text:
Exclusive interviews with leading policymakers that convey the true policy message that impacts markets.
Reporting on key macro data at the time of release.
- Emerging MarketsEmerging Markets
Real-time insight of emerging markets in CEMEA, Asia and LatAm region
Real-time insight of oil & gas markets
- MNI ResearchMNI Research
Actionable insight on monetary policy, balance sheet and inflation with focus on global issuance. Analysis on key political risk impacting the global markets.
- About Us
Real-time Actionable Insight
Get the latest on Central Bank Policy and FX & FI Markets to help inform both your strategic and tactical decision-making.Free Access
The recent acceleration in China's consumer price index may have stalled in June as food prices fell again, led by declining pork prices, although higher fuel costs still offered some support to inflation measures, industry analysts told MNI.
"CPI may slow to 1.1% (y/y) from May's 1.3% gain as falling food prices largely offset other price increases," Zhang Yu, chief analyst at Huachuang Securities said, as noted that excepting aquatic produce, prices of food items fell across the board.
Highlighting the decline in food prices, Wang Jingwen, a senior researcher at the Pangoal Institution said the price index of edible agricultural products tracked by the Ministry of Commerce fell 5.2% m/m in June, declining for a fifth consecutive month. Meanwhile, non-food prices were little changed, which may result in CPI seeing a month-on-month drop of 0.3%, said Wang.
Pork prices, the main CPI driver through 2020, continued to fall into June as supply surged with large-weight hogs coming on stream and more frozen meat being imported, Wang said. Prices had, however, recovered somewhat by month end.
"Market pork prices were around CNY24.5 per kilo by end-June, rebounding back to the level in early June after dipping to around CNY20 near month-end," said Jiang Hongxia, staff member at Jiangsu Linjato Market. Summer is normally a slack season for pork consumption, but, encouraged by low prices, sales in the market have more than doubled on year ago levels, said Jiang.
Pork retailers have seen less dramatic price drops than pig breeders, said Zeng Zihua, chief analyst at EasyHogs Inc, an online community for pig breeders.
Zeng noted that the average live hog prices declined to CNY14.98 per kilo in June, falling 22.5% m/m or 54.85% y/y, about two-year low. Hog prices fell as low as CNY12.72 per kilo at one point in the month, before bouncing, a price Zeng sees a likely the year's low.
"Pig breeders have been losing money as prices plummeted, so major breeding companies decided to concentrated on releasing remaining large hogs in mid-June, aiming to find a bottom and then help adjust the supply structure afterward," said Zeng, expecting a price rebound into Q3 as current oversupply ebbs.
The price slump through June triggered a new government early warning system, seeing the state step in and buy 20,000 tons of pork to help prop up the market. "This may help boost breeder confidence," Zhang said although he said the impact on prices could be limited.
Prices of fresh fruits and vegetables continued to fall from last month, with the average price of local vegetables at market CNY2.81 per kilo in June, compared to CNY3.29 in May, said Jiang, noting a less heavy than normal rainy season helping keep local vegetable supplies sufficient.
The government hiked the domestic gasoline and diesel prices twice in June, leading to a total rise of CNY400 and CNY385 per ton respectively. This resulted in a rise of about CNY16 to fill a 50 liter fuel tank with unleaded fuel for private car owners, according to staff at Sinopec. In most gas stations nationwide, the price of unleaded was back above CNY7 per liter.
The monthly average price of domestic gasoline rose by 2.3% in June from May, compared to the previous 2.0% gain, putting a floor under CPI, said Zhang.
The median of analysts' expectation for June CPI polled by Bloomberg was 1.3% y/y, unchanged from the 1.3% gain seen in May.
Sign up now for free access to this content.
Please enter your details below and select your areas of interest.
Why Subscribe to
MNI is the leading providerof news and intelligence specifically for the Global Foreign Exchange and Fixed Income Markets, providing timely, relevant, and critical insight for market professionals and those who want to make informed investment decisions. We offer not simply news, but news analysis, linking breaking news to the effects on capital markets. Our exclusive information and intelligence moves markets.
Our credibilityfor delivering mission-critical information has been built over three decades. The quality and experience of MNI's team of analysts and reporters across America, Asia and Europe truly sets us apart. Our Markets team includes former fixed-income specialists, currency traders, economists and strategists, who are able to combine expertise on macro economics, financial markets, and political risk to give a comprehensive and holistic insight on global markets.


text:
The insect oil, used as a substitute for the traditionally imported soybean oil, is said to be far more environmentally friendly, reducing the carbon impact by as much as 80%.
It marks a continuation of the retail giant’s shift towards environmentally friendly products.
At the last Salon International de l’Agriculture show held in Paris in February, Auchan’s head of butchery and poultry Anne Lécaille affirmed a commitment to “virtuous and natural alternatives for animal nutrition”.
The insect oil is often made up of flies’ larvae, a good source of healthy protein for poultry.
The new product is a collaboration between Auchan and French biotech company InnovaFeed. The two companies have been working together since 2018, developing trout fed with insects, and in February of this year, Auchan announced it would be continuing this supply.
At the moment only 4,400 chickens can be fed with this insect oil, but in the longer term, InnovaFeed hopes that, like the trout, its insect-fed chickens will be introduced permanently into Auchan’s supply chain.
InnovaFeed is not the only French company turning to insects as a source of nutrition. Ynsect, founded in 2011, creates insect-based aquaculture and pet nutrition. Last year it received €112 million in investment, showcasing the explosion of global interest in insect-based nutrition.
Auchan’s new chicken product will be on shelves initially for a limited trial period to see whether customers take to it. According to a 2019 study from data company Kantar, early indications are promising, with 55% happy to consume poultry fed with insects.
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France

domain: news


text:
|EUROPA: Research Information Centre
Last Update: 2018-06-15 Source: Research Headlines
|View this page online at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?artid=49196|
Pioneering food packaging
EU-funded researchers are pilot testing a pioneering, nano-based packaging material that releases antimicrobial oils to slow food spoilage and prevent foodborne illnesses. This could bolster Europe's efforts to tackle food waste and food safety.
© bigacis #122685793, 2018. Source: fotolia.com
Every year, we throw away or waste a staggering 1.3 billion tonnes of spoiled food, which causes major economic loss and significant harm to the worlds natural resources. Modern packaging and the use of preservatives have come a long way but what if there was a better way to keep food fresh for longer and reduce how much of it ends up as rubbish?
Researchers from the EU-funded NANOPACK project have found a solution for extending food shelf life by using smart antimicrobial surfaces applied to active food packaging. They are now running five pilot production runs of this new polymer composite, based on tiny nanotube formations, to test its technical, industrial and commercial viability.
The project is also considering legal, safety and environmental aspects, as well as consumer and retailer acceptance of the new nanotech-inspired packaging.
Safe and smart
Working at the nanoscale, the team is able to form tiny materials based on natural halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), which act as reliable and safe carriers that can deliver minute amounts of an EU-approved bioactive agent or oil to stop food from going bad or becoming mouldy. Due to their minuscule size, HNTs are unable to migrate from the food packaging into food itself, which makes them a safe and natural preservative.
Pioneering antimicrobial food packaging not only improves food safety and reduces food waste major societal challenges but this innovation also has the potential to boost European competitiveness and manufacturing growth.
Better performing, safer and smarter products will position Europe as the leader in food nanotechnology, according to the NANOPACK researchers.


text:
It’s official, you can finally pre-order Apple’s latest generation of Apple TV, starting today.
The device comes in two options, 32 GB for $150 and a 64 GB model that sells for $200. Whatever option you end up going with, an Apple TV and remote, as well as a lightning-to-USB cable, and power cord are included in the box. Additional Siri remotes are available for $79 each. To insure your purchase, AppleCare coverage for the new device is $29.
Read More: Apple TV and Chromecast are back on Amazon again
The latest generation of Apple TV comes with a slew of new features which include a new design, third-party application and games, an app store, and Siri integration. The most notable addition to the new Apple TV is the Siri remote that utilizes a touchpad for navigation and gaming, as well as voice search.
The 4th generation of Apple TV is available for pre-order today in over 80 countries. Orders placed today could ship out as early as October 30th. To learn more, click here.


text:
A brand new virtual golf centre has announced where it will be located in Lincoln city centre.
Virtually Golf co-owner, Stephen Clark, told Lincolnshire Live that the centre will be found at Brayford Wharf, next door to the Odeon Cinema and above Zizzi's restaurant.
The first members of the general public will be welcomed to the centre on Monday, December 20 with reservations available two weeks before on Monday, December 6.
Stephen told Lincolnshire Live: "Virtually Golf will be a springboard platform into the sport.
"If you are looking to start the game or wishing to develop your game and the weather is not right, you can use our facilities.
"It is an indoor, true to life golfing experience, the venue will have three, state-of-the-art golfing simulators with market leading technology from Foresight Sports.
"Customers hit real golf shots using Taylormade, Sim2, golfing equipment which will be provided, allowing you to play in the virtual world of golf. The game can be played across some of the most famous courses around the world or choose from a variety of golfing carnival games.
"It is a way of playing golf in a fun, modern and entertaining atmosphere. We are not trying to take anything away from the traditional game but we will offer another platform to get into the game."
Session prices have also been finalised for Virtually Golf.
People will be able to book the simulators per hour, similar to when you go bowling.
Up to six people can take part in one standard simulator and this will cost £35 per hour.
There is also 'the bunker' which has a much wider screen as well as benefitting from being in a private room with sofas. This is described as a more luxurious experience and costs £45 per hour.
There will also be membership prices available for those wishing to visit regularly on their own which work out cheaper than booking single sessions, Stephen added.
Costs apply to the simulator and not per person.
Reservations for Virtually Golf can be made from Monday, December 6.
To sign up for the Lincolnshire Live newsletter click here


text:
Late last year, Waymo One launched as Alphabet’s public self-driving car service in Phoenix, thus culminating an almost decade-long research project. Waymo now has to build more cars ahead of future expansion, with the company choosing Michigan to manufacture additional autonomous vehicles.
In Waymo’s case, manufacturing means integrating its self-driving systems into the Chrysler Pacifica, the Jaguar I-Pace, and other future vehicles. This includes hardware like various LIDAR sensors and cameras to the display for passengers that note trip progress, as well as the software running it all.
As we begin to commercialize our business and vehicle supply grows, we’re laying the foundation for a scalable, robust vehicle integration plan, starting in Michigan.
Last year, the Alphabet division ordered thousands of more electric minivans from Fiat Chrysler, and quickly brought up that total to 62,000 Pacificas in May. Meanwhile, in 2018, Waymo also announced a partnership with Jaguar on the all-electric I-Pace, with testing already underway and 20,000 vehicles planned over the new few years.
Waymo already has a presence in the Great Lakes State, with the division choosing to test its autonomous technology there for snowy conditions. The new facility will be in Southeast Michigan, with “hundreds of local jobs” created in the future. Waymo boasts how this will be the “world’s first factory 100%-dedicated to the mass production of L4 autonomous vehicles.”
We’ll be looking for engineers, operations experts, and fleet coordinators to join our team and help assemble and deploy our self-driving cars.
The upcoming factory was approved by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), with the state and of course Detroit synonymous with the U.S. auto industry.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


text:
By Franca Ofili
The Federal Government is strategising to end out-of-stock syndrome of drugs in the country.
Prof. Mohammed Sambo, the Director-General, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) made this known in Abuja while addressing newsmen in collaboration with NAFDAC.
Sambo said that the authority has engaged several stakeholders including pharmaceutical manufacturers and companies to achieve it’s rebranding agenda with the aim of proffering solutions that
ensure eradication out-of-stock syndrome.
“I inaugurated the NHIA Medicines Supply Committee on Feb. 19, 2020.
“The committee submitted its report in June 2020 and adopted branding of NHIA medicines and other health products to ensure the quality of it’s medicines,” Sambo said.
He said that the branding medicines and other health products was aimed to facilitate the supply of affordable, acceptable, accessible, available, and quality medicines and other health products.
According to him, the initiative is to enhance the production of high-quality medicines to inspire users’ confidence.
He said that he also inaugurated Medicines Supply Implementation Committee to pilot the affair with relevant stakeholders.
Sambo said that 12 pharmaceutical companies was selected and would be branding 33 products for the health insurance ecosystem in the first phase.
According to him, the authority choose seven states which are Delta, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Niger, Osun and Sokoto states) and the FCT for the pilot phase of implementation of this initiative.
“This initiative is geared towards the strengthening of local pharmaceutical manufacturers, which will ultimately guarantee medicine security.
“It will help to reduce the cost of medicines especially that of intravenous fluids which will reduce by as much as 50 per cent of current market price based on NHIA negotiations with the manufacturers without compromising standards and quality.
“We kindly request NAFDAC to give the pharmaceutical companies branding products for the health insurance ecosystem a waiver to add the logo to their drug packs.
” This request is to avoid the transfer of the extra cost to the end user.Approve the collaborative post market surveillance by NHIA and NAFDAC,” he said.
Also speaking, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director General of NAFDAC said that the collaboration between the two agencies was mandated to regulate and control the importation, exportation, manufacture and advertisement
She said others are distribution, sale, and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, packaged water, detergents and chemicals.
Adeyeye said that government has just launched the operational guidelines for the 2022 National Health Insurance Authority Act as part of efforts to ensure all Nigerians have access to affordable healthcare services.
“The operational guidelines are crucial to clarifying the roles, responsibilities, and obligations of various stakeholders in the health sector because access to affordable quality health care for all Nigerians is key on the path to achieving Universal Health Coverage,” she said.
The director-general said the agency has collaborated with NHIA to ensure a sustainable access to affordable and acceptable quality medicines for our citizensThe Executive Order 3 (EO3) on support for local content in public procurement by the government.
She said that government required that the 33 drugs would be branded with NHIA inscription under the authority.
Adeyeye said that NAFDAC, through the Directorate of Registration and Regulatory Affairs would also ensure that appropriate and adequate labelling of the medicines are met in line with the Agency’s labelling requirements and in accordance with NHIA guidelines.
“NAFDAC will continue to collaborate with NHIA to ensure that the terms spelt out in Executive Order 3(EO3) will to be implemented to enable the attainment of Universal Health Coverage as specified in the National Drug Policy,” she said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza


text:
Medtainer Could Change the Game for Marijuana Accessories and Acology Inc (ACOL) has Brought it to the Public Markets for Investment Opportunity
From grow facilities to "bud and breakfasts", businesses are scrambling to take their piece of this pie. Even though the industry is still limited to a few handfuls of states that can actually sell it for recreational or medical use, marijuana is already a multi billion-dollar industry.
As the saying goes it wasn't the gold miners who were striking it rich during the gold rush but rather the ones selling picks, shovels, and jeans who profited the most. In this industry that's somewhat saturated with grow facilities and hydroponic farms, companies are finding that there is a lot more opportunity to capitalize on this boom by offering traditional products that have had a slight twist in order to relate to the industry.
For these reasons, I'm taking a closer look at a company which holds a patent on a product that though seems simple on the surface, has had a large impact on popular culture in a major way. The Medtainer is the very first patented air-tight, water-tight, and smell proof medical grade container with a built in grinder. The product has been developed with the needs and wants of the every day consumer in mind. From its medical and recreational uses, to even your home uses, the Medtainer is the perfect container/grinder for all your needs.
Through the product's ability to embody both airtight & grinding capabilities, the company has been able to transcend various markets and expand its everyday uses. Although originally engineered as a solution to break down medication for the needs of Pediatric and Geriatric patients, the Medtainer has now been adopted as an application into markets/industries such as tea, culinary, coffee, medicinal mmj, pharmaceuticals & veterinary medicine. The product is also composed of FDA approved medical grade plastics and is environmentally safe.
In light of the facts that the possession and use of marijuana have been legalized, subject to varying restrictions, in at least 23 states and that several other states are considering such legalization, Medtainer believes that its products may be of interest to a large number of users of marijuana and the Company advertises its products on the website and elsewhere as suitable for that purpose.
"Cannabis is one of the fastest-growing industries," said Steve Berg, a former managing director of Wells Fargo Bank and editor of the report, the second edition of the State of Legal Marijuana Markets. "Domestically, we weren't able to find any market that is growing as quickly…Entrepreneurs and private investors are flocking to cannabis markets…Those who really understand market dynamics will reap large rewards."
The marijuana industry's growth coincides with a widespread shift in the public's attitude toward the substance. A Gallup poll found that for the first time in history, more than half of Americans think pot should be legal for both medical and recreational purposes. A CNN documentary even explored marijuana's benefits for a mainstream audience. Individuals are increasingly using the plant's medicinal properties to treat symptoms even in children: A coalition of conservative Mormon mothers in Utah began lobbying for safe access to cannabis oil for their epileptic children.
Medtainer's popularity has reached far beyond the average head shop and dispensary. The company's products can be found in more than 100 stores across the US and even in Guam. Moreover, Medtainer has been featured in major cannabis publications including 1000Watts, HotBox Magazine, Cannabis Now, Green Leaf, Hot
Breath, Cannabis Culture Magazine, Skunk, Nuggetry Magazine, and even the Weed Street Journal. This attention has gained notoriety from many celebrities as well including Odd Future, Asher Roth, B-Real, and Ty Dolla Sign to name a few who were spotted at the SXSW fest sporting the Medtainer product.
In a previous article highlighting marijuana accessories companies I stated that obviously notoriety and endorsements aren't the only major reason to invest in a company, but studies have shown that there is a correlation between endorsements driving sales and in turn, stock price. Look what 50 Cent with Vitamin Water which
was then purchase by the Coca Cola Company, MusclePharm with its hundreds of celebrity sports superstars and even American Premium Water Corp with its Flo Rida partnership.
Being that this company is fairly new as a public company and considering the recent trend in occasional marijuana users not ready to take on a vaporizer puff, it's
"back to the grind" in a matter of speaking where infrequent users will tend to smoke the herb as opposed to the wax.
To its success, the company boasts revenues of over $168k and combines this figure with a healthy gross margin of 67%. More importantly, these sales figures show a growth rate of more than 85% above the previous period last year, which ended June 30, 2013.
In a recent press release, Chief Executive Officer Curtis Fairbrother said, "The Company remains committed to its core strategies, which include building a wide range of quality product offerings and price points combined with a tactical approach to business. Acology, Inc. will maintain our focus on a strong balance sheet through emphasis on cash flow and improving profitability. We believe these core strategies are in the best interest of our shareholders."
Given these developments and the growth potential of this marijuana industry, Medtainer may be perfectly positioned to corner the accessories marketplace especially when it comes to a patented product that offers a solution to contain dry herb in an odor resistant, water-proof, air tight medium that can also be used as a grinder. Also, in light of the popular culture appeal of this product, we could easily see these in thousands of stores across the country; even in your local Wal-Mart should marijuana go completely mainstream. The question of when to invest gives rise to the position on the industry as well as the timing of the investment. So far, Acology has had a limited trading history however the latest rise in actual trading activity would suggest there could be early adapters that see the opportunity with this company and for that reason, I feel that it deserves a much closer look.
*** Investing in the stock market involves the risk of loss ***


text:
July 28- Global business travel spending will reach a record $1.18 trillion this year, up nearly 7 percent from 2013, bolstered by growth in China, a U.S. trade group said on Monday.» Read More
BERLIN, March 6- Europe's hotel sector is finding its financing options are the best in years as investors seek better returns in a low interest rate environment and economies emerge from bruising recessions, fanning optimism for the rest of the year.
With admission to some amusement parks hovering around $100 per person, some families are considering other options.
About half a million Americans legally travel to Cuba every year, and tour professionals are hopeful that policies may change to allow more.
Feb 27- Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc, the world's largest hotel operator, reported a 13 percent rise in quarterly revenue as increasing business and leisure travel pushed up occupancy and room rates.
Feb 27- Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc, the largest U.S. hotel operator by market capitalization, reported a 13 percent rise in revenue due to higher occupancy and room rates at most of its properties. Revenue rose to $2.64 billion in the quarter ended Dec. 31. Total revenue per available room rose 4.7 percent.
Why should Corporate America support the gay community? It can't afford not to, says Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson.
As lending options returned last year, hotel companies have ramped up construction, including Best Western, which is aiming for a more upscale market.
Choice Hotels president & CEO Stephen Joyce discusses its strong year thus far in 2014, and how bad weather impacts its business.
Discussing economic optimism, and the outlook on U.S. growth, with Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson.
Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson explains why the hotel saw a decline in profits and revenue, and is accelerating its buyback.
District Judge Jane Boyle in Dallas found that the lawsuit, brought by consumers who claimed they paid inflated prices for their rooms, failed to adequately show that such a conspiracy existed.
Cruise lines are now offering some of their best deals of the year. How to score a luxury cruise for less.
The firm, which declined to comment on future plans for cash returns, said refurbishments to hotels in Asia and the Middle East, Paris and New York would put capital expenditure at around $385 million in 2014, ahead of analyst forecasts, with the impact from hotel and room closures reducing operating profit by $9 million.
Feb 14- Hyatt Hotels Corp recorded a better-than-expected jump in quarterly revenue as growing confidence in the U.S. economy drew more business travelers and tourists to its hotels in the Americas.
Feb 14- Hyatt Hotels Corp reported a 9 percent rise in quarterly revenue due to higher occupancy and room rates across most of its properties. Net income attributable to Hyatt doubled to $32 million, or 20 cents per share, in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 from $16 million, or 9 cents per share, a year earlier. The company's revenue rose to $1.09 billion from $1 billion.
Tim Boyd, Founder & CEO of Peak Resorts, and Bill Benneyan, Mountain Creek Resort president explain how ski resorts are cashing in on this winter's brutal weather.
*RevPAR from Asia, excluding China, falls 3 pct. An austerity drive by China's government and slow economic activity in the rest of Asia are weighing on U.S. hoteliers' results.
*RevPAR from Asia, excluding China, falls 3 pct. Feb 13- Starwood Hotels& Resorts Worldwide Inc reported fourth-quarter revenue below Wall Street's expectations, partly due to lower occupancy and room rates in Asia, excluding China.
*RevPAR from Asia, excluding China, falls 3 pct. Feb 13- Starwood Hotels& Resorts Worldwide Inc reported fourth-quarter revenue below Wall Street's expectations, partly due to lower occupancy and room rates in Asia, excluding China, and forecast a weak profit for the current quarter.
About 67 million international travelers visited the United States in 2012, a number boosted by a $72 million marketing program.


text:
The occupancy rate of Prague hotels in July fell by 4.4 per cent in annual terms. Members of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants say the boom in shared accommodation services, in particular via Airbnb, is behind the drop, according to a survey by the ČTK news agency.
Airbnb’s share of overnight stays in Prague stood at 14.7 per cent last year, up 4.7 per cent from 2016. The areas renting out the most flats via shared accommodation are the historical quarters of Nové Město and Staré Město, and the district of Žižkov.
The number of guests staying in the Czech Republic through Airbnb last year rose 52 per cent to 1.02 million. Corresponding figures for its competitors Flipkey, HomeAway, House Trip, Vacation Rentals and Vrbo were not released.
Czech PM tells President Trump he wants to “make the Czech Republic great again“
March 15, 1939 – The day Czechoslovakia ceased to exist
Czech firms increasingly doing business with each other in euros
Prague tops post-communist capitals in Mercer quality of living survey
Onion patch yields unexpected treasure


text:
HAMMOND, LA (WVUE) - The next time you crack open a cold beer in Tangipahoa Parish, you may want to think twice about where it came from.
On Wednesday, the Street Crimes Unit of the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Department broke up a bootlegging ring selling stolen beer to a convenience store Hammond.
The bust happened at the Quicks Red & White store located at the intersection of Rufus Bankston Road and Wardline Road.
Detectives staked out the store after receiving a Crimestoppers tip. While there, they saw two men talking near the back of a parked car.
As detectives watched, one of the men removed cases of beer from the vehicle and sold them to the other man, later identified as the store manager.
The driver of the car, Robert Granger, 54, of Ponchatoula, was arrested for selling the stolen beer to Emad Zayed, 52, of Kenner, who was arrested.
When questioned by detectives, Zayed quickly admitted purchasing the beer.
When deputies and agents from the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control searched the store, they found 34 cases of beer with no proof of purchase.
- Nine 24 packs of Bud Light
- 18 eighteen 24 packs Budweiser
- Four 18 packs of Corona Light
- Five 18 packs of Corona
- 30 Busch Light
Agents also found 10 more cases of beer from the trunk of Granger's vehicle.
The three also admitted to stealing 32 cases of beer seized during a search on Herman Johnson Lane last week.
The stolen beer was traded for drugs, deputies said.
Granger was charged with felony theft. His passenger, Denise Granger 31 was also charged with felony theft.
Another passenger, Sheila Sanderford, 47, also of Ponchatoula was also charged with felony theft.
Store manager Emad Zayed, 52, was charged with felony possession of stolen property.


text:
In preparation for the upcoming launch of the first Intel Itanium 2-based servers from Hewlett-Packard Co., the company on Monday announced that its new HP-UX operating system for Itanium would have all the functionality of HP-UX for PA-RISC processors.
HP-UX 11i, Version 1.6 is scheduled to ship in mid-July. Servers based on Intel Corp.’s Itanium 2 chips are expected to arrive from HP sometime this summer, said Ram Appelaragu, director of marketing for the HP-UX operating environment.
Formerly code-named McKinley, Itanium 2 will be the second chip in Intel’s 64-bit line of Itanium processors, and should offer up to twice the performance of its parent chip, according to Intel.
With HP-UX 11i, Version 1.6, HP customers planning to purchase Itanium 2-based systems from the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company will enjoy all the enterprise-class tools previously only available to customers running servers powered by HP’s more expensive PA-RISC chips, Appelaragu said.
“All the proven, mission-critical capabilities that we have always had in HP-UX for our own processor, namely PA-RISC, now become available for Itanium as well,” he said.
“From a system manger’s stand point, they can’t tell the difference whether it’s an Itanium system or a PA-RISC system. The look and feel and consistency of all the interfaces are exactly identical between PA-RISC systems and Itanium systems,” he said.
PA-RISC chips are in the process of being retired by HP, with the last PA-RISC-based servers expected to arrive in the spring of 2004, according to HP.
Upgradable without a reboot, HP-UX 11i, Version 1.6 can support up to 64 Itanium 2 or original Itanium processors, and can be clustered to much higher levels using HP’s MC ServiceGuard clustering technology.
Workload management capabilities and process resources management tools within HP-UX 11i, Version 1.6 have also been brought over to Itanium from PA-RISC versions of the OS, Appelaragu said.
A wide range of security features are onboard the new OS, such as host-based intrusion detection, directory enabled authentication, and high-performance encryption.
A Linux porting kit is available for customer wishing to run Linux applications on Itanium 2. A Linux run-time environment will become available for HP-UX 11i, Version 1.6 in the first half of 2003, Appelaragu said.
The integration of Compaq’s True64 software tools from HP’s acquisition of Compaq will begin to happen with HP-UX 11i, Version 1.6 in 2004.
Previous versions of HP-UX for PA-RISC servers were included in the price of the server. But unlike PA-RISC chips, Itanium processors also run the Windows operating system, so HP will begin charging Itanium server customers for HP-UX 11i, Version 1.6, Appelaragu said.
“We’ll be licensing HP-UX for Itanium on a per-CPU basis. The cost will be $2,995 per CPU license,” Appelaragu said.
With the clock ticking down to the retirement of PA-RISC chips, HP hopes to use the new operating system to entice PA-RISC customer to start migrating to an Itanium platform, said Tony Iams, a senior research analyst with D.H. Brown, in Port Chester, N.Y.
“This is the first serious effort for [HP] to start moving their PA-RISC users to industry-standard servers. But there is no question that once you move onto the industry-standard platform, you are not going to be able to charge the same kind of premiums that you could with PA-RISC,” Iams said.
Because Intel chips are less expensive, HP understands that its OS revenue stream will become ever more critical as time goes by, Iams said.
“This is definitely a shift in their business model away from hardware into other areas, and software is one of them,” he said.
HP may also have an advantage over competitors such as IBM because HP has chosen to support three OSes on Itanium — HP-UX, Windows, and Linux — whereas IBM will only offer Windows and Linux for its Itanium-based servers, said Iams, who added that Big Blue plans to keep its AIX OS running on its RISC-based Power processors.
HP is online at http://www.hp.com.


text:
Race is on for Frankfurt limelight
THE race is well and truly on to grab the headlines and the spotlight in the lead up to the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
And again this week, we have had a few more glimpses of what to expect.
First, there is the updated version of Alfa's 4C Concept. The company has now confirmed its weight at around 850kg, while the engine delivers more than 200bhp.
It's a near-four-metre, two-seater, rear-wheel drive coupe, which uses technology and materials from the 8C Competizione (carbon, aluminium, rear-wheel drive etc).
Peugeot has two major items on show. Its new hybrid 508 RXH flagship is a taller 508-SW-based 'crossover'.
It has a two-litre diesel driving the front wheels, while an electric motor turns the rear ones -- giving a CO2 of 109g/km and a claimed combined 67.2mpg.
Then there is the HX1 concept, which also uses Hybrid4 technology, modular architecture and the first diesel hybrid in the world.
The HX1 has a 204bhp, 2.2-litre HDi diesel, with a six-speed gearbox.
Between the 95bhp electric motor and the engine, the combined output can pump out 299bhp.
Now that is serious power.
The XH1 can travel up to 30km on electric drive only because it has a 'plug-in' facility. The lithium-ion batteries can be recharged with a standard 240V mains electric socket. Peugeot claims a combined fuel consumption of 88.2mpg and 83g/km.
Audi has also been busy with this new urban concept taking shape.
These computer-enhanced pictures show the compact two-seat city cars (which have been 'built' in coupe and spyder guises).
Fiat is also to showcase its next-generation Panda. It is 3.65m long, around 12cm longer and six centimetres wider than the existing model.
Fiat claims it can cope with as many as five passengers. The rear seat folds and slides and the front passenger seat backrest can fold forwards to become a table.
The big news is that there will be a pair of two-cylinder petrols (64bhp and a turbocharged 84bhp) as well as a 1.3-litre, 4cyl 74bhp diesel.
The Panda has been a great little car and this promises to intensify the competition in the segment.


text:
Apple continues to lead the development of its first AR headset, so it is likely that in a few years it will be released. However, this may take a long time. As journalist Mark Gurman reported in his Power On mailing list, full-fledged augmented reality glasses are still many years away.
The reason for this is simple – you need to reduce all the components, change the battery technology, debug the software, and so on. According to Gurman, the mixed reality headset, which could be released in 2023, will only be a temporary intermediate product.
The journalist said that the company will most likely release an AR headset, then calmly complete the AR glasses – approximately by 2025. This will allow the company from Cupertino to remain the market leader. It is possible that future glasses, like the future headset, will receive xrOS as an operating system, but this is just an assumption. There are no exact data yet.
Previously, Mark Gurman has already announced that the MacBook Air (2022) will be released in the colors of older models. These are the colors they came out in.
Introduced cheap Mobfree charger for owners of smart watches and laptops
Mobfree has introduced a two-way wireless charger for the Apple Watch and other smartwatches.
This charger, which resembles a flash drive, connects to the USB-C connector, as shown in the photo. It can also be connected to a fast charging adapter with a USB-C connector.
The manufacturer claims that the new charger supports Apple Watch starting from the second generation, as well as all generations of smart watches Samsung Galaxy Watch.
At the stage of collective financing on the Kickstarter platform, those who wish can order a novelty for $ 20.
Deliveries to first customers are scheduled for June 2023.
First 110-inch 8K 3D monitor unveiled to display 3D without glasses
BOE showcased its latest developments at the ISE 2023 European Professional Audiovisual Show, including a large monitor for viewing 3D content without glasses.
This 110″ 8K 3D monitor supports 120Hz refresh rate. The manufacturer claims that the three-dimensional image on the TV screen can be seen by several users from different angles.
The TV uses innovative lens array technology combined with MiniLED and quantum dot backlight technology. So far, users can see stereoscopic images at a distance of no more than 1.5 m from the screen. However, the manufacturer states that work is ongoing, so the distance will be significantly increased in the future. Such TVs are planned to be widely used in advertising, exhibitions and many other scenarios.
BOE also showcased the first 162-inch MiniLED TV with a peak brightness of 1000 cd/m2new 65″ ultra-slim 8K TVs with 3024 local dimming zones, an 86″ interactive touch screen panel and more.
Apple Watch Series 8 significantly cheaper in China
Smart watches Apple Watch Series 8 fell in price in China. JD.com is currently offering a 41mm GPS model for $400. The starting price of this model in China was $445.
Apple Watch Series 8 received a body temperature sensor that can take measurements every 5 seconds. Apple Watch Series 8 recognizes not only falls, but also getting into car accidents, for which new sensors are used.
Apple Watch Series 8 features a battery saver mode that allows you to last longer without recharging.
Apple says the Apple Watch Series 8 can track temperature changes as low as 0.1 degrees Celsius and check the temperature every five seconds.
Twitch launched an endless series in the style of sitcoms of the 80s. It is generated by neural networks
On the Twitch platform, they launched the series Nothing, Forever in the style of sitcoms of the 80s. It is...
How so, Microsoft? A third party developer has already added ChatGPT to Word
Creative Data Studios has developed a plug-in for Microsoft Word called Ghostwriter ChatGPT that adds chatbot functionality to a text...
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra vs iPhone 14 Pro Max in a camera battle. Published a large video comparison of the two flagships
Despite the fact that there are still two weeks before the start of sales of Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphones, full...
Ryzen 9 7845HX is PassMark’s most powerful processor, and it’s not even a flagship model
The first test results of the Ryzen 9 7845HX mobile processor have appeared on the Web. And it immediately became...
Laptops6 days ago
The Fujitsu UH-X/H1, an ultra-light 14-inch laptop, is introduced. Its weight is only 689 grams
Laptops5 days ago
Unexpectedly: LG uses Samsung OLED panels in its thin and light Gram laptops
News5 days ago
Microsoft has updated Skype – new features, fixes and improvements for all platforms
Components5 days ago
The next generation of gaming laptops comes out on February 1st. Models with GeForce RTX 4090/4080 will appear first


text:
Snapdeal-backed FreeCharge has reshuffled its top management elevating chief operating officer (COO) Govind Rajan as its new CEO.
Co-founder and CEO Kunal Shah will now move to a new role as the Chairman at the digital payments company, FreeCharge said in a statement.
In April last year, Snapdeal had acquired FreeCharge in the one of the biggest deals in the e-commerce sector. While the companies had not disclosed the deal size, it was estimated to be a $400 million (roughly Rs. 2,700 crores) transaction.
“Govind has led with great insight and initiative. His understanding of the payments industry and its future trends is equally matched by his discipline and ability to get things done. In Govind, we have an exceptional leader,” Shah said.
Rajan had joined Snapdeal last year from Airtel, where he was serving as the CEO for Airtel Money. Later, he was given the additional responsibility as the COO of FreeCharge.
“Kunal has built a great tech team and an iconic brand. It is a privilege to take the baton from him. We are fortunate to have his guidance as the Chairman and mentor-in-chief,” Rajan said.
FreeCharge, which offers mobile recharge and utility bill payment services, had started mobile wallet service last year.


text:
Brandon Crisp, 15, has been missing from his Barrie, Ontario, home for about two weeks. He bolted after a dispute with his parents over the amount of time he spent playing online games. Barrie is a small Canadian city located about 60 miles north of Toronto.
Crisp was "addicted" to playing online video games, including Call Of Duty 4, over Microsoft's Xbox Live gaming service, according to local media reports. With the addition of Microsoft's funds, the total reward for information on Crisp now stands at $50,000.
Beyond the funds, Microsoft is aiding the search by turning over to police Crisp's Xbox Live account information. "Microsoft is fully cooperating with police now and speeding up the process to make (identifying online friends) happen ASAP," said Brandon's father, Steve Crisp, in an interview Saturday with the Toronto Star.
One theory making the rounds is that Crisp ran off to join a "clan" of fellow gamers.
In releasing the information, Microsoft overturned its standard privacy rules. The move came following the launch of an online petition, called "Project Red Tape," that asked the software maker to hand over the youth's account data. "Timing is crucial in this investigation, please do the right thing Microsoft," the petition pleaded.
The petition appears on a Web site, FindBrandonCrisp.com, that was established to help the search effort. It notes that Crisp is 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighs 100 pounds, and has dirty blonde hair and green eyes. He was last seen Oct. 13 wearing a yellow-and-green jacket and a burgundy American Eagle hoodie.
[email protected]:15pm, Oct. 28: A Microsoft spokesman said the company did not overturn its privacy practices in providing account data to law enforcement but, rather, "expedited" them. The spokesman also said Microsoft cooperated with law enforcement "immediately after being asked" to do so and not in response to the petition.


text:
Check out CNET's coverage of the New York International Auto Show 2014.
Bridgestone is developing tires that use slanted resin spokes instead of a cushion of air to absorb shocks. Here's what the company showed at the Paris Motor Show.
CNET editor Sharon Profis takes Apple Pay, Google Wallet and PayPal for a test drive and compares the options.
The Audiophiliac can't cover even a tiny percentage of the audio shows sprouting up all over the world, but when there's one in his hometown, he's on it!
iOS 8.1 comes in hot and fast with several new features and changes. Here's everything you need to know.
The selection of superb sounding, high-end audio gear has never been wider.
CNET breaks out the most important things to know when shopping for a new television.
Judge grants broadcasters' request for a temporary restraining order against the embattled video streaming service, which has sought to reclassify itself as a cable provider.
Bank of America apologizes for a glitch that's causing duplicate Apple Pay charges. Also, Google creates a new app for organizing email, and Google users can give their accounts extra protection with USB security keys.
Get a glimpse at the upcoming movie's robotic villain, Ultron, as he threatens humanity and challenges earth's mightiest heroes.
Struggling to figure out how to use Apple's new NFC payment system on your iPhone 6? Jimmy Kimmel has the definitive guide.


text:
Poland makes significant progress in its Business-to-Business (B2B) electronic invoicing initiative.
On March 15, 2023, Poland officially announced the launch of a new project for electronic invoicing in collaboration with the National Electronic Invoicing System (KSeF). The project draft has received approval from the Council of Ministers. The draft introduces several notable changes, including the following:
- Confirmation of the mandatory implementation date for B2B electronic invoicing via KSeF: Starting from July 1, 2024, it will be obligatory for businesses to issue e-invoices through KSeF.
- Exclusion of Business-to-Consumer (B2C) transactions from the KSeF system.
- Introduction of a new feature: QR code implementation. Technical requirements and specifications for the use of QR codes will be published separately, and the KSeF regulations will provide detailed information on the application process and requirements.
Under the new regulations, all issued invoices must be declared through the National Electronic Invoice System, known as KSeF. To encourage widespread adoption of this platform, the government has announced a tax incentive in the form of a one-third reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT) refund processing time, reducing it from 60 days to 40 days. Additionally, taxpayers may be exempted from filing the JPK_FA file. Companies interested in availing themselves of these benefits can voluntarily utilize the national KSeF platform, which has been available since January 1, 2022.
The government’s objective is to accelerate the digitization of the tax system and capitalize on the benefits observed in other European Union countries that have already implemented electronic invoicing systems. Italy serves as a prime example, where B2B electronic invoicing has been mandatory since 2019.


text:
In late May, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) announced it was discontinuing production of Evinrude E-TEC and E-TEC G2 outboards. The company cited impacts from the COVID-19 shutdowns as the deciding factor.
The news pulled at the heartstrings of many a longtime boater, who has no doubt run an Evinrude outboard at some point. Evinrude was founded in 1907 by Ole Evinrude and went on to rule the roost for many years. The company weathered some rough periods, including bankruptcy in the 1990s after a disastrous launch of a direct injection technology called Ficht. Issues with powerheads and exploding engines dissolved consumer confidence. BRP stepped in, purchased the brand, recalled bad engines, improved the technology and brought Evinrude back to the marketplace in 2003 with the launch of the E-TEC line of outboards. These engines built on Evinrude’s commitment to two-strokes and delivered more torque and better fuel economy. But the other outboard builders had laid their future on four-stroke engines, and consumers were sold on the benefits of the quieter engines. Convincing boaters to switch back to an Evinrude two-stroke was a tough sell.
“This business segment had already been facing some challenges, and the impact from the current context has forced our hand,” said José Boisjoli, President and CEO of BRP.
The abrupt closure left Evinrude owners and dealers wondering about service, parts, inventory and warranty issues. BRP says that along with dealer inventory, there are enough engines to fulfill current orders in a “timely manner.” A network of more than 1,000 dealers will remain the first point of contact for consumers.
BRP says it will honor manufacturer warranties and support its dealers to ensure a smooth transition. The company will supply parts as needed to both customers and service centers. It will also “honor our manufacturer limited warranties and extended service contracts,” according to a company statement.
The company will retain the Evinrude name and patents as it switches its focus to its boat brands, including Alumacraft and Manitou in the U.S. and Telwater in Australia. BRP signed a deal with Mercury Marine to be the preferred engine provider for its boats moving forward. BRP also owns Sea-Doo personal watercraft.
“We will concentrate our efforts on new and innovative technologies and on the development of our boat companies, where we continue to see a lot of potential to transform the on-water experience for consumers,” Boisjoli says.
One of the company’s “next-generation” technologies is labeled Project Ghost, announced in the fall of 2019, and aims to place an outboard-style power plant under the transom. This would free up deck space and give boats a cleaner look with more square footage to enjoy.


text:
Here's one that I completely missed: Mario Kart Tour, Nintendo's next major mobile effort, is coming out very soon. Tomorrow, in fact. The mobile racer hits iOS and Android on Sepetmber 25, giving you a chance to do some racing on the go. You can alreayd do that on the Switch, of course, but this is free-to-start with what sounds like a whole lot of microtransactions. The idea is a global tour of racetracks inspired by real-life locations, and the first one is going to be New York City, not to be confused with Super Mario Odyssey's New Donk City. It will include Pauline and Musician Mario as unlockable racers, according to Lakitu in this here installment of "Mario Kart Tour News":
I'll check it out: it's Mario Kart, so of course I'll check it out. But the existence of the Super Mario Kart 8 Deluxe makes it hard to get all that excited about the mobile spinoff.
I wouldn't expect a giant splash on this one in the West, but it could prove to be a moneymaker elsewhere. It's looking like the game is going to lean heavily on Gacha mechanics that give players loot box-like drops of new characters and other rare items, which are more acceptable in Asia but still pretty disconnected from Nintendo's family-friendly image. The company has struggled with mobile so far: spinoffs like Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Super Mario Run have performed alright, but nowhere near what you might expect from these beloved franchises. Fire Emblem Heroes has been Nintendo's most successful mobile game, and it's done so with aggressive microtransactions and Gacha mechanics. It's no surprise that the company is trying to replicate that model rather than the semi-premium Super Mario Run.
The timing is also interesting: this comes just days after Apple's big launch of Apple Arcade, a subscription service that includes a ton of premium mobile games free of microtransactions, an apparent statement against the exact sorts of microtransaction-focused gameplay that Mario Kart Tour seems to be embracing. Those impressions were based on a beta, so we could see some changes, but I'd be surprised to see a fundamental re-imagining of the revenue model.
We'll see what happens tomorrow.


text:
According to this latest data, published as part of the UK Department for Food and Environmental Affairs’ three year study, the average Scot buys 2,026 grams in soft drinks each week, compared to the average of 1,683 g for England and Wales.
Peering into the weekly shopping basket of family households across the UK, the research found that confectionery purchases stood at 151 g per person per week in Scotland and 132 g in the UK.
The findings also revealed differences within fruit and vegetable consumption. The average Brit was bought 1,134 g of vegetables each week and 1,180 g of fruit, with this falling to just 964 g of vegetables and 1,123 g of fruit in Scotland.
Health inequalities” and government policy
Reacting to the findings, Murdo Fraser, a Member of Scottish Parliament for the Scottish Conservatives, said that ensuring everyone in Scotland has access to the best possible diet is essential in reducing current “health inequalities”, yet said that some of this responsibility must lie with the individual.
“Although the onus is on the Scottish Government and NHS to keep pushing the healthy eating messages, people also have to accept some personal responsibility.”
“There isn’t a person in Scotland who doesn’t know the risks of an unbalanced diet, so it’s important individuals do their bit too,” he said.
Fraser added that if individuals failed to do this Scotland would never shake its “Sick Man of Europe tag” and would continue to cost the cash-strapped NHS millions.
This year Scotland’s chief statistician, Roger Halliday, released official figures showing the country’s obesity rates had risen for another year. The data revealed that in Scotland the proportion of people aged 16-64 classified as overweight or obese had increased from 52.4% in 1995 to 61.9% in 2012.
In contrast, a recent initiative which sought to tackle Scotland’s obesity problem was shelved this month after food industry participants withdrew their support. The publically available specification (PAS 2500) was intended to provide a benchmark for the responsible marketing of food and drink in cutting the consumption of food with high levels of fat, salt and sugar, but scepticism among stakeholders led to its abandonment.
The initiative had aimed to target the country’s obesity problem.
Statistics in context


text:
Riviere-du-Loup, January 16, 2023 - Premier Tech is proud to kick off this milestone year by launching the celebrations of its 100th anniversary.
With tomorrow in mind, Premier Tech is 100 years young and always making a difference with passion.
This timeless look toward the future and the energy that still drives us beyond this first century of history have inspired our team in the design of the graphic signature that marks this significant milestone.
This Beyond 100 signature comes to life with energy. Premier Tech's timeless blue comes together with epic pink, open sky blue, and passionate tangerine. As the last two digits become one, the infinity symbol, embodies the Power of One. This 100th anniversary logo will take various forms throughout the year. For example, it appears on the 2023 jerseys of our various cycling teams, including of course that of Israel - Premier Tech.
"Premier Tech's steady and sustained growth is the result of the commitment and passion of thousands of team members across the world for whom our clients' success is a priority since 1923," says Jean Belanger, president and chief executive officer of Premier Tech. "Resolutely focused on the future and driven by our rich history, we are beyond proud to reach this significant milestone."
To learn more about Premier Tech's 100th anniversary and follow its related activities, look at our celebrations webpage
. More to come throughout the year - stay tuned!
Now more than ever, this is our time.
About Premier Tech
At Premier Tech, we are all about making a difference by connecting People and Technologies for now 100 years. One team driven by a shared will to deliver sustainable solutions that help feed, protect and improve our world.
Premier Tech has a wide range of products, services, brands and technologies allowing to increase crop yields, bring beautiful gardens to life, automate the handling and packaging operations of many manufacturing facilities, treat andharvest water, support companies in their digital transformation and offer bio-ingredients for the well-being of humans and animals.
Premier Tech today records sales of more than onebillion dollars and is growing internationally, driven by its 5 200 team members in 28 countries. This is our time as we move Beyond 100.
For more information about Premier Tech, visit www.premiertech.com


text:
BT launches consolidated Halo plan with new multi-channel campaign
Saatchi & Saatchi has launched the newest integrated campaign for BT - officially kicking off its new Halo service, which offers TV, broadband, mobile and landline phones in one package.
It revolves around a 90-second TV advert, which features gamers, musicians, students, and athletes utilising a powerful phone and internet connection, and benefitting in the process.
It's soundtracked by a spoken word artist who counts through the things that a connection enables.
The campaign also encompasses OOH, online video, press, and social media content.
BT’s Director of Marketing Communications, Pete Jeavons, said: “This campaign shows the power of connections between us all, and the amazing things we can do together. BT Halo keeps people connected with the best from BT - offering unlimited, reliable 4G, 5G and fibre, as well as dedicated home tech experts to help customers make the most out of their technology and stay connected to the people and experiences that matter most to them.”


text:
WATSONVILLE, California — West Marine, Inc. announced today the arrival of its new Chief Executive Officer, Doug Robinson, who joins with three decades of specialty retailing experience. Most recently Robinson spent 13 years with Lowe’s and his last role was President, International Operations and Development.
Robinson is an avid sailor and longtime customer of West Marine who is very eager to help the brand become one of the best retailers in the country. He is also a supporter and participant in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Leukemia Cup Regatta, an event West Marine has supported the last 22 years. He will take the helm on Jan. 29.
West Marine is a retailer exclusively offering boating gear, apparel, footwear and other water lifestyle products.


text:
RICHMOND, VA. — Hot on the heels of the announcement that the chain is closing all 567 stores, laying off 34,000 employees and liquidating all of its remaining merchandise, management at Circuit City (motto: “Please don’t refer to a sale item as a ‘best buy’”) revealed plans to sell the empty stores to the United States Department of Energy to be used as storage facilities for nuclear waste. “I think it’s a great idea,” said laid-off store manager Nick Tendo. “My store is right next door to a Best Buy. Let’s see how many TVs they sell when the sales staff grows a third eye.”
The abandoned stores will take the place of the controversial Yucca Mountain Repository in Nevada, which has yet to be used due to protests by environmentalists, ranchers and a local resident claiming to be Bigfoot. “They’re the perfect locations for nuclear waste storage,” said DoE spokesperson Rod Szilla. “Based on Circuit City’s final sales figures, nobody knows where they are.”
Circuit City officials say anyone unlucky enough to receive a Circuit City gift card for Christmas can redeem them during the liquidation sale. After the stores are closed, the DoE recommends that unused cards be shredded and eaten, along with any catalogs, sales flyers and credit card bills listing store locations. Laid-off employees will be offered jobs at the nuclear waste facilities provided they pass a physical and demonstrate their loyalty by bringing in the blades of a windmill.


text:
Sony has kicked off a new pilot project to bring a remote security service to market for owners of their Xperia smartphone devices. Sony is calling it “my Xperia” as they pilot the service in the Nordics and target a global release during the second quarter of 2013. One of the individuals behind the service, Sony Experience Planner Marcin Zielinski, described some of the service’s features in a one sentence blurb as helping “you locate your misplaced Sony smartphone and protect your personal data.” Read more
In December we reported on an exploit that had been discovered in Samsung’s Exynos chips. We have not heard of any malicious activity related to the security hole, though it became a popular vector for rooting devices. After looking into the issue, Samsung has started the process of issue a fix for the vulnerability. The devices and networks include:
- Sprint Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch: Sprint’s update FL24 will push out to customers over the course of the next month and will receive Sprint’s Connections Optimizer as part of the update.
- T-Mobile Galaxy Note II: The T-Mobile version of the Samsung Galaxy Note II is getting an update dubbed T889UVALL4. T-Mobile is pushing this out over-the-air or users can manually update via Kies.
There are other devices on several carriers that have the same chipset and are vulnerable to the exploit. We anticipate seeing patches and updates rolling out for these devices over the next several days as well now that the ball has started rolling.
source: Android Central
Mobile security firm Lookout has posted a security alert on their blog regarding a new threat they have identified for mobile devices. Working with carriers, Lookout has identified SpamSoldier, which they describe as a spammer botnet agent that uses infected phones to send SMS spam messages. They do not indicate which platforms are subject to attack, although the original attack vector is via an SMS message and not through any apps downloaded via app stores. Read more
Some bad news is surfacing this weekend for owners of several popular Samsung devices. Members of XDA Developers identified a kernel exploit for devices with certain Exynos processors that could provide root access without flashing the device. According to XDA member alephzain, the vulnerability was discovered on his Samsung Galaxy S III in /dev/exynos-mem. The weakness provides full read/write rights to all physical memory. Read more
McAfee is one of the more popular antivirus protections available to PC users, and with the malware on Android devices, they’ve stepped in to provide their trusted protection on smartphones and tablets, too. Recently, McAfee updated their Android application with a refreshed user interface and an innovative new App Lock feature. McAfee claims that since apps like Twitter and Gmail don’t require a password each time you open the app, it’s a possible security threat on your device. App Lock protects against this threat by requiring a pin number each time you want to use one of these applications, protecting you from someone digging through your phone for personal information or even just some nosy friends. This feature can also be used to protect children from having access to certain apps on your device, like the browser or your banking app.
McAfee offers a free trial of the app on Google Play, and offers the paid version at $29.99. Hit the break for the press release and download links. Read more
It’s no secret that competition between the major phone platforms (Android, IOS, and Windows Phone) is pretty stiff, with each company doing whatever it can to get a leg up on the competition. Things can get pretty ugly sometimes, with competitors trashing one another and tarnishing each other’s reputation in whatever way they can. Tonight Microsoft joined the fire-fight with a tweet from their Windows Phone twitter account. In it they are calling for their followers to send tweets telling the world about their worst malware story while using an Android phone. These tweets should also include the hashtag #DroidRage. Something tells me that the very vocal Android community won’t take this sitting down and will turn Microsoft’s provoking tweet on its head. After all…when you think of viruses and malware, you tend to think of Microsoft products. Let’s see how this unfolds. If you want to reply to the tweet yourself, check it out at the source link below.
Source: Windows Phone Twitter
There are always pros and cons when it comes to rooting your Android devices. Among the major pros are being able to make your Android device much more flexible and slap on things like custom ROMs. On the flip side there are cons such as the potential of major security breaches, such as one that was recently found by XDA user graffixnyc. While going through his S-Memo SQLite files on his Galaxy S III, he found out S-Memo store his Google account password in plain text, instead of the password being encrypted. After posting his issue in an open forum thread, another XDA user named ViViDboarder highlighted rooted devices will be able to view internal contents like that of the SQLite files, though graffixnyc the records of the SQLite files should be encrypted, whether a device is rooted or not.
While this is incredibly troubling to hear, this is a good wake up call for all Android owners, especially owners of rooted devices to take extreme caution in ensuring their sensitive information is safe and secure. The last thing you want is your important information getting into the wrong hands and all.
source: XDA Forums
According to a recent study, 72 percent of all Android applications in the Google Play Store request access to at least one extraneous permission that it doesn’t inherently need to function properly. This number may seem alarming, but let’s break down some of the research firm’s so-called “results.”
According to the published findings:
- 72 percent of all Android apps (more than 290,000) access at least one high-risk permission.
- 21 percent (more than 86,000) access five or more.
- 2 percent (more than 8,000) access 10 or more permissions flagged as potentially dangerous. Read more
Smishing, or SMS-phishing, is an old scamming technique that baits users into putting in personal information on fake websites by sending bogus text messages. It hasn’t been too common in the past few years, but some researchers at NC State University have found a vulnerability affecting several Android versions that could make phishing popular again. The exploit identified affects Gingerbread, Ice Cream Sandwich, and even Jelly Bean. Read more
Today, T-Mobile and the Lookout team have announced a partnership to bring customers an alternative mobile security solution. Lookout’s Automatic App Security will come pre-loaded on select devices this year on T-Mobile and is expected on most Android devices in 2013, securing smartphones and tablets right out of the box for free.
The second you turn on your T-Mobile Android device that has this pre-installed, your device will automatically be secured upon boot. According to T-Mobile and Lookout:
Lookout will scan all applications upon download, in addition to providing weekly scans for potential threats, using its Mobile Threat Network, the world’s largest database of applications. The user will be notified if the application is determined to be safe or not. If an application is identified as potentially harmful, Lookout will provide information and instructions on how to protect against the threat or uninstall the application.
These days, plenty of people are looking for extra ways to protect their mobile phones. After all, these phones are more like computers these days than actual phones. You can always pay $2.99 extra per month for additional features such as remotely locking your device or backing up photos. Do you guys see this as something you’d love to have or do you see it as something you don’t need and will just add to bloat-ware?
You can check T-Mobile and Lookouts press release after the break for further information!


text:
The FINANCIAL — SEOUL — LG Electronics Inc. announced its preliminary earnings results for the second quarter of 2018.
LG reported tentative consolidated revenues for the second quarter of 2018 at KRW 15 trillion with an operating profit of KRW 771 billion. Sales are expected to be 3.2 percent higher than the same quarter the previous year with operating profit up 18.5 percent year-on-year.
LG recorded KRW 30.1 trillion in sales and KRW 1.9 trillion in operating profit in the first half of year, the highest for the period in the history of LG Electronics and the first time sales have exceeded KRW 30 trillion in the first six months.
These figures are the tentative consolidated earnings based on K-IFRS provided as a service to investors prior to LG Electronics’ final earnings results including net profit. Details regarding each division which will be announced officially later this month.


text:
The implementation of the consolidated budget in the first five months of 2020 registered a deficit of RON 38.8 billion (3.59% of GDP), of which… Mai mult›
2020 European Innovation Scoreboard: Big problems of Romania, which is by more than 68% behind EU average
Romania remains the weakest innovator in the EU, with a score in last year’s indicator ranking at only 31.6% of the EU’s average performance, according… Mai mult›
According to March 2020 data, the EC Convergence Report for Romania points out that the long-term interest rate for convergence purposes was 1.5 percentage points… Mai mult›
Conditions and mechanism for accessing financing from recovery fund: supervision, indicators, approvals, diplomacy
The European Commission is doubling its efforts to show that Europe has learned the lessons of the past and will avoid now, after the “Great… Mai mult›
S&P maintains Romania’s rating at level recommended for investments: Romania has access to foreign financing / Fiscal consolidation is inevitable after elections
Rating agency Standard & Poor’s has confirmed the ratings for Romania at ‘BBB minus / A-3’ and maintained the negative outlook. This rating maintains Romania… Mai mult›
de Marin Pana , 5.3.2018
Somehow surprisingly, Romania displays a level of 50.44% of the European average prices, somewhat lower than in previous years.
This is our position compared to the countries on which this data has been calculated at the beginning of this year, according to the harmonized statistical data of the European statistical office (states that have not declared a legal minimum level of the national gross wage are not included):
Country Level of prices (%, EU28 =100) Prices in Romania/other country (%)
We can notice how the price level in Romania is currently less than half that of countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands or Belgium and is still under 70% compared to former socialist countries such as Slovenia, Estonia and the Czech Republic, more developed but also located in the proximity of the Western markets.
The closest to us are Hungary and Poland, compared to which the 10% – 15% gap explains why we have a very pronounced deficit in the trade relationship. Simply, when we receive extra money in our pocket, it is very easy for the consumer goods industries in these countries to adapt to the new quality/price ratio already used on their domestic market.
The only EU country with lower prices than us is Bulgaria. That, along with their more inspired approach in the tourism and their vicinity, leads to the attractiveness that this country has for Romanians who come to spend holidays here, and this in mass proportions.
Of course, it is about an average of the prices for the 12 categories of goods and services considered by Eurostat, to obtain the actual purchasing power of the nominal amounts used in each member state.
What we must remember, though, is that we must find an optimal balance between the inevitable rise in prices occurring in a convergent process that cannot be stopped and the preservation of the purchasing power of the amounts earned in Romanian Lei. A purchasing power that can only be maintained by results as close to zero as possible or even positive, if possible, in the trade exchanges between these partner countries.
Otherwise, price increases without increases in competitiveness and productivity (both are relative, as others don’t stand still!) can push us, on the path of some income support granted without any basis in the real economy, towards Greece’s situation. Joined prematurely to the Eurozone and unable to adjust its prices to the new realities.


text:
Stadium in Australia to be renamed Dellavedova Dome | Delly overtakes LeBron in jersey sales
Editor in Chief
Aka VincentDa & RedApples fka Expiredpineapples. My alter-ego is a digital-marketing guy in Houston. Won editing awards & created obsolete flash websites that have been featured in mags like Sports Illustrated. Studied film & women at FSU during the golden age of hip-hop. Collects records, laserdiscs, sports memorabilia & toys. Father of 2 daughters that are more athletic and popular on YouTube.
Follow @David Astramskas
The Delly craziness is flirting with Linsanity levels now. After Matthew Dellavedova’s big GM3 performance, online sports retailer Fanatics reported that Delly’s #8 jersey outsold teammate LeBron along with MJ, Kobe and every other basketball jersey.
“We don’t see players rise to top from out of nowhere like this often,” Fanatics president of merchandising Jack Boyle told ESPN.
If that wasn’t Linsane enough, a stadium in Maryborough, Australia where Delly grew up, is being renamed the “Dellavedova Dome” in his honor!
“That’s where Matt Dellavedova learned his craft and the Maryborough Basketball Association have suggested that the stadium, which is a two-court stadium, ought to be renamed after Matthew,” Mr Johnson told 3AW Breakfast.
“He’s certainly put Maryborough on the world map, it’s just fantastic.
So fantastic that kids in Australia are skipping school to watch the NBA Finals.


text:
US said that North Korea was behind the cyber attack on Sony which hackers have demanded the withdraw of the movie, The Interview, or they would continue to leak info they stole from Sony.
Hands On: Preview of HP's new $200 laptop
Nest Learning Thermostat: The Next Generation, review
HP EliteDesk 800 Desktop Mini review
Your Christmas Gaming Guide
Forza Horizon 2 Launch
12 Days of Deals: 4GB Xbox 360 and free game for $149.99
12 Days of Deals
The latest table for Pinball FX2, Venom, reviewed
Amid the leaking of personal info by hackers, two former employees have filed a class action lawsuit against Sony for failing to protect employees' data.
Sony has warned employees to watch out for fraudsters after hackers leaked their social security numbers, credit card details, bank info, healthcare details, and employment-related info.
While preparing for their latest leak, the hackers who broke into Sony's systems have said they will not include personal information of employees in their latest leak if the workers object.
Sony has warned it will take legal action against news organizations if the reporting of stolen information containing its secrets does not stop and the leak data is not destroyed.
Sony Pictures was reportedly aware that it was vulnerable to attack before the recent hacks by #GOP, a newly leaked security audit has revealed.
The cyber attack on Sony Pictures last month has led to the leakage of sensitive data, unreleased movies and more, much to the dismay of Sony. Now, the hackers have finally made their demands.
Sony is still struggling to catch up and get a hold on the situation after hackers broke into their systems and stole large amounts of private data which they are now slowly leaking online.
As Sony continues its efforts to find the culprits behind Sony Entertainment Pictures being hacked, the company faces yet another attack from the hacking group calling itself #GOP.
Sony is getting kicked while its down with the hackers behind a recent attack releasing even more internal company info. The new data includes employee social security numbers and account passwords.
The cyber attack on Sony last week by the hacking group #GOP has caused alarm among US businesses. The FBI has reportedly been sending 'flash' warnings to many companies regarding destructive malware.
The hackers that recently attacked Sony seem to be at it again, this time posting online internal documents that contain private finances of some of the company's top level executives.
After last week's security breach at Sony Pictures, a number of unreleased movies have leaked online in high quality format suggesting the hackers did indeed access sensitive information.
Sony Pictures, the company's studio division, has been hacked last night and left with a warning message. The hackers behind the attack claim to have access to the company's sensitive info.
According to a report from a cybersecurity company, Russian hackers have been using a Windows exploit found in almost all versions of the OS to spy on important institutions and governments.
It has been reported that the Sears-owned Kmart retailer experienced a security breach today that may have given hackers access to customer credit card information.
Yahoo was alerted to a flaw in its servers by researchers scanning for Shellshock vulnerabilities, but said that attackers used a different vulnerability to compromise its servers.
Three weeks after the original round of leaks showing dozens of celebrities in compromising poses went online, it appears that another batch has leaked which include previous and other celebs.
Apple has broken their silence over the breached celeb accounts hack which resulted in dozens of celebrities having their most private moments put online for the whole world to see.
The PlayStation Network has suffered a DDOS attack on Sunday. Despite the attack, no personal information has been accessed and services are gradually being restored.
A Russian group obtained 1.2 billion usernames along with passwords and Hold Security, the firm that discovered the breach, claims the hack is the “largest data breach known to date”.
The website of the European Central Bank has been hacked and personal information of 20.000 users has been stolen. However no market data or internal banking systems have been compromised.
The massive attack that brought down the PlayStation Network is not yet forgotten. Sony has finally agreed to a $15m settlement, mainly giving away free games and services to affected users.
A new report has indicated that there are still over 300,000 unprotected servers running out-of-date versions of OpenSSL that is vulnerable to the critical Heartbleed bug from nearly two months ago.
A security issue in Gmail has been revealed that means hackers could have extracted the email address of every user with ease up until last year and sold them to spammers at huge prices.
Usernames and passwords of eBay users are being sold online to fraudsters and scammers by the hackers who attacked the site earlier this year and stole databases containing user details.
The TrueCrypt website is saying that the software is no longer considered secure and that users should use BitLocker instead. The question raging around the Internet is whether this is legit or not.
Security company Avast Software has announced that details of 400,000 forum users, including passwords in hashed form, have been stolen in an attack on the company over the past weekend.
Apple users across Australia are receiving ransom notes, after their devices were locked up by cyber-criminals. There's no response from Apple yet but the issue seems to relate to unsecured Apple IDs
Many users of the photo-sharing app Snapchat have reported that they are being sent spam messages of photos of smoothies with links that redirect to a recipe for a smoothie on AllRecipes.com.
A security researcher has found a flaw in Snapchat which allows hackers to crash users' phones through DoS attacks. This comes only months after 4.6 million accounts were breached through the app.
Snapchat users can rest a bit easier today, as the company has finally updated its mobile apps. Folks can now opt out of the feature that was used in the exploit that exposed 4.6 million accounts.
The former assistant director of the FBI's Operational Technology Division says this has been possible for years by using a malware delivery method which allows for a whole lot of snooping.
Almost half a million accounts were exposed by a server breach at JPMorgan Chase, possibly revealing card numbers, but the company says it does not believe other critical customer details were leaked.
Could this 12 year old Canadian boy be the new Julian Assange? The fifth-grade hacker appeared in court on Thursday after he was accused of aiding an Anonymous DDOS attack on government websites.
Sometimes the hacker life really is rewarding, some forty people (so far) have banded together to shower that first person who cracks the 5s fingerprint sensor with booze, cash and even a dirty book!
If you use an Android, Apple or even a Blackberry, the chances are the NSA can gain access to your phone. Der Spiegel reports contact lists, SMS messages and even users locations can be tracked.
The New York Times website has gone dark, but it's far from a spontaneous outage. The publication announced that it suspects the website has been compromised by a hacker.
The webpage for Google in Palestine has been attacked by an unknown group, calling for revolution in the disputed lands around Palestine and Israel. How they pulled off the hack is still uncertain.
After reports came out yesterday of Twitter being hacked and thousands of accounts being made public, the company has now gone on the record to clear things up: they weren't hacked!
An expensive robotic toilet suffers from a huge security flaw allowing anyone with an Android device to control it via Bluetooth. The toilet can remotely flush, spray, and play music.
A security researcher based in London has stepped forward and claimed responsibility for the hack that occurred almost a week ago on the Apple Developers website, which is still down.
Late last night the Ubuntu forums, which uses vBulletin was hacked and data stolen, including usernames, passwords and email addresses. At the time of writing the site is still down for maintenance.
Google Glass headsets have been slowly shipping to developers, which can only mean one thing: more information about the device. We now know that Glass has a dual-core CPU and 1GB of RAM.
When navigating to the Bing web site through a secure connection, a security certificate error message greets you in most browsers. At present, certificate providers are mostly likely to blame.
Google is determined to help folks who've had their website hacked. To that end they've set up a basic help center that provides info and suggestions to help victims of hacking.
Evernote has announced that they have been hacked, with user's email addresses, (encrypted) passwords and username data being stolen, although they claim documents weren't accessed.
Just days after a massive breach in their security Twitter might be working on a two-step verification for users. Similar to what banks and other companies use this would make user accounts safer.
Google quite frequently offers up cash to those who can find security holes in its software and If you are headed to Pwnium this year, you can walk away with a serious amount of cash.
Twitter is reporting that they have recently experienced an unauthorized access attempt, with attackers potentially stealing the data - including salted passwords - for around 250,000 accounts


text:
Spidey in Walt Disney's net
London, Sep 1: The world of animation entertainment is all set to become much bigger as Walt Disney buys Marvel Entertainment in a 4-billion dollar deal.
After the deal is sealed, Disney will be the owner of 5,000 Marvel characters, including superheroes like Spider-Man and the X-Men.
Shareholders of Marvel will receive 30 dollars per share in cash along with 0.745 Disney shares for every Marvel share they own.
The board of directors of both the entertainment companies have approved the deal, which will be inked after the support of Marvel's shareholders and competition authorities.
The BBC quoted Robert Iger, Disney president and chief executive as saying, "We believe that adding Marvel to Disney's unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation."
"We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney."
He added, "Disney is the perfect home for Marvel's fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses," said Marvel chief executive Ike Perlmutter.
"This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney's tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world."
Business analysts say the deal is "win-win situation for both companies".


text:
Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s (ELFA) Monthly Leasing and Finance Index (MLFI-25), which reports economic activity from 25 companies representing a cross section of the $1 trillion equipment finance sector, showed their overall new business volume for July was $7.9 billion, up 13 percent year-over-year from new business volume in July 2016. Volume was down 19 percent month-to-month from $9.8 billion in June. Year to date, cumulative new business volume was up 6 percent compared to 2016.
Receivables over 30 days were 1.40 percent, up from 1.30 percent the previous month and up from 1.30 percent in the same period in 2016. Charge-offs were 0.35 percent, down from 0.38 percent the previous month, and down from 0.38 percent in the year-earlier period.
Credit approvals totaled 76 percent in July, relatively unchanged from 75.9 percent in June. Total headcount for equipment finance companies was up 15.3 percent year over year, largely attributable to continued acquisition activity at an MLFI reporting company.
Separately, the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s Monthly Confidence Index (MCI-EFI) for August is 64.4, up from 63.5 the previous two months.
ELFA President and CEO Ralph Petta said, “The second half of the year gets off to a strong start, with double digit, year-over-year growth. Business fundamentals appear solid, with low unemployment, continued low interest rates and an active equities market buoying the economy. With a number of difficult public policy decisions on the horizon, all eyes will be on Washington in the coming months to glean whether this benign economic condition continues.”
Michael Sweeney, Senior Vice President, Vendor Equipment Finance Originations, EverBank Commercial Finance, Inc., said, “It is promising to see such a great start to Q3 for our industry. While we all know that a great month doesn’t make a quarter, it is particularly gratifying to see that new business volume for our industry is up by 6 percent over 2016 through the first seven months. Portfolio performance continues to be a source of comfort despite a recent uptick in delinquencies, as indicated by a slight decrease in charge-offs as contrasted with the prior year and month. Stable credit approval rates and our continued strong confidence index indicate what we all know at EverBank: that it is a great time to be in the equipment finance business.”
About the ELFA’s MLFI-25
The MLFI-25 is the only index that reflects capex, or the volume of commercial equipment financed in the U.S. The MLFI-25 is released globally at 8 a.m. Eastern time from Washington, D.C., each month on the day before the U.S. Department of Commerce releases the durable goods report. The MLFI-25 is a financial indicator that complements the durable goods report and other economic indexes, including the Institute for Supply Management Index, which reports economic activity in the manufacturing sector. Together with the MLFI-25 these reports provide a complete view of the status of productive assets in the U.S. economy: equipment produced, acquired and financed.
The MLFI-25 is a time series that reflects two years of business activity for the 25 companies currently participating in the survey. The latest MLFI-25, including methodology and participants, is available at www.elfaonline.org/Data/MLFI/.
The ELFA produces the MLFI-25 survey to help member organizations achieve competitive advantage by providing them with leading-edge research and benchmarking information to support strategic business decision making.
The MLFI-25 is a barometer of the trends in U.S. capital equipment investment. Five components are included in the survey: new business volume (originations), aging of receivables, charge-offs, credit approval ratios, (approved vs. submitted) and headcount for the equipment finance business.
The MLFI-25 measures monthly commercial equipment lease and loan activity as reported by participating ELFA member equipment finance companies representing a cross section of the equipment finance sector, including small ticket, middle-market, large ticket, bank, captive and independent leasing and finance companies. Based on hard survey data, the responses mirror the economic activity of the broader equipment finance sector and current business conditions nationally.


text:
Call For Growth Strategy Reinforced
“We suggest a tailored programme aimed at doubling to 16,000 the number of SMEs with well-established offshore markets by 2003.”
Statistics released today confirming a worsening trade deficit are of no surprise to the Chamber of Commerce, and reinforce earlier calls for a greater commitment to build a bigger growth-based economy.
Michael Barnett, Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive, said that the key to reducing the deficit is to create an economy able to earn increased foreign exchange earnings, and to do so by a series of strategies linking government and the private sector in partnerships designed to encourage export-led industries across all sectors with potential to grow.
“An excellent example is the tourism industry which has made considerable progress in partnership with government in recent years. Tourism has become New Zealand’s largest foreign exchange earning sector, but the potential exists for other sectors to lift their international trading performance and earn more for New Zealand," said Mr Barnett.
If New Zealand is to brand itself as a nation that survives by international trade, it must do more to encourage small-medium enterprises to seriously get into exporting. Statistics show that only about 8000 SMEs have well-established international markets. “That is less than 1% of registered businesses in New Zealand.
“The potential for increased export-based businesses is not just in the so-called knowledge economy areas, but across the board,” said Mr Barnett. “We have some of the best trades and skills in the world building super yachts, for example.”
“As I have urged government on a number of occasions, there is a compelling case for government and the private sector to work in partnership to create an export-led growth strategy with pre-agreed targets on the size of the economy we want to create.” Attractive tax policies that support more long term investment and growth should be part of the mix, he urged.
information, contact; Michael Barnett Ph (09) 309 6100 or


text:
Wed, 29 May 2013 11:46:46 GMT
McCann London has been appointed by Harrods to work on a number of projects, starting with the launch of a brand campaign. The appointment followed a competitive pitch.
It’s the first time in several years Harrods has appointed an outside agency to develop creative work for the brand. This supports a new wider marketing strategy for Harrods to maximise the value of its brand in the luxury market.
Commenting on the new partnership, Katharine Witty, Group Director of Corporate Affairs at Harrods, said: "We are delighted to be working with McCann London. From the outset McCann demonstrated their innate understanding of the luxury market and Harrods’ unique position within it. The strategy and work they have presented is the start of, what we hope will be, a long collaboration that will influence many parts of our business”.
view more - Hires, Wins & BusinessMcCann EMEA, Wed, 29 May 2013 11:46:46 GMT
Chris Macdonald, CEO at McCann London, said: "Harrods is a truly iconic British brand known all over the world. It’s a rare opportunity to be able to work with a company as dynamic as Harrods at a time when vast changes in the luxury market are taking place. The overall sector is growing rapidly and we’re proud to help Harrods ensure that they meet their ambitious targets.”