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BITCOIN AND CRYPTO
BitPay | April 25, 2022
BitPay, the world’s largest provider of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency payment services, today announced two new exchanges and two new wallets are adopting its accurate payment protocol including top crypto providers Bitso, Bitstamp, Edge, and Guarda.
BitPay’s accurate payment protocol, the BitPay Protocol, enables more reliable blockchain payments by eliminating common payment exceptions including overpayments, underpayments, late payments, unconfirmed payments, and potential double-spend payments. In addition to the new partners, the BitPay Protocol has already been adopted by Blockchain Wallet, the world’s largest self-custody wallet. Many other leading wallets are also payment enabled including Electrum, BRD, Metamask, Ledger and more. Verifone’s 600,000 merchants, with a footprint of 35 million devices, also have BitPay’s Payment Protocol automatically enabled for in-store and online purchases.
BitPay first launched its accurate payment specification in 2017 to eliminate payment exceptions in transactions made with cryptocurrency, setting the standard currently adopted by top wallet organizations. Since then, the company has expanded upon the available features and now businesses can accept crypto through BitPay and receive error-free payments from over 200 million crypto users. As a blockchain payment processor, BitPay’s goal is to work with all wallets, and BitPay is the only payment processor who works with more than 100 different wallets to facilitate and optimize consumer to business and business to business payments. The company has processed over $5 billion in payments volume since inception, for tens of thousands of businesses worldwide.
Businesses accepting crypto should be able to accept payments from any crypto wallet and payments should post fast and be free of payment expectations. BitPay Protocol delivers on all these benefits and BitPay is pleased that our new and existing wallet and exchange partners have set the industry bar for payment quality, We are developing payment technology solutions to transform how businesses and people send, receive, and store money around the world making payments faster, more secure, and less expensive.”
Stephen Pair, CEO of BitPay.
Since the founding of Edge, we have always been passionate about people truly using cryptocurrency to buy and sell goods and services, We are happy to support the BitPay Payment Protocol to streamline the user experience at the point of sale for thousands of merchants and further drive adoption of cryptocurrency.”
Paul Puey, CEO / Co-founder at Edge.
Founded in 2011, BitPay is one of the oldest cryptocurrency companies. As a pioneer in blockchain payment processing, the company’s mission is to transform how businesses and people send, receive, and store money. Its business solutions eliminate fraud chargebacks, reduce the cost of payment processing, and enable borderless payments in cryptocurrency, among other services. BitPay offers consumers a complete digital asset management solution that includes the BitPay Wallet and BitPay Prepaid Card, enabling them to turn digital assets into dollars for spending at tens of thousands of businesses. The company has offices in North America, Europe, and South America and has raised more than $70 million in funding from leading investment firms including Founders Fund, Index Ventures, Virgin Group, and Aquiline Technology Growth.
TaxBit | April 29, 2022
TaxBit, the leading tax and accounting software provider for the tokenized economy, announces SoFi Technologies, the digital personal finance company, is joining the TaxBit Network—the first-of-its-kind network to provide free cryptocurrency tax forms to all users of the over 20 TaxBit Network companies.
Historically, the process of generating cryptocurrency tax forms costs individuals anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars per year depending on whether they used do-it-yourself software or enlisted an accountant. The TaxBit Network eliminates this barrier to mainstream digital asset adoption with every SoFi user of a supported TaxBit Network company receiving free, accurate crypto tax forms.
Adding a company like SoFi to the TaxBit Network is a major step for the digital asset world. This is a traditional finance company entering the world of crypto in a big way. We are thrilled to have them join our network and we look forward to assisting their clients in this new and ever-changing landscape."
Austin Woodward, TaxBit CEO.
In tandem with the launch of TaxBit Network, SoFi will be incorporating a one-click, free TaxBit sign-up within their native applications to further simplify access to 2021 tax forms and year-round access to TaxBit's industry-leading software.
Our mission is to help people get their money right, and joining the TaxBit Network makes it easier than ever to do that by making it simpler for our members to manage their taxes on cryptocurrency, We have seen a growing appetite for crypto investing among our members, and we know that trend is only to continue on as we see more and more people jumping into the market. We're thrilled to be getting ahead of the curve in meeting that need, and the implications that come with the trading of cryptocurrency, alongside TaxBit."
Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi.
The TaxBit Network provides users the ability to easily integrate their cryptocurrency exchange, DeFi, and NFT data, see their tax calculations line-by-line and aggregate tax positions, and download completed IRS Forms 8949 and Income reports that are ready to upload to popular tax filing software or hand over to an accountant—all for free for users of supported TaxBit Network companies, like SoFi. TaxBit's team of industry-leading CPAs and tax attorneys have certified the accuracy of tax calculations related to platforms within the TaxBit Network, including reconciling tax forms to all Forms 1099 issued by such platforms.
Designed by CPAs and tax attorneys, TaxBit is the leading tax and accounting solution for the tokenized economy. TaxBit's platform serves the industry's top exchanges, institutional investors, governments, and individuals. TaxBit has raised over $230 million from the world's-top investors in order to enable widespread digital asset adoption by automating the regulatory hurdles of tax and accounting compliance at scale. TaxBit has HQ in Salt Lake City and Seattle.
Huntington | May 16, 2022
Huntington National Bank, a subsidiary of Huntington Bancshares, Incorporated (Nasdaq: HBAN) announced today it has acquired Digital Payments Torana, Inc. (Torana), a business-to-consumer payments fintech based in San Francisco. Torana's digital payments solution, which will launch as Huntington ChoicePay, will further enhance Huntington's digital capabilities and advance Huntington's enterprise payments strategy.
Torana's payment solution is a software as a service (SaaS) model built in the cloud and will enable Huntington and its clients to distribute digital payments to a variety of end users.
Torana's acquisition aligns with our enterprise payments strategy of servicing clients across businesses of all sizes and enables us to maintain a leadership position within our commercial banking segment and further develop additional scale in verticals such as healthcare, public sector, insurance and Huntington's National Settlements business, Huntington ChoicePay technology enhances our commitment to delivering differentiated, automated experiences through best-in-class digital tools, and it aligns extremely well with our digital innovation roadmap.
Scott Kleinman, co-president of Huntington Commercial Banking.
This payment solution will increase engagement with our business and commercial clients because of its ability to rapidly distribute payments to end consumers who are increasingly seeking a faster and broader range of payments options – all critical drivers of customer satisfaction.
Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (Nasdaq: HBAN) is a $177 billion asset regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1866, The Huntington National Bank and its affiliates provide consumers, small and middle‐market businesses, corporations, municipalities, and other organizations with a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services. Huntington operates more than 1,000 branches in 11 states, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies.
Corporate Insight | April 18, 2022
Corporate Insight, the leading provider of competitive intelligence and customer experience research to the financial services industry, today announced the launch of its Small Business Banking Research Services. The services will track and analyze leaders in traditional and fintech banking platforms in a blend of multi-product, deposit-only and card-only relationships to capture the competitive landscape and arm business banking providers with insights to drive improved digital experiences.
On an ongoing basis, Small Business Banking Research Services will evaluate:
Digital platforms from traditional banks and innovative fintechs
Cash management services
Merchant and payroll services
Building on Corporate Insight's long history of tracking small business credit cards, Small Business Banking Research Services will assess the industry's top traditional banking and fintech platforms to illuminate this increasingly competitive and disruptive space. Using authenticated experiences, Small Business Banking Research Services will offer deep dives into user journeys with ongoing reporting on platform enhancements and dashboards that track industry leaders and innovative disruptors.
Similar to the retail banking industry over the past few years, fintechs and other digital-first organizations are now causing major disruption in the small business banking space and we anticipate this trend to continue to grow in the upcoming years, Our new Small Business Banking Research Services will track and assess the digital capabilities of the primary incumbents and disruptors, with the primary goal of arming business banking organizations with the knowledge needed to drive improved digital customer experiences."
Andrew Way, senior director of research at Corporate Insight.
About Corporate Insight
Corporate Insight delivers competitive intelligence, user experience research and consulting services to the nation's leading financial and health institutions. As the recognized industry leader in customer experience research since 1992, we have been the trusted partner to corporations seeking to improve their digital capabilities and user experience. Our best-in-class research platform and unique approach of analyzing the actual customer experience helps corporations advance their competitive position in the marketplace.


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This weekend, we celebrated World Environment Day; an important reminder of why we do the work that we do in the Low Carbon Business Unit at Gemserv. However, it was also an important time to reflect on the impact that we all have on the environment and how our consumption of food and drink has a greater footprint than you might think.
Food consumed in the UK is responsible for approximately 30% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions1. Beyond emissions, the food and drink sector is responsible for huge amounts of packaging waste, amounting to over 100,000 tonnes2. The sector also uses vast quantities of water and, of course, much of the precious natural resources that go into our food and drink are wasted when it is sadly thrown away.
On the route towards a net zero and a sustainable economy, every sector must play its part, and food and drink industry is no exception. Beyond being critical for our climate and protecting the environment, there is also an increasing business case for environmental impact reduction. In fact, research shows that 29% of adults take environmental impact into consideration when purchasing food3.
Whilst every actor along the journey from farm to fork must play its part, we have recently been working with the food and drink manufacturing sector, which forms a key part of this journey. The sector has already made great strides in progressing towards a decarbonised and sustainable future. Last year, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) reported exceeding an emissions target five years early with a 55.5% reduction in CO2 emissions from manufacturing operations in 2019, compared to 1990 levels. FDF members have also demonstrated great commitment to key initiatives such as the UK Plastics Pact and Food Waste Reduction Roadmap4. However, with the majority of emissions from food and drink associated with the extensive value chains, more work must be done. That is why earlier this year, the FDF made an exciting commitment on behalf of the food and drink manufacturing sector to achieve net zero emissions by 2040, 10 years ahead of the UK Government’s target5, 6.
This is a pioneering ambition which will be incredibly valuable in driving progress. However, to achieve the target, there are some barriers that need to be considered. They fit into six easily digestible themes.
Supply chains within the food and drink sector are highly complex, running all the way from farm to fork. Supply Chain Decarbonisation
Many companies within the sector are SMEs and lack the resource to invest in decarbonisation. A Lack of Time/Financial Resource
Short term business goals can take precedent over climate action and there are cases of ‘greenwashing’ in the sector. Short Term Business Need vs Long Term Targets
There is a lack of a long-term policy trajectory and a need for a supportive framework to enable decarbonisation across the whole sector. Policy Frameworks
There is low awareness of some solutions and in specific cases, a lack of available alternatives to key technologies. There are complexities with decarbonising heat and cooking technologies, such as gas ovens, and transport. Awareness of Low Carbon Solutions
Consistent methodologies are lacking to enable organisations to account for carbon emissions, leading to disparities across the sector as well as reports of challenges in attaining emissions data from intermediaries. Information Provision/Lack of Available Data

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For 21 years, Patricia Prim has been developing smiles out of her customers, even though she’s too humble to admit it.
Prim is the co-owner of Elkin Jewelers located at 544 CC Camp Road. She manages the store with her husband, Randy.
She also designs engagement rings. The store has its own brand called Prim Time, designed specifically for fathers.
According to the Prim, each day a countless number of customers spamming from several counties make their way to the family-owned jeweler.
During The Tribune’s impromptu visit, a total of eight customers arrived into the jewelry store. Patricia Prim knew at least six of them by name.
“Customer service is everything. That’s why people probably come here. They appreciate the value. They know we’ll listen to them and try to steer them to a product that best fits their price point,” said Prim.
“We have a lot of people who come in and are thinking about dates that are important for them. Getting the right item for Christmas may be important. Maybe they’re ready to get engaged. Maybe people want something special for someone’s birthday,” she said.
Not everything comes in the same size.
“Diamonds are not necessarily one size fits all. You have to have a relationship with the diamond. Sometimes a small one fits the moment. Sometimes a larger one does,” said Prim.
“We have a lay-a-way option too. Lots of companies have done away with that, but that’s something that’s very traditional necessity to many of our customers. Many times customers come in a pay a little each month just to work toward something that might have a higher price point,” she said.
When asked which demographic mostly enters her store, she said that the age varies.
“We have younger ages who come in. They usually come with a well researched idea on a piece of jewelry they want. They’ll pop in with their phone and scroll down to something they saw over the Internet. We’ll look at the item and go from there,” she said. “On the other hand, we’ll get someone older who may be traditional and want to see the product in their hands before a purchase.”
Prim revealed that the jewelry store is capable of having anything designed. She also stated that customers like the ability to show up at a jewelry store and touch and feel items.
“We’re here to cater to our customers,” she said.
Prim said that she also gets a ton of customers who come in who’ve made a practical mistake.
“Lots of married couples have joint accounts. People are becoming more savvy with the Internet and checking bank records online. Debit purchases show up immediately online. So if you are trying to surprise a special someone, it’s something to consider. Your best bet is to find another payment method, like cash,” she said. “Kind of takes away the surprise element.”
They’re expected once again to be the jewelry store’s best seller this Christmas season.
“Yes, traffic begins right now for the holidays. People are starting to eye Christmas shopping early. Trends are changing. People are not impulse purchasing as much as they’ve done in years past. Shoppers are more sophisticated too. That’s always a positive,” said Prim.
The jeweler stated that when people plan and think through their purchases, it leads to a satisfied customer.
“I see so many of our customers every few months. They’re all special to us and part of our lives. My husband and I are a true family business. We are absolutely humbled by the support from the community. We are very fortunate,” she said.
“I have seen this industry through many economic climates. I started 37-years ago working as a kid at Jewel Box,” revealed Prim. “It was a chain store located downtown. They eventually were in the process of being bought out. We opened our store 21-years ago. We were in a prior location for 16-years. When this shopping center opened, we were one of the first retail stores.
“You have to go to where the traffic is,” continued Prim. “We love everywhere in Elkin and we love downtown too, but our business depends on visibility just as much as repeat business.”
According to the jeweler, her husband is the jewelry repairman. They do most repairs on-premise.
Reach Anthony Gonzalez at 336-835-1513 or email at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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A legal malpractice trial set for Monday over Italian restaurant chain Buca di Beppo’s claim that Faegre Baker Daniels botched a major deal has been cancelled.
The jury trial was set to start Oct. 1, but was called off by Hennepin County District Judge Susan Burke after the Minneapolis-based law firm and its former client resolved their dispute as recently as Sept. 14, court records show.
The attorney for Minneapolis-based Faegre, Bob Weinstine of Winthrop & Weinstine, said the terms are confidential.
“The parties have agreed to settle the case and not to say anything else about the matter,” he said.
Buca Inc. officials and the company’s attorney in the case, Bill Skolnick, could not be reached for comment.
In 2006, Buca (then headquartered in Minneapolis) sold struggling Boston-area chain Vinny T’s, a deal in which it was represented by lawyers from the firm then known as Faegre & Benson. In court filings, Buca said Faegre’s lawyers ignored a request to include protection against lease defaults, later forcing Buca to repurchase the chain at a $10 million loss.
Faegre denied wrongdoing, pinning the blame on a former associate who became Buca’s general counsel in 2005. That attorney, Rich Erstad, is now general counsel at Minneapolis-based chemical company Hawkins Inc., which Faegre lists as a client.
Faegre could have settled to avoid more publicity, an uncertain outcome and damage to its relationship with Erstad and his company, said Phil Cole, a legal malpractice attorney at Lommen, Abdo, Cole, King & Stageberg who is not involved in the case.
“I’m sure they were counseled that this is a jury verdict and we can’t count on winning, and in order to win, we’ll have to put Erstad up front as the fall guy,” Cole said. “I can see why it settled.”
Faegre is insured against malpractice claims, and its reputation is unlikely to take a long-term hit from the case, Cole said.
Faegre Baker Daniels
Business: Full-service law firm
Formerly known as: Faegre & Benson (took new name Jan. 1, after merger with Indianapolis-based Baker & Daniels)
Managing partner: Andrew Humphrey (Minneapolis)


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| May 2, 2014
| 8:43 AM
When it comes to tablets, Apple remains the dominant leader, but rival Samsung is catching up.
Apple iPad sales fell from 19.5 million during the first quarter of 2013 to 16.4 million during that period this year. At the same, Samsung grew its tablet...
| Jun 12, 2014
| 6:28 PM
The Tesla Model S just became the world's first open-source car.
Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla Motors Inc., said Thursday that he was opening up the electric car company's patents to all comers.
"Technology leadership is not defined by patents,...
| May 19, 2014
| 2:40 PM
Motorola this month began selling the Moto E, a low-cost smartphone available for $129 with no contract.
The Moto E is Motorola's latest effort to go after customers who want high-quality devices but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars or get...
| Jun 6, 2014
| 4:11 PM
Colorado this week became the first state to regulate smartphone rides-on-demand businesses such as Uber.
Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law Thursday measures that mandate drivers pass background checks, vehicles be inspected by mechanics and ride...
| Jun 3, 2014
| 9:57 AM
Rather than making any single splashy announcement, Apple's latest developers conference keynote Monday was all about how the company plans to make its gadgets work together even better.
The ease and simplicity of its iPhones, iPads and Macs have long...
| Jun 2, 2014
| 2:17 PM
As expected, Apple unveiled the latest versions of its iOS and OS X operating systems Monday morning at the keynote event of its Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.
Led by Chief Executive Tim Cook and Senior Vice President Craig...
| May 8, 2014
| 4:30 PM
Apple could be close to making its biggest acquisition in the company's history, offering $3.2 billion to purchase headphone maker Beats Electronics, which recently launched a streaming music service.
Should the deal close, it would mark a major payout...
| May 9, 2014
| 10:33 AM
Reports are saying Apple may acquire Beats Electronics, but in the meantime the Cupertino, Calif., giant has for sure landed another figure in tech: Nokia's former camera expert.
Apple has hired Ari Partinen, who previously was senior engineer on Nokia'...
| Apr 29, 2014
| 12:08 PM
New technology is creeping into the world of wedding etiquette, with live streaming of the ceremony to a remote audience being a current example. We searched for a consensus among wedding planners and etiquette experts on its propriety. The result?...
| May 9, 2014
| 8:26 PM
As my colleague Chris O'Brien notes, Apple's reported interest in buying Beats Electronics for $3.2 billion is causing a lot of head-shaking and tongue-clucking among tech and finance cognoscenti. Even some of the company's most famous (or notorious)...
| Apr 28, 2014
| 1:05 PM
Hundreds of more Downers Grove elementary school students could be carrying iPads in their backpacks next year, as the school district prepares to expand its program to outfit all kids with individual devices.
Grade School District 58 administrators said...
| May 15, 2014
| 6:18 PM
T-Mobile and Spanish media giant Univision Communications Inc. have teamed up to launch a new wireless brand specifically designed for Latino customers.
Starting Monday, Univision Mobile will offer customers monthly plans that include 100 minutes of...


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In a business of software, Software engineers or developers are the builders of the digital world and just as traditional developers uses programming languages, blockchain developers too need to get comfortable with some different programming languages, such as Python and C++.
And, when it comes to Software and programming, India is undoubtedly the leader in producing large number of software engineers and developers. For emerging technologies like blockchain India is leading the race in this too.
According to Software developers market analysis, carried out by London-based blockchain consulting firm, Dappros, the United States and India are the leaders when it comes to absolute number of blockchain developers in the countries worldwide.
Top 10 countries by absolute number of blockchain developers
- United States
- United Kingdom
Top 10 countries by relative number of blockchain developers (% of population)
However, it is to be noted that this does not mean that India & U.S. do not have skill shortage of blockchain developer because of very fact that these are absolute numbers and when one counts absolute number of something for a country it does not consider its proportion to its overall population size, or simply the saturation.
Thus, when it comes to how each country is saturated by blockchain developers in proportion to its overall population size, Malta, Luxembourg and Singapore are top three countries leading the list.
According to the report, while Malta has estimated 46 blockchain developers per 100,000 population, India on other hand has just 1 blockchain developer per 100,000 population.
The United States has 8 blockchain developer per 100,000 population while Singapore has 36, says the report.
Social networking and job website postings have been analysed for Blockchain, Ethereum, Solidity, Bitcoin and Hyperledger developer profiles.
The relative saturation of blockchain developers per country has also been analysed with a different set of countries taking leading positions in the ranking.
Full data and detailed report available here. The report provides further insights including full global ranking as well as heatmaps for world, Europe and Asia.
To Read Our Daily News Updates, Please visit Inventiva or Subscribe Our Newsletter & Push.


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TOKYO -- Starbucks announced on Thursday a partnership with Alibaba Group Holding to deliver drinks and pastries through the Chinese e-commerce leader's apps and supermarkets.
The U.S.-based chain of coffee shops hopes to raise its brand profile among tech-savvy Chinese consumers and reverse a decline in sales, as it battles local coffee chains.
The two companies will do a trial run starting in September using Alibaba's Ele.me delivery service. The test marketing will take place at 150 Starbucks outlets in Beijing and Shanghai. They plan to expand the service to 2,000 shops in 30 cities by the end of the year.
They will also set up "Starbucks Delivery Kitchens" in Hema supermarkets operated by Alibaba, where shoppers will be able to order deliveries. Starbucks will also look for ways to sell through other channels in the Alibaba ecosystem, including shopping websites Tmall and Taobao, and the Alipay payments service.
"Our transformational partnership with Alibaba will reshape modern retail," said Kevin Johnson, president and CEO of Starbucks, adding that the move "represents a significant milestone in our efforts to exceed the expectations of Chinese consumers."
Coffee chains are growing rapidly in China. According to Euromonitor International, chain coffee shops in the country had $3.2 billion in sales in 2017, an increase of 240% from five years earlier.
Starbucks, which has more than 3,300 shops in China, previously dominated the premium coffee market. But its sales fell 2%, adjusted for the change in the number of stores, in the third quarter of fiscal 2018.
The competition between Starbucks and Chinese delivery startup Luckin Coffee has been especially intense. Founded in October 2017, the Beijing-based company has already sold more than 5 million cups of coffee through its 660 distribution points.


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A few weeks ago we talked in our blog about the rising shipping costs in maritime transport that has been evident this year. We wanted to follow up on what is happening after the summer and how it is affecting companies' day-to-day business. To do so, we have gathered the testimony of Judith Salgado, an expert in international logistics of Grupo Cobra, who has offered us her point of view on the situation.
Have you noticed an increase in maritime transport prices in the last year?
Absolutely yes. For any professional involved in the supply sector, whether buyer, seller or logistician, the price increases that have taken place since 2020 have not been indifferent. Specifically in my case, the prices that we were handling in Q4 2019 have increased by more than 300% during 2020, reaching an increase of 1000% in 2021 for containers with a Chinese port of origin.
As a logistics expert, what is causing this situation?
During the toughest stage of COVID, when much of the world suffered from strict confinement, international trade dropped significantly and shipping lines decided to eliminate departures from their ships. However, once demand reached pre-COVID levels and even increased, shipping lines responded with a more limited supply, and have continued to cut back on sailings. This coupled with the COVID protocols that have been implemented in the ports have slowed the flow of container returns causing equipment shortages and a major bottleneck.
Are there noticeable delays in maritime transports?
Yes, cargo is piling up, there are no containers and there is a lot of congestion which means that departures can be delayed by as much as two months. Cargo that does not go directly to its destination and is unloaded in a transhipment is left waiting for weeks for a free ship.
In addition to all this, there are the closures of ports by COVID, for example Yantian months ago and recently Nibgbo.
How do you think this situation will affect your sector?
In my case, as I am in charge of providing cost forecasts for tenders and I close logistics prices a year or two ahead for projects that have already been awarded, it has turned our procedures upside down.
On the one hand, it is impossible to have a cost forecast because no one offers you such a long term but only 3 weeks ahead, which leads to a great instability of the budget.
On the other hand, this congestion creates great uncertainty as to when your cargo will be shipped, whether you will get the equipment you ordered or whether at the last minute they will reject it and it will be grounded. You can imagine what it means if the goods don't arrive at their destination. If the material does not arrive, the rest of the chain is waiting without being able to do its job.
On several occasions I have come across transport companies refusing to ship special cargo because it means more work for them when they are making a lot of money with general cargo.
Do you think that this situation will be sustained over time or is it temporary?
I am confident that it is a temporary situation because it is unsustainable, although predictions indicate that prices will go even higher.
When prices started to rise in 2020 we all waited until the summer to board as we naively expected it to go down, but it didn't stabilise, it just kept rising to the current prices.


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The BOAZ team celebrates craft and growth as brand launches new identity
EDMONTON, AB, February 26, 2019 – BOAZ Pharmaceuticals Inc. (BOAZ) received its license for cultivation in June 2018, and the company is now gearing up for Phase II of expansion as it is in the final stages of obtaining its Sales License. A labour of love is one way to describe the exigent process BOAZ has endured as the independent Licensed Producer (LP) continues to scale.
“It’s a unique skill set to be able to put the right structures, systems, processes, and schedules into place while building and motivating a new team to advance a complex regulatory-driven project on a very tight timeline,“ explains David Isaak, President, and CEO of BOAZ.
BOAZ is known for having earned its LP status in only 10 months without external consultancy, under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR): the fastest processing time of any facility across Canada. This achievement required great focus and commitment from the entire BOAZ team, and so it comes as no surprise that every detail in the producer’s refreshed identity system received the same passionate care and attention that was summoned to earn its LP status.
From a new website to a refreshed logo, BOAZ wanted to honour the sheer perseverance of human potential and pay tribute to the craft process. To highlight its intention, BOAZ also tapped into the creative talents of Calgary-based artist, Carl White, to handcraft a unique piece that fans can truly appreciate and relate to.
“The project has been nurtured and hand built from the ground up. Every leaf was hand carved. I’m proud that we are matching the vision of BOAZ through this,” says Carl White, Artist. The cannabis-themed art installation took approximately 100 hours to craft from concept to execution. It pays homage to the meticulous care that BOAZ puts into handcrafting its medical cannabis products.
The handcrafted art installation will be on display at the upcoming HempFest Cannabis Expo in Edmonton, Alberta. In addition to admiring another example of fine Alberta craftsmanship, guests can talk with team members and interact with the display.
The BOAZ team will be stationed at Booth #3 on March 2nd and 3rd, 2019. HempFest Cannabis Expo will be held at the Edmonton Convention Centre. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit https://www.hempfestedmonton.com/.
BOAZ: We’re Growing Potential.


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Find out the top ten destinations planners are booking for luxury events this year, according to our exclusive research…
Off-the-beaten-track destinations such as Rwanda, Columbia, Georgia and Laos are increasingly on the radar for luxury event planners as clients seek to reward their teams with once-in-a-lifetime travel opportunities according to our research. “There’s certainly a move towards some more intrepid and adventurous destinations as clients are searching for more experience driven incentives that delegates wouldn’t ordinarily go to,” says Top Banana director of incentives Elliott Grant.
Yet despite the urge to explore new exotic destinations being stronger than ever, it’s the tried and tested options that remain the most popular in 2019. We asked luxury planners which destinations they are booking for 2019 to create our first-ever inSPIRE destination hotlist for high-end events and incentives.
|Top 10 destinations for luxury events in 2019|
|4. Southern Africa|
The top ten is dominated by well-established destinations, with southern European countries Spain, Portugal and Italy leading the pack and old favourites South Africa, Paris and Dubai also experiencing a boost in bookings.
Tried and tested
Sunshine, safety, ease of access and an ever-expanding portfolio of luxury hotels all contribute to Spain’s unwavering popularity as an events destination. It also works equally well for both meetings and incentives. While Barcelona remains the darling of the MICE industry, capital city Madrid is snapping at its heels for business with a wealth of luxury openings on the horizon, including new W and Four Seasons properties expected this year.
Barcelona is also seeing increased competition from neighbouring Portugal according to several agencies. “Barcelona is always popular – it’s a very vibrant destination and has that lovely combination of city and beach and a great climate all year round. But we are also seeing more interest in Lisbon, which has everything, but beats Barcelona on price by quite a margin,” says Absolute Corporate Events managing director Chris Parnham.
Jan De Ridder, owner The Boosting Group agrees that Portugal offers better value for money than other European cities. “It’s a great value destination and the five-star properties in Portugal offer much better rates than France or Spain,” he adds.
In third place behind Spain and Portugal is Italy, which comes as no surprise to Italia Connection executive vice president David Vogel. “Italy will always be on the top list because it has the special extra for every event and journey. The unexpected experience is always part of any trip you take to Italy, because the country has so much to offer,” he says. “The energy you feel in the cities is infectious. It makes you want to explore and try new things. In combination with the incredible calm that hundred years old masterpieces radiate, it is a recipe which makes you always to come back.”
Black Tomato Agency is among the incentive specialists seeing increased demand for Italy, however co-head David Heron says clients are demanding new and unique experiences. “Europe is proving more popular for clients that would typically have budget for long-haul. They are going back to older destinations but recreating that experience. There is a renewed appreciation that you don’t have to go far to create something that is truly unique,” he explains. “We’re selling Italy a lot and working with some great suppliers that are offering really interesting group options.”
Outside of the established destinations in Italy, lesser known regions such as Puglia, Sicily, Emilia Romana or Piemonte are also on the radar. “They all offer wonderful destinations either on the coast or in the mountains, with castles, folkloric events, hidden wine and dine treasures and much more,” adds Vogel.
Event destination trends are often cyclical with hot favourites coming in and out of vogue every few years. While Paris never really went out of fashion, a flurry of major refurbishments and new luxury openings over the last 18 months has put it firmly in the spotlight. Global DMC Partners named the French capital the most popular international city for meetings and incentives for 2018 in its recent Global Destination Index and it came seventh on our 2019 hotlist.
“A few new openings in a city or destination can generate interest again and bring people back,” says CWT M&E Vice President EMEA Ian Cummings. “For example, we are hearing a lot of noise about Amsterdam – it has several new properties including a Soho House, where Prince Harry had a party last year, as well as a new Park Inn by Radisson.”
The same could be said for Thailand, which made number nine on our hotlist. There has been a flurry of luxury developments in Bangkok, with a new Waldorf Astoria and EDITION debuting in 2018 and a Rosewood and Four Seasons planned to open this year.
Other destinations back in vogue for 2019 include Greece, Turkey and Morocco. Marrakech in particular, which went from being a hot favourite to pretty much dropping off a cliff due to client concerns over safety and security, is seeing business pick up again – SevenEvents and Clogwork Orange are among the agencies taking groups there in 2019.
“After a few years in the wilderness the likes of Marrakech and Istanbul are back at the forefront of client’s minds again which is great news as they’re both fantastic destinations for incentives, well connected and exceptional value on the ground,” says Top Banana’s Grant.
With ‘spotting the Big 5’ an experience on most people’s bucket lists, African safaris seem hotter than ever right now. Dragonfly Africa CEO Mike Waller believes this is in part due to the encroachment on wildlife habitat increasing at an alarming rate resulting in more species being poached to the brink of extinction. “Through increased awareness via social media, people are realising that there may come a time when they won’t see any of these magnificent animals or cultures and tribes or the wide-open spaces in quite the same form as they are now and so, the safari experience is being moved up their priority list,” he explains.
Our survey put Southern Africa in fourth place on the destination hotlist, with South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana all named as destinations luxury planners are placing business this year.
“Off the back of a tough year… Cape Town bookings have picked up favourably. It continues to be voted ‘Best City to Live In’ along with numerous other accolades. The diversity of activities, product available, scenic beauty and culture in a relatively small space is difficult to match,” says Waller. “Personally, we are seeing interest in more outlying areas especially safari reserves which were previously unexplored by international tourists – Madikwe, Waterberg, Chobe and South Luangwa for example.”
Concepts Collection Group meanwhile, has seen a big resurgence in the popularity of Victoria Falls and new luxury properties in Zimbabwe and Zambia, according to CEO Richard Holt. “We’re also seeing a real Namibian interest and renaissance with stunning new lodges opening across the country at the moment. Mozambique is emerging as a hot new destination and Rwanda is really investing in its conferencing and MICE opportunities, which is having a knock-on effect into leisure business in neighbouring Uganda and Congo especially for trekking and the gorilla experience,” says group CEO Richard Holt.
On the horizon
Although Thailand was the only Asian destination to make the top ten, a number of destinations across the region including Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines, are emerging as potential incentive hotspots for 2019 and beyond.
Central and South America are also on the radar with destinations including Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Columbia and Argentina all named as up and coming destinations of interest in our survey results. “We are pitching South America a lot, but it often tends to be second place or runner up in most situations,” says Absolute Corporate Events’ Parnham. “We usually find that those destinations coming second tend to climb higher the following year, so I think we’ll be confirming more trips in the region in 2020.”
This article is part of our first inSPIRE: the ANNUAL edit – an in-depth report on current and future trends in the luxury events and incentives market, featuring exclusive research and interviews with industry experts from across the globe.
Stay tuned – the full report will be available to download soon, with further features, including the top six emerging destinations and our 2019 Hotel Hotlist to be published online throughout February…


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Accessories brand Fiorelli has unveiled its first real leather handbag range in 10 years as it moves towards the premium market.
The label, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, is releasing the five piece collection next month in order to “reinforce the brand’s luxury credentials”. The bags will cost up to £200, compared with £49 for its bestselling Belinda Grab line.
Fiorelli’s brand manager Sue Tebbitts told Drapers the move came in response to “demand from customers, requesting a more premium product”.
She said: “People are finding it tight at the moment and so are making more considered purchases. They are interested in investment rather than throw away fashion.”
The new premium line will feature every season beginning with the pre- autumn 13 collection.
Fiorelli’s entry level price points remain the same and the label will continue to offer its “well established non leather premium products.”
Tebbitts said: “There is huge demand in Japan and the Middle East for the leather collection, as well as growing interest from South African and Canadian markets. It’s vital that we grow with these partners and work closely with them to ensure that the brand is placed in the right retailers.”


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SHANGHAI — Young Chinese consumers are embracing a multitude of new fragrances descending on the market from international brands.
According to recently released numbers from market research firm Euromonitor, fragrances in China registered a 12 percent increase in current value terms in 2011, up from 8 percent value sales growth the year before.
Hermès is launching a Laundromat pop-up shop in NYC - dubbed Hermèsmatic - where customers can bring their old scarves to be dip-dyed by an expert. Get all the details on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @donstahl)


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It's easy to get depressed about climate change. We've made so little progress in reducing carbon-dioxide emissions that our previous goal - to limit the rise in global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius - is almost laughable. (See: "UN Climate Report Questions Global Willpower")
But what if companies could make money from carbon dioxide, the heat-trapping gas that's the main contributor to global warming?
We're not actually so far off from turning emissions into commodities, it turns out. In the United States alone, a number of companies aim to convert waste carbon dioxide into chemicals that can be used to make products we buy every day: bleach, baking soda, car seats, diapers, even fuel. What's more, these companies aren't just green do-gooders. They're all on the verge of commercialization and aim squarely at making money. There's certainly potential: The market for jet fuel alone was $200 billion in 2010.
"The world is moving toward carbon capture, and if they can do it while making money, they'd much rather do it that way," says Stacy MacDiarmid, a spokeswoman for Skyonic, based in Austin, Texas.
Skyonic sets up shop near carbon emitters, like power plants, and captures their emissions. It then combines them with salt, water and electricity to yield high-purity sodium bicarbonate, aka baking soda, as well as hydrochloric acid and bleach. The company will open its first commercial carbon-capture plant later this month and believes it will generate $50 million in annual revenue.
Bedford, Massachusetts-based Joule is another one to watch. Its genetically engineered bacteria catalyze a chemical process that converts CO2, sunlight and water into fuel that cars can use. This all takes place in giant tanks where bacteria grow. They're pond scum, basically, but they work a marvel: They metabolize carbon dioxide and produce synthetic fuel as a byproduct.
In other words, Joule's technology eliminates the middleman - the dinosaurs, for example, that have spent hundreds of millions of years underground, fossilizing into hydrocarbon-based substances - and radically condenses the fuel production process by starting at the end - with the CO2. "What we are producing is really the same product that is being produced by the fuel industry today. We're just doing it in real time," says Tom Jensen, the company's head of corporate development.
Joule's fuel could be used in combustion engines, which means, theoretically, you could drive green without an electric car. Kiss your Tesla justifications goodbye. And if everything goes right, Joule says, its fuel could be sold for roughly $50 a barrel, or $1.20 gallon.
Of course, that's a big if. We're a long way from those sort of prices, and it's worth remembering that rosy projections are the hallmark of nascent industry. One industry adviser cautions that technological development is always risky and, even in the best-case scenario, still takes a long time. Joule, for instance, doesn't even expect its commercial facility to be up and running for another few years.
And yet, even the cautious recognize the potential: Transforming emissions into useful stuff could have huge implications - for both business and the environment. It's definitely a giant step forward from carbon capture and sequestration, or "CCS," which was state of the art for decades. CCS entails separating the carbon dioxide from emissions, liquefying it under high pressure, then burying it in a geological formation where it stays for millions of years. CCS gets rid of carbon, but it's awfully expensive, and there's no commercial incentive to do it.
Which is why carbon utilization is so promising: It might actually make money while helping reduce carbon dioxide - and at very large scale, too, because fuel and chemicals are huge markets.
So are polymers, the base material for things like plastic containers, paints, mattress foam, even disposable diapers. That's what Novomer, based in Waltham, Massachusetts, has its eye on. As currently constructed, polymers are terribly ungreen: The industry today uses an estimated 7 to 8 percent of extracted oil and gas. (See: "Gulf Oil Spill 'Not Over'")
Novomer's technology cuts the need for these fossil fuel-based raw materials in half. With a proprietary catalyst, the company reacts carbon molecules from carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide waste with traditional chemical feedstocks. The waste gas replaces 50 percent of the petroleum-based (propylene or propylene oxide) feedstock, which is an excellent deal for Novomer: It figures it can buy waste CO2 from industrial gas makers (like those that supply to soda manufacturers) for $100 a ton. Propylene oxide costs about $2,000 per ton, says Peter Shepard, Novomer's chief business officer. "So it's 20 times less expensive," Shepard says.
Founded in 2007, Novomer has two base polymer products, each sold in three formats: hot-melt adhesives (for autos, shoes, furniture, textiles); rigid insulating foam (used for insulating homes and buildings); and coatings (used for decoration and protection of metal, plastic and wood). The products were launched commercially in June, and the company has capacity at a plant in Houston to produce them. Novomer expects to be profitable in the next 24 months or so.
Shepard acknowledges Novomer's work is but a small piece of the puzzle. "Realistically, there's way more CO2 than our product can ever capture. But we're definitely a step in the right direction," he says.
Carol J. Clouse is a freelance writer who lives in Brooklyn, New York.
This piece comes from our partner OZY.


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As we come into the coldest temperatures of the year, it is a good idea car owners do everything possible to ensure their car will be up and running smoothly come spring time. Not only does extra protection leave a car running better but it also saves money in the long run. Car owners are encouraged to have maintenance done periodically on their vehicles.
The Engine Rebuilders Council recently reported that although many Americans believe a car is out of commission once the engine fails, for just the cost of a down payment on a new car, an engine repowering can offer year's of reliable use out of a vehicle.
"Harsh winter weather can be tough on a vehicle, but a damaged engine doesn't have to be the end of the car you love," said Ken Carter, chairman of the Engine Rebuilders Council. "Many vehicle owners may think their only option is to purchase a new vehicle when they experience severe engine trouble, but repowering is an economically and environmentally sound alternative that extends vehicle life and saves the cost of a new car."
Essentially what they do is take apart the entire engine, and either clean or rebuild all the products that need attention.
Tips to keeping a car up to par
In addition to engine protection during the winter months, anyone that's anyone uses Husky Liners® vehicle floor mats to keep the interior of their cars protected from snow and spills. Liners keep the liquid on the mat and off the car's carpet, not only keeping it fresh for spring driving, but also helping keep the resale value of a car high.
While Dan Woods, host and producer of Speed's Chop Cut Rebuild series, admitted to the Journal Sentinel that today's cars and trucks are more reliable than ever before, but the winter cold still wears on specific parts of the car.
"Still, certain systems in all vehicles are more susceptible to cold, snow and ice," Woods said. "It's important to prepare those systems to handle colder weather."
Drivers should always make sure the connections in the battery of the car are secure and that no moisture is causing them to erode. Not only can moisture affect the battery, but the cold automatically causes it to drain faster, so checking now could save you a cold walk to the gas station later on down the road.


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Putting users at the heart of publisher service design is no longer a nice to have, its a necessity. Guest blogger Esther Harris, marketing executive at 67 Bricks, gives an overview of our webinar ‘Best publisher UX award finalists’.
67 Bricks is a software development consultancy helping publishers build data-driven information products.
Users at the heart of everything was the message loud and clear from the OpenAthens’ webinar last week. Bloomsbury, Cambridge University Press and Emerald Publishing are the short-listed finalists for the Best Publisher UX Award 2020. All three shared their perceptions on the catalysts for becoming more user-led, how they designed and built new, modern content platforms, and the benefits they’ve delivered so far.
Listening to customers and users
Face to face interviews, global surveys, focus groups, social media campaigns and games. These three teams have covered an impressive number of bases when it comes to engaging with their users. Their focus is finding out what users really require from a modern content platform to make their research go further. These publishers built detailed customer personas – Cambridge University Press’ sounded particularly impressive. All three created robust and continuous user feedback loops. These innovative publishers ensured that whatever was created for the user was outcome-focused, tested and the results fed back into platform development.
Tim Inman, product manager at Bloomsbury was first up. Tim introduced Bloomsbury’s new custom-built platform, serving over 200 subscribing institutions in 30 countries. It’s a flexible solution that allows Bloomsbury to quickly create custom products for specialist subjects as diverse as fashion, art and medieval history. Tim said an important part of service design delivering well was learning to fail fast. He admitted they often learned more from the users that didn’t sign up to the new product and why that was, than the ones that did. Bloomsbury are always seeking to know what could we do better? Content type, search and browse, and the design and visual elements were a high priority for users. Tim’s team paid particular attention to these details to make sure the platform offered a clean user experience. And they refined with user acceptance testing at every step of the way.
Cambridge University Press
The Cambridge University Press team were next to present on their innovations in service design. Alex Evans, lead product owner, gave us a strong, cinematic opening borrowed from Star Wars – suggesting the new platform Cambridge Core was their “New Hope”! Alex told us the business had interviewed almost 10,000 researchers. User feedback showed they wanted books and journals brought together in one, easy to access, platform. Top priorities were digital products that enabled them to share research with peers more easily and find related topics seamlessly and intuitively. Since delivery, Cambridge Core have seen a 10% growth in digital revenue and a 24% rise in users registering for products.
At Emerald Publishing, the message was about doing whatever it took to offer users a crisp, clean UX. The team, led by Damian Stuart, head of UX, wanted to innovate and meet changing user demands. Their rigid vendor-run platform was holding them back. But Emerald didn’t want to reinvent the wheel by building a new platform in-house, so they made the bold decision to go hybrid. With the help of specialist technology partners, Emerald used best of breed components to create their own modular platform. This provided customization and flexibility, but without the traditional cost and risk. Emerald Insight launched publicly in summer 2019 after much iterative work with users on a private beta site. The team has developed a “whole new rapport” with users, they can be responsive and flexible with products, and are already seeing an uplift in revenues.
Change is here
And the winner of the inaugural UX award is… find out at the Access Lab conference on 19 March! One thing is for certain, after years of being on pause, change is now coming to publishing in waves. There is no holding back these pioneering UX teams and product managers. Now they have built a closer relationship with their users they are uniquely placed to meet their needs. Moreover, these innovators are far better equipped to face whatever challenges and opportunities are on the horizon. This rapport is something they won’t relinquish in a hurry – and other publishers should take heed. It is essential for survival in the digital age.
Watch the recording
Catch up with the latest updates on the Best publisher UX award results on our youtube channel.


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The battle between smartphone maker Apple and the FBI continues. The FBI has ordered Apple to unlock the encryption on an Apple iPhone used by the perpetrator of a mass shooting in San Bernardino, Syed Rizwan Farook.
In mid-February, US Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym ruled that Apple had to provide the FBI with software to make it easier to hack into the phone.
The justification for this is a law called the All Writs Act, a 1789 law which allows US federal courts to "issue all writs necessary or appropriate in aid of their respective jurisdictions and agreeable to the usages and principles of law."
Apple challenged the ruling, with CEO Tim Cook publishing a letter to its customers explaining why. He said that the US government had "overreached" in its demands and argued that its efforts would create a dangerous precedent.
This week, Apple has received several boosts in its battle with the security agency. A New York judge ruled that Apple cannot be forced to provide US authorities with access to a locked iPhone, which could have major implications for a well-publicised battle between the two parties.
Apple has also seen shows of support from competitors in the technology industry as well as other bodies. But just who is on Apple’s side and who isn’t, and what are they saying?
1. The United Nations (UN)
David Kaye is the UN Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of opinion and expression. Appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, he monitors freedom of expression issues.
In the letter he cites a report by Kaye in May 2015 which claimed that encrypted messaging and online anonymity are essential to protecting freedom of expression.
He argued that that encryption emerged as a necessary response to governments’ abilities to spy on their citizens after "contemporary digital technologies" gave them "unprecedented capacity to interfere with the rights to freedom of opinion and expression."
The paper cited article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as protecting individuals against interference with their privacy.
Most pertinent to the Apple case was Kaye’s explicit statement that times of terrorism did not relieve governments from their obligation to respect human rights, including the right to privacy.
2. Box, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and other tech giants
In one amicus brief, a submission to the court by a third party that is not part of the case and has not been enlisted by the party, Apple’s tech compatriots including Box, Google, Facebook and Microsoft argued that the government’s order to Apple "will harm Americans’ security in the long run.
The companies admitted that they regularly competed with Apple and each other, but said that they spoke "with one voice because of the singular importance of this case to them".
While they were keen to condemn the terrorist attack, the tech giants emphasised the importance of the trust based in them by their customers.
3. Donald Trump
The former television personality, property tycoon and current frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the United States presidential race was vocal in denouncing Apple for not cooperating with the FBI.
Trump called for consumers to boycott Apple products until they gave up an unspecified "security number" that he believed they were withholding.
He provided further clarification on Twitter: "I use both iPhone & Samsung. If Apple doesn’t give info to authorities on the terrorists I’ll only be using Samsung until they give info."
Trump’s grasp of the case appeared to be relatively limited, as Apple have not refused to provide information to the security agency.
He has also mooted plans to force Apple to build their iPhones in the US.
4. Families of San Bernandino victims
Five families of the San Bernardino victims, however, filed an amicus brief with the court asking that Apple unlock the phone.
Re/code saw the filing, with the families arguing that the device might contain information on whether another attack might be on the way and shed light on the case.
The families argued that the debate about national security should be saved for a separate occasion, after this specific case had been solved.


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Huobi Group launched mobile app Huobi Lite on March 10 for the Southeast Asian market, providing users in the region with an alternative to other crypto exchange apps such as Coinbase and Robinhood which are both known for their easy-to-use and beginner-friendly interfaces. Available exclusively to users residing in Asia and Europe, the best part about Huobi Lite is that user fees have been eliminated – no commission, no trading fees, no fiat deposit or withdrawal fees and no fees for crypto-swaps.
While the Know Your Customer (KYC) process is mandatory on every crypto exchange platform currently, Huobi Lite skips the KYC verification step. The KYC process even on Coinbase or Crypto.com can take up to 3 business days, so potential users who have been deterred by the KYC process on these apps will find their sign-up process on Huobi Lite entirely effortless, as long as these users are trading less than $1,000 daily.
The app currently offers 9 cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, USDT, HT, EOS, BCH, XRP, LTC, and HUSD, and accepts US Dollars, Vietnamese Dong, Chinese Yuan, Hong Kong Dollars and Malaysian Ringgit.
“Huobi Lite gives users a simpler way to trade crypto without sacrificing the trust, performance, and security they’ve come to expect from other Huobi products,” said Ciara Sun, VP of Global Business at Huobi, in an official press release.
You may also want to read: Huobi Thailand Introduces Lending Platform with Thai Baht Digital Stablecoin


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By Kristina Monllos.
In October, CoverGirl unveiled a new, more inclusive brand positioning that better reflected its consumers. The work from creative shop Droga5 featuring new CoverGirls like Insecure creator Issa Rae, 69-year-old model Maye Musk and the new brand tagline, “I Am What I Make Up,” was a radical shift for one of the biggest beauty brands on the market and indicative of a change in tone for beauty marketing.
Beauty brands are looking not only to be more inclusive in the way they show bodies, skin tones and people of varying ages in marketing campaigns, but also to revamp how they speak to and listen to consumers.
Read more at Adweek.


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We know that nowadays the security of some entrepreneurs is important, particularly when we are talking about top companies, such as Facebook, Apple, Uber, among others. Well, companies invest a lot of money in the safety of their top employees and, if that’s no surprise, it is interesting to know the numbers. And they are awesome!
In a new analysis of the security expenses accumulated by Silicon Valley giants shows that they spent on 11 executives the modest amount of US$ 46 million to protect them during 2020. The leader of this “ranking” is, none other than, Mark Zuckerber, CEO of Facebook, where, according to the site Protocol, $23.4 million was spent on security. An increase when compared to the year 2019, which was spent 20.4 million.
The company attributed the increase to the new COVID-19 protocols and additional protection during the US elections, as Facebook was heavily featured (in the negative) in previous elections. With these results, Mark Zuckerber was, by far, the executive who had the most costs in relation to his safety by a large margin. In fact, the total of the 11 executives with the highest security bills, make a total of 46 million dollars, which means that Zuckerberg, alone, costs more than half of the total amount, which is still incredible.
In a comparison with another very important executive who is, at present, the richest man in the world, Jeff Bezos, spent “only” 1.6 million dollars on personal security. An incredible difference. But Mark is not alone on this list when we talk about Facebook executives.
It is right in second place on this list of “most spenders” that we find the second most costly security executive, the company’s COO, Sheryl Sandberg, with an estimated cost of 7.6 million dollars.
These values are justified by the growing importance of technology in the world, with a clear emphasis on social networks that have had an additional importance not only in the economy, but in the life of the world population. Fame inevitably brought with it unwarranted attention.
Facebook, which has been accused of everything from polarizing public discourse to allowing false information about vaccines to spread, proves to be quite defensive. The company had previously noted in SEC documents that Zuckerberg is “synonymous” with the “negative feeling” around him. In April, Facebook noted that its annual assessments “identified specific threats to Mr. Zuckerberg.”
But he’s not the only one, as last year it was revealed that Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO at Altura, had his WhatsApp hacked two years earlier, realizing why companies have spent millions on securing these top employees.
In this list of expenses, 11 executives were mentioned. Follow the list to find out what the other 9:
- Mark Zuckerberg – Facebook – $23.4 million
- Sheryl Sandberg – Facebook – $7.6 million
- Sundar Pichai- Google- $5.4 million
- John Zimmer – Lyft- $2.06 million
- Larry Ellison – Oracle – $1.71 million
- Evan Spiegel – Snap – $1.67 million
- Jeff Bezos – Amazon – $1.6 million
- Marc Benioff – Salesforce – $1.31 million
- Dara Khosrowshahi – Uber – $849 000
- Logan Green – Lyft- $599 000
- Tim Cook – Apple – $470 000


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PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Federal agents announced the seizure of nearly 4,000 tires on Wednesday that didn't meet safety standards.
They were being shipped from China to a business in Western Pennsylvania and intercepted at the port by Philadelphia Customs and Border Protection officers.
Upon inspection, authorities determined that 3,942 trailer and mobile home tires worth $140,000 violated federal motor vehicle safety standards and regulations.
The tires lacked markings that convey important safety and use information for consumers, as well as brand identification that can be used in the event of a recall.
3,942 unsafe tires seized at Port of Philadelphia
More TOP STORIES News


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Andy Rubin, the "Father of Android," announced on his 50th birthday in October 2014 that he was passing off the division and leaving Google.
"What am I going to do for the next 10 years of my life? Am I going to fight for 1% market share, or am I going to make 10 more Androids?" Rubin said of his decision to leave.
After taking a break to mow lawns, he joked, Rubin has returned to tech as a venture capitalist with a passion to look for the next frontier beyond the market-dominating Android operating system he created.
Rubin created Playground Global, a new venture-capital fund and hardware incubator that closed a $300 million round on Monday. Part of its mission is betting on the next big thing, "the thing beyond the mobile or the tablet," Rubin said.
"Mobile isn't going away," Rubin said, assuaging an audience gathered at a mobile conference. "There is a point in time — I have no idea when it is — it won't be in the next 10 years, or 20 years — where there is some form of AI, for lack of a better term, that will be the next computing platform."
With the rise of connected devices like smart thermostats and door locks, the world increasingly generates data. Simultaneously, computers are getting better at absorbing that data, learning from it, and making decisions such as whether to lower or raise the heat in your house.
"When you spend all your time interacting with a screen, you have to start thinking about things that don't have a screen," he said.
Take ConnectedYard, a startup Rubin has already put money into. The company's pHin device, a teardrop-shaped floating pod, is designed to measure PH in your pool. It may seem like a small idea, but the device isn't just feeding data into your phone passively, Rubin said.
Instead, the startup orders pellets and delivers them via FedEx so people can dump them in their pool to take corrective action without the owner needing to even know what's wrong in the first place. It's not easy, though, to get from sensing that a pool is out of balance or that the heat is on too high to knowing what steps to take to get it back to normal.
"The thing that's going to be new is the part of the cloud that is forming the intelligence for all of the information that is coming back," Rubin said.


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Written by: Roshan Dwivedi
According to Frost & Sullivan, there is a lot of buzz around sports on demand and its potential for video on demand platforms in South Africa. However, since big pay TV providers such as MultiChoice can easily afford to buy broadcasting rights to stream major sports on pay TV are gaining advantage over small players looking to enter the VOD market for streaming sports.
Another hurdle the research highlights is the high cost of data and until the data becomes more affordable for masses in SA, VOD platforms might have to face issues bringing sports on demand.
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Same arguments, different venue. Napster filed a brief with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday that revisited two of the embattled file-sharing Internet company’s previous legal defenses — and added a third.
First, Napster contends that it’s not liable for contributory damages and its users aren’t liable for direct copyright infringement. The company claims to be protected by Section 1008 of the American Home Recording Act, and that all noncommercial copying by its users is permissible under the 9th Circuit’s previous ruling in the Diamond Rio case, which held that MP3 players were legal.
The Recording Industry Assn. of America (RIAA) and the National Music Publishers Assn. (NMPA) –which brought the action against Napster — counter that computer hard drives aren’t protected by the AHRA because they aren’t “digital recording devices” and, according to the ruling in the Diamond case, MP3 files that reside on another Napster user’s hard drive aren’t “digital musical recordings,” either.
A matter of degree
The RIAA adds that there’s a big difference between making a few copies for your friends and family and wholesale distribution.
Napster’s second contention is that its file-sharing constitutes “fair use.” Citing the Sony Betamax case, it claims a company that makes a product that’s capable of substantial noninfringing uses can’t be liable for infringing uses.
According to Napster, these noninfringing uses stretch from “sampling” music to “space-shifting” music to distributing music that’s been authorized by the artists who created it.
License to listen
The RIAA and NMPA counter that even if Napster users are merely “sampling” (test-listening) — and the actual level of this activity has yet to be quantified accurately — a company still needs a license to reproduce copyrighted works, and there are countless other opportunities to “sample” music available to consumers via authorized streaming audio sites.
The RIAA and NMPA add that a literal application of Napster’s “space-shifting” argument would require users to log on — and leave on — their home computers in order to play songs on their work computers; and how many users are doing that? Furthermore, they maintain that a looser definition of “space-shifting” — playing music that you own on a CD at home from another Napster user’s hard drive — is analogous to being able to walk out the door with a record from a store in Los Angeles because you already bought a copy that you left at your New York City home.
As far as Napster’s distribution of authorized music goes, the RIAA and NMPA note this amounts to somewhere between 2% and 13% of the traffic on the service.
Back on the “fair use” front, the RIAA and NMPA assert there’s a major difference between the one-time sale of a product to the public — such as a videocassette recorder — and providing an ongoing service.
The fresh element in Napster’s brief centers around U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Patel’s refusal to consider an evidentiary hearing. Napster says the judge erred by placing the burden of proof on Napster rather than its adversaries, ignored any uncertainty in the conflicting studies on the service’s usage — many observers find each side’s methodologies deeply flawed — and overstepped her court’s bounds by asking the company to create a centralized database that would eliminate the peer-to-peer sharing on which the service is based.
Expect the RIAA and NMPA to counter these last charges when they file their response on Sept. 8.
Meanwhile, after attorney Jonathan Schiller (David Boies’ partner) outlined the company’s legal position at an early-evening conference call, Napster CEO Hank Barry reminded everyone that that he’s still trying to work out an agreement with the record and music publishing industries.


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The company announced Monday it reached a deal to acquire fellow American lifestyle brand Kate Spade New York for $2.4 billion. The transaction represents a 27.5 percent premium to Kate Spade's closing price on December 27, the day that reports about a possible sale first appeared.
Meanwhile, Coach CFO Kevin Wills, says the company expects to realise a run rate of about $50m in synergies within three years of the deal closing. Given the gap in brand awareness of Kate Spade relative to Coach, it is easy to see that the brand can grow significantly outside of the core United States and Japanese markets and even in the USA (80% of sales currently), and there are clear opportunities for growth in both full price and outlet locations.
Coach has also been linked to a possible purchase of United Kingdom luxury footwear and accessories brand Jimmy Choo which was recently put up for sales by its owner JAB Luxury.
Coach hopes to use its experience of global retail to grow Kate Spade's profile overseas. Additionally, in February, Kate Spade confirmed it was considering "strategic alternatives" for the company's future.
Coach's acquisition of Kate Spade follows their successful purchase of Stuart Weitzman for $547 million.
Other tenets of the repositioning plan include: product innovation, "optimizing" the Kate Spade store fleet and improvements to operational efficiencies such as inventory management and supply chain.
" "Macron " manque de bienveillance envers Valls " selon Baroin
Pour le sénateur LR, cette affaire montre qu'Emmanuel Macron "aime régler ses comptes avec ceux qui ne l'ont pas aimé". Ralliement controversé de l'ex Premier ministre socialiste Manuel Valls à la majorité présidentielle de M.
The company will finance the $2.4 billion Kate deal with $1.2 billion in cash (it had $1.9 billion as of the end of its most recent quarter) as well as senior notes and bank term loans.
Last month, Kate Spade stock was hit hard, plummeting close to 15 percent after news emerged that the deal had fallen through. Michael Kors, which also sells handbags, had been rumored to be in the hunt for Kate Spade at one point.
"The combination enhances our position in the attractive global premium handbag and accessories, footwear and outerwear categories, bringing product, brand positioning and customer diversification to the portfolio", said Coach Inc CEO Victor Luis in a statement.
In tune with Coach's turnaround strategy, which includes limiting discounts and distribution to regain its brand cachet, the company will cut back Kate Spade's sales to department stores and curb online flash sales while expanding the brand's presence in Asia and Europe.
Kate Spade hit the skids this year when it reported that sales decreased $3 million, or 1 percent, in the first quarter ended April 1, compared to the first quarter of 2016.
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text: WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - U.S. consumer prices rose 0.5% in February, fueled by higher gasoline costs, the Labor Department reported Thursday. So-called core prices, which strip out the volatile food and energy categories, rose a lesser 0.2%. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had forecast CPI to rise 0.5% overall, with a 0.1% increase in the core rate. Consumer prices have risen an unadjusted 2.1% over the last 12 months, though a smaller 1.1% on a core basis. Still, the 12-month core rate has almost doubled from October's level of 0.6%.


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Two units of the Pagani Huayra have been recently spotted at the 2013 Mille Miglia, taking part in the iconic rally.
The Pagani Huayra is definitely one of the hottest supercars money can buy, these days, and to prove just how awesome the model is, it has been recently taken to the 2013 Mille Miglia, in two units. One of them is finished in blue and the other has a white paint job, with decals on it. No more details are being known on the two impressive Pagani Huayra supercars so if you know more on them, please feel free to share.
As a quick reminder, he Pagani Huayra is powered by a Mercedes-Benz AMG V12 engine with dual turbochargers, which is producing a total output of 700 HP, with a peak torque of 1,000 Nm (740 lb-ft). The Italian supercar can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 370 km/h (230 mph). The Pagani Huayra is capable of withstanding 1.5G of lateral acceleration and its engine is mated to a seven-speed sequential transmission. The supercar is priced at 1,150,000 USD and it has been in production since 2011.


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ItzCash, Indiaâ€™s pioneer and the largest player in the digital payments space today announced that it has crossed a whopping Rs. 50,000 crore worth of cumulative gross payment volume for all bill payments done by the company for the period 2006 to 2016. The company which today boasts of a strong customer base of more than 40 million customers across the country is all set to cross Rs. 15000 crore in the current year of FY 16-17.
ItzCash has clocked in the countryâ€™s highest volume transactions in the utility bill payments space at Rs. 6,000 crore for the current year of 2015-16. The company which has the largest distribution network for financial services with more than 75000 franchise outlets across the country is expecting to generate Rs 270 crores in revenues in the current fiscal.
Mr. Naveen Surya – Chairman – Payment Council of India & MD â€“ ItzCash, said â€œIndia is eventually gaining a strong foothold on the digital stage and this is getting bigger by the day. While the â€˜Digital Indiaâ€™ campaign provided a broader vision, the BBPS, and the UPI initiatives have brought in a fresh momentum to the entire agenda for less cash India.â€
â€œBBPS is a very ambitious platform and is capable of playing the game changer by interconnecting existing networks and being the one-stop-shop for all the bill generators thereby building a more concrete online payment infrastructure. With the initial phase of the platform focused on the utility bills segment we expect to penetrate deeper within our target markets.â€ he further added.
Currently West & Northern regions contribute to approximately 50% of the companyâ€™s revenue. One of the front-runners in applying for BBPS, ItzCash bets big on the â€˜anytime anywhereâ€™ bill payment concept and aims a 40-50% growth in its overall revenue growth in the next three years, once the integrated platform Infographics -2.jpggoes live.
In 2013, RBI had estimated that around 3,080 crore bills were generated amounting to Rs 6,20,000 crore in the top 20 cities. This is expected to rise to Rs 9,30,000 crore by 2019, and BBPS will be one big leap.
With the digitization deadline for the 4th and the final phase soon approaching on 31st December 2016 the DTH players are eyeing a lionâ€™s share as the fragmented market will not be profitable for cable operators. This inherently is expected to spell a diverse lead for the players in the digital payment space who will be its direct benefactors. ItzCash which derives 25% of its income from the telecom and DTH businesses put together is planning to garner approximately 20% of market share from the segment after BBPS goes live.
ItzCash has already lionâ€™s share in utility bill payments with most of the utility bill players like Reliance Energy, BSES, MCD, Manipur State Electricity, Assam State Electricity etc with 15-20% market share of their digital bill payment collection.
ItzCash has adopted an aggressive omni-channel, omni-product strategy catering to the mass middle income segment of the customer pyramid. The company caters to mu ltiple consumer segments including â€˜unbankedâ€™ and â€˜under-bankedâ€™ population of the country who has a bank account but would have not utilized the same for several reasons. The company thus envisions providing the conveniences of digitized payment transactions to as many people as possible across consumer segments.


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BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. –
Like it was for many retailers in the automotive space, it was a challenging second quarter and first half for Penske Automotive Group’s Used Vehicle SuperCenters due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But some bright spots emerged for these stores toward the end of Q2, according to a rundown of quarterly results released by the retailer on Wednesday.
Penske said it had to suspend operations at essentially all of its 16 Used Vehicle SuperCenters in the U.S. and U.K. during April and May, amid shelter-in-place orders. This action led to a 61% dip in same-store sales in the U.S., with U.K. sales falling 100%.
“However, beginning in June, as many shelter-in-place rules began to be lifted, sales of used units rebounded and profitability more than doubled when compared to the same period last year,” the retailer said in a news release.
Penske’s SuperCenters moved 6,600 units during the quarter, a 62.9% year-over-year decline, with revenue at $132.6 million, a 57.5% drop.
The SuperCenters have sold 22,912 units year-to-date, a 36% year-over-year drop, with revenue at $438.1 million, a 30.1% slide.
Looking at overall used-car results, Penske retailed 42,606 used vehicles during the quarter, a 40.9% decrease. For the first half of the year, it had 105,656 used retail sales, a 27% decline.
Used retail revenue for the quarter was down 37.1% at $1.17 billion, with first-half used retail revenue at $2.79 billion, a 24.8% drop.
Used retail gross profits were down 45.1% at $55.8 million in Q2. Year-to-date, they are down 27.1% at $141.7 million.
Revenue per used vehicle retailed was up 6.5% at $27,368 in the quarter and it climbed 3.1% for the first half to $26,365.
Gross profit per used vehicle retailed fell 7.1% to $1,310 during the quarter, but it was steady with year-ago figures for the first half at $1,341.
Gross margins on used retail vehicles were down 70 basis points at 4.8% for the quarter, and it fell 20 basis points to 5.1% for the first half.
Sharing some overall commentary, company chairman Roger Penske said: “The operating environment in the second quarter was one of the most challenging in memory. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began impacting operations, our teams took action to protect the safety of employees and customers, control costs, manage vehicle inventory, maximize gross profit and preserve liquidity.
“Through these actions, our business experienced sequential improvement from month to month in units retailed, service/parts gross profit and overall profitability,” he said. “Starting in late March, we furloughed approximately 15,000 employees, or 57% of the workforce. At the end of June, approximately 14% of our employees remained on furlough. Additionally, we have reduced our workforce by approximately 8% as of June 30.”


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Global response to the COVID-19 pandemic culminated in massive socio-cultural shifts. In addition to being politically weaponized, throngs of industries were forever changed, with some longtime businesses and forms of commerce being wiped out. A significant economic shift occurred, where delivery services of all kinds saw enormous upticks in demand and hence profits.
Many workplace environments changed forever, as well, where tons of employees who previously weren't allowed to work from home suddenly could.
While there were plenty of companies that realized they could either maintain or increase profits and cut costs by allowing employees to fulfill their duties remotely, there are others that brought folks back to the office.
But even that work atmosphere has changed in many industries: there are tons of corporations that have relaxed dress codes and allowed their employees to rock jeans, sneakers, and t-shirts in office jobs.
However, there are some businesses who apparently aren't about that life, as per evinced in a now-viral TikTok posted by @nelly2timess.
The clip shows a man wearing a mask in a polo and khakis standing up and looking down at another employee wearing jeans, sneakers, and a sweater; the clothes are clean and fit well.
As the employee swivels his chair and turns his attention back to the monitors on his desk in what looks like an attempt to return to work, the man standing above him says, "Maybe if you're a hobo, trying to get money off the street."
The text overlay for the clip reads: "Manager on his ass about dress code."
Many commenters were shocked at the way the manager spoke to the employee, with many stating that there wasn't anything inherently wrong with what he was wearing.
Others pointed out the irony in the boss claiming the employee looked like a "hobo" while wearing Nike sneakers that sell for "$200."
Others thought it was ironic the manager was criticizing an employee for the way he dressed: "Manager’s not in a position to speak about anybody’s apparel, looking at him."
However, in the comments section it was revealed by OP that the manager was referring to the employee's ripped jeans and he was joking during the entire exchange. @nelly2timess wrote: "To everyone in the comments, he was referring to his ripped jeans but it was a joke!"
Other TikTokers cautioned against folks posting content like this, writing: "Y’all gotta be careful what you post ! Right now 10k internet sleuths out there finding that manager and picking apart his life…"


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Herbalife Nutrition Announces Changes in Board of Director Leadership Roles
Alan W. LeFevre Appointed as Lead Independent Director and Don Mulligan as Audit Committee Chair
Maria Otero Remains Chair of Compensation Committee
The Board of Directors of Herbalife Nutrition, a premier global nutrition company, has elected Alan W. LeFevre as lead independent director. Don Mulligan, Herbalife Nutrition board member and most recently Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for General Mills, will serve as audit committee chair. Maria Otero, Herbalife Nutrition Board Member who had been serving as lead independent director on an interim basis, will continue to chair the compensation committee.
“We are extremely grateful to Maria Otero for wearing two hats as the lead independent director and chair of the compensation committee and look forward to her continued contributions to Herbalife Nutrition,” said John Agwunobi, Herbalife Nutrition Chairman and CEO. “Alan and Don bring extensive experience and knowledge in finance and consumer products to our Board, and we look forward to their guidance as we lay the foundation for Herbalife Nutrition’s next wave of growth.”
LeFevre, who is the former executive vice president of finance and chief financial officer for Jarden Corporation, has served on the Herbalife Nutrition Board since 2018, most recently as an audit committee chair. As a member of the Board of Directors, Mr. LeFevre lends significant financial and leadership experience to guide Herbalife Nutrition operate as a global nutrition products company.
Mulligan joined the Herbalife Nutrition Board in March 2021. In addition to financial expertise, Mulligan brings operational and technology experience from his 22-year tenure at General Mills.
About Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
Herbalife Nutrition is a global company that has been changing people's lives with great nutrition products and a business opportunity for its independent distributors since 1980. The Company offers high-quality, science-backed products, sold in over 90 markets by entrepreneurial distributors who provide one-on-one coaching and a supportive community that inspires their customers to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle. Through the Company’s global campaign to eradicate hunger, Herbalife Nutrition is also committed to bringing nutrition and education to communities around the world.
For more information, please visit IAmHerbalifeNutrition.com.
Herbalife Nutrition also encourages investors to visit its investor relations website at ir.herbalife.com as financial and other information is updated and new information is posted.
VP, Media Relations
Senior Director, Investor Relations


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Recently, there are lots of rumors on websites about the specifications of the upcoming Honor X30 Max smartphone. Most reports has it that the device will carry a 7.09-inch (lFHD+ display with screen resolution of 2280 x 1080 pixels and a dewdrop notch design.
According to the report, the screen brightness will be very low. Although it will have multiple Eye Protection Modes with low blue light emission certification. The report also added that the processor to power this smartphone will be the MediaTek Dimensity 900 chip. To back this processor, is an 8GB of RAM. In addition, there will be two storage capacity options 128GB, and 256GB.
It is very obvious that Honor will embed their Honor Histen Sound stereo speakers on this upcoming smartphone. The leak further exposed that there will be about three (3) color options Sea Blue, Silver, and Night Black. Honor X30 Max will adopt a triple rear camera setup that will house a 64MP main camera sensor, and 2MP depth camera setup that will be vertically positioned.
Another aspect the leak talked about is the battery capacity, of which it was predicted to be an in-built 5000mAh battery. Honor is set to launch this smartphone in a few days time (before the Nov 11.11 event).


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‘Name-and-shame’ show hits Muji, Nike China
Nike China, Japanese retailer Muji and Chinese search engine Baike.com all featured in yesterday’s “name-and-shame” show on state-run television in China.
The consumer-protection show, 3.15 Gala accused Nike China of falsely advertising a limited edition of its basketball shoes. The goods in question claimed to have Zoom Air sole cushions when they did not, says the show. In an article on Bloomberg, Nike says that when it learned of the matter last year it contacted consumers and offered compensation along with an apology.
Muji was accused of selling food from radioactive-contaminated areas in Japan, while the Chinese encyclopedia/news website Baike.com, which has become a marketing platform, was accused of promoting health products that had not been officially certified.
Brands and enterprises across supermarkets, optometry, food, health and wellbeing services, medicines and other categories were also criticised by the program.
CCTV has been co-hosting the annual show with government agencies on World Consumer Rights Day, March 15, since 1991. It uses hidden cameras to highlight what the network calls companies’ unfair practices against consumers.
Over the years the show has pointed its finger at such brands as Alibaba, Apple, China Mobile and McDonald’s.


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Hyundai announces new design director
- April 23, 2019
- Posted by: Simon Wait
- Category: Industry News
Hyundai Motor Company announced that vice president Simon Loasby, director of Hyundai Design in China, has been promoted to head of Hyundai Styling Group at Hyundai Design Center in Korea.
Since his arrival at Hyundai Motor in mid-2017, Simon has played an integral role in defining Hyundai’s design identity in China, spearheading introductions of new models with stylish design language, including the LaFesta sporty sedan.
‘I’m honoured to be able to contribute to the enhancement of Hyundai’s global design capability,’ said Simon. ‘At a time of enormous change in the industry, I’m looking forward to this new journey for the development of exciting, innovative concepts and unique aesthetics for Hyundai vehicles. I’m also excited to support value creation and positive brand experience for our customers.’
In his new role, Simon will oversee design strategy and direction for Hyundai models worldwide, reporting to SangYup Lee, head of the Hyundai Design Center, and Luc Donckerwolke, chief design officer of Hyundai Motor Group.
Simon’s position as director of China Design will be succeeded by vice president Minchul Koo, who is currently the head of Hyundai Exterior Design Group.
Simon’s key role will be to lead the further development of ‘sensuous sportiness’, Hyundai Motor’s new design identity. Relying on the signature design of Hyundai Motor, upcoming vehicles will reflect Hyundai’s design philosophy with a harmony of proportion, architecture, styling, and technology, incorporated with fresh, modern taste.


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Honda has recalled nearly 438,000 cars globally to fix the vehicles’ airbag inflators. The Japanese automaker stated that the driver’s side airbags can deploy with too much pressure. The air bags pose a risk to consumers due to excessive internal pressure, which can result in the release of metal shards. The company has received reports of one death and 12 incidents related to the defective airbags. U.S. vehicles involved in the Honda recall include the following:
- 2001-2002 Accords and Civics
- 2001-2002 Odyssey minivans
- 2001-2002 CR-V SUVs
- 2002 Acura TL cars
The entire production of each model is not necessarily included in the recall. Honda stated that it will inform affected customers via mail or phone regarding the inspection and repairs of these vehicles. Last month, Honda announced a separate recall of 2007-2008 City, Jazz and Fit models due to a fire hazard stemming from a power window switch.
Our attorneys handle a variety of class action lawsuits you can learn more about here. Contact us today for a free, no-risk case evaluation. Our attorneys can handle any auto accident claims, including those caused by issues like drowsy driving.


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Table of Contents
Now celebrating its 12th yr for world-wide style and design excellence, owning the Liberty Enjoyment Group identified by the UK’s global sector arbiter, style et al journal, is “thrilling past phrases,” Nadia Di Donato stated in a current job interview. “This is so significant on a variety of fronts, especially as the awards business is a person of the most esteemed in the planet.”
Providing hospitality excellence has normally been the cornerstone of the LEG, founded in the early 1980s by President and CEO Nick Di Donato with his spouse, Nadia, as vice president as very well as resourceful director of the corporation with a host of award-winning dining establishments, nightclubs and enjoyment venues equally in Canada and the U.S.
This includes the legendary Casa Loma, Canada’s only castle, which was restored again to its glittering glory and is now household to some of the very best enjoyment occasions in North The united states.
The Di Donatos have been innovators and have set expectations for the hospitality marketplace right now.
This latest award is a feather in Di Donato’s crowded cap.
Di Donato, who describes herself as “very artisan in this small business, extremely grassroots, from conception to layout,” is a person of only 10 designers nominated, which will make this nomination “that substantially far more meaningful, and humbling, when you take into consideration the other providers use pretty significant design and style corporations – and I’m in essence a a single-person military.”
As perfectly, added Di Donato, “being identified with these a prestigious all over the world design and style award genuinely displays our mission to be leaders on the global design and style and hospitality arenas. Subsequent our Michelin star awarded very last year, and our current Gambero Rosso and Best50 Italy awards, we are when once more privileged to be acknowledged by the absolute finest in the globe for our vision for Don Alfonso.”
The Designer of the Calendar year award is selected by an esteemed judging panel of field personalities, and the awards ceremony is scheduled to just take location in early September at the JW Marriott Grosvenor Dwelling, London, British isles.
Canadians may aid by casting their vote at https://www.thedesignawards.co.united kingdom/voting. Extra details on the awards and past winners is offered on the internet.