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With an investment of 100 million dollars, the company Grand Velas is about to start building its fifth hotel in Mexico announced the brand owner, Juan Vela Ruiz, who said the company already obtained permits for a 9 story building; In addition, the property consisting of 400 luxury rooms, there is projected to have a second building of 4 levels.
Vela Ruiz said from the acquisition of land, project development and obtaining permits took more than 3 years, however, they already have everything you need to start work in the first months of 2016, published on Sunday by a national media group.
As has established its brand in other destinations, the Grand Velas Los Cabos is expected to offer luxury accommodations, spas and gourmet restaurants internationally recognized; The hotel is recognized, according to the same source, as one of the first to introduce the All Inclusive Gourmet concept in its hotels in the Riviera Maya.
Grand Velas features 4 luxury hotels in the country, together totaling 1,170 suites; it comes to hotels Velas Vallarta and Casa Velas in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco; Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit; and the Grand Velas Riviera Maya in Cancun, Quintana Roo. With the Grand Velas Los Cabos the Brand witll have a total of 1.530 rooms in the main tourist destinations in Mexico.
Source: BCS news


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New Boost your Broadband website is welcome
Connecting Cambridgeshire has welcomed the new Boost Your Broadband campaign launched by Ofcom to help people get better broadband deals.
The new dedicated website www.boostyourbroadband.com aims to encourage more homes and offices to take up superfast broadband and urges customers to check they are not paying more than they need to for their broadband deal.
The campaign aims to demystify the broadband market, especially for people who would like more clarity about speeds, prices and contracts. The UK telecoms regulator has also begun a review of broadband pricing to ensure customers get clear, accurate information from their provider about the best deals they offer.
Welcoming the campaign, Councillor Ian Bates, Chair of the Economy and Environment Committee, which oversees the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme, said: “Many people will be getting new devices and using the Internet over Christmas, so I would urge them to visit the new Boost Your Broadband website to find independent advice about getting the best broadband deal.
“Connecting Cambridgeshire will be launching our own Take Up campaign in the New Year to remind residents and businesses in areas where superfast broadband is available that it’s not automatic – you need to upgrade to get faster speeds and may also find its cheaper than staying on your old contract.”
The superfast broadband rollout has reached over 96% of premises across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, which is above the national average, and the county has seen some of the highest take up in the country – now close to 60%.

domain: news


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128GB iPad Release Contains a Message
Today Apple did something somewhat out of the norm for the company, despite being rumoured ahead of time Apple released a new model of the iPad. But it didn’t change anything apart from the storage capacity, offering a whopping 128GB of storage for a meaty $799 (£639) for the WiFi model or $929 (£739) for the WiFi and Cellular model. This new iPad will be available to buy on February 5th.
There are many questions as to why Apple released this iPad this week or why in the supposed era of cloud storage that a 128GB iPad is even required. However it’s not that hard to speculate as to why Apple announced the 128GB iPad (apart from to try and out do Microsoft’s release of Office 2013) today.
Thinking logically the iPad 4 which has been somewhat constrained through the holiday shopping season is now almost universally available for immediate shipping, suggesting that Apple has caught up with any assembly backlog and is in a strong position to add an additional bunch of units to inventory.
Price will also have been a strong factor, the 128GB iPad with Retina Display offers double the amount of storage to the model below it. Such a large amount of flash memory (NAND) isn’t cheap but the price is plummeting, clearly it has plummeted far enough for Apple to stick some in a sub-$800 iPad.
But in my mind the 128GB iPad sends a strong message about Apple’s intentions. It’s a subject I’ve touched on before over the years and will in more detail bring up again soon and that Apple’s new product cycle. The current iPad was unveiled alongside the iPad mini in October last year, notably it was the second model of iPad to be released in a single year. Apple had little choice but to bring out the iPad 4 just nine months after it had the iPad 3, the technology and graphics benefits of the A6X chip were on the table to be used and there was no way Apple was going to carry a flagship product through the all-important holiday shopping season that contained a now extinct connector on the bottom.
However there was one key distinction that I had seen before and that was the obscurity of Apple’s March release schedule for the iPad. With the iPhone being on a solid end of summer release cycle and iOS releases matching up closely to that it made no sense why Apple continued to release iPad models mid way through the iPhone cycle with out dated hardware (compared to the iPhone on the market) and not benefit from the latest software. In essence Apple used the Lightning connector and the advancements in the iPhone 5 as an excuse to double release in 2012 and land the iPad on a new annual cycle.
This is where the 128GB iPad comes in, the release sends a clear message that despite rumours to the contrary Apple will not release a new iPad in March or April and the next update to the iPad will come in October alongside the second iPad mini, iOS 7 and will ready Apple for another blockbuster year end.
I’ll pick up this subject in more detail soon but many have speculated that Apple will move to a twice-yearly update of iOS hardware. We only have to look at the beating that Apple’s earnings took over the quarter to realise that the ramp-up and production of these products is seriously capital intensive and even when carefully planned leaves Apple vulnerable to extreme demand and an inability to supply customers with the products they want. There’s no way Apple wants to spend three months catching up to only have to start the process again.
[And in answer to the question that is hitting my inbox a lot. What will Apple release between now and the second half of the year? Not a whole lot I suspect]


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Posted November 25, 2018 11:24:00 Share Share this article: Share Share This article: Microsoft announced a new product this week that is part of the company’s effort to move from Windows to SharePoint.
The company is calling the new product “SharePoint 2015” and the first version of it is expected to ship by the end of 2018.
Microsoft will be rolling out this new product to existing SharePoint users starting with a free preview.
The new product is designed to make SharePoint more efficient and more responsive.
It will include features such as the ability to move items between SharePoint sites, as well as new features for using SharePoint as a server and sharing across the company.
Microsoft also announced that it is introducing a new version of ShareView for Office 365.
This new version will offer support for new features such the ability for SharePoint to connect to cloud storage.
The preview for this new version is available now.
It should be interesting to see what Microsoft adds to ShareView in the future.
Microsoft announced new features to Office 365, including a new Office Web Apps interface for Office.
This feature lets users preview the content on their favorite websites on a device.
Microsoft is also releasing a new app called Office365 Hub, which will let users manage Office 365 subscriptions and manage all their Office 365 resources.
This app will be part of Microsoft’s Office 365 Cloud Platform and will allow users to access the cloud and manage Office365 resources.
It’s a great idea to have a separate app for Office that allows users to manage the entire content of their Office applications.
The Office 365 Hub app will also be available for Office Mobile and Windows Phone.
Microsoft said it will be making more improvements to the SharePoint admin experience in the coming months.
For example, Sharepoint Server 2016 will come with new tools for admins to help them manage SharePoint servers more easily.
Microsoft has also said it is planning to bring the ShareView web application to Office 2016 and Office 365 2019.
Microsoft’s plans to roll out SharePoint 2015 and ShareView 2015 are not limited to Office, and the company is also rolling out other Office apps for Android and iOS devices.
SharePoint is a popular enterprise productivity platform that provides a unified interface for multiple Microsoft products.
Microsoft wants to make the SharePath experience even better and make it a bit easier for users to work with Office 365 and Office Web.
SharePath has been around for several years and Microsoft has made improvements to improve SharePoint’s productivity and make SharePath easier for new users.
SharePivot for Windows 8 and Office for Windows Phone 8 will also make it easier for people to manage SharePivots.
SharePlan for Windows 10 will make it even easier to share Office 365 documents with others.
Microsoft added a new SharePoint Server 2017 to the company�s portfolio of Office products.
This server is also available for Windows PCs.


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Weekly Cannabis Commentary
Cannabis Industry Performance
Last week, both Canadian and U.S. cannabis stocks were up 9%. Key sector developments are listed below (all positive):
- Virginia lawmakers are pushing to begin legal sales of cannabis sooner than planned in order to decrease illicit sales in the state.
- Oregon has re-opened its recreational cannabis business license approval process, after putting it on pause for three years.
- New Jersey announced that it will commence accepting cannabis business license applications next month.
- 21 U.S. governors have voted to support the passing of the SAFE Banking Act, which would prohibit penalizing banking institutions from offering banking services to cannabis companies.
As of November 15, 2021, the Canadian big four LPs were trading at an 75% premium (up from 55% in the previous week) over their U.S. peers. Last week, Aurora (TSX: ACB) and Canopy (TSX: WEED) reported YoY revenue declines for the quarter ended September. However, their share prices were up 15%, and contributed to the higher premium (EV/R) for Canadian cannabis players. As mentioned in our previous reports, we expect this premium to shrink as the U.S. moves closer to federal legalization.
The average retail price per gram fell WoW from $11.04 to $11.00.
Canadian Retail Cannabis Stores
As of November 15, 2021, there are 2,774 retail cannabis stores in Canada, a WoW increase of 18 stores, including 13 in Ontario, six in Alberta, and one closure in B.C.


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ERUM AT ARABPLAST 2013
Erum, after recently opening a sales office in Dubai, was at Arabplast, the Arab International Plastics & Rubber Industry Trade Show and Conference, one of the United Arab Emirates’ major plastic industry events.
This biennial trade fair targets sector trade professions and is attended by numerous international suppliers that present their latest innovations, technologies and industrial machinery.
The Erum group delegation in Dubai made the most of its time at the trade show to make new contacts in the Gulf region as well as adding to and sharing its significant knowledge of plastics and the current market in the Middle East.
Another delegation from Erum visited the Plast Eurasia International Istanbul Plastic Industries Fair, the leading sector trade fair in Turkey and the entire Eurasian region. Erum group took full advantage of this great opportunity to establish a foothold in this very important market, which is at the heart of an extensive trade region.


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“In principle, we believe that regulations should encourage consumers to provide information. It is virtually possible for consumers to … get advice that takes into account their personal circumstances. The hampered situation is an antithesis of that principle and is likely to be detrimental to those consumers, “he said in his submission.
“Members of FinTech Australia are asking us to regulate crypto assets finfluencers in the same way that ASICs are trying to regulate finfluencers in the traditional financial services sector.”
The comment touches on one of the many complex questions faced by financial authorities seeking to introduce a regulatory system in the crypto sector.
In another submission, the Center for Consumer Behavior Law emphasized growth In the crypto business that advertises in sports. It demanded a curb similar to live gambling ads for sports that are likely to be seen by children.
“As sports betting odds permeate sports programming almost completely, the current trend in cryptography is as an acceptable way for speculative crypto assets to be associated with sports teams and endanger money. It can permeate the spirit, “submitted by CEO Gerald Brody.
Choice also said crypto fraud cost consumers $ 129 million last year, and digital currency exchanges will have to reimburse consumers if they don’t properly prevent fraud on the platform. Claimed to be.
The Business Briefing Newsletter provides key stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up and get it every weekday morning..


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California drivers who use State Farm for their auto insurance coverage face a premium increase of $263.7 million, the highest total amount approved since October by the California Department of Insurance.
State Farm insures more California drivers than any other company operating in the state. Those 3.7 million California drivers will see an average annual increase of $71 per policy, or a 6.9% increase, said Consumer Watchdog, a Santa Monica-based advocacy group.
The latest increase granted by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara follows rate hike approvals for several other major auto insurers, including Geico and Mercury Insurance, after a long hiatus from the COVID-19 era.
In total, Lara has approved more than $1 billion in premium increases at the state’s six major companies, which insure about 48% of California’s registered vehicles. Consumer Watchdog called it “unjustified and excessive”. Low-income drivers will be hardest hit, the group said.
“The department just rolled out, and rushed, increases in each of these cases without full justification for any of them,” said Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, adding that it ignores the demands. to justify these increases that were set forth in Proposition 103, the state law on auto, home, and property and casualty insurance rates.
Balber saw “a disturbing picture” of the department “approving what now amounts to more than $1 billion in rate increases without the proper oversight.”
Lara did not specifically address the State Farm case, but he said through a spokesperson that there was nothing excessive about the approved rate hikes.
“Commissioner Lara’s actions since July 2020 have so far returned more than $2.55 billion to auto consumers,” said Gabriel Sanchez, press secretary for the Department of Insurance, “and he continues to examine data from insurance companies to determine if they have overcharged drivers during the pandemic.”
“Since 2019, Commissioner Lara has held back rate increases in California and protected consumers despite skyrocketing rates nationwide, keeping increases at the lowest level in a decade,” Sanchez said.
State Farm announced record 2022 underwriting losses in February, saying, “While State Farm has experienced unfavorable operating results in automobiles, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company remains financially strong.” State Farm, which underwrites auto insurance in all 50 states, said the auto segment accounted for an underwriting loss of $13.4 billion on $45.7 billion in earned premiums.
State Farm spokesman Sevag Sarkissian said in an email that the insurer “continually monitors and adapts to trends to ensure we match the price to the risk.”
“As more people are on the roads, we are seeing an increase in claims. Auto claims costs are being compounded by record inflation and supply chain disruptions. All of this has increased the cost of labor and materials, which translates into higher auto repair costs,” he said.
According to Consumer Watchdog’s tally of rate increases approved so far, drivers at the Auto Club’s Interinsurance Exchange will pay an additional $75 per insured vehicle. Mercury insureds will pay an additional $80 per insured vehicle. Geico drivers will see an annual premium increase of $125. Farm drivers will pay $98 more per year, and those insured by Allstate will see an annual increase of $167.
The state Department of Insurance does not release a public statement when it has approved rate increases. Most motorists will be notified of the new premiums when their bills arrive in the mail.
The new round of hikes will place an additional burden on California consumers who already face high interest rates and other inflationary pressures that have made credit card spending more expensive, especially as more and more people depend on it for their daily purchases. Bankrate recently said the average credit card interest rate had climbed to 20.05%, the highest since Bankrate started tracking rates in the mid-1980s.
Roy Persinko, a 22-year-old Southern California construction contractor, probably knows more than anyone about the effects of all these cost increases.
“Everything about my business has gone up,” Persinko said. “But the cost of auto repair has gone up. Flights are on the rise. Am I happy with what I’m paying for car insurance? No, but that’s understandable.
California waited longer than any other state to raise auto premiums after the pandemic subsided, said Denni Ritter, vice president of the American Property Casualty Insurance Assn. When they get back on the roads, California drivers are driving faster and increasingly drunk, Ritter said, resulting in more serious crash injuries and they wreck cars with higher repair costs. higher than in the past.
“These are skyrocketing costs in the car insurance business,” Ritter said.
Consumer Watchdog said insurers’ claims that they suffered because they weren’t allowed to raise premiums fast enough are exaggerated and misleading. Additionally, rising premium costs will not be shared equally among motorists and will fall unfairly more on low-income workers who will pay up to 25% more than college-educated professionals at some insurers, including Geico. , the group said.
Harvey Rosenfield, author of Proposition 103 and founder of Consumer Watchdog, said rate increases are approved when insurers “have not paid their customers for the exceptional extra costs during the pandemic lockdown, when people have significantly reduced their driving and accidents and insurance claims have dropped.” Consumer Watchdog estimated motorists owed billions.
Sanchez responded that Lara is “using every tool available to ensure consumers don’t pay more than they should.”


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The Big List of Nintendo Switch Games: Nintendo Switch Presentation Update
The Scientifically Proven Best Video Games of All Time #34: Super Mario Bros. 3
Square Enix will release Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV animated film this Fall
Here's a 14-second teaser trailer for Gun Media's Friday the 13th: The Game
Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV is an anime prequel series to the game and the first episode is available now
Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns will be released on February 28
Strafe will be released for the PC on March 28
Gigantic: Exile in the North update adds winter-themed skins and a goofy yeti named Pakko
You can sign up for an Injustice 2 Beta right now
Xbox Store Today: Metrico+, I Am Bread, Toby The Secret Mine, more
Deep Silver might release Homefront: The Revolution on May 17
They say “war is hell,” but it might be just as accurate to say “developing war games is hell,” especially when you look at the sorted history behind Homefront: The Revolution.
After the massive success of the first game, Homefront 2 was announced by THQ and Crytek nearly five years ago. The game was set to be developed by Crytek UK, who revealed a plan to move the action to Europe, adding a second theater to the franchise’s US-Korea conflict. After THQ’s bankruptcy woes, the rights to Homefront 2 were purchased by the developer, who promptly shifted the story back to America (specifically, Philadelphia) and added the “Revolution” subtitle. Crytek went through their own financial crisis several months later and ultimately passed the game’s rights to Deep Silver, who also acquired the developer’s UK studio, which they renamed to Dambuster Studios.
While it seems like Homefront: The Revolution might be cursed, Deep Silver has carried on anyway, and it looks like they might release the game this Spring. Officially marked with a “TBA 2016” release date, XboxAchievements recently published a picture of a Target Pre-Order Card for Homefront: The Revolution that lists the game’s release date as May 17, 2016.
Obviously, we don’t know if Homefront: The Revolution will actually be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on May 17, but the date is a Tuesday and the original Homefront did manage to find its fairly large audience after a Spring 2011 release. Deep Silver hasn’t commented on the release date leak, but I feel pretty confident that this could turn out to be true.


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Recovery enables BOJ to avoid adding to monetary stimulus, despite drop in consumer confidence.
By Toru Fujioka and Masahiro Hidaka, Bloomberg|April 08, 2014 at 06:19 AM
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The Bank of Japan (BOJ) refrained from adding to unprecedented monetary stimulus as Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said the blow to the economy from last week’s sales-tax increase will fade during the summer.
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Disney shifts $800-million-a-year movie ad buying to OMD
By By Meg James
Nov 20, 2013 | 8:55 PM
Walt Disney Co. has hired a new advertising agency to oversee media planning for its movie studio.
OMD, whose clients include Pepsi and Visa, on Wednesday landed the Disney Studios account, which handles an estimated $800 million a year in advertising spending, according to sources familiar with the matter.
It is a major coup for OMD, which has a large Los Angeles office that handles its Nissan and Wells Fargo accounts.
Publicis Groupe's 4D agency lost the Disney account.
Disney did not widely solicit offers and presentations from different agencies as most companies do when considering a shift in strategy. Instead, the search was done under the radar. A Disney representative declined to comment on the move.
The Burbank studio has been running hot and cold at the box office this year.
Its most recent release, "Thor: The Dark World," is a big hit, grossing more than $145 million in domestic ticket sales since its Nov. 8 debut. Another Marvel Entertainment film, "Iron Man 3," has grossed more than $400 million domestically.
But last summer, Disney shot itself in the foot with the big-budget flop "The Lone Ranger," starring Johnny Depp and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. The film, which cost an estimated $225 million to produce and tens of millions more to promote, resulted in a loss of at least $150 million.
It's been two-and-a-half years since Disney shopped around its movie ad buying account.
The Burbank studio solicited offers in 2011 after a high-profile shake-up at the studio, and brought in a brand strategist, MT Carney, a hire that raised eyebrows given that she had no experience marketing films.
Carney touted her social media skills and even tweeted details of her job interview process. She oversaw the account review that led to the hiring of the firm 4D and the dismissal of the company's longtime ad agency, Starcom of Chicago.


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Cambodia: an agenda for social justice and radical change
Cambodia has dropped off the media radar recently, but the unions there are still struggling for a living wage and the free trade unionism that would be needed to achieve it. None of the issues raised by the workers who took to the streets at the turn of the year have yet been resolved. But the workers’ group of the ILO Governing Body which met in Geneva last month advanced a concrete agenda for change. We need to press the British government and British multinationals to use their influence to see it implemented.
The three key demands of the Government of Cambodia are:
- Minimum wage: the Cambodian government should raise the minimum wage, in consultation with trade unions, and set a timetable to achieve a truly adequate living wage;
Respect freedom of association: the Cambodian government must allow workers to assemble freely and abandon the freeze on the registration of new trade unions.
The workers’ group also addressed a number of demands to the garment manufacturers of Cambodia and international garment brands:
End abusive lawsuits: garment manufacturers must drop the lawsuits against union leaders and even ordinary workers, and the brands that source from these manufacturers should use their leverage to ensure that they are dropped. There will be no way to get beyond the current situation and to re-establish industrial relations with the threat of bankrupting lawsuits looming;
Supply-chain responsibility: many international garment brands have joined international unions to call on the government to respect fundamental labour rights and to raise the minimum wage. However, the brands have a responsibility to ensure that human rights are respected throughout their supply chains, down to the factories they source from.
Further, international brands must use their leverage and urge the Government of Cambodia to respect freedom of association and to raise the minimum wage. Indeed, as the garment sector represents roughly 80% of the Cambodian economy, the brands have significant leverage they can exercise if they so choose. It is in the brands’ own best interest, to ensure stability and predictability, if there is a sustainable industry based upon respect for fundamental rights and an adequate liveable wage. The brands must make clear that their long term commitment to Cambodia depends on the government acting now on the points above.
Finally, the workers’ group called on foreign governments to press the Government of Cambodia to take urgent action, making sure that it faces the consequences of security forces gunning down workers in the street, jailing striking workers, severely limiting peaceful assembly and refusing to register new unions. Instead of business as usual, foreign governments like our own should review their relationship with Cambodia, an in particular conditioning all forms of economic aid or assistance on taking the measures called for in this resolution.


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The USA issue seems to be over for Huawei. After the USA has practically cut Huawei off its processors, the Chinese manufacturer wants to close and relocate all of its business areas in the USA.
Andy Purdy, president of Huawei in the US, now the future of Huawei in the US expressed . And you can make it short and sweet, there are none. Huawei will withdraw from the US and look elsewhere.
One hopes that one will talk to each other again to find a solution, but one really no longer believes in it. Purdy believes the US and China should work together rather than against each other.
But the USA is probably too afraid that the advantage that the USA still enjoys will have to be given to China. Therefore, you prefer to isolate yourself from the competition and try to destroy it.
Huawei itself is now analyzing exactly how it will go on. Even with smartphones, because you don't yet know how long you can make them. And once you've put everything to the test, you will announce how it will go on.
At least not in the USA. And that will have an impact. Because many thousands of employees will now lose their jobs there. And other Chinese manufacturers will now have recognized the signs of the times and will sooner or later become independent of the USA.
And that's where the big problem for the United States is. They will probably be left behind in terms of technology and then politics will not be able to change anything, because then the United States will no longer have access to Chinese manufacturers to control them.
The post Huawei: We will survive, but will not return to the US first appeared on Xiaomist .


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Do you want to access the world wide web when camping?
Tent camping has always been a fun weekend getaway for my family. No phone. No television. No computer. Usually our trips are spent in one of Virginia’s state parks. It’s hard to put a price tag on nights in the mountains with just the sounds of nature. Your imagination may have to take over when it rains all weekend but a rainy weekend camping is better than being at work right? Camping numbers are on the rise but it seems campers still want to have access to the world wide web. For me, I just like accessing the Milky Way from my camping chair!
“Think people are all about super luxurious getaways these days? A new study says toasting marshmallows and sleeping under the stars are more popular than ever before.”
“According to a report released by Kampgrounds of America (KOA), a group of privately held campgrounds, more and more Americans are now spending their leisure time camping. ”
“KOA data found that 61 percent of survey respondents said they had gone camping in 2014. That’s a jump from 58 percent in 2013.”
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We love a good food trend here at WomenStuff HQ and it seems that gourmet chicken is the new “it” food everyone will be chowing in the coming months – especially in Cape Town. Gourmet chicken joints have been popping up all over the Mother City and now with Durban’s cult street food-style chicken brand, Afro’s Chicken Shop joining the likes of Cocotte, The Chicken Shop and Roast & Co in Cape Town, we can officially say the trend is here to stay!
Durban-based Afro’s Chicken Shop took to social media to announce the opening of their first Western Cape shop and Cape Town fans have been readying their stomachs every since. Afro’s Chicken started out as a humble food trailer on the beachfront and these days they’ve got a serious cult following in KwaZulu-Natal, with 11 shops in and around Durban serving their unique brand of street food-style chicken.
So what can you expect? While we’ve already got loads of great roast chicken shops to choose from in the Cape, Afro’s will be introducing Capetonians to their unique Durban-style braaied chicken marinated in a homemade chilli or lemon sauce. Served in soft buns or with coleslaw or “tjips”, Afro’s chicken is a carb lover’s dream come true.
Find Afro’s Chicken at Church Square, corner of Spin and Parliament Street, Cape Town.
For more information on the Afro’s Cape Town store opening say Hi to Afro’s Chicken Shop on Facebook.


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The official distributor of Panasonic smartphone in Nepal – Allied Tradelink has launched the two new budget smartphone – P50 Idol and P65 Flash. As stated both of these smartphone are now available for purchase from retailers around Nepal. Both of these two budget smartphone was launched just after the unveiling of Panasonic’s flagship smartphone – Eluga Switch.
The Panasonic P50 Idol sports a 5-inch 720P display and is powered by MediaTek MT6735 1.3GHz quad core processor. The P50 Idol is integrated with 1GB of RAM accompanied by 8GB of internal storage which is expandable via microSD card. Coming to the camera, it features a 8MP primary camera with LED Flash and 2MP selfie shooter. The whole smartphone is powered by a 2150mAh battery as well as Android 5.1 Lollipop. Considering the specs it packs, the P50 Idol is priced at Rs.12,990.
Coming to P65 Flash, it sports a 5.5-inch 720P display and is powered by MeditaTek’s MT6735 1.3Ghz quad-core processor. The P65 Flash is integrated with 1GB of RAM alongside 8GB of internal storage which is expandable via microSD card upto 32GB. Coming to the camera, it features a 8MP primary camera with LED flash and a 2MP selfie shooter. The whole smartphone is powered by a 2950mAh battery and runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop too. It is priced at Rs.13,990.
Other similar features include Dual SIM functionality as well as Bluetooth and WiFi. Both of these smartphone is targeted to Nepalese users who are seeking budget oriented smartphone with an acceptable specs.


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The latest Fire tablet has some top-of-the-line specs and nice software enhancements, but Amazon's closed-off ecosystem will continue to be a sore spot for shoppers who prefer regular Android.Read Full Review
- Great screen
- Strong performance
- Mayday tech support and other helpful software features
- No Google Play access
- $80 more expensive than its predecessor
Amazon Kindle Convert
Amazon previews Prime Day deals before the shopping frenzy
Starting July 13th, you can ask Alexa for the top Prime Day deals.
This week in tech history: Amazon's 25th birthday
Amazon is one of the most influential companies of the internet age, but it's also one of the most controversial.


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Over the past a number of years, an increasing number of consumers are choosing four-wheel-drive vehicles. So when the 2022 Ford Super Duty launches this summer time, maybe it ought to come as no shock that two trim ranges – King Ranch and Platinum – will include customary four-wheel-drive, which Ford Authority has realized from sources aware of Ford’s manufacturing plans. Shock or no, this information is important, as the present 2021 Tremendous Responsibility King Ranch and Platinum trimmed pickups include two-wheel-drive as the usual configuration.
Along with this large change, the 2022 Ford Tremendous Responsibility will obtain just a few further updates, as Ford Authority reported back in March. That features a new 12-inch infotainment display screen much like the one within the 2021 Ford F-150. The brand new display screen is customary gear on Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Restricted trims and options Ford’s SYNC 4 software program with wi-fi Apple CarPlay, Android Auto compatibility, and SYNC AppLink apps. XL sequence 2022 Tremendous Responsibility fashions come geared up with a 4.2-inch display screen, whereas XLT trims include an 8-inch touchscreen as customary gear.
On the surface, Ford has added one new exterior coloration – Atlas Blue – and three new inside coloration schemes – Baja for Lariat-trimmed vehicles, and Navy Pier and Gentle Slate for Restricted trims. The Black Look Package deal is now accessible on XLT fashions and consists of 20-inch Ebony Black-painted premium wheels, body-color entrance and rear bumpers, grille bars, six-inch Ebony Black working boards, and entrance and rear black Blue Ovals.
The 2022 Tremendous Responsibility can be accessible with a brand new Lariat Sport Look Package deal that features body-color bumpers, exterior mirrors, and grille, in addition to a chrome exhaust tip and black platform working boards.
As Ford Authority exclusively reported earlier this month, 2022 Ford Tremendous Responsibility manufacturing is at the moment scheduled to start on the Ford Kentucky Truck Plant on July 9th, 2021, and on the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant on July 22th, 2021. Nonetheless, it’s value noting that the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage might very properly change these plans or disrupt manufacturing altogether.
We’ll have extra on the 2022 Ford Tremendous Responsibility quickly, so ensure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the most recent Ford F-Series news, Ford Super Duty news, and steady Ford news protection.


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Live news: NATO chief says there are no signs of Russian withdrawal of troops from Ukraine
China’s factory gate inflation fell to its lowest rate in six months in January as government intervention cooled prices in commodity markets and further Covid-19 shutdowns swept weighed on demand.
The producer price index rose 9.1% from the same period a year ago, narrowly missing the 9.5% rise predicted by economists polled by Bloomberg.
The latest figures come after months of state-led intervention in energy and commodity markets in the wake of soaring factory gate inflation last year. January also saw a series of strict measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus in China, including the lockdown of Xi’an, a central Chinese city of 13 million people.
The moderation in inflation in January was helped by lower prices for fuel and energy, metals, chemicals, timber and agricultural products, according to figures from the National Bureau of Statistics.
By sector, the coal mining and washing industry saw the largest declines, with prices down 3.5% from December, after the price of coal hit record highs last week. last year.
Prices in the oil and natural gas sector, however, rose 2.6% from December, with analysts saying geopolitical tensions related to a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine could increase pressure on prices.
Headline consumer price index inflation also beat forecasts, rising 0.9% year-on-year, led by a 2.5%-month-on-month drop in the price of pork.
“Looking ahead, PPI inflation could face upward pressure if geopolitical tensions contribute to upward pressure on commodity prices,” said Jing Liu, senior economist for Greater China at China. HSBC, in a note.
“But there are arguably more disinflationary concerns given weak core CPI inflation as strong headwinds, including the Omicron challenge, continue to hamper the consumer recovery and economic growth. .”


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China to face trade challenges in 2015: MOC
Updated: 2014-11-08 11:56
The report, the autumn version this year, focuses on China's foreign trade in 2014 and 2015.
In the first three quarters, the government has timely mapped policies to boost trade and stabilize growth, and improved economic quality and efficiency, the report said.
China's trade growth in 2014 will be higher than the average across the world, as well as those of most key economies, it said.
In 2015, the global environment for trade will improve in a limited way, and China will still face trade risks and uncertainties; its domestic trade environment will be stable, but downside pressures still persist, it said.
In 2015, the global demand will hardly rebound remarkably and trade frictions will be tough, it said.
Facing these complicated situations, the government should further deepen policies to stabilize trade growth, boost imports, cultivate new trade competitive edges, facilitate trade services and avoid trade frictions, it said.


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As the pandemic-stricken US economy progresses into a partially vaccinated and for the most part reopened phase, the restaurant industry continues to struggle with a hiring crisis of almost epic proportions.
While simplistic explanations for this shortage of workers tend to focus on generous unemployment benefits, the reality of the situation is probably more complex.
Snagajob.com, an online marketplace for hourly jobs, recently released its Summer Hiring Report 2021, an overview of the labor market served by the company. Part of this report dealt with a survey of applicants for hourly employment Snagajob.com serves, and the results of this survey show that the “hiring crisis” is more than a question of extra money.
When asked what was preventing them from re-entering the hourly labor market, only 4% of those questioned admitted that they were waiting for their unemployment benefit to end.
Many more respondents – more than a third – said they wanted to work but couldn’t due to family or scheduling issues due to the pandemic.
Being overly cautious was also cited as an additional reason for not wanting to return to work. Some of the current unemployed say they want to see higher immunization rates before returning to jobs involving a lot of public contact.
Another factor that tends to be overlooked in analyzing the current labor shortage is demographics. Even before COVID-19, the total number of 18-29 year olds, an age group in which the restaurant industry had traditionally drawn the bulk of its employees, was declining, and this demographic trend is expected to continue for at least at least a decade or more in the future.
Other solutions to the hiring crisis, such as paying a âliving wageâ and offering permanent working hours, also pose significant challenges for the restaurant industry. Doing one or both will increase salary expenses; Coupled with the current surge in food prices, the resulting upward pressure on costs will put serious financial constraints on restaurants.
For now, at least, expect the restaurant labor shortage to have predictable consequences for restaurant audiences – higher menu prices, shorter opening hours, and, in some cases less attentive service as understaffed operations inevitably struggle to keep up.
Avellino in Sturbridge is hosting another Cooking with Rico party on July 15th at 6:30 p.m.
Table 3 Restaurant Group Executive Chef Enrico Giovanello will present traditional dishes from Puglia, in southern Italy. The culinary traditions of Puglia draw on an assortment of ingredients – seafood, olives, tomatoes and chickpeas – to create a simple yet delicious interplay of taste experiences.
The evening includes tastings of each dish prepared by Giovanello as well as selections of wines chosen to accompany each recipe. The event is priced at $ 57 per person or $ 47 without wine. Taxes and tips are extra.
Reservations can be made by calling Avellino at (508) 347-2321.
In conjunction with Holyoke Community College’s Business and Workforce Development Program, the MGM-HCC Culinary Arts Institute in Holyoke is presenting a series of virtual baking classes this summer.
Designed to be family engagement activities, each pastry class focuses on making a sophisticated (but easy-to-make) dessert specialty. The next session, which is scheduled for July 9 at 4 p.m., will feature a chocolate and strawberry trifle. The Bagatelle is an Americanized take on a classic English dessert, with layers of brownie, chocolate mousse, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream.
Classes are taught virtually by chef Maureen Benton, pastry chef at Wilbraham-Monson Academy in Wilbraham. In-home participants receive recipes, shopping lists, and instruction sheets that allow them to cook with Chef Benton during the 90-minute Zoom session.
Tickets for the event are $ 49 and can be purchased online at hcc.3dcartstores.com/Chocolate-Strawberry-Trifle_p_17821.html.
Additional virtual pastry classes are scheduled for August 6 (cream puffs and Ã©clairs) and August 13 (flourless chocolate cake).
More information can be obtained by calling Valentyna Semyrog at (413) 552-2123.
This summer, Denny’s have brought back two favorites from the list of the brand’s past limited-time menu selections.
“Cinnamon Sugar Pancake Pups” are bite-sized pancake fritters rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with cream cheese frosting. They come in servings of six or ten.
A patriotic-themed âRed, White and Blue Pancake Breakfastâ is also on the summer season at Denny’s. It includes buttermilk and blueberry pancakes topped with sliced ââstrawberries; whipped cream and cream cheese frosting garnish the short stack.
Two eggs, bacon or sausage, and hash browns are also included in breakfast.
There are Denny stores in Holyoke at Holyoke Mall on Route 5, in Springfield on Route 20, and at Enfield in Enfield Square.
âRestaurant Hospitality,â the industry trade publication that focuses on independent restaurant operations, is now accepting entries in its âBest Sandwiches in America 2021â competition.
Sandwiches submitted for consideration must be currently on the menu of an independent restaurant; Hot dog and hamburger variations are not eligible. The deadline for submissions is July 9, and no bragging rights prizes are awarded. The winners will be announced in August.
For more details and a registration form, go to restaurant-hospitality.com/best-sandwiches/best-sandwiches-america-2021-contest-entry.
Wendy’s, the quick-service restaurant chain, has also returned to its “vault” of past menu creations and re-released the “Summer Strawberry Chicken Salad,” a festival of greens the size of a starter built on a mixture of spring lettuce and garnished with strawberries and diced grilled chicken.
The toppings on the salad include bacon, a mix of “Tuscan” cheeses and candied almonds; champagne vinaigrette is also provided.
Strawberry Chicken Salad will be available at participating Wendy’s stores throughout the summer season.
Michael Anderson, the chef-owner of Tucker’s Restaurant in Southwick, has announced that he and restaurant staff will be taking a summer break from Saturday July 3 through Monday July 12.
Anderson is one of many independent restaurateurs who plan their vacations during what is locally a slow week in the restaurant business.
OpenTable, the online restaurant reservation service, recently unveiled a new feature designed to combat âno-showsâ in reservations.
As part of a promotional program that OpenTable has called a âShow Up for Restaurants,â the service will begin tagging people who make reservations through OpenTable and then not use them as âpotential no-showsâ.
A second optional feature added by OpenTable is a âfour strikes and you’re awayâ policy that suspends those who are chronic no-shows.
No-shows are a serious problem for most restaurants, resulting in empty seats on busy nights and in the process reducing the restaurant’s revenue and profitability.
OpenTable also provides its member restaurants with advice on creating credit card blocks and cancellation policies for reservations.
Delaney’s Market stores have time and labor saving suggestions for upcoming summer weekend barbecues.
They offer ready-to-cook selections such as teriyaki-marinated steak strips, dry-cured salmon, and Italian herb chicken breast, all sold by the pound and ready to grill.
Side dishes such as baked beans, tortellini antipasto salad, chilled strawberry soup, grilled vegetable kits, and an assortment of freshly made pies and desserts are also available.
Items must be ordered by 7:00 p.m. Wednesday for pickup on Friday or Saturday of that week.
The full menu and ordering information are available online at delaneysmarket.com.
The Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland has updated its menu, adding several new summer season dishes.
One is the giant scallop crudo, a âsmall plateâ that includes sea scallops, red grapefruit, thinly sliced ââcucumber, and seasonings, which executive chef Justin Mosher tweaks week to week.
“Crudo” is a term used to refer to raw seafood marinated in a seasoned liquid, typically citrus juice. The acidity of the juice “cooks” lightly and perfumes the seafood without masking its delicacy with heavier flavors.
You can find more information about the Blue Heron’s menu on their website, blueheronding.com.
Hugh Robert is a faculty member in the Hospitality and Culinary Arts program at Holyoke Community College and has nearly 45 years of restaurant and educational experience. Robert can be reached online at [email protected].


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- By Kenny Doan on June 9, 2013
Google currently sits in an envious position as a survey has revealed that almost all Americans have a ‘favorable’ view of the company.
Latest HeadlinesAwais Imran | August 20, 2014
The 4.7″ iPhone 6 reminds us of the original iPhone (2007). With Apple’s rumored iPhone event for September 9th less than three weeks away, leaks for the upcoming iPhone...
VR-Zone is a leading online technology news publication reporting on bleeding edge trends in PC and mobile gadgets, with in-depth reviews and commentaries.


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Europe’s First Company to Reach Half a Trillion Dollar Market Value
French luxury goods maker LVMH has become the first European company with a market capitalization of more than half a trillion dollars, thanks to a record stock price surge.
And according to the results of trading, it rose by 0.11% to 902.11 euros, and at the last session the shares recorded 904.60 euros.
Earlier this month, the French company announced that its sales were up 17% year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, pushing the stock to a new all-time high.
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Akili, the company behind a video game-like prescription digital therapeutic for children with ADHD, reported a rise in third-quarter revenue to $702,000, from $114,000 in the second quarter of this year, which the company attributes to the continued growth of its adult ADHD offering EndeavorOTC.
The company reported total operating expenses of $18.8 million for the third quarter, compared to $15.3 million in the second quarter of this year, and a net loss of $15.9 million in Q3, compared to $11.8 million in Q2.
Cash, short-term investments and cash equivalents were $86.3 million as of the end of the third quarter.
“We are pleased with early results of our previously-announced strategic shift from a prescription to a non-prescription business model focused on EndeavorOTC,” Matt Franklin, CEO of Akili, said in a statement. “We’ve submitted EndeavorOTC for FDA review and authorization as an over-the-counter medical product in the adult ADHD market and anticipate that these business model changes combined with our new direct-to-consumer marketing efforts will accelerate the path to profitability.”
Canada-based Carebook, a Saas-based provider of integrated digital health and wellness solutions for employers, providers, pharmacies and others, reported a 69% increase in revenue to $3.5 million in the third quarter, compared to $2.1 million in the second quarter of this year.
The company achieved its first quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA at $0.1 million, compared to Q2’s adjusted EBITDA loss of $1.1 million this year.
Carebook reported a net loss of $0.4 million, a 77% improvement compared to the $1.7 million loss during the same period last year.
“We continue to execute on our business plan, completed several large implementations so far during the year and helped our clients onboard a significant amount of users during the nine months ended September 30, 2023, indicating strong demand for health and wellness services continues to exist,” Michael Peters, Carebook CEO, said in a statement.
“We reached another new high this quarter in terms of our revenue and achieved positive adjusted EBITDA for the first time. We expect the organic revenue growth trend to continue into the year end, and we will continue managing cost with an objective of minimizing cash burn and increasing our profit margins in the coming months. We are on course to deliver adjusted EBITDA break even or better in fiscal 2024, establishing a strong foundation for durable long-term growth.”
Home diagnostics company Cue Health reported total revenue of $17.5 million in the third quarter, but a net loss of $47 million and adjusted EBITDA loss of $36.6 million.
The company reported a loss of $7.4 million in product gross profit and operating expenses in quarter three of $60 million.
Still, the company said it ended the third quarter with $111.5 million in cash and cash equivalents and continues to operate with no debt obligations.
#Akili #reports #marked #rise #revenue #digital #health #earnings


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When reading this article in ESG Today, I was not surprised at all to read that a recent survey by KPMG noted the impacts of ESG due diligence on M&A deals. The stats below speak for themselves when you see how serious this due diligence is now taken, but also how it negatively impacts the result in whether the deal goes ahead.
More than half of respondents indicated that red flags on ESG could be a deal stopper or result in additional closing conditions, and 44% saying it could result in a valuation reduction. 53% of respondents said that material ESG due diligence findings have resulted in deal cancellations, and 42% said that they have resulted in purchase price reductions.
It also highlighted the lack of available information to conduct such due diligence. Now we know this is about to change soon, with implications like the CSRD reporting. And many think it can't come quick enough.
One thing is for certain, there is now no escaping what you do on Sustainability!


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Trust in B2B sales is eroding. B2B buyers are increasingly looking towards third-party sites and influencers for reviews. Additionally, many tech companies’ sales and support teams are not set up for success in building long-term trust with buyers.
But there is hope. Radical transparency is key to rebuilding trust in B2B sales. According to guest expert Todd Caponi, radical transparency can qualify deals more quickly, shorten sales cycles, improve win rates, and keep customers happier.


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We haven’t heard much about Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 since it was first announced with a teaser trailer. All we knew was that it would launch sometime in 2023. According to developer Insomniac, we now know it’ll launch in time for the holidays, barring delays.
“What a year it’s been for PlayStation Studios,” the post reads. “Here at Insomniac Games, we’ve been in absolute awe of the work of our peers. Congrats to everyone on a successful 2022 … and here’s to next year being just as exciting as we continue to get Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 ready for release next fall.”
The blog post doesn’t share too many details other than that. It reaffirms that the game is a PlayStation 5 console exclusive. Otherwise, it shares a quick synopsis for the game, detailing its story.
“Following the events of Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the Spider-duo of Peter Parker and Miles Morales are back in the next blockbuster action chapter of the Marvel’s Spider-Man series. Much is still to be revealed about the game, and going off the quality of the past two titles, we’re bound to be in for a fantastic new original Spider-Man adventure.”
If you can’t wait a full year, both Marvel’s Spider-Man and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales are now available on PC. We especially recommend trying them out on Steam Deck, which is arguably the best way to experience them.
- PlayStation boss Jim Ryan is stepping down, with successor yet to be named
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a more sinister superhero power fantasy
- Everything announced at the September 2023 State of Play
- Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has new developer, fall 2024 release date
- Sony’s cloud handheld, the PlayStation Portal, will only stream certain games


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It was only a matter of time before Roatan, Honduras, became a tourism hotspot. With the glorious Mesoamerican Reef at hand, the island offers some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling in the world, not to mention gorgeous white beaches, rainforests, mangroves, and crystalline turquoise waters. Last year, 1 million travelers—ten times the 100,000 annual visitors it had 15 years ago—journeyed to this sliver of paradise, which sits 40 miles off the northern coast of Honduras and is the largest of Honduras’ Bay Islands.
Although Roatan is hardly overdeveloped—more than 50% of the island remains under forest cover, and visitors can still enjoy empty beaches and a delightfully low-key vibe —the growth has been enough to threaten the island’s exquisite natural resources. Patches of forest have been cleared for hotels, water pollution threatens the reef, and the increase in tourism has brought more garbage, cars, and sewage.
That’s why several local conservation groups have come together to help put the island’s tourism industry on a path to sustainability. Since 2012, the Roatan Geotourism Stewardship Council, the Go Blue Central America Geotourism MapGuide, the Coral Reef Alliance and the Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative (MARTI) have trained more than 450 people and 80 businesses in sustainable tourism best practices. Those numbers account for about 50% of the island’s tourism trade.
Thanks to a new evaluation tool created with the Rainforest Alliance’s help, these organizations will be able to assess the sustainability performance of restaurants, hotels, dive shops and tourism businesses on Roatan and the other Bay Islands. “This tool will allow us to measure the environmental impact of local tourism businesses and determine, with hard evidence, the tangible changes in their performance,” says Manlio Martínez, director of the Roatan Geotourism Stewardship Council.
It’s a big step forward, Martínez adds, since the concept of sustainability is pretty new in Roatan. Until recently most houses and businesses there didn’t have water or power meters, so nobody knew—or cared—what their consumption was. Recycling was also a rare practice, and conserving the reef was not a priority since “many locals didn’t even know what the coral reef was,” notes Martínez.
Resort owner Barbara Wastart, who moved to the island from the United States nine years ago to open the Upachaya Eco-Lodge & Wellness Resort, a hotel and three-acre nature sanctuary, has already seen changes in local attitudes and practices. “People on the island are opening their eyes to their environmental footprint,” Wastart says. “We tourism entrepreneurs are working closely with the Roatan Marine Park, we care about where the garbage is going, we are denouncing illegal activities like poaching—in general we are getting stronger in our commitment to the environment.”
Protecting the environment just makes good business sense, Wastart says. “It will help make our island more appealing to the increasing number of tourists looking for sustainable business.” She adds, “Roatan is different from other islands; you have to travel really far to see natural resources like these. We have keep Roatan a sustainable and low-density destination.”


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Solution providers say distribution giant Avnet is providing critical training, enablement and support that opens the door to sales growth for Hewlett Packard Enterprise's new Synergy composable infrastructure.
KeyInfo, an Agoura Hills, Calif., HPE partner, No. 237 on the 2015 CRN Solution Provider 500, is putting as many as 10 of its sales reps and seven of its technical team into Avnet's Synergy partner enablement, training and account planning programs.
"You could not ask for more from a distributor than what Avnet does with major vendor technologies," said Dru Murphy, a technology solutions consultant for KeyInfo. "They are strategically in sync with HPE, and having the dedicated teams that touch us every day in this journey is invaluable."
Murphy praised the Avnet Brainshark self-paced training modules as critical to getting KeyInfo reps ups to speed on Synergy.
KeyInfo expects to see a big payoff from the Synergy investment for both customers and the channel, said Murphy. "Synergy is truly transformational so there will be a lot of push for KeyInfo to be on the front of the wave," he said.
Technologent, one of the fastest-growing HPE enterprise partners in the country, already has put 25 sales and technical reps through the Avnet Synergy training, said David Ashby, a solutions architect for the Irvine, Calif., company.
Avnet's training for Synergy is critical for Technologent to successfully drive home the benefits of the new composable infrastructure to customers, said Ashby. "Because this is a new architecture, there are going to be a lot of things we are not aware of right out of chute," he said. "Avnet is a very valuable partner to us on products like this.They have a technical army that does all the complex HPE builds for us."
Avnet's configuration expertise around a product like Synergy is critical because Technologent focuses on complex enterprise engagements, said Ashby. "We have a 2-to-1 ratio of technical to sales reps," he said.
Synergy represents a major breakthrough over the current hyper-converged products on the market, said Ashby. "The compelling thing about Synergy is the ability to easily add chunks of compute, storage and fabric in an incremental fashion and then manage it in a predictable way," he said.
Synergy brings a lot of the best elements of hyper-converged, which includes software-defined to a frame-based hardware environment with more compelling customer economics, said Ashby.


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1 August, 2018
CV continues its growth momentum with 25% increase in sales and
PV registers a growth of 14%
In July 2018, the auto industry faced challenges with the new axle load limits regulation, followed by transporters strike which continued for 8 days. Despite these challenges, Tata Motors sales in the domestic market in July 2018, grew by 21%, at 51,896units compared to 42,775 units over previous year. On cumulative basis (April-July 2018), Tata Motors registered a strong growth of 51 % at 216,475 units, compared to 142,916 units over previous year due to the continued robust month-on-month sales performance of its Commercial and Passenger Vehicles Businesses in the domestic market. While Tata Motors will maintain cautious optimism in the market, it will continue to focus on its Turnaround 2.0 journey, with 3 clear objectives viz. ‘Win Decisively in CV’, ‘Win Sustainably in PV’ and embed the turnaround culture within the organisation.
Domestic – Commercial Vehicles
Tata Motors’ Commercial Vehicles domestic sales continued to grow in July 2018 at 34,817 units, higher by 25%, over last year July, despite the uncertainty amongst customers in the market. Cumulative sales for FY18-19 (April-July 2018) at 146,459 units have grown by 57% over last year same period. The commercial vehicles continue to be in demand as the economy continues to grow, led by infrastructure growth with increased government spending, robust private consumption and due to the improved industrial activity.
While the M&HCV segment was impacted due to the new regulation on axle load limits due to the uncertainty around the new limits applicable to the existing fleet of trucks, this segment registered a strong performance with 10,233 units, a growth of 18% over July 2017. The demand for M&HCV trucks continued to be boosted by the government’s focus on infrastructure development, road construction, building of irrigation facilities and affordable housing projects across the country. Tata Motors BS4 range of Signa and Prima trucks and tippers continue to gain acceptance amongst the customers for their superior performance.
The I&LCV truck segment reported a significant performance with 3,985 units, a growth of 17%, over July 2017. The robust growth in I&LCV sales has been led by the e-Commerce sector, increased rural consumption and supported by new products. The recently launched range of Tata Ultra I&LCV trucks is gaining significant acceptance and contributing to the volume growth.
The SCV Cargo and Pickup segment recorded a strong growth of 38%, at 15,639 units, compared to last July. Growth in the e-Commerce sector, the hub-spoke model continuously evolving and the increased rural consumption have all led to the small vehicles demand for the last mile connectivity. The newly launched Tata Ace Gold has been well received by the customers and has seen a strong surge in its sales.
The commercial passenger carrier segment posted a growth of 12% with sales at 4,960 units in July 2018. This was led by a significant demand for school buses, vans and supported by demand for ambulances. The STU buying is also showing an uptick in demand.
Domestic – Passenger Vehicles
While the consumer sentiments in the industry remained muted due to the impact of monsoon and the 8-day long transporters strike, Tata Motors’ Passenger Vehicles (PV) domestic sales in July 2018 continued its growth trend at 17,079 units, higher by 14%, over last year. This is driven by continuous strong demand for Tiago, Tigor, Hexa and Nexon. The recently launched Nexon AMT has received an overwhelming response and is witnessing good traction in the market. Cumulative sales of PV in the domestic market for the fiscal (April-July 2018) is at 70,016 units, a growth of 41% compared to 49,791 units for the same period, last fiscal.
The company’s sales from exports (from CV and PV) in July 2018 was at an impressive 4,971 units compared to 3,441 units last year, a growth of 44%. On the commercial vehicles front, our international markets continue to show strong growth in FY19, with overall exports in July 2018 growing 48% and M&HCV exports growing 117% compared to July 2017.
About Tata Motors
Tata Motors Limited (BSE: TATAMOTORS), a USD 45 billion organisation, is a leading global automobile manufacturer of cars, utility vehicles, buses, trucks and defence vehicles. Part of the USD 100 billion Tata group, Tata Motors is India’s largest and the only OEM offering extensive range of integrated, smart and e-mobility solutions. Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand, South Africa, and Indonesia through a strong global network of 76 subsidiary and associate companies, including Jaguar Land Rover in the UK and Tata Daewoo in South Korea.
With a focus on engineering and tech enabled automotive solutions catering to the future of mobility, Tata Motors is India’s market leader in commercial vehicles and amongst the top four in the passenger vehicles market. With ‘Connecting Aspirations’ at the core of its brand promise, the company’s innovation efforts are focused to develop pioneering technologies that are sustainable as well as suited to evolving aspirations of the market and the customers. Tata Motors strives to bring new products that fire the imagination of GenNext customers, fueled by state of the art design and R&D centers located in India, the UK, Italy and Korea. Internationally, Tata commercial and passenger vehicles are marketed in countries, spread across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, South America, Australia, CIS, and Russia.


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Bureau Veritas advises sustainable rhetoric must ring true amid greenwashing evolution
Feb. 26 2020
Amid a flurry of headlines around the troubling evolution of greenwashing, Bureau Veritas is reminding businesses of the importance of being 100% assured that they can fully substantiate any environmental credentials before making them public.
Unsurprisingly, as sustainability becomes increasingly linked to prosperity, recent years have seen an explosion of businesses coming forward about their environment products and policies in a bid to impress concerned investors and consumer. Yet, a worrying number of firms have failed to match the scale of the public declaration with action; also known as greenwashing.
Recent examples include a fast food giant announcing plans to replace all plastic straws with recyclable paper ones, only for comms to be leaked revealing the ‘greener alternatives’ were, in fact, non-recyclable. In another, a leading clothes brand came under fire by the authorities for launching a clothing range with vaguely sustainable claims, such as ‘every piece is made from a sustainably sourced material’ without any formal validation.
However regulators are taking action, with the Financial Conduct Authority recently promising to challenge firms it deems to be ‘greenwashing’ financial products as it seeks to protect consumers from being misled over the sustainability of businesses where they choose to spend their money.
David Murray, Technical Director for Sustainability at Bureau Veritas states: “As demonstrated by the recent climate talks in Madrid, the climate change issue is one which is escalating and more in the public domain than ever, meaning both would-be investors and consumers are continuing to shift towards placing their money in more environmentally and ethically responsible companies. As such, it’s now more important than ever for businesses to up the ante when it comes to their sustainable strategy. However, it is incredibly important that a holistic, thorough approach is taken in order to substantiate any credentials before putting them in the public domain.
“Sustainability is, after all, an incredibly complex topic. A business might, for example, create a product out of 100% recycled materials but if the suppliers, manufacturing process and logistics approach aren’t green too it will thwart the overall sustainable validity.”
In a bid to aid the sustainable transition, Bureau Veritas recently launched Circular+; a holistic approach that offers process audit and management system services to help organisations manage both their environmental and social impacts.
Working in this way, businesses can be assured that their sustainable ambitions are realistic, achievable and can be fully validated. Thereon in, Bureau Veritas’ expert team will work with clients to continuously improve their green credentials through regular reviews, recommendations for change and leveraging various supportive standards.
David adds: “In order to ensure a tangible sustainable strategy, the reality is that businesses must go into an incomparable level of granularity; considering the impact of each and every single part of the supply chain. Of course, it does mean significant resource and investment, but it is essential to ensure any sustainable rhetoric rings true, providing greater affinity with consumers and creating cut through.”


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AVAD: October “National Grand Opening Month”
Distributor AVAD continues its expansion push this month, the end of which will find it with 36 distribution centers throughout the U.S.
During October’s “National Grand Opening Month,” AVAD will celebrate the openings of new distribution centers in the Austin, Tampa, Raleigh, Chicago, Richmond, Philadelphia, San Jose and Las Vegas markets.
All dealers and potential dealers are invited to this Friday’s National AVAD Open House and Barbecue, which will be held at all AVAD locations. In addition to the food, all AVAD dealers who visit that day will receive five percent off an entire purchase.
In addition, AVAD’s “Come Grow with AVAD” incentive for dealers will take “five percent off all brands or categories within targeted brands that dealers have never purchased before” for the entire month of October. “For example, if a dealer has never purchased Panasonic products from AVAD, they will receive five percent off all Panasonic orders for the entire month of October,” said the distributor in a release. “Moreover, if the dealer has purchased Marantz products, for example, but never a Marantz projector, that dealer will additionally enjoy a five percent discount for all Marantz projectors ordered during the month of October.
“Our goal is to encourage our dealers to expand their offerings to include new lines and new products within those lines,” said AVAD President Bob Gartland.


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Illinois hotel industry calls for federal bailout funding, warns hotels could close
CHICAGO – Chicago hotels had fewer customers in January than any other market in the country, and now they want state lawmakers to bail them out before it’s too late.
The Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association is seeking $250 million, a one-time grant of $1,500 for every hotel room in the state.
Eighty percent of the money would be used for payroll and employee benefits. The plan is already making its way through the Illinois House and Senate.
The hospitality industry says it recorded 25% occupancy in January, but needs around 60% to turn a profit.
Sable’s CEO at Navy Pier says it will take years for the industry to recover.
“The past two years have been very difficult for hotels in Illinois. Most of them have been largely unprofitable, have been forced to make cuts, layoffs, and do things that no one else has. ‘we didn’t think we’d see for such a long period of time,’ said Bob Habeeb,
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Habeeb would like to hire Chicagoans, but right now his hotel can only accommodate 100 employees, when they could hire 400.
“If you think about it in a human sense, it’s like you haven’t worked for two years, we’ve dug ourselves into a financial hole and just being normal isn’t going to be enough for us to make a measurable improvement on the hole. which we dug ourselves into,” Habeeb said.
The state lost nearly $5.5 billion in room revenue in 2020 and 2021, and 40% of its hotel jobs.
Hotels estimate they won’t return to pre-pandemic levels until at least 2025, if they can hold out that long.


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The Federal Reserve says the U.S. economy expanded at a moderate pace in July and early August, buoyed by stronger retail sales.
The Fed report said nine of its 12 districts reported growth that was “modest” or “moderate” and pointed to strength in tourism, although manufacturing was generally described as weaker.
The report said hiring over the six-week period was slightly more positive than in the previous report, which called hiring “tepid.”
The Fed report will inform discussions when central bank policymakers meet Sept. 12-13. Financial markets are hoping the Fed will provide more support to boost a sub-par economic recovery. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke could signal future moves in a speech Friday.
More breaking news
- Pension fund to invest $50M in NYS firms
- Twitter lets merchants offer deals to its users
- More-confident US households step up borrowing
- LI unemployment drops, labor force declines
- New iPhones push Apple’s market cap past $700B
- Patchogue storage facility sold in $223M deal
- Stick figure
- Thanksgiving trumps Black Friday for deals
- Pall earnings, sales soar
- Home Depot faces dozens of breach-related lawsuits


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Taxi drivers spoke out Friday against Uber's decision to slash fares.
Uber drivers and other members of the industry gathered at rally outside the company's headquarters in Queens to protest a 15 percent price cut, calling on Uber to stop taking advantage of drivers.
As of Friday, the base fare for an UberX dropped from $3 to $2.55. The per-mile rate now stands at $1.75, while the per-minute rate dropped to 35 cents. To put that into perspective, a ride from Midtown to LaGuardia will now run you around $37, down from almost $44.
While the price cut means Uber and its drivers are making less per ride, the company expects that to be offset.
"This is going to make it more affordable for riders throughout New York City, and drivers on the platform will be busier because of it and hopefully earn more per hour than they were before the price cut," said Josh Mohrer, general manager of Uber NY.
"They want to pit drivers against each other, and in this race to the bottom, no driver wins," said Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the Taxi Workers Alliance. "It's only Uber that would be looking to increase its profits, and it's doing it at the expense of hard-working people."
Regular cabs do not set their own prices. The Taxi and Limousine Commission decides those fares.


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The new Jeep commercial, “Pale Blue Dot,” makes a startling statement about plans for a plug-in hybrid by a brand that was one of the last to join the conversation about saving the planet via EVs.
But while appealing to the quick, the story behind the ad really comes from the dead: two voices from beyond the grave who were responsible for shaping a commercial that Americans just began seeing on television this week.
The two voices, of course, belonged to Carl Sagan and Sergio Marchionne. Sagan’s unmistakably is the star of the advertisement. The renowned astronomer and Cosmos host narrates a famous passage from one of his books about the “pale blue dot” of earth that is visible from the last series of photographs that the Voyager 1 took in 1990 as it headed past Neptune to reaches beyond the solar system.
Marchionne, the late former CEO of Fiat Chrysler, is silent in the ad. But if he hadn’t given the OK to “Pale Blue Dot” before his death in 2018 – and actually encouraged it – he might still be known only as an unmoving opponent of electric vehicles, instead of the visionary auto chief who simply didn’t want an electric Jeep before its time.
The 90-second spot launched softly on YouTube earlier this month. It features the famous image of Earth shot by the spacecraft as a minuscule bluish speck against the black backdrop of space. Sagan’s distinctive, even haunting, voice reads passages from his 1994 book, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space, wherein he magically describes earth as “a mote of dust, suspended on a sunbeam.” Celestially appropriate music borrowed from Philip Glass, and a montage of scenes of “life on Earth” – including some in Jeeps – round out the presentation effectively.
But the ad might not have happened at all.
Marchionne was famously slow to warm to the prospect of electric vehicles compared with his counterparts in the global auto industry. So the fact that the company plans to introduce the plug-in-hybrid Jeep Wrangler 4xe in early 2021 is remarkable in and of itself. And Marchionne’s relationship with the ad is key.
“Pale Blue Dot” in its basic form emerged five years ago as one of two strong choices by Fiat Chrysler Chief Marketing Officer Olivier Francois for a TV commercial to run during the Super Bowl in 2016 that would commemorate Jeep’s 75th anniversary. The other alternative developed by Francois was “Portraits,” which used used a series of striking black-and-white photographs from throughout history of celebrities, soldiers, children, musicians – and Jeeps.
“I went to Sergio with the two ads and we decided we would run ‘Portraits,’ which turned out to be a good idea – it was the really anthemic commercial that we needed at the time,” Francois told Chief Executive. “But he was like me and couldn’t stop watching ‘Pale Blue Dot.’ We’d talk about it between meetings or having dinner. He’d say, ‘How’s ‘Pale Blue Dot’ going?’”
At that point, Francois would have to say, “Not fine.” Because the owner of the rights to Sagan’s intellectual property was Ann Druyan, Sagan’s widow and long-time collaborator. She was a co-creator of Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, his 13-part series on PBS in 1980. Sagan, who died in 1996, also was an early and avid exponent of the idea of man-made climate change, based on his pioneering observations about the “runaway greenhouse effect” on Venus – and his fear even in the 1960s was that Earth might be beginning to suffer a similar warming.
Without an electric vehicle to go along with his request to borrow Pale Blue Dot messaging, it mattered little that Francois already had a commercial using it in the can when he approached Druyan in 2017, seeking her approval to use her husband’s materials. He knew that she jealously guarded what she saw as a sacred trove of inspiration for humanity. She had only given similar permission once before, for a TV commercial for Apple’s iPhone that mainly was comprised of images taken by people around the world using the device.
“Olivier wasn’t the first agency or even car company to come to me,” Druyan told Chief Executive. “Without hyperbole, I’m saying that for the last many years, there hasn’t been a week in which there hasn’t been some approach to our rights and permissions department for that piece. Many of them were commercial; some of them were creative. But it’s been constant. People understand that the message is of this time, and is really urgent in this time.”
Druyan turned down Francois that first time because, while he had a great commercial to show her, he couldn’t show her an actual electric Jeep yet. Her “terms were devastating,” Francois recalled. “’Yes, I’m sold. Now do an electric Jeep and call me back.’ At the time, there was no talk of an electric Jeep.’”
Yet, as Druyan remembered it, “When we finished our first phone calls in 2017, [Francois] said, ‘I’ll be back.’” She said she understood that “it wasn’t just me asking for solutions” to climate change, “so I never thought I was just standing alone. If it had been just me asking, [Wrangler 4xe] wouldn’t have happened.”
True enough. But “I went back to Sergio with the report of my first phone calls with Ann,” Francois said, “and actually his reaction wasn’t what I thought it would be. “he said, ‘Look, I’ve been thinking about [an electric Jeep] for a while, and I think the brand is open to it.” Mike Manley, who succeeded Marchionne as Fiat Chrysler CEOO, was Jeep-brand head at the time.
Francois explained, “Sergio was never against electrics. But he was an amazing, visionary businessman who understood that timing is everything when you make business decisions. And it’s clear now that this hybrid was going to be expensive to develop and produce. So there was probably some business advantage for us to not pioneer but to come at the right time.”
Manley pushed Wrangler 4xe to the finish line, and so Francois was able to go back to Druyan in late 2019 and report that the vehicle was imminent. “I was delighted,” she said. “He called me up and said, ‘Ann, we made you a car.’ And I was very excited about the Jeep Wrangler electric vehicle. [Francois] knew that Carl wouldn’t have countenanced using his iconic message for something that was just going to continue this very dangerous situation we had gotten ourselves into” with climate change.
Wrangler is “its own little ship of the imagination,” Druyan said. “I thought, ‘Wow, if there would be an electric Wrangler, we’d be accomplishing something.’”
As it happened, the TV ad introducing Wrangler 4xe debuted during the U.S. premiere of the sequel to the original PBS series, on Fox, Cosmos: Possible Worlds. Druyan is a lead producer. Each time the ad is viewed on Jeep’s YouTube channel, the brand will make a contribution to the Coalition for Rainforest Nations and the Carl Sagan Institute of Cornell University.


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We're a tad excited
Tad The Lost Explorer and The Emerald Tablet was announced for Switch back in July of this year, and we’re still waiting on a release date. While we wait for that info, a dev diary video has been shared that explores the development of Tad: The Lost Explorer and the Emerald Tablet. The video features a series of interviews with people involved in the game’s development, and they explain how the idea of creating games based on Mediaset’s famous character started. Enrique Gato, creator of Tad’s universe, also revealed his beginnings as a member of the legendary games company Pyro Studios (Commandos series, Praetorians).
Tad: The Lost Explorer and the Emerald Tablet is a 2.5D / 3D action-adventure where players will visit iconic and exotic locations (Paris, Veracruz, Chicago and El Cairo) in an epic journey to retrieve the emerald tablet while saving his friends. This time, Tad has found himself in a huge mess. During one of his expeditions, our beloved explorer has unleashed an ancient curse and now some of his friends have fallen under a wicked spell. To save them, and save the world, Tad will have to travel with his long-life friends, solve puzzles, overcome platforming sections and climb buildings to solve the ancient mystery that pursues him.


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HINTON, W.V. (WVNS) – The city of Hinton, WV is ready to receive a brand new Rose’s department store this fall.
According to the City of Hinton’s Facebook page, the city was contacted by Regency Properties in order to sign the deal. Together they officially made a deal to put the new Rose’s Department Store into the old Magic Mart location on Stokes Drive.
Construction is set to begin soon, and the anticipated opening date will be sometime in October.


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Kenya’s Benchmark Solutions Limited has signed a Ksh 1.7 billion ($11.6m) funding agreement for the redevelopment of Mbarara Makhan Singh Market in Uganda.
The Nairobi-based structured trade and project financing advisory firm says the financing agreement signed with Makhan Singh Market Landlords Association Limited will support the transformation of the facility to a modern, seven-story shopping center featuring 280 lockup shops, 130 shelled rooms, 330stalls, a daycare center, 30 toilet facilities, 60 underground parking bays, and 30 roadside parking bays.
“Benchmark Solutions is pleased to be part of this important arrangement, which we believe is a significant step forward in the revitalization of the Mbarara Makhan Singh Market, an iconic trading center that has been a cornerstone of Mbarara’s regional commerce since 1960,” said Laura Akunga, Benchmark Solutions Chief Executive Officer during the signing of the agreement in Nairobi.
The market which sits on a 1.67 acres of land in Mbarara City currently has 67 lockup shops, 106 kiosks, 150 stalls, 16 restaurants, and 69 second-hand clothing shades which have fallen into a decrepit state over the years.
“The aim of the project is to overhaul the market and so as to provide a conducive and contemporary environment for small-scale vendors within Mbarara Makhan Singh Market,” added Thomas Mukundane, Makhan Singh Market Landlords Association Chairman.
The renovation work is expected to be completed in a span of 28 to 36 months.
The association which oversees the management of the market was established in 2007 and currently has 639 members.


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1 MIN. DE LECTURA
SAO PAULO, April 29 (Reuters) - Brazilian food processor BRF SA cannot recall a scenario more difficult than the first quarter of 2016, Chairman Abilio Diniz said on Friday, citing rising corn prices, high chicken output and Brazil's economic crisis.
Chief Executive Pedro Faria said on a conference call he expected the challenging outlook to continue through mid-year, but that the company, also the world's largest poultry exporter, still planned to maintain investments of 2 billion reais ($571 million) in 2016.
$1 = 3.5 reais Reporting by Caroline Stauffer


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VMware has confirmed it will continue to invest in the UK in spite of the worries surrounding Brexit.
The company’s head of EMEA operations told media today that Britain’s decision to leave the EU was not going to affect VMware’s position surrounding the country - at least not for the time being.
Jean-Pierre Brulard, VMware’s senior vice president and general manager for the EMEA region, told a press conference at VMworld Europe 2017 that the company was yet to see any direct effect of Brexit.
"We have not seen any impact in our UK business...we continue to invest in the UK, invest in resources and technology.”
“We are quite positive about (the situation) even in the public sector, which in the UK is a significant portion of our market...it is more important than ever to be competitive, and if I compare UK to the rest of the countries in Europe, they are still leading the way in adopting our technologies."
"We're actually seeing a lot of momentum from our UK customers," VMware company CEO Pat Gelsinger, speaking alongside Brulard, added.
VMware signalled its support for Europe with the news that the company’s first European cloud services on AWS will take place in London, with customers in the UK able to benefit from a number of new tools and platforms.
Gelsinger also laid out his support for the European region, highlighting the pioneering security and privacy work taking place on the continent, particularly as thousands of businesses prepare for the impact of GDPR next May.
"Europe has, and will continue to lead the policies of the world, in how data, privacy, etc are managed,” he said. “In the same way in that what Silicon Valley does often gets exported around the technological world, in the topics of data and privacy, what Europe does gets exported around the world, it's that important."


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Procter & Gamble (PG)
According to Bridgewater’s latest 13F filing to the SEC, the fund held 6.75 million shares of Procter & Gamble at the end of June. With a market value of around $970 million at the time, it was the largest holding in Dalio’s portfolio.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. P&G is a defensive stock with the ability to deliver cash returns to investors in different economic environments.
In April, P&G’s board announced a 5% dividend increase, marking the company’s 66th consecutive annual payout increase. The stock currently offers an annual dividend yield of 2.7%.
It’s easy to see why the company is able to maintain such a streak.
P&G is a consumer staples giant with a portfolio of trusted brands like Bounty paper towels, Crest toothpaste, Gillette razor blades, and Tide detergent. These are products that households buy on a regular basis, regardless of what the economy is doing.
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Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
With deeply entrenched positions in consumer health, pharmaceuticals and medical devices markets, healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson has delivered consistent returns to investors throughout economic cycles.
Many of the company’s consumer health brands — such as Tylenol, Band-Aid, and Listerine — are household names. In total, JNJ has 29 products each capable of generating over $1 billion in annual sales.
Not only does Johnson & Johnson post recurring annual profits, but it also grows them consistently: Over the past 20 years, Johnson & Johnson’s adjusted earnings have increased at an average annual rate of 8%.
JNJ announced its 60th consecutive annual dividend increase in April and now yields 2.7%.
As of June 30, Bridgewater held 4.33 million shares of JNJ, worth approximately $769 million at the time and making the healthcare giant its second-largest holding.
iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG)
Bridgewater’s third-largest holding is the iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF.
IEMG tracks the MSCI Emerging Markets Investable Market Index and provides investors with convenient exposure to stocks in emerging markets like China, India, and Brazil.
The ETF holds more than 2,600 stocks. Its top holdings include industry heavyweights like chipmaking giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Chinese tech behemoth Tencent Holdings, and Indian multinational conglomerate Reliance Industries.
In a conversation with another investing legend Jeremy Grantham earlier this year, Dalio said he’s looking at countries with good income statements and balance sheets that can weather the storm.
“Emerging Asia is very interesting. India is interesting,” he says.
Bridgewater held 15.31 million shares of IEMG at the end of Q2, valued at $751 million.
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Serial shoplifter hits New Mexico Target stores 20+ times, taking thousands in goods
Gabriel Quintana is accused of stealing more than $21,000 of goods
Police are searching for a man responsible for a string of robberies at Target stores across the Albuquerque metropolitan area.
Gabriel Quintana, 28, is accused of stealing more than $21,000 of goods from June through September, according to KRQE News 13. The items range from pricey - such as big-screen TVs - to small, like cleaning products.
TESLA OPENS NEW MEXICO STORE ON TRIBAL LAND, DODGING STATE RESTRICTIONS
Quintana allegedly strikes the same store days in a row, or hits multiple stores in one day.
Court records report he struck the Lomas Target at least 17 times, stealing more than $16,000 in goods. They also show he hit the Paseo and I-25 Target three times with more than $1,800 in merch, the Coors and Paseo Target three times with more than $2,700 taken in items, and the Montgomery Target once, taking $550 worth of stuff.
In the first two criminal cases — making up five of those shoplifting incidents — Quintana was released. Now, there’s a warrant out for his arrest for a third case, detailing the 18 other incidents. Police say it’s disappointing for the citizens putting in all the work to identify shoplifters like Quintana.
TARGET LAUNCHES HOLIDAY PRICE-MATCH GUARANTEE TO GAIN COMPETITIVE EDGE
"Whenever they compile the kind of data that they’ve compiled and do the legwork that they’ve done to try to identify Mr. Quintana and they’ve had to deal with the thefts in their stores," said Aaron Jones, interim commander for Albuquerque Police Department's Investigative Service Division. "When these people are let back out on the street, really what it is, it feels like we’re letting down the community members."
Quintana's criminal history reportedly dates back to 2011 with felony narcotics, car theft and more. He is supposed to appear back in court for the original shoplifting charges later this month.
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Fox Business reached out to APD but did not hear back by the time this article was published.


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COVID-19 has changed the way we live, work and shop. No one would have predicted that the pandemic would be the major turning point for online grocery, and it would create such a booming impact. While online sales were growing constantly year on year, due to current circumstances, we are witnessing an unprecedented spike in number of users buying goods online. COVID-19 has negatively impacted instore sales, in general, but there is a spike in online shopping.
The major online retailers, like Amazon, have seen increase in their online grocery sales due to COVID-19. Major retailers like Walmart, Kroger and others have also seen a significant increase online grocery shopping. Retailers are providing customer options to have their online purchases delivered to their doorstep or picked up at the store nearby. In the current situation, where social distancing is most important, customers are finding online shopping a real boon.
Most retailers are working to increase their presence in online shopping spaces as it has become a new normal for future commerce. The customer base and the customer demographics have significantly shifted due to COVID-19. Earlier, millennials were a major online customer segment but, due to COVID-19 outbreak, baby boomers and gen-X segments have significantly grown their buying of essential products online. There is a 35% increase in gen-X buying online and 25% increase in baby boomers buying online. Baby boomers are the ones who are at greatest health risk and will likely continue to use the online shopping option more frequently.
Baby boomers and gen-X will find the online shopping option easy and effective and most will continue to use it even after COVID-19 threat is over. All retailers with an online presence need to chalk out a plan to keep these new customers buying online by providing them additional services like express delivery, additional online discounts and unique direct-to-consumer brands.


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- Diesel’s sales and profits are on the up two years into a turnaround that saw the brand shed executives and its mass-fashion lines.
- The brand filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US in March to get rid of store leases in pricey markets.
- To reinvigorate the label, founder Renzo Rosso has partnered with upstart designers like A-Cold-Wall’s Samuel Ross while embracing product drops and resale.
NEW YORK— Two years ago, Diesel, once a denim label with a cult following, was in trouble. The Italian brand was in the red, and its mass-produced jeans and other apparel were heavily discounted. Its average customer age was above 40. Young consumers were looking to yoga and athletic wear, streetwear brands such as Supreme, and upstart labels like Vetements and Off-White.


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The extremely slow stroll to electric car adoption seems to have upped its pace ever so slightly, with figures covering the UK's new car sales saying that sales of all-electric and hybrid vehicles in the UK have reached a new high.
In January, 174,564 new cars were registered in total in the UK, a 2.9 per cent increase on the same month last year. Electric and hybrid cars increased their share by nearly 20 per cent, with sales of diesels down amid worries that they're about to be taxed out of existence.
Although with only 4.2 per cent of all new car sales for the last month, there still isn't what you'd call a mad rush to adopt the alternative technologies on offer. Also, this number for sales of alternative fuel cars includes both pure all-electric models like the Nissan Leaf and Renault's Zoe alongside sales of the diesel/electric hybrids like Mitsubishi's Outlander, so the percentage of battery-only models is smaller still than the headline number. [Guardian]


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Netflix has inked a content deal with Telemundo, giving it a raft of Spanish-language content for its upcoming Latin American service.
The online video service has struck a deal with the NBC-backed Spanish-language content powerhouse for 1,200 hours of original content a year. Titles include Telemundo’s biggest recent hit La Reina del Sur (The Queen of the South).
Luis Daniel Capriles, VP, international digital media at Telemundo Internacional said the company wants to support Netflix as it expands into Lat-Am and will tailor the content it provides its new partner based on data from Netflix about what titles are proving popular. “The growth of Netflix’s SVOD platform is in our priority list as part of our expansion into all new media and emerging platforms,” he said.
Netflix has talked up its international expansion plans, but outside of its US base has only launched in Canada thus far. The Lat-Am launch was announced in July and Netflix’s on-demand services will be in 43 countries across the continent by year-end.
The next launch countries for Netflix are expected to include Spain, the UK before rolling out in Asia.


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Layton 7 takes the series in a new direction
Level-5 has announced the next Professor Layton game, and it's virtually unrecognizable from the rest of the series.
The developer revealed Layton 7 at its Level-5 Vision press conference in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The role-playing puzzle game is coming for Nintendo 3DS, iOS, and Android.
Players assume various roles — like that of a taxi driver, young boy, a philanthropist, and even a zombie (but not, as you might have hoped, Professor Layton) — and discover what these relationships mean as they compete for points in a small town.
The game "follows in the footsteps of the Professor Layton series, which has now shipped over 15 million units worldwide."
Level-5 has yet to announce release information.
This isn't the first Layton game to come out that's missing the titular professor. This year's Layton Brothers: Mystery Room for iOS stars his genius son instead.