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Some familiar brands will begin making an appearance during League of Legends matches.
Developer Riot Games announced it will add customized arena banners in League of Legends that will allow brands to advertise during professional matches of the popular multiplayer online battle arena game. The banners will mimic the ads seen at traditional sporting events.
Fans will start to see in-game banners featuring actual ads on the Summoner’s Rift map on June 20 during the 2020 Summer Split events, and they will continue through the League of Legends Championship Series’ World Championship later this year. The change will also come to League of Legends’ regional e-sports leagues.
Riot Games approved 50 brands to appear on regional and international matches, including Mastercard and Alienware.
League of Legends is no stranger to sponsorships. Its 2019 World Championships featured a Louis Vuitton trophy case for the winners, as well as cross-branded merchandise. It’s also implemented other sponsorships with big-name brands like MasterCard in the past.
The latest strategy is a collaboration with Nielsen, which sees in-game banners as a lucrative asset for e-sports. The NBA 2K League and Rocket League already use their virtual gaming venues for advertisements, both in-game and during e-sports competitions. However, those games come with playspaces that more closely resemble real-life sports venues.
“Nielsen’s experience as our trusted metrics partner, as well as for professional sports, has allowed us to fast-track the valuation of Summoner’s Rift Arena Banners,” Doug Watson, head of Esports Insights at Riot Games, told Digital Trends. “At various points throughout the development process, Nielsen advised on best practices that would unlock additional value for our brand partners.”
Watson believes the in-game banners will allow e-sports to achieve parity with professional sports leagues when it comes to advertising, citing the NFL, NBA, and Union of European Football Associations’ use of branded stadiums and arenas.
However, unlike players on the field, League of Legends players won’t see the ads that spectators do.
“This was largely a consideration to avoid impacting the competitive integrity of matches,” Watson said. “Professional League of Legends players are highly attuned to the layout of the map, and it was important for us not to impact their existing strategies with the release of this product.”
League of Legends is the most-watched e-sport in the world, and the 2019 World Championship saw viewers tune in for over 137 million hours. Its popularity continues to grow, with the league showing a 66% increase over 2018. Official broadcasts stream on over 30 distribution platforms worldwide, and ESPN2 aired five matches of the Spring Split playoffs in April.
This offers plenty of potential eyes on ads in future matches.
- Get an exclusive new look at Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story
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- Where to watch the League of Legends 2022 World Championship


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Rumour has it that Apple is set to launch a mixed-reality headset in 2023. However, it isn’t the only product set to launch next year.
Apple’s Latest Mystery Device
The headset, reportedly incorporating both virtual and augmented reality environments, will provide a boon to the gaming industry. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier in the week that we expect the headset announcement in January 2023. Meanwhile, it would be the most complicated product Apple has designed yet.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been vocal in his excitement about AR. Earlier this week, he explained that the tech industry is still in the “very early innings” of this technology’s possibilities.
“I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunities we’ve seen in this space, and sort of stay tuned, and you’ll see what we have to offer,” Cook told China Daily.
The Launch Specifications
According to the reports, Apple’s first mixed-reality headset may have something in common with the company’s latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The headset, which is just one piece in a deluge of products, is rumoured to be unveiled next year. It could sport the company’s flagship M2 processor, according to Mark Gurman’s Sunday newsletter for Bloomberg.
The M2, unveiled in June alongside the new MacBook Air and Pro, features redesigned central processing units and a significant memory increase, which would boost the much-rumoured headset over the last M1 chip.
Gurman’s sources also tell him that the headset will pack in 16GB of RAM. Combined with the impressive M2 chip benchmarks, it seems that the device will not be short on performance. For reference, the M2 13-inch MacBook Pro comes in 8GB, 16GB and 24GB RAM configurations.
According to reports, the Apple VR and mixed reality headset are a precursor to Apple Glass. The AR lenses will offer an “optical see-through AR experience,” according to Ming-Chi Kuo.
The Apple VR and mixed reality headsets are expected to be like a typical VR headset. However, several exterior cameras and sensors unlock bonus functionality.
That way, Apple’s VR and mixed reality headset can offer body tracking and incorporate real-world environments in a virtual space. Plus, the Apple VR headset could incorporate a see-through experience that can deliver a form of augmented reality. So, it’s not like the Oculus Quest 2, which is VR-only.
What do you think of Apple’s ‘complicated’ product? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.

domain: news


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It seems as if there is trouble brewing for President-Elect Donald Trump, as his administration has recently drawn fire from the powerful conservative fund-raising and lobbying powerhouse Koch brothers, Charles and David.
The brothers are angry over a proposed import tax that they say could have potentially have devastating consequences for US consumers. They argue that these policies will force consumers to pay higher prices and, at a point in time where the economic recovery seems to finally be stabilizing, could create a scenario for a new recession.
The Koch brothers join a chorus of trade supporting groups and companies that have also spoken out against the import tax being proposed by the incoming Trump administration. These groups argue that big box merchants alike Walmart and Target, which make up a growing percentage of the US economy, will be rendered obsolete, as these companies rely on purchase sing goods in bulk and cheap in order to help keep prices low. Without the ability to do that the stores will have no choice but to increase prices or to take a hit to their profits.
The policy, known as boarder adjustments, has not been officially endorsed by Trump. Rather it is part of a broader package that is being passed around. This is particularly as these groups are heavy republican donors and it remains to be seen how far the GOP will go in enacting Trump’s agenda and to what extent it will be altered by donor concerns.
One industry that is particularly concerned about the new policies in the garment industry. The garment industry makes up a large part of the economy in many countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan. The collapse of these economies could set back the global recovery or even drag the world back into recession.
It remains to be seen how President-Elect Trump, the House GOP, and other interested parties will play this situation. No matter what though, the fear that is being created by the uncertainty now is already doing harm in some sectors of the economy


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Stavis Seafoods muscles up its business model
Stavis Seafoods has had quite a year – numerous staffing changes, the announcement in March of its expansion into a new USD 40 million facility on the Boston waterfront and the tragic ammonia leak in its cold storage warehouse that resulted in the death of an employee.
Company CEO Richard Stavis – who represents the third generation of his family to run the 85-year-old business – told SeafoodSource in an interview that while it hasn’t all been easy going recently, he’s firm in his vision and his plan for the business.
“For the last one-and-a-half years, we’ve been moving forward with a lot of work that will get us into the next market,” he said. “Seafood is being bought differently than it was five years ago. As a result, we’ve changed our business model. We’re scaling up and changing a lot of our approaches so that we can better serve clients with a broader range of needs.”
Specifically, Stavis wants to grow his company to a size where it can handle larger clients with larger needs, both in quantity and types of species.
“We will continue to offer our existing seafood customers the service, quality and broad range of items they’re accustomed to,” Stavis said. “But we’ve found there are companies that are 25 times our size who are looking for what we can offer but in order to be a direct sourcer and seller to them, we need to scale up.”
Attracting larger customers will help alleviate the squeeze familiar to the seafood industry and other commodity-dependent businesses, Stavis said.
“Seafood has always had razor thin margins,” he said. “Frankly, what we’re looking at as we reinvent ourselves is to create a more consistently profitable operation, rather than worrying about how the next big headline might affect us.”
To aid in this conversion, Stavis Seafoods hired Greg Burgess as company president last year, Brett Heidtke as director of operations in December 2015 and Marc Desmarais as the director of sales in March 2016. Richard Stavis said those hires were made with expectation that they would help the company grow, particularly by attracting larger customers.
“We have changed a lot of our approaches to be able to address the needs of those types of customers,” Stavis said. “Our goal with those hires is to have them guide us in hitting that market that is looking for seafood that is high quality, responsibly sourced and consistently available, even at larger quantities. And we want to offer market information so our clients are able to bring seafood into greater context amongst the proteins they sell.”
Moving and shaking
In line with this strategy, Stavis Seafoods has expanded its product line – it now offers 1,100 different products, including about 150 to 200 fresh items, sourced from 51 countries and 20 coastal U.S. states. Stavis enjoys saying his company desires to be his clients “back pantry.”
Beginning in September 2018, Stavis Seafoods will move into a 90,000-square-foot company headquarters currently under development in the Massport Marine Terminal in Boston. The leased space will include freezer, cooler, processing and office facilities and will bring all of the company’s operations in the Northeast under one roof for the first time.
Other changes at the company include the day-to-day work of Richard Stavis himself. After stepping down as president following Burgess’ hire, Stavis took over the role of director of sales for a year. Following Ruth Levy’s announced departure as chief business officer last week, Stavis said he will be assuming the role of director of frozen purchasing in addition to continuing his role as CEO.
“Since stepping down as president, I’ve used the opportunity to take on different roles in the company, with the goal of drilling deep into our business to make sure we’re really addressing the market right way and meeting all our customers’ needs. As director of sales, I learned intimately what our customer base is and what we need to do to meet the needs of our customers. In the role of director of frozen purchasing, I want to make sure we tie our sourcing more intimately into the needs of our customers.”
Regarding Levy, Stavis said “she will be missed” at the company.
“I have tremendous respect and affection for Ruth. She worked here for 27 years and we were enriched by having her as part of our organization. We wish her well,” Stavis said. “But I also want to say that there’s a certain excitement that comes with change and creating that connection with selling and sourcing. This is going to be a really fun opportunity for me and I think it will serve us and our customers very well.”
Stavis said he also wants to devote time to becoming a “seafood champion.”
“The world – and the industry - don’t celebrate fish enough. In order to broaden our range of customers, we need to get people who would never consider buying seafood to buy it and make it part of their diet,” he said. “A lot of what we’ve been doing at Stavis Seafoods is creating that product that has that consistency that can be stocked and sold in ways that are similar to other proteins. We believe that’s necessary in order to get into the mainstream market and compete against other proteins.”
Besides consistency, simplicity is another goal the industry should strive for, Stavis said.
“It’s unambiguous – you’re going to be better off if you eat fish than if you eat something else. And yet, even though consumers are told over and over again to eat more seafood, the data shows they’re eating less,” he said. “A lot of it because it’s so darn hard to buy it. We want to bring the complexities of seafood into a simpler message so people get more comfortable buying and eating it.”
Stavis said, more than anything else, it’s the idea that selling more seafood can make the world a healthier, better place that drives him and his company’s aspirations.
“We see it as our mission to remove barriers to eating seafood and help people to eat more,” he said. “It’s the only protein complex that can aspire to be noble.”


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India starts probe against 4 cough syrups after WHO alerts its adverse effects on kids
New Delhi : India has started an investigation against four cough syrups manufactured by a Haryana-based pharmaceutical firm a day after WHO alerted that they can be a reason behind the death of 61 children in the Gambia.
According to a media report, WHO had informed the DGCI about the cough syrup on September 29, 2022, after which DGCI immediately took up the matter with Haryana regulatory authorities and asked for a detailed investigation report in the matter.
It has been learned that the cough syrups were made by the Maiden Pharmaceutical Limited in Haryana's Sonepat. The company had exported the cough syrups only to The Gambia.
Meanwhile, WHO has issued a warning that the cough syrups may have been distributed outside and may cause global exposure.
Meanwhile, WHO is yet to provide the data mentioning the exact time and location of the deaths caused by an alleged consumption of the syrups.
The samples of the cough syrups will be tested in Indian laboratories and the results will be given in two-three days.


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PALMETTO -- Just a few days after the end of the Christmas shopping rush, crowds of shoppers were browsing, and yes, buying Sunday at the Midway Flea Market.
Not at a touted Big Box post-holiday sale. At a flea market.
An estimated crowd of close to 2,500 wandered the premises at 10816 U.S. 41 North near Palmetto checking out a wealth of items for sale.
Everything from fancy shirts and jeans to boots, hats, great mounds of produce, childrens' toys, jewelry, antiques and many culinary treats were available.
"We enjoy this place. It's nice," said Octavius Maguirre, 36, of Bradenton, who bought shoes.
With him was Calvin Maina, 29, also of Bradenton, looking for shirts and jeans.
"We love good deals, and they have good deals here," said Maina.
Oswaldo Perez, 55, of St.
Petersburg, said he visits the flea market occasionally just to spend a relaxing day.
Although a light rain fell outside, it was cozy inside, where 250 vendors hawked their wares.
"It's been kind of slow because it was raining," said Antonio Santamaria, who was selling inventory similar to what he carries at Botas Hermanas Western Wear, 1128 Eighth Ave. W., in downtown Palmetto.
Some customers seemed to be out of money after Christmas spending, Santamaria said, but he predicted their purchasing power would return with the next payday in a couple of weeks.
Vendors selling fireworks were popular with shoppers. Looking over great piles of bottle rockets, Jose Cruz and Frankie Vargas helped customers pick out fireworks for banging New Year's celebrations.
"We're OK," said Cruz of Bonita Springs, when asked how business was.
Giovanni Palacios operates the market year-round from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Some booths are occupied regularly by certain vendors, while others change hands every weekend, he said.
"They sell everything you can think of," Palacios said with a smile.
Two Manatee County sheriff's deputies working off-duty providing security looked pretty laid-back.
"There's never any problem," said deputy Steve Litschauer.
Many families wandered the market corridors.
Luis and Maria Lopez of Bradenton carried bags bulging with fruits and vegetables. Three bright-eyed daughters, Emily, 10; Nancy, 9; and Yocelin, 6, trailed behind them.
Said Luis Lopez, "I come every week."
Sara Kennedy, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7031. Follow her on Twitter @sarawrites.


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Referring to Everdale, players immediately think of a simulation game, where participants can create their own community of residents. There, gamers will conduct gardening, farming, crafting, trading, harvesting, reaping, collecting, … to receive rewards, help the village grow more and more. This light entertainment game was officially closed on October 31, 2022 for the reason that it did not meet the standards and expectations of the publisher Supercell.
After about three months of being a “deadgame”, Everdale announced its return from the underworld when the Metacore developers decided to buy it back. The fact that a failed game product of this studio suddenly becomes a potential “bait” of another studio is a rare story.
Lasse Seppänen, Everdale’s former lead developer, said: “We’re happy to see Metacore take over Everdale. Throughout development, it’s been clear to us that this game has many great fans and But unfortunately, in the end, it’s not the right game for Supercell.
Everdale’s team came up with the idea of finding a ‘new home’ for the game. And we are pleased to transfer ownership of Everdale to Metacore’s talented team. We can’t wait to see Everdale’s next development.”
However, this decision of Metacore raised many doubts. It’s hard to say exactly why they wanted to choose this game. Overall, Metacore likes Everdale’s game elements. It must be reaffirmed that they are not “dreamers”, their Merge Mansion game has achieved great success.
If before at Supercell, this game carried the pressure to succeed like the leading game Clash of Clans, now, Everdale will have space to grow without the heavy achievement goals as before. Metacore will recreate this game from the ground up as a free-to-play and free-to-play mobile game.
For now, the details of the Everdale acquisition deal are still being confirmed. Everdale won’t suddenly reappear in stores immediately. When asked if Supercell employees were involved in the Everdale game project at Metacore, CEO Mika Tammenkoski said he could not comment on this.


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VE Commercial Vehicles Limited (VECV) launched the new Eicher Pro
6000 series next generation heavy-duty trucks on January 20, 2015 in New Delhi.
The Pro 6000 series of Eicher trucks include the Pro 6031 (31TGVW 8X2), Pro
6025 (25TGVW6x2) haulage trucks and Pro 6025T (25T GVW6X4) tipper truck. The
Pro 6000 series heavy-duty trucks are an addition to Eicher’s line-up of next
generation trucks which will help them consolidate and build on their market
share which has seen a slight fall from FY 2013.
The Eicher Pro 6000 series trucks represent the synergistic manufacturing
and development between the Volvo Group and Eicher Motors. At the launch of the
new Eicher Pro 6000 series, Philippe Divry, Senior Vice President, Volvo group
and VECV board member said, “Volvo Group & Eicher Motors came together in
2008 with a vision to modernise the Indian commercial vehicle industry and
today we present the most professional, holistic and progressive approach to
Indian trucking, the Eicher Pro 6000 series. Volvo Group’s world-class
technology and Eicher Motor’s frugal cost expertise and management have led to
the creation of a range which will set a new benchmark among customers with
high demands on profitability and driver effectiveness”. VE Commercial Vehicles
has invested over Rs. 2000 crores in the development and R&D of the new
trucks which are being launched and the ones to come in the future. Divry also
added “With the launch of the Pro Series of trucks by Eicher, our strategy to
expand in Asia and other growth markets gets further strengthened.”
Vinod Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer, VE Commercial Vehicles
Limited said “The launch of Eicher Pro 6000 series is a significant milestone
Eicher’s journey to becoming a strong player of the commercial vehicle
industry, especially for the heavy duty segment”. Speaking about the product
Aggarwal also stated that “The Pro 6000 Series is a range of next-generation
heavy duty trucks which offer best-in-class fuel efficiency, higher
productivity and a host of modern and intelligent features”.
A K Birla, Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing and
Aftermarket, Eicher Trucks, Buses and Engines, VECV said “We are positive that
the new Pro 6000 series trucks will help consolidate our position in the
heavy-duty trucks segment”.
The Eicher Pro 6000 series has been developed while keeping
customers at the centre of the product development process. Eicher Pro 6000 series
VEDX5 uses a 5 litre engine while the VEDX8 uses an 8 litre engine which has
been designed in collaboration with the Volvo Group. The VEDX5 also uses Volvo
Group’s new generation Engine Management System (EMS 3.0) for better fuel
efficiency. The Pro 6000 Series has on board telematics (Eicher Live), fuel
coaching and a cruise control as well. Another useful feature which Eicher
Motors has added onto the Pro 6000 Series is an advanced on board diagnostics systems
that enable owners and manufacturers to take a proactive approach towards the
maintenance of the truck. The diagnostic system gives fault indicators to
drivers through visual signals, messages and alarms. Eicher Motors is also
offering the Eicher service network which ensures preventive and corrective
maintenance of the truck. The new Pro 6000 Series trucks have an ultramodern
truck cabin which has been ergonomically designed with state-of-the-art
features for a comfortable driving experience and improved driver efficiency.
The sleeper cabin provides an efficient workspace for drivers as well.
Celebrating its 120th Anniversary, Royal Enfield announced the launch of a new range of limited edition helmets earlier this week. The limited range will consist of hand painted helmets designed by ar...
Sony India has introduced the new XAV-AX8100 in-car media receiver, offering new utility features, powerful sound and smart features.
ExxonMobil Lubricants Pvt Ltd launched its upgraded Mobil Super Moto range of engine oils to make it easier for people to maintain their two-wheelers in top condition. The launch comes at a time when...
In an exclusive interview, Uday Narang, Chairman, Anglian Omega Group & Omega Seiki Mobility
talks about his company plans to enter the two and four wheeler electric vehicle space.
Motown India speaks to Woosuk Leem, Managing Director, AS Parts Division, Mobis India to get more details about the Hyundai Mobility Membership App and its advantages.
Vishal Mathur, Senior Vice President, LMD Truck Business – VECV elaborates upon VECV’s Light & Medium Duty (LMD) business in India, the company’s product offering and the several advantages offered by...


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Twin Peaks to Bring Renowned Sports Viewing Experience to San Marcos
Ultimate sports lodge to make its debut in late 2019
August 29, 2019 // Franchising.com // SAN MARCOS, Texas - Twin Peaks is set to bring its delicious made-from-scratch menu, ice-cold 29-degree beer and scenic views to San Marcos in late 2019.
Located at 1207 E-35, construction of the new ultimate sports lodge is underway. The 7,192-square-foot restaurant is expected to bring more than 130 jobs to the San Marcos area. Auditions for Twin Peaks Girls will begin at the restaurant on Sept. 30. For more job information, visit work4twinpeaks.com.
The new Twin Peaks restaurant will feature 44 high-definition TVs and the bar will have 32 beers on draft, including selections on tap from local breweries, in addition to a wide range of signature craft cocktails and top-shelf spirits. To complement the drinks, the menu will feature hearty shareables, craveable classics and in-house smoker selections. Whether you’re looking for brunch, lunch, dinner or some late-night snacks, there is a premium culinary adventure waiting for you at Twin Peaks.
“We are extremely excited to bring our hospitality to San Marcos and surrounding communities,” said Twin Peaks CEO Joe Hummel. “Home of the Texas State Bobcats, San Marcos is the ideal location for Twin Peaks. With beautiful Twin Peaks Girls serving guests and high-definition TVs all around, it’ll be the perfect spot to watch all Texas State sports and more!”
Twin Peaks welcomes every guest with primetime matchups, ice-cold 29-degree beer and now, new smoked menu items. The entire menu is prepared in-house, to order and in generous portions to satisfy every appetite. The hearty made-from-scratch comfort food pairs perfectly with a frosty draft beer or a classic whiskey cocktail.
For more information, including a complete menu and locations, visit TwinPeaksRestaurant.com and follow Twin Peaks San Marcos on Facebook at facebook.com/twinpeakssanmarcos.
About Twin Peaks
Founded in 2005 in the Dallas suburb of Lewisville, Twin Peaks now has 83 locations in 26 states. Twin Peaks is the ultimate sports lodge featuring made-from-scratch food and the coldest beer in the business served by friendly and attractive Twin Peaks Girls surrounded by scenic views and the latest in high-definition TVs. Folds of Honor – a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service members – is the national charity of Twin Peaks. For more information, visit twinpeaksrestaurant.com.
SOURCE Twin Peaks
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Consumer prices in June 2010
July 20, 2010
Over the last 12 months, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 1.1 percent before seasonal adjustment. The 12-month change in the index for all items less food and energy remained at 0.9 percent for the third month in a row.
The food at home index has risen 0.2 percent over the last 12 months with none of the major food groups rising or falling more than 2.0 percent.
The energy index has increased 3.0 percent over the last 12 months. The gasoline index has risen 3.9 percent over the last 12 months, with the index for household energy up 1.6 percent.
Over the last 12 months, the index for all items less food and energy has risen 0.9 percent. Over that time period, the indexes for shelter, household furnishing and operations, apparel, recreation, and communication have posted decreases, while the indexes for used cars and trucks, medical care, new vehicles, tobacco, airline fares, and education have increased.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Consumer prices in June 2010 on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2010/ted_20100720.htm (visited September 27, 2016).
Recent editions of Spotlight on Statistics
A look at healthcare spending, employment, pay, benefits, and prices
As one of the largest U.S. industries, healthcare is steadily growing to meet the needs of an increasing population with an increasing life expectancy. This Spotlight looks at how much people spend on healthcare, current and projected employment in the industry, employer-provided healthcare benefits, healthcare prices, and pay for workers in healthcare occupations.
Employment and Wages in Healthcare Occupations
Healthcare occupations are a significant percentage of U.S. employment. Some of the largest and highest paying occupations are in healthcare. This Spotlight examines employment and wages for healthcare occupations.
Fifty years of looking at changes in peoples lives
Longitudinal surveys help us understand long-term changes, such as how events that happened when a person was in high school affect labor market success as an adult.


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Google One’s VPN service is now available for iPhone users
(Pocket Ribbon) – Google offers a Google One cloud storage and subscription bundle with a handy VPN service. Now that VPN service is finally available to iPhone and iPad users — at no extra cost.
Basically, if you pay for 2 TB or more of Google One storage, you now also get a VPN for your device – whether you have an Android or an iOS device. The VPN is available to users in 18 countries, including the US and UK. As a Google One member, you can also get a free online “Pro sessionwith experts from Google to learn how to use Google One’s VPN feature.
In fact, Google said you can schedule a session at any time to get in-depth help on a wide variety of topics at both “basic level and advanced level”. You’ll receive an email confirmation and a Google invite when you sign up for a Pro session. The invitation includes a link to join an online screen-sharing session with an expert at your scheduled time. Easy.
Also read: How to set up a VPN on your phone
Google One’s VPN has one major drawback: you don’t get an IP address in another country, meaning you can’t use the service to access locked shows on streaming services like Netflix.
However, in his blog post, Google has announced some new VPN features especially for Android users, including a “secure disconnect” feature that disables internet access if the VPN is disconnected.
Written by Maggie Tillman.


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Twitter has been taken, will Coca-Cola be next? What Elon Musk is implying in his tweet
Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants to buy Coca-Cola after his successful $44 billion bid for Twitter Inc. He tweeted that the next time he buys Coca-Cola, he will put cocaine back in it.
“I’m going to buy Coca-Cola next to put the cocaine back in,” he tweeted. The tech magnate was referring to the drink’s original recipe, which was introduced in 1886 as a tonic for a variety of ailments.
Musk’s latest tweet has gone viral after creating a buzz with his Twitter deal and emphasis on free speech. The tweet received 1 million likes, 200K retweets, and 60K quote tweets in two hours.
One Twitter user suggested Musk ‘buy McDonald’s to fix those damn ice cream machines.’
“Listen, I can’t perform miracles,” Musk tweeted.
While the tweet appeared to be a joke. But who knows, maybe he’ll get it done in five or ten years. He first joked about buying Twitter in 2017 during an exchange with comedian Dave Smith on the platform. And, five years later, he has proposed purchasing a 100 percent stake in the company.
Musk began using Twitter in 2010 and now has over 85 million followers. His previous tweets demonstrate how he has used social media to shape his public image as a brash billionaire who isn’t afraid to offend.


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Vodafone UK has reported a 2.1% rise in service revenues for the first half of the year, helping boost the firm’s income by 5.6%. The results mark the company’s sixth straight quarter of revenue growth.
Figures released by Vodafone Group today (8 November) for the first six months ending 30 September, show segment revenue in the UK was almost £2.7bn in the first half, compared with £2.6bn last year.
Income figures (EBITDA) were up from £599m to £633m year on year, resulting in a 35% increase in adjusted operating profits from £137m to £185m compared with the six months ending 30 September 2010.
Vodafone Group attributed the growth in service revenues to ‘an increase in enterprise and data revenue as well as good net customer additions and some price increases in consumer contract and prepaid’.
Average revenue per user (ARPU) across both contract and pay-as-you-go was £21.50 in the three months to 30 September, up from £20.80 in the previous quarter and £21.20 in the same period last year.
Customer figures for Vodafone’s second quarter of the year show a 17% customer churn in contract customers, while prepaid was at 55.4%, making a total annualised customer churn of 35.4%.
The company gained 81,000 net customers between 1 July and 30 September, rising from 19,006,000 to 19,331,000 subscribers. Prepaid now makes up 48% of its business. 182,000 new contract customers signed up during the three months to end of September, while 101,000 prepay customers left compared with a 345,000 loss in the previous quarter and 159,000 in the same period in 2010.
Service revenues for Vodafone’s second quarter were up 2.5% as a result to £1.26bn from £1.23bn year on year. Voice was down to £611m from £642m, but messaging, data and fixed lines all increased from the same period last year.
Vodafone said growth was impacted by Mobile Termination Rate (MTR) cuts, which took effect on 1 April. Service revenue growth would have been 6.3% without the impacts of MTRs. However, data revenues grew by 20.4% in the first half thanks to a higher penetration of smartphones being sold with data bundles. It also says it has offset drops with investment in customer acquisition and retention.
Overall, group revenue was up 4.1% to £23.5bn for the first six months.
Group chief executive Vittorio Colao said: ‘We are gaining share in most of our major markets through our focus on superior quality and an improved customer experience.
‘Although we are mindful of the uncertain economic outlook, we are confident that we have the right strategy to continue to perform consistently through top line growth, cost efficiency, investment and cash generation.’


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REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – McDonald’s has good news for about 90,000 of its employees.
They’re all about to get a pay raise.
Beginning July 1st, starting wages at the fast-food chain will be at least a full dollar an hour more than the state’s legal minimum.
The company will also let full and part-time employees accrue paid time off, as long as they’ve worked there for a year.
But there’s a catch. The new rules only apply to the 1,500 restaurants actually owned by the McDonald’s corporation.
About 90 percent of all locations are franchised-owned.
That means the huge majority of McDonald’s workers won’t benefit.


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Highlighting the vegan-leather footwear revolution and reminding us how the new trend helps rectify disastrous effects of the leather industry, Stephanie Nicora, owner and founder of NICORA, gives PETA an unprecedented insider’s look at her process of creating 100 percent cruelty-free, eco-friendly, and fair-wage handmade shoes made from all-recycled materials in the company’s Los Angeles factory.
Here’s a woman who is revolutionizing the footwear industry with her tasteful, stylish collection — a vision that’s dazzled the public and her celebrity fans alike.
“Consumers are more committed than ever to choosing options that are good for animals, the environment, and the health and safety of industry workers,” Nicora says. “We’re meeting that demand with a tasteful, fashionable product that everyone can feel good about.”
More and more companies are choosing to use cruelty-free and sustainable materials every day.
Feeling inspired? It’s never been easier to wear vegan!


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Rimac has become famous a few years ago when it premiered the Concept_One electric supercar in 2013, and again reached the headlines because of the unfortunate crash at the hands of Richard Hammond of Top Gear and The Grand Tour fame.
The Concept_One electric supercar wasn’t vaporware – actual production examples have been delivered to clients around the world, albeit in very low numbers – and enticed the owners with an 82-kilowatt-hour battery pack for a limited range but big smiles. That’s because the powertrain delivers an astonishing 1,073 horsepower (800 kilowatts) and a 0-60 mile per hour (96 kilometers per hour) sprint time of just 2.8 seconds, as well as a reportedly limited top seed of 221 mph (355 kph). Now, a new 30-million-euro investment has been allegedly secured, in a bid to expand the range with a completely new model.
Asia’s largest battery manufacturer, the Shanghai-based Camel Group, is behind the funds, as the two companies have reportedly reached a subscription agreement. “We have a lot of interest from investors, but this is the amount of capital we need,” revealed the company. “We know exactly what we want to do in the next three years and we want to do it on our own terms.” Allegedly, this second new model would again be electric, and come featured in the high-end premium segment, but these are all the details we get so far – so we have no idea if it’s another two-door, a four door or even a crossover/SUV.
Via Automotive News Europe


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“We are appreciative of this strong vote of investor confidence in our team and our technology,” said George Wildeman CEO, SWIR Vision Systems. “The reception we’ve encountered in the industry has been extraordinary. We look forward to expanding our business in the industrial imaging market, while working with the world’s top automotive and consumer electronics companies to explore applications of our fully scalable CMOS-based SWIR sensor solutions”.
Antonino Parrinello, Head of Corporate Development at AAC Technologies said, “We are also pleased to participate in the Series A financing round for SWIR Vision Systems. SWIR Vision’s has the cutting-edge sensor technology, CMOS-based Acuros CQD image sensors which promise to usher in a new era of advanced 2D and 3D imaging sensors that meet the challenging cost and performance requirements in key strategic markets such as automotive, consumer electronics, and industrial imaging.”
It is reported that, based on a unique quantum-dot photodiode sensor design, SWIR Vision’s patented sensor solutions have delivered the highest resolution, commercially available short-wavelength infrared (“SWIR”) cameras in the world. The cameras are already in use inspecting high volume production semiconductor chips in the world’s largest semiconductor chip fab. SWIR Vision plans to use its Series A funding to advance the company’s CQD sensor solutions, to grow the company’s SWIR camera business in the global industrial and defense markets, and to engage strategic customers in the consumer electronics, automotive and advanced sensor markets.
Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)


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Will you still be paying off winter debts in the summer? You’re not alone as survey highlights severity of the festive financial hangover
- 16% will have an available balance of zero over the next six months
- One in five have already reached out to payday lenders for as little as £50
- With £33.4bn in unpaid debts, many predict they will be catching up with their winter bills until the summer
- Britons need an extra £3.8bn to cover their normal monthly expenditures
For many, January may have seemingly dragged on for an eternity – especially for those waiting a long time for payday to come after the festive period.
It is likely that millions found it difficult to stretch their finances to make ends meet, with a five week gap between wage payments for those paid monthly.
Now that February is here, most have received the first pay cheque of 2019 and those with a tight budget may be breathing a sigh of relief.
However, that cheer could be short-lived as some are likely to still be paying winter debts off until this summer, according to exclusive research for This is Money by loan comparison website Fair Money.
January has been a long month leaving us penniless. And even though our pay cheques are coming in, there’s a good chance we’ll still be paying off our winter debts in the summer
This has been caused largely by the pressures of the festive hangover, which has pushed people into taking out payday loans and other high-cost credit options to get by.
According to Fair Money, 28 per cent are likely to have less than £20 available each month in the first half of 2019 after bills and everyday living are subtracted from their wages, while 16 per cent admit they will have nothing left over in the next six months.
Collectively, Fair Money says Britons have £33.4billion in unpaid debts.
Meanwhile, 18 per cent have debts – excluding the mortgage – tipping beyond £2,000, while nearly a quarter have loans and credit card debts of more than £1,000, the survey of more than 2,000 people found.
Dr. Roger Gewolb, executive chairman and founder of FairMoney, said: ‘Consumer finances are in the worst shape they will be in all year, more than five weeks since they were last paid and with mere pennies in their current accounts.
‘With credit card and utility bills to pay before many of us feel more financially comfortable, consumers need access to fair finance to help tread water amidst this difficult period.
‘With such pressure, it’s not surprising that consumers turn to payday lenders and credit cards to battle the financial burden.’
Dr. Roger Gewolb, executive chairman and founder of Fair Money
Overspending during the festive season was also singled out as a problem.
Seven per cent of Britons’ December 2018 credit card bill stood beyond £2,000 giving them an even harder start in January, the trickiest month of the year for finances.
Do you owe or pay more than the average Brit?
• The average winter fuel bill is £288.40
• The average Brit needs an extra £73.60 per month
• The average December credit card bill was £486.10
• The average debt value excluding a mortgage is £640.90
Source: Fair Money
The survey found that 11 per cent claim to need an extra £300-500 a month to cover expenditure and a further 18 per cent need an extra £100.
Six per cent need to borrow more than £500.
Fair Money said that on average, people put £252.30 of their January spending onto loans or credit cards, which is predicted to take months to clear, putting consumers back several steps financially – well into 2019.
Such an expensive start to the year means that a large proportion are pushed to high interest credit cards and payday loans, a cycle of poverty amounting to anxiety and stress among British workers.
Dr. Gewolb said that payday loan providers have their place in society for cash-strapped Britons, but he warned that most people have been abandoned by poor lending practices that stem from the financial crash of 2008.
He adds: ‘We’re over a decade on – things need to have changed.
‘Millions of people are being pushed to extortion at the hands of high-interest credit options – one of the biggest atrocities to affect UK society.
‘We must protect our communities and consumers, reprimand bad lenders and strive for borrowing practices that are fair for all.’
How to get out of debt in 2019
Many may be worried about how they are going to get themselves out of debt this year – and the key is making a plan, sticking to it, and having patience in order to get yourself out of the debt hole.
Firstly, you need to get a handle on your debts and prioritise them.
From there, you’ll want to save money and pay off more debt, and potentially move to a cheaper credit card to cut down on costs and, or, consolidate your debts.
For an in-depth guide, read: How to get out of debt in 2019: Expert tips on what you can do to help get yourself out of the red


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It’s widely and incorrectly thought that the only way to a healthy lifestyle is through weight loss. However, studies show that people with obesity or a high body mass index (BMI) can reduce mortality risks with a healthy diet that doesn’t necessarily require shedding pounds.
The subject of dieting, weight loss, and health is a controversial one, which is why many studies have been carried out. One in particular, carried by Dr. Karl Michaëlsson, has sparked a new debate because revealed that a healthy diet lowered mortality risks for people with a high and a “normal” BMI, while an unhealthy diet increased their mortality risks
The study included groups of people with obesity (a high BMI) and others with average weight. The focus was on their diet, which consisted of a Mediterranean-style diet, and its effects on all participants. Once the researchers had all results, they could confirm the positive impact of healthy eating habits.
“These results indicate that adherence to healthy diets (...) may be a more appropriate focus than avoidance of obesity for the prevention of overall mortality.”
The group that consisted of people with an average BMI showed that a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean-styled one, reduced the risks of death. In other words, those participants who ate many vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, and other foods included in the diet, and who lowered their red meat and alcohol consumption had a lower mortality risk.
Likewise, the group of obese individuals showed similar results: those who adhered to the Mediterranean-style diet managed to lower their mortality risks -and they even reached the same levels as average-weighted participants who also followed the diet. This proves the very positive impact of healthier eating habits, even if they don’t require weight loss.
However, researchers reminded the readers that there has been repeatedly proven that obesity by itself can increase mortality risks. While they recommend shifting the focus from weight loss to a healthy diet, it’s important to consider that it may not counter all the effects of obesity.


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A $200,000 deposit will get you on the waiting list.
Anyone in the envious position of mulling over whether to fork out the $847,975 starting price for the Porsche 918 Spyder, better make their minds up soon. As a representative of the firm has revealed the carmaker's halo car has almost sold out. Speaking with Automotive News, Andre Oosthuizen, VP Marketing for Porsche Cars North America, divulged that just a small number of models are yet to find buyers. Only 918 units will be built, with production to end next July.
Just over 30 cars have been delivered worldwide, Jerry Seinfeld and Zlatan Ibrahimovic being two lucky recipients, while planned production of the plug-in hybrid hypercar is sold out until early April. That means Porsche has just two months worth of units left to sell. Buyers are being asked to make a $200,000 deposit for the 918 Spyder and Porsche admitted the US will be the biggest market for its flagship supercar.


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Lynette Rambo | April 29, 2016
ListEngage is pleased to announce that it has ranked #14 on the Boston Business Journal’s 2016 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in Massachusetts list. Companies were honored at an awards breakfast on April 21st at the Renaissance Waterfront Hotel. Out of more than 170 nominations, 76 companies were named to the list. The top 50 are designated as the “FAST50.”
“These companies represent the best examples of the Boston economy’s strength and vibrancy,” said Carolyn M. Jones, the BBJ’s publisher and market president. “This kind of top-line growth is driving the state’s economy and generating the kind of excitement that attracts global brands and their talent here.”
In order to qualify, companies must be privately held, Massachusetts-based businesses that recorded the highest revenue growth from 2012 through 2015. To be considered, companies needed a baseline of $1 million in revenue for 2015 and at least $500,000 in revenue for 2012.
“ListEngage is honored to be in this esteemed group of companies – the who’s who of MA – and would like to thank the BBJ for this award and the wonderful ceremony,” said ListEngage CEO Altaf Shaikh. “Helping our customers increase their ROI through effective email and mobile messaging has always been our mission at ListEngage. Recognition such as this is a testimony to our dream team here, our wonderful customers, and our decade-long relationship with Salesforce.”
The 76 companies were presented a plaque and given the opportunity to donate to the Special Olympics Massachusetts.Back to Blog
Lynette Rambo is a Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Consultant, Administrator, Email Specialist, and Trainer. She has worked in marketing and communications for more than 20 years and with Salesforce Marketing Cloud since 2012. As a Marketing Consultant and Trainer for ListEngage, Lynette helps clients learn Marketing Cloud functionality, email marketing best practices, and effective campaign management. She also works with the Salesforce CRM and connecting Sales and Marketing initiatives. You can contact Lynette at email@example.com.


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For years, smartphone makers just wanted to beat Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). After the iPhone shook up the industry, claiming numerous casualties along the way, the Mac maker set a new bar to beat. For the most part, the title of "iPhone killer" has remained elusive to most OEMs. Samsung is perhaps the only company to profitably present a viable challenge.
Following its acquisition of Motorola, it seemed inevitable that Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) would try to beat Apple at its own game by offering a device with integrated hardware and software. That would be a stark contrast to Android's current modus operandi, which pairs Google's software with a wide range of hardware partners. Reports surfaced last year that Googorola was working on an "X Phone" that hoped to be an iPhone killer.
However, Google may have abandoned the X Phone project, according to Chinese telecom analyst Sun Chang Xu, who posted the rumor on her Weibo blog. The company hasn't axed the device altogether, but instead has reportedly stepped out of the development process directly and turned it over to the Motorola subsidiary.
By Google's own admission, Motorola's products aren't great when left to its own devices and the search giant is anxious to "drain" out all the mediocrity in Moto's pipeline. Leaving Motorola in charge of the X Phone, which had high hopes of challenging the iPhone, might be a sign that Google has given up.
On the other hand, the rumor is a little sketchy, particularly in the context of Google Chairman Eric Schmidt's recent comments that Motorola's upcoming gadgets would be "phones-plus," whatever that means. Motorola's design chief had also dropped a hint that the company was working on stock Android devices that aren't enormous, which would likely sell well as there's considerable interest for stock Android.
Google may have "clearly" beaten Apple strictly in market share, but profit share and device integration will always be Apple's claim to fame.


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Rising Taiwan-China and U.S.-China tensions have brought "more serious" challenges for the semiconductor industry, the chairman of Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC said on Wednesday.
(For insights on emerging themes at the intersection of technology, business and policy, subscribe to our tech newsletter Today’s Cache.)
Taiwan is a major producer of chips used in everything from cars and smartphones to data centres and fighter jets, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC) is the world's largest contract chipmaker and Asia's most valuable listed firm.
While the chips sector is already bracing for waning demand as red-hot inflation squeezes spending, Taiwan faces a tougher situation - sandwiched between its largest export market China and its main international backer and arms supplier, the United States - especially as Beijing steps up military pressure to force Taipei to accept Chinese sovereignty claims.
Speaking at the Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association's annual convention, TSMC Chairman Mark Liu said: "The U.S.-China trade conflict and the escalation of cross-Strait tensions have brought more serious challenges to all industries, including the semiconductor industry."
In recent years, China's government has "never stopped promoting its domestic semiconductor industry", including chip design, manufacturing, and packaging, he said.
The United States has also passed its CHIPS Act to vigorously support local research and development and manufacturing, Liu said.
Liu said he looked forward to Taiwan's industry, government and academia developing "more concrete, constructive measures" on industrial policies related to innovation, research, talent education and retention "to maintain Taiwan's most critical semiconductor industry advantages".
He noted that this year the "industry value" of Taiwan's chip sector is expected to have risen one-fifth compared with 2021, even with the impact of Sino-U.S. trade friction and geopolitical problems.
While Liu did not make direct mention of it, the sweeping set of export controls announced by the United States this month, aimed at slowing China's progress in advanced chip manufacturing, is expected to also impact Taiwanese chipmakers.
The new rules require U.S. companies to cease supplying Chinese chipmakers with equipment to make relatively advanced chips, though Washington has granted some non-Chinese companies operating in China one-year licenses."
"The difficulty this time will be a very big challenge," Nicky Lu, chairman of Taiwan chip design firm Etron Technology Inc, told reporters ahead of the event. "No one will escape the impact."
Frank Huang, chairman of Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, said the sector was caught in a difficult situation.
"We do business on both sides of the Strait. So we can't listen to the U.S. and not do any business with mainland China. Then what would everyone eat?" Huang said. "Our industry's position is to maintain our competitiveness."
TSMC, which makes most of its chips in Taiwan, last week cut its annual investment budget by at least 10% for 2022 and struck a more cautious note than usual on upcoming demand.
TSMC's dominance in making some of the world's most advanced chips for high-end customers such as Apple Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. has shielded it in recent quarters from the downturn flagged by chipmakers including Micron Technology Inc.


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Meal-kit company Blue Apron plans to sell off its operational infrastructure to FreshRealm, signing a non-binding letter of intent that calls for the grocery fresh meals provider to pay up to $50 million for the assets, the companies announced Tuesday.
Blue Apron said it plans to continue its direct-to-consumer meal kit business even as it shifts to an “asset-light model,” with an ongoing focus on the creation and marketing of its product, customer data, customer support and consumer-facing technology.
The deal is expected to close by June 9, the companies said.
“The company does not expect changes to its existing revenue streams as a result of this relationship,” Blue Apron said in a statement. “By shifting to this asset-light model, Blue Apron plans to focus on further growing its strong brand and delivering the high-quality products its customers have come to expect. The company also plans to add new convenience product options for a broader customer base in the future.”
Ventura, California-based FreshRealm, which was founded in 2013, currently provides ready-to-heat, ready-to-cook and kit-based meals to retailers including Amazon Fresh, Kroger, Publix, Meijer and Walmart, among others. The company announced a $200 million capital raise last July, enabling this acquisition.
Acquiring Blue Apron’s operational infrastructure will add nearly 1 million square feet of facility space to FreshRealm’s portfolio, the company said, adding meal-production capacity in Linden, New Jersey, and Richmond, California.
Separately, FreshRealm said it intends to open a new facility in Lancaster, Texas, near Dallas.
“The Blue Apron-acquired infrastructure includes equipment, know-how and an expanded workforce that will broaden FreshRealm’s capabilities and efficiencies,” FreshRealm noted.
Blue Apron, which has struggled with customer declines and supply chain challenges in recent years, said the deal will strengthen its balance sheet and drive efficiencies as it seeks to achieve profitability. The company, which was founded in 2012, went public five years later.
In March, New York-based Blue Apron reported that fourth-quarter orders fell 13%, to 1.46 million, from the year before, while total customer count declined 11.3%, to 298,000. The company’s net revenue dipped 0.2%, to $106.8 million, during the period.
Earlier this year, Blue Apron received a delisting notice from the New York Stock Exchange after its closing stock price dipped below $1 and its market capitalization fell below the required minimum of $50 million.
In December, Blue Apron said it would lay off about 10% of its workforce as it sought to cut $50 million in expenses.
“Over a decade ago, Blue Apron pioneered the U.S. meal kit industry and remains a leader in offering delicious, chef-curated meals to thousands of customers every week. As we continue to evolve, we believe there is an opportunity to simplify our direct role in the fulfillment of our product, allowing us to focus on growing our brand, our customer base and revenue in the long-term,” said Linda Findley, Blue Apron’s president and CEO, in a statement. “We expect that this will allow us to focus all our efforts on providing even greater innovation and convenience to our customers as we remain at the forefront of culinary trends. We are confident that we can continue to deliver the same product our customers know and love, while increasing efficiency and accelerating our path to profitability.”
FreshRealm currently manufactures Blue Apron’s line of heat-and-eat meals. Blue Apron said it expects the transaction to uncover additional sales channels as it benefits from FreshRealm’s full product offering.
“Today’s meal industry is focused on profitability and expanded product offerings,” FreshRealm Founder and CEO Michael Lippold said in a statement. “From the beginning, FreshRealm has believed this is best achieved through organizations staying withing their core competencies. This announcement positions Blue Apron to focus on the customer experience, while FreshRealm continues on the path to be the leading platform to support retailers across multiple channels with a broad and efficient solutions offering.


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Pharma continues to drive Lonza growth
Lonza has reported 7.7% growth in sales in constant currency terms during 1H 2020 to CHF 3,074 million, with a core EBITDA margin of 29.1%. This, as in 2019, was largely driven by the Lonza Pharma Biotech & Nutrition (LBPN) segment, which had 10.8%3 sales growth and a margin of 34.1%.
The company continued to maintain operations through the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting working practices accordingly. It reported a “strong levels of demand across modalities and services” including pandemic-related programmes. All parts of LBPN saw growth, with new HPAPI contracts the highlight for the Small Molecules business.
Sales for the Lonza Specialty Ingredients (LSI) segment, meanwhile, were flat, though the margin grew to 19.7%. Results were much more mixed, with a high-single digit increase in sales for Microbial Control Solutions but a fall in sales for Specialty Chemcials. LSI’s ongoing carve-out is nearing completion, with new legal entities being established for each segment. Lonza revealed in its results presentation that it has decided to divest LSI through a sale process, to be initiated in 2H.
During Q2, Lonza established a ten-year strategic collaboration with Moderna on the mRNA platform, the first product from which will be a COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The first batch is due to be delivered from the Lonza Portsmouth in New Hampshire in late July.
In addition, the company had earlier established a centre of excellence for integrated dry powder inhaler (DPI) product development services at Bend, Oregon. This came in response to growing numbers of candidate compounds for pulmonary and nasal delivery.
Finally, in early July, Lonza announced new investments in particle engineering in terms of capacity and capabilities. Non-GMP development capacity has been doubled at the Monteggio micronisation site in Switzerland, with a new glovebox for isolation, upgraded process controls and expanded operator teams. A new micronisation development wing has also been brought online at the Quakertown, Pennsylvania and a new pharmaceutical spray dryer for development projects at Bend.


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New Map Of America
Doctors’ offices, urgent care centers and emergency rooms seem to be seeing few new COVID-19-like illnesses in most states — but Wisconsin looks worse, and what’s happening in Idaho is a mystery. That Of 2,617 counties in the United States, one in New Jersey has the distinction of being the safest place in America to raise a child, according to a first-of-its-kind ranking released by Save the NOBODY is talking about this disruption right now. But you’ll soon be hearing about it on 60 Minutes. In fact, it may hold the key to reopening America from the coronavirus lockdown.
Riot Games unveiled its 11th and final agent as well as a new map ahead of Valorant’s full release to the public, which comes Tuesday. Riot Games, Valorant, new map, agent, mode, Check out all the latest news, reviews, leaks and tips on Valorant on BGR India
Riot Games’ free-to-play FPS, Valorant, is out now and available for download. The launch was staggered, with the KR, Asia-Pacific, and OCE regions going live first, followed by Europe, Turkey, Russia More than 300 protests, rallies and vigils have been held nationwide following George Floyd’s death in police custody.
New Map Of America : Riot Games officially released Valorant on Tuesday and revealed what’s changing from the game’s beta on launch day. © Image: Riot Games. Along with the usual balance updates, Valorant developer Riot Games revealed the patch notes for the launch update of the competitive multiplayer PC game coming tomorrow, June 2. .


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News and Press
Read the latest press release or explore our press release archive, download press kit contents and more, right here. At Value Place, we strive to keep you well informed about who we are and where we’re headed.
Didn’t find what you were looking for in our press kit or news releases? Please let us know what additional information about Value Place you would like by emailing Marketing@ValuePlace.com.


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Even though over 200 million people have seen our 12 lemons image in 2017, we dream of empowering 2.2 billion women, regardless of language, race or location, so they can know what to do to detect breast cancer better.
LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) October 30, 2018
U.S. based nonprofit, Worldwide Breast Cancer, has released Know Your Lemons, an innovative app educating users about breast health in a fun and engaging way.
Early breast cancer detection is considered an imperative public health strategy by the World Health Organization (WHO). Approximately 1 in 8 U.S. women (12.4%) will develop invasive breast cancer during the course of their lifetime. In 2015 alone, 570,000 women died from breast cancer globally.
A recent global survey by Avon Products, Inc. of 19,000 women found a lack of knowledge to be one of the main culprits behind these troubling statistics. Currently, only 2% of women can recognize the signs of breast cancer. And 42% of women are not confident in their ability to detect a change indicative of breast cancer.
Dr. Corrine Ellsworth Beaumont, Founder of Worldwide Breast Cancer, and Katherine Crawford-Gray, CEO, realized breast health education was key to increasing survival rates — by detecting signs of breast cancer sooner, women could receive treatment at the earliest possible stages of the disease when treatment is most effective.
In 2017, Worldwide Breast Cancer’s award-winning Know Your Lemons® breast health campaign was seen by over 200 million people worldwide. But Ellsworth Beaumont and Crawford-Gray knew that to optimize impact, they would have to make this educational material more widely accessible.
So they enlisted the help of Dogtown Media, a leading mobile app development company, to develop a mobile app. The end result is Know Your Lemons®, a versatile tool that expands on the original campaign with humorous video and audio guides to self-exams. The app also lets users book screening appointments with local FDA-certified centers, offer tips on how to prepare for different breast tests, and supplies recommended questions for their visit.
While only recently released on app stores, Know Your Lemons® has already garnered critical acclaim and over 1000 users in its first month and been featured on Upworthy. And while the original campaign reached over 200 million people, Beaumont and Crawford-Gray have much bigger plans for their new mobile app:
“Even though over 200 million people have seen our 12 lemons image in 2017, we dream of empowering 2.2 billion women, regardless of language, race or location, so they can know what to do to detect breast cancer better.”
About Dogtown Media
Dogtown Media is a mobile app developer in Los Angeles that creates impactful mobile experiences to solve real-world problems. They harness the transformational power of creative technology to make a positive difference, using the latest developments in Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, and Augmented Reality (AR).
The company was included on Inc. Magazine’s exclusive 5000 List of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies two years in a row. To date, the mobile technology studio has created over 200 mobile apps spanning industries including Artificial Intelligence, FinTech, IoT, and mHealth app development.


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PayPal Acquires Japan Fintech Company Paidy in US$2.7B Acquisition Deal
PayPal will soon be expanding its operations in Japan after recently closing an acquisition deal with one of the country's leading fintech companies.
The company announced on 7 September 2021 that it has agreed to acquire Paidy, a startup fintech company that pioneered buy now, pay later (BNPL) payment solutions in Japan, for US$2.7 billion in cash.
The acquisition not only expands PayPal's operations in Japan, specifically in the distribution and relevance in the domestic payments market in the country, but also deepens PayPal's hold in the growing BNPL market. Additionally, the deal is expected to complement PayPal's existing cross-border e-commerce business there.
The BNPL model Paidy pioneered in Japan is a consumer financing option that allows customers to finance payments over time. It has some similarities with credit card payments, but the key difference is that the BNPL model has a shorter repayment schedule, and the amount to be paid is smaller. This is mainly due to the total amount being split into set instalments. Although there are no interest rates involved, late payments are subject to additional fees. These make the model popular with customers in Japan as it allows them to shop online and make monthly payments through a bank transfer or by paying a consolidated bill at a convenience store.
The model has recently seen a surge of popularity due to the e-commerce boom brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, so much so that Amazon recently decided to partner with Affirm, a fintech company that offers flexible payment options, to try out its BNPL solution for some purchases over US$50. Square, another fintech company, also decided to try the model out with its US$29 billion acquisition of Australian BNPL service provider Afterpay.
Paidy currently has six million registered users, and with PayPal's acquisition deal, the company expects to reach other online and offline merchants beyond its platform. Russell Cummer, Paidy's founder and executive chairman, called the deal a great opportunity for the company to grow and innovate. "Together with PayPal, we will be able to further achieve our mission of taking the hassle out of shopping," Cummer said.
Additionally, Paidy CEO and President Riku Sugie commented that the acquisition would help accelerate the company's plans beyond e-commerce and "build unique services as the new shopping standard".
Paidy will maintain its brand and continue its existing business even after the acquisition closes in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Written by John Paul Joaquin


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Anticipating that Apple will launch the iPhone 5 in October, a financial analyst firm has predicted unprecedented demand for the new phone.
Microsoft will post the first developer preview beta of Windows 8 late on Tuesday, the company announced as it showed off the new OS running on a Samsung tablet.
Google has started to roll out its new flight search engine, which is based on technology from ITA Software, a maker of air-travel flight-information software Google bought for US$700 million.
Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 OS running on ARM prototype tablets and other devices will be open for developer scrutiny at the software giant's Build conference this week.
Cisco expects annual revenue growth between 5 percent and 7 percent over the next three years and expects its still-ongoing restructuring to help the company increase profit faster than revenue, executives said on Tuesday at a financial analyst confe...
SAP is in the middle of a sweeping "renewal" of its software portfolio, powered by the HANA (High Performance Analytic Appliance) in-memory computing engine, executive board member and technology chief Vishal Sikka said during a keynote address Tuesd...
Facebook has developed new features designed to make it easier for its members to segment their list of friends into smaller groups and in that way be more granular in how they share and view content.
Intel and Google announced on Tuesday that they would partner to optimize future versions of the Android OS for smartphones and other mobile devices using Intel chips.
Nearly seven months after Intel shelled out $US7.68 billion for antivirus vendor McAfee, the two companies are offering a glimpse of their future.
SAP is hoping to spark more adoption of its Solution Manager platform for managing and monitoring SAP software environments, a new version of which was announced Tuesday during the Tech Ed conference in Las Vegas.
SAP customers looking to open iTunes-like enterprise app stores through Apple's Volume Purchase Program (VPP) will soon have the ability to manage and deploy the software securely thanks to new VPP support in the Sybase Afaria platform, SAP said Tues...
The family of specialized applications for SAP's HANA (High-Performance Analytic Appliance) in-memory computing engine is growing, with a new application that allows utilities to crunch information from smart meters, and another that companies can us...
The Authors Guild has sued five universities and a library partnership organization alleging copyrigh...
On the Windows computer of the future, live tiles will replace icons, touch-based gestures will replace mouse clicks and semantic zooming will replace the arduous traversal through nested menus and folders.
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GameStick now available to pre-order
PlayJam's Kickstarter-funded Android console GameStick is available to pre-order from today.
GameStick can be pre-ordered from the console's official website for 79 USD. The pre-order system is powered by Amazon and pre-orders will be sent out in April once the Kickstarter backer orders have been fulfilled.
Anthony Johnson of PlayJam said, "January was a pivotal month for GameStick with the success of the campaign ensuring that we could bring the device to life. Since the campaign closed, we have received thousands of e-mails from individuals keen to ensure they remain one of the first to receive the product. By continuing to offer GameStick on pre-order, we will be able to maintain momentum ahead of our planned retail activity."
A case and a dock are also available on the site for 9.99 USD and 24.99 USD respectively.
- Microsoft doubles down for April's Games With Gold
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- Dirty Bomb beta is back online
- Obsidian's saviour Pillars Of Eternity launches today, Watch it streamed live here later today
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- Ubisoft introduces Alex Parizeau, the new head of Ubisoft Toronto


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The Autorité de la concurrence, the French Competition Authority, has carried out a surprise raid on Nvidia's French offices. The chipmaker is reportedly suspected of committing anticompetitive practices in the graphics cards sector.
The French Competition Authority didn't disclose the name of the company on which it conducted the raid. It only mentioned a company "in the graphics cards sector." The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that sources familiar with the matter claimed that it was Nvidia. Having obtained authorization from a judge, the French antitrust agency went forward with the raid.
"Such dawn raids do not pre-suppose the existence of a breach of the law which could be imputed to the company involved in the alleged practices, which only a full investigation into the merits of the case could establish, if appropriate," wrote the French Competition Authority in the report.
According to WSJ, dawn raids consist of the authorities showing up early in the morning to confiscate a company's physical and digital materials. They also interview the personnel that come into the office. The French Competition Authority stated that the raid was part of a more extensive operation launched in June to investigate the competition conditions in the cloud computing market.
Nvidia has significantly profited from the AI boom, made possible by the emergence of ChatGPT. As a result, Nvidia's high-end AI chips, such as the H100 (Hopper), are selling like hotcakes. Nvidia's latest financial results show that the company pulled in $13.5 billion in revenue, a whopping 101% improvement from last year. It isn't a coincidence that Nvidia has become the world's largest fabless chip designer.
WSJ reported that Nvidia declined to comment.


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After deciding to discontinue the Opera max browser last year, one of the first data friendly mobile browsers, was bought by Samsung which has picked up the service and turned it into “Samsung Max.
So after all, Samsung did manage to save the browser from the dead pool.
Opera Max users will get an update that brings them over to the now-Samsung-owned version, while other users can get their hands on the Android app or check the Galaxy Apps store. However, it will only be available on Samsung phones rather than all Android devices as had previously been the case.
Seounghoon Oh, VP of Samsung R&D Institute India, said in a statement, “At Samsung, we’ve been committed to creating inclusive data saving and privacy protection services for all our devices. Because of this, we are now introducing Samsung Max to our mid-range devices as an exclusive and unique service that sets Samsung devices apart from the rest of the Smartphone market.”
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BRAND EQUITY - Feb 17 - Nine out of ten brands copy the one successful player's strategy. You ought to copy smart not to get sued. Indian dating app TrulyMadly feels that Tinder has been copying its initiatives ever since the dating app started in India.
In Nov '15, TrulyMadly teamed up with restaurants to provide offers to its users to encourage them to go on a date, called Datelicious. In Jan '16 Tinder India announced a similar offer with Zomato, called 'Tinderlicious'.
In Aug '15, TrulyMadly started speed dating. In Jan '16, Tinder tied up with Food Walk India for #DinnerWithStrangers initiative.
Tinder recently did a video with content creators The Viral Fever (TVF) titled 'Eat, Pray...Swipe'. "It was the same script that TVF had pitched us first and my content team had rejected it", claims TrulyMadly. To say Tinder is copying TrulyMadly by getting TVF is stretching it a tad. Also, speed dating originated in Jerusalem in 1974. So, none can claim copyright for the idea. Sumesh Menon, co-founder & CEO of Woo (yet another match-making app) thinks Tinderlicious is just happy coincidence. "They are a big company, globally. We look up to them. But I feel Tinder is just taking shortcuts", says Sachin Bhatia, co-founder & CEO of TrulyMadly.


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Probe launched on sales in Apex hotel over stamp duty
Cheung Kong insists sales of units at hotel in Kwai Chung are not a way to avoid stamp duty
The Lands Departments is investigating whether property giant Cheung Kong has violated land lease regulations by selling units at a suite hotel.
Buyers do not have to pay stamp duties when buying commercial property.
The probe comes as the first 65 of the 360 units in the Apex Horizon hotel in Kwai Chung, which opened in 2009, were offered for sale last night, attracting more than 100 potential buyers. More will be available today.
On offer were 660-square-foot, two-bedroom units and 909-sq-ft three-bedroom units. The average selling price was HK$5,200 per square foot.
It is the latest attempt by a developer to offer options to investors wishing to avoid the growing policy risks of residential property.
"Buyers of Apex Horizon do not need to pay buyer's stamp duty or special stamp duty, as this is a commercial property," executive director Justin Chiu Kwok-hung said. Chiu insisted the sale was not aimed at circumventing the special 15 per cent duty on non-locals and businesses and up to 20 per cent duty if the properties were resold within three years - measures introduced last October to cool the market.
"It's never been our intention to sell units to home seekers," he said. "Living in a hotel unit is totally different from living in a residential flat. You have to comply with Hong Kong hotel rules."
The units are a new investment product for investors seeking an investment yield of more than 4 per cent a year.
Chiu said most potential buyers in the sales office last night were investors. They might buy units for family members to live in but they would have to sign a separate hotel lease agreement with the operator.
Apex Hotel Management, a unit of Cheung Kong, manages the hotel.
The Inland Revenue Department said it would handle the sales in line with the Stamp Duty Ordinance.
It said whether a property was residential was not related to how it was being used, how it was marketed or whether it was a home-style hotel.
A spokesman for the Lands Department would not comment as it had launched a probe into the scheme.
He said the hotel site was for non-industrial use, but the lease also specified that the site should provide no less than 21,190 square metres for hotel use.
A property consultant said buyers would not purchase units for their own use because the management costs of running a hotel were higher than those for ordinary residential properties.
According to Cheung Kong, owners must pay a monthly management fee of about HK$2.90 per sq ft, but this may change next year.
Since the government introduced the special stamp duty on residential purchases for companies and non-permanent residents at the end of October, investors have been putting their money into non-residential properties such as offices, shops, and car-parking spaces.
Apex Horizon is one of the four extended-stay hotel projects in a portfolio that Cheung Kong planned to list last year to raise up to US$800 million.
The company targeted local investors but few showed interest, according to a Hong Kong-based fund manager.
Selling the hotel business now would be better than waiting endlessly in the IPO queue, he said. The upbeat sentiment and ample liquidity in the market could help ensure a good price.


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FTSE CLOSE: Bernanke caution dampens investor mood; Burberry offers luxury sales cheer
15.15: The Dow Jones has opened down 28.4 points at 13,478.9 as US investors assess a mixed batch of economic data.
Retail sales rose more strongly than expected in December, while producer prices were lower in the same month. The US housing market continued to recover with another increase in prices in November.
But the closely-watched Empire manufacturing index disappointed, contracting for a sixth month in a row in January.
Back in London, the FTSE 100 was down 3.3 points at 6,104.5.
Washington showdown: Fed boss Ben Bernanke urged bitterly divided politicians to lift the US borrowing limit to avoid a potentially disastrous debt default
The FTSE 100 has drifted 10.2 points lower to 6,097.6, reflecting expectations that US markets will open flat later today.
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke gave away little about what Americans can expect from policy decisions this year in his latest comments on the economic outlook.
Meanwhile, there was scant reaction in the market to UK inflation figures, with the CPI rate unchanged for the third month in a row at 2.7 per cent in December.
Chip designer Arm Holdings was among the fallers after broker Morgan Stanley cooled expectations for further strong growth in the share price. It has risen by 9 per cent this year, including today's fall of 36p to 837p.
The FTSE 100 is trading just 2 points higher at 6,109.8 as the City digests a series of retailer updates.
Upmarket fashion label Burberry rose after its latest sales figures comfortably beat analyst forecasts.
The share price rally of 70p to 1395p means the stock is now back at levels seen before a slump in September caused by fears over demand from big-spending customers in China.
In the FTSE 250, shares in grocery delivery chain Ocado were 6 per cent or 5.1p higher at 89.1p. It impressed analysts with a 14 per cent rise in sales for the six weeks to January 6.
There was also a decent performance from car parts and bicycles retailer Halfords, which upgraded its profits guidance on the back of a 0.4 per cent rise in like-for-like sales for the 15 weeks to January 11. Shares were up 4.8p to 333.3p.
HMV's shares were suspended with a value of just £5million as it collapsed into administration. Read more here.
Anticipation is now ramping up ahead of fourth quarter earnings reports from a number of big Wall Street players, including JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs later this week.
Investors are also taking stock of a wary economic forecast and warning over the Washington 'debt ceiling' stand-off by US Fed chairman Ben Bernanke last night.
US politicians are wrangling over whether to raise the country's borrowing limit, although failure to do so would mean a government shutdown and potentially catastrophic default by the world's biggest economy.
Fawad Razaqzada, market strategist at GFT Markets, said: 'Fed chief Bernanke has served up something of a reality check regarding the health of the US economy.
'Last week's suggestions that a more hawkish approach to monetary policy was imminent are being played down and although the matter clearly remains under review, low interest rates do seem likely to prevail for some time yet.'
Germany's GDP growth estimate for 2012 has come in at 0.7 per cent, or 0.9 per cent after an adjustment for three fewer working days than the year before. This is much lower than the 3 per cent economic expansion in 2011 and 4.2 per cent achieved in 2010.
Timo Klein, economist at IHS Global Insight, said: 'The significant slowdown last year compared to 2010-11 has two main reasons.
'The upswing of 2010-11 had a major catch-up component following the plunge of -5.1 per cent in 2009 after the Lehman Brothers crash in late 2008, and the eurozone debt crisis, although failing to push Germany into recession as has happened in many other eurozone countries, has nonetheless had a major dampening impact on investment and also restrained exports.'
8.30: The FTSE 100 has opened down 6.3 points at 6,101.5 after Fed boss Ben Bernanke failed to soothe fears about the outlook for the US economy and the country's fraught debt ceiling negotiations.
Bernanke offered a cautiously optimistic forecast but fell short of giving clear hints about when the central bank would start to curb its aggressive stimulus programme, despite speculation that it will be halted this year.
Worries about the US debt ceiling talks are also keeping investors on edge, with Bernanke urging bitterly divided politicians to lift the country's borrowing limit to avoid a potentially disastrous debt default.
The US scraped up against its current $16.4trillion debt ceiling on December 31 and is now employing special measures to meet its financial obligations. The Treasury Department said those steps could be exhausted by mid-February.
'The dawning realisation that we are in for a re-run of the recent "down to the wire" fiscal cliff showdown is once again set to keep traders in a bipolar mental state regarding the US, and thus global, economy,' said London Capital Group dealer Jonathan Sudaria.
The FTSE 100 closed down 13.72 points at 6,107.86 yesterday, as the index failed to hold recent highs after gaining more than 2 per cent since the start of 2013.
British house prices held steady last month and were tipped to pick up in coming months in the strongest survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors since mid-2010.
Inflation numbers for December will be released later, with CPI seen up 0.5 per cent on the month to give an annualised rate of 2.7 per cent, unchanged from November.
Germany's GDP numbers for 2012 are due out later this morning, and investors will be analysing the extent of the damage to the powerhouse economy from the recession in most of Europe.
Stocks to watch today include:
RIO TINTO: The global miner aims to boost iron ore output by 15 per cent this year after production in 2012 climbed to 253million tonnes, beating its own guidance, as resurgent Chinese demand drives a price recovery.
BURBERRY GROUP: The luxury brand posted a 9 per cent rise in third-quarter underlying revenue as its wealthiest shoppers continued to spend even though some of its more aspirational consumers were impacted by faltering economies.
HALFORDS: The bicycles-to-car-parts group edged up its profit expectations for the full-year after enjoying healthy sales in car maintenance and top bike ranges in the Christmas quarter.
OCADO GROUP: The online grocer said gross sales for the six trading weeks to January 6 rose 14.2 per cent year-on-year to £91.6million in what it described as a 'very good festive season'.
IG GROUP: The financial spread-betting firm blamed low volatility linked to 'global economic uncertainty' for a 14 per cent drop in its half year revenue to £169million. Profits for the six months to the end of November fell 21 per cent to £81.1million.
MICHAEL PAGE INTERNATIONAL: The recruitment firm sees a 1.5 per cent fall in full year 2012 gross profit to £526.8million, with full year operating profit expected to be in the region of £65million, and it anticipates Q1 2013 to be another challenging quarter.
CAPITAL SHOPPING CENTRES: The shopping mall developer is changing its name to intu properties on Feb 18 as it seeks to create a single brand for the company.
PROVIDENT FINANCIAL: The sub-prime lender said it expects to report 2012 results in line with market expectations, with continued outperformance at Vanquis Bank compensating for relatively subdued demand for credit.
ASHMORE GROUP: The emerging markets fund manager said clients added $1billion of new money to its range of funds in the last three months of 2012, as investors looked to benefit from a rally in assets across India and China.
INTERMEDIATE CAPITAL GROUP: The group said its asset under management have risen by 7 per cent to €12.9billion since the end of September.
LAVENDON GROUP: The group said its full-year results are expected to be at the upper end of the board's expectations.
MEARS GROUP: The firm said it anticipates reporting results for the full year to December 31 2012 in line with management expectations, with continued strong trading and increased order book, although its non-core Mechanical & Electrical business experienced difficult trading conditions and is expected to show an operating loss for the full-year.
SPIRIT PUB COMPANY: The pubs operator said it is on track to deliver full year expectations, with Christmas trading strong, showing a 5.0 per cent rise in like-for-like sales.
SMITHS NEWS: The firm said it remains on track to deliver strong growth in underlying profit before tax for the year to 31 August 2013, with total group revenues increased by 2.0 per cent year-on-year.
ALLIANCE PHARMA: The drugs firm said it sees its 2012 pre-tax profits slightly ahead of forecasts, with its gross margin rate as expected, while turnover slipped to £44.9million, down from £46million in 2011.
AVANTI COMMUNICATIONS: The London-based satellite firm expects Africa to provide the bulk of its revenue within five years as pent-up consumer demand for broadband and phone operators' hunger for network capacity drive sales on the continent.
ENRC: The Kazakh-based miner rose on Monday partly due to speculation it had turned down a bid approach from major shareholder Alijan Ibragimov, according to the Daily Mail market report.
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Today I am happy to introduce one of our newest sponsors, Great Little Box Company. The little box company that could.
GRL PWR Beer Fest at Optimism Brewing on Thursday, May 12th in Seattle focuses entirely on women-brewed beers.
Part of Seattle Beer Week, Haze Fest at Reuben’s Brews finds focus through the hazy lens of modern IPA. Saturday, May 14th.
Mac & Jack’s Brewing is currently looking to hire a new Canning line Operator / Cellarman / Packaging Tech. Here are details.
Today the Brewers Association announced the recipients of the 2022 Industry Awards. Here are the winners and the information.
On May 16th, Pike Brewing invites you to join in a celebration of Rose Ann Finkel’s life .
Introducing a new beer – Into the Haze, the latest addition to the year-round lineup at Kulshan Brewing.
Dru Bru steps up and brews a beer to support relief efforts in Ukraine, brewing Syla, a Belgian tripel. Release this Friday, May 6th.


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Stena is developing a solution to use recycled batteries in charging stations at ports
Stena is developping a new type of energy storage, similar to very large powerbanks. It will be essential for the quick charging of electric ferries in the future. The project is part-financed by the EU and will, among other things, investigate how used batteries from the transport sector can be reused for energy storage in ports.
“Stena Elektra – a fully electric ferry – is already on the drawing board. In order to succeed, we need to solve the issue of how to quickly charge a ferry. Energy storage at ports using recycled batteries, is a very interesting and sustainable alternative for the future”, says Per Wimby, project manager for electrification at Stena Teknik.
“Rapidly charging a large ferry requires a huge amount of energy in a short time and it’s not certain that the electricity grid will be able to deliver it. Local energy stores at ports could offer a great solution to this problem”, says Rasmus Bergström, Managing Director of Batteryloop (a subsidiary of the Stena Recycling Group).
The collaboration includes several Stena companies – Batteryloop, Stena Recycling, Stena Rederi and Stena Line – the ports of Gothenburg and Kiel and the accreditation company DNV GL. The project will be carried out over two years and be part-financed by INEA, the EU’s Innovation and Networks Executive Agency.


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HONG KONG/BANGALORE (Reuters) – Insurer AIA Group Ltd on Thursday reported a 28% rise in first-quarter new business value on constant exchange rates basis as sales momentum across Asia, particularly in mainland China, bounced back after pandemic-related restrictions were removed since January.
The Asia-focussed insurer’s new business value (VONB), which measures expected profits from new premiums and is a key gauge for future growth, jumped to $1,046 million in the January-March period, from $853 million a year earlier.
The company expects further support to its business from increased economic growth in mainland China following the removal of pandemic restrictions.
China and Hong Kong together account for about half of new business growth globally at AIA.
AIA China – the largest contributor to the group’s VONB – logged a double-digit growth compared to last year, amid a recovery in demand following easing of curbs in mainland China.
New sales at AIA’s Hong Kong business also grew, supported by double-digit growth from domestic customer segment, including from mainland Chinese visitors.
These visitors, who are often seeking foreign currency-denominated products and overseas investment opportunities, were an important source of new business for AIA before the COVID pandemic.
Sales to the mainland travellers accounted for about one quarter of the new volume for the insurance industry in Hong Kong, according to an estimate by Daiwa Capital Markets Hong Kong analyst.
(Reporting by Selena Li in Hong Kong and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Shailesh Kuber)