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But now those machines are out on the shelves and selling in their millions. PlayStation 4 may be a good distance ahead of Xbox One, but the latter is fighting back with price cuts and tempting exclusives. Now the emphasis shifts away from technical specifications toward the one thing that really matters. The games.
Meanwhile, Nintendo may be down with its poorly selling Wii U, but it certainly isn't out. And thanks to the continuing success of the Steam platform, as well as the rude health of the indie sector, the PC is as important as ever.
Last year's E3 was a bruising face-off; this year's could be a more intriguing competition, where the future of games comes sharply into focus.
So for now, here are the key trends and showdowns we're expecting.
PlayStation 4 vs Xbox One – round two: the exclusives
The two consoles have been out for seven months, but gamers have been largely underwhelmed by the first wave of titles. Now it's time to show what these machines can do. Expect Sony and Microsoft to concentrate on the return of core franchises. For PlayStation that means Uncharted 4 and God of War 4, and for Xbox, Fable: Legends, Forza Horizon 2, Halo 5 and quite possible a next-gen Gears of War courtesy of new series developer, Black Tusk. There may be a few original titles to throw into the mix. It's rumoured that Dark Souls creator From Software is preparing next title, apparently codenamed Project Beast, for PS4 only.
As for Xbox, we already know about Insomniac's colourful Sunset Overdrive. But we may see something from Microsoft's London-based Lift Studio. "E3 is a massive opportunity for Microsoft to change the conversation around Xbox One in a positive way," says Tom Bramwell, editor of Eurogamer. "Hopefully new Xbox boss Phil Spencer will focus on games, games, games, although I think Xbox fans would like to see a bit of humility and contrition would as well after an awful 12 months."
The rise of offshoots and side-projects
We're seeing a lot of very mature "franchises" these days, some of them looking extremely fatigued – but not so fatigued that they can be retired to the old video game's knackers yard. Hence, Battlefield: Hardline, which takes the long-running shooter series and turns it into a cops-and-robbers blaster. There's also Sledgehammer's Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, which pits the player against a private military contractor, and the Borderlands "pre-sequel", which tells the backstory of Borderlands 2. Basically, this is what Square Enix has been doing with the Final Fantasy series for years – it's about maximising the revenue from those hardcore fans who just won't let go.
The search for the next big shooter
So while Call of Duty and Battlefield trade familiar blows like aging prizefighters, the hungry new kids are coming through, looking to be this generation's hot contender. The fascinating "asymmetrical" multiplayer hunt-'em-up Evolve is at the head of the pack, but there's also the third-person free-to-play 32-person melee fighter BattleCry from Bethesda and the brash, cartoon style indie blaster Loadout from Edge of Reality, which is also free-to-play, but this time on PS4. On the more cerebral front, there's Ubisoft's much-touted tactical co-op shooter, The Division.
Nostalgia strikes back
After the feisty newcomers, we have the bruised veterans back for one last shot at glory. There's Homefront: The Revolution from Crytek's UK studio, of course, as well as Oddworld: New N Tasty on the Sony Stand, and Mortal Kombat X from Warner. There are hopes for a return of the cult open-world favourite Crackdown and/or Rare's much-loved Perfect Dark. If Microsoft wants to prompt lapsed gamers into buying Xbox Ones, this would be a smart way to do it.
Nintendo has to do something
So the Big N has no press conference this year, but it will be making announcements as well as showing of the Wii U instalment of multiplayer combat caper, Super Smash Bros. Of course, what everyone wants to see is a brand new Zelda adventure, especially after the luscious Wind Waker update, but it could just as easily be a new Super Mario adventure. Whatever, the company simply has to capitalise on the recent success of Mario Kart 8, and that means a major new odyssey for Link or Mario. "I'd expect – or rather hope – that Nintendo will have a few Christmas 2014 games to announce," says Chris Dring, editor of industry news site, MCV. "But are we going to have a busy Christmas like you'd expect the year after two console launches? Or are we going to have to wait until 2015?"
Indie remains in the spotlight
Sony and Microsoft won't just be chucking multimillion dollar super-franchies at each other – for the past year they've also been attempting to seduce the entire indie development community with their self-publishing platforms and "come on guys, let's hug" approach to business. Both will no doubt be heading to the IndieCade showcase to catch promising offbeat treats like musical adventure FRACT OSC and experimental writing game Elergy for a Dead World.
Meanwhile, boutique publisher Devolver has some intirguing stuff to go alongside its obvious hit, Hotline Miami 2. Pixellated shooter Not A Hero from Roll7 and the pigeon dating sim, Hatoful Boyfriend look interesting. Oh and as a reposte to the military shooter genre, This War Is Mine, about civilians struggling to survive during an armed conflict, looks thought-provoking – and rather out of place amid the E3 jingoism.
The rise of co-op and local multiplayer
Mario Kart 8 has made everyone excited about playing against each other in the same room, and we may well see a few titles following it – or at least doing interesting things with group play. Sunset Overdrive is set to have eight-player co-op, while the latest Assassin's Creed adventure, Unity, will have four-player co-op assassination missions. Also, expect other titles to take Destiny's lead into the seamless Campaign/multiplayer crossover. Single-player is so dead right now (I'm joking).
The rise of space
Serious space games peaked in the early 1990s with the excellent Star Wars flight combat sims, then sort of drifted away, like George Clooney in Gravity. They're back now though. Destiny is the big hitter, of course, but E3 will also see a new build of Elite: Dangerous as well as a fresh demo of Hello Games' ambitious procedurally generated exploration sim, No Man's Sky. Oh and EA has its little Star Wars games, of course.
EA will have a good year
The last couple of Electronic Arts press conferences have been rather lacklustre affairs, the corporation relying on its trusted big hitters. This year, it'll have at least one, maybe two Star Wars titles: Battlefront from Battlefield creator Dice, and something else from Visceral. It may also tease Mass Effect 4 and Mirror's Edge 2. It'll have Fifa 15, of course, and Dragon Age Inquisition, and then there's the potentially franchise-saving Sims 4, which promises complex emotional AI to bring the successful but creatively stalling life sim back into the fold. Not a bad slate, really.
Virtual reality becomes an actual reality
The now Facebook-owned Oculus Rift will be at the event, showing off new demos, no doubt. However, the big question is whether Sony will be making a fuss of its own virtual reality headset, Project Morpheus. Announced at this year's GDC, the device looks slick and works well, and we may even get a release date this week – although it's more likely we'll just get a few new teaser trailers.
Actually, that's NOT the big question, really. The bigger question is whether Microsoft will announce its own VR device to compete with Sony and Oculus. The company is rumoured to be working on one and a sassy E3 reveal would change up the agenda of the whole show.
Having written that this E3 is going to be all about games, the whole thing could be virtually hijacked if two or more VR machines come face to helmeted face on the show floor.
That's the beauty of this event. Although it's an aging traditionalist, still glorifying the old school business of triple A boxed games and mega-corp publishers, it can pull out the odd firecracker now and again.
"It's easy to knock E3 for being out of touch with the wider games industry it's supposed to represent," says Bramwell. "However, for me, E3 is about the unique adversarial pageantry of the console games industry and on that basis it's still essential entertainment."
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2010


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Mirzapur, 23 January: The dragon fruit of Mirzapur will show a new path to the farmers across the state in the Republic Day parade to be held in the capital Lucknow on January 26.
However, it is the result of the desire to cultivate dragon fruit that about 100 farmers of City, Madihan, Chhanabe, Lalganj and Halia blocks of the district are cultivating it. In this, profit can be earned for 25 years by the investment of onetime cost. There will be a minimum profit of six lakh rupees per annum. Due to low cost and high profit, the cultivation of dragon fruit is pleasing to the farmers.
District Horticulture Officer Mevaram told that after buying fruits from local farmers, they will be exported to Delhi and Mumbai as well as exported abroad. Making the farmers aware for the first time, Dragon Fruit will spread its aura in the Republic Day parade. The Horticulture Department is planning to explore this fruit in markets like Delhi and Mumbai.
The horticulture officer said that dragon fruit including four pillar plants will be taken from Mirzapur to Lucknow. The tableau of the dragon fruit of Mirzapur will also come out in the parade coming out on Republic Day.
Immunity booster dragon fruit cultivation changed the fate of farmers, became a source of income
The cultivation of dragon fruit seems to be telling the story of the farmers’ wisdom. The cultivation of dragon fruit, which has proved to be a panacea for many serious diseases, started three years ago i.e. in 2018, has opened the doors of progress for the farmers. Its consignments have started reaching many districts of Purvanchal including Varanasi.
With the help of the Horticulture Department, some farmers started cultivating and about 100 farmers from across the district came forward.
Farmers have emerged as an example by using technology well with the help of Horticulture Department. Soon Mirzapur will emerge as the hub of dragon fruit cultivation. On the lines of Mirzapur, now dragon fruit will be cultivated in the entire state.
Governor has declared Mirzapur as dragon fruit hub
Governor Anandiben Patel has declared dragon fruit hub during the program organized in the district last year. At the same time, during the arrival of President Ram Nath Kovind, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had greatly appreciated the cultivation, production of dragon fruit and the self-sufficiency of the farmers.
Agriculture Secretary, Government of India, Sanjay Agarwal also saw the dragon fruit of Mirzapur and decided to encourage other farmers to cultivate dragon fruit across the entire state on the lines of Mirzapur.

domain: news


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Nigerian Afrobeat singer, Davido born David Adeleke has been reported to have sacked his personal logistics manager, Israel DMW.
This was made known by popular Instagram blogger, Cutie Juls but the reason the singer was laid off as the singer’s PLM is yet to be known.
Despite the reason isn’t known, it’s been speculated that it’s because Israel has involved himself in the fraud issues of Hushpuppi and the DCP Abba Kyari case.
Israel DMW sparked controversy on the gram after claiming that DCP Abba Kyari is good police as there’s no saint cop in Nigeria.
Cutie Juls wrote, “BREAKING NEWS:- DAVIDO SACKS ISRAEL
Exclusive 100-% confirmed information reaching our hub is that Nigerian sensational musician, Davido has sacked his logistics manager, Israel DMW with immediate effect.
We are not sure if this is linked to his recent constant dragging FBI online in regards to fraud cases that involve Hushpuppi and Abba Kyari or his other misconducts.
But the bottom line is that Israel DMW is no longer Davido’s logistics manager or a member of his team. Anyone who does business with him should note that Whatever business they engage in has nothing to do with Mr. David Adeleke or the “DAVIDO” brand. Thank you”.


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Madonna clocked up nearly 19 000km over three weeks despite Covid-19 travel bans. (Photo: Instagram/ @madonna)
A global pandemic won’t stop Madonna from jetting
around the globe if she wants to.
After all, the 62-year-old has never conformed to the
rules so why would she start now?
The queen of pop visited five countries in just three
weeks, clocking up nearly 19 000km despite Covid-19 travel bans.
Get 14 days free to read all our investigative and in-depth journalism. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel anytime and if you cancel within 14 days you won't be billed.


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JACKSONVILLE, Fla., 2016-Aug-24 — /EPR Retail News/ — Stein Mart, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMRT) announced today (Aug. 22, 2016) that Dawn Robertson, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Greg Kleffner, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, will be presenting at the B. Riley & Co. Consumer Conference being held at the Sofitel New York hotel on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
The audio portion of the presentation will be webcast live through Stein Mart’s investor relations website http://ir.steinmart.com. The webcast and presentation materials can be found under “Events & Presentations”. An archive of the presentation will remain available for 30 days after the live event.
About Stein Mart
Stein Mart, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMRT) is a national retailer offering designer and name-brand fashion, accessories and home decor at everyday discount prices. Stein Mart provides real value that customers will love every day both in stores and online. Stein Mart currently operates 283 stores across 31 states and has plans to expand over the next year. Stein Mart is adding new modern brands to its stores this year to offer discriminating shoppers even more of the fashion and savings they want. For more information, please visit www.steinmart.com.
For more information:
Linda L. Tasseff
Source: Stein Mart, Inc./GlobeNewswire


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In both non-adjusted and GAAP-adjusted financial results, we are now looking at $832 million in revenue for Q1 2016, down from $958 million in Q4 2015 and $1.06 billion in Q3 2015.
Source: AMD Investor Relations
From the 13-week quarter ending April 21st, AMD reported an operating loss of $68 million (compared to an operating loss of $49 million in Q4 2015), and a non-GAAP operating loss of $55 million (compared to non-GAAP operating loss of $39 million in Q4 2015). Revenue was $832 million, down 13 percent sequentially. In particular, the company's Computing and Graphics segment revenue was down 2 percent from Q4 2015 mainly due to decreased sales of client desktop processors. On the other hand, Enterprise, Embedded and Semi-Custom segment revenue was down 24 percent sequentially mainly due to lower semi-custom SoC sales.
AMD's full Q1 2016 earnings transcript can be found here.
In the next few months, AMD executives are banking entire segments and large portions of the company's performance in the last months of 2016 on a basic assumption that revenue upswing will result from its Zen FX CPUs in Q4 as well as Zen x86-based APUs in early 2017. These chips are expected to deliver graphics performance equivalent to the PlayStation 4 (similar to Radeon 7870 with two CUs disabled) and the Xbox One (similar to Radeon HD 7790 with two CUs disabled).
On Wednesday, we wrote about AMD's $293 million joint venture deal with China-based Sugon company, where the company will develop SoCs for server-based products being delivered to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. While details remain scarce at this point, it is very possible that AMD could incorporate its high-end Zen x86 APU with Greenland GPU featuring High Bandwidth Memory 2.0, support for DDR4 and a very fast interconnect with coherent fabric.
“Our new licensing agreement is a great example of leveraging our strong IP portfolio to accelerate the adoption of our technologies more broadly,” said Dr. Su. “The joint venture with THATIC provides AMD with a differentiated approach to help gain share in the fastest growing region of the server market.”
“Our strategy to build a strong business foundation and improve financial performance through delivering great products is beginning to show benefits,” said Lisa Su, AMD president and CEO. “We continued to strengthen the performance of our Computing and Graphics business as our customers and partners show a growing preference for AMD. We are optimistic about our growth prospects in the second half of the year across our businesses based on new product introductions and design wins.”
The company expects to return to non-GAAP operating profitability in the second half of 2016.
In January, the company launched its first 64-bit ARM-based product, the 28nm Opteron A1100 “Seattle” SoC with up to eight Cortex A57 cores as we highlighted back in May 2014. But the big "design wins" it is referencing will come from the Zen x86 CPU architecture. These high-performance AMD chips will be manufactured by TSMC on its 16-nanometer FF+ process which began volume production in Q4 2015. Nvidia is also producing its 16nm Pascal chips with TSMC, and AMD has also decided to become their customer for its Polaris GPUs arriving in June. More specifically, they are preparing to use manufacturing designs from both TSMC and GlobalFoundries for these upcoming FinFET-based GPUs.
AMD's hopes for 2H 2016 and onwards are very reminiscent of the U.S. presidential election. As it stands, the information technology sector is relying heavily on the company's revenue comeback for quarterly economic growth as a result of increased competition in the high-end CPU market with Intel.
This is especially important as the blue company recently announced 12,000 job cutbacks and a near-term philosophical shift away from the PC market. Intel is now focused more on programmable CPUs and memory chips. If the market is to benefit consumers, however, both companies will need to remain strong in traditional desktop / ultrabook / 2-in-1 PC market sales as well as mobility GPUs (Radeon Mobility / Intel Iris) for the healthiest possible bottom-line market outcome in Q1 2017.


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Microsoft Teases New Mobile PCs
Those with these machines can then purchase data from the Windows Store for easy Internet access on the go.
These days, we're always connected thanks to our smartphones; if Wi-Fi cuts out, we can continue tweeting and snapping thanks to cellular connections. On notebooks, however, it's not always as easy.
If Wi-Fi is unavailable, we're often forced to carry mobile hotspots or purchase separate mobile contracts for LTE-connected devices through a carrier. Going forward, Microsoft wants PC makers to include eSIM technology that will make it easier to connect to the Web on Microsoft Windows 10 devices.
Those with these machines can then purchase data from the Windows Store for easy Internet access on the go. Some Windows 10 PCs already have SIMs, but they're few and far between; a link to the Windows Store will also simplify the process of getting connected.
Whether PC makers install that technology and carriers sign on remains to be seen.
Two years ago, for example, the then-new iPads included SIM cards that, in theory, would allow you to jump from carrier to carrier with a few taps. But Verizon opted not to support those SIMs and AT&T locked them to its network after you signed up for a month of service. Devices sent to Sprint and T-Mobile stores, meanwhile, have been configured for those carriers, making the whole process rather convoluted.
Just recently, Qualcomm and Microsoft announced they're going to be able to run real Microsoft Windows 10, including Win32 emulation for older desktop applications, on Qualcomm's ARM-based Snapdragon processors in the second half of 2017.


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Ryrie St purchase to add to Geelong foodie scene
A new flavour is expected to add to the food scene in central Geelong after buyers snapped up a Ryrie St building.
The Geelong buyers secured the former home of Radio Rentals at 91 Ryrie St in a $1.205 million deal signed in May, Gartland Property agent Adam Farrell says.
Farrell says the freestanding building near the intersection of Gheringhap St set a strong $4334 square metre rate after the 278sqm property attracted competition between two buyers.
“It’s been sold to an owner-occupier who will be looking at using it for a food premises,” he says.
Farrell says the emerging foodie scene around Ryrie and Little Malop St had attracted the buyers.
The property neighbours Alma restaurant and is opposite the former Griffiths bookshop, which the owners of retailer Popcultcha bought last year, intending to relocate to the landmark.
“They were talking about that side of town, it’s in that pocket where all the restaurants are.”
“That whole corridor is up and running with good hospitality venues. It’s a pocket you want to be involved in.”
Farrell says he expects the business will open next year.
Other food places in the area include El Santo De Los Tacos on Ryrie St, and Sumi and Augustus Gelatery on Gheringhap St.
Radio Rentals blamed the COVID-19 pandemic when it permanently closed all its 62 retail stores in April.
This article from The Geelong Advertiser originally appeared as “Ryrie St, Geelong: Buyers get a taste for foodie scene with retail property purchase”.


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Posted Thu Apr 14, 2016 at 08:00 AM PDT by Tom Landy
The utterly insane action flick is now up for Blu-ray pre-orders at Amazon.
In an early announcement to retailers, Universal will be releasing 'Hardcore Henry' on Blu-ray later this year.
Hardcore - The First Ever Action POV Feature Film. Henry, a newly resurrected cyborg who must save his wife/creator Estelle from the clutches of a psychotic tyrant with telekinetic powers, Akan, and his army of mercenaries. Fighting alongside Henry is Jimmy, who is Henry's only hope to make it through the day. Hardcore takes place over the course of one day, in Moscow, Russia.
Specs and supplements haven't been revealed yet, but the suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $34.98.
You can find the latest specs for 'Hardcore Henry' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under PENDING.
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.


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Blowing up cars with a giant cannon? Just another day in Las Vegas for the guys from Pawn Stars. On Tuesday afternoon, reality TV star Chumlee posted a crazy video of himself and others destroying a car off in the distance with the huge cannon.
Fans of the wildly popular History Channel series are used to explosives being involved with the show. Shop owner Rick Harrison, his son Corey Harrison, and Chumlee are known to head out into the Nevada desert from time to time. They try out all kinds of weapons on the show and make sure they have professionals around when they do. The Pawn Stars team will fire off anything from vintage guns to flamethrowers to cannons. Sometimes it’s just for fun and other times it’s to make sure the item works properly in case they decide to purchase it.
Earlier today, Chumlee posted a short clip to his Instagram account. We’re not sure if the video is behind-the-scenes footage from a new Pawn Stars episode. Or if it’s just Chumlee out in the desert blowing stuff up in his spare time for fun. Regardless it’s a pretty wild clip.
Viewers can see the massive cannon on a flatbed as it points to the sky. An older grey car is set up at the other end of the dirt field. The cannon goes off as the camera pans to the car. A couple seconds later, the vehicle is blown to pieces with shrapnel flying all around.
“Can we blow this car up?” Chumlee said to his fans on Instagram.
‘Pawn Stars’ Shop Owner Opens Up About Buying Fake Items
Fake items are commonplace in the pawn shop industry, and the guys from Pawn Stars deal with them often. In fact, sometimes sellers don’t realize their items are even fake. But in some circumstances, sellers know exactly what they have and are trying to scam buyers.
According to Corey Harrison, it’s not a matter of if you’ll get duped, but when. The Pawn Stars crew knows their stuff, and will often involve experts to verify authenticity. However, when speaking to When in Manila in 2017, Corey admitted you have to live and learn.
“You know, you just live and learn. That’s kinda how it works. You don’t have a pawn broker school where they teach you that. It’s all trial and error. As many big scores that I’ve gotten, I’ve been burned a lot, too,” Corey explained.
For example, his dad who has been in the business for decades took a hit in past years on a fake Rolex watch. He said in the 2000s, someone spent a lot of money to transform an old Rolex into a newer-looking one. It duped the Pawn Stars shop owner who wasted thousands on it.
“Fifteen years ago, someone spent probably three- or four thousand dollars to make a fake Rolex. And I got burned on that one, so it won’t happen again,” Rick said. “It’s an entire industry, making fake things.”


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Korean mobile network operators, card issuers, consumer electronics manufacturers and government organisations have formed the Grand NFC Korea Alliance with the aim of creating a US$1bn business opportunity and more than 5,000 jobs.
The Korea Communications Commission (KCC) has unveiled details of an ambitious project designed to place Korean firms at the leading edge of NFC.
The Grand NFC Korea Alliance brings together a wide range of leading Korean businesses and government organisations with the aim of building an NFC-based service infrastructure, testing ‘mobile smart life’ projects and enabling Korean firms to take leadership positions in the next-generation mobile payment and application services market.
Members of the alliance include:
- Mobile network operators SK Telecom, KT and LG U+
- Credit card firms Hana SK Card, BC Card, Shinhan Card, MasterCard and KB Kookmin Card
- Manufacturers Samsung, LG, Pantech, UbiVelox, KEBT, MtekVision and 3A Logics
- Telecoms billing service providers Danal, Mobilians, KCP and Galaxia
- Government organisations and associations including KISA, ETRI, TTA, MOIBA and Korea Internet Companies Association.
KCC says the NFC-based mobile smart life industry is expected to “generate KRW1,034 billion (US$957m) in productions, KRW347.5 billion (US$322m) in added values, and 5,707 jobs for the next five years.”
“The NFC-based Mobile Smart Life services market is still in its infancy,” KCC explains. “Thus, if our service providers can make the best use of their technical competitiveness and accumulate application service experiences, they will certainly stand out in the global market.”
Among the initiatives which have been given the green light are plans to:
- Accelerate the spread of merchant terminals equipped with NFC.
- Run pilot services for small merchants involving the development of NFC-based payments terminals.
- Develop a variety of NFC applications including ticketing, physical access control, user authentication and coupons.
- Spread the use of NFC-based ticketing, tourist information and customised advertising through the use of tags in combination with location-based services.
- Promote the development of secure mobile payment services.
- Promote the development of NFC-based smart wallet technology.
- Build a testbed that can be used by Korean SMEs to test their products before putting them on the market.


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New future for the iconic Cutty Sark Scotch Whisky under La Martiniquaise-Bardinet ownership
Published Date: 29th November 2018
Edrington and La Martiniquaise-Bardinet agree a new future for the iconic Cutty Sark Scotch Whisky under La Martiniquaise ownership
Edrington and La Martiniquaise-Bardinet are pleased to announce that they have concluded an agreement on the sale of the Cutty Sark Scotch Whisky brand.
Cutty Sark Scotch Whisky was launched in 1923 and is one of the most recognisable Scotch Whiskies in the world, with a long and distinguished heritage celebrating the spirit of adventure. Edrington’s association with Cutty Sark stretches back over nine decades to the 1930s. The completion of the transfer to La Martiniquaise is expected within a month.
Ian Curle, chief executive of Edrington, said: “Cutty Sark is a great Scotch Whisky and has been a worldwide whisky icon for the last 90 years. We are pleased to be transferring the brand to La Martiniquaise and know that it will thrive under their ownership. We wish them all the very best for the future with this great brand.”
Jean-Pierre Cayard, President of La Martiniquaise-Bardinet commented: “We are proud to take ownership of this powerful brand. Cutty Sark perfectly complements our portfolio of international brandsincluding Label 5, Sir Edward’s & Glen Moray Scotch Whisky, Poliakov Vodka, Porto Cruz and Negrita & Saint James Rum. This acquisition is a major step forward to accelerate our international expansion. It will further strengthen our position in Europe and boost our presence in key markets such as the US & Japan.
With Cutty Sark, we consolidate our position in Scotch whisky, entering in the world’s top 5 groups (source: The IWSR).”
As part of the deal, Edrington will continue to provide blending and bottling and other associated services during a transition period.
Edrington were advised during the sale process by Nomura International PLC and Dentons UK and Middle East LLP. La Martiniquaise-Bardinet were advised by Rabobank and Goodwin.
Balcones Distilling Launches New Texas Pot Still Bourbon
Published Date: 19th February 2019
WACO, TEXAS: Balcones Distilling has today announced the launch of its Texas Pot Still Bourbon as the newest addition to the distillery’s core lineup of expressions. Read more
Wemyss Malts launches new website and Cask Club with an exclusive 35 year old Caol Ila
Published Date: 18th February 2019
Family whisky makers Wemyss Malts have relaunched wemyssmalts.com, a brand new website offering whisky fans the chance to join the Wemyss Malts Cask Club. Membership offers access to unique bottlings released solely to the members as well as preview purchases of the latest malt whisky releases. Read more
Exclusive Interview with Paul McDonagh owner of Bon Accord: Glasgow Whisky Bar
Published Date: 16th February 2019
It’s a pub that I have been into many times in the past, even before my passion for whisky took over. So, when I got the opportunity to meet the owner of “Bon Accord”, Paul McDonagh, I jumped at the chance. Read more
100,000 bottles of rare whisky sold at UK auction in 2018 - Value of rare whisky bottles sold at UK auction exceeds £40m
Published Date: 8th February 2019
Rare Whisky 101 co-founders Andy Simpson and David Robertson
The UK’s rare whisky auction market has exceeded sales of more than 100,000 bottles of rare whisky in a single year for the first time as global demand accelerates. Read more
New Irish Whiskey With A French Connection Writers' Tears Copper Pot Deau XO Cognac Cask Finish
Published Date: 6th February 2019
Carlow, Ireland: 5 February, 2019: Walsh Whiskey has released Writers’ Tears Copper Pot - Deau XO Cognac Cask Finish, a super-premium edition of its universally popular Writers’ Tears Copper Pot Irish whiskey. It is the fourth expression released under the Writers’ Tears range. Read more
Stars align for launch of Littlemill 40 Year Old Celestial Edition
Published Date: 5th February 2019
Loch Lomond Group has launched the Littlemill 40 Year Old Celestial Edition (46.8% ABV) in the UK, the oldest expression ever to be released from the now lost Littlemill distillery. Read more


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Most Commented Content posted in November 2011
Ready to Be Chauffeured by Your Car?
Electronics News 11/21/2011
Engineers from General Motors say fully autonomous vehicles will be ready to hit the streets in 2020, and automakers will be able to offer the technology if consumers want it.
Petroski on Engineering: Made in Japan
Guest Blogs 11/30/2011
According to Duke University engineering professor Henry Petroski, Japan may not be a leader in prize-winning science, but it certainly is a force to be reckoned with in consumer products.
Slideshow: CAE Goes Mainstream
CAD/CAM Corner 11/17/2011
Computer-aided engineering (CAE) features such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) are no longer arcane tools just for highly trained specialists. They're becoming accessible to mainstream engineers via inclusion in mainstream CAD programs.
Gadget Freak Case #198: Build a Remote Fan Control
Gadget Freak 11/9/2011
Andy Morris has devised a propeller fan remote control that doesn’t require line-of-sight, which makes it easier to use in the dark. The gadget comes with off/on, three fan speeds, and multicolored LEDs to indicate the fan’s speed.
Industrial Distributors Face Integration Challenge
Distributors in the industrial, automation, and mechanical engineering sectors are having to adapt to changing requirements among customers as engineers try to differentiate their designs through performance boosts, faster manufacturing cycles, and the need for easier maintenance.
Siemens Steps Up Composites Game
CAD/CAM Corner 11/16/2011
Siemens snaps up Vistagy, a specialized composites design tool maker, as part of its industry strategy and as a step towards building a broader, end-to-end product development platform.
BMW has already incorporated more than 10,000 3D-printed parts in the Rolls-Royce Phantom and intends to expand the use of 3D printing in its cars even more in the future. Meanwhile, Daimler has started using additive manufacturing for producing spare parts in Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
Researchers have been developing a number of nano- and micro-scale technologies that can be used for implantable medical technology for the treatment of disease, diagnostics, prevention, and other health-related applications.
SABIC's lightweighting polycarbonate glazing materials have appeared for the first time in a production car: the rear quarter window of Toyota's special edition 86 GRMN sports car, where they're saving 50% of its weight compared to conventional glass.
Take a look at some of the best movies that include self-aware machines.
An engineer in the United Kingdom has found inspiration in nature for the design of bridges that are far stronger and more durable than current designs.
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Burger Dive Opens in Assembly Row
Somerville gets a "better burger" style fast-food restaurant.
Burger Dive, a new restaurant by the same group that owns Papagayo, Sip Wine Bar and other restaurants in the Boston area, opened in Assembly Square over Thanksgiving weekend, according to the restaurant's website.
The burger joint is the first restaurant to open in the new Assembly Row development currently under construction.
Burger Dive seems designed to take part in the "better burger" trend—a reference to the slightly upscale fast-food burger chains, like Five Guys and In-N-Out Burger—that has been sweeping the country recently.
At Burger Dive the burgers come in different styles, and there are a variety of toppings to choose from.


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AFP, 13 April 2005
Australia should press ahead with China FTA : Trade Minister Vaile
SYDNEY : Australia should push ahead with negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China despite the risks and difficulties involved in engaging with the Communist nation, Trade Minister Mark Vaile said.
A feasibility study on whether to commence trade talks with China is before the cabinet and Prime Minister John Howard is expected to make clear Australia’s position on FTA discussions during a visit to Beijing next week.
"I believe the time is right for Australia to move into free trade negotiations with China," Vaile told the National Press Club in Canberra.
"Australia must be at the front of the queue in this market. The Chinese economy grows stronger by the day and Australia simply cannot afford to be left behind."
If Australia were to enter free trade talks with China it would be required to grant the Asian powerhouse market economy status, a key issue for Beijing.
Vaile acknowledged that there were some who "believe that the challenge is just too hard.
"I frankly believe that fortune favours the brave. We need to be brave in this regard," he said.
A potential obstacle has already emerged in the high price of Australian iron ore although Vaile said the outcome of discussions on this matter would not affect free trade negotiations.
China is Australia’s largest market for iron ore but it is pushing for lower prices as it tries to meet ballooning demand for resources for steel production.
Vaile said the Australian product cost less than that from other countries, adding that he had been petitioned by the Indian government to raise the price — India being another major iron ore supplier.
He stressed that the government would never intervene to alter the price.
"Governments don’t intervene in these markets in terms of the establishment of price as a result of supply and demand forces," he said.
"The reality is that China is reaching out and engaging and trying to integrate itself with the global economy, and that’s a market, that’s the marketplace.
"I made the point that China aspires to be recognised as a market economy — well, hello, this is how a market works," he added.
Vaile also said that Australia could take action in the World Trade Organisation if China’s efforts to force down iron ore prices, which include attempts to restrict the number of importers to about 100, contravene world trade rules.
In 2004, Australia’s exports to China grew to 12 billion Australian dollars (9.3 billion US), with resources accounting for about 60 percent.
Australia’s exports of good and services globally reached 152.5 billion dollars in 2004.
Outlining the government’s trade agenda for 2005, Vaile said Australia would not rule out forging further trade ties with other countries particularly in Asia and hinted that Indonesia could be a future FTA partner.
"I am sure we will move in that direction but the timing needs to be right and the circumstances need to be right," he said.
Last week Australia agreed to negotiate a free trade deal with Malaysia while it already has FTAs with Thailand, Singapore, the United States and New Zealand.
Australia will begin free trade talks with the United Arab Emirates and is negotiating alongside New Zealand on an FTA with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).


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Mr King told MPs at a Treasury Select Committee hearing that a slowdown in the economy would help reduce inflation.
But he warned that the Monetary Policy Committee faced a "difficult balancing act" in ensuring the economy did not slow so much that it pulled inflation below target.
He repeated predictions that inflation is set to hit more than 4% this year as petrol, energy and food prices continue to rise.
Rocketing oil prices have now seen the cost of crude effectively reach the same levels as those seen in the 1970s, added Mr King.
His appearance before the cross-party group of MPs comes a week after he wrote to the Chancellor to explain why inflation hit 3.3% in May - the highest in the 11 years of the Bank's independence.
But Mr King stressed that the inflation spike was temporary.
He said: "The immediate cause of the rise in inflation we are seeing now is a change in the prices of food and energy relative to other prices.
"This will push up the overall level of prices but it cannot, by itself, produce sustained inflation unless we allow other prices and wages to rise at a faster rate.
"The MPC is focussed on preventing that. So although inflation is rising now, we will ensure that it falls back to the 2% target."


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- Super Eagles new kit have been unveiled and the new design has is inspired by the tradition agbada
- It is understood that Nigerian national teams will be wearing a new look after sport kit giants Nike released the outfit
- Fans have been buzzing with positive comments on social media about the home and away designs
Super Eagles in any moment will be wearing new jerseys for the execution of their international outings.
The last design was accepted globally and was named the best kit of the Russia 2018 World Cup.
And after almost two years, the three-time African champions are making a U-turn on a new kind of mind blowing green and white jersey.
The home kit design is a fusion of traditional aesthetic of an agbada robe with a mixture of modern western design.
While the away kit which will be worn be Nigerian stars in their away matches is inspired by 'Onaism' which mean pulling out.
Okada ban: Slimcase applauds Lagos government, says roadside traders should also be sent packing (video)
Broader collection of Super Eagles apparel includes a poncho, vest, dress, and more.
Fans have been going crazy on social media about the new jersey with Super Eagles faithfuls going crazy.
One fan said: "nikefootball is doing a great job with the super eagles of Nigeria's jersey.. Nice one lads hope we win trophies with this jersey."
Another added: "This new Super Eagles jersey is d*mn beautiful."
A third excited fan said: "Nike have absolutely nailed another Nigeria strip."
A fourth was dumb-founded: "D*mn, Nike done did it again."
It is understood that the present jersey sold out over 3 million copies after a few weeks it was pushed into the market by kit giant Nike.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that Victor Osimhen who is currently having a wonderful season in France has been ranked among the most expensive U23 strikers in the world.
Amotekun receives major support in northern Nigeria as region may name own version ‘Operation Shege ka Fasa’
The Nigerian international has scored 17 goals so far this season in all competitions and has also been linked with top European clubs including Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Transfermarkt.co.uk made a compilation of the top 50 strikers who are not more than 23-years-old and Paris Saint-Germian's Kylian Mbappe led the pack with £180m worth.
Ferdinand reveals why Ighalo may struggle at Man United, names best Nigerian player | Legit TV


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- GBP higher in mid-week trade
- Inflation hotter than expected
- Could go to 3% by year-end
- But back to 2.0% in 2022
Image © Adobe Images
- GBP/EUR reference rates at publication:
- Spot: 1.1737
- Bank transfers (indicative guide): 1.1420-1.1508
- Money transfer specialist rates (indicative): 1.1630-1.1655
- More information on securing specialist rates, here
- Set up an exchange rate alert, here
The British Pound was bid in mid-week trade following the release of UK inflation data for June which came in hotter than expected, prompting expectations that a 2022 Bank of England interest rate rise was increasingly likely.
According to the ONS, CPI inflation rose 2.5% year-on-year in June, which is greater than the 2.2% forecast by the market and the 2.1% reported in May.
Inflation rose 0.5% in the month to June, which is more than the 0.2% the market was expecting but less than the 0.6% reported in May.
Following the data the Pound-to-Euro exchange rate rose to its highest level since April, but the gains look at risk of fading (see why below).
FX transfers: Secure a retail exchange rate that is between 3-5% stronger than offered by leading banks, learn more. (Advertisement).
The ONS says the contribution of transport costs has made a particularly notable contribution to inflation.
Transport has ranged from a downward contribution of 0.20 percentage points in May 2020 during the first lockdown to an upward contribution of 0.80 percentage points in June 2021.
This is the largest upward contribution from any component of the price basket this month.
Within transport, the movements have been caused principally by changes in the price of motor fuels which are in turn linked to a spike in global oil prices.
Stronger-than-expected inflation matters for a foreign exchange market that has become increasingly reactive to economic data as investors try and gauge when the world's central banks will raise interest rates from record lows.
Central banks raise interest rates in the face of heating inflation, as such a move acts to cool economic activity.
When expectations for a central bank interest rate rise comes forward, the currency that central bank issues tends to appreciate.
Money market pricing suggests the Bank of England is on target to raise interest rates in 2022, ahead of then European Central Bank and potentially the Federal Reserve.
This divergence proves supportive of the Pound, although the Fed might actually have to raise sooner given hot inflation in the U.S., as per yesterday's release. This helps explain why GBP/EUR is pointing higher while GBP/USD has lost value over recent weeks.
With inflation now above the Bank of England's 2.0% target the market might feel justified on betting on a 2022 interest rate by buying the Pound.
"Looking ahead, CPI inflation now looks likely to peak slightly above 3% at the end of this year, though we expect most of the further increase to be driven by food and energy prices," says Samuel Tombs, Chief U.K. Economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.
The Bank of England is however of the view that inflation in the UK will prove temporary in nature and they are therefore willing to look through near-term 'noise' which has helped keep market expectations on the outlook for interest rates and the Pound in check.
The Pound's gains following the inflation data release might have been more significant were it not for some PPI inflation numbers that actually underwhelmed against expectations.
These input prices are suggesting some signs that supply-side pressures to prices might have turned a corner, with a number of readings coming in lower than expectations.
Producer Price Index inflation (output - also known as factory gate prices) read at 4.3% year-on-year, which is lower than the 4.8% forecast by markets and the 4.6% reported in May.
Producer Price Index inflation (input - which reflects the rising costs of commodities) read at 9.1% year-on-year, less than the 10.8% the market was looking for and the 10.7% reported in May.
The Producer Price Index matters as it shows price pressures earlier on in the production pipeline which will ultimately be passed on to consumers and reflect in the CPI.
The Bank of England will be aware that much of the spike in inflation in 2021 is down to 'base effects' - whereby current data is flattered by comparison to the unusual slump in prices a year prior. (The ONS has a good explainer here).
As the 'base effect' fades a more accurate picture of inflation emerges.
However, the Covid crisis has had a significant impact on global supply chains, making some goods and components scarce.
This in turn reflects in the higher prices consumers are paying at the till.
The Bank of England believes that both the base effect and supply-side inflation will ultimately fade, leaving inflation at lower levels in coming months.
If the cost of fuel is providing upside pressure on inflation at present, then the recent cooling of global oil prices would be expected to be felt in the forecourt over coming months.
The risk however is that some prices prove sticky and don't simply just fade back as time passes, something the Bank's ex Chief Economist Andy Haldane has been particularly vocal about.
Indeed, a shortage of labour appears to be a potential feature of post-Covid UK which in turn puts pressure on wages.
Wage-lead inflation is something the Bank of England would be required to respond to with higher interest rates.
Pantheon Macroeconomics say that while inflation can be expected to rise further over the reminder of 2021, 2022 will likely see inflation ease back.
"The combination of sterling’s recent appreciation and fading lockdown-induced demand should ensure that core goods inflation eases over the next year, despite the increase in producer output prices," says Tombs.
Accordingly, Pantheon Macroeconomics think that CPI inflation will return to the 2% target in the second half of next year.
Such a decline would arguably take the pressure off the Bank of England to raise interest rates and it would therefore take some persistently stubborn inflation readings to really shift the dial on interest rate expectations and the Pound.


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The African Development Bank will launch its African Economic Outlook 2020 Supplement on July 7, it said in an emailed statement Thursday.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in economic disruptions that have changed the strong growth projections that the bank reported in January in the 2020 African Economic Outlook.
“The supplement revises the growth projections and outlook for Africa for 2020 and 2021 and highlights the impact of COVID–19 on Africa’s socio-economic landscape,” AfDB said. The supplement recommends workable policy responses to safely reopen economies and accelerate growth recovery, according to the bank.
It said that this is the first supplement published in the 19-year history of the African Economic Outlook.
The launch will be held via zoom, at 16.00, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire time.
The report will be presented by Dr. Hanan Morsy, the Bank’s Director of the Macroeconomic Policy, Forecasting and Research Department. It would then be discussed by a panel of senior policymakers and private sector practitioners.
The African Economic Outlook is the Bank’s flagship report and serves as a tool for economic intelligence, policy dialogue and operational effectiveness. The report is read widely by the public, including policymakers, academics, investors, development practitioners and the media.


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The food industry has urged ministers to put all non-Brexit related reforms on hold until after Britain leaves the EU because its members are too busy planning for no deal to take part in consultations (The Telegraph). The government has been asked to pause as a matter of “great urgency” consultations on all food, farming and environment issues because Brexit is choking the capacity of businesses to respond to Michael Gove’s plans (The Guardian). More than 30 groups from across the food and drink industry have asked the government to suspend work on a swath of reforms from recycling to forest protection, arguing that its members have to focus on contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit (The Financial Times £). Britain’s food industry has threatened to suspend its co-operation with a swathe of government consultations until the “catastrophic impact of a no-deal Brexit” is resolved, bosses have warned the environment secretary, Michael Gove (Sky News).
Asda and Sainsbury’s proposed £14billion merger is to be scrutinised by watchdogs for an additional two months (The Daily Mail). As widely expected, the Competition and Markets Authority has delayed the deadline for its final report on the £12bn Sainsbury’s/Asda transaction from March 5 to April 30 (The Times £). The Competition and Markets Authority said there were special reasons why the original March 5 deadline had been pushed back to April 30, citing the “scope and complexity of the investigation” (The Telegraph). The delay had been widely expected after a legal tussle between the two companies and the CMA last December, in which Sainsbury’s and Asda argued they had been given insufficient time to respond to requests for documentation (The Financial Times £)
The American hedge fund agitating for an overhaul at Just Eat has turned up the heat on the takeaway delivery group, demanding that it seeks a merger with a rival rather than appointing a new chief executive (The Times £). US activist investor has ratcheted up the pressure on Just Eat, issuing a withering attack on executives that demands handing control to a rival through a delivery mega-merger (The Telegraph). Just Eat has again come under fire from 2 per cent shareholder Cat Rock Capital, which has called for a merger and complained about recent board appointments (The Daily Mail).
The FT says Cat Rock’s suggestion the takeaway food group merge with Takeaway.com is a bite too far. “Why would anyone suggest a merger with a smaller European counterpart offering no obvious synergies, simply to address concerns over an executive search that has only been running three weeks?” (The Financial Times £)
The British-born chief executive of toothpaste maker Colgate-Palmolive is leaving the position after almost 12 years, in the latest changing of the guard at the world’s largest consumer goods companies. (The Financial Times £)
The recent collapse of a raft of high street firms and the downsizing of other retailers mean that nearly 15,000 jobs were lost and over 4,000 remain at risk since Christmas, new analysis has showed. (The Daily Mail)
British tobacco company Imperial Brands will begin its search for a new chairman amid concerns about the incumbent’s length of tenure exceeding government guidelines (The Financial Times £). Imperial Brands is searching for a new non-executive chairman after confirming that Mark Williamson will step down after 11 years on the board (The Times £).
13 years after the sport banned tobacco advertising amid tightening international regulation, one of the world’s biggest tobacco manufacturers has returned to Formula One. British American Tobacco and McLaren, the Woking-based team, yesterday unveiled a global partnership on the eve of the 2019 championship. (The Times £)
The Guardian has an in-depth investigation into Heineken’s business in Africa, asking if the brewer’s claims that its business helps Africa are too good to be true amid accusations of sexual harassment and low pay. (The Guardian)
Palm oil used in supermarket products is not fully traceable despite it being called “100% certified sustainable”. Research by Radio 4’s You & Yours found Tesco performed the best, yet only 67% of its palm oil can be traced to its source. (The BBC)


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When the Boston Beer Company was launched, it found a unique niche as a new brewing company that was higher-end than the traditional massive beer companies, but still was sold on the national level all around the country with high revenue. Now a day, many new breweries want to expand their market to reach that national level. With the boom of craft breweries, the question remains about whether one of them can reach the level of national success that Boston Beer Company has had. At the end of the 2014 fiscal year Boston Beer Company found itself with over $903 million in revenue, and according to the Brewers Association top 50 breweries of 2014 it was ranked 5th.
However, it might be tough for one of the many craft breweries to get to quite the level that Boston Beer Company has attained. Part of this comes from the strict regulation that is out there in order to limit entry into the national market. All but four states in the United States have a strict three-tiered structure, which separates the brewing company, distributors, and retailers. Thus, it makes it tough for one of the many new breweries to extend its market share to somewhere near the level of Boston Beer Company.
Consider the fact that Lagunitas Brewing Company, which is the 11th ranked U.S. brewing company and 6th ranked craft brewery, brought in revenue of $90 million last year, almost a 1/10th of Boston Beer Company. The craft brewery movement has definitely had an impact in the traditional big national beer companies, but regulations and the tons of different craft brewing companies will make it tough for one of them to reach the size of Boston Beer Company.


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Yahoo Finance's Jared Blikre breaks down the sector action as stocks head lower into the close.
Holidaymakers can now pack their bags from April 11, 2022 for the ultimate adventure on board Royal Caribbean International's Spectrum of the Seas, Asia's largest, newest and most innovative ship, for spectacular 3- to 4-night Ocean Getaways. Six months sooner than anticipated, guests will enjoy world-class dining, showstopping entertainment, a private enclave for suite guests and state-of-the-art amenities exclusively designed for the Asian market. Sailings are now open for bookings.
"Dampening" reservations means analyst predictions of a return to profits this year could be all wet.


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The iPhone 11 Pro is a tremendous phone. It's got gorgeous cameras, smooth performance, and all the other fancy features you could want from an Apple device. It also costs $1,000 at the bare minimum, which is awful and locks out a bunch of potential buyers. Thankfully, it's not the end of the world.
You see, plenty of big-name phone makers produce cheaper versions of their mega-expensive flagship phones because not everyone can afford the real thing at launch. These "budget" phones might not have the exact same cameras, the same intense processors, or the same fantastic battery life, but they typically come pretty close and maintain software compatibility to boot. And we could be seeing a lot more of them in 2020.
Though we don't know everything that brands like Apple and Samsung plan on releasing, we have gotten enough nuggets of info to put together a list of budget phones you can look forward to in the new year. If you don't need foldable screens, 5G, or disappearing cameras, then you might want to consider these wallet-friendly options.
Apple is one of the worst culprits when it comes to pricing people out of its best phones, with new iPhones easily entering that quadruple-digit price barrier we talked about earlier. The company also doesn't consistently offer new, budget-friendly phones, preferring, instead, to just let people buy last year's model.
That may not be the case this year. Rumor has it Apple will release a follow-up to the budget iPhone SE sometime this year. The first iPhone SE came out all the way back in 2016 and offered a cheaper, smaller alternative to the massive and pricey flagships Apple keeps releasing each fall. The best part is that, according to rumors, it'll cost just $399.
Obviously, this isn't confirmed yet, so we'll have to wait and see when it comes to total specs and features. But a new iPhone for $399 is a pretty darn good deal. If you don't feel like waiting to find out, the excellent iPhone XR from two years ago is currently $399 with a trade-in and $599 without one.
Congratulations to Samsung for actually announcing its budget smartphone alternatives early in the new year. The tech giant snuck in a pre-CES reveal for the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite, which are stripped down, cheaper versions of each respective flagship.
Oddly enough, they aren't just lighter versions of the same phones. The S10 Lite has a new image stabilizing feature for shooting videos, for example. Aside from that, however, Samsung was pretty quiet about specifics regarding these two phones during its initial announcement.
Mostly, we know that they'll have "premium features" alongside an "accessible price point." Here's the kicker: We don't actually know what that price point is yet and we don't know when they'll be available. For what it's worth, the Galaxy S10 is $899 and the Note 10 is $949. So, it stands to reason the Lite versions will be cheaper than those.
The folks who make the Android platform released a pretty darn good budget phone last year in the Pixel 3a. For just $399, you got essentially the same camera as the then-flagship Pixel 3, but with minor trade-offs in build quality and processing power. You also got Google's software-powered nighttime photography and a headphone jack.
Google's latest, the Pixel 4, wasn't the most expensive flagship of 2019 at $799, but it's still a little more costly than anything else on this list. We fully expect a Pixel 4a to be released at some point this year, probably in the first half of 2020 if Google follows the same release schedule as last year.
As for the juicy details, you'll have to wait. Leaked renders point to a fairly similar design as the Pixel 4, but with a hole-punch display on the front and the almighty return of the headphone jack. Expect to hear more about this one in the near future.
Though it was arguably more "mid-range" than "budget," last year's OnePlus 7T showed that you can fit excellent specs into a phone with a starting price of just $599. The Chinese smartphone had a buttery smooth 90Hz display (the same as the more expensive Pixel 4) with quality performance to boot at a relatively affordable price.
Naturally, OnePlus is almost certainly going to launch an "8" series of phones in 2020. In fact, purported specs and renders have already leaked for three new phones, the cheapest of which will apparently be called the OnePlus 8 Lite.
If those leaks are to be believed, we could be looking at a phone in the $400 - $600 range with a 6.4-inch display, the same 90Hz refresh rate we talked about earlier, 8GB of RAM, and three rear cameras. Again, we don't know how true this information is yet, but OnePlus already has a solid history of releasing good phones that don't require you to take out a loan.
There will, of course, be tons of phones released in 2020, some of which will probably be even cheaper than the ones we talked about here. But, at the very least, this should give you hope that you can get some of the nicest features from the biggest manufacturers for far less than $1,000.


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Samsung has already announced that it is holding its Galaxy Unpacked 2015 event on March 1, and it’s all but confirmed that the South Korean company will use it to announce both the Galaxy S6 flagship as well as its curved screen cousin, the Galaxy S Edge.
While the countdown for their official unveiling has begun, alleged European pricing details for the devices have been published by AndroidPit. According to the website, the Galaxy S6 will come in three variants depending upon internal storage: 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB, and will be priced at €749, €849, and €949, respectively.
Similarly, the Galaxy S Edge will also come in 32, 64, and 128GB variants, and will be priced at €849, €949, and €1049, respectively. Needless to say, these prices aren’t officially confirmed, so take them with a pinch of salt.Via
1000 bucks, LOL! probably a spy from apple out to destroy samsung. job well done, imo.
Lean to spell next time before responding to me.
If you are going to say an iPhone is better than a Galaxy S then YOU are the one who DON'T know jack about smartphones. Apple is simply a phone...not smart in any way.


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The partnership between Microsoft and Ethereum has garnered significant attention in the technology industry. As two prominent players in their respective fields, this collaboration has the potential to shape the future of blockchain technology. This article aims to provide an objective analysis of this partnership and its implications for the world of NFTs.
NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, have gained immense popularity in recent years. These digital assets represent unique items or pieces of content that can be bought, sold, and traded on various platforms. With a growing number of artists, creators, and collectors embracing NFTs as a means of ownership and expression, it is no surprise that major companies like Microsoft are entering the market.
Microsoft’s entry into the NFT market signifies a significant milestone for both the tech giant and the wider blockchain community. By leveraging the capabilities of Ethereum’s decentralized platform, Microsoft aims to provide users with a seamless experience for creating, buying, and selling NFTs.
This move not only showcases Microsoft’s commitment to innovation but also highlights its recognition of the increasing demand for digital collectibles. In this article, we will delve deeper into this partnership and explore how it may shape the future landscape of NFTs while addressing any potential challenges that may arise along the way.
The Partnership between Microsoft and Ethereum
The collaboration between Microsoft and Ethereum has resulted in a mutually beneficial partnership, integrating the strengths of both entities to advance the adoption and development of blockchain technology.
This partnership has yielded numerous benefits for both parties, as well as making a significant impact on the blockchain industry as a whole.
By leveraging Microsoft’s extensive resources and global reach, combined with Ethereum’s robust smart contract platform, this collaboration has allowed for accelerated innovation in the field of decentralized applications (DApps) and blockchain solutions.
Furthermore, their joint efforts have contributed to expanding the use cases and applicability of blockchain technology beyond cryptocurrencies, enabling its integration into various industries such as finance, supply chain management, healthcare, and more.
The seamless integration of Microsoft Azure cloud services with Ethereum’s scalable infrastructure has facilitated the widespread implementation of blockchain solutions among businesses worldwide.
This partnership has not only strengthened both Microsoft and Ethereum’s positions in the market but also served as an inspiration for other tech giants to explore blockchain collaborations, further driving the growth and advancement of this transformative technology.
The Rise of NFTs and their Popularity
Evidently, the surge in popularity of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has captivated both artists and collectors alike, fueling a digital revolution in the art market.
NFTs, which are unique digital assets that can represent ownership or proof of authenticity for various forms of digital content, have gained significant traction in recent years.
This rise can be attributed to several factors, including the growing interest in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, as well as the desire for new ways to monetize and distribute digital art.
The NFT market has witnessed exponential growth, with record-breaking sales and high-profile collaborations attracting widespread attention.
These trends have had a profound impact on the digital art industry by providing artists with new opportunities for exposure and financial gain.
Additionally, NFTs have challenged traditional notions of ownership and provenance by introducing a decentralized system that allows for verified ownership and transparent transactions.
As more artists experiment with this emerging technology and collectors embrace its potential value, it is clear that NFTs are reshaping the art world landscape.
Microsoft’s Entry into the NFT Market
Unquestionably, the recent entry of a major technology company into the NFT market has generated significant speculation and interest.
Microsoft’s entry into the NFT market brings with it a range of features on its platform that are likely to have an impact on existing NFT marketplaces. With their vast resources and expertise, Microsoft is expected to introduce innovative tools and technologies that could enhance the user experience in buying, selling, and trading NFTs.
Additionally, their entry may also lead to increased mainstream adoption of NFTs as more individuals become aware of this emerging digital asset class. However, the impact on existing NFT marketplaces remains uncertain.
While Microsoft’s entry could bring competition and drive further innovation in the industry, it may also pose challenges for smaller platforms that might struggle to keep up with the technological advancements introduced by such a tech giant.
Overall, Microsoft’s foray into the NFT market holds promise for both users and investors alike but will undoubtedly reshape the landscape of this burgeoning industry.
See Also Q4 Yoy 3.37b
In conclusion, the partnership between Microsoft and Ethereum marks a significant milestone in the world of blockchain technology. This collaboration has opened up new avenues for innovation and has paved the way for the integration of NFTs into mainstream markets.
The rise of NFTs and their growing popularity cannot be understated. These unique digital assets have captured the attention and imagination of both collectors and investors alike.
Microsoft’s entry into the NFT market is a testament to the potential that this technology holds. With its vast resources and global reach, Microsoft has the ability to revolutionize how NFTs are created, bought, sold, and traded. The possibilities are truly endless.
The impact of this partnership extends far beyond just the realm of cryptocurrency enthusiasts. It signifies a turning point in how we perceive ownership and value in the digital age.
As more industries start to embrace NFTs, we may soon witness a world where everything from art to music to virtual real estate can be tokenized and traded on blockchain platforms.
In summary, Microsoft’s collaboration with Ethereum is an exciting development that showcases not only their commitment to innovation but also their belief in the transformative power of blockchain technology. The rise of NFTs is just beginning, and with Microsoft at its forefront, we can expect nothing short of a revolution in how we interact with digital assets.
So fasten your seatbelts because we’re about to embark on an exhilarating journey into a future where owning one-of-a-kind digital items becomes as commonplace as owning physical objects.


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Tam plays the waifu games for the “plot.” Chris teaches his cats to play DDR. Kelley blames everyone else for her Vampire Survivors addiction.
Tagged: Fire Emblem Engage
Nintendo released an English version of its Somniel-focused Fire Emblem Engage trailer. The seven-minute video shows the various activities players can partake in at the floating fortress.
Fire Emblem Engage is getting an Expansion Pass. The pass includes four waves of content, the first of which adds some familiar faces when the game launches.
Nintendo released a new gameplay trailer for Fire Emblem Engage. The video showcases the Emblem Rings, highlighting their effects and more of the heroes they summon.
Nintendo released a new trailer for the January-planned Fire Emblem Engage. It hints at many story elements as well as showing off some of its colourful cast of characters.
A brand new Fire Emblem title will help kick off 2023. Fire Emblem Engage sees players summoning heroes of past titles to help save the continent of Elyos.


text: CKE Restaurants Inc. agreed yesterday to buy Casa Bonita Inc., the owner of 109 Taco Bueno fast-food Mexican restaurants, from Unigate P.L.C. of London for $42 million in cash. CKE, which operates about 665 Carl's Jr. fast-food outlets and other restaurants, said it planned to form a new company with outside investors to own and operate Casa Bonita. CKE plans to keep a majority interest. Shares in CKE rose $1.50, to $29, its highest close in about five years. Most of Casa Bonita's restaurants are in Texas and Oklahoma. Unigate said the sale would allow it to leave the United States restaurant market.


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The AP reports:
Volvo says it will make only electric vehicles by 2030….Henrik
Green, Volvo’s chief technology officer, adds, “There is no long-term future for cars with an internal combustion engine.”
GM made a similar announcement earlier this year, with its all electric vehicle goal set for 2035.
The New York Times says Volvo’s decision is:
one of the most ambitious proposals and ratchets up the pressure on others to follow suit.
The Times adds:
Where once automakers bragged about horsepower and acceleration, now they are competing to be the greenest.


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“Every so often, Apple’s guidance can also shed light on something very significant beyond the company’s earnings,” Andy Zaky writes for Seeking Alpha. “Take Apple’s recently reported fiscal Q2, for example. In the conference call, Apple’s CFO Peter Oppenheimer, stated very briefly among several other statements, ‘We expect OpEx [operating expenses] to be about $2.5 billion, including about $255 million related to stock-based compensation expense.'”]
Zaky writes, “Peter Oppenheimer might as well have just said, ‘Despite what you might hear on Wall Street, we expect the iPhone 5 to be released in late June or early July as planned.'”
One of Zaky’s reasons:
Apple was embarrassed last year with the iPhone 4 missing prototype debacle. Don’t be surprised if Steve Jobs significantly increased efforts to return Apple to the days of secrecy. Remember the days when Steve Jobs would end his presentation with “One more thing…” and release a product that the public was genuinely surprised to see? This rumor mill of a delayed iPhone all began because Apple didn’t make mention of the iPhone in its invitation to the World Wide Developer’s Conference set for this June. It seems like a perfect stage for Steve Job to once again surprise us all with “one more thing…”
MacDailyNews Take: Regardless of the “One more thing” aspect, we firmly believe that Steve Jobs’ Apple isn’t about to let a gadget blog that doesn’t know right from wrong unveil the next-gen iPhone this time.
Zaky continues, “Most of the expenses associated with the actual launch of the iPhone take place in Apple’s fiscal Q4. But it’s been the general pattern that Apple increases its SG&A ahead of an iPhone launch that usually kicks-off in the closing days of fiscal Q3. Expect to see the new iPhone in customer hands this July.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Andy Zaky” and “Arline M.” for the heads up.]


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According to a news report from daytondailynews.com, “It’s better to be a diner than a restaurant owner these days.”
“Miami Valley restaurants are getting slammed by the poor economy and rising costs, and they’re hungry for customers. They’re slashing spending in sometimes-painful ways and hoping the cuts are invisible to diners. At the same time, they’re offering deals and special promotions they hope customers will find irresistible — including, but not limited to, this week’s Miami Valley Restaurant Association Winter Restaurant Week Promotion, which runs through Friday, Jan. 30, at 57 eateries and offers diners a three-course meal for $20.09. (For details, go to www.dineoutdayton.org.),” said the story. “The promotion has generated substantial customer traffic in previous years, and restaurant owners are looking forward to the surge and to a robust Valentine’s Day business next month, when the romantic holiday just happens to fall on a Saturday — usually a recipe for big restaurant crowds.”
“But Restaurant Week and Valentine’s Day are bright spots in a bleak landscape. The National Restaurant Association reported in early January the outlook for the industry fell to a record low in November. The association’s Restaurant Performance Index, which measures the health of the industry based on surveys of restaurateurs from across the country, sagged as many restaurant owners told the association their sales were down and they were pessimistic about the next six months,” according to the article.
Click Here to View Full Article


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– The baby EV has been recently type-approved in China
– CFMoto has named it Papio
– Will be launched very soon
CFMoto’s upcoming electric minibike has been type-approved in China and it seems like the official launch is around the corner. Papio is what the baby EV will likely be named and it’s based on its petrol-powered counterpart.
Read More:-LML Electric To Launch Three New Models In India In 2022
The leaked details suggest that the CFMoto Papio EV could be a 125cc equivalent in terms of power. It packs a 5kW motor which will likely be mated to a 72V battery. The range and other specifications are yet to be revealed.
The electric Papio gets a quirky design with its projector headlamp flowing body panels. It gets a single-piece seat and fairy modern equipment too. From the digital instrument cluster to the USD forks and disc brake, the CFMoto EV could offer a decent value for money.
Read More:-Royal Enfield Electric Bike Range Likely to Debut By 2023 – Here’s All You Need to Know
However, the official unveiling is yet to happen so the pricing, availability and other details are yet to be known. Given CFMoto’s deal with KTM, the Austrian bikemaker too could benefit on the EV front.


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Lucky Goat Coffee recognized by Gov. Scott
Lucky Goat Coffee was recognized Wednesday with a Governor's Business Ambassador Award during the Florida Cabinet meeting.
Governor Rick Scott presented the award to Lucky Goat owner Ben Pautsch who said he was honored and grateful for the support. He credited customer satisfaction as reason for the company's growth.
The coffee shop opened its doors in 2010 in Tallahassee and now boasts three locations in town. Many local businesses also serve Lucky Goat coffee.
The Governor's Business Ambassador Award recognizes businesses noteworthy for creating jobs and other opportunities for families in Florida.


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Microsoft on Thursday said it has discontinued the mobile versions of its Dynamics ERP (enterprise resource planning) products.
Microsoft is buying technology from four of its partners in order to bolster its Dynamics AX ERP (enterprise resource planning) product with commonly needed functions across various industries, according to a senior company executive.
Microsoft Dynamics ERP (enterprise resource planning) and CRM (customer relationship management) users now have more flexibility in deploying the vendor's service pack updates, which are periodically released to address bug fixes and make feature imp...
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


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Fishnets, support tights and luxury socks are just some of the hosiery trend predictions from our panel of experts for 2016.
As we look to the next season, we asked leading legwear brands for their big trends of SS16 and beyond. Here’s what they came up with:
Beth Somi, marketing manager, Courtaulds Brands
We have spotted fishnets as a new trend. ASOS recently ran a fashion spread featuring fishnets and Grazia and Look magazines both took a different take on whether they were a good look or not. We will be offering large fishnets in black and nude for SS16 and we have already been asked by stylists to use them in fashion pages, so we will start to see those come through in the magazines by the end of the year, ready for the launch of spring.
Sportwear is now very much worn as everyday wear and that will extend into legwear, with interesting shapes and meshes. Our mesh panel tight is a mock hold-up with sporty lines at the top of the leg. We’re also seeing support and compression tights as a big trend. It’s always been seen as a type of product that your grandma would wear, but brands like Under Armour and Skins are educating younger people to understand that compression and support is a really positive thing.
Laura Vacchelli, marketing manager, Oroblù
Stockings and socks are the stars of spring/summer. Oroblù will offer a diverse choice of styles: lightweight, elegant, fun and simple. Stockings are no longer a simple accessory, but a base to build around an entire outfit. It’s the same with socks: they’ve gone from a hidden item to a key element of apparel that can be worn with sneakers or sandals.
Mathias Schulz, head of international sales, ITEM m6
Sheers returned in 2015, but will have their peak in SS16. There will be an increase in a variety of skin tones, and more options like open-toe tights will hit the stores in 2016. A new trend we have noticed is combining super sheer materials with compression techniques. This is set to be a new beauty essential as they offer a smooth and flawless finish to legs. Compression is now a technology that represents its own segment in the legwear department. What shapewear did in the lingerie department, compression now does for legwear.
Alison Baines, brands manager, Melas Group
Fishnet tights are definitely having a revival, with delicate twists on fishnets and laces starting to be seen on the catwalk for next spring. In previous hosiery fashion cycles, fishnets were always the start of a fashion hosiery revival. Coloured nets are also important in 2016.
Sheers have always been the core business of the hosiery market, but they have been much more fashionable this year. Our bare range continues to grow season on season. Spring 2016 is all about anklets and socks, which are expected to be even bigger next year. Also, new knitting technologies are constantly being improved and explored. In our Charnos brand this season, we are launching three brand new premium products in a 60 Opaque, 15 Gloss and 10 Matt.


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I spent last week going through my daily routine of dropping off kiddos at school, heading to work, and driving home- all without leaving Oak Park, of course- behind the wheel of a Crush Blue 2017 Toyota Prius Two Eco. I did this in order to gain a bit more perspective on how a modern […]
Browsing the "Conventional Cars" Tag
Do you remember when cars had tail fins? A song by David Wilcox captures that moment in time perfectly.
In this week’s edition of the “Gas2 Week in Review,” we look to the difficulties that Honda is having in the green marketplace in contrast to Tesla, which continues to innovate.
Street racing in a Mexican city caught authorities off-guard but delighted onlookers.
In this edition of Gas2’s Week in Review, we examine the various ways that automakers are wrestling with hybrids and EV batteries as well as a continual if losing battle by the Big Three automakers to halt CAFE standards implementation.
The articles on this week’s Gas2 Week in Review that really caught our readers’ attention primarily seemed to focus on ways that the auto industry and investments intersected.
California will continue to move toward higher vehicle emission standards even as the Trump administration kicks and screams in protest
2017 may be the year of state fuel tax increases. Here’s why.
Tesla feels its vehicle control and infotainment systems are keys to its competitive advantage over other automakers.
Why are the top U.S. carmakers so hesitant to increase fuel economy standards?
The Mercedes’ Super Bowl ad is fun and self-deprecating, but it fails to hold Baby Boomers accountable for their role in climate change.
How do IndyCar racers stack up against Formula 1, Japanese Super Formula, World Endurance Cars, and other top-tier race cars? Find out here!
Originally posted on EV Obsession One of the most effective arguments against electric cars right now is their high cost compared to conventional vehicles. Without the $7,500 tax rebate, a Nissan LEAF costs nearly $30,000, making it one of the most expensive compact cars you can buy…and that’s for the base model. But what happens […]
The historic city of Zurich wants to welcome tourists from around the world- as long as they leave their cars back home.
Fifty years ago, automotive designers tried to envision what the cars of the early 21st century would look like. What about the cars 50 years from now?
The Spanish city of Madrid is making moves to ban cars in the heart of its downtown neighborhoods by 2020 – which isn’t that far away! What city is next?


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Big banks are pushing deeper into auto lending.
Bank of America Corp.
said last year was a record for auto-loan originations.
& Co. posted three straight quarters of records and said the fourth quarter was up 77% from a year earlier.
Ally Financial Inc.
said 2021 was its biggest year for auto lending since 2004.
Auto lending is a bread-and-butter business for many consumer banks. But their financial results for 2021, released earlier this month, showed it was a particularly bright spot when consumers and businesses were otherwise flush with cash and slow to take out loans.
U.S. banks increased their auto-loan balances by 12% over the course of 2021, according to a Moody’s Investors Service analysis of a handful of the largest. The banks increased total loans on their books marginally last year.
Generous government stimulus packages and a hot job market have helped put many consumers on stable financial footing and limited their demand for bank loans.
The restraint was overpowered by another pandemic trend in the auto market. Supply-chain bottlenecks curtailed production of new vehicles and pushed used-car prices to records. With cars in short supply and demand rebounding, particularly for more-expensive sport-utility vehicles, consumers paid more—and took on bigger loans.
“When somebody asks me how many cars we sold last month, I tell them, ‘All of them,’ ” said Brian Benstock, general manager at Paragon Honda & Acura in Queens, N.Y. “That’s been consistent now for the past seven, eight months.”
The average new-car loan in the third quarter was $37,280, up 8.5% from a year earlier, and the average used-car loan was $25,909, up some 20%, according to the credit-reporting firm Experian PLC.
The total dollar amount of auto-loan originations was on pace for a record in the first nine months of 2021, according to the latest data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Lenders’ financial results suggest the market remained hot in the final three months of last year.
For lenders, the economics of making a loan right now work in their favor, partly because of rising used-car values. While delinquencies have been low, lenders that needed to repossess cars were able to sell them in the used-car market at historically high prices. In some cases, they have been able to recoup more money than they lent in the first place. (In a normal market, lenders tend to lose money when they sell repossessed cars.)
Banks also tend to serve customers with higher credit scores. “The credit universe has become more prime,” said Melinda Zabritski, senior director of automotive financial solutions at Experian.
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Still, the current sweet spot for auto lending might last only until supply constraints ease and more vehicles hit the market.
“We do anticipate that used-car prices will decline,” said Warren Kornfeld, an analyst at Moody’s. “They are unsustainable.”
Falling prices could pose a risk for lenders that extended large loans on cars at higher values, and the consumers who took them. In that scenario, car owners might be more likely to default if they run into financial trouble, according to Mr. Kornfeld. And if lenders repossess those cars, they stand to recoup less from selling them into a falling market.
For the moment, market dynamics are good for banks. They provided 29% of new-car financing and 34% of used-car financing in the third quarter of last year, up from 25% and 31%, respectively, a year earlier, according to Experian.
That pulled market share away from the auto makers’ financing units, analysts said. Those so-called captive financing arms tend to offer cheap loans when they are trying to drum up vehicle sales. But with demand overpowering supply, the captives retreated.
“It opened up an opportunity to come in and compete for a larger share of that market,” said Tim Owens, consumer vehicle lending executive at Bank of America.
Write to Ben Eisen at email@example.com
Copyright ©2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


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The latest count from the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) reports that there have been 144 data breaches recorded this year through February 14, 2017, and that over a million records have been exposed since the beginning of the year.
A point-of-sale malware attack on corporate-owned Arby’s restaurants added an estimated 350,000 compromised records to the total number of records exposed so far in 2017. Arby’s owns about 1,000 of its more than 3,300 U.S. stores. Not all the company-owned stores and none of the franchised stores were affected, according to the company.
According to a report from Brian Krebs, the data breach is believed to have occurred between October 25, 2016, and January 19, 2017. Arby’s says that the malware attack is now “fully contained and eradicated … on our point-of-sales systems.”
Krebs notes in his report that consumers are not liable for fraudulent charges on their credit or debit cards but that they must report the unauthorized transactions.
The medical/health care sector leads all sectors in the number of records compromised so far in 2017. The sector posted 31.9% (46) of all data breaches. The number of records exposed in these breaches totaled tops 630,000, or about 61.6% of the 2017 total.
The business sector accounts for nearly 350,000 exposed records in 64 incidents. That represents 44.4% of the incidents and 33.9% of the exposed records so far in 2017.
The educational sector has experienced 25 data breaches since the beginning of the year. The sector accounts for 17.4% of all breaches for the year and more than 20,000 exposed records, about 2.1% of the year’s total.
The government/military sector has suffered nine data breaches to date in 2017, representing about 2.4% of the total number of records exposed and 6.3% of the incidents. Over 24,000 records have been compromised in the government/military sector.
The number of banking/credit/financial sector has reported no breaches so far this year. The sector accounted for 52 data breaches in 2016, involving about 72,000 records, some 4.8% of the total number of breaches and about 0.2% of the records exposed for the year.
Since beginning to track data breaches in 2005, ITRC had counted 7,010 breaches through February 8, 2017, involving more than 888 million records.


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The Morrison Government will deliver more support for households and businesses to help Australians through the COVID-19 pandemic and bolster our economic recovery.
The JobKeeper Payment will be extended by six months to 28 March 2021 and the temporary Coronavirus Supplement for those on income support will be extended until 31 December 2020.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the extra assistance would continue supporting hundreds of thousands of Australians who are without work, and offer businesses and their workers a lifeline to not only get through this crisis, but recover on the other side.
“We will have Australian’s backs as we face the ongoing impacts of COVID-19,” the Prime Minister said.
“There is no silver bullet and this is about delivering the support Australians need and the policies our economy requires to reopen, recover and create jobs.
“These supports are a lifeline but our JobMaker plan is also setting Australia up for our country’s recovery. We’re delivering the initiatives and reforms that will help grow our economy and create the jobs we need for the years ahead.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the extension of support recognised Australia’s economic recovery was still in its early stages and a number of businesses and individuals remained significantly affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Government’s focus remains on reopening the economy where it is safe to do so, but the extension of these measures recognises that some parts of the economy will continue to be affected and need continued support,” the Treasurer said.
“Sadly, as a result of this global health pandemic, businesses will close and people will lose their jobs, but that is why we have extended the Coronavirus Supplement and announced a new skills package to help people transition from welfare to work.
“It is also why we are extending the JobKeeper Payment beyond September to help keep businesses in business and Australians in jobs as our economy reopens.”
Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston said the extension of the Coronavirus supplement would support many Australians who may have found themselves out of work, through no fault of their own.
“The Government has acted decisively to support hundreds of thousands of Australians, many who are receiving income support for the first time,” Minister Ruston said.
“We are extending the Coronavirus Supplement and enhanced eligibility criteria for a further three months to cushion against the economic impact of the pandemic.
“We are also increasing the income free area for JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance (other) to $300 a fortnight to encourage and support recipients to take up job opportunities as businesses reopen.”
The JobKeeper Payment has been instrumental in supporting job retention, maintaining employment links and business cash flow, as well as providing income support to eligible employees.
This extension will provide further support to significantly impacted businesses so more Australians can retain their jobs and continue to earn an income.
The JobKeeper Payment is currently due to finish on 27 September 2020, but will now remain available for eligible employers until 28 March 2021.
As the economy reopens the payment will be tapered in the December and March quarters to encourage businesses to adjust to the new environment, supporting a gradual transition to economic recovery, while ensuring those businesses who most need support continue to receive it. A two-tiered payment will also be introduced from 28 September, to better align the payment with the incomes of employees before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees who were employed for less than 20 hours a week on average in the four weekly pay periods ending before 1 March 2020 will receive the lower payment rate.
JobKeeper Payment rates from 28 September 2020 to 28 March 2021:
Full rate per fortnight
Less than 20hrs worked per fortnight rate
|28 September 2020 to 3 January 2021
|4 January 2021 to 28 March 2021
From 28 September 2020, businesses, and not-for-profits will be required to reassess their eligibility by reference to their actual June and September quarter turnovers to demonstrate that they have suffered an ongoing significant decline in turnover. Organisations will need to demonstrate that they have experienced the relevant decline in turnover in both of those quarters to be eligible for the JobKeeper Payment in the December quarter.
Employers will need to again reassess their eligibility for the JobKeeper Payment for the March quarter. Employers will need to demonstrate that they have met the relevant decline in actual turnover in each of the previous three quarters ending on 31 December 2020 to remain eligible for the JobKeeper Payment in the March quarter 2021.
If they do not meet the turnover test in the extension period this does not affect their eligibility prior to 28 September 2020. The continuation of JobKeeper for these businesses will help support the economic recovery and provide them with sufficient time to adjust.
The JobKeeper Payment will continue to remain open to new participants that meet the eligibility requirements.
Also, as the Review recommended, an independent evaluation will be conducted at the conclusion of the program.
The new arrangements for the JobKeeper Payment are expected to cost an additional $16.6 billion.
The Government will extend the payment period of the temporary Coronavirus Supplement for those on income support from 25 September 2020 to 31 December 2020 to continue to provide elevated assistance while the economy is still in its early stages of recovery.
As the economy reopens, the Coronavirus Supplement will be extended at the rate of $250 per fortnight. The extended Coronavirus Supplement reflects the gradually improving economic and labour market conditions and is designed to ensure there are appropriate incentives for all payment recipients to seek out employment or study opportunities.
Both existing and new income support recipients will continue to be paid the Coronavirus Supplement.
The Government will also ensure income support is appropriately targeted as the economy recovers by reintroducing a range of means testing arrangements.
From 25 September 2020, the assets test and the Liquid Assets Waiting Period will be reintroduced and the JobSeeker Payment partner income test will increase from 25 cents for every dollar of partner income earned over $996 per fortnight to 27 cents for every dollar of partner income earned over $1,165 per fortnight.
The Government will also improve incentives to work by increasing the income free area for JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance (Other) from $106 per fortnight to $300 per fortnight and will simplify the taper rate from a dual taper of 50 cents and 60 cents to a single taper of 60 cents. This will mean recipients are more easily able to calculate the value of every dollar they earn.
These changes will mean individuals will be able to earn up to $300 per fortnight without foregoing any JobSeeker payment or affecting their eligibility for the Coronavirus Supplement.
The expanded criteria for JobSeeker Payment and Youth Allowance (Other) will continue to provide payment access for permanent employees who are stood down or lose their employment, sole traders, and the self-employed until 31 December 2020.
Reduced waiting times, including the Ordinary Waiting Period, Newly Arrived Resident’s Waiting Period (NARWP) and the Seasonal Work Preclusion Period, will continue to be waived until 31 December 2020.
The new arrangements for the Coronavirus Supplement are expected to cost an additional $3.8 billion.
Further details are available on the Treasury website.


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Some celebrities like to keep a low profile when they’re out and about.
Then there’s JoJo Siwa. The technicolor multimedia star has been spotted cruising around Los Angeles in a new Tesla Model X that leaves no doubt who it belongs to — because it’s covered with dozens of photos of her face.
The electric SUV also sports rainbow spoke wheels and seats upholstered in individual colors.
She didn’t design it herself, though, the custom job was a gift from fellow YouTubers Kyler and Mad.
Nevertheless, they said they picked it because they knew she liked having her face on her cars, a reference to a BMW convertible she used to drive that Justin Bieber suggested she “burn” before an online backlash forced him to apologize for the remark.


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The situation around TikTok in the US is becoming more and more interesting. A few days ago, a Donald Trump ban should have come into effect, but it didn’t. At the last moment, the U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols issued a preliminary injunction to block the application.
At the moment, TikTok in the U.S. may continue to operate as usual. The final fate of the injunction Trump will be decided in a full hearing of the case, the date of which has not yet been set.
In addition, the delay may allow the parties to agree on the purchase of a part of TikTok by a US company. At the moment, the contenders are Oracle and Walmart, but some analysts believe that Beijing will not approve such a deal. In this case, the fate of the Trump ban will be finally decided by the court.