Green Week. We discussed everything from sustainable fashion choices, the fashion industry being one of the worst polluters globally, as well as influencers’ responsibility in using their platforms to inspire change.
Celebrating the 2021 edition
After the Green Week, the team consisting of TGD, Studium Generale, and the GO Green Office celebrated the successful online week in a corona-proof offline way! We are proud of the large about of students and employees that we reached with the activities and talks.


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A St. Louis businessman cheated customers of Omicron Capital LLC out of $250,000, according to a federal indictment released Wednesday.
Richard Saddler, 43, was the owner and president of Omicron, and told customers that he would refinance their commercial and real estate loans, according to the indictment.
When customers gave Saddler money for down payments related to the refinancing, he used some of it to pay personal expenses, including mortgage payments on his house that was in foreclosure proceedings, airline tickets, restaurant tabs and other personal expenses, according to the indictment.
Saddler stole $250,000 through this scheme, the indictment says.
Saddler has been charged with three counts of wire fraud.


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Around the world people have lived, worked and traveled underground. Coober Pedy, Australia, has numerous underground residences to escape the mid-day sun; subways around the world are accompanied by subterranean shopping malls. Mexican architect Estaban Suarez has a new take on underground building.
Suarez is proposing an inverted, 1000′ deep subterranean ‘highrise’ or is it a ‘lowrise’ earth scraper. His idea would support 100,000 people in apartments, offices and stores. He came up with the idea for his earthscraper as a work around for cities like Mexico City, which have height limitations for buildings in historic districts.
His idea is intriuging and he readily admits there are some issues that need resolved, but he feels this is an idea whose time has come given the population of the planet has now past 7 billion.
So, what do you think? Is this a place you could live?
Photo courtesy of eVolo under a creative commons license.
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