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Berbera Port’s Strategic Importance Attracts Global Interest
Berbera Port, located in Somaliland, is quickly emerging as a strategic hub of the global economy. In recent developments, the port has caught the attention of various international players. This week, the deployment of US troops to protect against China’s expansion in Africa underscores the port’s growing significance. Furthermore, ALS Worldwide, a leading transport company from the UK, has opened its office in Berbera Port, indicating its recognition of the port’s potential as a key logistics center. Additionally, the World Food Programme (WFP) has chosen to establish a distribution hub in Berbera Port to serve Africa, demonstrating its confidence in the port’s capabilities. The interest expressed by USAID further solidifies Berbera Port’s importance in global trade and commerce. The visit of Sir Gavin Williamson, UK top MP, to Somaliland highlights the strengthening relationship between the UK and Somaliland, with UK Defense expressing interest in establishing a base in Somaliland. With its strategic location and growing prominence on the global stage, Berbera Port is poised to play a vital role in facilitating international trade and fostering economic growth.
ALS Worldwide Transport Establishes Presence in Booming Berbera
The booming Berbera Port in Somaliland has caught the attention of ALS Worldwide Transport, a leading UK-based logistics company. Recognizing the potential and significance of Berbera Port as a key player in the world economy, ALS Worldwide Transport has recently established its office in Berbera. This move not only highlights the growing importance of Berbera as a logistics hub but also showcases global interest in tapping into its immense potential for trade and transport. With major organisations like the World Food Programme (WFP) establishing a distribution hub in Berbera Port, and even USAID expressing interest, it’s clear that Berbera is on track to becoming a major player in international trade.
The presence of UK top MP Sir Gavin Williamson during his visit to Somaliland further underscores the strengthening relationship between the UK and Somaliland, with even UK Defence expressing interest in establishing a base in this thriving region. As demand for logistics services continues to grow alongside Berbera’s economic success, ALS Worldwide Transport’s decision to open an office is undoubtedly a strategic move that positions them at the forefront of this exciting development.
UK Strengthens Ties With Somaliland Amid Geopolitical Shifts
The recent developments at Berbera Port in Somaliland have attracted the attention of countries around the world, including the United Kingdom. UK-Somaliland relations have been growing stronger, as evidenced by the visit of top MP Sir Gavin Williamson to Somaliland. This visit highlights the increasing importance of Somaliland as a strategic partner for the UK in an ever-changing geopolitical landscape.
One significant development is the deployment of US troops to protect against China’s expansion in Africa. This move not only demonstrates the global interest in Berbera Port but also underscores its potential as a key economic hub. ALS Worldwide, a transport company from the UK, has opened an office in Berbera Port, further solidifying its importance as a logistics center.
Moreover, international organisations are recognizing the potential of Berbera Port. The World Food Programme (WFP) is establishing a distribution hub at Berbera Port to serve Africa, while USAID has shown interest as well. This demonstrates that Berbera Port is not only becoming an economic hub but also a vital gateway for humanitarian aid and support.
The interest shown by UK Defense in establishing a base in Somaliland further signifies the strengthening ties between the two nations. As geopolitical shifts occur globally, it is clear that Somaliland’s strategic location and growing importance make it an attractive partner for countries like the UK.
In conclusion, Berbera Port’s booming growth and increasing significance have captured international attention. The strengthening ties between Somaliland and the UK reflect this recognition and highlight the opportunities for economic expansion and strategic alliances in this dynamic region.


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There may be a lot to like about thin-client hardware like Wyse Technology Inc.'s Xenith for Citrix, which is due next month. But, so far, this thin technology isn't shoving desktops off corporate desks.
The Xenith, which is similar in size and shape to a paperback book, has four USB ports, a video connector, a microphone input and speaker output, and lists for $329. It is sold at volume for less than $300, and can support Wi-Fi for an extra $50.
But these units, which cost less to maintain than a PC , use less power and last longer, represent just 5% or so of the overall corporate desktop market, according to IDC.
Wyse is trying to boost that adoption rate , especially with this release. Unlike earlier "zero client" devices that it has been making since 2006 for VMware and Microsoft environments, this system includes a software engine that will allow users to update to the latest Citrix protocols.
Jeff McNaught, Wyse's chief marketing and strategy officer, said the company realized that it needed to be able to update clients if users hoped to get eight to 10 years of use out of the appliance.
The Xenith's software engine is limited to Citrix HDX display protocols and management for the network and Wi-Fi stacks. As a result, it's better able to fend off malware attacks, McNaught said. The device was tested for vulnerability to viruses and other attacks but the engine is so limited "there really isn't any way for a virus to attack it," he said.
One beta tester is Miami-Dade County, Fla., which is considering the Xenith as a replacement for as many as 30,000 desktops that support its existing Citrix environment. Albert Alvarez, desktop virtualization technical lead for the county, said his organization has been testing 50 Xenith units and is preparing to deploy about 2,000 initially.
Alvarez said the county uses desktop PCs for the Citrix environment, but the new devices will reduce support costs because there are no hardware crashes or viruses to worry about. It also uses less power than a desktop.
"It's nothing more than a connection to a virtual environment," said Alvarez, "but at the same time the user experience is equivalent" to a graphical interface on a desktop.
Mark Bowker, an analyst with the Enterprise Strategy Group, said he liked the Xenith because it was easy to manage and setup. "There is a large population out there that has aging desktops in place and this can easily be a replacement for them," he said.
Even so, desktops continue to far outsell thin client devices, even in corporate environments that also use Citrix and VMware virtual desktop environments, according to Bob O'Donnell, an analyst at IDC.
Worldwide, about 77 million corporate desktops will ship this year, compared to about four million thin clients, said O'Donnell. "The challenge for all the thin client vendors is the amount of effort that the Citrix and the VMware solutions require on the backend," he said.
Any transition to virtual desktops, building in the management and controls for the applications and users, can be involved, he said.
There may be political battles in IT as well, because the cost savings often come from personnel -- although the need for increased server capacity could offset IT job losses, said O'Donnell.
In companies that are now server-based, only about 15% to 20% use thin clients on the desktop; some users continue to run sessions on their desktops for some local applications, said O'Donnell.
Patrick Thibodeau covers SaaS and enterprise applications, outsourcing, government IT policies, data centers and IT workforce issues for Computerworld . Follow Patrick on Twitter at @DCgov or subscribe to Patrick's RSS feed . His e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.org .
Read more about virtualization in Computerworld's Virtualization Knowledge Center.

domain: news


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AN award scheme to highlight success in Caerphilly has saluted the achievements of Abingdon Flooring.
Last year Abingdon reported an increase in turnover of 32% to £52m, with profits of more than £2m.
Shortly after scooping the top company category of the Caerphilly Business Achievers Awards, managing director Jim Taylor, said, "We're absolutely thrilled to have won. It's rewarding for us to know that the judges acknowledge our innovative style, hard work and business model."
Abingdon of Newbridge employs 400 and plans to boost numbers this year.
The Business Achievement by an Individual award went to John Davies, MD of electromagnetic testing company Blackwood EMC. The company's clients include Panasonic, Dyson and Sega.
The Achievement by a Newcomer prize was won by Castle Coatings, which specialises in coating metal products. It is also looking to hire more staff and move to bigger premises in the future.
Castle Coatings currently employs six full-time staff and is on target for a £250,000 turnover in its second year.
Melanie Watkins, chairman of Caerphilly Business Forum, said, "It's testament of the talent, skill and ingenuity of Welsh companies in some of the Valleys areas."


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A very unique and first of its kind in the world ‘free energy’ machine has been built in Brazil and, according to the story and newspaper ad below, will soon be coming to Illinois in the Fall of 2013. A video description of this new free energy device is given in the video below by Sterling Allan. According to their website, this free energy will be fed entirely by the Earth’s gravity and once completed, will operate continuously, forever!!! A few additional pictures taken while this free energy device was being built down below the video.
We’ve got a page full of gravity motor claims, but none have put as much into a prototype as a Brazilian company, RAR Energy Ltda.
According to Illinois State University’s GLT (U.S.A.) publication:
“The Brazilian soybean processor Incobrasa says it has such a technology. And it plans to install a demonstrator model at its processing plant in the Iroquois County town of Gilman this coming fall. Incobrasa ran newspaper ads about a month ago in both central Illinois and Porto Alegre, Brazil, where it says an affiliated company developed the generator.
“Emailing from Brazil, company president Renato Ribeiro gives few details, but says this sort of energy technology has been sought for centuries, so it’s natural that people are skeptical. He promises that the technology will surprise a lot of people, and that they’ve already applied for a patent.”
The demonstration model, which is the size of a small house, allegedly will be able to produce 30 kW — about enough to handle the peak load from two homes.


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Due to the long working hour and technological advancement, the demand for food delivery services in Hong Kong is on a rise in recent years. A popular Hong Kong food delivery service company stated that vegan food orders surged 104 percent in 2020. The growth has reflected the increasing preference for healthy food even in take-away.
Reviewing the brand revamp strategy with the market research, Eat Better is on the right track in the battle, but the real competition is product differentiation. Making good use of the unique brand story will be one of the solutions.


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A North Tyneside charity shop is urging its donors to think big.
Age UK’s shop in Whitley Bay is calling on North Tynesiders to back the a nationwide stock appeal launched by the charity this week, the Big Bag Challenge, by donating as many bags of quality unused clothing or goods as they can muster.
A spokesman for thee Park View shop, said: “We’re asking everyone in Whitley Bay to take on the Big Bag Challenge, and it really couldn’t be easier – just drop a bag of unwanted items in.
“Only with your support can we continue our work to raise vital funds to support lonely older people, both in the local area and across the UK, and give everyone a chance to love later life. Any bag will do, and every bag you fill really does count.”
For further details, go to www.ageuk.org.uk/bigbagchallenge


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IN the first decade of the 21st century, world exports boomed and then fell sharply. And there was a restructuring of the major manufacturing nations of the world.
In 1999, the top five exporting countries were the traditional industrial powers — the United States, Germany, Japan, France and Britain. Combined, they accounted for 43 percent of the exports reported by 40 large countries.
As can be seen in the accompanying charts, a new order has emerged. China went from the ninth-largest exporter in 1999 to the largest in 2009. Germany, which passed the United States to become the largest exporter from 2003 to 2008, wound up in second place as the United States fell to third. Britain tumbled to No. 10, from No. 5.
All told, the share of exports of the Big Five of 1999 fell to 34 percent in 2009. That loss of nine percentage points was matched by a similar gain for China, India and South Korea, with most of the gain going to China.
Measured in dollars, Chinese exports rose at a compound annual rate of 20 percent through the decade.Continue reading the main story
China even did better than most in 2009, when the combined exports of the 40 large countries fell by 21 percent. China’s dropped by 16 percent that year.
Among the top 12 shown in the graphic, the largest declines in 2009 — all of 25 percent or more — were recorded by Japan, Italy and Canada. The United States suffered an 18 percent drop.
The 40 countries included in the tally are the largest ones for which figures are available through at least November. Among them, all but Belgium and Spain have reported December numbers. Their figures were estimated based on trends from September to November.
Countries that report figures either annually or quarterly were not included. The largest exporters thus left out are mostly oil exporters, including Saudi Arabia. The figures cover exports of goods, not services.
During the decade, American exports rose at a compound rate of a little more than 4 percent. That was far behind China and other emerging Asian exporters like South Korea (10 percent) and India (16 percent). But it was faster than Britain, Canada or Japan.
Those figures are in nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. The gains would be different if measured in other currencies, like the euro or yen, but the order would be the same.
There are indications of strong rebounds in exports as the world economy begins to recover. In December, American exports were 21 percent above where they had been in the same month of 2008, compared with China’s 18 percent rise. China’s exports were still much larger than those of the United States.
Only a few countries, mostly in Asia, have reported January figures, but some of them showed explosive gains from the depressed levels of early 2009. China’s exports rose 21 percent, but that paled in comparison to the 47 percent gain reported by South Korea and the 77 percent increase in shipments from Taiwan.
A significant part of those gains may reflect the need to fill depleted inventories, rather than a surge in consumer demand. It remains to be seen whether world trade can return to the sustained high levels shown from 2003 through 2008, when exports of the 40 countries rose by more than 10 percent every year.Continue reading the main story


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Understandably, one of the biggest concerns about the EMV changes that take effect here in the U.S. on October 1st is the impact of the merchant liability shift.
Right now, as it has been for the longest time, card issuers are the ones who bear the brunt of most credit card fraud.
Starting October 1st, this will change. Under certain conditions, card issuers are no longer going to cover a merchant’s risk associated with transactions that result in fraud.
So what are those conditions? We’ve developed a simple chart to give you a concrete understanding of the different possible scenarios and how they will affect merchants that accept credit cards. Continue reading “EMV Merchant Liability Shift: Who Covers the Cost of Credit Card Fraud Starting October 1st?”


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Kindred Group subsidiary Trannel and the Norwegian Lottery Authority have agreed a compromise that will see Kindred brands such as Unibet continue to serve Norwegian [...]
Facebook has removed 36 pages belonging to online gaming operators who are accused of targeting Norwegian consumers without a local license.
The company removed the pages [...]
Stockholm-listed Kindred Group has lost its appeal against the Norwegian Gaming Authority’s decision to force the operator’s four brands from the market.
The regulator issued the [...]


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Well, this is awesome news. I was already looking forward to Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles returning on January 25th, but now I’m even more excited. TV Guide is reporting that everyone’s favorite TV mom, Roseanne Barr, is going to be a guest star in the season finale of TMNT. The coolest part is who she is playing. Get this: her character’s name is Kraang Prime.
This timing couldn’t be any better. My wife and I recently started watching Roseanne after randomly wondering if the show would still be funny having not seen it since we were younger. We got some discs from Netflix and realized that it is even funnier than it was when we were kids, and we’re hooked. Once you get past the hair and the clothes the show is pretty timeless, and is still really funny. We’re also super into the new TMNT cartoon, so you can see why I’m so excited about this.
I also had a feeling that the whole collective brain vibe the Kraang had going on would lead to some kind of Queen or big Kraang at some point, and this pretty much confirms it. A big, obnoxious Kraang voiced by Roseanne sounds awesome, and I can’t wait for the finale.
With new toys and merchandise hitting stores while the current stuff is still selling out like crazy and new episodes of the show airing soon, it’s a great time to be a TMNT fan.


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TAIPEI, Taiwan - HTC has unveiled its latest device, the HTC One X+, which is believed to hit European and Asian markets this month.
The One X+ comes with HTC Sense 4+ user experience running on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Powered by a 1.7GHz quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, it offers 64GB of internal storage and a 4.7-inch HD display.
The front camera features Self Portrait and Sightseeing modes for faster and better shots, while HTC Watch 2.0 offers access to thousands of movies. The Gallery also includes two new views for grouping images and videos according to when and where they have been captured.
While featuring studio-quality sound, the HTC One X+ also offers Tap and Go functionality that allows one to connect the phone to Beats Speakers’4 with a single tap.
Being 67-percent faster than HTC One X1 LTE, the new One X+ offers faster web browsing, downloads, gaming and graphics rendering. It also includes a 2100mAh battery for six extra hours of talk-time.


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Google is crushing Siri and dominating the mobile industry, but Apple has a chance to strike back in June.
Google revealed a cascade of exciting innovations to its Google universe this week at the annual I/O developer conference. Apple should be quaking in its boots.
The search and software giant is making tremendous strides in AI through Assistant; image search and detection through Google Lens; web search through Instant Apps; and search through Jobs on Google.
In other words, Google’s ecosystem is positioned to run circles around Apple’s, whose tightly integrated software and hardware have failed to innovate at Google’s pace when it comes to Siri, VR, the smart home and car dashboards.
While Google’s approach, which draws on deep databases of information, wants to own the platforms that other companies build upon, Apple prefers to control a complete, reliable package — and that historically means it takes longer to get everything “right”.
In a few weeks at Apple’s developer conference on June 5, it’ll have the chance to swing back at Google (and a rejuvenated Microsoft) with its own advancements in iOS for the iPhone, Macbook, Siri AI, watch and maybe even the smart home.
But Google has thrown down the gauntlet for Apple in a big way this week. Here’s why Apple should be worried — and why the company needs to bring its A game to WWDC in June.
As of today, Google beats Apple in…
Virtual assistant: Google’s voice search tool has long outpaced Apple’s Siri. It’s more accurate and gives better responses more often than not. The next-gen Google Assistant will soon let you type queries and identify objects with Google Lens (below). You might soon order lunch after having a conversation with Assistant. It’s coming to the iPhone, too.
Home: Google Home just got a raft of exciting features that leapfrogs it ahead of even Amazon’s Echo family. To wit: it’ll now personalize responses based on who’s talking to it, and has introduced hands-free calling. Apple has its HomeKit integration, but we’re still waiting for a living room hub like Google Home to tie it all together. (Rumors are, it will come.)
Images: There are a few debatably cool updates to Google Photos, but the most exciting change by far revolves around Google Lens, which basically identifies objects and places seen through the camera. Google Lens will integrate first with Google Photos and Google Assistant.
Chrome: The browser syncs with mobile and is available on more devices (you can’t get Apple’s Safari browser on Android). Google announced that it’s also bringing its Chrome browser to VR.
Cars: Android is working on ways to make your car’s infotainment system (the stuff behind your dash screen) run on Android from the get-go. This is different from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both of which change the contents of that screen when you bring your phone into the car. Google is trying to go even deeper.
Search and database: Google’s main strength is its search tools and enormous database of places and facts. At I/O, it announced that it’ll simplify job listings, making them look like search results.
Don’t forget to share your views


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Cortana Android App Leaks Ahead of Windows 10 Release
We already know that Microsoft’s Cortana personal assistant might be the first things that draws users attention on Windows 10 release day. A new leak has made that launch a little less exciting for some. Months after revealing that Cortana would have companion apps on other platforms, today Cortana for Android, that is the app for Android powered smartphones, leaked.
Website Techweez shocked everyone late this afternoon when it revealed the first pictures of the Cortana for Android app that users can expect to be available in a few weeks. The site says it was able to “play around” with the beta version on a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 running Google’s Android 4.4.2 operating system.
The pictures the outlet provides breakdown the entire Cortana for Android setup and experience. When users download the app they’ll need to agree to Microsoft’s Terms of Service and then provide Cortana with a name they’d like to be called. Then they’re asked to provide the username and password for their Microsoft Account, just like all of the apps coming from the company lately.
Cortana acts as a digital assistant. She provides users with the information they request and uses what she learns about users to give them information she thinks they need. On Windows 10 release day users will find a Cortana experience that connects directly to their email and calendar apps to send messages to contacts and provide a breakdown of the day’s events. She can set reminders and alarms. She can even play specific albums or songs on request. On Windows 10 and Windows Phone she can be opened automatically with a simple voice command.
Read: 36 Epic Windows 10 Features To Upgrade For
The Cortana for Android app isn’t as fully featured, but does require a fair amount of permissions on Android to operate correctly. Installing the apps requests permissions for deleting from SD card, disabling screen lock, setting an alarm, creating accounts, checking network connectivity, pairing with Bluetooth devices and syncing settings.
Many assumed that Microsoft would make Cortana available for iPhone and Android in the next few weeks anyway. The company says it’s bringing Cortana to more platforms to compliment the Windows 10 experience anyway. TechWeez seems to have taken care of the unofficial Android release on their own. The site has directly links to the Android APK file that users need to get Cortana. We haven’t posted them here by you can find them on their site. Users will need to dive into their system settings and configure their Android device to accept app installs outside of the Google Play Store. This isn’t a setting that’s usually turned on.
Cortana is one of the connectors that Microsoft hopes will draw people into its ecosystem. Using the app doesn’t cost users a dime, but does require a Microsoft Account. Cortana is actually a personality and front-end for Microsoft’s Bing search engine. The more people use Cortana the better she becomes and the more Bing grows in search rankings. Cortana is the name of artificial intelligence in the Halo series of games.
Besides coming to iPhone and iPad, Microsoft has plans to introduce Cortana onto other devices soon. Besides Windows 10, Cortana is set to come to Microsoft’s Xbox One console sometime this year. Settings, alarms, reminders and information between shared with one version of Cortana gets synced to the other versions of Cortana effortlessly.


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Google recently launched “Enhanced Campaigns” an overhaul of the Adwords campaign set up. The changes attempt to simplify Adwords and, according to Google, “help [advertisers] more simply and smartly manage [their] ad campaigns in today’s multi-device world.” These changes mark one of the biggest changes to Google Adwords in years. And, as usual, with change comes excitement, controversy and fear.
What exactly are enhanced campaigns?
Google highlighted three major changes rolled into Enhanced Campaigns:
1. Simplified campaign & budget management with the ability to change and manage bids across device, location, time of day and more within a single campaign. Previously, Google had recommended splitting these targets into separate campaigns to allow for more targeted bidding, since bids could not be changed on individual keywords based on targets.
2. Smarter and more customized ad delivery, allowing advertisers to show the best ad text and ad extensions based on where, when and how a person is searching, without having to segment campaigns for every possible combination of devices, locations and time of day.
But these changes weren’t the only additions. Google seemed to skim over the biggest (or at least the most anticipated) change that was rolled into enhanced campaigns – extension updates. With Enhanced Campaigns, extensions will be more flexible and more targeted. And, after years of waiting, advertisers can now report on individual sitelinks and create extensions at the ad group level (as opposed to at the campaign level).
What does that all mean?
- Generally easier campaign management across devices and locations
- Deeper and more specific targeting options can be explored due to easier management and optimization
- Huge improvements to sitelinks and sitelink reporting
- Mobile traffic is emphasized
- Ads can be automatically optimized
- Loss of control and transparency over campaigns and targeting
- Tablets are removed as a targeted device and lumped in with desktops
- No more mobile-only campaigns
- Could have an immediate and sizable negative impact on KPIs for sites that are not mobile-friendly
- Mobile CPCs will potentially increase significantly due to increased competition
- Merging campaigns, updating settings and reworking optimizations when campaigns transition to enhanced campaigns could be tedious
Why should I care & what can I expect?
Greater Targeting Options & Account Efficiencies
Smaller businesses and advertising budgets will benefit from the ability to target specifically and incrementally within the same budget. Before, creating hundreds of campaigns to target different DMAs and devices would have split the budget too finely to see results. With Enhanced Campaigns targeting can be achieved using the same budget and campaign, by simply modifying CPCs.
Larger advertisers will see increased efficiencies that allow even further targeting and ad testing that was previously not possible (either due to maxing out on number of allowed campaigns or due to overall manageability and control). However, these advertisers will be forced to give up some of the control that they are used to. In addition, while all advertisers should see efficiencies from a management perspective, this may not translate into being more efficient from an ROAS perspectives due to decreased budget management options and increased CPCs.
Increased Focus on Mobile
Sites that are not mobile optimized will be the most negatively impacted by Enhanced Campaigns, since mobile campaigns will no longer be budgeted separately. Assuming advertisers without mobile-friendly sites are still advertising on mobile, but at a reduced budget, mobile advertisements may use budget that was originally allocated only to desktop campaigns, increasing mobile as a percentage of paid search traffic. If your site does not offer a good experience for your mobile users, these clicks could be wasted.
With the migration to Enhanced Campaigns, it is obvious that Google is forcing advertisers into the “future” – which focuses on mobile. Google has forecasted that they believe mobile searches will surpass desktop this year, so expect them to do even more to push mobile and to be a part of this change. Expect a mobile site to be a necessity in the near future.
More Ad Extensions
All advertisers will see improvements in ad extension reporting that will allow more granular optimization. Sitelinks will be implemented and optimized at the ad group level, which should improve ad relevance and increased CTR. We expect that in addition to sitelinks, there will be an increased use of extensions in general. With the ability to have ad extensions auto-optimized based on ad, context and search, more advertisers will opt in. We also expect for Google to release more extensions in the coming months.


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Akamai Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: AKAM) said Wednesday it plans to roll out a new suite of tools in 2012 related to enterprise mobile site creation and operation.
The Cambridge, Mass.-based Internet data delivery company said the new tools will combine Internet network and protocol optimization with front end optimization for businesses that operate mobile sites. The tools are expected to be available in the first half of next year, Akamai said.
Meanwhile, the company also said it’s expanding its offerings of technologies around faster building of mobile sites. Akamai announced a partnership with Germany-based Netbiscuits, a provider of tools for mobile site creation and publishing. The partnership will provide better options for developers and sites that require higher levels of self service and control, Akamai said.
Taken together, the mobile tools should reduce the cost and complexity of optimizing mobile sites for a host of devices and browsers, the company said.
Akamai has sought to expand its offerings as price pressures mount in its legacy content delivery network business. Thus far, investors have reacted with skepticism to the strategy, sending the company's stock down among the worst Nasdaq performers on the year. The low stock price has sparked takeover rumors.


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Donald Trump should rename his six-story Trump Tower Retail Atrium — because there is hardly any retail left.
The Donald has been clearing out stores by design. He’s already turned the fifth and sixth floors over to Avon, and he’s now emptying out the third and fourth floors to make way for two yet-to-be-named tenants.
The first two floors — anchored by Tower Records and Med Grill downstairs, and a Cartier at street level — will stay.
Depending on whom you ask, Trump is either making the deal of the century — or he’s trying to cut his losses on what has proven to be a flop.
“With this great market, I’ll have more than twice the space to rent, since the approaches and hallways for the small stores are a tremendous waste of space,” Trump told The Post.
He said he’s already in the process of negotiating with nine different parties for the two new spaces, and the two floors will most likely end up as showroom space.
Not everyone shares his enthusiasm for the space.
“It’s kind of a fading place for retail,” says Dyansen Gallery director Betty Greenberg.
Dyansen closed its Trump Tower branch last Friday, but it will continue to operate a gallery in SoHo.
She and others say the Niketown store next door drove away the upscale clientele that once shopped at the Atrium and replaced it with a less affluent crowd.
Translation: It was a group that shopped for sneakers next door but only gawked at the pricier merchandise on display at the Trump Atrium.
Some current tenants complained that the quality of the shops had been declining over the years, which further diluted the tony image of the Atrium.
As a result, they said, fewer and fewer shoppers had been coming to the stores — despite the continuing retail boom elsewhere in Manhattan.
Several said Trump had hired someone to do public relations for the Atrium last year, but fired her in December after her efforts to stage parties and other events there failed to bear fruit.
“This place has turned into a morgue,” said one.
Most of those remaining are offering their merchandise at steep discounts — some of them as much as 75 percent off.
And they point to the list of retailers that left before Trump started cleaning house — including Abercrombie & Fitch and Coach.
Trump, for his part, says the Atrium has seen plenty of traffic.
Not everyone is going quietly.
Brian Hall, proprietor of Addison on Madison — a small men’s clothing store on the fourth floor — says Trump is railroading him out of the building.
“I just bought merchandise for the spring and summer, I have three years left on my lease, and he wants me to move out on 60 days notice,” he complained.
While Trump did send Hall a letter asking him to terminate his lease, the developer now asserts that Hall is free to stay.


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Ferrari has recently partnered up with Swiss blockchain firm Velas, signalling the luxury sports car manufacturer’s venture into the blockchain industry.
Both parties have signed a multi-year agreement to issue “exclusive digital content” for fans of Ferrari’s racing division, Scuderia. Velas will also be the main sponsor for Ferrari Esports Series, a series of virtual competitions dedicated to up-and-coming automotive talents including all participating teams in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
“A global player in the blockchain and NFT sector, Velas has distinguished itself through the performance and innovation of its services and its technological leadership, characteristics that unite it with the Maranello team,” the announcement states.
Mattia Binotto, the general manager of Scuderia Ferrari, stated that Velas is chosen to be one of the company’s premium partners due to their shared values like innovation and performance of cutting-edge products and services.
Velas has introduced an innovative variety of pioneering technology into the blockchain and associated products, which will now be showcased at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Farkhad Shagulyamov, Co-founder and CEO of Velas
Velas is an open-source blockchain that aims to provide a mix of every good features found in decentralised and centralised tools. The company has allocated $100 million — which is a huge surge from its initial allocation of $5 million– to startups building on top of the Velas blockchain on October.


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One of the more mysterious elements about the Lexus LF-CC is the “all-new” 2.5L hybrid engine under the hood.
As part of their Paris Motor Show preview, Car & Driver has a gallery of previously unseen Lexus LF-CC photos, including these shots of the interior.
Motor Trend had an opportunity to talk with the Lexus Design group manager Takeshi Tanabe about the new LF-CC concept that debuted yesterday, and it’s definitely worth reading.
How many people correctly guessed that Lexus would reveal an IS coupe concept today? See the results of last week’s poll.
A second video of the Lexus LF-CC coupe concept has been released, and it’s amazing.
Lexus has announced the LF-CC, a coupe concept that will make its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show at the end of this month.


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The first inaugural Seattle Interactive Conference (www.seattleinteractive.com), a two-day event expected to bring up to 3,500 attendees from throughout the US and beyond to the Emerald City, has been announced for Nov 2-3, 2011. The event will celebrate the convergence of online technology, creativity, and emerging interactive trends in one of the world’s most innovative cities.
Presenters already on the docket include the chief technology officer of the Huffington Post, Paul Berry; Jamie Monberg, chief experience officer for Hornall Anderson and a veteran of interactive product development and research; internationally renowned search marketing expert Rand Fishkin; and GeekWire’s co-founders, John Cook and Todd Bishop – all among more than 50 thought leaders to be featured during SIC. In a special salute to the 20th Anniversary of iconic Seattle rock band Pearl Jam, SIC will also feature Tim Bierman, manager of Pearl Jam’s immensely popular online fan club, Ten Club.
“For years, so many of us based in Seattle were seeing each other on the same planes heading from Seattle to attend major events in places like New York, Austin, and San Francisco, so we figured, why not stage a great conference right here in Seattle?,” said Brian Rauschenbach SIC curator. “The time for an event like SIC is right, as it’s no secret that the Seattle area is home to many of the world’s most respected technology companies, along with a bevy of online startups and entrepreneurs who are having a profound impact on the national and global technology scene.”
BATTLE OF THE GEEK BANDS AND A PAPERLESS EVENT OPTION
All SIC attendees will be eligible for:
- SIC Opening Party on Tuesday evening, November 1, featuring the ‘Battle of the Geek Bands’ – a judged contest in downtown Seattle’s Showbox at the Market showcasing many great musicians who happen to work throughout the vibrant online technology sector;
- A mid-event party featuring an exclusive, only-for-SIC concert in Showbox at the Market on Wednesday evening, November 2;
- Closing Party on the evening of Thursday, November 3 at Capitol Hill’s HG Lodge;
- Meet-ups and other targeted business networking opportunities.
According to Rauschenbach, SIC was developed not only to cater to the Seattle-area technology community, but to draw attendees, speakers, and participating companies from throughout the US and beyond. With an early-bird price point of only $199 to attend, the event is deliberately priced to be as accessible as possible, at a time when many other conferences charge $1000 or more to attend. SIC has already secured partnerships with such online leaders as MSNBC, The Washington Post, Advertising.com, Collective, Interpolls, and Specific Media, among others.
In a first for a major Seattle-based conference, SIC has partnered with groundbreaking mobile app company Unsocial to provide all attendees with a mobile event app that will include all the information they will need to make the most out of their conference experience, including the conference agenda, speaker bios, session schedules, Facebook and Twitter streams, and real-time event notifications.
SIC and Unsocial will also provide a new social networking tool that will enable conference attendees to find key business professionals within their proximity and generate targeted conversations and meetings in real-time. Features include the ability to connect with people via integrated messaging, exchange information, and to even call each other directly if they choose to make their contact information available. Unsocial app downloads will be available for iPhone, Droid, and Blackberry via most online app stores, the QR code on the official Seattle Interactive website, and at the The Conference Center at the Washington State Convention Center November 2-3.
For more details, and to register for the event, visit http://www.seattleinteractive.com/


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It’s long been known as “America’s sports car,” but despite having some fine attributes, the Chevrolet Corvette has long lagged that global sports car benchmark, the Porsche 911. So, when we got our first look at the all-new, seventh-generation ‘Vette during a sneak preview in a well-guarded conference center last December, we were left wondering whether the folks at General Motors might have finally taken the challenge seriously and were set to give Porsche a run for the money.
True, from a financial standpoint, the 2014 Corvette Stingray wins hands-down. You can get a fully-equipped Chevy for around $72,000, or barely two-thirds the price of a similarly well-contented Porsche Cayman, never mind the 911. But when it comes to sports car cred, price takes a back seat to other numbers like horsepower, power-to-weight ratios, cornering forces and the like.
The good news, as we recently experienced during a long day’s run through the hills and dales of Central California, is that the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray stands up on every count. No wonder the maker is finally confidant it can gain traction for the new 2-seater beyond our shores. The latest incarnation of America’s sports car is now good enough to be a global player that just also happens to be a good bargain.


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After serving customers via its popup truck over the past year, breakfast spot Poco Loco will be heading into a permanent home at 2233 College Ave NE this spring, replacing Dish Dive in Kirkwood.
“We’re hoping to get in there next month,” Owner Nick Melvin told What Now Atlanta Tuesday in a telephone interview. “Definitely sometime in April. Until then we will continue to be a pop-up.”
Poco Loco came onto the scene early last year as Melvin worked out of his own home kitchen. He said he wanted the new space to continue to have a warm, inviting, and small business feel.
“We’re moving from a pop up to a place that used to be a home so I feel fortunate to be able to build upon the bones of that space,” he said.
Famous for its breakfast burritos, the breakfast and lunch spot will have homemade tortillas, meats by the pound, and plenty of locally sourced food for customers to go home and make their own breakfast burritos with.
“We’re still getting our legs under us but we’re shooting to be open Thursday to Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” Melvin said.


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McFarlane Toys reveal a variant of their excellent Mortal Kombat 11 Spawn Figure.
As you already know McFarlane toys released their fantastic Mortal Kombat 11 Spawn figure earlier this year which is yet to make it’s way to UK shores just yet but should be hitting here next month or July and you can be sure I’ll be getting it as it’s one of my hotly anticipated figures of this year.
Now McFarlane Toys have announced a variant of that figure which will be released later this year. The only difference between that one and this variant is the accessory. As you can see this one comes with a mace when the regular version came with a sword. That’s the only difference between the figures. If you haven’t managed to pick up the original figure which is still hard to get this one is a must-have! I would take both as I really love this figure and I don’t think one would be enough!


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Zero Motorcycles will support the second annual National Plug In Day, which is set for Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. National Plug In Day is a cross-country observance drawing national attention to the environmental, economical and additional benefits of plug-in electric vehicles (EV) and motorcycles through simultaneous events staged around the country.
Scot Harden (Vice President of Global Marketing, Zero Motorcycles) says: “Zero Motorcycles is proud to be part of National Plug In Day. We are encouraging our dealers and customers who own and ride our electric motorcycles to get involved. Local cities around the country will be engaging with drivers and riders and we are excited to see electric motorcycles and cars take center stage.”
National Plug in Day helps to celebrate electric vehicles and their positive effects on the environment, low cost and convenience of charging and minimal maintenance. This year’s National Plug In Day will be recognized with events in more than 60 cities across the country.
Each event will be led by local EV and motorcycle owners and advocates and will include combinations of EV parades, ride-and-drives, electric tailgate parties, press conferences, award ceremonies, informational booths and more.
This event will be held for one day only, Sept. 23, 2012, and Zero is excited to support this national program. For a list of participating cities visit pluginday.org.


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In this hot time of fashion and accessories, the industry has actually gotten it right this time with this collaboration between Puma and Alexander McQueen--two big names in fashion that will definitely prove to be a power combo.
As WWD reports, Puma, the forward-thinking sport line, has just announced a deal with Alexander McQueen, the equally forward-thinking madcap Brit designer.
The sporty styles will be priced between $75 and $790, which may burst your wallet but are still worth checking out.
The new line of Alexander McQueen Puma apparel and accessories premieres next week in Milan.
More Stats +/-
Artistic Fashion Collaborations


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Ameren Illinois customers can expect a moderate reduction in natural gas prices during the upcoming 2013-14 heating season.
“Because of our price hedging and storage strategies, we anticipate that the gas supply portion of a customer bill will be lower this winter than last,” said Ameren Illinois Gas Supply Director Ken Dothage.
During the 2012-13 heating season, Ameren Illinois customers paid an average of $0.57 per therm. Ameren Illinois anticipates 2013-14 heating-season average prices to be $0.53 - $0.55 per therm, approximately 5% less than last winter.
“We bought natural gas when prices were low and stored it for use this winter. Those savings are passed on to our customers,” said Dothage. “While the amount a customer pays will depend on winter temperatures and the actual amount of energy a customer uses, we have taken steps to insulate them from price volatility on the supply side.”
A monthly bill is calculated based supply costs – including the cost of interstate gas transportation, leased storage, and the natural gas commodity – and customer energy usage. Because of higher-than normal temperatures in 2012-13, residential customers used less natural gas. If temperatures return to normal in the 2013-14 heating season, some customers could see higher overall bills than last year, even with lower gas supply costs.
Natural gas is a commodity which Ameren Illinois purchases from various producers for delivery to its customers. Ameren Illinois does not profit from or mark-up the cost of natural gas supplies purchased. Dothage stressed that Ameren Illinois has adequate natural gas supplies to meet customer needs during the upcoming heating season.
Customers can take actions to reduce their heating bills without sacrificing personal comfort. Information on energy saving practices and budget billing strategies are available at ActOnEnergy.com.
Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and 806,000 natural gas customers in downstate Illinois, and our mission is to meet their energy needs in a safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally responsible manner. Our service area covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com.
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CONTACT: Stacey Shangraw, 309.677.5073, firstname.lastname@example.org; Brian Bretsch, 618.343.8087, email@example.com; Marcelyn Love, 217.535.5116, firstname.lastname@example.org


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Ford Motor Company introduced the 2020 Ford Explorer at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Now we know where it will be built. Joseph Hinrichs, Executive Vice President and President of the Americas for Ford Motor Company, made the announcement at the Chicago Auto Show.
One Billion Dollar Investment
Ford will invest over a billion dollars in upgrades to its Chicago plants. Good news for the U.S. economy. With an existing workforce of over 5,000 in their Southside plants, the investment will add an additional 500 workers.
“We are proud to be America’s top producer of automobiles. Today, we are furthering our commitment to America with this billion dollar manufacturing investment in Chicago and 500 more good-paying jobs,” said Joe Hinrichs, president, Global Operations. “We reinvented the Explorer from the ground up, and this investment will further strengthen Ford’s SUV market leadership.”
“Ford’s announcement of 500 additional jobs and over $1 billion in plant investments is a testament to the quality and hard work of UAW Ford members,” said Rory Gamble, Vice President of the UAW Ford Department. “Every day UAW Ford members head to work, proud of the products they build and the craftsmanship required in vehicles like the Explorer, Aviator and Police Interceptor. Ford’s investment announcement demonstrates a commitment to the dedication of UAW members in Chicago.”
“As Chicago continues to strengthen our diverse economy, Ford’s commitment to add 500 jobs and infuse nearly a billion dollars into their Southeast Side assembly plant is a vote of confidence in our people and our future,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “The assembly plant is a local and regional economic engine where iconic American brands like the Lincoln Aviator and Ford Explorer are built. This investment is a testament to the strength and vibrancy of Chicago’s manufacturing sector, and I look forward to Ford’s presence in our city for generations to come.”
Upgrades include an overhaul of existing workspace to benefit current employees. Also, changes are to be made on the production line and the stamping facility for the new models. In addition to the 2020 Explorer, the Lincoln Aviator and the new Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicle will roll out of the facilities.
All-new Ford Explorer, Explorer ST and Explorer Hybrid at Chicago Assembly
The all-new Ford Explorer – America’s all-time best-selling SUV – features lighter, leaner and stronger construction, the broadest model lineup ever, more powerful and efficient EcoBoost® engines and smart new technology to help tackle all of life’s adventures.
The all-new Explorer ST, the newest SUV from Ford Performance, is the most fun-to-drive and powerful Explorer ever with a specially tuned 3.0-liter EcoBoost® engine projected to make 400 horsepower and 415 lb.-ft. of torque and reach a targeted top track speed of 143 mph.
The all-new Explorer Hybrid is a no-compromise Ford hybrid SUV designed to offer performance and capability in a fuel-efficient package and is projected to return an EPA-estimated range of more than 500 miles between fill-ups in the rear-wheel-drive model.


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At this point, we probably know more about the HTC One M9 than HTC would care to admit. Either way, HTC still plans to try and “wow” us with its latest flagship device in Barcelona during MWC 2015. To ensure we don’t miss a single lens flare video, adjective laced feature set, or downright hyperbole, HTC has posted streaming information for the March 1st event.
It’s time to sing that sad song again: the one when HTC has its flagship device leaked well before its official announcement. This time we can give thanks to Twitter leaker @upleaks for the pre-release content. Somehow he/she got their hands on some HTC One M9 advertising media and graciously decided to share it with the world — or at least the Twitterverse.
If you’re sad about missing out on the wacky ASUS conference in where they unveiled a duo of misspelled devices, then turn that frown upside down, because ASUS has posted the highlights for all to enjoy.
You’ll want to grab some popcorn for this one folks.
Today at Mobile World Congress, ASUS took the stage to show off its future wares. While you never can tell what ASUS is going to show up with, we at least knew a new Padfone model would make an appearance. As expected, ASUS announced the all new Padfone Infinity.
Mobile World Congress 2013 is now underway and while we’ll be hearing a slew of announcements throughout the next couple days, that hasn’t stopped OEMs from taking full advantage of the pre-MWC weekend to sneak in what they could. Since most of us catch up on sleep or home responsibilities during the weekend, here’s what you might have missed.


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VINELAND, New Jersey (WPVI) -- An arrest warrant has been issued out of Vineland, New Jersey for an operator of a local headstone company. It's a story that the Action News Troubleshooters have been warning viewers about for years.
Authorities are searching for Greg Stefan Jr. who operates a family business that sells gravestones and engravings.
He ran a collection of these businesses in Pennsylvania until Action News Troubleshooter Nydia Han brought him to the attention of the Pennsylvania Attorney General. The Attorney General subsequently shut him down for taking consumers' money and not delivering on his services.
Over the years Ms. Han has repeatedly asked Mr. Stefan to respond to our viewers complaints.
He has since opened Colonial Memorials in New Jersey, collecting thousands of dollars from consumers.
Last month, he sent a letter to his customers stating, "Colonial Memorials has for the past two years been suffering significant financial losses, and presently does not have the financial resources to fulfill your contract ..."
The consumers we talked with have not seen any refunds.


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Facebook has introduced new advertising features for its publishers.
Facebook has introduced a new standard advertising format for its publishers, which would make ad launching convenient, as reported by Facebook news. This feature would ensure that its users are able to advertise through the online platform audience network.
Facebook news today reported that the new technique would permit publishers to use attributes, such as ad height, font, button border treatment, and background color. The newly launched system would be equipped with modification options that would permit ads to look similar to the content of conventional applications.
The ‘social network’ has also launched advert management tools that would manage a number of requests to make sure that the best performing commercial is employed at the ‘right time for the right person’. Instead of pioneering an update to deliver native resources, a publisher can shift control towards the new system for dealing with this new function. Market sources have revealed that the publishers can use up to 10 adverts and use them in the ‘best-ranked’ order.
Social media sources have reported that the new updates have not only increased the number of applications employing the Facebook Audience network, but have also added to the ‘cost-per-thousand impressions’. This report indicates that the newly developed systems have added to the potential of the network.
The management of the network has conducted a study to measure the performance of ads. It has revealed that banner ads are not influential, as users have stopped viewing the top or bottom section of an application. Facebook breaking news affirmed that the research has highlighted the importance of integrated advertisements, as they are better equipped to attract users. This suggests that the means by which ads are launched are very important.
Industry sources have highlighted that the audience network has helped a number of organizations, including the American Navy and the education company, ‘Rosetta Stone’. The Naval force has improved its campaign by more than 30%, while Rosetta Stone has used the network’s ads to influence others to install its mobile application, cutting cost per impression by almost 40%.
The online corporate giant has disclosed that the marketing application developer, Fiksu, found out that the use of ecommerce applications through the network was responsible for earning 20% more income. This disclosure tells us that the audience platform has proved to be quite useful for the networking giant. Now it is yet to be seen that to what extent these new tools are able to entertain the social network users.


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Updated: 2012-05-23 (China Daily) - China's western region, with its lower land and labor costs, is becoming a new hot spot for foreign investment.
That is good news for the entire country, a large part of which remains relatively underdeveloped. But should the eastern coastal region be worried that sharing foreign investment with the west will stall its growth?
Not necessarily, according to analysts.
First, more investment in the west doesn't necessarily mean less in the east. Foreign companies could just be investing more.
Second, even though some investment will be diverted to the west, this is chasing lower labor and land costs, which the east is no longer able to offer at its current stage of development.
For now, a larger part of foreign direct investment still goes to the east, but FDI to the west is growing at an astonishing rate.
In 2011, FDI to China as a whole stood at $116 billion. Only around $12 billion went to the west. But the west saw a growth rate of 28 percent, more than four times the rate in the east.
A report by the Economist Intelligence Unit singled out Chongqing as an example of investment moving inland in China.
In FDI terms, it went from 22nd place out of 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the mainland in 2007, to overtaking Beijing in 2011, when the western metropolis attracted $10.8 billion in investment.
The trend is expected to continue, with the city set to overtake Tianjin and Shanghai by 2014.
"It's just natural that some industries are going to the west after labor and land prices have shot up so much in the east over the past decade. Meanwhile the market in the west is also maturing," said Sun Lijian, a professor at the School of Economics at Fudan University in Shanghai.
That is not bad news for the east, Sun added, as it can focus on industries with more added-value.
In fact, the central government has been encouraging the east-to-west industry transfer.
A document released last year said that moving labor-intensive industries to the west is an "inevitable requirement" if the nation wants to upgrade its industries.
A typical example of this transfer can be found in Shanghai. Formerly a manufacturing center, the manufacturing capacity of the city, which is aiming to become a global financial center, has been moving to the surrounding Yangtze River Delta.
As part of this trend, US firms are moving their high-end manufacturing capacity from Shanghai to the delta.
In a recent survey conducted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, two-thirds of respondents said they imported parts or finished goods from the United States into China to support their operations in the country, where around 200 AmCham Shanghai members produce products in the Yangtze River Delta.
Companies used to regard the delta primarily as Shanghai's "backyard", but it is gradually becoming a "one-stop shop" for innovation and design, finance, manufacturing, marketing and sales, said Aaron Lo, a partner at KPMG.
According to AmCham Shanghai President Brenda Foster, there is a clear trend that more members are expanding from Shanghai to the delta region, encouraged by policy incentives, lower costs and opportunities to extend their market penetration.
"We see enlightened local governments in second-tier cities like Nanjing and Suzhou, who are very proactive in seeking investment, offering incentives, and they usually have a clear business plan as to what types of industries they want to develop," said Foster.
For example, special zones have been set up, such as Suzhou Industrial Park, with small and medium-sized enterprise centers and research facilities to attract investors.
The transfer is a natural outcome, said Foster, citing Shanghai as an example. As the city develops into a major hub for finance and services, its industries are moving to surrounding areas.
"The market in the delta is still unsaturated. A growing middle class with an increasing disposable income drives many businesses to integrate their regional sales, manufacturing functions and even R&D into the region," she said.
As this transfer gathers pace, a domino effect is being witnessed.
While many high-end manufacturers move from Shanghai to the Yangtze River Delta, their low-end colleagues are moving from the delta to the west.
For example, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, decided last month to set up a memory chip plant in the northwestern city of Xi'an. Foxconn, a manufacturer of Apple iPhones and iPads, already has a manufacturing site in Chengdu, Sichuan province.
"It's a trend that foreign investment in low-end manufacturing goes to the central and western regions. But capital and technology-intensive industries will stay in eastern China," said Sun from Fudan University.


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Amazon will increase its share of US ecommerce sales in five product categories next year, per our forecast. The biggest gains will be in health and personal care, furniture and home furnishings, and apparel and accessories.
Beyond the chart: Health and personal care will make up 11.0% of Amazon’s total ecommerce sales in 2024, up from 7.4% in 2020, according to our “Amazon US Ecommerce Sales by Product Category 2023” report. This increase is driven by consumers purchasing more essential goods online and Amazon expanding its partnerships with major beauty brands.
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Methodology: Estimates are based on the analysis of data from other research firms and government agencies, historical trends, reported and estimated revenues from company reports, consumer online buying trends, and macro-level economic conditions.
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Semiconductor Chip Shortage Could Extend Well Into 2022
【Summary】Even then, experts don’t believe that supplies will recover until 2023. So, car shoppers are looking at paying absurdly high prices for new and used cars for at least another year.
The ongoing semiconductor chip shortage has been an issue for automakers and consumers. Car companies don't have the necessary chips to produce vehicles, despite the high demand for new cars. This has led dealerships to charge crazy prices for vehicles that consumers have to pay if they want to get into a vehicle. While automakers are doing everything they can to try and get factories up and humming again, that's impossible because of the shortage. And there's some more bad news, as it doesn't look like the chip shortage will end anytime soon.
Shortage To Continue Until 2023
According to a report, Automotive News, citing data from IHS Market, claims that the automotive industry will not enter into a recovery phase from the current lack of semiconductor chips until the first half of 2023. For consumers and automakers, that means at least another year of inventory shortages and incredibly high prices. There is some good news, though, as the forecast believes that the chip shortage will stabilize in the second half of 2022.
CNBC spoke with the CEO of semiconductor company Marvell Technology, Matt Murphy, who claimed that the chip shortage will likely last the full duration of 2022. "Right now, every single end market for semiconductors is up simultaneously; I've been in this industry 27 years, I've never seen that happen," said Murphy. "If it stays business as usual, and everything's up and to the right, this is going to be a very painful period, including in 2022 for the duration of the year."
As Murphy points out, a lot of chip producers are looking to expand factory capacity. But that won't be happening until 2023 and 2024. So, there's going to be a painful period of waiting for everyone.
No Slow Down In Sight
The issue with semiconductor chips is that multiple things use them. Smartphones, laptops, smart televisions, and cars all use chips. While demand for new cars has skyrocketed, so has the demand for other consumer electronics. If it were just the automotive industry that was struggling, the issue wouldn't last another year, but demand for everything is outrageously high. So, unless something gives, there's really no end in sight for the chip shortage. With Christmas right around the corner, we don't see anything slowing down.
Until then, automakers are looking at serious losses. IHS Market's forecast claims that automakers will lose 6.2 percent of their predicted production capability. That means roughly 5 million fewer cars will be made this year. U.S. auto sales are expected to drop at least 13 percent in the third quarter of 2021 because of the chip shortage.
Vineeth Joel Patel
Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods
Rivian, Mercedes-Benz Partner to Produce Electric Commercial Vans
GM Offering to Buy Out Buick Dealers That Don’t Want to Sell EVs
Prices For Used EVs Continue to Rise as Gas Cars Drop
Rivian Discontinues Base Model for R1S, R1T
Tesla Believes Its Dojo AI System Will Help It Win the Self-Driving Car Race
Acura Prevision EV Concept Previews Brand’s Electric Future
Ford Reportedly Dropping 2024 Mustang Hybrid
Federal Tax Credit on EVs Still Applies to American-Made Vehicles
- GM’s Buick Division is Getting a Makeover, Will Only Offer Electric Vehicles by the End of the Decade
- The Polestar 5 Sedan Will Have Dual Electric Motors With 884 HP
- California Startup Orbis Brakes Debuts its Revolutionary 'Periodic Wave' Brake Line Developed in Collaboration with NASA
- BMW Expands i4 Lineup With the Affordable eDrive35
- Hyundai Plans to Build a New U.S. EV Factory in Georgia, According to Sources
- EV Charging Provider Electrify America Raises $450 Million, Siemens to Become a Minority Shareholder
- California DMV Accuses Tesla of Making False Claims About its Driver-Assist Systems
- Ford Looks to Have 100% of EV Sales Be Online
- Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot Returns With Some Features From 'Full Self-Driving'
- AI-Powered Computer Vision Perception Developer StradVision Closes on $88 Million Series C Funding Round


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The Chinese smartphone manufacturer OnePlus has been reportedly working on the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite smartphone which is one of the upcoming handsets in the company’s Nord series. Before its launch, the handset has now received certification from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) suggesting an impending launch of the device. The company had launched its OnePlus Nord CE 2 smartphone in February. Let’s find out more.
The known tipster Abhishek Yadav has shared images via his Twitter handle of the alleged TDRA and BIS listings of OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite 5G. The listing suggests that the smartphone comes with the model number CPH2409 and has been certified at TDRA whereas the alleged BIS listing has a similar CPH2401 model number. The smartphone has also been recently spotted on the Geekbench benchmarking site.
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite Specs
The specification details for OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite surfaced recently over the web, according to which, the handset will come with a 6.59-inch Full HD+ fluid display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The speculations suggest that the handset could feature an LCD display which would make it the first device in the Nord series to feature an LCD display in India, however, it is yet not confirmed.
OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite is expected to feature an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC under the hood. This confirms the fact that the device will have 5G support. The device is expected to arrive with two storage variants – 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB RAM and internal storage. The handset might be backed by a 5000mAh battery and support 33W fast charge technology.
As far as the camera module of the device is considered, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite is expected to come with a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 64MP Omnivision sensor. The device will also feature two secondary cameras – a 2MP macro and a 2MP mono sensor. The front of the device is expected to feature a 16MP Sony IMX471 sensor. Moreover, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite might come under the Rs 20,000 price segment.


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Oil marketers will get N413 billion for subsidy claims, following the Federal Government’s approval, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said yesterday.
NNPC spokesman Ohi Alegbe said the oil giant had taken steps to eliminate the fuel queues in some major cities with the injection of additional volumes of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to enrich product availability.
He said the NNPC will, in line with its drive to ensure zero fuel queues ahead of the Yuletide, work assiduously with its downstream subsidiary company, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), and other downstream players to consolidate the prevailing stability in the supply and distribution of petrol nationwide.
The NNPC said: “Apart from increasing the volume of products distributed to stations across the country, inspection team from the PPMC have been commissioned to go round our operational areas to ensure compliance with laid down rules regarding loading and product evacuation across board to eliminate hoarding and other vices detrimental to the free flow of products.”
It noted that the initiative to ensure zero fuel queues had been bolstered with the approval by the Federal Government for the immediate payment of N413 billion to oil marketers as outstanding payment for subsidy claims.
“It is our belief that with the outstanding payment due to oil marketers now assured, the marketers and other downstream players will join hands with the NNPC to guarantee that the nation remains wet with petroleum products all year round,’’ the Corporation said.


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This represents a 0.47% increase when compared to the 21.34% recorded in the previous month.
The new increase in the country’s inflation comes amid the uncertainties being faced by Nigerians due to the scarcity of the redesigned Naira notes.
Also, the food inflation surged to 24.32% in January from 23.75% recorded in December 2022, while core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce stood at 19.16% in the review month compared to 18.49%.
Notably, the highest increases were recorded in prices of Gas, Liquid Fuel, Passenger Transport by Air, Vehicles Spare Parts, Fuels, and Lubricants for Personal Transport Equipment, Solid Fuel, etc.
Meanwhile, in terms of the food index, the surge in the rate was attributed to an increase in the prices of some food items like Oil and Fat, Bread and Cereals, Fish, Potatoes, Yam & Tubers, etc.
Rural inflation, on the other hand, was 21.13%, a 6.08% increase/decrease from the corresponding period in 2022. On a month-on-month basis, the rural inflation rate was 1.77%, up by 0.14% points compared to December 2022 (1.63%).
Food inflation, a compound index which monitors the movement in food prices across the nation, rose to 24.32%.
Compared to the previous month’s figure of 23.75%, the rate saw an increase of 12.30 basis points while when compared year-on-year from January 2022, food inflation increased by 7.19% points.
This was an increase from the 18.49% rate of December 2022, while when compared year-on-year from January 2022, core inflation rose by 5.29%.
On a month-by-month basis, the core inflation rate was 1.82%, a 0.49% increase from December 2022’s rate.
On a month-to-month basis, Lagos (2.91%), Taraba (2.84%), and Ondo (2.68%) saw the highest rates of increase in headline inflation while Yobe (0.54%), Jigawa (0.73%), and Oyo (0.87%) recorded the lowest.
With respect to food inflation, Kwara (29.03%), (27.67%), and Ondo (27.38%), recorded the highest rates of increase year-on-year, while Jigawa (19.22%), Sokoto (20.80%), and Yobe (21.32%) saw the lowest rates.


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The shares of Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) rose 2.46 percent closing at $81.18 after the company announced improvement in the sales of gift cards. The recent data shows that gift card sales were up 16 percent during the holiday season in the U.S.
The world’s largest coffee chain had an excellent holiday season and the company sold 37 million gift cards to the coffee lovers. The coffee maker announced that the customers loaded in excess of $1.1 billion on their gift cards during November 3 to December 25 in the United States and Canada. The number of gift cards sold was significantly higher with only 32 million cards sold during the same period last year.
For more than a decade, Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) has remained the favorite place for its lovers to enjoy a cup of coffee. It has 12,000 cafes in the U.S., which makes it an easily available and accessible option for the customers. According to the last year figures, more than $1.4 billion were loaded on gift cards between October and December with the Canadian and American customers loading up to $1.3 billion.
What is even more interesting is that the company sold over 2 million cards last year on Christmas Eve alone. Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) offers a wide variety of shopping cards to the customers. While talking about the gift cards last month, Ryan Records, Starbucks cards vice president, said, “More so than ever before, we have an unprecedented variety of Starbucks Cards available to our customers – ranging from the premium Sterling Silver Starbucks Card all the way through monogrammed cards, which can be purchased for $5.”
The coffee maker released a special Ultimate Starbucks Card this year with Starbucks for life offerings with retail value of $5,000 and 30 years validity. Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) has released only 14 such cards including 10 for the U.S., 3 for Canada, and 1 for U.K customers.
This article has been written by Prakash Pandey.


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To become a global trade hub means positioning the UK in the midst of overlapping free trade agreements (FTAs) that is a characteristic of world trade.
I’ve written in my previous LSE IDEAS Strategic Update Realising the aims of ‘Global Britain’ about how countries such as Mexico and now also Canada benefit from duty-free sales of goods to the EU, while US companies must pay a tariff. It’s because Canada and Mexico have free trade agreements with the European Union while the United States does not. That puts them in a privileged position since they are also in a free trade area with the US, NAFTA. Another example is Switzerland, which has a FTA with China as well as one with the EU, which places it in an advantageous place.
It suggests that the UK can similarly position itself as a global hub for trade. Given its long history of internationalism and London’s position as an international financial centre, Britain is well situated to become a global trade hub with its attendant economic advantages.
To achieve this aim will require taking a number of strategic decisions.
The first of which is to aim for a Brexit outcome that enables the UK to be a bridge between the EU and other major economies — simply, Britain must be able to do its own trade deals.
The second is to seek to open up the services sector of major economies which do not have FTAs with each other, e.g. the EU and US or the EU and China or US and China, so that there is an advantage to trading via the UK. The strategic aim would be to target the opening up of the services sector, rather than comprehensive FTAs which are challenging and take a long time to negotiate.
It implies for Brexit that the agreement with the EU will need to be bespoke. This is particularly challenging as the EU has stated repeatedly that it will not allow ‘cherry picking’ and is therefore not open to a unique agreement for Britain. But for the UK to become a global trade hub, it will require a Brexit deal that doesn’t fit into any of the existing models.
To prevent a hard border with Ireland, the British government has agreed that unless it presents an alternative plan, the UK will remain in a Customs Union and abide by EU standards. Staying in a Customs Union implies that the UK will not be able to do its own trade deals, because it would have the same external-facing tariff as the EU. Following EU standards, e.g. for products, would be necessary because differing standards would require border checks or pre-verification procedures.
A combination of a Customs Union and common standards would effectively preserve the open border that is a result of the historic Good Friday Agreement. It is also valued by manufacturing businesses, whose supply chains will be hit with higher costs if Britain leaves the Customs Union. Given the UK’s proximity to the EU, and the presence of numerous established supply chains, this must be considered. But, the UK must make clear that any such customs agreement, which apply tariffs to goods, only apply to manufacturing.
This fallback arrangement ties the hands of the UK in two crucial ways. The first is not being able to negotiate its own trade agreements. The current EU-Turkey Customs Union does not allow Turkey to negotiate its own trade agreements. But, it’s worth stressing again that the Turkey-EU Customs Union only applies to goods and not services. Still, Turkey was unsuccessful in arguing that it should be able to conduct its own trade negotiation in the area of services with America; the EU insisted that Turkey would instead be part of TTIP (Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership), the US-EU FTA that was being negotiated by the Obama administration.
The second implication is the UK becomes a ‘rule-taker’ in some respects, since Britain will not be part of how EU standards are set but would need to mimic them. This might work for UK manufacturing, but it would not be agreeable to all of the firms in the UK services sector. Notably, financial services firms would be opposed, according to the City’s EU representative. This is another reason why the separation of manufacturing from services should be made clear in any new customs arrangement to stress that services are not covered.
But the challenge in terms of separating manufacturing from services is considerable, since a number of industries sell services as well as physical products. An OECD-WTO study found that over half of the total value-added embodied in the manufactured exports of major economies come from the services sector. As a result, a World Bank study concludes that liberalising services trade would facilitate more goods trade.
Although goods and services are clearly interlinked, they are not equally open to global trading. This is because they are treated differently by the international trading system. Although the GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) covers trade in services, trade in services remains far less open than trade in goods. The 2013 launch of the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) by the EU, US, and other economies together representing 70% of global trade in services was intended to open up the global market for services. The countries involved stressed the benefits of services trade, which would help advanced economies sell what they mostly produce — services and not goods. For example, the economy of the EU is 70% services, but services make up just 25% of its exports. Even if services are partly non-tradable (e.g. consumed locally such as restaurant services), these nations believed that there was scope to increase their sale of services abroad.
Indeed, in our digital age, technology enables greater transmission of services and not just goods via e-commerce across national borders. This group of countries had hoped that if TiSA became widely adopted, then it could eventually constitute the next round of multilateral liberalisation under the WTO. This initiative has stalled with the change in US administration, but it underscores how it is possible to negotiate a services free trade agreement.
It also points to how the UK can become a global trade hub without pursuing time-consuming comprehensive FTAs. Targeting the opening up of the services sector in major economies would be a bilateral version of what TiSA was trying to achieve. It’s a narrower goal, though it would still be challenging because services trade is particularly tied up with regulations and non-tariff measures including standards. Opening up service sectors would require difficult negotiations between countries with different legal and regulatory systems. But, TiSA shows that many advanced economies believed it was worth pursuing. For Britain, focusing on services plays to its strengths as a mostly services-based economy, while using less negotiating resources than a full FTA.
Even without services trade being as liberalised as manufacturing, Britain is the world’s second largest exporter of services (after only the US) and runs a trade surplus in exporting services. Focusing on becoming a global trade hub for services is consistent with the UK’s longstanding position as an international financial centre as well as a hub for other services such as education, professional services, and the creative industries.
Therefore, Britain is well placed to position itself a global trade hub for services, which is one of the fastest growing areas of world trade and reflects the nature of commerce in the 21st century. It’s one possible future for post-Brexit Britain.
LSE IDEAS is the LSE’s foreign policy think tank. We connect academic knowledge of diplomacy and strategy with the people who use it.
About the Author
Linda Yueh is a Visiting Senior Fellow at LSE IDEAS, a Fellow in Economics at St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford and Adjunct Professor of Economics, London Business School. She was Visiting Professor of Economics at Peking University, and serves on the supervisory Policy Committee of the Centre for Economic Performance at LSE.


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It looks like we are quite close to seeing the first smartphone with an on-screen fingerprint scanner and as speculated before, the Chinese brand Vivo seems to be the frontrunner. As per the latest leak coming from Weibo, Vivo is working on two flagship smartphones codenamed X20 and X20 Plus which are said to be the Xplay 7 and Xplay 7 Plus respectively.
The new leak shows that the Vivo Xplay 7 will be featuring on-screen fingerprint scanner along with a set of three cameras on the back. Starting the security part, the on-screen fingerprint scanner is a new technology which was demoed by Vivo earlier this year at MWC, Shanghai. It basically allows users to unlock their phone or any locked app by using their fingerprint on a specific part of the display. It basically means there will not be a visible fingerprint scanning area like we see in current smartphones in the form of a button or a circular ring. If the leak is legit, it will be the first smartphone to feature an on-screen fingerprint scanner.
As for the triple camera system, the Vivo Xplay 7 simply has three cameras on the back. It is an improvement over dual camera setups on many modern phones but what exactly are those improvements other than the extra lens, it remains to be seen. The leak does not reveal any other technical information about the upcoming phone but if you will look at the image, you will notice that it seems to be sporting a dual curved display with almost no side bezels.
We will be sharing more information as we will get to know more Vivo’s next flagships which seem to be ready to bring significant upgrades over their competitors.


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BIOLASE Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLTI), the World's leading dental laser manufacturer and distributor, today announced that management is scheduled to make an investor presentation at the 10th Annual Needham Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, April 6, at 3:20 pm Eastern Time. The conference is being held April 5-6, at the New York Palace Hotel in New York City.
The presentation will be accessible by live webcast in the Investors section of the BIOLASE website at www.biolase.com (http://www.biolase.com) . A replay of the webcast will be available on the BIOLASE website for 30 days.
About BIOLASE Technology, Inc.BIOLASE Technology, Inc., the World's leading Dental Laser company, is a medical technology company that develops, manufactures and markets dental lasers and also distributes and markets dental imaging equipment, products that are focused on technologies that advance the practice of dentistry and medicine. The Company's laser products incorporate patented and patent pending technologies designed to provide clinically superior performance with less pain and faster recovery times. Its imaging products provide cutting-edge technology at competitive prices to deliver the best results for dentists and patients. BIOLASE's principal products are dental laser systems that perform a broad range of dental procedures, including cosmetic and complex surgical applications, and a full line of dental imaging equipment. Other products under development address ophthalmology and other medical and consumer markets.
For updates and information on laser and Waterlase dentistry, find BIOLASE at http://www.biolase.com (http://www.biolase.com) , Twitter at http://twitter.com/GoWaterlase (http://twitter.com/GoWaterlase) , and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/Rossca08 (http://www.youtube.com/user/Rossca08) .


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A fresh health advisory has been issued regarding the hazards associated with water bead toys.
After years of injury reports and safety advisories, water beads continue to be a serious and growing health hazard for young children, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Tuesday.
The absorbent polymer beads are often marketed as colorful, slimy, sensory items for kids to play with. They can be as small as a stud earring — little enough to swallow — but grow to the size of a marble or even a golf ball when immersed in water. Once inside a child’s body, they can cause gastrointestinal blockages.
The CPSC recorded nearly 7,000 water bead-related ingestion injuries in emergency rooms between 2018 and 2022.
The agency issued warnings this week about two products with toxicity risk, urging consumers to throw away water beads from the brands Jangostor and Tuladuo, which were sold on Amazon as recently as November 2023. According to the CPSC, the products contain unsafe levels of acrylamide, a chemical compound considered a probable human carcinogen. High levels of exposure can also have negative effects on the nervous and reproductive systems.
“The product warnings highlight that water bead hazards can go beyond ingestion, expansion and obstruction inside a child. Acrylamide is a known carcinogen,” the CPSC said in a release. “The large water beads in CPSC’s warnings contain levels of acrylamide in violation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act.”
Jangostor and Tuladuo, both located in China, have not “agreed to an acceptable recall,” the CPSC said.
The agency has been issuing recalls and warnings about water beads for more than a decade, and some parents, nonprofits and lawmakers have pushed to ban the beads altogether.
Amazon, Walmart and Target said in December that they would stop selling water beads.
Ashley Haugen, a mother of two from San Antonio, bought her older daughter water beads for her 6th birthday in 2017. A week later, her younger daughter Kipley, then just 1 year old, developed a rash around her mouth, became fussy and wasn’t sleeping well. More than two months later, Kipley began vomiting violently, Haugen said.
Emergency room doctors noticed a round mass in Kipley’s small intestine and performed an emergency surgery to remove what turned out to be pieces of water beads.
But problems persisted, Haugen said: In the following weeks, Kipley became clumsier and stopped talking or using her baby sign language.
Kipley’s developmental pediatrician “diagnosed her with toxic brain encephalopathy due to chemical exposure,” Haugen said. “It is a brain injury due to chemical exposure, so for her, it has changed the trajectory of her life.”
The beads Kipley ingested contained acrylamide.
About five years later, Haugen created “That Water Bead Lady,” a nonprofit group that raises awareness about the dangers of water beads, supports families whose children get injured by them and lobbies to ban water bead sales.
The Ban Water Beads Act, which would prohibit sales of most water bead toys, was introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., in November, due in part to Haugen’s advocacy work.
One maker, Buffalo Games, also recalled more than 50,000 of its water bead activity kits in September after a 10-month-old in Wisconsin died after swallowing the beads.
The CPSC announcement emphasized that if water beads grow inside the body, they can cause “severe discomfort, vomiting, dehydration, intestinal blockages, or life-threatening injuries that can require surgery.”
“They’re easy to swallow, but then if they continue to expand when they’re in the child’s gastrointestinal system, then we get in trouble where it can expand so much that it can cause some blockage,” said Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at the University of Rochester and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Murray added that she frequently sees children visit the emergency room with water beads lodged in their noses or ears, which can cause pain, blockage or infection.
“I would say a couple times a month there’s a concern for a water bead being somewhere it shouldn’t be,” she said.
For parents wondering how to keep children safe, the website Healthychildren.org (which is backed by the American Academy of Pediatrics) offers recommendations. It suggests waiting until all children in a household are at least 3 before purchasing water beads and supervising them while playing with the toy. Parents should store water beads in a tightly sealed container that young children can’t reach and permit kids to use the beads only on a table over a hard floor, then sweep or vacuum after.
Murray also suggested playing with only a small amount of beads at a time, or placing a rimmed baking sheet under the beads on a table to lessen the likelihood that they’ll roll onto the floor for a small child to find.
Haugen, however, said that in her view, even following all of those recommendations will not sufficiently protect children.
“Water beads look like candy. They are tiny, they scatter, bounce, roll, and can hide in your home for years,” she said, adding: “Water beads are not toys, and should not be used for play, period.”


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