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Political relations between Turkey and England date back to the 16th century, but in the last 20 years economic relations between the two countries have flourished more than ever. Being the 3rd largest economy of the European Union and 7th largest economy of the world, England has steadily increased its trade with Turkey over the last decade. In 2012, the trade volume (i.e. import and export volumes) between the two countries reached its highest level in history.
The volume of Turkey's exports to England increased from £1.25 billion in 2000 to £5.4 billion in 2012. Turkey's imports from England reached a level of £3.3 billion in 2012. In only the month of January 2013, the volume of Turkey's import from England was £308 million, which is promising for the growing trend of economic relations. According to the "Trade and Investment Development Strategy" published by the English Government in 2011, the target is to double the trade volume with Turkey by 2015. Both English and Turkish senior officers are proud of this development. Lord Stephen Green, English Minister of Trade and Investment, described the two countries' bilateral trade relations as follows:
"The President of the Republic of Turkey, during his historic state visit to the United Kingdom in 2011, declared a golden age in the relations between the two countries. This is clearly observed in the increased bilateral investment and trade flow. In the last 20 years, as the United Kingdom and Turkey grew, the value of our trade relations increased as well. In 1992, the bilateral trade between our nations was valued at £ 1.5 billion; in 2011, this amount rose to £ 12.2 billion..."1
Since the Turkey – England Reciprocal Protection and Encouragement of Investments Agreement2 entered into force in 1996, the economic relations between two countries have come a long way, not only in terms of trade volume but also in terms of direct investment. According to Ambassador Ahmet Ünal Çeviköz, Turkey's ambassador to the UK, Turkey is among the first four preferred countries for investment by English companies (after France, Spain and the USA). Between 2007 and 2012, the number of companies established in Turkey with English capital was 1,261 and the volume of direct investment from England was USD 5.5 billion. In 2011, England was ranked 8th in the list of countries with direct investment in Turkey, with USD 906 million. In 2012, it climbed to first place, with USD 1.9 billion. As of January 2013, there were 2,446 companies in Turkey with English capital. Perhaps more surprisingly, Turkish direct investment in England increased from USD 20 million in 2011, to USD 84 million in 2012. According to Leigh Turner, the UK Consul General in Istanbul and Director General of Trade for Turkey, Central Asia and the South Caucasus, there are more than 100 companies in England with Turkish capital. Turner stated that England supports Turkish investors more than ever and Turkish investors can open up to the world through England.3
Expectations for the future are higher than ever and embrace not only economic relations but also cultural, touristic and political relations. The United Kingdom – Turkey Information Association Certificate, signed on 26 September 2011, supports İstanbul for becoming a financial center. This certificate also recommends cooperation in energy efficiency, science and innovation and opportunities in other countries. It is widely believed that the potential is greater than the current situation and economic relations are expected to become steadier as stated in England's Trade and Investment Development Strategy. Mr. Nihat Ergün, Turkey's Minister of Industry and Technology and Dr. H. Bader Arslan, Deputy General Manager of Economic Research at the Ministry of Economy, expressed their expectations without hesitation:
"Our relations with England, Europe's third largest economy, are developing, primarily in foreign trade and investments as well as in many other sectors. To date, there have been many successfully realized cooperative projects between the two countries including joint-ventures, sub-contract work and procurement of goods and services. While the USD 14.3 billion foreign trade volume figure reached in 2012 has been recorded as a significant amount, USD 8.7 billion of that figure is our country's exports. However, this figure is below the potential and we believe it should reach USD 20 billion..." 4
"With their combined populations of nearly 140 million, GDPs of more than USD 3 trillion and a USD 1.5 trillion of total trade volume, England and Turkey are large global players in economic and trade terms." 5
Turkey's 2023 targets are also appealing to England. Lord Stephen Green stated that England's commercial partnership with Turkey, which aims to become one of the strongest economies in the world by 2023, will continue to strengthen in the next ten years.
While commercial partnership is constantly developing, the English Government, led by David Cameron, continues to give its political support as well. After David Cameron's express support for Turkey to become a European Union member during his visit in 2010, David Lidington, England's Minister of Europe, expressed England's continued support in December 2012:
"England continues to be a strong supporter of EU's enlargement process [...] England continues to give its support in relation to Turkey's full membership process. We believe that this membership will contribute Europe's security and stability [...]"
Given the two countries' mutual targets and the increasing cooperation in trade and politics, it seems that Turkey is making a new best friend in Europe.
1 England in Details, Dünya/Country File, April 2013, p. 10
2 This agreement was signed in 1991.
3 "England is Waiting for Turks Aiming to Open up to the World" ("İngiltere, Dünyaya Açılmayı Hedefleyen Türkleri Bekliyor"), Dünya, 17 September 2013, p.15
4 England in Details, Dünya/Country File, April 2013, p. 7
5 England in Details, Dünya/Country File, April 2013, p. 13
© Kolcuoğlu Demirkan Attorneys at Law, 2013
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.


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During the ongoing health crises, we have seen numerous events and electronic shows get canceled. This includes the Consumer Electronic Show. Now, the Consumer Technology Association has announced the CES will be making a return next year to Las Vegas. More importantly, the CES 2022 will be a hybrid show with in-person and digital attendees and will be held in January. Let's dive in to see some more details on CES 2022 and what are our expectations from the electric show.
CTA Announces That CES 2022 is Making a Return to Las Vegas as a Hybrid Event
The news was announced by the Consumer Technology Association today, stating that CES 2022 will be returning to Las Vegas in January as an in-person and digital event. It is great to see that the association has decided on both modes of attendance - in-person and digital. What this will do is cater to the online presence of users who are interested in viewing the electronic show as well as those who wish to be physically present. The conference will be held from January 5 to January 8.
In addition to this, the CTA also stated that the digital audience will still be able to experience exhibits, conference sessions, keynotes, as well as product announcements. Due to the global health crises, it is not sure if CES would have limited attendees on the electronic show. CTA has not released full details pertaining to the subject, but we will let you guys know.
At this point in time, CTA states that some 1000 companies have committed to showcasing their products at the CES 2022. Some of these companies include Amazon, Mercedez-Benz, Dell, Google, IBM, LG, Samsung, Sony, and many others. Apple has not taken an active part in the electronic show but something that we dearly want. The company could potentially show the technologies and prospects it is working on or would want to head in that specific direction.
We will share more details on the story as soon as we have further information. Are you excited about next year's CES? Let us know in the comments.

domain: news


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"American hands will rebuild our nation," Donald Trump said during a campaign stop in Toledo on Wednesday. "Not the hands of people from other nations."
Nine thoughts on that.
1. America was created by non-Americans and, over time, built by an awful lot of hands from other nations, both literally and figuratively. Railroads, customs, highways, inventions: Immigrants have had a hand in the creation of nearly every part of our country. Not all of those immigrants came here willingly.
2. Over the course of American history, 407 immigrants have served in Congress, building the nation by creating and passing laws. That's about 3 percent of those who have ever served in the House or the Senate.
3. Just because hands are from other nations doesn't mean they're not American. In 2014, the Census Bureau estimated that there were about 41 million people in America who were born in another country, 18.8 million of whom are naturalized citizens. In 2015, there were 26.3 million citizen and non-citizen immigrants in the labor force, the large majority of whom are here legally. At the same time, the unemployment rate is near-post-recession lows.
4. Trump has built his business empire with the hands of people from other nations. Trump Tower was built largely thanks to the labor of Polish immigrants, some of whom were in the country illegally.
5. Trump's just-opened hotel in Washington was rebuilt with the help of dozens of construction workers from Central America, some of whom also immigrated illegally.
6. Trump has consistently hired foreign guest workers at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. CNN reported that in the past 15 years, he has hired 1,256 foreign workers to do jobs in the United States.
7. Trump's clothing line and other products are manufactured by non-Americans in other countries. In an interview with a North Carolina TV station this week, he defended that practice.
The reason I do manufacture things overseas — you know, I have to do this, there is no choice — because they've devalued their currency so much that our companies are out of business for the most part. You look at so many of the products that we used to make proudly and they're out of business — put out of business by China and Mexico and other countries.... So people that buy a lot, like Trump and other people, we have no choice. In many cases, they don't even sell the product in this country any more. A product we used to use and make proudly, we don't even make it here.
This has been fact-checked in the past: Trump's clothes could be made in the United States, and many of the countries where his products are made are not ones where the currency is manipulated.
8. Trump is the son of an immigrant, and four of his five children are the children of immigrants. Melania and Ivana Trump have helped to build America, too.
9. Trump's grandfather, Frederick Trump, immigrated to the United States and moved to Seattle, where he opened a restaurant and, later, a hotel. When he died in 1918, his wife, Elizabeth, also a German immigrant, helped Donald's father, Fred, launch his real estate empire.
That her hands were non-American doesn't seem to have been much of a concern.


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Pipfruit growers struggling from several seasons of marginal returns will be under even more financial pressure this season. The culprit is the exchange rate.
The strength of the New Zealand dollar against European currencies and the US dollar lowers the returns for apples and other products traded in those currencies.
Pipfruit New Zealand says the New Zealand dollar is now at a record high against the euro. At current levels, the exchange rate makes it impossible to get an economic return to growers here.
Chairman Ian Palmer says Nelson growers are the hardest hit because more of their apples are sold in Europe which is in an economic melt-down.
He says growers will be hoping the exchange rate improves, but there's no indication that the euro and US dollar will lift in the current economic conditions.


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VDS has announced the immediate release of a Synapse render-only product for Quantel. VDS’ Synapse allows the Quantel operator direct, interactive use of hundreds of professional-grade plug-ins and addresses the need for Quantel’s broadcast editing products to be able to render out pre-created templates using plug-in effects.
Until now these systems – including sQ Edit, sQ Cut and the laptop editor, Marco – required full feature Synapse and plug-in licenses making it impractical to include plug-in effects in the templates. Now, with Synapse Render it is possible to have plug-in effects included in templates at a much lower cost. Initially, the Synapse Renderer is available with Genarts Sapphire V2 plug-ins.
“We’re very pleased to be able to extend the capabilities of our templated graphics workflows” says Trevor Francis, Quantel’s worldwide marketing manager for broadcast systems. “VDS Plug-ins add flair and distinction to news and sports programmes: offering them within Quantel’s Templating package allows that flair to be extended to all users while retaining control of style and branding with the Creative Director.”
“We’re excited that Sapphire Plug-ins 2.0 is now available for Quantel render stations. Thanks to VDS, all the latest effects in Sapphire 2 can now be used effectively within the entire Quantel environment” said Anish Dhanda, managing director at GenArts, Inc.
“Until now many Quantel customers have been limited in their use of plug-in effects in their templates.” comments David-Ray Worthington, director of marketing and product development at VDS. “We are happy to announce that this new render-only release of Synapse and Sapphire lifts that restriction.”


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With the fall of Fastly, half the world was disconnected from the web. During the morning of Argentina this Tuesday, Twitter, Spotify, Amazon, Google, Twitch and Reddit began to experience problems: they did not open or their images did not load. Then, media like New York Times, The Guardian, Le Monde or Financial Times also fell. And all basted by the same problem.
Fastly is an American supplier cloud computing services, a technology giant that provides a CDN or content delivery network.
It is a computer overlay network that store copies of data, placed at various points, in order to maximize the bandwidth for accessing customer data on the internet. Most major media use this system, hence its decline has been noticed all over the planet.
The company’s website based in San Francisco It also fell, but previously it had been possible to read that it admitted “the impact on CDN services” at a global level and, an hour later, it assured that it had identified the problem and found a solution.
“A service configuration has caused interruptions in our POPs worldwide and we have deactivated that configuration,” the US firm reported.
After fixing the fault, the company announced that its global network was returning to normal. Although all nodes worldwide have been affected by the incident, several of them recovered their online presence a couple of hours after the failure.
Fastly has more than 1,000 employees and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He resides in San Francisco and the company is specialized in optimizing the operation of web pages, information security services and content distribution networks.
The company has achieved profits of more than 200 million dollars during its last fiscal year. Many websites were associated with Fastly, and this crash has caused them to stop working during this afternoon. The origin of the failure is still unknown, but it has already been ruled out that it has something to do with being a web hosting service.
The down sites that DownDetector recorded. Photo DownDetector
The reports of the specialized portal Downdetector communicated cuts in digital services and social networks such as Amazon and Twitch, the Reddit platform, the PayPal payment system, as well as numerous media, around 6:58 in Argentina.
It also affected Google, Movistar, Github and Spotify.
The portal, which takes data from user reports, points out that the problem could originate with the American provider of computing services Fastly “We are currently investigating the potential impact on the performance of our CDN services”, reported from Fastly minutes before seven in the morning of Argentina.
“We are currently investigating the potential impact on the performance of our CDN services,” they reported from Fastly minutes before seven in the morning in Argentina.
The outage lasted just over an hour until they announced in a new report that they identified “a service configuration that caused disruptions to our POPs globally and we have disabled those settings, our global network is back online.”
They explained that the flaw “appears to come from Fastly, an American company that provides ‘content delivery network’ services” and that the “task of this type of service provider is to speed up the distribution and download of pages for Internet users. ”


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Expertise for safer fertilizer use
Efforts underway to promote sustainable agriculture in Malaysia.
Mr Nazrul Fahmi is brimming with new ideas.
He is the Deputy Director of the Pesticide and Fertilizer Control Division, Department of Agriculture (DOA) Malaysia.
As part of his responsibilities, he is passionate about evaluating pesticide products registered by companies to ensure they are safe for environment and health.
Although a range of agricultural activities in Malaysia are undertaken to maintain high quality of agricultural products to safeguard the environment and meet the needs of farmers and communities, knowledge of global best practices regarding pesticides and fertilizers could come in handy.
Distribution and usage of counterfeit fertilizers is often a challenge in the country. In its efforts to address the issue, the DOA Malaysia has been working on a Fertiliser Act, initially based on the same structure as the Pesticides Act.
Nazrul Fahmi notes that the draft Fertiliser Act recognizes only 3 categories including Organic/ Inorganic Fertilizer, Biofertilizer and Supplements, while the EU Regulation is based on 7 functions and 15 components of the fertilizers.
He wishes to support efforts to upgrade Malaysia’s agriculture sustainability landscape as he believes that sustainable agriculture should be able to curtail impact on environment and natural resources.
“We learnt a lot about the regulations prevalent in the EU countries. The knowledge from there will help us inform our efforts as we work on our fertilizer act, “Nazrul Fahmi says.
He gained these insights during his recent visit to Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium. He has returned with first-hand knowledge about innovative sustainable agriculture technologies utilized in these countries. The visit to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Germany particularly helped broaden his vision for sustainable agriculture in his country.
He also carried out field visits to an organic fertilizer producer and a mineral fertilizer production company. Adhering and mirroring the EU regulations regarding fertilizers would facilitate business between Malaysia and the EU.
“We need to review the structure of our Act. We realized that there is a need to deep dive on certain elements for ensuring high quality fertilizers,” he elaborates on the insights from the tour.
Back home, Nazrul Fahmi has already contributed his observations from the study tour to his peers and senior team members to support the efforts underway for Malaysia’s Fertiliser Act.
“My goal is to assist our local farmers by ensuring they are equipped to grow healthier produce.”
Nazrul Fahmi along with 3 other delegates participated in the study tour which was organized by the International Trade Centre through the European Union funded ARISE Plus Malaysia project.
About the project
The ARISE Plus Malaysia project supports inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the country through enhancing sustainable business and investment environments, improving product quality and competitiveness, as well as enhancing sustainable and internationally quality-compliant practices in the agri-food sector.
The three-year project is funded by the European Union and is a part of its national and regional ARISE Plus projects to support greater connectivity and economic integration in ASEAN. The project is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry.


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Now, Apple Music users around the world will be able to listen to more Chinese musicians. The online music subsidiary of Tencent, Tencent Music Entertainment, said that “record labels and artists” who are part of its “Music Cloud” program can now distribute their works through Apple Music.
This isn’t the first time Tencent has joined hands with a major online music giant from the West. In 2017, the Chinese internet firm entered a share swapping agreement with Spotify. The deal didn’t include content sharing. TME’s announcement is vague and the partners are tight-lipped about the details of their arrangement. The weight of the deal hinges on what exactly TME’s “Music Cloud” is.
Music Cloud will serve small-time artists who lack distribution and marketing help from big record labels. Over the past four years, TME has built a platform for independent musicians, where they can distribute their works, attract fans, host virtual concerts, and eventually generate income. In return, TME gets licensing rights to their works.
The real moneymaker for TME, however, is its rights to top pop musicians like Jay Chou. The Taiwanese singer is so valuable to its user loyalty that TME brought a case against NetEase Music for infringing Chou’s copyrights in 2017.
Over the years, TME had splurged hundreds of millions of dollars securing exclusive music licenses from Universal Music, Warner Music and Sony Music Entertainment, collectively known as the “big three” record labels. But China’s antitrust crackdown on its tech industry has started to break down TME’s thick walls. In July, the country’s market regulator fined TME for “unfair” market practices and told it to give up exclusive online music rights.
It’s unlikely that TME will share its expensive licensed music with Apple Music, otherwise, the partnership will come with a big price tag. We will know more when the partners decide to bring more details to light. For now, the prospects of reaching a global audience will certainly keep emerging Chinese musicians excited.


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A warning letter sent to medical device manufacturer St. Jude Medical on 10 January 2013 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that inspectors found numerous violations related to the manufacture of two of its implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) leads at the company's Sylmar, CA manufacturing facility.
The letter references a nearly month-long inspection starting in late September 2012 in which FDA assessed the company's compliance with federal quality system regulations in regards to the manufacture of two of its products: the Durata and Riata ST Optim high-voltage ICD leads.
FDA issued an FDA Form 483-a notice of violations-to the company on 17 October, and the two parties went through two rounds of correspondence before FDA indicated that some of the firm's responses were inadequate to alleviate its concerns and issued its warning letter.
For example, the letter indicates that the design of the device was improperly verified. "Your firm failed to validate the [redacted] test methods implemented during the Durata design verification testing," FDA wrote. "These test methods were created in-house to verify your firm's design inputs; however, they were not based on and did not follow a national standard."
In other instances, St. Jude reportedly failed to follow its own standards. FDA said that its inspection showed that the company's design verification process called for Durata leads to be tested five times each prior to release, with the mean of the tests making up the final score. "However, your firm only tested each lead one time to determine the results," FDA said.
In another case, the company put the cart before the horse, so to speak. The company performed design verification testing in June 2007 on the Durata device, according to its records. That testing occurred a month before establishing design inputs establishing what the outputs of testing would need to be, FDA said, noting that St. Jude said it would be conducting a "systematic review of completion dates and key phases in design history to identify and remediate any gaps."
Neither device had fully completed the required design history file, FDA found, including the dates when key elements of the design and development process were conducted and approved.
Perhaps more importantly, however, FDA inspectors determined that the company's Durata lead product is "misbranded … in that [St. Jude] failed or refused to furnish material" to FDA. That material, FDA explained, included adverse event reports that should have been reported to the agency in a timely manner since the device is life-supporting and sustaining.
"For example, [four complaints] refer to malfunctions of your firm's Durata lead," FDA wrote. "The Durata lead is a life-supporting or life-sustaining medical device and a malfunction involving such a device is reportable. There is no information in your firm's complaint file that justifies why the malfunctions referenced above would not be likely to cause or contribute to a reportable death or serious injury were they to recur. An MDR should have been submitted for each of the referenced complaints."
The warning letter went on to explain that the violations "may be symptomatic of serious problems in [St. Jude's] manufacturing and quality management systems," and that regulators will not approve any of the company's applications for a Class III device for which the noted violations could be "reasonably related" until they are fixed.
In its 8k financial regulatory filing earlier this week, St. Jude said that it is "giving the highest priority to fully remediating these concerns," and highlighted that FDA had not identified "any specific concerns regarding the performance of, or indicated the need for any field or other action regarding, the Riata ST Optim or Durata leads or any other St. Jude Medical product."
The company's Sylmar facility will not be impacted by the letter and will continue to manufacture and ship products, St. Jude added.


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Cereals Still Not Healthy- Worst List Updated
Oh boy, you may have made a big mistake eating cereal this morning.
While most cereals marketed to children have gotten a bit healthier -- lower in sugar and salt and higher in whole grains and fiber -- they still typically contain a spoonful of sugar for every three spoonfuls of cereal, says a new report from watchdogs at the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity. Meanwhile, companies are spending more money to market their least nutritious brands, researchers say.
The report updates one from 2009 and follows the industry's pledge to make kids' cereals better on their own -- without government regulation.
While the report says the companies aren't doing enough, an industry representative tells Reuters: "Changing kids' taste preferences takes time and effort. The notion that kids could stop eating Froot Loops and go and have Grape-Nuts, with all due respect to Grape-Nuts, to me is unrealistic and not practical."
Here's the Rudd Center's list of the ten least nutritious cereals advertised to kids:
2. Reese's Puffs
3. Cinnamon Toast Crunch
4. Lucky Charms
6. Froot Loops
7. Apple Jacks
8. Cocoa Puffs
9. Honey Nut Cheerios
10. Cookie Crisp
Most of the cereals on that list also are the list of the cereals marketed most often to kids, the report says.
How nutritious is your kids' cereal? You can type it in at CerealFacts.org to find out.


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The aftermath of the finals draw has seen a sudden global surge in ticket applications for the 2010 World Cup in the third ticketing phase.
“We still have 47 days to go in this third phase of ticket sales," said Horst R. Schmidt, chairman of the Ticketing Sub-Committee, in a press release. "We are pleased with the interest shown so far. It shows the impact the finals draw has had on football fans and the FIFA World Cup next year.”
South African residents have an option to apply for tickets at FNB branches across the country. Fans have until 22 January to apply for individual match tickets or Team-Specific Series.
In the event of over-subscribed matches or categories there will be an electronic random selection draw on February 1 to identify the successful applicants.
“Now that the match schedule has been confirmed, we encourage fans in South Africa, Africans and football fans around the world to grab this chance and purchase their tickets for what will be an unforgettable event,” said Danny Jordaan, Chief Executive Officer of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee. The prices for group matches range from €12.50 to €101, except the group match which has higher-level tickets costing €285. Tickets for the final will cost between €95 and €570.
Category 4 tickets, the most affordable, have been exclusively set aside for South African residents. All 32 participating member associations are allocated 12 per cent of all purchasable tickets in the stadiums where their three group games will be played.
These tickets were made available from 6 December 2009 through specified websites operated by the 32 participating member associations.


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Many adults have fond memories of their favorite childhood books and remember the names of the authors and recite the nursery rhymes. To this day, they delight in the time that they spend inside a book’s pages and stories.
During this holiday season, shoppers can provide these treasures to children whose families are struggling to provide necessities, says the Clallam County Literacy Council.
While buying books for family and friends, people can consider purchasing an extra book for these children at Sequim and Port Angeles bookstores.
Decorated boxes for Books for Kids are at these book stores:
_ Pacific Mist Books, 121 W. Washington St., Sequim
_ Port Book and News, 104 E. First St., Port Angeles
_ Odyssey Bookshop, 114 W. Front St., Port Angeles
Marti McAllister Wolf, owner of Pacific Mist Books, says, "When you give a child a gift of a book, you open their mind to vast new worlds. Adventure, mystery, wonder and love are all things that make life so much more interesting."
The literacy council and the League of Women Voters of Clallam County are co-sponsors in this effort to provide books to children in their homes to develop the love for reading. The council encourages all families to read together and says if young children are not read to, they often start school behind their peers and stay behind.
The First Step Family Support Center, a United Way partner agency, will deliver the books.
Nita Lynn, First Step executive director, says, "We are serving over 400 families each month, and these books will be a welcome addition to these homes. Last year’s ‘Books for Kids’ program was very successful and we look forward to sharing the community’s generosity with many new families this year."


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Square reported total revenue of $1267.1 million for full year 2015, a stunning 49.0% year-on-year (YOY) increase over the same period in 2014. For the fourth quarter (4Q/15) total revenue soared by 49.2% YOY to $374.4 million.
Gross Payment Volume (GPV) increased 47% YOY to $10.2 billion.
For the full year of 2015, GPV totaled $35.6 billion, a 50% increase over full year of 2014. Square notes GPV from larger sellers, those that generate greater than $125,000 in annualized GPV, grew over 70% in the fourth quarter and now represents 39% of GPV, up from 33% a year ago.
Adjusted Revenue was $135 million in 4Q/15, which represents an increase of 64%, an acceleration from the 57% growth rate in 3Q/15. Total net revenue, which includes revenue from Starbucks, was $374 million in 4Q/15, up 49%, and $1,267 million for full year 2015, also up 49%.
Square’s transaction revenue was $299 million in 4Q/15, up 45%. Transaction revenue as a percentage of GPV was 2.93% compared to 2.97% in the prior year period. The decline is attributable to increases in free processing credits for seller-to-seller referrals and selectively offering custom pricing to larger sellers.
Square’s Software and Data Product revenue was $22 million in 4Q/15, growing 52% sequentially from the third quarter. For the full year of 2015, Software and Data Product revenue was $58 million, a nearly fivefold increase compared to the full year of 2014.
Square’s Hardware revenue in 4Q/15 was $6 million, up 215% YOY. For the full year of 2015, it was $16 million, up 124% compared to 2014. The increase in the quarter was due in large part to the launch of our contactless and chip reader, which began shipping in December.
TOTAL ANNUAL NET REVENUES
2012: $203.4 million
2013: $552.4 million
2014: $850.2 million
2015: $1267.1 million
TOTAL QUARTERLY NET REVENUES
4Q/14: $250.9 million
3Q/15: $332.2 million
4Q/15: $374.4 million
ADJUSTED NET REVENUES
4Q/14: $82.0 million
3Q/15: $117.8 million
4Q/15: $134.5 million
4Q/14: $6.96 billion
3Q/15: $9.54 billion
4Q/15: $10.19 billion
For a complete archive of more than 60,000 articles published since 1995 search the CardFlash.com library.


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Bristol's Homebase store is to be closed down as part of a company restructuring process.
The DIY retail chain's owner, Hilco, has confirmed a Company Voluntary Agreement CVA, which will see it close 42 stores around the UK.
The affected stores will be closed over the next 16 months - and all the staff working in the Bristol store are now at risk of losing their jobs.
Damian McGloughlin, chief executive of Homebase, said: "[This] has been a difficult decision and one that we have not taken lightly.
"Homebase has been one of the most recognisable retail brands for almost 40 years, but the reality is we need to continue to take decisive action to address the under-performance of the business and deal with the burden of our cost base, as well as to protect thousands of jobs."
The CVA is a desperate bid by the chain to save the brand which was acquired by restructuring specialists Hilco in May for £1 from Wesfarmers, after a failed foray by the Australian company into the UK market.
Homebase, which has stores in Portishead and Longwell Green, was bought by Wesfarmers for £340 million in 2016. But Wesfarmers' plans to rebrand Homebase to Bunnings and expand across Britain were disastrous.
The company has confirmed the Longwell Green store will close, but the Portishead base will remain open.
A total of 17 Homebase stores have been closed in 2018 and the retailer has also axed 303 jobs at its head office in Milton Keynes.
Prior to the Hilco takeover, Homebase had 250 stores at its peak and 12,000 staff.
The full list of Homebase stores to be closed
Aberdeen Bridge of Don
Bedford St Johns
Cardiff Newport Road
Croydon Purley Way
Dublin Naas Road
London New Southgate
Oxford Botley Road
Poole Tower Park
Southampton Hedge End
Swindon Drakes Way


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DIY holidaymakers cash in on euro slump: Families saving over £500 by booking directly with villa owners
- Euro fallen by 13 per cent since some tour operators' prices were fixed last year
- Can save up to £540 booking European trip with villa or apartment owners
- Short-term currency fluctuations have little effect on their package prices
British holidaymakers are saving hundreds of pounds by avoiding traditional travel agents as the value of the euro falls.
Booking a European trip direct with villa or apartment owners rather than from a brochure can a save a family of four up to £540, The Mail on Sunday found.
The savings come because some tour operators' prices were fixed last summer. But since then the euro has fallen 13 per cent against the pound amid fears of a Greek exit from the single currency.
Savings: Holidaying families are benefiting from a weakened euro and saving up to £540 by booking DIY holidays
Travel Supermarket’s Bob Atkinson said: ‘Britons can get exceptional savings on DIY holidays in Europe due to the strength of the pound versus the euro.’
Thomson and First Choice confirmed that short-term currency fluctuations have little effect on their package prices.
But Noel Josephides, chairman of industry body Abta, warned DIY holidaymakers ‘often have to pay locally, and the exchange rate when they book may be different from when they travel’.
Holidaymakers are also gambling on the strong pound by snapping up currency now, ahead of summer breaks.
Demand for euros at Debenhams bureaux de change is almost double what it was this time last year.
Holidaymakers are also gambling on the strong pound by snapping up currency now, ahead of summer breaks
- Since publication of this article, ABTA the Travel Association has issued the following statement: “The holiday market is highly competitive and most companies constantly review their pricing in response to changes in supply and demand. Tour operators tend to bulk buy their foreign currency. Depending on when individual companies have purchased their currency they may be in a position to help customers benefit from improving exchange rates now or there may be a slight delay. By purchasing in advance like this tour operators are able to control their costs and help shield customers from currency fluctuations in the other direction.”
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For centuries, dolls have helped children develop their socio-emotional skills by teaching them how to empathize with others. Last year, dolls raked in nearly $2.7 billion in sales, making them one of the toy industry’s biggest items, reports Ms today
“Not all of today’s dolls offer emotionally healthy experiences for children. Increasingly, parents are speaking out against how mainstream toys send children negative messages about such issues as gender, body image and race.
“The last few years have seen several sexy head-to-toe makeovers of popular children’s characters. Dora the Explorer, once hailed by parents everywhere for her stereotype-bashing, was transformed from a cute toddler to a Barbie-in-training. Strawberry Shortcake used to be most recognizable for her frumpy hat and green stockings, but now she sports pink locks and long lashes. Even gender-neutral trolls have been reincarnated as hip and sexy Trollz, rivaling Bratz, the Winx Club and Monster High for the title of “sexiest dolls on the block.” The list of sexualized, feminized toys goes on: Holly Hobby, Legos, My Little Pony, Polly Pocket, Rainbow Bright. Even the Care Bears are now more pretty and feminine than they are fun and fluffy.
“When it comes to their effects on children, particularly young girls, these sexualized makeovers aren’t all fun and games. “When we give a child a doll, what we’re saying to that child is ‘This is what people look like, this is what women look like, this is what you might aspire to,’” says Susan Linn, executive director ofCampaign for a Commercial Free Childhood (CCFC). With dolls getting prettier and skinnier than ever, it comes as no surprise that, by age 3, girls begin to equate thinness with beauty and popularity. By age 5, they express dissatisfaction with their weight, and by age 9 many experience the onset of eating disorders. Continue reading “Breaking up with Barbie”
The majority of the Toys R Us Lego Isle is a very familiar shade of blue, copyrighted and trademarked, and gleaming under the florescent lights.In one brightly lit section, however, pink reigns supreme: the section full
of toys marketed to little girls.
As discussed in today’s fbomb, “Most of these toys can be placed in at least one of three categories: luxury play (play that seems to serve no other purpose than to stimulate the girls’ imaginations in settings of extreme opulence and wealth), housework play (in which a child mimics doing household chores, including anything from an Easy Bake Oven to a baby doll to a plastic kitchenette), or interpersonal relationship play (in which a child is meant to identify with a doll of some kind, and she and other “dolls” are meant to interact). Many of these toys reinforce sexist and harmful ideas in girls that invariably inculcates passivity and conformism in adult women.
A classic example of sexist toys can be found in the “household maintenance” aisle of Toys R Us, win which things like toy brooms and dustpans are marketed specifically to girls. Such housework toys send the message that housework is traditionally feminine and expected of wives and mothers. Girls can use toy brooms to pretend they’re cleaning their family’s house or pretend to make her family dinner in a toy kitchenette. The fact that these toys exist is not an issue: some children (boys and girls alike) may actually enjoy pretending to cook or sweep. The problem lies in the fact that the vast majority of these items are being marketed to girls, not boys.
But it’s not just that gender-specific toys indoctrinate girls to do gendered work: many also teach young girls to covet lives of luxury, status, and indolence, which invariably set them up for failure, defeat, and despair. These “luxury” toys reinforce the disparity between what girls are taught to want and what they actually receive or are able to achieve. Girls are practically trained to expect these lavish lifestyles when the reality is that they will more than likely end up working for the rest of their lives, both at home and in the workforce. That is not to say that parents either have the choice of buying their children things like toy yachts or sitting their children to explain the details about living in abject poverty. Rather, especially given that in comparison to the rest of the world most Americans are incredibly blessed and privileged, the ideal lifestyle luxury toys encourage girls to aspire to is disproportionate to how most Americans actually live and could in fact be detrimental to the way girls view society and shape their own goals. Continue reading “Tales from the toy aisle”
It’s obvious from walking through a toy store that LEGO has focused its licensing and product development around boys.
Today’s CNN.com carries an article on how LEGO is shifting on gendered products––driven, of course, by a profit motive.
“To capture the girl market, LEGO created the alternate, girl-only world of Heartlake City for Friends instead of incorporating more females into existing LEGO sets. LEGO says the line was one of its most successful to date, “surpassing early projections to triple the number of girls building with LEGO bricks” in 2012.
“But that still leaves the market wide open for children such as my daughter, who want more female “minifigs” in gender-neutral packaging. Instead, LEGO clearly distinguishes which sets are aimed at boys or girls, and our children take in the colors on the packaging and placement on the shelves through a cultural lens. They get the message loud and clear. LEGO is the second-largest toy manufacturer in the world; gender parity matters in a product that is consumed and loved by so many children. Continue reading “Gender in a Lego world”
“Women today may feel they have come a long way since the inequality of the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies. But the shelves of many toy shops paint a very different story, says today’s Daily Mail
“Where once toys may have been marketed in neutral colours to target both boys and girls, now they are much more likely to be gender stereotyped – blue for boys and pink for girls. The issue has been highlighted by campaign group Let Toys Be Toys, who recently shared a picture comparing the toys on sale in Argos in the Seventies to today on their Twitter feed.
“While decades ago toy pushchairs, prams and household equipment like play ovens came in whites, reds and blues – aimed at both genders – today the majority are all pink. And while the items above aimed at girls relate to being domesticated, in contrast boys today are encouraged to play with science sets, cars and action heroes. Let Toys Be Toys, set up by a group of British parents last November, are calling for this to change. They are petitioning retailers to stop segregating their products ‘for boys’ and ‘for girls’.One of the campaign’s founders, Tricia Lowther, 44, a self-employed copywriter from Durham, who has a five-year-old daughter, told the MailOnline: ‘It does bother a lot of parents, we seem to have tapped in to a huge and growing sense of frustration with the way toys are promoted according to outdated, illogical and sexist stereotypes. Continue reading “Gender and toys: the bad news”


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Waitrose has launched a new scheme to give customers the power to pick their own offers.
The upmarket grocers claims the "game-changing" promotion has never been done before.
Customers will be able to select ten items from a list of nearly a thousand selected from the most popular lines.
So long as they are part of Waitrose's loyalty card scheme, they will be able to claim a 20% discount on their selected items.
And the discount applies even if the items are already on promotion. Customers will then be locked into their choices for a set period.
The boss of Waitrose, Mark Price, says it's a ground-breaking move giving customers the power to choose the offers they want.
"Different forms of personalised marketing have been around since the 1990s, but we're introducing mass customisation in grocery. Customers can choose what's valuable to them when they shop for groceries. We really are giving power to the consumer," he said.
All the supermarkets are grappling to come up with new ways to entice shoppers through their doors.
Morrisons launched its first loyalty card last year, where shopper's purchases would automatically be price matched against similar products sold at Aldi and Lidl, as well as its bigger rivals.
Unlike Morrisons and the other three main grocers -Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's - Waitrose continues to grow sales at the premium end of the market.
This latest move shows it is not immune from the huge increase in competition. As ever, the devil is in the detail.
One thousand items to choose from sounds a lot, but a typical large supermarket will sell in the region of 30,000 products.
Waitrose clearly thinks it's got a new winning formula to drive sales.
Retail analyst Clive Black from Shore Capital says the Pick-Your-Own Offers scheme will throw the cat amongst the "promotions pigeons" - a reference to the often confusing array of promotions on offer in our supermarkets.
"In essence, many shoppers do not trust promotions," he says.
"Clearly, in tying the personalised promotions to myWaitrose shoppers only, the retailer is seeking to effectively manage the cost of this initiative. That said, we believe that this is quite an inspirational move by management that could strike a chord with its shoppers and, perhaps, non-loyalists too; so there could be a spike in myWaitrose membership. "
Mr Price acknowledged that the scheme could cost Waitrose a lot of money - as much as £5m a week depending on how many people sign up.
The offer will work in conjunction with the retailer's price match scheme as well as other in-store promotions.
Waitrose is hoping this move will build sales, loyalty and trust. The rest of the industry will be watching with interest.


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Former Universal Studios Home Video exec Gregg Schoenborn has joined Web-based video-on-demand service Tranz-Send Broadcasting Network to head its ClickMovie.com site as veep, business development.
Buena Vista Internet Group and Walt Disney Intl. Europe have upped two key senior level execs in their European operations.
Macrovision Corp. on Monday said its second quarter profits rose 65% to $2.2 million, over $1.3 million a year ago, while revenues were up to $8 million, a gain of 42% for the period. The results…
Pixar Animation Studios saw second-quarter profits soar more than threefold from a year ago to $6.4 million, while revenues rose to $13.5 million from $3.8 million, mostly driven by the strong B.O…
CheckOut.com has yet to open its doors, but the soon-to-launch e-tailer has inked a deal becoming Entertainment Blvd. Inc.'s exclusive merchant of music, videos and games.
Entertainment industry assistants, hoping to work their way up into exec posts, have a new networking tool on the 'Net.
Big Entertainment has tapped Donna Freed as exec VP to head its new strategic marketing group for its Hollywood.com entertainment Web site subsidiary.
FasTV, creator of a searchable online video service, has tapped Randy K. Freedman as veep of business and international affairs.
CBS on Thursday said it will buy 20% of online pharmacy Rx.com for $37.5 million worth of advertising and promotion on CBS' properties over the next four years.
John Malone's Liberty Media Group has its eye on acquiring sound post-production house Todd-AO. After announcing in June that it would seek a buyer, Todd-AO has begun talks with Liberty officials.
Amazon.com's net sales in the second quarter jumped 171% to $314 million, compared with $116 million a year ago, the company announced Wednesday.
2016-2017 Oscar Predictions
- Playback: Jordan Peele on ‘Get Out’ and Art’s Role Under a Trump Regime
- ‘La La Land,’ ‘Doctor Strange,’ ‘The Crown’ Win Costume Designers Guild Awards
- Spirit Awards Hosts Nick Kroll and John Mulaney on Friendship, Indie Films and Day Drinking
- Final Oscar Predictions as the Season Hits the Home Stretch


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In an effort to stem the outcry over the arrest of two black men at one of its stores, Starbucks will close 8,000 USA stores Tuesday afternoon for anti-bias training for its employees. The training sessions come in response to an incident in Philadelphia last month where a Starbucks manager called police on two black men who were waiting to meet someone. Employees will also get the chance to share their own work experiences with one another. A sign posted at a San Francisco store said the store would close at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday and reopen at 5 a.m. Wednesday.
More than 100 company-operated Starbucks stores on Long Island will close early Tuesday for an afternoon of anti-bias training for workers, but all is not lost for Starbucks addicts. "We've had certain shareholders call and say, 'How much is this going to cost and how do you justify this?' My answer to them was simply: We don't view it as an expense. We are providing our associates with training this year that focuses on our values and how we care for our customers, communities, and each other", a spokesperson for the company told Business Insider.
The arrest was caught on video and went viral.
"Starbucks is a place where people congregate and employees should be accepting of all people", said Pullen. Last week, the company said the training session will be closed to the media. In the weeks since the incident, Starbucks changed its policies to allow people to sit in its stores or use its bathroom even if he or she did not purchase an item or drink. Police arrested the two men for trespassing, but they were later released without charges, leading Starbucks and police to publicly apologize.
Warriors tickets for NBA Finals go on sale Tuesday
Neither heart nor Harden nor game contributions from Clint Capela (20 points and nine rebounds), Eric Gordon (23 points) and P.J. They allowed Golden State to outscore them 33-15 as they flailed about offensively going 0-14 from three.
Family of victim releases statement after Noblesville shooting
SIU football coach Nick Hill, a quarterback that played his senior year with Seaman, remembered him as a dedicated player. The last day of school at Noblesville West Middle School, which has about 1,300 students, is June 1, WTHR reported .
North Korea's Kim Yong-chol heads to U.S. for talks
Former United States Special Representative for North Korea Policy Sung Kim is reportedly leading the USA delegation to the talks. South Korea blamed him for the sinking of the Cheonan , a South Korean military ship, in 2010, which killed 46 South Koreans.
And he said the problem is not confined to Starbucks but exists at plenty of other retail chains where he has seen people profiled.
"I would say on a personal level, [Trump's rhetoric] probably has given license to people to feel as if they can emulate and copy the kind of behavior and language that comes out of this administration", he said.
Robinson and Nelson also accepted a symbolic, $1 compensation from the city of Philadelphia, alongside a promise from city officials to create a $200,000 young entrepreneurs program.
"I know that for me, welcoming people in my life starts first with sharing who I am", Common says in the video, according to a transcript. The NAACP's Sherrilyn Ifill, who is one of Starbucks's advisors on its anti-bias training material, has previously noted that "this can't be a one-off".


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Bud Light Brings Back Fan Favorite ‘Real Men of Genius’ Ad Campaign with a Modern Twist
Seven new ‘Internet Heroes of Genius’ spots debuted on YouTube today.
I have an unsubstantiated theory that no matter how much of a diehard craft beer, drink local, no buyouts, small independent brewery lover you are, you still have a favorite beer commercial. Big beer brands have been such prominent advertisers for so long, it seems impossible that you could love beer and not have at least one guilty pleasure. For me, it’s the Miller Genuine Draft classic rock ads of the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, but for you, maybe it’s Spuds MacKenzie or Billy Dee Williams or Whassssssup.
Along these lines, you might remember a Bud campaign called “Real Men of Genius.” The radio and TV spots originally ran in the late ‘90s and early aughts, ironically saluting the guys behind questionable everyday decisions to a soundtrack of Bryan Adams-like balladry. Here are some examples…
Well, today, Bud Light has brought the campaign back with a modern twist: “Internet Heroes of Genius.” America’s best-selling beer brand has rolled out seven of these new spots on its YouTube channel, “including Online Encyclopedia Hero, Snapchat Lens Hero and Person That Still Uses Middle School Email.” Funnily enough, the new ads are audio only — harkening back to the original “Real Men of Genius” campaign’s prominence on terrestrial radio despite the fact that, for now at least, this modern version only exists on a video website. Maybe it’s genius!
“The ‘Real Men of Genius’ campaign is one campaign that our Bud Light followers have continued to reference in memes, gifs and social content, so after years of requesting for its return, it was only right we pay the tribute and raise a digital glass to today’s real internet heroes,” Conor Mason, Bud Light Digital Director, said in announcing the reboot.
Of course, in the era of social media, you can’t launch any online campaign without getting the fans involved, so Bud Light is also encouraging people “to share their internet achievements by tweeting at Bud Light for a chance to receive a custom salute throughout the day.” Today, we salute you Mr. Bud Light Digital Director.


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Identity theft has been a serious threat to consumers for many years. The recent Equifax data breach has raised awareness due to the sheer magnitude of the incident which affected 143 million consumers nationwide. Other notable incidents with recognized consumer brands have included Yahoo (2013), Target (2013), eBay (2014), Home Depot (2014) and Anthem (2015).
As tensions and rhetoric around North Korea have escalated over the past few months, many clients have asked us how we believe this translates to market risk. This question and similar ones about geopolitics are presently more common than at any time since the financial crisis. With the backdrop of elevated international tensions, we find this an opportune time to share our perspective on the market risks presented by macro and geopolitical incidents.
A common storyline in the financial press has been the leadership provided by the FANG stocks – Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Google (now Alphabet). More recently Apple has been included with that group (FAANGs) which we will do as we review their contribution to the market’s gains and explore the potential for continued outperformance.


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Billy lives in Providence Rhode Island where by day he runs Beat the Streets Providence - a 501c3 starting scholastic wrestling teams in ord Billy lives in Providence Rhode Island where by day he runs Beat the Streets Providence - a 501c3 starting scholastic wrestling teams in order to inspire at-risk youth - and by night he is a freelance journalist and fiction writer. In his free time Billy enjoys playing the ukulele badly, fishing, backpacking, climbing, surfing (again badly), and pretending he is alternatively Indiana Jones and/or a Jedi.
2018 has brought open banking to Europe.
On January 13th, 2018, after more than two years of planning, the Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) arrived in Europe. This directive has for the first time forced European banks to open up their API’s to fintech and other financial companies. This change will give these companies access to payment data, which means there will be more competition in areas that banks have traditionally dominated. As a result, PSD2 is changing and will continue to change the relationships between consumers and financial institutes.
So, what is PSD2, other than a wonky acronym?
Quick history lesson.
The original Payment Services Directive (PSD1) was passed in 2007 to increase competition in the European payments market and to strengthen consumer rights by implementing the same set of rules across all of the EU. However, despite reform, lack of competition persisted and as result, in 2017 still as few as three percent of European consumers reported buying banking products from another EU country. Further, by 2015 as technology progressed the PSD framework did not adequately cover and regulate new players in online payments.
To address this, the Council of the European Union passed PSD2 in November 2015 to create safer and more innovative payments. The new rule was created to better protect customers online, promote innovation in online and mobile payments through online banking, and to improve cross-border EU payments. Commissioner Jonathan Hill, upon passing PSD2, said, “This legislation is a step towards a digital single market; it will benefit consumers and businesses and help the economy grow.”
While PSD2 also increased security on online payments, the crux of the directive was a new mandate that banks open their APIs and customer data – upon customer consent — to third-party companies. These APIs (how APIs work) for the first time could provide third-party developers with channels to get to bank’s customer data (except for customers’ spending habits or credit history) and build their own products and services around it.’
What does this mean for banks and customers?
This seemingly small change is a sea-change for banks in Europe. In this new world of retail banking, the ability to directly serve and add value to customers will no longer be owned by banks but shared with fintech and tech companies, retailers, and telecommunications firms. The new competition will enjoy competitive advantages because they can enter the financial market without the heavy compliance and infrastructure which banks are required to maintain.
This new, more competitive world, could be bad news for banks that, content with the status quo, haven’t and don’t want to innovate. To those that do, however, it actually offers new opportunities. And it’s definitely great news for customers: More than ever, the power of choice is now in their hands.
Already 37 percent of European consumers say they would change their bank if it did not offer them up-to-date technology. Up until now, many banks have traditionally been hesitant to embrace new technology, as old business models gave them full control, as such the standard for up-to-date tech has been relatively low. With the passage of PDS2 and the arrival of fintech, banks will be forced to compete against, and as a result, offer what their customers consider up-to-date technology.
Further, customers who feel their needs aren’t being met will no longer be tethered exclusively to their banks’ services. Instead, customers will be able to choose other services for discrete pieces of their financial needs even while they continue to bank with their traditional bank.
How can traditional banks use this to their advantage?
To do so, banks need to adapt to these changes and quickly. For banks willing to do this open banking could not just be a challenge to overcome, but a key strategic opportunity. Even in the absence of open banking, research shows that many of banks’ most important customers are already at risk of leaving in favor of “aggregators”.
By collaborating with fintech providers, banks can become the ecosystem or platform for aggregation of financial services themselves in order to ensure they remain relevant and are ready to meet consumers’ needs today and in the future. Open banking, which encourages partnership with the fintech sector, can help forward-thinking banks achieve this transition by bringing engaging services to market faster and cheaper than they would be able to themselves.
Roland Booijen, Director of Apps and Digital Innovation for ABN AMRO, says that banks need to prepare for and embrace this paradigm shift because, “while we are used to having our own channels, now in order to integrate and enhance the customer experience we need to partner with other companies.” While he believes that this paradigm shift will absolutely make the banking industry more competitive, he thinks that is actually a good thing because it will drive innovation and provide greater value to customers.
He also believes open banking will create a strategic opportunity for banks to provide greater differentiation between them and their competitors, and in doing so again providing more choice for customers. “Every bank will choose different positions in the market based on their DNA. Ours is based on being a well-trusted customer advisor and the ability to create fitting customer solutions. Last month, together with our fintech partner CLS, we launched a new lending solution called Tweadle, which integrates our lending solutions into third-party platforms.”
There are in fact several different approaches available to banks trying to adapt and optimize their services for the open banking world. They can try to build expertise for innovation in-house (ie. Danske Bank’s MobileLife), they can pursue a platform approach building a network of native and partner applications while also acquiring companies to add to their offerings, or they can focus on collaboration and take an ecosystem approach by adding third-party capabilities to their core business offerings and voluntarily opening their APIs, thereby creating innovative business models and sources of revenue.
One way or another, banks will have to adapt and they might not all be ready. Booijen says, “It will be a mixed picture. The banks that are truly ready will set the pace and everyone else will just have to follow.”
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Business 22 June 2018Gerald Fenech
‘Unbanked’ Irish crypto companies lament problems with lenders
The situation for Irish cryptocurrency companies does not appear to be too rosy for the moment with several reporting that they either had to halt trading altogether or have been forced to open foreign bank accounts to continue operations, the Irish Times reported. Companies like Bitcove claimed that they had to open an account with a foreign bank to remain afloat after Irish banks have refused their business outright.
Some startups claim to have been “unbanked” by Irish lenders, meaning that financial institutions have withdrawn banking services, while others said they were never given an opportunity to open bank accounts in the country.
Crypto exchange Bitcove, founded by brothers James and Peter Nagle in 2014, said it had accounts with AIB, Permanent TSB and Bank of Ireland—all of which have been shut down. According to Peter Nagle, the banks told them “that they do not support companies offering cryptocurrency exchange facilities despite the fact they had previously given us an account for this purpose.”
The Cork-based startup is particularly angry about the situation mainly due to the fact that it had previously been awarded a ‘best business start-up award’ by the Bank of Ireland. However, many banks around the world are hostile to the cryptocurrency space in general so the Irish bank’s stance comes as no real surprise to seasoned operators in the field.
“We were participants on the Ignite start-up programme, which is backed by the bank. Our business and its progress were reviewed monthly by a panel which included Bank of Ireland representatives. At the end of the incubator Bitcove won the award, but then just a few months later our accounts were frozen and eventually closed,” Nagle said.
The company has since found new banking facilities in Europe with what it called “a more progressive banking partner.”
Eircoin, considered to be one of the “longest running” crypto broker in Ireland, closed in April “due to negligent and defensive banking system,” according to its co-founder Dave Fleming.
Fleming and his business partner, Roisin Coogan, said that aside from Eircoin, a new secondary consulting business was also refused banking services.
In a statement, the Bank of Ireland confirmed it does not provide banking services to virtual currency exchange platforms, although the bank noted that it does not prevent customers from transacting with virtual currency. This is quite strange considering that Ireland is home to several top digital and finance companies such as Apple and Google and is generally positive towards the adoption of blockchain technology.
Note: Tokens on the Bitcoin Core (SegWit) chain are referenced as BTC coins; tokens on the Bitcoin Cash ABC chain are referenced as BCH, BCH-ABC or BAB coins.
Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV) is today the only Bitcoin project that follows the original Satoshi Nakamoto whitepaper, and that follows the original Satoshi protocol and design. BSV is the only public blockchain that maintains the original vision for Bitcoin and will massively scale to become the world’s new money and enterprise blockchain.
Business 5 hours ago
Japan to strengthen crypto AML and KYC laws and look hard at exchanges
Japan doesn’t want to be embarrassed by lax crypto laws again, and they will set a new example for the world to follow.
Business 7 hours ago
US Presidential Hopeful Eric Swalwell accepting Bitcoin SV donations
He’s not a big contender yet, but Eric Swalwell is hoping that a few BSV donations might get him in the conversation as a Presidential hopeful.
Business 7 hours ago
Cobinhood exchanges reportedly goes bust–or not
Cobinhood has reportedly gone under, succumbing to the issues that plagued a number of companies during the prolonged crypto winter.


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Sega is currently holding a sweepstakes to see if players can guess which classic Sega franchise will soon be making its triumphant return. It's Daytona USA. Can we have a game with the bunny in it instead?
We pretty much knew some sort of rehash of Daytona USA was in the works, and with Takenobu Mitsuyoshi's classic tune "The King Of Speed" from the game's soundtrack teased in this fluffy wuffy bunny video, that's confirmation enough for me.
I'm sure this is exciting news for racing fans, but I'm just not revved up by a rehash of what in 1993 was a cutting-edge 3D racing experience.
I would, however, dearly enjoy being friends with that rabbit. It's so fluffy I could die.
SEGA Sweepstakes – Name that Game! [Sega Blog]


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After a decade of releasing their own music, Black Star Riders have shown themselves to be much more than the spin-off band some feared they would be. Starting life as Scott Gorham’s reincarnation Thin Lizzy, […]
BLACK STAR RIDERS launch their brand new single 'Catch Yourself On' from new album 'Wrong Side Of Paradise'
Just a few days ahead of their new album Wrong Side Of Paradise, Black Star Riders are thrilled to announce the launch of their brand new single Catch Yourself On. In addition, to celebrate the […]
Masters of anthemic rock ‘n’ roll Black Star Riders are pleased to announce a headline Belfast show at the Limelight on Saturday, February 11th 2023. Black Star Riders have recently announced that their New Album, […]


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MOSCOW, November 10. /TASS/. Revenue of Russian social network VK under IFRS in Q3 increased by 21% year-on-year and amounted to 24.1 bln rubles ($398.2 mln), the company said in a statement on Thursday.
"Q3 2022 revenue was up 21% YoY to RUB 24,119 mn due to higher sales of online advertising, up 29% YoY. The sector’s main drivers were: performance formats, up 71% YoY, advertising revenue from small and medium size businesses (SMBs) grew 128% YoY, video ad revenue increased by 16% YoY," the company said.
The company’s adjusted EBITDA in Q3 rose by 16% year-on-year to 9.8 bln rubles ($161.92 mln). EBITDA margin increased by 3 percentage points year-on-year to 30.6% mostly due to expanding margins in Communications & Social and EdTech segments (+3p.p. and +34 p.p. respectively).
Meanwhile, VK’s total net profit in Q3 reached 41.2 bln rubles ($680.72 mln) compared to total net loss of 2.35 bln rubles in Q3 2021.
"VK’s largest asset, VKontakte continued to strengthen its leadership position among social networks in Russia with daily audience increasing by 7.1% to a record of 49.4 mn, while the social network’s monthly active users grew 6.9% YoY to a record of 76.9 mn. The growth in audience and engagement led VKontakte to increase its adjusted revenue by almost 34% YoY in Q3," the statement said.
The company recalled that on September 12, VK closed the deal to purchase content platforms Dzen and News from Yandex in exchange for a 100% stake in Delivery Club service, and ceased to be a shareholder of O2O Holding. "VK continues to enhance its focus on content services and develop its business based on Company’s core products: social networks, communication services and online education platforms," the statement said.
At the same time, VK has significantly moved forward in restructuring of its convertible bonds. According to the company, "As at the date of this financial report’s publication, VK has bought back ~55% of all Bonds outstanding with a nominal value of ~$220 mn. The Company continues to look at opportunities to purchase the bonds that remain outstanding."


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Parents that move their tykes around with the help of a Graco car seat should take note - the company has announced that it's recalling 3.8-million units from model years 2009 to 2013, over concerns that children could become trapped.
- Most and least efficient car companies
- Fastest-depreciating cars in the United States
- Find and compare 2017 Models
Toddler Seats Questions
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Bushbucks’ supply chain, stretching from the slopes of Uganda’s Mount Elgon to Japan’s sommeliers, presents a raft of challenges.
The growth of agriculture technology start-ups is offering opportunities to leapfrog the current agricultural constraints on the continent.
Find out the latest developments of the global ocean freight market in this monthly analysis by DHL Global Forwarding.
Today, the continent boasts the highest percentage of entrepreneurs among working-age adults in the world.
IoT promises far-reaching payoffs for logistics operators by optimizing asset utilization to drive greater operational efficiency.
As we bid farewell to 2021, we look at the trends that have disrupted and evolved the world this past year.
Key points include adopting sustainable business models, leveraging technology, and having a global mindset.
Take a closer look at how the Middle East & North Africa region performed in the latest DHL Global Connectedness Index.
Exporters in South Africa’s Western Cape fared well amid Covid-19, but only government support and improvements in logistics will ensure continued success.
Sierra Leone’s youth have been plagued by unemployment, but training and education programs are giving them a shot at building a brighter future.


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A blockchain tech conference to be held this October will feature representatives from the French government and legislature.
Organizers for the event did not immediately respond to requests for c... Read More
The Parisian Gallery is a protected historical monument in Paris and houses 25 shops including a restaurant, creative workshops and shops selling “creator’s master pieces, trendy decorative pieces,... Read More
Ugo Mare CTO at Bitit, says: The Paris based team of five will raise a seed round in the coming months. But the product is already very impressive. The design and technology behind Bitit already... Read More
In preparation for thousands of potential defectors, Frankfurt officials have set up a specialist hotline for banks that want to discuss moving operations outside of the United Kingdom. Although... Read More
Brazil's Largest Independent Broker Is Launching a Crypto Exchange
The parent company of Brazil's largest independent broker is setting up a cryptocurrency exchange, Bloomberg reported Thursday.
Grupo XP, which owns brokerage firm XP Investimentos, plans to launch
XRP Shot Up 75% During Friday's Bullish Trading Session
The price of XRP spiked as high as 75 percent above its opening price at one point during Friday's trading session amidst a broader market bull parade.
At roughly 14:45 UTC, the price of XRP rose
US Congressman Drafts Bills to Aid Blockchain Development
U.S. Representative Tom Emmer wants to support the development and use of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies.
To that end, the lawmaker announced a trio of blockchain-focused bills Friday,
Report Finds Cryptojacking Instances Jumped 400% In A Year
Instances of cryptojacking malware have jumped more than 400 percent since last year, a new report finds.
A collaborative group of cybersecurity researchers called the Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) p


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With businesses big and small grappling with the economic impact of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19), the crawfish industry in Acadiana is starting to feel the effects.
“There’s not going to be a profit in crawfish this year, there’s gonna be some farmers that shut down.. there’s no question…”
Andre' Lege is not mincing any words about what he feels will be the economic ripple effects of COVID-19 on the seafood industry.
The owner of Chez Francois - a Lafayette seafood retailer and processor - is also a crawfish farmer.
“ I’m a small farmer… I’m not making a living,” sympathizes Leger, “but the big farmers are gonna lose tremendously because they have so much more involved.”
Chez Francois remains in operation. In fact, Friday afternoon - a Friday in Lent - there was a brisk business in play.
“The good thing about what we do here is everything is packaged,” says Leger. “We’re trying to take a few customers at a time inside to shop, still processing on a daily basis… and nothing has changed here.”
A high degree of sanitation at work spaces and employees has been in play for some time, and Leger says his staff has been meticulous about maintaining safety in his processing and packaging facility.
The doors are still open at Chez Francois, and Leger is appreciative of the support of his industry in receiving in this Corona Era.
“It looks like the government wants us to stay in business, stay and process in order to provide for the public.”
But even with the doors open, Leger sympathizes with other crawfish farmers especially the rice farmers who turn to crawfish during the spring.
“Those guys depend on Lent to make a living, because rice only pays the bills.. there’s no profit in rice.. the profits are in the crawfish and there’s not gonna be a profit in crawfish this year.”


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You are here
Philippines' Century Pacific, Singapore's GIC to buy Shakey's Philippines
[MANILA] Philippines' conglomerate Century Pacific Group said on Wednesday it teamed up with Singapore's sovereign investor GIC to acquire the domestic operator of the Shakey's Pizza restaurant chain without disclosing financial terms of the deal.
The move to buy the local operation of US-based Shakey's, with close to 170 stores in the Philippines at end-2015, is the second deal between Century Pacific's controlling Po family and GIC.
In May 2014, the Singaporean fund converted a 3.38 billion pesos (S$99.4 million) loan into a 10 per cent stake in Century Pacific Food Inc, the group's canned goods maker.
The Shakey's deal would allow Century Pacific to benefit from the country's fast-growing restaurant industry, driven by the expanding middle class, Century Pacific President Christopher Po said in a statement.


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In September of last year we launched the Artist Marketing Platform (AMP) with Artist Insights, a tool that allows every musician on Pandora to view their entire audience and listening history on the service. Thousands of musicians have since claimed their identity and they, as well as their managers, bookers and labels are using the information daily to help plan tours, decide set lists and understand their fans. In February, we added Artist Audio Messaging—a new product enabling direct communication between artists and these fans. Millions of targeted audio messages have already been broadcast from this innovative new system, alerting listeners to new records and local shows from their favorite artists.
Today, we are adding another layer to this platform with the agreement to acquire Next Big Sound, the leading provider of online music analytics. Like us, Next Big Sound has been focused for years on transforming the music industry through data. By folding in their broad data architecture and applying it to our nearly 80 million active monthly users, we will be poised to become the most powerful and effective marketing and promotions tool for artists, managers, agents, publishers, promoters, labels and brands across the music industry.
Whether it’s introducing a new song, promoting a local show, measuring the impact of a campaign, identifying high potential artists or simply building a fan club, Pandora AMP will be able to solve all the intractable problems that have plagued working artists for decades.
This acquisition will bring us one step closer to the dream I envisioned back at the founding of Pandora, inspired by my own years as a touring musician: to give talented working artists a shot at lifelong careers; for every music maker a global marketing and communications platform at their fingertips.
And there’s more to come. Stay tuned.


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US President Joe Biden has introduced a new infrastructure bill aimed at stimulating the economy. It is expected that part of the costs will be paid against taxes on crypto. The main goal of this infrastructure bill is to support the country’s economy through job creation. So, it will focus on growing the economy and improving the country’s competitiveness and resilience.
The Biden administration has published a new infrastructure bill that will raise billions by taxing cryptocurrency. The industries and initiatives that will be affected by the law are diverse and signal an intention to maintain their position as the world’s most powerful economy. Roads and bridges, public transport, electric vehicles, water and energy infrastructure, and high-speed Internet are all indicated on the road map.
Taxation of cryptocurrencies in the USA
The White House announcement says the project is titled Historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal. According to the project, 2 million jobs per year will be added over the next decade. One of the sources of funding for the implementation of everything planned will be taxation of cryptocurrencies:
“The deal will bring significant economic benefits in the coming years. It funded by a combination of redirecting unspent funds for emergency relief; targeted levies on corporate users, strengthening tax laws when it comes to cryptocurrencies, and other bilateral measures; in addition to revenues generated from higher economic growth from investments”.
The crypto industry is largely becoming a haven for those who hide their taxes from the federal government, according to IRS officials.
According to IRS estimates presented to the US Congress this year; American traders could have earned $ 4.1 billion last year from speculating and investing in digital assets.
So, the Senate intends to tighten taxation of cryptocurrencies for investors and traders. As a result, it planned to receive about $ 28 billion from taxes.
According to the draft document, all organizations and platforms involved in the transfer of cryptocurrencies and their derivatives required to file a tax return in accordance with the new regulations. They will have to report the movement of any digital assets as well as cash. Companies also required to report customer transactions over $ 10,000 to the IRS.
All collected funds from the extended taxation of cryptocurrencies directed to the development of the country’s transport and energy infrastructure.
Crypto industry representatives are unhappy
Representatives of the crypto industry have already begun to criticize the plans of Congress. Arguing that many companies now simply don’t have the ability to collect the necessary information.
While the increase in cryptocurrency taxation has irritated many in the industry, in the long term, the area could gain a significant advantage. Now, the lack of clarity is preventing more investors, both retail and institutional, from entering the market. As Wall Street Wolf Jordan Belfort pointed out, digital and cryptocurrencies will benefit from the proper regulatory approach.
The proposal to tighten taxation of crypto currency transactions is a natural stage in the development of the fiscal policy of the US regulators regarding crypto assets, their accompanying financial transactions and control procedures.


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The automotive business blog from Glenn Brooks
If you would like to offer your comments, opinions, suggest topics or just have a good rant, please feel free to email: Glenn Brooks.
BEIJING MOTOR SHOW: every new model 21 Apr 14
What might well be the most comprehensive guide to AutoChina 2014 has been updated on just-auto.com, so do take a look...
Watch the new BMW X4 being built 1 Apr 14
This three and a bit minutes video takes you inside the soon to be expanded plant where BMW makes the new X4...
The return of the shark-nose BMW grille 26 Mar 14
During last week's F-TYPE Coupé launch, its designer mentioned in passing the slightly forward lean of its grille. Which made me think of the way BMWs once were. It seems someone else has been having similar thoughts...
Is it just me who wonders what BMW is up to by launching a second rival for the Audi A5 Sportback? And what's with the strange model names?..
Last month Qoros sent out a media release stating that a new model would be launched at the Geneva show. What will it be? A Chinese website is claiming to know the answer to that question...
Audi's 2014 Le Mans racer's tech secrets 13 Dec 13
It might have the same name as this year's car but the new Audi R18 is arguably one of the most advanced racing cars yet seen. The company has just issued a media release explaining much of its technology, including details of its flywheel energy storage system...
Nissan is to celebrate its 80th birthday with a 'Heritage Car Parade' in Yokohama on 23rd December...
I'm in Hong Kong, the global headquarters of Infiniti. It's a fascinating market for new vehicle sales: a Toyota battles the Mercedes E-Class for the number one spot...
Daimler might be one manufacturer that is enthusiastic about Google Glass but it seems a highway patrol officer in California was less than happy to see someone wearing the specs...
BMW readies its Zinoro EV brand 30 Oct 13
Remember Zinoro, the brand name which BMW and Brilliance announced at April's Shanghai motor show? Since then we haven't heard much about the project from the JV partners. That looks like it's about to change...
- PRODUCT EYE: Porsche 911 Turbo
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- THE WEEK THAT WAS: Carlos sharpens the knife
- Management briefing: UK engine manufacturing (1)
- CEVT's Mats Fägerhag on Geely-Volvo CMA platform
- Golf off Ford CEO Mulally's next-move list
- 2014 BEIJING SHOW: Global debuts list
- Ford Mulally successor announcement expected
- BEIJING: First four-cylinder Porsche since 1995
- GM restructures global engineering


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The Smart Health Cards (SHC) being issued by the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) will go operational beginning January. Patients would then be able to make all hospital payments through these electronic cards.
The new cards are expected to reduce the crowding and waiting time at various outpatient clinics of the HMC.
HMC has issued 500,000 smart cards in the first phase of the project which is dubbed E-purse. The smart cards can be used through Electronic Payment Systems installed at various hospitals functioning under the HMC. A total of 300 payment machines will be available at various outpatient departments of HMC by early January.
The smart cards, being issued through the primary health care centres will replace HMC’s conventional health cards. The new service will be initially available at the Hamad General Hospital, Rumailah Hospital, Al Amal Hospital, HMC’s Psychiatry Department and Al Khor Hospital, according to sources from HMC’s Media Department.
“The first phase of the project included issuance of the smart cards while the electronic payment system will go operational in the second phase, being launched in January. All the data related to patients will be entered into these electronic cards in the next phase,” said the sources.
The smart cards, fitted with a magnetic chip, stores patients’ medical data, their credit details and can be used for payments of all medical services.
“These services shall no longer be settled through the coupon-based payment system, currently applied at Primary Health Centres, but through patients’ funds electronically stored in the smart health card. Patients may also charge their E-purse with funds at any issuing outlets available at HMC,” said an HMC statement issued yesterday.
Hamad Hassan Hilal, head of Patients’ Accounts and chairman of SHC Finance Committee said that electronic payment system will not only lessen the waiting time for patients but also facilitate extending of health care services to the visitors.
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