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Armed with its brand promise to help consumers lead "Healthier, Longer, Better Lives", AIA Malaysia has always adopted creative ways to educate and encourage Malaysians to adopt healthier lifestyles. In 2020, AIA Malaysia looked to help Malaysians improve their sleeping habits with its campaign "AIA Knows When You Are Sleeping, AIA Knows When You Are Awake".
AIA Malaysia's campaign was inspired by the fact that many Malaysians had high mobile usage and poor sleeping habits. Tapping onto the expertise of its media agency Invictus Blue, the insurance company managed to get more Malaysians resting well through ad tracking and programmatic technology. The campaign, which saw great success, also impressed the judges at A+M 's esb电竞数据投注电脑版 Excellence Awards 2020, and resulted in AIA bagging the gold award for the category “Excellence in Programmatic esb电竞数据投注电脑版”.
As part of its brand promise of “Healthier, Longer, Better Lives”, AIA Malaysia wanted to use media as a push platform to improve the well-being of Malaysians.
While impressions, clicks, click-through rate, cost-per-click, views or view rate are common measurement metrics when it comes to digital advertising, AIA wanted to steer away from that, and use ad tracking technology to produce tangible good instead.
Aside from understanding the key digital media deliverables, the team also sought adtech tools to measure the digital consumption patterns of the Malaysian online population. It then wanted to use the data to push the right messaging to users, and encourage them to live healthier, longer, better lives.
Malaysians are getting increasingly mobile-centric with audiences spending at least six hours a day online. Hence, it is not surprising that mobile has been the last screen they looking at before going to sleep. Additionally, according to the study by the Malaysian Healthiest Workplace Survey in 2019, nine out of 10 Malaysians working adults suffer from at least one form of sleep disorder or another.
With mobile being the device that Malaysians are most connected to, the team at AIA realised that it can reverse-engineer its run-of-the-mill third-party ad serving technology to monitor Malaysian’s digital activity.
By tracking a user's mobile device ID and digital usage pattern, the team can accurately identify users who are consistently sleep-deprived by measuring the time between their last and first mobile usage touch points, and the amount of ad impressions they have been served throughout the night. Its strategy, then, was to combine the power of ad tracking and programmatic technology to remind audiences to get enough sleep for their activities next day.
Every time an ad is served from an ad server, it receives a unique bid request from the mobile device. AIA then reversed the process to correlate the volume of bid request sent by unique mobile device IDs and mapped that against their activity level.
Audiences were analysed carefully based on their activeness by looking at the bid request from their mobile devices between 11 pm to 4 am. This indicates that users are still active on their mobile during these hours. Using data for the past three months, AIA was able to categorise users into three key segments: mild users (served one to five ads), moderate users (served five to 10 ads), and severe users (served more than 10 ads). AIA then catered different ads to the various segments.
AIA also analysed the time difference between users’ last ad impression and their next ad impression to identify people who have less than the recommended seven hours of sleep. It then programmatically uploaded these device IDs as custom audience segment and were hence able to actively reach them.
For this audience segment, AIA pushed ads at night that reminded them to sleep early or that it is time to sleep. The next day, AIA remarketed banners which pull users to articles that discuss the importance of sleep. Both approaches ensured maximum viewability of AIA’s campaign.
Over a period of four weeks, AIA’s campaign saw significant improvements in the quality of sleep for moderate and severe mobile users.
A total of 184,208 individuals (28%) from the severe users group moved from severe to moderate. Additionally, a total of 145,332 individuals (34%) of the moderate users group reported a reduction in digital activities online, as well as a significant decrease in their Last Activity Time from an average of 4 am to 3 am.
Meanwhile, the mild audience group reported to have the highest engagement (12% higher) in AIA’s sleep banners as compared to the other target groups.
On its key campaign page, AIA’s traffic to site showed an uplift of 34%, with AIA health product related pages showing a significant traffic increase of over 200% (from 23,000 average pages views to 73,049 page views) compared to previous AIA Vitality campaigns. Further attribution also showed a positive impact on bottom line by successfully generating up to 2,058 leads (with 500 leads as the initial target set by client) that had been passed to its agents for acquisition purposes.
AIA Malaysia’s first-of-its-kind experimentation with ad serving technology to track quality of sleep has yielded further interest beyond the Malaysia borders with other AIA market currently exploring the possibility of implementing this in their respective market.
AIA Malaysia consolidates creative duties with dentsu
AIA Malaysia hunts for head of customer strategy and marketing


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US Supreme Court Protects Consumers' Right To Refill Ink Cartridges In Precedent-Setting Lexmark vs Impression Case
Lexmark originally set its sights on Impression Products, which is a small company that specializes in remanufacturing print cartridges for resale at prices much lower than what a customer would pay for a “genuine” Lexmark product. These cartridges often have no noticeable difference in performance compared to genuine ink or toner cartridges — the only real difference is that customers can save a lot of money by going the remanufactured route. This secondary market for cartridges not only has implications for regular Joes looking to save a buck, but also businesses that are always looking to cut costs.
While other toner remanufacturing companies settled out of court under the threat of legal action from Lexmark, Impression Products decided to take a stand and ended up at the U.S. Supreme Court, where justices handed the small company a landslide victory. According to Bloomberg, the justices ruled in favor of Impression Products 8-0 or 7-1, depending on certain aspects of the case. Only Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dissented partially, saying that patent rights should not be exhausted for products sold overseas.
"Extending the patent rights beyond the first sale would clog the channels of commerce, with little benefit from the extra control that the patentees retain," wrote Chief Justice John Roberts. In his opinion, Chief Justice Roberts contended that Lexmark’s heavy-handed approach to discouraging cartridge remanufacturers only emboldened them to find new and innovative ways to circumvent the company’s defenses.
“Many kept acquiring empty Return Program cartridges and developed methods to counteract the effect of the microchips. With that technological obstacle out of the way, there was little to prevent the remanufacturers from using the Return Program cartridges in their resale business,” said Chief Justice Roberts. “After all, Lexmark’s contractual single-use/no-resale agreements were with the initial customers, not with downstream purchasers like the remanufacturers.”
"Lexmark pushes its patent rights to the limit. It tried to restrict the use or resale of patented products after they have already been sold,” added Case Collard, a partner at international law firm Dorsey & Whitney that specialists in IP disputes. “Imagine if you could not resell the patented iPhone that you purchased because Apple continued to enforce its patent rights after it sold the product. This is what Lexmark tried to do with its printer cartridges.”
“The Supreme Court confirmed it applies to sales made in the US and abroad,” Collard added. “If a patent-holder like Lexmark wants to limit the rights of a purchaser, perhaps they can do so under contract law, but once they have made a sale, they can no longer bring an action under the patents statutes.”
We reached out to Lexmark for a statement on today’s ruling, but have not yet received a response.

domain: news


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Bolloré Transport & Logistics has recently inaugurated a new multimodal logistics hub in Abidjan to support development in West Africa.
The aero hub features the latest-generation equipment for receiving, storage and distribution via a tri-temperature platform (frozen, positive cold, ambient temperature) goods intended for the Côte d’Ivoire and sub-regional market for companies in the mass retail, telecoms, pharmaceutical, and catering sectors, the Centre for Aviation (CAPA) said in a statement posted on its website.
The new aero hub is located at the Félix Houphouët Boigny airport, close to the Port of Abidjan, making it a good connection point between international sea and air logistics flows as well as final consumers.
Bolloré said over €6 million ($6.6 million) have already been invested to launch the initial phase of the project, out of a total €12 million ($13.2 million) earmarked for the project in the long-term.
The firm said the new logistics hub was designed to shrink the carbon footprint of its business activities, utilizing, among others, low energy consumption (LED) lighting system with movement detectors and a storm-water holding reservoir, together with electric handling equipment that in the long term will be powered by solar panels.
Bolloré said it is committed to the logistics transformation of the African continent.


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As Hewlett-Packard (HP) closed its acquisition of rival Compaq in early May 2002, many industry watchers were dubious about whether CEO Carly Fiorina and her senior management team at HP could make the $19 billion combination work. After all, Compaq and HP overlapped in so many product areas – servers, PCs, notebooks, PDAs, even printers – that the result of 1+1, many predicted, was going to be 1.5 at best.
The latest figures from HP suggest that Fiorina has proved them wrong. For the final quarter of its fiscal year, ending 31 October, HP posted revenues of $19.9 billion, up 10% over the same period a year earlier, and up 14% over the third fiscal quarter. Net profits also looked good, rising to $862 million from $390 million last year. Given the numbers, Fiorina was understandably triumphant. “By any measure, we hit our stride and demonstrated what the merger was all about,” she declared.
HP is claiming victory in four key areas – printers, PCs, servers and services – with some justification, and making it a much more formidable rival to one-stop shop opponent IBM.
However, not every part of the report was glowing. The company continues to be dependent on its largest unit – printing and imaging. Its revenues, of $6.2 billion, were up 11%, representing 31% of overall revenues. More tellingly, the sale of printers, cartridges and other imaging products accounted for 66% of the company’s total profits.
Nonetheless, HP is proving that it can challenge and take leadership positions in markets other than printers. In personal systems, the company closed the gap on sector number one Dell by generating revenues of $6 billion in the fourth quarter, a 19% rise. Notebooks, in particular, were a runaway success, and grew by over 50%, with desktop PC sales jumping 23% since last year when Fiorina made it clear that HP was after the PC crown. ” The PC market is [now] a two-horse race… clearly a market where the leaders win and everybody else loses,” she said.
The performance in the handheld market was even more robust, with sales of the HP iPAQ PDA doubling and providing the company with an extra 7% of market share.
Success was more measured in the corporate sector. Enterprise systems revenues were up 2% on last year’s fourth quarter to $4.1 billion. Behind that was a mixed performance in the server market. Windows server sales rose 9%; mid-range and low-end Unix revenues were flat; high-end Unix declined by 10%; and the company’s proprietary NonStop and Alpha lines declined “in the mid-single digits”.
Given the turmoil in the server market, those performances were still enough for both IDC and Gartner to report that HP had held onto its worldwide leadership position in server unit shipments, with 31% of the market keeping it ahead of IBM.
Sales of software were in a much healthier state, with solid demand for its OpenView systems management and OpenCall telecoms software producing a 20% rise in overall software revenues.
Alongside that, the company’s IT services unit turned in a good performance. Although revenue from consulting and integration declined 10%, revenue from managed services was up 22% and customer support revenue up 5%. Overall services revenues of $3.2 billion were up 5% on the same three months last year.
Equally strong signals that the enterprise market could be strengthening came from Dell. It turned in revenues up 16% to $10.6 billion for the same three months.
Success was most pronounced in the direct seller’s server business, which increased by a third year-on-year, twice the pace of the rest of the industry.
Like HP, Dell said notebook sales had been good this quarter, with Inspiron and Latitude notebook sales rising by a third and Dimension and OptiPlex PCs up a fifth.
Linux servers are becoming an increasingly large part of Dell’s server sales, and the corporate adoption of Linux is having an impact in many other segments of the industry.
Networking and directory software company Novell, for example, posted its first results that take into account the company’s August acquisition of Ximian, a creator of enterprise Linux desktop and server software. In the coming months, Novell’s takeover of Linux distributor SuSE will be a further factor. “We feel that the open source movement can be brought into the mainstream more expeditiously and with greater momentum,” said Jack Messman, Novell’s CEO.
Certainly, the company needs a new engine of growth. Revenues in its fourth fiscal quarter were down 5% to $287 million and net losses deepened to $109 million from $92 million in the fourth fiscal quarter 2002.
Novell has been struggling ever since its Netware network operating system was eclipsed by Microsoft’s late 1990s decision to bundle similar functionality with its Windows server products.
Corporate Linux – and the add-ons and services that surround it – just might be the lifeboat the company has been looking for.


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APPLES, grapes, strawberries and other popular fruits could soon be treated with radiation before lobbing on shelves.
The nation’s food watchdog has recommended allowing apples, apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches, plums, honeydew, rockmelon, strawberries, table grapes, zucchini and squash to be zapped with the pest control method.
The treatment is already approved for tomatoes, capsicums, persimmons, herbs and spices, herbal infusions and some tropical fruits.
It is an alternative to chemicals to kill or sterilise fruit flies and other pests.
Irradiated food passes through a radiation field generated by high-energy electron beams, X-rays or gamma rays.
Irradiated pet food has been linked to cat and dog deaths and ill health.
Food authorities insist far smaller doses used for fruit and vegetables are safe and don’t destroy nutritional quality.
The proposal could potentially push up prices because of mandatory labelling requirements and other costs, risk assessment documents reveal.
However, prices could also fall if greater year-round availability increased competition.
The latest proposal follows an application from Queensland’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
“Irradiation is being sought as an alternative treatment to some pesticides, which are no longer permitted or permissions for use have changed,” Food Standards Australia New Zealand chief Steve McCutcheon said.
“FSANZ has reviewed the evidence on the safety of these irradiated fruits and found they are safe to eat. The literature also shows the maximum dose permitted does not reduce the nutritional quality.”
Mr McCutcheon said food irradiation was used in more than 50 countries to destroy bacteria and pests and to extend shelf life.
FSANZ is taking submissions. Final approval would be required from food ministers.
If approved, businesses could voluntarily choose to use irradiation on the wider range of foods.
Originally published as Fruit could get radiation zap


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Developer B&ai Namco teases that the upcoming Tekken 8 will be making an appearance at The Game Awards 2022 show later this month.
B&ai Namco teases that Tekken 8 will be making an appearance at the upcoming The Game Awards show. As Tekken 7 reached the end of its support last year, there were rumors that the fighting game developer would be making a new entry in the series. This ranged from new patents from B&ai Namco to other aspects, such as the Nvidia GeForce leak back in 2021. These rumors further intensified with the game’s first teaser trailer at EVO this year before B&ai Namco announced Tekken 8 at the PlayStation State of Play back in September. This announcement also included a gameplay trailer showing the game running on next-gen hardware.
Tekken 8’s appearance took many by surprise, where the gameplay showed off both members of the eternally feuding Mishima family locked in a battle in a frantic storm. This trailer revealed classic moves from both Kazuya Mishima & his son Jin Kazama utilizing their Devil Gene powers, with dynamic weather effects, along with highly-detailed & realistic graphics running at 60 FPS. Fans are likely going to see more gameplay of Tekken 8 later this month at the upcoming awards show.
This was revealed in a br&-new teaser video posted on B&ai Namco’s official Twitter account, which showed off the game’s logo, along with the date of December 8, 2022. This lines up with The Game Awards 2022, which is set to feature a number of announcements from major publishers & developers. The teaser video doesn’t state what will be featured, just for fans to “save the date” & tune in during that time.
In regard to what could be shown at The Game Awards, there’s the likelihood of more gameplay involving the Mishima family, or even more members of the roster being revealed. There’s also the chance that Tekken 8’s release date could be announced, as stated by a previous earnings call that B&ai Namco aimed to have the game released within the 2023 fiscal year. That said, when the game was first announced, series chief producer Katsuhiro Harada stated that the release date for the game would only be revealed when it had reached a certain threshold in development, so this is just speculation at this time.
Despite the wait, Tekken 8 is looking to be a highly anticipated entry in the series. Not only does it Advance a full console generation after Tekken 7, but it is also touting to be the climax of the rivalry between the Depraved blood of the Mishima family members Jin & Kazuya. Hopefully, The Game Awards can shine a little light on what to expect for the eighth entry.
Tekken 8 is in development for PC, PS5, & Xbox Series X/S.
Source link gamerant.com
#Tekken #Teasing #Appearance #Game #Awards


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- Global logistics software provider Descartes Systems Group has acquired Cleveland-based transportation visibility provider MacroPoint for $107 million, American Shipper reported.
- MacroPoint helps shippers, freight brokers and transportation management system software companies increase visibility into domestic freight loads. Its network is comprised of 2 million trucking assets and drivers with Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), GPS-enabled smart phone applications and mobile phone triangulation systems.
- MacroPoint's annual revenues are close to $12.5 million. The purchase includes $87 million in cash — $7 million cash on hand and the balance from Descartes’ acquisition line of credit, plus $20 million in Descartes shares.
MacroPoint is Canada-based Descartes' third acquisition in the past three months, signaling potential competition between Descartes and XPO Logistics, another provider heavily involved in the M&A market. Both are global logistics providers seeking to provide a comprehensive assortment of logistics services to commercial businesses, and while XPO Logistics is still the bigger, more profitable company, Descartes is establishing its own stake in the market.
Like XPO Logistics, Descartes wants to be a leading global logistics provider, evidenced by its recent deals in Australia, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, the UK and the US. While XPO is focusing on freight-brokerage acquisitions and LTL logistics management, Descartes has been snapping up tech companies, aiming to be more of an assistant and coordinator for shippers and carriers and catering to a small business customer base.
According to Descartes' press release, the company expects the MacroPoint acquisition to expand its network, customer base and innovative solutions.
Not only does Descartes' flurry of acquisitions confirm the growth of e-commerce and a growing market for logistics providers, but they also signal a logistics tech boom as shippers seek the most transparent, effective and efficient logistics services from 3PLs. E-commerce customers expect goods to be delivered quickly and cheaply, so logistics innovation should continue to thrive and progress to meet demand.


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RUSSELL WESTBROOK NAMED CREATIVE DIRECTOR FOR TRUE RELIGION SPRING ’15 CAMPAIGN
Russell Westbrook is adding to his long list of off-court style credentials with a new role in the fashion world. True Religion, has tapped the Oklahoma City Thunder guard as the creative director the company’s Spring ’15 apparel campaign. He will also serve as the face of the campaign, modeling the brand’s latest denim designs.
This year, the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend festivities will coincide with Mercedes-Benz Fashion in New York. Westbrook’s new gig will put him at the center of this overlap. According to Style.com:
In between playing in the NBA All-Star game at Barclays Center on February 15 (the same time as the Opening Ceremony show), Westbrook will pop by the True Religion store (conveniently located across the street from Barclays) on February 14 and star in a TV spot that will air during broadcasts of All-Star events and at Madison Square Garden.
Check out a preview of Westbrook’s True Religion campaign shots below:


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The IBM Web site tells us that: “Social business technologies help people connect, communicate, and share information. Becoming a leader in your marketplace means using social solutions to transform how business gets done – driving cost savings, increasing revenue, and cultivating competitive advantages.” That definitely sounds like a good thing.
In a report from Altimeter entitled The Evolution of Social Business: Six Stages of Social Business Transformation, it’s suggested that many social strategies are not linked to business goals, but are instead often driven by a “social for social’s sake” orientation. The report notes that, even when goals are aligned, social initiatives frequently must deal with a lack of defined strategy, governance, or funding. The report suggest six stages a company has to go through to become a social business:
- Planning – understand how customers use social channels and prioritize strategic goals where social can have the most impact.
- Presence – amplify existing marketing efforts and encourage sharing
- Engagement – drive considerations to purchase and provide direct support with internal employee engagement.
- Formalized – set governance for social, create discipline and process, and have strategic business goals.
- Strategic – scale across business units and move into HR, sales, finance, and supply chain.
- Converged – social drives transformation and integrates social philosophy into all aspects of the enterprise.
Interestingly, there are products like Yammer (www.yammer.com), which Microsoft bought last year, Chatter, and others, that offer private social networks for organizations.
IBM VPs Jeff Schick and Sandy Carter were on stage at IBM Connect 2013 showing off the capabilities in IBM’s social business platform. It seems that companies are combining social technologies, the cloud, mobile, and analytics to create a flexible, intelligent framework for making the most of social connections. In an IBM survey of CEOs, 57% picked social business as a top priority and nearly three quarters (73%) are making significant investments in analysing data.
According to Jeff Schick: “A disconnect between how we live our lives – through digital connections and sharing – and how we work isn’t sustainable. Particularly since the new generation of workers who will fill companies’ ranks don’t know any other way of interacting and working than social media. The rate of productivity, innovation, and employee retention will increasingly depend on who can master this coming age of social business.”
For an organization to just have a social media strategy isn’t enough. The organization must transform itself into a social business to ensure its continued success.


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Portadown market traders ‘insulted’ at lack of consultation by Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council
Traders in Portadown’s Farmers’ Market say they are ‘shocked and insulted’ after comments at last week’s Council meeting.
They had been trading in the large covered market in William Street but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a dispute with Portadown 2000 which ran that market, the traders moved to an outdoor location in William Street and then to Thomas Street.
Since the ‘Service Level Agreement’ with Portadown 2000 to run the market ended, the council has been working on contracting new management for the market.
The Council plans on using part of the car park at Magowan West for the new market but traders who are currently in Thomas Street prefer a covered market option.
Portadown 2000 is a private company and owns the building which houses the historic covered market in William Street.
Last week it transpired that five expressions of interest were received from parties interested in operating and managing a market. However, after a public consultation and the advertisement of a tender in May/June, no tenders were received as part of the procurement process.
During that committee meeting, Councillor Lavelle McIlwrath asked if Council had consulted with the former market’s traders.
The Council’s head of regeneration, Nicola Wilson said Council has had a ‘busy summer’ talking to traders and businesses through its consultation hub but had not been involved in direct consultation with the previous market’s traders.
“In relation to the consultation with the existing market traders, we have not done that as we did not think it was an appropriate thing to do,” said Ms Wilson.
“They are looking for a covered market space and that is not something we are going to be able to provide for them.
“We have spoken to a lot of the town’s traders and a lot of the traders along Woodhouse Street as well to clarify what we really want.
“We will soon be in a position to go out with a tender that is more precise and detailed, I think that was probably one of the stumbling blocks in our first attempt to get a market provider in.
“We are looking for an appropriate organisation to come in and provide the market service and that agent will be the one that will be liaising with the markets traders to try to develop what they need within the offering they have.”
The Farmers’ Market traders are upset at being left out of the consultation.
A spokesperson said: “Considering that some of the traders have been faithfully serving the public in Portadown for over 40 years, which is longer than a lot of other town traders, how was it not appropriate to consult with the people that it effected the most.”
The traders, after last week’s council committee meeting, made an urgent request to the council to agree a date to meet.
They also started an online petition which has over 200 signatures.
The petition states: “The council has now sought to move the market to a new open air location in the town.
“It is neither fair nor reasonable to expect traders and customers, many of whom are elderly, to spend large amounts of time shopping outside in all the inclement weather conditions in this region.
“Customers would simply refuse to shop in wet and windy conditions and traders are unable to trade in bad weather and would lose income.”
At the time of going to press, the Council had not responded to a request for a response.


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By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 20: The government aims to achieve 25 per cent or equivalent to RM10 billion reduction in compliance costs in the public sector through Malaysia Mudah or #MyMudah initiative which was launched today.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg pointed out that the main objective of #MyMudah was to assist the industry and business operators to overcome bureaucratic regulations and to reduce the compliance costs applicable to companies and businesses.
“#MyMudah is one of the non-fiscal initiatives to support the economic recovery by reducing the unnecessary regulatory burdens which hinders business growth amid Covid-19 crisis,” he said in his text of speech read by his Deputy Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan before launching the #MyMudah via Zoom today.
#MyMudah is implemented by Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) Sarawak in collaboration with the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) Sarawak.
Among the issues that have been resolved under #MyMudah initiatives include issuance of export permit for floriculture products and processed, issuance of ‘Clearance Letter’ by technical agencies regarding the Certificate Of Completions and Compliance (CCC), poultry license issues related to the construction of modern (closed) poultry farming, and relaxation of regulatory requirements for licensed operators in the tourism industry.
Abang Johari emphasised that the government recognised the important role to facilitate the post-Covid-19 recovery in the state and as such, had formed the Sarawak Economic Council (SEAC) to facilitate the rebound of the state economy with focus on 12 key sectors.
“The Sarawak government will be fast-tracking the development in digital transformation and innovation in the next years as part of initiatives developed under SEAC.
“The bold initiative will boost our economic competitiveness and lay the foundation for Sarawak to become an attractive investment destination in the region,” he said.
At the same time, he added that the Sarawak government is also putting in place ecosystems and business friendly policies that will encourage and promote new quality investments and across all economic sectors in Sarawak.
Abang Johari thus urged industry players and business operators to take the opportunity of the virtual event to raise their difficulties and issues in doing business with MPC and Unified Public Consultation (UPC) which collects public feedback on the performance of the existing regulations and establishment of new regulations.
MPC director-general Dato Abdul Latif Abu Seman, MPC Sarawak Region Office director Sarimah Misman, EPU Sarawak director Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel were among those present. — DayakDaily


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Google has evacuated the famous informing application Tik Tok in the midst of cases that it is being utilized for spying by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government for mass observation for a subsequent time.
General Motors the American car manufacturing giant said that it will retire from the Australian car market and thus retire the iconic car brand Holden. General Motors is trying to consolidate its business and retire
According to the latest data released German economy, in general, had another disappointing quarter ended in December 2019. Official figures suggest that the economy had grown by a whisker in the last quarter of 2019.
The prospects of a recession in Germany have seen a jump this Friday after the European country had published their figures for industrial production and these figures have been worst since they have been since


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REALITY TV star Calum Best, has donated piles of his second-hand clothes to the Clapham Junction British Heart Foundation (BHF) shop.
Bags of Calum’s new and pre-worn clothes are now available to shoppers to raise cash for BHF’s new Bag it. Beat it. campaign.
Calum, the son the late football legend George Best, has donated a range of t-shirts, shorts, socks and underwear to the store on St John’s Road.
“I’m really happy to be able to donate the clothes I don’t wear anymore to the British Heart Foundation, as well as some brand new items. It’s great to know that someone else will get some joy out of them,” said Callum.
“Plus the money raised from their sale will help the BHF continue to fund life-saving research to fight coronary heart disease, the UK’s single biggest killer, so everyone’s a winner.”
BHF Area Manager, June Tumilty, added: “We’re really grateful to Calum for donating his clothes to us, and to everyone else who kindly donates their unwanted clothing, accessories, CDs, DVDs and small household items. We absolutely rely on the support of the local community to keep us running and without their generous donations we risk reducing funding for vital research into heart disease.
“If each household were willing to spend just half an hour having a clear out and donating to their local BHF shop, they would be helping to save lives. It really is as simple as that! Please join the fight for every heartbeat and donate your unwanted items to your local BHF shop today.”
The BHF’s Bag it. Beat it. campaign urges people to donate bags full of unwanted items to their local BHF shop throughout September. Every bag donated will fund life-saving heart research, helping over 40,000 little heroes continue to fight congenital heart disease.


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If you took an early morning drive through an American neighborhood 60 years ago, you might see a bottle of fresh milk on the porch of most homes. Consumers left their empty bottles out, which were replaced with fresh bottles of milk from a nearby dairy.
The milkman went out of fashion over the years when refrigeration and transportation advances made grocery stores consumers’ primary source for buying milk. But in many areas around the United States, you can still get a taste of nostalgia and have fresh, tasty dairy products delivered to your home from a local dairy.
When our family lived in northern Colorado, we got milk from a local dairy delivered to our home once a week. Before we even woke up, the milk truck driver deposited our order—which sometimes also included bread, eggs, or butter—into a box by the front door. The milk cost more than it did at the grocery store, but the high quality of the milk and the convenience of not having to buckle my baby and preschooler into their carseats for a shopping trip were worth the increase in price.
The COVID-19 pandemic increased the demand for such services because of lockdown orders and social distancing. Dairies offering home milk delivery in 2020 reported long waiting lists and the need to hire more drivers as more customers expressed interest in another facet of the farm-to-table movement.
According to The Dairy Alliance, “Thanks to nostalgia and sustainable living, consumers who participate in today’s delivery programs support local entrepreneurs like dairy farmers, ensuring that money remains in your community. The milk received is fresh with as little as 24 hours passing since leaving the udder.”
To see if home milk delivery service is available from a local dairy in your area, visit http://www.drinkmilkinglassbottles.com/all-dairies.


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The 30% crypto revenue tax coverage got here into impact in India in February 2022. The nation’s finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman described the tax legislation as one other step towards constructive crypto rules. Nevertheless, native buyers didn’t see eye-to-eye nor confirmed the identical enthusiasm. Many buyers/merchants censured this transfer.
Indian crypto merchants/buyers face a hefty charge construction on their crypto acquisitions. Protecting in thoughts the 30% revenue tax regime, cryptocurrency exchanges in the mean time have come beneath added strain from the extra 1% tax that went into impact on 1 July. These developments have straight affected the buying and selling volumes on Indian cryptocurrency exchanges.
Three Indian exchanges suffered declines of 60% and 87% within the worth of each day buying and selling instantly after the 1% tax deductible at supply grew to become efficient from 1 July. Organizations together with ZebPay, WazirX, and CoinDCX have suffered the results. A fourth, Giottus, witnessed a buying and selling sink of 70% as per the 5 July Bloomberg report.
Right here’s the graphical illustration:
The report additional added:
“Those steep declines came from already depressed trading levels, as a combination of plunging prices, unfavorable tax treatment and difficulty getting cash onto exchanges combined to depress the once-hot market.”
As well as, WazirX Vice President Rajagopal Menon shed extra gentle on state of affairs. Lengthy-term crypto holders shopping for and promoting, however ‘market makers and high-frequency traders gone. Traders are also doing more peer-to-peer trading and migrating to so-called decentralized exchanges,’ he said.
Totally different leaders from exchanges too raised related considerations in a 4 July AMBCrypto article. Moreover, the respective authorities additionally banned offsetting losses on such belongings, treating them in another way from shares and bonds. Ergo, the exodus doesn’t come as a complete shock. It’s the truth is a solution to curb additional reductions.
What’s the ‘hullabaloo’
That’s precisely what Sumit Gupta, CEO of CoinDCX had requested about in a series of tweets discussing the continued improvement. Right here, Gupta requested the federal government to ‘rethink this decision’.
In reality, by implementing 1% TDS on each commerce, the Indian authorities would lose out on an enormous revenue margin.
3/5 With 1% TDS, buying and selling frequency is prone to drop in simply 7 months! And volumes are anticipated to go down in 10 months.
Whereas with 0.01%, we see constant progress in buying and selling volumes and frequency even after 18 months! 🚀
— Sumit Gupta (CoinDCX) (@smtgpt) July 4, 2022
Lastly, he additionally questioned the primary motive behind the implementation of the mentioned TDS. He said:
“Tracking transactions can be done in other ways too. Is TDS really the right solution? Or will it create more problems? Something to think about?”


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The best repellent insect
Apr 16, 2016 . But it says that mosquito repellents are essential, too. “Using an insect repellent. Sep 13, 2016 . Shopping for insect repellent? Read about types, features, and other must-know top. Looking for the Best insect repellent? Consumer Reports has honest Ratings and Reviews on insect re. Jun 15, 2016 . Zika is making the search for a powerful mosquito repellent more urgent than ever. .Jul 1, 2016 . Burt's Bees All-Natural Outdoor Herbal Insect Repellent, $8 at Walmart. Repellen. Feb 11, 2016 . Consumer Reports compiled a list of the best mosquito repellents and, of the 15 th. May 27, 2016 . The Good Housekeeping Institute vetted bug-beaters to help. 8 Insect Repellents. May 25, 2010 . Consumer Reports Health has issued a new ranking of the six repellents it says are.
January 23, 2017, 04:35
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Cornwall is Featured in Ottawa Life MagazineMarch 21, 2013
Cornwall Ontario – Cornwall is featured in the March/April edition of Ottawa Life magazine.
In an article entitled Target:Cornwall, reporter Hank Reardon examines the key role the Cornwall distribution centre will play as Target opens stores throughout Central and Eastern Canada.
“We like to say that Cornwall is close to home, but far from ordinary,’ says Dan Donovan, Ottawa Life Publisher & Managing Editor. “I think its important that people in Ottawa take a closer look at what’s happening in Cornwall – they are attracting incredible business opportunities for their city and they have a wonderful quality …and pace of life. We encourage our reader’s take the short drive and visit this Ontario gem!”
Cornwall’s NAV CENTRE is also featured in the magazine on page 57.
The magazine was distributed to Globe and Mail readers in this region today and will be sent out to newsstands and OLM subscribers on Monday.
Here is the Target Cornwall article in its entirety:
Minnesota-based Target, one of the United States’ largest retailers, has built a 1.4-million square-foot facility on 169 acres of development ready land in a business park close to Highway 401 in Cornwall, Ontario.
In recent years, Cornwall – the hub of the Seaway Valley – has seen the arrival of large distribution centres for U.S.retail giant Walmart (1.4 million square feet) and pharmacy chain Shoppers Drug Mart (600,000 square feet), which between them generated about 1,000 jobs. Boundary Properties has also purchased land for a distribution centre in Cornwall, which is increasingly being recognized as a very good logistics location from which to serve eastern Canada.
Target is making the move into Canada by purchasing Zellers locations across the country. Why did Target choose Cornwall as its main distribution point in eastern Canada?
The location on the 401 is key, as well as proximity to large urban centres like Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. According to Mark Boileau, manager of economic development for Cornwall, another important factor is “a loyal workforce, suitable to work in that kind of environment, given our manufacturing history, because, of course, these types of operations run pretty much 24/7.”
Another key factor is that Cornwall has hundreds of acres of serviced industrial land.
“It’s interesting to look anywhere from Montreal to Toronto along the 401, which I think is really essential to being this business, but it’s underestimated how important it is to have serviced industrial land,” Boileau observes. “If you look at all the distribution centres and put them all together, there’s probably 400 acres there of serviced industrial land that was required. Trying to find that much serviced land along the main transportation corridor is not that easy.”
Cornwall was once heavy in manufacturing, with companies like Domtar and Courtaulds in the area. When they left, it was a hard hit for a community of this size.
“But it’s nice that we’ve found a sector that’s well suited to Cornwall. It has allowed the community to bounce back,” Boileau said.
In fact, Cornwall currently has an unemployment rate below national average (it’s about 6.4 per cent, according to Statistics Canada).
The City of Cornwall’s population is 47,000 and the population of the region of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry is about 110,000. Cornwall is the business and commercial centre for the area.
Target’s facility will be one of the largest inventory and storage depots in Canada. It will be the size of 20 football fields.
“I think there’s a lot more confidence in the economy here,” Boileau sums up. “You’re seeing that now with some of the commercial development that’s established here recently. Obviously,you need hundreds of people to operate these facilities.”
Boileau also says that while “we’re hoping to find employment not only for people in this city, we would like to try and attract younger families from the Montreal and Ottawa areas who would want to get into this sector. We have fairly competitive housing costs. We also have a lower cost of living in this community, so it’s a very competitive community in that respect.”
The Target facility will employ about 400 people when it’s fully operational later this year.
About Ottawa Life
Ottawa Life Magazine is the national capital region’s largest and longest running general interest and lifestyles magazine. It has a reach of over 220,000 people and is available for purchase at over 500 newsstands in national capital region and at major newsstands across Canada. Ottawa LifeMagazine is also carried as an insert in The Globe & Mail to all Globe subscribers in the National Capital and Eastern Ontario Region.


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June 23rd, 2022
Is cybersecurity sales culture bad for cybersecurity?
The market for cybersecurity solutions is changing, but the way vendors sell security products seems stuck in the past. There’s a lot that can be said about this, but here we want to raise an issue that isn’t talked about enough: Is cybersecurity sales culture, itself, bad for cybersecurity?
What do businesses need from security vendors?
To discuss problems with cybersecurity sales culture, it’s important to begin by asking a fundamental question: What do companies today need most from their cybersecurity providers?
The answer could fill a book—but at a high level, it’s possible to point to four key trends:
A need for transparency. Companies are competing in a market in which customer trust in their cybersecurity posture is crucial. In some sectors, such as finance and healthcare, cybersecurity has now become an issue of regulatory compliance as well. With so much at stake, firms are no longer content to take a cybersecurity vendor’s promises at face value. Put another way, they need to be able to know that a security product is doing what it claims to do!
Help with the fragmented state of security products. The complexity of digital infrastructure in the enterprise—and the increasing risk and cost of breaches—has led many CISOs to adopt a “better safe than sorry” policy when it comes to selecting security tools. This has created a situation in which companies often rely on 100+ third-party security solutions in order to protect themselves. It’s unwieldy, and expensive. This is why many businesses are eager to turn to security vendors for integration and/or simplification.
The ability to adapt to sudden changes in the threat landscape. As the COVID-19 pandemic taught us, the security needs of companies can change virtually overnight. Two years on, enterprise security teams are still grappling with the challenges of remote work, hybrid work, and distributed workforces. But one thing all companies are acutely aware of is the need for greater agility going forward.
Solutions that allow for expert customization. The cybersecurity industry is growing up—and companies expect solution providers to keep pace. Internal enterprise security teams are more capable than ever, and MSSPs and third-party consultancies now have the skills needed to engineer highly effective, tailored solutions for their clients. Because of this, businesses want greater control over the products they purchase in order to take advantage of the level of expertise in the marketplace.
How cybersecurity sales culture gets it wrong
That’s what companies want from their vendors. One would expect sales teams at large security providers to respond accordingly. Yet surprisingly, cybersecurity sales culture frequently falls short of what’s required. In fact, at times it’s so far out of step with what businesses need that it seems downright inimical to the ultimate goal of better security!
Here are the main problems with cybersecurity sales culture today:
A “just trust us” mentality.
In a highly competitive industry like cybersecurity, it’s perhaps understandable that the big vendors want to keep their source code proprietary. But the result of this is that security products are often treated as “magic black-boxes” by the companies that produce them.
Sales teams, however, still need to convince prospects to buy these solutions—creating a situation in which they’re incentivized (or even required) to make promises that can’t be verified by the end users.
At a time when companies are striving for more transparency, not less, this is problematic to say the least!
A pricing model that stifles agility.
The business model for most major cybersecurity vendors is fundamentally subscription-based.
In order to hit their MRR goals, cybersecurity providers aim for vendor lock-in, and usually require mandatory long-term contracts. In addition, security products are priced in such a way as to guarantee predictable revenue for vendors. This, however, leaves clients to do the hard work of capacity planning if they want to keep their budgets stable—and can become a serious problem if they run into an unpredictable scenario.
All of this, of course, makes perfect sense from the perspective of the vendors. But the way cybersecurity products are sold, by its very nature, makes it hard for companies to respond quickly to sudden changes in the global security landscape. As businesses look to create a future-proof security infrastructure, such a pricing model will be increasingly untenable.
Integration that overpromises and underdelivers.
In an attempt to address solution sprawl, large cybersecurity vendors have started offering tools that “do it all.”
But being large vendors, these companies are simultaneously secretive about their solutions, protective of their turf, and eager to get products to market as quickly as possible. And so, rather than engineering an integrated product from the ground up, or allowing security teams the API access needed to build their own integrated solutions, they acquire smaller companies and shoehorn them into their existing platform instead.
Sales teams tell potential buyers that these “all-in-one” solutions will adequately replace their existing, multifarious security stacks. But unfortunately, the supposedly integrated solution often feels more like a Frankenstein's monster, held together with tenuous code and C-suite optimism—and fails to live up to the hype.
"At LimaCharlie we are not like other vendors. We are 100% a technology company and do not compete with the people and companies we provide tools and infrastructure for. We are vendor-neutral providers of tools and infrastructure for security professionals. We believe that this on-demand and engineering-centric approach is the way to move the industry forward." ~ Maxime Lamothe-Brassard, Founder & CEO - LimaCharlie
Is there a better way to deliver cybersecurity solutions?
The cybersecurity sales culture we have today is unfortunate but unsurprising. In many ways, it’s the inevitable outcome of how so many cybersecurity companies see themselves: as one-size-fits-all purveyors of a mysterious and valuable commodity called “security.”
That vision of security might have been understandable 10 or 20 years ago. But in today’s world, it’s simply out of touch with the needs of most companies—and with the DevSecOps philosophy embraced by more and more cybersecurity professionals. In short: It’s unsustainable.
The good news is that there’s an alternative to this legacy approach to security, and cybersecurity sales: Security Infrastructure as a Service (SIaaS). In SIaaS, cloud-native cybersecurity tools and infrastructure—the “building blocks” of cybersecurity—are made available on-demand to security engineering teams.
At LimaCharlie, we’ve been pioneering SIaaS for years. We offer an open API, so there’s no need to believe or disbelieve anyone’s promises: If security teams want to see what’s happening under the hood, they can just take a look! In addition, pricing is designed to be transparent, predictable, and flexible. There are no contracts or fixed minimums, so making a change is fast and seamless. And perhaps most importantly, every single component of LimaCharlie (including EDR, SASE, and over 100 other capabilities) is delivered as an interoperable primitive in a common data format. In other words, SIaaS means security teams will be able to build truly integrated, highly customized security solutions from scratch—and retain full control over their data.


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A Note About Q1 2014 Traffic
April 15, 2014
Increasing membership and continued commitment to transparency, notice, and consumer choice led the NAI to fantastic Q1 2014 visitor numbers. Networkadvertising.org received visits from nearly two million unique consumers in the first three months of 2014, up almost 60% from the same time the previous year. For the first time in NAI history, unique visitors to the NAI’s Education Page totaled more than one million and, incredibly, edged out the total traffic to our Consumer Opt Out Page – a page that’s linked to on hundreds of thousands of websites across the Internet.


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Latest in Highlight
Delek Drilling and Noble Energy, Dolphinus JV to acquire 39% stake in the pipeline
Alternative feeding will be completed via Owainat-Balat line in December
Sustainability is a big and comprehensive concept, including green architecture, which preserves the environment, says MHDH co-founder
Local media reports indicated that the Egyptian-made armored vehicle can be split into two parts when explosion ejecting the escape crew capsule, which can be installed in another vehicle. Moreover, the armored vehicle’s seats are equipped with shock absorption technology.
On the other hand, Egyptian imports from the US rose to $2.7bn in the same period, increasing by 4.1% y-o-y. Top US exports to Egypt are grains and animal feed with $293.7m, while boilers, machinery, equipment, and spare parts recorded $191.8m, meat accounted for $ 165.7m.
The program also allows exporters to apply for industrial land through the new online land allocation portal.
Poor performance of traditional real estate agents has unfortunately negatively affected the profession, says RE/MAX Egypt and UAE chairperson
Nassar pointed out that the allocations for each sector will be reviewed every six months
Tawfik said that the ministry plans to launch an integrated and sophisticated chain of transport and logistics services to support the foreign trade system and provide bridges to Africa to boost bilateral trade.
Measures to import gas from Israel completed; Calcalist confirms company did not get regulatory approvals from Tel Aviv, saysindustry source
Linking North Alexandria, Zohr, Borolos fields raises local production, says government source
Balance of petroleum trade achieves surplus for first time in 4 years, reaches $150.8m
Contract with Jordanian Ministry of Energy is changeable according to demand
Agreement on international settlement in favour of UFG against Egypt for $1bn
The Ministry of Trade and Industry hosted the first meeting to formulate new version of the Export Support Programme, with the participation of the heads of Export Councils. The minister of trade and industry, the advisor for SMEs, and the general coordinator of the Export Councils, Hossam Farid, said that this meeting comes within a …
Turkish market ranks first in list of countries importing Egyptian chemical products
Egyptian exporters suggested some financial and technical mechanisms to settle the government’s accumulated dues owed to them, during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, the Minister of Trade and Industry, and the Industrial Development Authority to discuss a new export stimulating programme on Tuesday. Madbouly noted that the government pays great attention to boost …
WoodShow achieved EGP 1bn deals, sales
Entire production of Burulus, Rashid fields to be exported: EGAS
Egyptian writers picked up variety of local topics which topped this week’s news agenda
43% of exported goods have competitive advantage
Inflation will rise by 1%, if customs’ dollar exchange increased, says Pharos Holding official
Egypt one of largest producers, consumers of pharmaceuticals in both Middle East, Africa
CAPMAS noted total value of imports from Nile Basin countries reached EGP 6.8bn in 2017, compared to EGP 3.9bn in 2016, an increase of 72.2%
Authority organised Egyptian participation in 5 international exhibitions, organised 70 visits, commercial missions, prepared 271 reports, marketing studies
Real estate marketing is responsibility of specialised real estate marketing agents, companies, not developers
International arbitration cases being waived
Exports of cement production amounted to $57m during H1 of current year, says division head
Company’s exports reached 194,000 tonnes last season
Company targets 25% increase in exports by end of this year


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A new bill has been presented by the government of El Salvador at the parliament for review and approval. The bill is pertaining to cryptocurrencies and seeks legalization for all cryptocurrencies.
El Salvador to Legalize all Crypto
The new bill has presented the parliament with comprehensive rules that would prove to be effective for the regulation of the cryptocurrency industry.
The digital assets will also be covered in the new bill and if the bill is accepted, all cryptocurrencies will be legalized in the country.
The running government in El Salvador led by President Nayib Bukele is already doing a lot when it comes to Bitcoin. To be honest, Bukele has already achieved so much when it comes to Bitcoin.
The government of El Salvador is now planning to issue blockchain bonds that will be backed by Bitcoin. This would be yet another major development for ES while it explores the Bitcoin segment.
Despite the cryptocurrency market remaining bearish for the most part of 2022, Nayib Bukele has remained dedicated to the adoption of Bitcoin.
He has not backed down on his word of adopting Bitcoin no matter the cost as he believes it would help stabilize the country’s economy.
As the cryptocurrency market continues facing a downtrend, El Salvador has not lost hope in Bitcoin. Instead, the country has doubled down on Bitcoin, announcing it is buying 1 BTC every day.
In the new bill presented at the parliament, the government of El Salvador has stressed upon the formation of a cryptocurrency commission.
The particular body would be responsible for looking after all the operations involving cryptocurrencies in the country.
This way, a highly professional, regulated, and streamlined environment would be formed in the South American nation.
Formation of a Legal Framework
In addition to forming a commission, the bill also proposes to form a legal framework that revolves around cryptocurrencies and digital assets. It would also provide guidelines on the transfer of digital assets.
The country is aiming to make cryptocurrencies as regulated as possible. This way, the locals would find it much easier to adopt cryptocurrencies and adhere to the policies.
The aim is to normalize the adoption of cryptocurrencies so people bring them to their common and day-to-day use. This way, the cryptocurrencies would gain more recognition and their values would surge.
El Salvador has a Large Batch of Bitcoin
As of mid-November, El Salvador has a total of 2,381 Bitcoin, which translates to $40 million given the current price of the asset.
The country is aiming to invest as much Bitcoin as possible so it can benefit from it once the Bitcoin price shoots to higher trading figures.


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TORONTO, April 25, 2022 /CNW/ - Tucows Inc. (NASDAQ: TCX) (TSX: TC) today announced that it will report its first quarter 2022 financial results via news release on Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 5:05 p.m. ET.
Concurrent with the dissemination of its quarterly financial results news release 5:05 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 5, 2022, management's pre-recorded audio commentary (and transcript), discussing the quarter and outlook for the Company, will be posted to the Tucows website at http://www.tucows.com/investors/financials.
Following management's prepared commentary, for the subsequent eight days (until Friday, May 13), shareholders, analysts and prospective investors can submit questions to Tucows' management at firstname.lastname@example.org. Management will post responses to questions of general interest (audio recording and transcript) to the Company's website at http://www.tucows.com/investors/financials/ on Wednesday, May 25, at approximately 4 pm ET. All questions will receive a response, however, questions of a more specific nature may be responded to directly.
Tucows helps connect more people to the benefit of internet access through communications service technology, domain services, and fiber-optic internet infrastructure. Ting (https://ting.com/internet) delivers fixed fiber Internet access with outstanding customer support. Wavelo (http://wavelo.com) is a telecommunications software suite for service providers that simplifies the management of mobile and internet network access, provisioning, billing and subscription, developer tools, and more. OpenSRS (https://opensrs.com), Enom (https://www.enom.com) and Ascio (https://ascio.com) combined manage approximately 25 million domain names and millions of value-added services through a global reseller network of over 35,000 web hosts and ISPs. Hover (https://hover.com) makes it easy for individuals and small businesses to manage their domain names and email addresses. More information can be found on Tucows' corporate website (https://tucows.com).
Tucows, Ting, Wavelo, OpenSRS, Enom, Ascio and Hover are registered trademarks of Tucows Inc. or its subsidiaries.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tucows-announces-timing-for-q1-2022-financial-results-news-release-and-management-commentary-thursday-may-5-2022-at-505-pm-et-301531518.html
SOURCE Tucows Inc.
View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2022/25/c3296.html


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The success of small to medium sized business in Vanuatu is being seen as a key to spreading the benefits of economic growth.
A business start-up guide has been launched in Vanuatu by the International Finance Corporation, a division of the World Bank.
The IFC developed the guide with help of the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Women in Sustainable Development Association.
The IFC's Christine Bowers says small to medium enterprises are the bedrock of a growing economy.
"It's how the benefits of economic growth are going to be spread right down to the base of the population. When you look at tourism it provides a tremendous opportunity for businesses to start and to provide services to these tourists. But these small businesses is what's putting food on peoples plates and paying school fees."
Christine Bowers says it is important to support local ni-Vanuatu businesses as they try to compete with foreign tour operators and companies entering the country with better resources.


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Amid escalations for sky-high electricity bills by customers during the lockdown months, the state of Maharashtra has decided to absorb bulk of the additional bill for them. The move will benefit close to 1 crore customers. As per the Indian Express report, the government will bear the major portion of "additional" burden in electricity charges during lockdown months as well as respond to consumer grievances concerning higher bill.
In July some of the leading industrialists as well as film fraternity people brought to the notice of the officials from the department of their bills coming higher by either twice or even thrice.
Considering the situation, the state government is considering a proposal as per which eligible households for the lockdown months would need to pay for the units consumed in the corresponding months in the previous year i.e. 2019. And in a case where the billed units for the lockdown months exceed from the previous corresponding consumption by 100 units or less, the entire additional burden owing to increased consumption shall be borne by the state of Maharashtra.
For consumption in excess of 100 units, 50% of the extra cost shall be borne by the government up to 300 units. For consumption over 300 units but below 500 units, the government will bear 25% cost. The move will cost the exchequer Rs. 1000 crore and has been finalized in a meet between Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, also chairing the finance dept. and Energy Minister Nitin Raut, said the newspaper.


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OnePlus 7 News: Leaked Details Reveals Specs and Features; Alleged Release Date Announced
OnePlus 7 is said to be arriving soon. Although there is no official announcement yet, it was reported that its launch date has been set on May 14. The date is earlier than expected but still, the consumers must wait until OnePlus gives an update regarding the day of the actual release.
Moreover, the speculations about the OnePlus 7’s arrival was also spread on social media the past weekend after Ishan Agarwal, a tech enthusiast tweeted: “I'm gonna stop with the estimations and give you all what you want. I can confirm that #OnePlus7 Series is launching globally on May 14, 2019!” He added that there is just a month left before China’s OnePlus flagship smartphone is to be unveiled to the public.
Steve McFly, a social media figure who is known to a source of leaked details about upcoming gadgets, recently posted about the specs for OnePlus 7. And since this phone is said to be released together with OnePlus 7 Pro, he wrote the said mobile phone’s specifications side by side.
On April 16, he McFly tweeted that OnePlus 7 will feature a 6.4" flat display and waterdrop notch front camera. It will also have a dual rear camera with 48MP as primary. The unit is said to come with a curved design that is similar to Samsung Galaxy S10.
Moreover, according to Android Central, OnePlus 7 and it's Pro version is almost the same but latter’s display will just be more advanced with its quad HD+ resolution and a refresh rate of 90Hz compared to OnePlus 7’s 60Hz and full HD+.
Finally, Tom’s Guide noted that OnePlus 7 will have a dual rear-camera but the OnePlus 7 Pro could have been fitted with triple lens camera system featuring a telephoto. Lastly, OnePlus 7 will likely retain the 4G LTE signal.


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She has been sending temperatures soaring this month as she continues her racy tour of California and Nevada. And Demi Rose was at it again last week as she posed up a storm for a Sєxy pH๏τoshoot at Venice Beach in Los Angeles. The model, 27 , looked sensational as she showcased her jaw-dropping curves in yet another risqué ensemble at the popular holiday spot.
Demi displayed her very ample ᴀssets in a plunging pink gingham patterned cropped shirt, which was tied into a knot to show off her tiny toned waist. The Instagram sensation teamed the item of clothing with a pair of high-waisted denim shorts, which showcased her peachy posterior.
Adding some finishing touches, but ensuring her outfit take centre stage, Demi accessorised her look with a pair of brown suede fringed knee-high cowboy boots. The model styled her brunette locks into a glossy curly blow-dried hairdo, adding a slick of glamorous make-up to enhance her pretty features.
The snaps come after Demi stripped off once again for a cowboy inspired pH๏τoshoot in Nevada during her Las Vegas road trip earlier this month. The model, 27, put on a very risqué display as she strolled around Redrock Canyon topless, with her cowboy hat in hand, wearing nothing but a ripped denim thong.
Since then, the swimwear icon has mainly kept her love with DJ Chris Martinez on the down-low, but confirmed their split last week. Demi and the DJ have vowed to continue as friends and to support each other’s careers, despite the split. The Instagram sensation has garnered the attention of 10.4million followers since she propelled to fame after being romantically linked to Kylie Jenner’s ex Tyga.


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The parade of boats heading out to stone crab hunting grounds in the Gulf of Mexico has been growing steadily for two weeks.
What they will find - and how much a pound of jumbo claws will cost - remains something of a mystery.
One thing is certain this season, which starts today: Almost anything will be an improvement over last year, which industry officials described as one of the most dismal seasons in memory.
Hit by bad weather, smaller than usual crabs and a massive infiltration of trap-raiding octopuses, trappers barely got by.
"A lot of people got very frustrated last year because the stone crab season never really got off the ground here," said Kathy Birren, owner of Hernando Beach Seafood, the county's largest commercial fishing marina and commercial seafood processing center.
"Some of them have told me that if they have another one like (last season), they'll be done," she said.
Although the seven-month season can provide a bounty of succulent claws for eager consumers, it's an industry always filled with uncertainty.
For many fishermen who work the Gulf of Mexico year-round, stone crab season, Oct. 15 to May 15, is something of a godsend during a time of year when long-line fishing can be hit or miss.
But variables in weather and predator invasions make it a business that's tough to predict.
"It's tough when your livelihood is so chaotic," Birren said. "Back in 2008 and 2009, we were averaging about 800 pounds per boat every day. But last year, most of the boats were averaging between 75 and 150 pounds a trip. There's no money in that."
At best, crabbing is a low-profit venture for many small-boat owners.
In addition to fuel and maintenance for their vessels, there's the cost of commercial fishing permits, commercial boat licenses, plus a 50-cent licensing fee to the state for every trap that is tagged.
As a result of last season's shortage, stone crab prices statewide ratcheted up to historic levels, with jumbo claws recently retailing for as much as $90 a pound, compared with the $60 range in previous years.
Even medium claws, which used to retail for less than $20 a pound, now cost between $30 and $35 a pound in many seafood establishments.
Although the seafood delicacy may have been in short supply, wholesalers such as Tommy Shook, general manager at Frenchy's Seafood Co. in Palm Harbor, said they've had little trouble finding buyers, as long as customers are willing to pay the price.
"Some people buy them no matter how ridiculous the price is," Shook said.
Shook said he won't be able to determine a price for claws until he sees the catch levels in a couple of days.
"We'll likely hold prices to what we had last year if things start out well," he said. "But that's always subject to change. We'll just keep our fingers crossed."
Logan Neill can be reached at email@example.com or (352) 848-1435.


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Disney CEO Bob Chapek, speaking at D23 last weekend, echoed many of those messages to a Wall Street audience, but set a more definite tone than ever before, outlining Hulu’s future.
Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia & Tech conference, Chapek noted that while Hulu has been operated by Disney since 2019, its merger with Disney+ will have to wait due to Comcast’s financial interests in the service. Under the terms of the deal reached by the companies when Disney acquired the majority of 21st Century Fox, Disney could buy out Comcast in early 2024. Chapek said he “would like” to make the buyout sooner, but indicated that Comcast was not going to. rush. The latest estimate puts the package at $27.5 billion, a figure that is unlikely to decrease in an era where streaming assets continue to be valued.
“What you worry about when you work at Disney is friction between brands and some of the content we might have in entertainment,” Chapek said. “Every day at this job, I am amazed at how flexible the Disney brand is. I would tell you that we have had no response to the inclusion of this general entertainment content in the Disney-branded streaming offering in territories outside of the US. “I’m not saying it will be received the same way in the US, but it gives us some reason to believe that we have more degrees of freedom than anyone ever suspected.”
According to Disney’s latest quarterly report, Disney+ reached 152.1 million subscribers, while Hulu reached 46.2 million. Disney+ is global while Hulu remains US-only. In previous public appearances and press interviews, including this past weekend on D23 (and this interview with KristenBellTattoos.com), Capek has taken a more circumspect tone about mixing Hulu and Disney+. But many insiders and industry observers have been anticipating their merger for a long time, and it will be in line with the strategies pursued by Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount Global and others as the streaming market develops. This move will also result in significant cost savings.
At the same time, the task is to make programming like a dystopian drama The Handmaid’s Tale topical comedies such as Plan b as well as happiest season or sharp F/X names like American Horror Story along with Pixar films or other PG-rated films has always presented a unique challenge. However, Chapek said consumer feedback and company data convinced him that such an offering could be rolled out and “won’t be subject to consumer rejection by the body.”
Continued growth in streaming remains a key strategic challenge for Disney. While collectively it now has more total subscriptions than Netflix, many customers subscribe to more than one of its services while Netflix’s base of 220+ million is not duplicated. This combination will not only help it grow, Czapek says, but it will also minimize what he called “consumer friction” that comes from trying to switch between two different streaming apps. “In the long term, we can avoid this, and 2024 is not that far away,” he said.
Even in the US, Disney is realigning its programs to populate Disney+ with more titles not directly related to its original five pillars of Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, National Geographic and Disney. He switched ABC mainstays like Dancing with the Stars and Black-ish to streaming after seeing significant tweaking and new subscriptions to Peter Jackson’s The Beatles documentary series. Return Last failure.
Another important topic of the 40-minute session was pricing. Asked how much price increases might be possible in the future – even as the company prepares to implement its second major increase later this year – Czapek said he doesn’t expect churn to surge. Therefore, according to his assumption, a further increase may occur in the near future. “This is something that the market will bear, which is a direct reflection of the price/value ratio, and I think our prices are very low compared to the value we offer,” he said. “We owe it to our shareholders to try and win recognition.”
Data from the nearly three-year run of Disney+ and the ESPN+ path, which launched in May 2018, will help make an informed pricing decision, Chapek said.
Disney will be raising its ad-free plan to $10.99 next month ahead of its ad-supported tier rollout. Subscribers who want to continue paying $7.99 for Disney+ will be able to do so as long as they don’t mind watching ads. Meanwhile, Hulu’s ad-free tier jumped to $14.99 a month from $12.99, while its ad-supported version jumped to $7.99 from $6.99. ESPN+ said in July that its standalone version jumped nearly 40%, from $6.99 to $9.99.
While a bit of a sticker shock is inevitable, Chapek said the price at which Disney+ launched at $6.99 in November 2019 is “absurd” in retrospect, and the comparisons seem radical. In April 2019, when Disney announced the initial price of Disney+, prompting audible sighs from Wall Street and the media, the level of investment in programming was not what it had been until now, Chapek argued. However, reaching the bottom end of the streaming market “has helped us get to where we are with such a huge amount of subscribers,” he acknowledged. “It’s hard to believe we’ve only been in this for three years.”


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ASIC’s finding of in-house product bias and best interests duty breaches at institutional licensees might not surprise you. But in the post-FOFA world, it should still disturb you.
In April 2014, the ifa editorial team sifted through submission after submission to the Financial System Inquiry. Most of them were authored by professional spinners arguing the financial system was in good health and there was ‘nothing to see here’.
But one stood out: a seemingly innocent letter from an AMP-aligned financial adviser and practice owner named Rhys Wood. The institutional dealer group model is plagued by “systemic bias”, Mr Wood politely offered, with approved product lists (APLs) the key vehicle for stopping client money from flowing to competitors.
Outside of this publication, Mr Wood’s submission did not receive much traction despite it blowing the lid on arguably the industry’s biggest sleeper issue and acting as a rare on-record whistle-blow on vertical integration’s inherent flaws. It wasn't picked up by the mainstream press and was largely ignored by FSI chair David Murray (perhaps predictably, given his former life as boss of the country's largest vertically integrated financial institution).
Over the next four years, the instos have gone about the process of 'broadening APLs' and made a lot of self-serving noise while doing so.
Their executives and board members have fronted parliamentary inquiries week after week and distributed press statements pointing to a new philosophy of “open architecture” and the increasing number of products that advisers under their control can technically recommend.
ASIC’s review of advice provided by a number of licensees owned by CBA, ANZ, Westpac, NAB and AMP, released on Wednesday, has shown once and for all that this entire defence of “open APLs” is bogus.
The institutions now pay daily lip service to freedom, but their underlying commitment to restriction and share of wallet has never faltered.
The review – which, it must be stressed, was conducted in the post-FOFA period of 2015-17 – found that 68 per cent of all client funds across these businesses were invested in financial products owned and operated by related entities. A review of sample files where advice to switch products to an in-house product was provided also found that in 75 per cent of cases the FOFA best interests duty was not complied with.
While the behaviour differed across licensees, the report found that “in most cases there was a clear weighting in the products recommended by advisers towards in-house products”.
Now, judging by the comments on the news article and on social media, many of you are unsurprised by the news, seeing it as nothing more than a confirmation of something everyone in the industry already either had first-hand knowledge of or strongly suspected.
But while it might not be surprising, given the decade of whispers and the scandals already exposed, we should not be so complacent or cynical as to accept the status quo as acceptable.
The report’s findings are actually quite significant for a number of reasons.
First, the finding of in-house product bias comes despite consistent pleading of innocence to the contrary, indicating deliberate deception to Parliament and the media.
Second, it comes despite the associated finding that 79 per cent of financial products across the reviewed licensees’ approved product lists were external, meaning there must be other reasons and factors to recommend in-house at play other than the APL, whether financial incentives, dodgy in-house research, restrictive model portfolios or other nefarious means of controlling the flow of money.
Third, the bias was evident not just in the employed advice channels that you would expect (NAB Financial Planning, ANZ Financial Planning, etc), but from self-employed businesses licensed by bank subsidiaries with independent-sounding names like 'Securitor' and 'Millennium3'. Advisers in these channels, and their managers and owners, consistently maintain they are just as independent as any of their non-bank or self-licensed peers. This report suggests otherwise.
Fourth, there is very little evidence of the conflicts on the public record. The report provides documented evidence that negates the spin put out by the banks and their lobbyists
Which leads us logically to the fifth and by far the most important reason this report matters: while you might know about the murky incentives and undisclosed ownership structures and product bias, the vast majority of consumers do not, as indicated by Roy Morgan surveys year after year.
Indeed, the entire system is designed with the very aim of duping the consumer and providing a false façade of independence.
For once, this report goes to the very heart of the biggest issue affecting quality of service in the financial system and the associated consumer harm and reputation damage.
It is a far bigger issue than this ridiculous notion that lack of adviser education is the problem. We hear consistently that all of the industry's woes are because too few have university degrees and it needs to 'professionalise', repeated ad nauseum by the associations looking to take a cut, institutions looking for a PR distraction and 'journalists' who have been drinking so much insto kool-aid they have lost the scepticism once integral to their craft.
And it is certainly a bigger problem than independently-owned and non-aligned businesses calling themselves that. In fact, it proves that these business models are fundamentally different to those that are institutionally-owned and should be allowed to market themselves accordingly.
Under its previous leadership, ASIC too often took the bait, focusing on these red herrings and diversion tactics.
Let us hope this report is a sign James Shipton’s ASIC will truly put client best interests first.
A new white paper has been released.
The investment manager has released its FY22 results.
The firm has released its results for the 2022 financial year.
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Amazon Web Services, the number one player in the public cloud infrastructure market, is a huge asset to the retailer. The high-margin cloud unit keeps growing at above 40% rates, making sure that Amazon continues to stay profitable overall.
Nearly a year and half ago, when I used to write for Seeking Alpha I wrote the following about Amazon Web Services:
“One segment has finally stepped up to fill the gap between reality and high valuation. From now on, the burden of EPS is squarely on AWS’s shoulders, and retailer has the breathing space it needs to become consistently and significantly profitable over time.”
Though I mentioned earning per share in the article, my point was that AWS would remain the most predictable and profitable unit for Amazon, consistently bringing in cash flows. Since Amazon already knows that its bottom line numbers are going to be taken care of by AWS, it will be even more aggressive in spending everything it makes from its retail business – and then some – and put it all back into its retail business. And it will do that by either by adding more services and features, growing its inventory, investing in hardware products, experimenting with new delivery methods and what not.
Simple put, my argument was this: with AWS, Amazon need never worry about margins, and can push extremely hard on growth in its retail segment.
And that seems to be happening already. Amazon is not just spending everything that’s coming from its retail segment, it is spending the money that AWS makes as well. If not for AWS’s operating profits, Amazon will be reporting losses.
Take a look at the following chart released by Business Insider and Statista:
During the third quarter of 2017, Amazon’s net operating profit was just $347 million. If not for the $1.171 billion that AWS brought to the table, Amazon would have had to report a loss for the quarter, and may not have added nearly $62 billion in a day to its market cap after the earnings came out, which pushed Jeff Bozos to the number one position in the richest man alive list.
So, in a way, it was AWS that made Jeff Bezos the richest man alive. Again. Bezos briefly toppled Microsoft founder Bill Gates from the pole position for one day in July this year. This time it might just stick.
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All In Parks Associates
Data from Parks Associates’ recent DIY security research suggests a sharp rise in self-installed security systems in the last few years.
CE Pro Editors · March 16, 2020
Sticking with a single wireless protocol and avoiding integrated security will stifle your smart door lock sales and and hurt your profits.
CE Pro Editors · February 21, 2020
Thanks in part to new market stability, integrators are seeing a surge of interest in home automation technology.
CE Pro Editors · December 13, 2019
According to Parks Associates, twice as many consumers intend to purchase a standalone security product instead of a professionally monitored system in the next 12 months.
CE Pro Editors · March 14, 2019
Smart-home tech might be hot, but almost half of broadband households don’t want it … unless it helps them save money, according to research from Parks Associates.
CE Pro Editors · January 04, 2019
Parks Associates study reveals 79% of consumers have self-installed a smart home device, and most do not turn to integrators for assistance when there is a technical problem.
Jason Knott · October 18, 2018
More than 50 million households interested in buying a sleep trackers; are you capitalizing on the trend?
Lisa Montgomery · August 13, 2018
“As our daily routines become more seamless between work, home, school, at play and on the go, there’s a growing need for integrated technology solutions to offer continuity from space to space,” says Jason McGraw of AVIXA.
CE Pro Editors · June 01, 2018
On Shrek, Costco, sous vide, insurance, DIY, older people, and other engaging subjects shared among the who’s who of IoT at Parks Associates’ Connections Conference 2018.
Julie Jacobson · June 01, 2018
Parks Associates’ Connections 2018 was a high-level IoT event for smart-home muckety mucks serving the mass market, but at least one home-tech integrator found plenty to take away from the three-day forum.
CE Pro Editors · May 29, 2018


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Police raid John Lewis worker's home to find nearly £34,000 of tech
Police raid John Lewis worker’s home to find nearly £34,000 of tech stolen from stockroom to be sold online
- Lai Uong stole thousands of pounds worth of stock from retail giant John Lewis
- The 47-year-old stockroom worker sold the items he took while at his workplace in the Bluewater Shopping Centre brand near Dartford, Kent, on an online site
- Uong, from Gravesend, was jailed for over two years and told to pay £170 costs
A stockroom worker has been jailed after he stole more than £45,000 worth of tech from retail giant John Lewis to sell online.
Cops raided the home of Lai Uong, 47, and found nearly £34,000 worth of tech stolen from the Bluewater Shopping Centre branch near Dartford, Kent which he intended to sell online.
It included watches, mobile phones and wearable tech made by brands such as Windows, Apple and Samsung.
Uong had worked at the branch for more than 17 years before an internal investigation was launched when items started going missing between October 2017 and June 2018.
Lai Uong (pictured) had worked at the branch for more than 17 years before an internal investigation was launched
As part of the investigation, a test purchased was made for some Apple AirPods which were being sold on an online selling site connected to Uong.
It was later confirmed that the item was John Lewis stock.
Police later searched Uong’s property and found Apple products with a retail value of £33,799, all stolen from the store.
Officers also found than more than £24,000 of electrical goods had already been sold on the online site.
Customers who purchased the items from Uong were contacted by police to request serial numbers. It was confirmed that of the £24,000 of goods sold online, £11,799 came from John Lewis.
The total confirmed value of the stolen stock was £45,598.
Thousands of pounds worth of tech had been stolen from the Bluewater Shopping Centre branch near Dartford, Kent
Uong, from Gravesend in Kent, was jailed at Woolwich Crown Court after admitting handling stolen goods.
He was jailed for two years and eight months and ordered to pay £170 costs.
Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings to recover the money have been launched.
Investigating officer Jacqueline Brown of the Bluewater Police Team said: ‘After a long and protracted investigation I am pleased with the outcome achieved from the courts, this demonstrates our willingness to get the best possible outcome for the victims and hold offenders to account for their actions.
‘His employer placed a lot of trust in him, and not only did he let his employer down but he also lost his job and will now serve time behind bars for handling the stolen items.’
Source: Read Full Article


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Royal Caribbean Steers to Arnold
BOSTON–Arnold Communications has won the $33 million account of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, said sources. Arnold beat Temerlin McClain, Irving, Texas, and incumbent McKinney & Silver, Raleigh, N.C., in the final round. A separate review is still under way for Royal sibling Celebrity Cruises, an account worth $35 million.
Lowe Group Rebrands Octagon
NEW YORK–The Lowe Group’s sports marketing and entertainment unit is rebranding itself under the name Octagon. Lowe had used Octagon since it launched the division in 1997, but also kept the names of firms it acquired (i.e., Koch Tavares in Brazil). Octagon will split into four units (Octagon Marketing, Octagon Athlete Representation, Octagon CSI and Octagon Motorsports). The global entity now claims billings of $700 million. “We really have been brought up on research and how to use that to build a brand,” said Lowe Group CEO Frank Lowe.
TV Spots Tout Web Sites’ Benefits
NEW YORK–Two shops unveil TV spots this week focusing on the Web sites of two bricks-and-mortar clients. Cliff Freeman and Partners airs an ad to drive traffic to the Staples site in a campaign it calls “Your online office manager.” Staples spent about $80 million last year. Separately, Foote, Cone & Belding is doing the same for $26 million client Alamo Rent-A-Car. The “Drive Happy” campaign touts the benefits of a vacation car rental online.
Domino’s Pizza Slates Meetings With Shops
DETROIT–Domino’s Pizza has scheduled meetings with some 10 agencies after abruptly calling a review last week on its $120 million account, now at Campbell Mithun Esty in Minneapolis. The client said it was an “appropriate time” for a review and denied the move was prompted by dissatisfaction with CME’s creative work. Domino’s had cut short CME’s “Delivering A Million Smiles A Day” campaign in favor of work from ethnic shop Don Coleman Advertising here. CME will participate in the review, which should wrap up by year’s end. Media buying and planning will remain at J. Walter Thompson here.
Goodby Wins Grand Athena Award
NEW YORK–Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, won the $100,000 grand prize at the Newspaper Association of America’s 1999 ATHENA Awards for creativity in newspaper ads. Goodby’s humorous work for Hewlett-Packard was honored. The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va., was the night’s top winner, with 12 prizes, including golds for Saab and Vertex Pharmaceuticals ads.
Emmerling Breaks $100 Mil. in Brokerage Ads
NEW YORK–Emmerling Post has launched a celebrity-laden $100 million campaign for discount broker TD Waterhouse that targets people who might be intimidated by the “edgy feel” of ads for other online brokers. The client “more than doubled” ad spending for the effort after an IPO, said Peter Post, shop president and COO. Ads show celebrities such as actress Geena Davis, action movie star Jackie Chan and L.A. Lakers’ coach Phil Jackson researching investments or making trades. The tone is one of “nice, gentle humor,” said creative director Steve Crane. The tag, “Xprs Yrslf,” mimics a stockticker.
Burnett Unveils First Toys ‘R’ Us Work
CHICAGO–Leo Burnett will attempt to evoke an emotional connection between children and Toys ‘R’ Us in its first campaign for the retailer. Burnett won the $70 million business in May following a review. Its two-pronged approach targets kids and parents with different TV executions, tagged “It’s all for them,” or “It’s all for you.”
DaimlerChrysler AG said it will cut its management board to 14 members from 17 in a shakeup that includes the departure of director Thomas Stallkamp, who heads North American operations for the German-U.S. automotive group. DaimlerChrysler said Stallkamp, who will leave the company Dec. 31, will be succeeded by James Holden, evp, sales and marketing. The shakeup also includes the exit of Michael Jackson, president and chief executive of Mercedes-Benz USA, who has resigned and will be succeeded by Mercedes’ U.K. CEO Paul Halata Hoover Co. is down to four shops for its $25 million account: Foote, Cone & Belding, J. Walter Thompson, DDB and Leo Burnett, all Chicago. The Canton, Ohio, client split with incumbent Euro RSCG Tatham FCB Worldwide has acquired a majority stake in EFPZ Publicidad, Uruguay, renaming the shop EFPZ/FCB. Terms were undisclosed. EFPZ had 1998 billings of $10 million. Aldo Ponzoni, president, and Jose Figueiras, creative director, continue in their positions, serving such clients as S.C. Johnson, Nabisco, Fleischmann, Harley-Davidson and Samsonite GFN.com, the Web site for the Gay Financial Network, has awarded the creative portion of its $2 million account to Mad Dogs & Englishmen after a review that included Interactive8 and Prime Access, all New York.
Wilson Media Group, New York, will handle media Foote, Cone & Belding, San Francisco, has won the $10 million account of HungryMinds.com, a “virtual university” that enables students to take Web-based classes. The win followed a review that also included five undisclosed Bay Area agencies Virtual Ink, a maker of technology for the electronic “whiteboard” marketplace, has chosen three finalists in its agency search: Carmichael Lynch and Martin/Williams, both Minneapolis, and Hampel/Stefanides, New York. Billings are $5-8 million. There is no incumbent. Pile and Co. is handling Labatt USA is putting its estimated $10 million promotional account in review. Beer brands including Dos Equis, Rolling Rock and Tecate are currently handled by The Marketing Continuum in Dallas. The incumbent will defend. General ad duties, now at Ammirati Puris Lintas, New York, are unaffected Nortel is launching the second round of its “Come together” campaign this week with celebrity filled ads from Temerlin McClain, Irving, Texas Anderson Advertising, San Antonio, has picked up the estimated $2 million account of Mexican food chain Taco Cabana. The account had gone to T3 in Austin, Texas, earlier this year following a review.
Royal Caribbean Steers to Arnold


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Hard Reset Extended Edition Screens
Check out the fresh batch of gorgeous screens from the upcoming Hard Reset: Extended Edition.
Kalypso Media released a fresh batch of screens from Hard Reset: Extended Edition that is due to release in March 2012.
The screens are showing off some of the new environments that will feature in the Extended Edition.
Check them out in the gallery below.


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HSBC Bank's latest Global Connections Trade Forecast and Trade Confidence survey shows that 64 per cent of respondents believe trade volumes will rise over the next six months, representing a decline of 11 percentage points compared to the report's findings for the first half of 2015.
Singapore and Hong Kong suffered the largest declines in market confidence with more than 20 points for each. However, Asian economies will be the main drivers of global trade over the medium-term, with so-called "south-south" flows becoming the fastest growing trade corridors, according to the survey.
Brazil and Russia have been weak in 2015, but like China, HSBC said it sees the downturn as cyclical rather than structural.
"Despite the near-term challenges facing emerging markets, many of these economies benefit from strong economic fundamentals, meaning they are likely to be an important driver of global economic growth and trade over the medium term," the survey was cited as saying, reported Atlanta area Air Cargo World.
For this reason, the report is optimistic that stabilisation in these countries could lay the foundation for a moderate uptick in world trade in 2016, with HSBC forecasting import volumes in the US and Western Europe will expand by five to six per cent in 2016.
The banking giant anticipates growth in global trade to recover to three per cent in 2016, up from its forecast of one per cent growth in volume terms for 2015, picking up to five per cent a year by 2018-20.
Source : HKSG.