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Lenovo can launch this smartphone only under its Legion brand. The company can give 90W super fast charging and 5000mah battery so that gamers will not face any problem.
China's company Lenovo, which has made a strong hold in the personal computer sector, is now ready to enter the gaming smartphone market as well. The company is going to launch its first gaming smartphone in July. Although much information regarding its name, price and specification has not been revealed yet, but it is believed that it will come under the company's 'Legion' brand.Announced by sharing poster
'Legion' is Lenovo's exclusive range of laptops, which are made for gaming purposes only. Now the company is going to use its expertise and technology in gaming smartphones. The company is already present in the smartphone market.
Lenovo recently shared a post on China's social networking platform 'Weibo' that this smartphone will be launched next month.
There can be some such specification
According to reports, this phone will come with 5G connectivity. Also, there will be Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC processor in it. Also, 90W fast charging support will also be available.
Due to the faster battery spending in gaming, it is believed that the company will provide 5000mah battery in it.
This product of the company will compete with smartphones like Xiaomi's Black Shark 3, OnePlus 7 Pro, Razor Phone.
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Big C, one of the biggest supermarket chains in Thailand, issued an apology yesterday for having hosted and promoted a raffle promising real live puppies as prizes.
The apology comes after the company received widespread public condemnation for what critics called a severely immoral lack of concern over the wellbeing of these live animals, since the potential winners may not be responsible pet owners, and could possibly end up harming the dogs instead.
The drama began earlier this month when the Ubon Ratchathani Province chain of the supermarket advertised a puppy giveaway on its social media accounts.
“We have good news for you. When you buy anything from Big C Ubon Ratchathani, you can bring your receipt to enter into a raffle for these adorable dogs! It doesn’t matter how much you buy,” the chain wrote on its Facebook page on March 16 — along with photos of two puppies, a Pomeranian and a Siberian Husky.
The post has since been deleted, as has a second post — published last Wednesday — in which the Big C Ubon Ratchathani store posted a reminder about the raffle, urging customers to enter before the deadline closed.
However, screenshots of the now-deleted announcement posts have been circulating online, and the supermarket’s Facebook page is still receiving scrutiny from netizens far and wide.
“This is a life, not an object you can just give away. What if someone who’s not prepared for the responsibility wins it? How will it eat? Who will take care of it when it gets sick? What if it doesn’t make it? What if it gets abandoned?” writes a commenter on the store’s page.
“If you don’t respond to these criticisms, I will stop buying things from your stores,” writes another.
Unable to stay silent any longer, yesterday, Big C Ubon Ratchathani issued two statements apologizing for their campaign and ensuring netizens that they have put an end to the raffle.
They alleged that the campaign was not planned internally by the supermarket itself, but by a pet store that had rented their space to hold the raffle, and specified that their own supermarket managers were not to blame.
สืบเนื่องจากกิจกรรม ลุ้นรับน้องหมา ที่บิ๊กซีอุบลราชธานี
“We will take this as a lesson for the future and will be more careful about the activities our partner stores organize,” the store wrote.
“Thank you for the feedback from all our customers.”
Nevertheless, netizens still seem skeptical about the official statements.
“You are a huge conglomerate, you have to think before you act. Organizing a campaign, like this, no doubt, requires the opinions and collaboration from many people right? Please be more conscious about your decisions,” one writes.
As of press time, Big C Ubon Ratchathani has not responded to Coconuts Bangkok’s request for comment.
The post “Big C Thailand apologizes for offering real live puppies as prizes” appeared first on Coconuts
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African Fintechs Record 39.3% Rise In Investment, Brings In $1.3 Billion.
Fintech sector in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and others was the most attractive to investors in 2022, receiving almost $1.5 billion in funding during the year, making up 43.4 per cent of all startup investments into the continent.
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The startup investments that came to Africa in 2022, according to Disrupt Africa in its African Tech Startups Funding Report, were $3.3 billion.
The report noted that in all, 205 fintech startups raised funding, with Nigerian fintechs making up almost 40 percent of startups and 46 percent of fintech funding. African unicorn Flutterwave led the pack with a $250 million raise, followed by Moove ($181.8 million) and Yellow Card ($40 million).
Also Read: Nigeria Emerges As Leading Fintech Hub Across Africa And Middle East.
Egyptian fintechs also had a strong year, with key rounds raised by MNT-Halan ($150 million), Paymob ($50 million) and Khazna ($38 million).
The capital raised by the fintech sector in 2022 was a 39.3 per cent increase on the prior year.
Despite fintech’s domination, other sectors also received funding. The next biggest sector for startup funding was e-commerce and retail-tech, which pulled in over $556 million, followed by e-health startups, which raised over $189 million in 2022.
Other sectors also pulling in startup funding were logistics, ed-tech, energy, agri-tech and transport.


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Ford reports 125,000 firm orders for new Bronco as production begins
2021 Ford Bronco takes on Jeep Wrangler
Gary Gastelu on new Ford Bronco
Ford Bronco production is underway at the automaker's Michigan Assembly Plant for the first time in 25 years.
The all-new 2021 Bronco is being manufactured at the same facility that built previous editions from 1965 to 1996.


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Port Washington, NY (PRWEB) June 11, 2015
In the U.S., where the toy industry has been experiencing healthy gains overall, licensed toys grew 7 percent, or two times faster than the rest of the toy market in the 12 months ending April 2015 (May’14-Apr’15), according to global information company The NPD Group. Such a positive story for licensed toys can be told not only in the U.S., but around the globe.
Licensed toys, which during this time represented up to one-third of total toy sales in the top global toy markets tracked by NPD, experienced growth in all of these countries, with the exception of Italy.
“From Hollywood to the world of retail, licensing is an integral part of branding, marketing, and sales on many levels,” said Juli Lennett, senior vice president of the U.S. toys division at The NPD Group. “Licensing fosters a multi-dimensional experience between consumers and the characters they know and love. For kids, such toys bring to life the relationship that’s established on screen.”
Represented in 39 different toy categories and having over 300 different items on store shelves last year, Disney’s Frozen was the big news story for the toy industry in 2014. The toy property captured the top spot overall and was the top gainer among all toy properties for the year based on absolute dollar growth, generating over $500 million in the U.S. There are upcoming releases in 2015 that are likely to keep the licensing momentum going strong, at least through the remainder of the year.
“This year is positioned to be just as robust, if not stronger, particularly with the release of the highly anticipated Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens,” said Lennett. “Although the movie won’t be released until December in the U.S., we are already seeing double-digit growth in classic Star Wars toys.”
Source: The NPD Group, Inc. / Retail Tracking Service, 12 months ending April 2015
*U.S. data is representative of retailers that participate in The NPD Group's Retail Tracking Service. NPD’s current estimate is that the Retail Tracking Service represents approximately 80 percent of the U.S. retail market for Toys.
About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group provides market information and business solutions that drive better decision-making and better results. The world’s leading brands rely on us to help them get the right products in the right places for the right people. Practice areas include apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, consumer electronics, diamonds, e-commerce, entertainment, fashion accessories, food consumption, foodservice, footwear, home, mobile, office supplies, retail, sports, technology, toys, video games, and watches / jewelry. For more information, visit npd.com and npdgroupblog.com. Follow us on Twitter: @npdgroup and @npdtoys.


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We small-business owners sometimes just don’t know what we don’t know about new topics we need to master, like social media. Last week, I wrote about a company, Expert Laser, that found a creative approach to engaging with potential customers. I also recently had the opportunity to talk to two people who have earned much street cred in social media — one who expanded his family’s small business exponentially through his use of social media and the other a savvy journalist and observer of this space.
Gary Vaynerchuk’s business is selling wine, but he is a rock star in the social media universe. While in high school, Mr. Vaynerchuk got his start working in his dad’s liquor store in New Jersey. He eventually helped his dad rebrand the shop into Wine Library, mostly through a series of events and social media. Starting with a Flipcam and a New York Jets bucket, he began Wine Library TV, which garners more than 100,000 viewers a day. Oh, and along the way, the store’s sales grew from $4 million to $50 million plus.
Paul Carr, is a British writer who lives in San Francisco and is a columnist for TechCrunch, the technology blog. He’s known for his sense of humor and his tossing of verbal grenades. Last August, his announcement that he was shuttering his Twitter account produced a deluge of 140-character tweets. Nonetheless, he and Mr. Vaynerchuk share a very similar take on social media: if done right, it is great for business (but not a lot of businesses are doing it right).
Here’s an example of doing it right. In 2006, Mr. Vaynerchuk began building his social media following by going to wine blogs and commenting on the comments left by others. In late 2007, he started using Twitter heavily and did a lot of listening. “Listening is the point,” he said. “That’s why I took off. I answered people’s questions, created context, etc. Then they would click on my profile and would see who I was and what I did, and that’s how I built it, slow and steady.”
Until recently, Mr. Vaynerchuk’s typical day would begin with a morning staff meeting, followed by taping of his show at 11 a.m. and then another five to seven hours spent answering e-mail and engaging people on Twitter and Facebook. When he got home, he would spend an hour with his wife and then get back online again, for another five hours or so. I couldn’t help but ask how his significant other felt about that. “She’s very special,” he said. “She understands who I was before we got married.” He added that they had welcomed a baby several months ago and, yes, his life has changed greatly since then.
While Mr. Carr has found his sabbatical from social media liberating, he still feels strongly about its upside. “If you are in business and not using social media,” he said, “you are probably doing something wrong. It’s a hugely useful marketing tool.” He finds that many companies, large and small, are doing a poor job of engaging people. “It’s annoying when companies act like it’s a press channel and send out link after link of press releases on Twitter,” he said. “If you are going to use social media, you need to do it properly. I don’t like it when a company tweets as a brand and not as a person. When I get a tweet from a bank or hotel or a brand, I don’t want to hear from this faceless entity. Who wants to follow bricks and mortar? You want to follow a person.”
Mr. Carr says he believes a small company should be just as responsive as a big company and a big company should be just as personal as a small one. “Zappos is very good on Twitter, U.P.S. is surprisingly good, as is Comcast,” he said. (Here’s a list of companies that use Twitter well.) “The secret for these companies is to have identifiable people whose job it is to tweet, so you get the sense that you are talking to a guy who really cares. I want an individual, like Joe the concierge at a hotel, responding to me.”


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How can technology improve transparency within the fashion industry and help consumers make more informed & ethical shopping decisions?
Deviating from the category norms of aesthetics, comfort, quality and prestige, the fashion industry is set for a shake-up with new technologies that promise to empower consumers with an unprecedented level of information transparency and new & simpler ways to compare non-traditional features & benefits across brands and retailers.
Cambridge-based startup DoneGood, recently launched a browser extension and app, designed to spark conscientious consumerism. Using a wealth of insider data, DoneGood informs the user of the product or brand’s sustainable and ethical business practices by measuring it against a range of criteria, from vegan to locally sourced.
Once installed, users can search as per normal for products via Google and Amazon, and DoneGood's extension will send an alert within the browser, with the best and most ethical options. So, if you’re looking for a pair of animal cruelty free shoes and don’t want to be dragged through hours of searching it seems like this extension will get the job done.
Fashion label Babyghost recently partnered with VeChain (a blockchain based technology) for it's 2017 spring/summer collection. A VeChain chip was embedded into 20 pieces of clothing, which when scanned via the app, gave attendees an interactive memory experience by showing the individual journey of a piece of clothing, from how it was made to who modeled it in NYC.
By using technology to shed light on the full lifecycle of the fashion industry, these new platforms and experiences are helping to bring a new consideration set into the mix for shoppers and consumers. So can these technologies change the current trend of fast fashion by redefining our perspective on value & quality and reshaping how we interact with fashion brands all together?


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Microsoft Office app doesn’t offer native iPad support
Microsoft has finally released an official Microsoft Office Mobile application for the iPhone, but it is only available to Office 365 subscribers and is not optimised for the iPad.
Office Mobile comes preloaded on Windows Phone, but this new app marks the first time it has been made available on the rival iOS platform.
The application allows users to read and edit files in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, with formatting retained from the PC and Mac versions, unlike other office programmes which do not support the same range of features.
Microsoft Office iPhone
Documents can be accessed through the cloud via SkyDrive, SkyDrive Pro and email attachments, while the Resume Reading feature takes you to the exact point in the document where you left off on the computer.
The application is optimised for the small screen and can be downloaded into an iPhone 4 or later running at least iOS 6.1. However it is not a universal application and iPad users are recommended to use Office Web Apps, a surprising development given that a version for Apple’s tablet has long been rumoured.
Microsoft has a number of other iOS applications, including SkyDrive and OneNote, and hopes that this latest service will encourage consumers to take out an Office 365 subscription. It said the release was an example of its commitment to delivering regular updates to the service, such as the recent addition of Skype integration.
Is Microsoft Office your friend? Find out with our quiz!


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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (N.C.C. News) — Baby formula is getting harder to find across the United States. The nationwide baby formula shortage left 40% of the top-selling baby formula products out of stock, according to Datasembly, leaving families without one of the essential products for new parents.
CNY Diaper Bank, an organization that provides CNY families with access to supplies like diapers, baby formula, and other needs for babies and toddlers, is also affected by the shortage. Founder Michela Hugo said this is something she did not see coming.
“It’s a crisis that is very difficult for a lot of us to imagine, and it is a choice no one should have to make,” said Hugo.
Once an emergency resource for families in need, CNY Diaper Bank no longer can provide formula without supply.
“It just impacts families in poverty that much more, and it is that much more difficult for them, and we’re in a tough position right now because we’re experiencing the shortage as well…so we don’t have shelves full of formula to distribute,” Hugo said.
Instead, CNY Diaper Bank is stepping up their diaper supply which is not affected by any shortages, to help families in any way they can.
“When families receive diapers, they tell us they’re able to buy more food. They’re able to pay a bill. They’re able to pay for transportation costs, so we know it impacts financially for families,” Hugo said.
President Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to speed up baby formula production and authorized flights to import supplies from overseas. Which, Hugo said, is a sign of hope that will bring the formula to her partners for her to distribute to families who need it.


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Parts of South African chemical company Sasol’s $8 billion ethane cracker will open a year later than planned, according to company officials.
Sasol CEO David Constable told Bloomberg Business Monday that some of the units will open in 2019 because low oil prices are causing a profit drop. The company is reviewing the costs and timing of the facility, but Constable told the news service that he doesn’t foresee any more delays on the project unless more cash needs to be saved.
Sasol is building six manufacturing plants near its existing plant in Westlake, near Lake Charles. The units that face delays will eventually convert ethane into plastics and other products.
The facility anticipates producing about 1.5 million tons of ethylene per year used in making products such as synthetic fibers, detergents, fragrances, paints, film and packaging.
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While much of the news about the cannabis industry seems mixed-to-grim, we at CanopyBoulder are hearing more stories of success than failure. Many of our portfolio companies are thriving amidst the global pandemic. Below we are highlighting the story of Royal Supply, a packaging supply and solutions company serving the cannabis industry that is setting new sales and growth records. Royal Supply graduated from the recent Winter 2020 CanopyBoulder Accelerator cohort.
A few weeks ago, we held our annual Jumpstart Conference where we brought together industry professionals from different verticals to talk about issues related to starting-up and operating in the space.
Topics: Company Info, Entrepreneurship, canopy alumni, accelerator, startup, cannabis tech, Cannabis consumption, Consumption Technology, startups, vaporizer, Vapor Tap, Bello, Designed Technology, hardware
Listen to our interview with Best in Grow founders, Jake Levin and Andrew Duffy. And, if you’re not so into listening, we’ve outlined it for you so you can get the main points without a long attention span.
When cannabis was legalized in Colorado and Washington in the 2012 election, it was hard to imagine the industry that would develop in the six short years since. Where there once were vague signs for hard to find dispensaries that made you feel like you were still up to no good now stand state of the art, modern and sophisticated retail fronts. But when legalization finally came down, it was hard to imagine all of that. The year between the passing of amendment 64 and the first adult-use sales in January 2014 was a weird year. With so much anticipation and press coverage, legalization proponents were a little worried about how all the hype would roll out. Would people understand and respect the laws? Would tourists understand how to consume cannabis responsibly? Would this be a failed experiment?


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Yahoo is rolling out faster, better-designed and sleeker email services, all bearing the backing of Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, who joined the company July 16 after helping to make email one of the biggest successes with her former employer, Google.
The new Yahoo Mail services were announced Dec. 11 in a post by Mayer on the Yahoo corporate blog, touting their redesigned interfaces and more intuitive features for mobile and desktop computing platforms from Android to Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch to Windows 8.
“Email is the ultimate daily habit,” wrote Mayer in the post. “It’s often the first thing we check in the morning and the last thing before going to bed. Why? Because it’s one of the simplest and most basic forms of communication. And since it’s such an important part of our daily lives, we’re making a few improvements to Yahoo Mail.”
The changes come in response to user requests and because Yahoo had to keep up in a changing email world where companies like her former employer, Google, continue to make their free email offerings even better for their users.
In October, Google’s Gmail service added capabilities for its users to compose multiple emails to different people at the same time, which wasn’t possible in the past using Gmail. That limitation was one of the most frustrating things about using Gmail in the past.
Microsoft has also been busy updating its free email services to take on competitors. In August, Microsoft announced a refresh of its 16-year-old Hotmail services with a new name, Outlook.com, and a streamlined interface, key improvements and the integration of social media connections.
Yahoo’s Mail services aren’t staying on the sidelines, according to Mayer’s post.
“You’ve told us loud and clear that you want fewer distractions when it comes to email,” wrote Mayer. “You want to quickly log in, communicate, and get on with your day. And we’ve listened. Starting today, the new Yahoo Mail is fast, easy and available anywhere you go. These improvements will be available on all major platforms: Web, Windows 8, iPhone/iPod Touch and Android.”
The revised mobile iPhone and Android Yahoo Mail apps are available immediately, but desktop users will see the new features roll out over the next few days, wrote Mayer.
“We’ve redesigned the new version of Yahoo Mail with speed in mind—getting through your emails is faster than ever before,” she wrote. “We’ve also made your inbox more intuitive and easier to navigate, allowing you to focus on what matters most: your messages. And, because mobile is everything these days, Yahoo Mail now has a consistent look and feel across devices.”
Mayer came to Yahoo in July after the company went through an embarrassing and distracting string of three CEOs who had led the company since January. Yahoo was one of the pioneering online businesses back in the mid-1990s, when it became one of the most popular Websites and search engines on the then-nascent Internet. In recent years, Yahoo has often languished and fallen behind many more nimble, innovative Internet companies, but it’s again trying to push forward with Mayer at the helm.
Mayer was one of Google’s first 20 hires in June 1999 and was the company’s first female developer. She went on to lead group efforts with Google’s Gmail and search products for more than 10 years.


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Backed by the theme “Intelligence Driven Marketing” the 2018 Dealership Minds Summit in Iowa City, July 24-25, welcomes three of the best minds in the business, Doug Vahrenberg, Owner of Vahrenberg Implement, Ben Garton, Chief Marketing Officer of Garton Tractor, and Lee Parish, Owner of Parish Tractor.
An Interview with Doug Vahrenberg
In a video interview posted to the Dealership Minds Summit website, Vahrenberg discusses his presentation with fellow 2018 Summit presenter and host of the popular Ask Tractor Mike Youtube channel, Mike Wiles.
This intelligence driven session is packed full of thought-provoking discussions set to explore how to extend marketing dollars to make an impact on the market, the best practices for managing Google Adwords to attract the right web traffic and how to use social channels to build digital support.
Vahrenberg is a third generation single-store dealer-principal who had to buy in with a creative approach to marketing. He encourages his team to “work outside the box” to come up with new, more efficient ways to develop marketing strategies that don’t break the bank. Spending as little as $50 a month, Vahrenberg has been able to land jaw-dropping results and is reaching new customers via social media that would not otherwise know of the AGCO dealership.
Heading up the marketing efforts for a 9-store Kubota and New Holland dealership, Ben Garton puts a high priority on Google Adwords, particularly on managing the negative words (the unrelated Google searches that can lead people to the company’s site). This tactic has helped Garton Tractor ensure that its web visitors are strong leads of ready-to-purchase customers and thus can’t be easily shrugged off by salesmen. Spending as little as $150 a month on simple tools like Google Adwords and Facebook ads, he has helped Garton Tractors top over $100 million revenues per year.
Parish started his career with Kubota Tractor Corp. in Georgia as a regional dealer representative. When he heard one of the dealerships was selling its business, he purchased the business in 2012 and renaming it Parish Tractor. The business quickly grew and became recognized by Kubota as an elite dealership performing in the top 5% of Kubota dealerships in North America.
“Some dealerships set up a Facebook page and then just hope people find them,” he says. “But, it’s a two-step process. After they like your post, you need to get them to like your page.” Once a prospect has liked you page, Parish says you can then start actively targeting them.
Together, these three experts will offer invaluable knowledge that dealers in farm equipment need to increase customer traffic, make an impact on the market, and develop digital support, all on a budget.
To learn more about this session and see the full lineup of speakers, visit DealershipMindsSummit.com.
Limited seats are available and reservations are now open. A discounted registration rate of $499 is available through 6-18-18, offering a $40 discount off the full rate of $539. Registration can be made online or by calling (262) 432-0388 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.
Sponsors of the 2018 Summit include A&I Products, Ag Direct, BigIron Auctions, CLAAS, Fastline Media Group, HBS Systems, Iron Solutions, Machinery Scope, Montag Manufacturing, Team SI, Western Equipment Dealers Association (WEDA), Yanmar, Topcon Agriculture and Yetter Mfg.
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Because we know it’s easier said than doneMay 28, 2015 9:53
The government-owned property developer’s employees are allegedly latest in list of executives investigated for bribery.
August 26, 2008 5:42 by kippreport
Sama Dubai develops the “Salam” chain of luxury residential resorts, and is currently working on two projects in Bahrain and Oman.
The Salam Yiti in Oman is located between the Al Hajjar mountain range and the Oman beachfront, and will include luxury hotels operated by Jumeirah and Raffles, a golf course which is being designed by architect Robert Trent Jones Junior, and wellness centers. The construction started this year, and the entire project is expected to be completed in 2013. Sama Dubai recently announced that the $2bn project would generate more than 2,000 jobs in Oman.
Salam Bahrain, which is estimated to cost $1bn, is set for final completion in 2011 and includes a five-star resort hotel, hotel and luxury villas, a spa, a conference center and water canals.
8 benefits of social media marketing
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Goal: Marka scores Icons
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The company has doubled its daily orders to 40,000-45,000 from a low of about 20,000 in 2017 and has been beefing up its ranks as well after several high profile exits last year, according to people aware of the developments.
SoftBank-backed Paytm Mall clocks 50,000-55,000 daily orders, including online-to-offline hyper-local deliveries, and ShopClues, about 70,000, as per analysts tracking the space. ET could not independently verify the order volume numbers.
The growth in orders comes as Snapdeal changed its strategy to focus on selling high-frequency, low-price products to price-sensitive customers, instead of on gross merchandise volume (GMV), a proxy for gross sales, these people said.
“A strategy not based on GMV but on building a credible business model that can be profitable and have a loyal customer base… means Snapdeal has a good chance of being viewed as an investable property once again,” said Anup Jain, managing partner at Redback Advisory.
Over the past six months, Snapdeal has made several top management appointments, including CFO Vikas Bhasin, who was formerly with Pine Labs and MakeMyTrip; head of engineering Rajesh Rudraradhya, who previously was with Google and Hike Messenger; and general counsel Smriti Subramanian, who was formerly with OYO Rooms.
Several former employees, too, are returning to the company. Topping that list is Prashant Parashar, who is back at Snapdeal after a 16-month stint as CTO of Zomato. Parashar, who previously donned the hat of AVP for engineering at Snapdeal from 2014 to 2016, will now head architecture and key initiatives in the technology team. He will be joined by nearly 20 others across the technology, marketing, business operations, and user growth teams at the AVP, director, manager and engineer levels, according to company executives familiar with the senior recruitments. Snapdeal did not respond to queries sent by ET.
The company’s recovery process still faces several challenges. For one, while order volumes have increased, average order value has halved to Rs 1,000-1,200 from Rs 2,000-2,500 earlier. Average order value for ShopClues is about Rs 800 and for Paytm Mall, about Rs 2,600, as per analysts tracking the space.
Snapdeal targets being profitable and having positive cash-flow by the end of 2018, said one of the persons mentioned above. To that end, the marketplace has reduced its assortment of products across low-margin categories such as smartphones and is instead focused on consumables such as general merchandise, apparel, budget phones, refurbished phones and small appliances, this person said.
Adopting a focused, lean strategy along with a steady reduction in operational costs has helped Snapdeal lower its monthly cash burn to about $1million from $8-10 million in 2016 and early 2017, according to a person mentioned above. The company still has cash reserves of more than Rs 700 crore, this person said.
Kalaari Capital, one of the earliest investors in Snapdeal, has sold its entire stake of about 8% in the company to the company’s promoters for about Rs 40 crore, according to a person aware of the development. ET reported on March 15 that Kalaari Capital was in talks to sell its stake in Snapdeal to the company's promoters for Rs 40-50 crore.
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- PM Calls for Aligned Vision of Developed India by ’47
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday underlined the need for evolving a common vision between the Centre and states to achieve the goal of a developed India by 2047 and asked states to take financially prudent decisions so as not to burden future generations.Women Applicants for Foreign Edu Go from Trickle to Tide
Indian women are going places – queueing up in droves to pursue higher education in foreign destinations such the US, UK and other parts of Europe, not just in the metros but in smaller towns as well.India Tops China Alternatives List
India is the top destination being explored by multinational corporations as an alternative to China, according to a survey of 100 CEOs who primarily represent foreign B2B-focused firms.
ETPrime stories of the day


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Hengeler Mueller advises EBA Clearing on MyBank solution
18. April 2013
EBA CLEARING announced the launch of its pan-European e-authorisation solution “MyBank” for online payments.
MyBank is an electronic authorisation solution that makes it easier and safer to sell and buy goods and services over the Internet all across Europe. MyBank enables customers to pay for their online shopping via the online banking of their payment service provider. The solution is open to all authorised payment service providers in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) including, without limitation, credit institutions and payment institutions. MyBank supports the initiation of e-payments via the SEPA instruments. The solution is expandable and may at a later stage also be used for transactions in other currencies or for e-identity services.
Ten banking groups, representing a total of 28 individual participating institutions, are part of the first participant group. They will now start to roll out the solution to their retail customers and e-merchants across Europe.
EBA CLEARING, which has developed MyBank and manages the solution, is a provider of pan-European payment infrastructure solutions owned by 64 of the major banks operating in Europe.
Hengeler Mueller has been acting as lead counsel to EBA CLEARING in relation to the MyBank project. The Hengeler Mueller team included partner Stefan Krauss and associate Andreas Lischka (both Banking, Frankfurt).


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With the stroke of a pen, the states of Kentucky and Tennessee just hit the jackpot with the latest announcement from Ford on Monday, September 27 that they are choosing these two Southern states for their new electric vehicle (EV) plant locations.
The announcement by Ford and their CEO was published on their corporate website this week.
Jim Farley, Ford's President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), proudly spoke of this move by the company this week: "We are moving now to deliver breakthrough electric vehicles for the many rather than the few," said Farley, "This is our moment—our biggest investment ever—to build a better future for Americans."
Ford announced on Monday their plan to bring electric zero-emission vehicles at scale to American customers with the largest, most advanced auto production complex they have ever proposed and developed.
Deemed "Blue Oval City" by Ford executives, one of the four complexes will be constructed on a nearly 6-square-mile site in west Tennessee and build next-generation electric F-Series pickups and advanced batteries.
This decision by Ford will create 11,000 high quality, full-time jobs for Americans in the South.
These new Ford factories are creating jobs in a much needed time. Employees in Kentucky and Tennessee will be equipped to produce EV batteries for the next generation of Ford (and Lincoln) electric vehicles. Combined, they mark the biggest manufacturing investment that Ford has ever made, and these new facilities rank among the largest factory outlays on Earth.
Not only will these new factories create new jobs, but the vast majority will be full-time, quality jobs; almost all of which will be paying livable hourly or salary wages for the region.
Three battery plants and a truck factory will add 11,000 new jobs to the states through Ford's business partnership with SK Innovation, with their combined investment totaling over $11.4 Billion US Dollars; which is the largest in the history of the 118-year-old auto company.


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Female IRONMAN athletes powered by Mercedes-Benz.
Good news for endurance sports: in 2016 female triathletes are sponsored as well. Among them Anja Beranek, twice winner of the IRONMAN in 2015, who from now on is attending training sessions and competitions in a compact Marco Polo camper van as a new brand ambassador. “The Marco Polo is a source of energy for me when training and in competitions. My drinks and snacks stay fresh in the refrigerator, I can make a nice, hot cup of coffee on the gas stove, and the comfortable roof bed even allows me to have a power nap when I want”, says Beranek about her new companion. Besides Anja Beranek, the two top-class triathletes Åsa Lundström and Kaisa Lehtonen are now likewise representing the Mercedes-Benz brand.


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It’s one thing finding a hair or a fly in your food – but have you ever found hardware? That’s what happened to a New York woman who claims she found a “doorknob” in her nachos from Taco Bell.
Eve Saint innocently went to Taco Bell to get her nacho fix when she discovered the pump to their nacho cheese sauce contraption covered in nacho fixings. She took to Facebook with the complaint.
Taco Bell protectors and fans everywhere took to the comments section of the post claiming that the photo was undoubtedly fake, to which Saint could only respond that she wishes it was.
Saint confirmed to the Hudson Valley Post that she eventually received an apology for the mix-up, which is when she discovered that the foreign object was not a doorknob, but in fact the handle to their nacho cheese dispenser.
The woman was offered discounts and free nachos for the inconvenience, while Taco Bell released a statement about how seriously they take the concerns surrounding the mishap.
“We take this very seriously. The franchisee that owns and operates this location is looking into this matter and strives to make things right with the customer," Taco Bell Corp said in a statement.


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China says blocked US sites will be open to Web users during the Olympics, should Beijing be chosen as the venue for the games. But, it says, who in China wants to use them, anyway?
Technically Incorrect: You always thought Segways were dangerous, didn't you? The gold medal sprinter thinks they're deadly.
The Facebook founder and CEO speaks for 30 minutes in Mandarin at a question and answer session and talks about his company's plans to engage its largest untapped market.
A $20 million investment in SpotHero is just the latest sign of venture capitalists' increasing interest in changing the way the world parks.
As demand for Uber grows in Beijing, the company has launched a new "People's Uber" ride-sharing service at rates below its own UberX.
Anouk Wipprecht, a maven of fashion that incorporates tech, has designed a series of dresses based on the technology and design of the new Audi A4.
Jing Zeng, formerly of Machine Zone, was detained by FBI agents as he was boarding a plane to China last week.
Another report surfaces of an Uber driver attacking a passenger -- calling into question the safety of the ride-hailing service in one of its fastest growing markets.
American tech firms are caught in the cross-fire between China and the US over cyberespionage. International politics specialist Shen Yi says this storm isn't likely to blow over soon.
Despite early stumbling blocks for its launch in China, Tesla is on the rebound as it rolls out solar-powered supercharger stations across the country, including one in Beijing and two in Shanghai.


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As Amazon reported a 35% jump in revenue, it dodged key questions about Kindle Fire and AWS cloud services--namely, whether AWS is helping Amazon's bottom line or still working toward a breakeven point.
Amazon.com posted its fourth-quarter earnings report Tuesday, marking the second consecutive quarter with mixed results. Its stock price was promptly pummeled in afterhours trading, dropping 8% to $177-178 a share.
The main culprit was Amazon's expenses, which have been going up, and its cash flow, which has been going down as it rapidly expands data centers, fulfillment centers, and head count and invests in expanding its Kindle tablet business.
Nevertheless, its 2011 year-end results offer a full display of its multi-pronged approach to expanding its business. CEO Jeff Bezos did not participate on the call, but he did issue a statement saying results were gratifying for Amazon's mobile table device, the Kindle Fire.
[ One of Amazon's biggest challenges in 2011 was recovering from its Easter weekend service freeze in its major East Coast data center. To see how some customers avoided the fallout, see How Netflix, Zynga Beat Amazon Cloud Failure. ]
Listeners to Tuesday's earnings call were frustrated by CFO Tom Szkutak's refusal to get into any details of Kindle sales. The Kindle Fire, Amazon's Android tablet with a 7-inch color screen, went on sale in mid-November. VentureBeat's mobile technology site estimates Amazon may have sold as many as six million Fires along with its older 6-inch e-readers over the holidays. That would show it besting better-established Android tablets from Samsung and Motorola and make it second only to the Apple iPad.
Amazon's revenues grew at a healthy 35% pace for the year to $17.43 billion, but that was off some Wall Street estimates of $18.21 billion. Is Amazon subsidizing the launch of the $199 Kindle Fire? Analysts wanted to know whether it breaks even, makes money, or loses money on a sale; they left the call not knowing. The only figure CFO Tom Szkutak would release was a 177% increase, or tripling, in Kindle sales during the holiday shopping season over the previous year.
Bezos zeroed in on that development as if Amazon's future lies in part in generating digital content sales through the Kindle sales channel. "We are grateful to the millions of customers who purchased the Kindle Fire and Kindle e-reader devices," he said in a statement.
We welcome your comments on this topic on our social media channels, or [contact us directly] with questions about the site.


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September 18, 2019
This weekend is your last chance to enjoy New York City's famous annual street food showdown. The competition between New York City's finest street vendors, known as the Vendy Awards, is ending on Saturday, Sept. 21 after 15 years. The last event ever will be held on Governors Island, providing one last chance to enjoy one of the city's most anticipated food events. Organized by the Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center, the contest began with only four vendors in 2005. It has since expanded to feature vendors from across the city, serving nearly two thousand food-loving attendees annually and providing a career boost for vendors. The highlight of the event will be the 15 nominees who will compete for the top award, the Vendy Cup.
Check out the finalists, this way


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India Bike Week, the nation’s largest congregation of motorcycle enthusiasts, is poised to commemorate its milestone 10th edition on the 8th and 9th of December in the vibrant setting of Goa. Presented in collaboration with Gulf Syntrac, India Bike Week 2023 is gearing up for an unforgettable celebration of a decade’s legacy, promising an unprecedented experience at Vagator, Goa.
Marking its tenth year, India Bike Week aims to cater to diverse motorcycling passions, offering thrilling racetracks and races tailored for an array of enthusiasts. From avid motocross aficionados to adventurous ADV riders, there’s a track tailored for every bike and rider. Beyond the adrenaline of the tracks, the event will feature an array of attractions, including Big Trip sessions, a dedicated music section, exclusive shopping experiences, exhilarating ride-outs, and meticulously curated adventures throughout Goa.
Dubbed the ‘Great Migration,’ the journey kicks off with riders converging in Goa, paving the way for a series of heart-racing events designed to captivate the daring spirit of motorcycle enthusiasts.
Martin da Costa, CEO & Founder of Seventy EMG, expressed his excitement, stating, “Partnering with Gulf Oil for the tenth-year anniversary of IBW in Goa is a delight. Over the past decade, India Bike Week has played a pivotal role in fostering the burgeoning motorcycling culture in the country. This tenth edition promises to be the most extraordinary yet, featuring an extensive lineup of events, including Chai-pakoda rides, ride-outs, a music festival, food trails, and more.”
Amit Gheji, Head of Marketing at Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd, shared his enthusiasm, affirming, “We are thrilled to be a part of India Bike Week, the country’s premier motorcycling festival. This event embodies the vibrant essence of India’s motorcycle culture, and we take pride in being associated with it. As our two-wheeler lubricant segment continues to flourish, India Bike Week provides an unparalleled platform to showcase our innovative product solutions and directly engage with the passionate motorcycling community. This engagement significantly contributes to our mission of enriching the overall riding experience for motorcycle owners.”
The prelude to this grand event commenced with the announcement of 20 Chai Pakoda rides across India in collaboration with Gulf Syntrac. These rides, held on Sunday mornings across 20 cities nationwide, served as a platform for riders to connect, ride together, and revel in the camaraderie of the biking community. Participants not only embarked on invigorating breakfast rides but also engaged in entertaining moto-games with the chance to win exciting prizes.
India Bike Week 2023 anticipates setting new benchmarks, uniting motorcycle enthusiasts and promising an exhilarating extravaganza that celebrates the very essence of the riding spirit.


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Can Starbucks Find Room to Grow?
Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) is scheduled to announce its first quarter earnings after the market closes on Thursday, and analysts are expecting the company to report strong results thanks to an eventful six months. In the second half of 2012, Starbucks introduced its Verismo single-cup brewing system, acquired Atlanta-based Teavana for $620 million, and saw its stock price rise more than 10 percent. With these new advantages, the coffee company is planning to make aggressive expansion its mission this year.
Forbes estimated that the company will add 1,300 new stores in 2013, a significant increase compared to the 1,057 locations the company added in the previous 12 months. India and China will be at the forefront of the growth, with approximately 600 new store estimated to open in the China/Asia Pacific region.
Starbucks’ efforts to capture market share in India began on October 19, when the Seattle-based coffee retailer opened its first cafe in the country with its partner, the Indian conglomerate Tata. Since then, the company has continued its foray into the country, announcing Thursday that it will open two more locations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport…


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A new transport service will begin operating in Port Stephens from Thursday when ride-sharing company Go Buggy launches in the area.
Go Buggy will be the first ride-sharing service to operate in Port Stephens, with rival company and giant in the industry, Uber, only offering drop off and not pick up services outside of Newcastle.
“There has been a huge demand from drivers and passengers in Port Stephens and Hunter Valley,” Simon Robinson, founder and director of Go Buggy, said.
“Go Buggy is a regional transport provider, we largely operate in regional towns around Australia. We help supplement the demands in those areas.”
The ride-sharing concept, where a passenger travels in a private vehicle driven by its owner for a fee, typically arranged through a website or app, has surged in the past six to eight years with advances in technology helping companies connect with customers in new ways.
The launch of ride-sharing in Port Stephens will expand the public’s transport options, which has in the past been limited to taxis and buses.
Nick Abrahim, deputy chief executive officer at the NSW Taxi Council, said Port Stephens Taxis has a strong record in the area and believed it would continue to provide a high standard of service once Go Buggy was launched.
“Port Stephens Taxis has a very good business operation,” Mr Abrahim said. “They provide a great service for the area.
“The NSW Taxi Council and the NSW taxi industry welcomes the competition from ride-sharing companies entering the market.
“We don’t have an issue with the competition, but we do think government reforms has made it too easy for operators to establish these companies.
“We strive to provide a top level of service and following stringent regulations, which ride-sharing companies are not bound by.
“We want customers to be the winners but we always
want to make sure they are receiving the best in standards and services.”
Mr Robinson, who had been a driver for Uber in Sydney, and his business partner Cath Savy founded Go Buggy about 18 months ago.
Building on the Uber model for ride-sharing, Mr Robinson established Go Buggy to cover regional towns and cities in Australia, and included other services passengers were asking for such as the ability to pay drivers in cash.
Uber only allow passengers to pay using a debit or credit card linked to their online account.
“I thought this [ride-sharing service] is something that could be easily replicated in other areas that Uber doesn't operate,” Mr Robinson said.
“And we could provide the services Uber don't offer like riders picking the type of vehicle, being able to book ahead, selecting your driver and having a call centre so you can talk to somebody.
“We implemented all these things passengers wanted and launched them into regional areas.”
Go Buggy started in Coffs Harbour and expanded to Port Macquarie, Wagga Wagga, Albury/Wodonga.
Port Stephens is part of the next expansion alongside the Hunter Valley, Newcastle and Central Coast.
Mr Robinson said Go Buggy had five drivers on board and were ready to begin driving in Port Stephens on Thursday.
“There's a great deal of excitement in the area,” he said.
“We have had a number of Uber drivers come on board because they want to drive in Port Stephens.
“Previously, they had to go into Newcastle to drive.”
To book a ride Port passengers can use the Go Buggy app, visit gobuggy.com.au or phone the Australia-based call centre on 1300 GO BUGGY (1300 462 844).


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Cigar City Brewing has launched a new website to make merchandise sold at its facility more accessible to online shoppers.
The Tampa brewery partnered with Bay area digital marketing agency Sparxoo to create the new website, which also features a tool to locate stores selling Cigar City beer, an updated tap list and a release calendar, among other new features.
The retail area selling items such as T-shirts, hats, koozies and beer soaps is “much more robust,” said Cigar City Owner Joey Redner.
Certain aspects of the previous website have carried over, such as a section detailing the history of brewing in Tampa Bay.
Cigar City’s managers are getting ready for the 2014 Hunahpu’s Day Release Party, which has changed formats from a free to a ticketed event to minimize disruption to neighboring businesses.
Since the party debuted in 2010, attendance has surged from a couple hundred people to more than 9,000 in 2013. Attendees of last year’s event created a line that extended beyond Cigar City’s property and past a Home Depot around the corner.
This year, Cigar City sold about 3,500 tickets for $50 each.
The event is sold out, Redner said.
The release party attracts a large audience due to word of mouth, and because of the high marks the featured beers receive from rating guides and other publications.
It is “a style of beer that beer aficionados savor,” he said.


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Iberia announced Thursday that they will be introducing a new premium economy product on their Airbus A330-300, A340-600, and yet-to-be-delivered A350 aircraft beginning in summer 2017. The airline has said the first routes with the new product will be Madrid to Bogota, Chicago, Lima, and Buenos Aires.
The new product will be in a 2-3-2 configuration.
According to Iberia, the new seats will have 37 in. of pitch, almost 19 in. of width and more than 7 in. of recline. They will also feature a 12 in. personal television and adjustable headrests and footrests. Premium economy will come standard with noise-cancelling headphones, a blanket, a pillow, and an amenity kit.
Iberia is owned by IAG, also the parent company of British Airways, which already has a premium economy product. Iberia also has a transatlantic joint venture with American Airlines, who announced their premium economy product earlier this year and recently debuted it out on the 787-9.
According to One Mile At A Time, the seats won’t be eating into the current economy cabin, but will be taking a chunk out of business class. The airline will take out seven business class seats on the A330-300 and will replace them with 21 premium economy seats. On the A340-600, 23 premium economy seats will replace 10 business class seats. The configuration for their A350s has not yet been announced.
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Indians love to be tugged at their heartstrings. Or so they say.
And the latest television commercial launched by tech giant Samsung has left a lump in the throat of many.
Through this video, Samsung — which has been under fire of late because of mishaps surrounding its Galaxy Note7 smartphone — stresses on the need to build long-lasting relationships with the consumer.
And it conveys the message beautifully by showcasing a young engineer who beats all odds to reach a house in rural India. What greets him is wide-eyed wonder. No pun intended.


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If there's one thing everyone can count on succeeding, it's alcohol sales. Actually, that was true until 2015. For the first time ever, alcohol sales dropped.
According to a report by CNN Money, worldwide alcohol sales in 2015 fell for the first time since Euromonitor International started reporting on the subject back in 2001. The actual number of years since a drop in alcohol sales is not likely much longer, possibly going back all the way to the Asian financial crisis of the 90's. And the reason for the recent drop in sales? People simply aren't drinking as much, especially in the developing world.
China saw its consumption drop by 3.5%, Brazil by 2.5%, and Eastern Europe by 4.9% according to CNN's numbers. A variety of unique factors, mainly economic, contributed to each of these slumps, which just happened to occur all at the same time. The alcohols that saw the most love lost were rum and vodka. Interestingly, English gin, Irish whiskey, and Japanese whiskey actually saw increased popularity during this global consumption drop, which is attributed to interest growing among millennials.


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Longs you do know that GLW expects HUGE 4qtr LOSS, right? Like to the tune of 20-25 cents a share.
Here is some info from GLWs 3qtr CC in October. Read and prepare for a real bad 4qtr ernings release:
"As we announced two weeks ago, deteriorating global economic conditions have affected all of our businesses," said CEO John Loose in the report.
Corning also said fourth-quarter earnings would be hurt by idled manufacturing operations that will begin next week and continue through the remainder of the year. It now expects fourth-quarter sales in the range of $1 billion and a pro forma loss between 20 cents and 25 cents per share.
Early this month, warned about its financial results, said it will cut 4,000 more jobs, take a $1 billion charge, and will mostly stop making optical fiber until next year.
At the time, the company cited "the deterioration of global economic conditions, especially over the past few weeks [and] another drop in demand for optical fiber and cable as telecommunications carriers continue to curtail capital spending around the world."
The company also said it did not expect any significant market recovery until late 2002 or 2003.


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Exports of Irish food, drink and horticulture to the UK were held to a marginal 5% decline in 2020, despite a period of unprecedented change and challenge.
The figures, taken from the annual Bord Bia Export Performance and Prospects report 2020/2021, show that exports for 2020 were valued at €4.3 billion (v €4.5 billion in 2019)
The pandemic saw the largest disruption to normal market operation, including continued uncertainty around Brexit and towering pandemic challenges which saw the closure of the UK foodservice market.
Launching Bord Bia’s Export Performance and Prospects 2020/2021 report, Ireland’s Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr. Charlie McConalogue, revealed that the overall volume of Irish exports fell marginally by 2% in 2020, valued at €13 billion (v €13.2 billion in 2019).
The UK remains a primary export market for Ireland. In 2020, 33% of Ireland’s total food and drink exports were destined for the UK. 33% were destined to international markets outside the UK and EU, while 34% were destined to the EU27.
The UK remains the core market for Irish horticulture and cereals exports, and exports to the UK increased 8%, valued at €207 million and accounting for over 90% of global exports which was €221 million, up 8% from 2019. The primary constituents of this export mix are mushrooms, primary cereals and amenity horticulture.
The UK represented 44% of primary Irish beef exports – extensive retail channel demand somewhat counteracted the significant decline in foodservice and held a 1% decline to €836 million. Overall, the value of primary beef exports was held to a 2% decline to €1.9 billion in 2020.
Primary pigmeat exports to the UK increased by a notable 3% to €177 million in 2020. The live export sector experienced growth in 2020, up 11% to the UK and valued at €107 million.
COVID-19 brought significant headwinds for poultry export prices and the sector was impacted by a 14% decline in exports to the UK.
The pandemic and the closure of the UK on-trade has had a significant impact on alcohol exports to the UK, down 12% in 2020, to €199 million.
Although dairy continued its global growth trajectory into 2020, exports to the UK were down 13%, to €831 million. Significant decline in UK foodservice and Brexit contingency planning were contributing factors.
“It is really positive to see that Irish exports to the UK remain strong and resilient during this period of uncertainty,” Donal Denvir, Bord Bia General Manager, Great Britain.
“Bord Bia has been working tirelessly to support food and drink suppliers in Ireland through the impact of the pandemic and Brexit.
“Notwithstanding what the future brings, the UK will remain the largest single destination for Irish food and drink exports as we continue to navigate challenges in 2021 and beyond.
“Our geographical proximity, shared language and shared cultural understanding ensure that the UK will remain a key strategic partner for Irish food and drink exports.”


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Thanksgiving is a time when friends and families gather together to celebrate, often traveling to do so. But what exactly is safe to do this year during the coronavirus pandemic? The CDC released guidelines on how to handle holiday celebrations this year and their rules for turkey day necessitate that people stay vigilant when it comes to stopping the spread of the virus.
The first thing to note is that travel increases the risk for COVID-19. If you can, the CDC recommends staying home this year as the “best way to protect yourself and others.” If you must travel, be sure to read the guidelines on travel risk during COVID before setting out.
The following are the CDC’s categories for mitigating COVID risk during Thanksgiving:
Lower risk activities:
- Having a small dinner with only people who live in your household
- Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others
- Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family
- Shopping online rather than in person on the day after Thanksgiving or the next Monday
- Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home
Moderate risk activities:
- Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community
- Lower your risk by following CDC’s recommendations on hosting gatherings or cook-outs.
- Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
- Attending a small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place
Higher risk activities:
Avoid these higher-risk activities to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19:
- Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving
- Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race
- Attending crowded parades
- Using alcohol or drugs, which can cloud judgment and increase risky behaviors
- Attending large indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household
And while the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be virtual this year, would you consider holding a virtual dinner rather than celebrating in-person? Will COVID-19 stop you from traveling to see relatives? Will you stop Black Friday deals online or head to the stores? Tell us in the comments below!


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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — At the all girls St. Hubert Catholic High School in Northeast Philadelphia, structure is the trend.
But in the clothing and textiles lab, they’re encouraged to think outside the lines.
“My mind isn’t restricted,” said senior Ashley Cruz. “I just think creatively, think freely, it’s the most relaxing time of the day.”
Here, they learn to bring their design dreams to life.
“From the pattern to the final piece, it’s fun to see it come together and you’re able to wear it and enjoy it,” said Emily Belevan, who designed and sewed a floral wrap dress.
After months of hard work, 26 students will roll out their very own designs on the runway at the Union League for the school’s second annual pop-up fashion show.
Lauren Budney designed her own graduation dress, along with a day and night collection.
“We’re the only Archdiocesan school that actually has this class so it’s a really good opportunity to learn how to sew,” Budney said.
The majority have never sewn before this class, says Mary Green, who has been sharing her knowledge here for the past 25 years.
“They’re learning patience, they’re learning trial and error, they’re learning resilience,” said Green, who even made her own wedding and prom gowns.
Lessons in this classroom carry far beyond them and are now woven into the fabric of their futures.
“It’s like a good thing to know and something I’ll be able to use for the rest of my life,” Belevan said.
The pop-up fashion show will kick off at 7:20 p.m. and will be emceed by former Eyewitness News anchor Pat Ciarrocchi.


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Join GamesBeat Summit 2021 this April 28-29. Register for a free or VIP pass today.
App Annie has released a report showing the top games and apps for mobile during Q1 2021.
The report includes data for nine countries, including the U.S. and China, looking at top games based off of downloads, consumer spend, and monthly active users.
In the U.S., Project Makeover had the most downloads. Roblox had the strongest consumer spend, while Among Us enjoyed the most monthly active users. The new Crash Bandicoot: On The Run also enjoyed a strong start, landing at No. 2 on the downloads chart.
“Although mobile gaming has yielded a huge range of original IP, it still presents a sizable opportunity for ‘classic’ franchises,” App Annie head of marketing insights Lexi Sydow told GamesBeat. “Gaming publisher King — behind the popular Candy Crush franchise — only launched Crash Bandicoot: On The Run on March 25, but the game still generated 21 million downloads in just four days, reaching 9.1 million launch day downloads in the top eight markets including the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Italy, Russia, France, Germany, and Spain, including 2.6 million in the U.S. alone. Its solitary week of availability was enough to propel it to the top of the breakout games chart — ranking No. 2 in the United States, No. 1 in Germany, No. 3 in the UK, and No. 9 in France. Crash Bandicoot’s brand recognition and the popularity of the casual gaming category helps position the app for future success, building off a successful launch campaign driven by a soft launch rollout and pre-registration campaign to drum up demand.”
On The Run is part of Activision Blizzard’s efforts to bring more of its top franchises to mobile following the success of Call of Duty Mobile. It’s also working on Diablo: Immortal, which will bring the popular action RPG series to mobile.
GamesBeat’s creed when covering the game industry is “where passion meets business.” What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you — not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it.
How will you do that? Membership includes access to:
- Newsletters, such as DeanBeat
- The wonderful, educational, and fun speakers at our events
- Networking opportunities
- Special members-only interviews, chats, and “open office” events with GamesBeat staff
- Chatting with community members, GamesBeat staff, and other guests in our Discord
- And maybe even a fun prize or two
- Introductions to like-minded parties


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Gwyneth Paltrow creates natural red carpet make-up line
Gwyneth Paltrow was "stunned" when she started to investigate some of the ingredients in make-up.
Gwyneth Paltrow's long-awaited make-up line is based on things she already had in her cosmetics bag.
The 43-year-old actress is Juice Beauty's new creative director and has teamed up with the brand on an organic and vegan line of colours. It has been in the making for a long time and finally became available to buy on Monday (11Jan16), with Gwyneth happy to discuss how she settled on the 78 shades of foundation, eye colour, lipstick and face make-up.
"I said, 'Here is the best gloss or concealer or eyeliner - we need to recreate it,'" she told Allure. "God bless every brand for the past however-many years that's made natural make-up, but it's not long-lasting, red-carpet make-up."
Gwyneth's focus was on cosmetics which would last but also didn't contain any nasties, meaning talc, petroleum, artificial fragrance or parabens. This is because she became concerned about the impact make-up might have on her health - superficially in terms of ageing, but also on a deeper level.
“I wear make-up heavily in my work,” she told Forbes. “And now that I’m post-40, I’ve started to wear it more often in my day-to-day life. But once my lifestyle website, Goop, started investigating toxicity in these products… I was stunned. I genuinely thought make-up was safe, but that’s not the case.”
She suggests some make-up contain carcinogens, which is why she wanted an organic or natural range instead. This led her to create her own with Juice Beauty Brand because at first she couldn't find anything which fit the bill.
“I think the consumer is incredibly aware now,” the star added. “Everyone wants to know what they’re putting into their bodies… what they’re putting on their skin. Consumers are demanding transparency. And also, the consumer has a lot of information now that we didn’t have 10 or 20 years ago about what all of these various toxins are doing - whether that be (things in our food), or plastics in our personal care products. Ultimately, the consumer is what will change the marketplace.”
The range costs between $20 for an eyeliner to $48 for make-up brushes.
© Cover Media
Belfast Telegraph Digital


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Samsung doesn't always love to tout its close relationship with Google — that is, not unless it's expedient to do so.
In the middle of the Mate 30 keynote in Munich today, Samsung sent a Spanish-language email blast to its Latin American customers highlighting "Disfruta de actualizaciones, apps y servicios Google," which translates to "Enjoy updates, apps and Google services."
Under the subject line a quote from our friends at 9to5Google calling the Note 10, "the best Android of the moment," along with a photo of the Note 10 buttressed with the Samsung and Google logos next to one another, united in harmony. On the Note 10 home screen, icons for Google, YouTube, Chrome, Gmail, Photos, Maps, Drive, and the Play Store — all apps that Huawei users won't have access to should they decide to buy the Mate 30 or Mate 30 Pro.
Underneath that, an advertisement offering four months of free YouTube Premium to anyone who buys the phone.
Perhaps the email blast had nothing to do with Huawei's announcement. It's entirely possible its timing was coincidental.
Of course, Huawei believes it's a pawn in a trade war between the U.S. and China and that none of this discord is deserved. Samsung will likely benefit from Huawei's temporary weakness, and is using any lever available to it to eke out as many new buyers as possible.
Even if it means resorting to trolls like this one.
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Everything you need to know about the upcoming Moto G8 family
Motorola's budget smartphone offerings for 2020 are shaping up to be quite impressive. Here's everything you need to know about the already-released Moto G8 Plus and G8 Play, along with what we know so far about the upcoming G8 and G8 Power.
Off-Facebook Activity rolling out to all users in the coming months
Facebook has announced that its new "Off-Facebook Activity" feature is now rolling out to all users.
Galaxy S9 stable Android 10 update now rolling out in the U.S. and Germany
After a slight delay, Samsung has finally started rolling out the Android 10-based One UI 2.0 update for the Galaxy S9 and S9+.
These are the best Galaxy Note 10 cases on the market!
The Galaxy Note 10 is a stunning, powerful, and shatter-prone smartphone. Keep it safe with one of these excellent cases!


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Apple's new plan to comply with EU tech regulations has already drawn criticism from Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney and Spotify. Now Microsoft is weighing in on its own concerns, calling the changes to the EU App Store a “step in the wrong direction.”
Apple has proposed new core technology fees for apps that want to run in third-party app stores in the European Union. Developers using third-party app stores will be required to pay €0.50 per annual app install after 1 million downloads. Apple will also still take a 17 percent commission from developers who choose to use third-party payment processors.
“Apple's new policy is a step in the wrong direction,” Sarah Bond, head of Xbox, says in an article. Share on X. “We hope they listen to feedback on their proposed plan and work toward a more inclusive future for all.”
Bond is now responsible for overseeing all of Microsoft's Xbox platform and hardware businesses, just as the company hopes to launch its own mobile Xbox Store. Microsoft has been quietly working on a mobile Xbox Store that could launch as soon as this year. The Xbox Mobile Store is designed as an alternative to Apple and Google's dominance of mobile gaming stores, and will draw on content from Activision Blizzard such as Call of Duty: Mobile And Candy Crush Saga — Two very popular mobile games published by Activision and King, respectively.
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer previously discussed the potential of the Xbox Mobile Store last year, citing the European Union's Digital Markets Act as a “huge opportunity” for Microsoft.
Spotify also accused Apple of “extortion” with this new App Store tax, and called on EU regulators to take action. The European Commission says it will do so Issuing a response to Apple's changes When the regulations officially take effect in March, they promise to take “strong action” if Apple’s “proposed solutions are not good enough.”
Microsoft's reaction to Apple's recent policy changes could also spell trouble for a potential Xbox Cloud Gaming app on iOS. Apple opened its App Store for cloud gaming services last week, at the same time as it announced new App Store policies for EU markets. “Developers can now offer a single app with the ability to stream all the games featured in their catalog,” Apple wrote in a blog post.
Nvidia, Microsoft, and other cloud gaming providers have not reacted to Apple's acceptance of cloud gaming services. We're still waiting to see if Apple's changes are enough to convince these providers to publish iOS apps for their services.
“Writer. Friendly troublemaker. Lifelong food junkie. Professional beer evangelist.”


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New Delhi (India), May 5: Prabal Jain, the founder of Indori Artist, is a visionary entrepreneur and a passionate artist hailing from a small village in India. He is a man with a mission to promote the art and culture of India and provide a platform to talented artists to showcase their skills and monetize their art.
As the brand ambassador of Swachh Indore, the cleanest city in India, Prabal Jain is a staunch believer in the power of collective effort in creating a cleaner and healthier environment. He regularly conducts campaigns and initiatives to promote cleanliness and hygiene in the city.
Prabal Jain started Indori Artist as an Instagram page to promote local artists in the central India region. With his relentless efforts, Indori Artist has now grown into a vibrant community of 25k+ artists, providing a platform for budding and established artists to showcase their art and connect with art lovers worldwide.
Prabal Jain’s journey from an aspiring singer to a successful entrepreneur is an inspiration to many. He has transformed his passion for art into a thriving business, helping several budding artists to pursue their dreams. He has also helped established artists to expand their reach by promoting them on social media and providing them with a stage to showcase their talent.
Indori Artist, a growing startup in central India, organized an exciting Influencer & Social Media Stars Cricket League tournament. The tournament aimed to spread the message of the importance of physical fitness and the need to avoid playing only virtual and AI games.
This time, Indori Artists initiated the Fit India Movement through this tournament.
The tournament saw the participation of teams with catchy names such as PJ ke Dilwale, Mahesh ke Bahubali, Sagar ke Partners, Cheeku ke Tigers, Om ke Sitaare, Himanshu ke Bajirao, Kshitij ke Singham, Neeraj ke Shehzade, Veer ke Dabangg, and Dharmendra ke Sholay. All the captains of the teams are big names in social media.
After an exciting tournament, PJ ke Dilwale emerged as the winners, defeating Mahesh ke Bahubali in the finals. Indori Artist, with its 25k+ artist community, has promoted and helped monetize the art of more than lakhs of artists.
Prabal Jain, the founder of Indori Artist, expressed his happiness about the success of the tournament and his aim to continue organizing such initiatives in the future.
The tournament also received support and appreciation from various social media stars and influencers, who appealed to their followers to engage in real-life games such as cricket and football to promote physical fitness.
The Fit India, Hit India initiative by Indori Artist through this tournament is a commendable effort towards promoting physical fitness and inspiring people to lead a healthier lifestyle
In conclusion, the Indori artist community has set an excellent example for others to follow by organizing this cricket league tournament. It was a great initiative to promote physical fitness and encourage people to engage in real-life sports. The event was a huge success, and it will hopefully inspire others to take up the cause of promoting fitness and sports among the masses.
If you have any objection to this press release content, kindly contact pr.error.rectification[at]gmail.com to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 24 hours.


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NEW YORK (AP) - He spews radioactive fire, razes cities and pummels creatures from Earth and beyond, but even Godzilla needs a good lawyer sometimes. After all, you don't survive 60 years in the movie business without taking some fights to court.
CUPERTINO (AP) - Apple is orchestrating a $3.2 billion acquisition of Beats Electronics, the headphone maker and music streaming distributor founded by hip-hop star Dr. Dre and record producer Jimmy Iovine, according to a published report.
ANTELOPE ISLAND STATE PARK, Utah (AP) - If someone suggested taking a drink out of the Great Salt Lake, many people would be inclined to say, "Yuck."
MOUNTAIN VIEW (AP) - Professional networking site LinkedIn is proposing to add office space in its hometown in Silicon Valley, a newspaper reported.
RENO, Nev. (AP) - A high-tech firm in California used a stretch of Interstate 80 in Nevada to demonstrate new trucking technology intended to improve safety and fuel efficiency by linking pairs of semi-trucks that travel in aerodynamic platoons.
ISSAQUAH, Wash. (AP) - Costco said Thursday that its sales at stores open at least a year climbed 5 percent in April, beating Wall Street's estimate.
DENVER (AP) - Colorado's recreational pot sales jumped nearly a third in March, according to sales tax reports issued by the state Thursday.
NEW YORK (AP) - Target's CEO has become the first boss of a major corporation to lose his job over a breach of customer data, showing how responsibility for computer security now reaches right to the top.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Amazon wants to make shopping online as easy as a tweet.
SANTA MONICA (AP) - TrueCar, a provider of localized information on new car costs, anticipates a nearly $1 billion market valuation in its initial public offering.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Airlines are taking in less money from bag fees than they did two years ago, but they are making up for it by adding charges for a slew of extras, including getting a decent seat.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The push by President Barack Obama and Senate Democrats to raise the federal minimum wage seems ready to join the parade of issues that gets buried in Congress but - the party hopes - propels voters to the polls this November.
SACRAMENTO (AP) - California would prohibit businesses from charging a fee to take mug shots off their websites under a bill that passed out of the state Senate on Monday.
NEW YORK (AP) - Laws in New York and Chicago making "electronic cigarettes" subject to the same regulations as tobacco are taking effect Tuesday, and their sellers and users are steadfast in their opposition.
CODY, Wyo. (AP) - A museum in Wyoming has acquired an old pistol made famous by a masked hero of television from more than 60 years ago.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The nation's respite from troublesome health care inflation is ending, the government said Wednesday in a report that renews a crucial budget challenge for lawmakers, taxpayers, businesses and patients.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A pair of Utah women dedicated to pushing back against the objectification of women say Carl's Jr. has gone too far with its long-running line of TV ads featuring women in bikinis eating the company's burgers in seductive poses.
NEW YORK (AP) - Home Depot may be the latest retailer to suffer a major credit card data breach.
NEW YORK (AP) - Squeezed into tighter and tighter spaces, airline passengers appear to be rebelling, taking their frustrations out on other fliers.
DETROIT (AP) - Big discounts. Six- or seven-year loans, in some cases to buyers who would have been turned down in the past.
MOUNTAIN VIEW (AP) - Google is hoping a new brand will help sell more of its services to other companies.
WASHINGTON (AP) - People who use Facebook and Twitter are less likely than others to share their opinions on hot-button issues, even when they are offline, according to a surprising new survey by the Pew Research Center.
GENEVA (AP) - Governments should have tougher rules for electronic cigarettes - banning their use indoors and putting them off limits for minors - until more evidence can be gathered about their risks, the U.N. health agency said Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. consumer confidence this month reached its highest point in nearly seven years, boosted by strong job gains.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Malibu region's growing wine industry, made up of some 50 commercial vineyards, could be squeezed by proposed regulations that would prohibit new grape growing in a large swath of the Santa Monica Mountains.


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Headline inflation or the year-on-year change in the consumer price index (CPI) rose to 4.5 percent in May 2004 from 4.1 percent in the previous month, based on the 1994-based CPI series released by the National Statistics Office (NSO). Likewise, the new 2000-based CPI series—which was derived from an updated consumer basket of goods and services—showed an increase in prices to 4.7 percent from 4.2 percent in March and April. The May inflation brought the year-to-date average headline inflation to 3.8 percent using the 1994 basket and 4.1 percent using the 2000 basket. At 3.8 percent (1994=100), average inflation remains below the 4-5 percent target for the year.
Meanwhile, core inflation (headline inflation less prices of volatile food and energy items such as rice, corn, fruits and vegetables, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), kerosene and gasoline) increased also to 4.7 percent (1994=100) in May from 4.3 percent in April and 5.2 percent (2000=100) from 4.7 percent in the previous month.
The uptick in the headline inflation in May was mainly due to higher prices of food items, particularly, meat, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and cooking oil which exerted the most pressure on headline inflation.
The BSP noted that the uptrend in inflation in recent months was driven mainly by supply-side factors such as the rise in the prices of food products, increase in the domestic pump prices of gasoline and other oil products and the adjustments in transport fares. In addition, possible adjustments in utilities charges could exert further pressures on inflation. The impact of these supply-side factors, however, is expected to be transitory and does not appear to represent a permanent shift in the long-run price path. These risks are for the most part, outside the influence of monetary policy. In addition, the potential supply-oriented price pressures are likely to be tempered by continued presence of spare capacity in the manufacturing sector and soft labor market conditions. The pending petitions for wage adjustments could also raise inflation expectations. Meanwhile, timely importation of food products such as chicken and corn could help ease the pressures on food prices.
Given these developments, the BSP will continue to monitor closely the evolving economic and financial developments as well as assess their impact on the long-run price path. The stance of monetary policy will continue to emphasize caution in line with the need to provide support to economic activity and ensure sustainable growth while maintaining price stability.


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Earlier this year, Justin Santora was invited to participate in an exciting project with Gallery 1988 and the producers of the (excellent) TV show Breaking Bad. 16 artists were each asked to create an art print depicting pivotal moments in the series. The project's publicly available prints all sold out in minutes, but each artist had a limited number of prints to sell at a later date. Justin has been receiving a lot of inquiries about this print, and his artist copies are finally going to be available on his website for purchase today--Wednesday, September 5th at 10 AM central standard time.
7 color screen print on Cougar natural cover
18x24" edition of 300, signed


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SINGAPORE / JOHOR BAHRU — Dozens of disgruntled house owners, together with Singaporean buyers, are taking out a category motion lawsuit towards Johor developer Nation Backyard Danga Bay over fraud and misrepresentation, with the trial set to start on Wednesday (Aug 3).
The 49 consumers — from Singapore, Malaysia and China — are alleging that models of the developer’s luxurious condominium in South Johor’s financial zone of Iskandar Malaysia weren’t delivered as marketed, one Singaporean investor advised TODAY.
They’re claiming that the developer made modifications to their gross sales and buy agreements after the consumers had signed them.
The group of consumers are looking for compensation, although the sum they’re looking for was not instantly clear.
The Danga Bay apartment growth is situated within the Iskandar area in Johor Bahru, some 10 minutes’ drive from the Malaysian immigration checkpoint. It has greater than 9,000 residences on the waterfront, with sizes starting from 400 sqf to 1,400 sqf.
The sprawling growth consists of facilities together with a mall, a man-made seashore and 6 yacht berths.
When the posh growth was launched in 2013, an elaborate marketing campaign was mounted to woo Singapore consumers, that includes fun-fair rides, fireworks shows and free yacht journeys on the showflat website.
Throughout the official launch, greater than 5,000 of the 7,000 models on provide have been bought, with 30 per cent of them snapped up by Singaporeans, the developer stated then.
The Danga Bay growth was the primary abroad enterprise by Chinese language developer Nation Backyard by means of its subsidiary Nation Backyard Danga Bay.
It has since launched one other venture named Forest Metropolis, comprising 4 reclaimed islands simply throughout the Johor Strait from Tuas totalling 1,740ha — or roughly 1.25 occasions the scale of Singapore’s Ang Mo Kio city.
The continuing trial on the Johor Bahru Civil Excessive Court docket is scheduled for 4 days — two days in August and one other two in September.
Among the consumers, together with Singaporean buyers, are set to provide their witness statements on Wednesday.
The lawsuit was first filed in 2018. The proceedings have been delayed after Nation Backyard Danga Bay unsuccessfully utilized to strike out among the plaintiffs. The case was pushed again additional as a result of Covid-19 pandemic.
The category motion lawsuit is believed to be the largest case introduced towards the Johor developer thus far.


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Late-stage funding for the Indian startup ecosystem is steadily declining. Evidence of a bear market controlling the private market with a decline after correcting the public market with a declining valuation is now easily seen. In other words, the first week of March saw a total of $223 million in funding spread across 32 deals, with no megadeal above $100 million. Meanwhile, funding for five of the total funded startups remained undisclosed.
The week also failed to create new unicorns. This week’s funding is 68% lower than the previous week, when the ecosystem attracted $699 million across 48 deals and introduced a unicorn. The most active investor(s) this week was Vaibhav Domkundwar’s Better Capital, which handed over three checks. Kunal Shah and Jitendra Gupta, two angel investors, each participated in two transactions.
Here’s a quick rundown of all the best fundraisers for startups:
Pocket FM raises $65 million
Pocket FM, an OTT audio platform, has secured $65 million in a Series C funding round led by Burlingame-based Goodwater Capital, South Korean tech conglomerate Naver, alongside a existing investor, Tanglin Venture Partners. The newly raised funds will be used to strengthen the startup’s leadership position, expand into other regional languages, invest in AI capabilities and build the world’s largest audio creation community, the company said in a statement. communicated. In addition to long-form content, the platform includes audio series, novels, podcasts, stories, and knowledge shows in eight languages. There are currently over 50 million users and around 3 billion monthly listening minutes on the platform.
Volopay pockets $29 million
Volopay, the business-to-business (B2B) financial technology company, has attracted $29 million in funding led by JAM Fund, Accial Capital, Winklevoss Capital Management and others ahead of its foray into the Indian market. The round also saw the participation of Amrish Rau, CEO of Pine Labs, Sweta Rau, founder of White Ventures, Rapyd Ventures, fintech veterans Jeffrey Cruttenden and Jitendra Gupta, founder and CEO of Jupiter; Antler Global and VentureSouq. The investment is a combination of equity and debt capital, according to a statement from the Singapore-based company. Volopay also focuses on the entire Asia-Pacific region, as well as markets in West Asia.
Filo bags 23 million
Filo, an instant live tutoring startup, pocketed $23 million in a Series A funding round from Seattle-based venture capital firm Anthos Capital. The round also featured participation from existing investor Better Capital as well as GSV Ventures, Sapling Capital, among several angel investors. The proceeds will primarily be used for product development as the company deepens large-scale modeling pedagogy, expands its team, enters new categories and expands its base of tutors across the country, according to the company. The startup claims to have received over 1.5 million downloads in a single year and has around 350,000 monthly active users on its platform.
Kuhoo raises $20 million
Kuhoo, a fintech platform, has announced that it has raised a whopping $20 million seed round from London-based private equity firm WestBridge Capital. This fund will be used by the company to revolutionize the fintech segment of student loans. Kuhoo, named after the melodious sound of the cuckoo bird, seeks to provide online loans to students interested in studying at universities in India and abroad. It is also the first student loan company to offer products in areas as diverse as MBA, engineering, online courses, executive education, coaching programs and even new age courses.


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Bethesda has opened up worldwide beta registration for The Elder Scrolls: Legends.
Access to the free-to-play strategy card game opened up late last week, though the publisher is continuing to take signups. Those who register may get access fairly quickly, though Bethesda has confirmed that “additional players will be invited to play over the next few months.”
Those interested can sign up here.
The Elder Scrolls: Legends will be released on Windows PC and iPad.


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Beef from the UK has been cleared for export to China for the first time in over 20 years, following a number of inspections there by officials from the Asian country.
The agreement will allow UK beef to be exported to China for the first time since a ban was imposed in 1996 following the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreak in the UK in the 1990s.
Among the agencies that were involved in this new agreement was the government authority for agriculture in Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
Four beef processing plants across the UK have been cleared for exporting to China, with more currently under review. The first shipments are expected to be moved out in the coming months.
Theresa Villiers, the UK's secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, said: "Sealing this landmark agreement with China is huge news for our world-renowned food and farming industry, meaning more people across the globe can enjoy British beef.
"Today’s milestone marks another step towards unlocking the industry’s full potential, and reflects our ambition to maximise trading opportunities for British produce across the world as the UK leaves the EU," Villiers added.
The ban was officially lifted in June of last year, at which point the process began for approving beef plants for export.
The new deal is expected to be worth some £230 million (€267 million at the current exchange rate) to the UK's beef industry.
China also recently approved five UK pork plants for export. The UK government expects more pork plants to be approved before the end of the year.
At present, China is the UK's eighth largest export market for food and drink. Over £610 million (€709 million) of UK produce was bought by Chinese customers last year.


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Holiday shoppers in the retail-rich section of Howe Avenue in Cuyahoga Falls got a break Monday afternoon when the eastbound lane of the heavily traveled road was reopened.
The lane has been under construction since late April, when a $5.9 million project to reconstruct the road began.
A Kenmore Construction employee familiar with the project said the company has been running at or slightly ahead of schedule.
At about 1 p.m., the employee said electricians were tying in street lights and wrapping up a few other details.
By late afternoon, he said, the orange barrels would be removed and the road would be open to “full traffic.”
Howe Avenue is a major shopping corridor for Cuyahoga Falls and north Akron, with Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, PetSmart, Marc's, Giant Eagle and other retailers on the north and south sides of Howe. East of Chapel Hill Plaza is a Sam’s Club store and Chapel Hill Mall.
The city of Cuyahoga Falls announced the reopening of the eastbound lane Monday morning on a social media website.
Shoppers in the area Monday afternoon were enthused by the prospect of a free-flowing Howe Avenue.
Tallmadge resident Joe O’Leary said he was in the area Saturday, and part of the eastbound lane was already open.
“I’ve gotten used to it,” he said. “I go the back way to go home.”
O’Leary said the construction has been a minor inconvenience for him, but the finished product would make the traffic woes worth the trouble.
“When it’s all done, I think it’s going to be really nice,” he said.
Garrett Bednar, a Cuyahoga Falls resident, was less diplomatic.
“It’s super annoying, super inconvenient,” he said. “It really slows things down.”
Bednar said he used to live in downtown Akron, so he’s used to construction headaches.
“I’m moving next year and I’m glad because of all the construction,” he said.
Kylie Gregory of Akron called the construction “dangerously close” to her home.
“The first couple of times I came out here, I had to turn around a hundred times,” Gregory said.
She said the traffic occasionally keeps her away, but the Target store on Howe is her favorite.
“If I don’t have a ton of time, I don’t [come this route],” she said.
She said the reopened road will make her more inclined to shop along Howe during the holidays.
Chris Stranahan, Wild Birds Unlimited franchise owner, said most of his customers have found their way through the orange barrels to his store.
“Our customers have told us they will get here,” he said.
But drop-in traffic during construction has been affected, he said. When construction begins next spring on the westbound lane, he believes it may push more foot traffic to his side of the retail strip.
Stranahan was pleased about the road being reopened for the winter.
“It’s going to be great for business, great for the holidays,” he said.
Stranahan praised the city of Cuyahoga Falls and Kenmore Construction for their efforts to keep residents informed about the project’s progress.
“They’ve been working very hard, very diligently,” he said.
Cuyahoga Falls resident Mary Beth Kiesling, on her way to Target, said she plans her shopping route according to the eastbound traffic flow. She starts at TJ Maxx, she said, then proceeds west to Sam’s Club.
Kiesling said she’s happy that Howe will be open east and west, but the construction hasn’t kept her away.
“When you gotta shop, you gotta shop,” she said.
Alan Ashworth can be reached at 330-996-3859 or emailed at firstname.lastname@example.org. Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconjournal.


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NEW YORK -- For 19 years Paul D’Auria worked in pest control, but now he’s calling out Starbucks, a company he was a vendor for for at least 12 years.
In a complaint filed by attorneys at Filosa Graff LLP and Wigdor LLP, D’Auria said the coffee giant knowingly used poisonous pesticides inside several of their Manhattan stores.
“No Pest Strips” contain what’s known as dichlorvos or DDVP, a dangerous and hazardous product that is recommended not to be used in any area occupied by people and certainly not intended to be near food of any kind.
“In all my years doing this. The worst. The absolute worst conditions in a food establishment,” D’Auria said.
D’Auria, along with two more employees, are now claiming whistleblower retaliation and emotional distress. D’Auria said his pest control company, despite being named vendor of the year in 2018, was released from its contract after he warned about the use of “No Pest Strips.”
A consumer class action also filed claims Starbucks is engaging in deceptive and fraudulent consumer conduct by not providing products as advertised. Photos provided by the attorneys illustrate filthy and unsanitary conditions that are so bad the complaint states it’s caused mold and is a breeding ground for flies, cockroaches, silverfish, maggots and other insects and pests.
In a statement to PIX11, Starbucks said:
"The lawsuits filed by the plaintiffs and their attorneys lack merit and are an attempt to incite public fear for their own financial gain. We go to great length to ensure the safety of our partners and customers, and we are confident they have not been put at risk. Starbucks takes the concerns of its partners very seriously and does not take action or retaliate against partners who express them."


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Samsung has confirmed it began testing Samsung Pay with Korean credit card firm Samsung Card on July 15 for select customers in Korea. “Users of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are the first to have access to Samsung Pay,” Samsung says. Rumours surfaced about the plans to trial the mobile payment solution earlier this month.
- NFC mobile payments ‘shake off the novelty tag’ in the UK
- Bank issues primary school kids with NFC smartwatches that let them make payments and track pocket money
- New Little Caesars Reserve-n-Ready service transforms the way customers pick up pizza
- Mobile payment usage ‘remains low’, US debit card study finds
- Report: 2017 Mobile Payment Usage in China