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- A 3,500-year-old clay tablet purchased by the Hobby Lobby arts and crafts chain for $1.6 million has been forfeited to the United States.
- The tablet was illegally transported to the U.S. in 2003 and 2014.
- In a complaint filed in May 2020, prosecutors said the 5-by-6-inch tablet is considered the property of the Iraqi government and should be returned.
A 3,500-year-old clay tablet purchased by the Hobby Lobby arts and crafts chain for $1.6 million has been forfeited to the United States.
The tablet, which bears a portion of the epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian poem considered one of the world's oldest works, originated in the area of modern-day Iraq and was illegally transported to the U.S. in 2003 and 2014.
A false provenance letter was used to sell the tablet several times before Hobby Lobby purchased the item from a London-based auction house in 2014.
The Gilgamesh Dream Tablet was seized by law enforcement agents from Hobby Lobby's Washington, D.C.-based Museum of the Bible in 2019. In a complaint filed in May 2020, prosecutors said the 5-by-6-inch tablet is considered the property of the Iraqi government and should be returned. The arts and crafts company cooperated with the investigation.
Representatives from Hobby Lobby did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.
On Monday, Brooklyn federal court Judge Ann Donnelly entered an order documenting the handover of the rare cuneiform tablet. It is currently being stored in Brooklyn, the filing said.
"This forfeiture represents an important milestone on the path to returning this rare and ancient masterpiece of world literature to its country of origin," acting Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Kasulis said in a statement Monday. "This Office is committed to combating the black-market sale of cultural property and the smuggling of looted artifacts."
The government's investigation uncovered that in 2003 a U.S. antiquities dealer purchased the tablet from a family member of a coin dealer in London. The item was dirty and unreadable at that time and was transported to the U.S. by international post without declaring formal entry.
The tablet was then cleaned and it was determined to be a portion of the Gilgamesh epic. In 2007, the antiquities dealer sold the artifact with a false provenance letter that stated the tablet had been inside a box of miscellaneous ancient bronze fragments that were purchased in an auction in 1981.
That false letter traveled with the tablet as it was sold several times in different countries, according to the investigation. That same letter was used when a London auction house sold the item to Hobby Lobby in a private sale in 2014. Hobby Lobby later agreed to the tablet's forfeiture based on its illegal importations to the U.S. in 2003 and 2014.
"Forfeiture of the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet demonstrates the Department's continued commitment to eliminating smuggled cultural property from the U.S. art market," said Kenneth Polite, assistant attorney general, in a statement. "Thwarting trade in smuggled goods by seizing and forfeiting an ancient artifact shows the department's dedication to using all available tools, including forfeiture, to ensure justice."
Also this week, the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's Office announced the sale of a one-of-a-kind album by the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan that was once owned by Martin Shkreli. The record was forfeited by Shkreli as part of his conviction for securities fraud in 2017.


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DUCON Industries has received Certificate of Conformity from ADQCCadmin
DUCON Industries has been issued a Certificate of Conformity by The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council. This came to the fulfillment of the requirements of the Abu Dhabi Certification Scheme for interlocking concrete pavers. The Director of conformity at the ADQCC conformity services scheme sector, Engr. Salem Bin Khalid Al Qassimi presented the certificate after a short meeting with the Management of DUCON Industries.
Dr. Mohammed Al-Farhan, the Managing Director of DUCON Industries received the certificate with a sense of appreciation and assured that the firm will continue to remain at the forefront within the UAE and beyond as far as quality product delivery is concerned. In attendance were the Technical Manager Mr. Ben Ogunmola, The Marketing Manager Mr. Ahmed Khalil, and the Marketing team.

domain: news


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PayPal app lands on Pebble app store
PayPal’s payments app has finally made its way to the Pebble smartwatch allowing users to pay at stores and restaurants accepting PayPal payments.
Pebblers can pay for purchases using either check-in to pay option or pay with payment code option directly from the PayPal app in the Pebble smartwatch, without using a smartphone. In addition, PayPal is now included as a payment option on the official Pebble’s website – getpebble.com.
With check-in to pay option, customers will be able to pay by just checking into the store or restaurant through the app, while a payment code will be generated to check out in the second option. Users will also receive notifications related to payments from the PayPal app.
The new app for Pebblers comes after the launch of PayPal app for Android Wear smartwatches including Samsung’s Gear 2, Gear S and Gear Fit, making PayPal available on all the wearable platforms.
Joel Yarbrough, senior director of partnerships and global solutions at PayPal, said in a blogpost, that PayPal is working to make shopping easy and seamless for customers so that they are just “one step closer to walking into a store and being able to place an order and pay without ever reaching into pocket.”
The PayPal app for Pebble comes in time with the release of Apple WatchKit SDK that allows developers to come up with applications for the upcoming device. However, the previous rumours of PayPal and Apple partnership, has come to a halt with the deal between Samsung and PayPal that allows users to make payments with the Galaxy S5’s fingerprint sensor.
The official PayPal app for Pebble smartwatch is available for download on the Pebble app store.


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The war in Ukraine could threaten global food security - especially in some of the world's poorest countries - the UK's Ministry of Defence has said.
In an 'intelligence update' issued late on Monday night, the MoD said: "The Russian invasion of Ukraine has significantly disrupted Ukrainian agricultural production. The Ukrainian grain harvest for 2022 is likely to be around 20 per cent lower than 2021 due to reduced sowing areas following the invasion.
"Ukraine is the fourth largest producer and exporter of agricultural goods in the world. Reduced grain supply from Ukraine will generate inflationary pressures, elevating the global price of grain.
"High grain prices could have significant implications for global food markets and threaten global food security, particularly in some of the least economically developed countries."
Meanwhile, Electronic equipment which could be used to spy on Ukrainians will be banned from export to Russia, while trade links with Kyiv will be strengthened. Products targeted under the new export ban could include interception and monitoring equipment, the Department for International Trade said.
The UK Government also announced the removal of tariffs or quotas on imports from Ukraine, to help Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration keep the economy going while under attack from its neighbour. The UK’s announcement comes following a direct request from President Zelensky’s government to liberalise tariffs, helping key Ukrainian exports including, barley, honey, tinned tomatoes and poultry.
The further restrictions on exports to Russia are designed to help isolate Vladimir Putin’s regime by closing potential loopholes to ensure the goods are not sourced from the UK. International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “The UK will continue to do everything in its power to support Ukraine’s fight against Putin’s brutal and unprovoked invasion and help ensure the long-term security and prosperity of Ukraine and its people.
“We stand unwaveringly with Ukraine in this ongoing fight and will work to ensure Ukraine survives and thrives as a free and sovereign nation.”
The tariff liberalisation will be for an initial period of 12 months but that could be extended. There was no obligation on Kyiv to reciprocate by lifting trade barriers, although the Ukrainian government has said its preference is to match the approach and will fully liberalise tariffs with the UK.
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.


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Press Release Distribution
Passbook Latest News+ XML/RSS
By Mojo Mobile Media, Inc.
By partnering with PassKit, the objective of Mojo Mobile Media is to accelerate the rapid adoption of Apple Passbook and maintain the position in the United States as the most innovative resource for leading consumer mobile marketing technology.
This week mypassbook.nl has launched the first Passbook consumer platform in the Netherlands.
By Savy Soda Pty Ltd
From Tomorrow, businesses in Australia will be able to create and distribute coupons to millions of potential customers using iPhone and Android.
By Mana Mobile
App developers have created a great business solution to help small businesses leverage Apple's PassBook. This app, Mana, will allow any business to create and distribute their own Passbook Passes.


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“Google has many strong competitors,” Schmidt said in answers released today by the Senate antitrust subcommittee. “Google has none of the characteristics that I associate with market power.” Schmidt submitted his comments to address follow-up questions from lawmakers after a Sept. 21 hearing where he conceded that Google fits one of the legal criteria used to determine whether a company has enough market share, or monopoly power, to quash competition. In Internet search, Schmidt said at the time, Google is “in that area.”
Later in the hearing, Susan Creighton, a partner in the law firm that represents Google, said in prepared comments that “Google’s apparent ‘bigness’ obscures the fact that it lacks anything resembling monopoly power.”
The Federal Trade Commission is conducting an antitrust investigation into whether Google is harming competition. The government is seeking to determine whether Google is dominant enough to control prices and exclude competitors, which would put it in violation of antitrust laws.
Google Inc. increased its U.S. market share to 65.3 percent in September, up from 64.8 percent in August, as Yahoo! Inc. dropped to less than 16 percent.
In his responses released today, Schmidt said the Internet search market extends beyond traditional competitors such as Microsoft’s Bing and Yahoo! Inc. to Facebook and Siri, the voice-activated software introduced last month by Apple. “We sometimes fail to anticipate the competitive threat posed by new methods of accessing information,” he said.
FairSearch.org, a group of companies including Microsoft that has accused Google of violating antitrust laws, said Schmidt’s didn’t respond to senators’ questions.
“Schmidt continued today to thumb his nose at senators’ concerns about how Google exploits its monopoly power,” the group said in a statement. Schmidt also defended Google against criticism that the search engine gives preference to its own services when ranking search results.
A Google service isn’t “placed higher because it is on a site owned by Google than an identical page would be if it were owned by another business,” Schmidt. Yelp Inc., a San Francisco-based website that features reviews of local businesses, and Foundem, a U.K.-based price- comparison website, have accused Google of pushing down their rankings in search results because they compete with Google services.
Schmidt said Google’s shopping and review features aren’t separate services and were added to the company’s search engine in response to users wanting more immediate answers than links to other websites. “They are not some separate ‘Google product’ that can be ‘favored,’” he said.
Schmidt responded to lawmakers’ concerns that Google, which owns the Android mobile operating system, may be excluding rivals’ services from smartphones by claiming they’re technologically incompatible with Android. Google doesn’t make smartphone manufacturers ship their products only with software Google has approved or require them to preload phones with Google applications, Schmidt said. The company has developed technical specifications to allow Android applications to run better on different models, he said.
“Google respects the freedom of manufacturers to choose which applications should be pre-loaded on Android devices,” Schmidt said. The company doesn’t pressure mobile-phone makers to make Google the default search engine on their devices, he said.
Google didn’t force Motorola Inc. or Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. to remove Skyhook Wireless Inc. software from their cell phones, he said. Skyhook has a service that pinpoints a cell-phone’s location, which competes with a Google application.
“Google merely requested that these manufacturers use a version of the Skyhook software that” was compatible with Android, Schmidt said.
In my opinion, Schmidt either lives in a fairy-tale world of gum-drops and lollipops, or he should be indicted for perjury for lying to the U.S. Senate. But if he really believes that what he says is true, he needs to be shipped to the nearest looney bin.
Thanks to Jeff Bliss and Sara Forden and BLOOMBERG, and
Thanks for “listening”
The Neu Facebook


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Victoria’s Secret, Sephora, and Nike Rank as The Top Three Millennial Brands
A report from Condé Nast Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. revealed that the companies most favored by millennial shoppers are Victoria’s Secret, Sephora, and Nike. The three stores ranked the highest in a study of 2,345 US consumers ages 13-34.
Much of the success comes from the online presence of the companies. The need for immediacy and efficiency are embedded in the millennial generation. More than one-third of US online apparel shopping is conducted online.
Among the top three favored companies include stores like Coach, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Ulta, Lululemon, DSW, and Nordstrom. The findings in the study show the success of e-commerce shopping and may be a hint at what's to come in its future.


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From the Twitterverse comes word that Batman: Arkham City DLC pack “Harley Quinn’s Revenge” will be released before the end of the month.
The PS3 version will be released on May 29, and the Xbox 360 version the day after. The pack will let players switch between Batman and Robin as they are tasked with uncovering Harley’s plan for vengeance. They are also to shut down the prison for good. Over two hours of fresh gameplay will be on offer.
There was some date mix up this morning but we can confirm Harley Quinn’s Revenge will be available May 29th(PSN) and May 30th(Xbox Live)
— Sarah Wellock (@rikkusarah) April 23, 2012
A new trailer from Batman: Arkham Asylum has been released, showing off the stealth gameplay.
In development at Rocksteady, the new game is due out this summer on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. The game is being made with the help of Batman: The Animated Series veterans, including writer Paul Dini and the voices of Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy.
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NEW RESOURCES New-to-me, from Pratt Institute: How Mapping Relationships Between Jazz Musicians Elevates Unsung Histories. “Linked Jazz’s use of linked open data (LOD) offers a dynamic digital network where users can discover […]
News and resources covering social media, search engines, databases, archives, and other such online information collections. Since 1998.
NEW RESOURCES WOWK: Non-profit organization connects shoppers with local artisans across the tri-state. “The ‘Foothills Exploration of Appalachian Tourism’ (FEAT) group has been assisting local artisans in Northeast Kentucky for several years. […]
Iceland Health Monitoring, Church Support, Department of Education Guidance, More: Saturday CoronaBuzz, March 14, 2020
(This newsletter now has its own Twitter account at @buzz_corona , if you want to see individual items as they’re added.) NEW RESOURCES Iceland Monitor: New Website on COVID-19 Launched. “Health authorities […]
Hey, there’s so much coronavirus / COVID-19 news coming out that I’m going to put it in a separate newsletter. It’ll be called CoronaBuzz, first issue out later this morning, and if […]
Reporters Without Borders in Minecraft, Montana History, Freelancer Support, More: Friday ResearchBuzz, March 13, 2020
NEW RESOURCES Reporters Without Borders: RSF opens “The Uncensored Library” – The digital home of Press Freedom within a global computer game . “In many countries around the world, there is no […]


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Some of them include:
· All-new 2013 Fiat 500e Electrifies with an estimated 116 MPG;
· Hyundai goes high mileage in a three-row SUV;
· BMW world debuts a new coupe concept;
· Ford turns its Transit Connect into a family van;
· The sleek new Veloster Concept;
· And other news coming from the show.
Certified California mechanic Doug Brauner was live at the Auto Show. He talked with 9NEWS anchor Gary Shapiro about not only what the 2013 car season will entail, but the 2014 season too.
"2014 is alive and well. Here in Los Angeles at the L.A. Auto Show, there is a lot of product to talk about. It's the 2014 'Kia Forte.' This thing is completely new, and they designed it right here in southern California. I got to be honest, I think it looks more European as opposed to Korean, but none the less, a lot of people are expected to buy this car when it goes on sale in 2013. [It has] winter-seat ventilation, wider doors in the back and 173 horsepower. This Kia has been on a huge roll," Brauner said.
"This is the all new Sorento from Kia. It's their most popular cross-over vehicle, and one of the reasons is it's value based. You not only get that good price point, but a 10-year 100,000 mile warranty, three-liter V-6, 290 horse power and all of the room inside, and it's made right here in the U.S. in the state of Georgia," Brauner said.
"Alright, arguably one of the most important cars being introduced here in L.A. is the 'Ford Fiesta.' This thing has three cylinders. It's a one-liter engine. Slow? Actually not, it's a zippy ... 123 horsepower and 40 miles to the gallon as you could imagine with the three cylinder. No price yet, but should be around $14,000 when it goes on sale sometime next year," Brauner said.
For more information, you can go to www.thecarczar.com or facebook.com/thecarczar.
(KUSA-TV © 2012 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)


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Motorola have announced that some of the company’s latest smartphones will soon be receiving an update to the latest Android OS.
Android 7.0 Nougat will be available this week on the Moto Z, Moto Z Play and Moto G Plus (4th gen). Users of these smartphones will receive a notification to update, or can manually download the update through the settings menu.
Motorola have highlighted some of the new features of Nougat, including “72 new emojis, multi-lock language settings, multi-window view and quick switch between apps.”
VR mode will also be available through smartphones compatible with Google’s Daydream platform, including the Moto Z.
The Moto X Force, Moto X Play and Moto X Style are also set to receive the Nougat update at a later date. More information can be found on the Moto software upgrades page.


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Chinese-based start-up company Byton will present a concept version of its second vehicle, the electric lounge, in the month of June.
The machine, which will be built on the same platform as the SUV, which has already been seen in Concept form, will be unveiled at CES Asia in Shanghai. It is the second of three Evs that will become the firm’s first years of business, with a seven-seat MPV set to follow.
2019 Byton electric SUV concept revealed at the Milan Design Week
While the SUV is due to go on sale in China at the end of 2019, with europe and the USA, sales in 2020, the lounge is set to be launched in 2021, with an initial focus on the Chinese market is still likely. That suggests the salon will probably reach the European market in 2022.
The salon is likely to follow the design of Concept SUV (pictured below) closely, with a focus on interior comfort and connectivity. Like the SUV, the interior will be dominated by a large touchscreen, and a digital tablet integrated into the steering wheel.
Benoit Jacob, Byton design of the head, who previously worked at BMW i division, has said that it uses the same platform architecture for all three models has allowed the new company to launch them relatively quickly and without effort in the process of production.
“We worked on the family from the beginning, and designed in such a way that we can avoid re-engineering of things that every single time from a platform and architecture point of view,” said Jacob. “Which means that you can have a price which is really interesting.”
That suggests the salon will have a similar price to the SUV, that the company is planning to sell for about £32,000.
Byton plans for the construction of all its vehicles at the new plant in Nanjing, China, which is also due to be inaugurated in the month of June. The plant will have a production capacity of about 300,000 cars a year. Byton could also open a plant located in the United States, depending on whether the trade restrictions are in force at the time.
CES 2018: concepts for car and automotive news from the Consumer Electronics Show
Insight: because the demand from China is spurring growth, electrical, car, sale
Changan is coming, another Chinese company aiming for European success


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The pandemic may have stopped us from celebrating in large groups, but it hasn’t completely brought everything to a screeching halt this year. After all, one of the traditions that many people have during the holiday season is enjoying some good movies. Hallmark is always at the forefront, and this year, they are providing us with 23 original and movies that have never been seen before! It’s like a gift that keeps on giving, and many people are looking for their Snuggy and making some hot chocolate already.
The good news for those who love Christmas movies is that you don’t have to wait until Christmas to watch them. It is especially beneficial this year because most of us have watched Netflix until it is coming out of our ears and we are ready for something new. According to Hallmark, the holiday season begins on October 24.
When you think about how most movies were postponed, the fact that there are new Christmas movies coming out is absolutely amazing. You can catch a preview of them in the following video:
In some parts of the country, the warm weather is still around. You may just want to crank down the air conditioning, grab your favorite toasty beverage and get ready to make some Hallmark memories.
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Aston Martin Window Display at Harrod’s
Three Aston Martin cars will take over the Harrods storefront window in London as part of a month-long celebration of the British-made automobile.
When we heard about this tribute to Aston Martin at Harrod’s, we had to cover it. Our readers have shown a persistent affection for the brand (this is one of our all-time most-popular stories) and what they love, they get more of. Basically, the AFP is reporting that three Aston Martin cars will take over the Harrods storefront window in London as part of a month-long celebration of the British-made automobile.
Aston Martins have been synonymous with James Bond films for the last 50 years. The DB10 being shown at Harrods was built specifically for the latest Bond film Spectre. Also on display is the new Austin Martin model DB9 GT (below). Arguably the most famous of Aston Martins, the DB5, can be seen at the luxury department store in the Knightsbridge area, as well. This model was released in 1963 and set a standard for Aston Martins to follow with its improvement in performance.
As an aside, we published a photo essay pitting the DB5 against the Vanquish right here. Ok, back to the story on hand.
Aston Martin specialists will be at Harrod’s throughout an accompanying exhibition to provide visitors with insight into the cars and their product range. If we were able to make it to this exhibition, you know how we would be harassing… The window display and the exhibition will run until January 28.


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Since the launch of the iPhone 4s, Apple has followed a rigid yearly release schedule: a new device one year and an S device the next.
2017 should be no different, with last year’s iPhone 7 receiving some new features and a performance boost. The iPhone 7s will almost certainly be unveiled in September, alongside the iPhone 7s Plus and the iPhone 8.
As with most S models, the iPhone 7s is likely to be an evolution rather than a revolution. The design will remain mostly the same, although some exciting improvements could be in the pipe line.
The most interesting is the potential addition of a new OLED screen, which will provide a much sharper resolution. The screen could also include the iPad Pro’s True Tone technology, which adjusts colours based on environmental lighting.
Some rumours suggest the new screen will cover the iPhone 7s’ entire front panel, although this is likely to be reserved for Apple’s special 10th anniversary iPhone.
Apple could also introduce new sizes into the iPhone 7s range, with a 5 inch and a 5.8 inch model the most likely additions. If true, the 5.8 inch model would be the biggest iPhone ever.


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Barclays has been remained one of the few major banks to continue supporting its Windows phone app, even as Microsoft has largely put the platform into maintenance mode. However, even Barclays is now preparing to pull out in the near future.
In an email to customers, Barclays says that it will drop support for its mobile banking app on Windows phone in 2018. Starting in February, the bank says, you'll no longer be able to log into the app from your Windows phone. Barclays explains:
As we've seen with other retiring apps, Barclays recommends that anyone currently use the app look to the Barclays apps on other devices instead. Alternatively, of course, you can use the Barclays website or telephone banking as well.
Barclays originally launched on Windows phone in 2014 as a way for customers to manage their accounts and locate nearby ATMs. And although Windows phone has been on its way out, Barclays has kept the app occasionally updated to continue working.
For now, you can still make use of the Barclays app on Windows phone if you already have it installed, but your time is running out. For everyone else, it looks like the app has already been pulled from the Store.
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All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.


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It’s a dream shared by many people – growing your own tasty fruit and vegetables, but not everybody has a garden or space to do so.
Now a new super-productive indoor tomato plant has been launched at Tesco aimed at helping people living in urban areas without gardens.
The mini tomato plant has been naturally developed over the last five years by produce experts who bred together varieties to come up with one that is small, compact and most importantly very productive.
By following the care instructions the small, but powerful plants can each produce up to 150 delicious tomatoes with minimal fuss.
Not green fingered, no problem!
*While stocks last, available at over 300 Tesco stores UK-wide


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Drone law is about to do something unusual: today, with the opening of a commercial waiver system by the FAA, legally flying a drone for business is about to get easier. The change was announced in June, and takes place today. For people who want to fly a drone for business, there is now a straightforward process, instead of a mess of conflicting and unclear rules.
There are two ways to get a Part 107 certificate to fly drones for business purposes. Pilots (who have to be at least 16 years old) can either take a test or, if they already have a different sort of pilot certificate, take a flight review course. The study guide for the test is over 80 pages. This is a break from previous rules, where drone pilots had to be certified as aircraft pilots first, and then apply for a special business or research exemption to fly drones legally.
With certification, a pilot can fly a drone weighing less than 55 pounds during daylight hours, within the line of sight of the pilot or an affiliated spotter, at altitudes of no more than 400 feet, at speeds of no greater than 100 mph, and so long as they don’t fly over people. These rules are all expected, and the FAA outlined them in its June announcement.
If pilots want to fly drones outside these constraints, they can apply for a specific waiver on top of the certificate, for instance to fly a drone at night, as 72 applicants already have, or over crowds (as CNN did).
One of the major unanswered questions for the FAA is whether these new rules also bring the full legal protections of other aircraft to drone owners. Specifically, it is a federal crime to shoot at aircraft, and while that was a rare occurrence when all aircraft carried people and flew well beyond rifle range, it’s an increasingly common occurrence with people shooting at drones near or over their property. Previously, the FAA has said that shooting at drones is a federal crime, just like it would be for other flying machines.
As for the commercial drones themselves, we’re likely to see lots of headlines about delivery drones, and lots of actual drones put to work on farms first. Journalism, too, stands to gain from the new drone authorizations, as news organizations can get cameras in the sky faster and cheaper than before.
Drone delivery, meanwhile, will want rules that let drones fly beyond line of sight before they can work. Until the FAA has new rules for that, or starts granting waivers specifically for long-range delivery, expect companies like Amazon to keep developing their tech abroad, while other drone industries take off in the United States.


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In America, we know Vietnam as a South China Sea nation where we fought and lost a Cold War-era, proxy conflict about communism. But today, Vietnam has become a destination of tourism, business and even beer, known for its beautiful beaches, rolling rivers, Buddhist pagodas and bustling cities like Hanoi (the capital).
Over the last few decades, The Nam has gradually been transforming itself into a more open, more market-oriented country, and it’s now beginning to enjoy the benefits of a steady but slow integration into the global economy. Reforms have included partial privatization of state-owned enterprises, liberalization of the trade and investment regimes and modernization of its financial sector. In fact, the country today is full of expats, some of who are even bringing craft beer culture to Asia. According to an article on Thanh Nien News (one of the leading Vietnamese language dailies), craft beer arrived in Vietnam not long ago and has quickly gained popularity (especially among office workers).
John Reid — a businessman from America who has been living and working in Vietnam for nine years and, now the CEO of Pasteur Street Brewing Company, shared: “At a retail price of VND95,000 per beer, our craft beer falls into the “super premium” segment which was once mostly made up of imported beers.
“Countries around Asia are seeing great growth in the ‘super premium’ segment and by creating a product in this category that is from home for Vietnamese, we feel there will be a great support for our brand as the wealth in Vietnam increases and more consumers are looking for high quality products.”
Well, there you have it: Beer can unite even once-warring cultures. Pasteur Street has been open for the last two years and apparently already won three gold medals and a silver at a craft beer festival in Singapore, using Vietnamese special ingredients such as black pepper from Phu Quoc, passion fruit, jasmine and pure cacao. And while the clientele in this photo all look like white, expat office dudes, the ladies are digging Vietnamese craft beer too. From the article:
What is even more special about craft beer is that they can also satisfy the female customers who enjoy the drinks with moderate alcohol content and elegant fragrance of jasmine.


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Choosing the right Cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider is growing increasingly difficult in a highly competitive market. Here are the top IaaS players identified by Gartner and their recommended use cases.
Gartner in pictures
While the first quarter saw PC sales plunge, both Gartner and IDC reported a big positive swing as quarantined workers bought PCs and Chromebooks.
Gartner predicts that sales of PCs, tablets, and smartphones will slowly drop through 2022, as the Windows 7 to Windows 10 transition ends.
IDC and Gartner have reported that the PC market grew during the fourth quarter of 2019 and for the full year.
The PC market grew in the third quarter of 2019 year over year, largely due to looming tariffs and the end of the road for Windows 7.
A potential overheating hazard has prompted Lenovo to recall its ThinkPad X1 Carbon notebooks made from December 2016 to October 2017.
The group trying to buy BlackBerry for US$4.7 billion will likely break up the company, wiping out its smartphone division while preserving BlackBerry's secure network services used by large enterprises. But one analyst said he hopes that's not the c...
The enterprise has gone mobile and there's no turning back. And while the BYOD movement has received plenty of attention, IT departments are getting a handle on the security risks of personal mobile devices in the workplace. The next challenge is "br...
Securing a hybrid cloud is not the same thing as deploying hybrid security products.
Businesses are eyeing a transition to Microsoft Windows 7, and with a wealth of security features that are part of it, it's worth figuring out the good and bad about each of them, says Gartner analyst Neil MacDonald, who notes in some cases, third-pa...
Most CIOs have started considering virtual desktop infrastructure and other types of des...
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Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
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Congress Mulling Whether to Increase the Length of Double-trailers
Statistics from the Federal Highway Administration reveal that as recently as 2012, 20 billion tons of freight traffic valued at close to $18 trillion was transported here in the United States, with commercial trucks handling nearly two thirds-of this incredible volume.
As eye-opening as this is, consider that the FHA is estimating that the amount of freight traffic will jump to 29 billion tons by 2040 with the total value of these goods approaching close to $39 trillion.
In light of these estimates and the seemingly unending growth of Internet commerce, several of the nation’s largest shipping companies — including UPS, FedEx, Con-way — came together in 2014 to form the Coalition for Efficient and Responsible Trucking, a lobbying group seeking, among other things, to get Congress to pass a law allowing the expansion of double-trailers.
Specifically, CERT wants to see the transportation regulations currently limiting the length of each trailer in a double-trailer to 28 feet increased to 33 feet.
This move, they argue, would eliminate around 6.6 million truck trips per year, such that the wear and tear on the nation’s already fragile infrastructure would be significantly reduced, while the number of truck accidents caused by traffic congestion each year would also be significantly reduced.
While the group and its supporters were unable to get such this provision included in the most recent version of the highway bill, it has been included in the current transportation spending package approved by the House and currently under consideration in the Senate.
The provision, however, has drawn sharp criticism from vehicle safety advocates who argue that important safety questions about the ramifications of extending the lengths of double-trailers remain unanswered and that it would not result in any fewer trucks on the road or any less accidents, as larger shipping companies would continue to rollout trucks in order to maximize profits.
It remains to be seen what will ultimately come of this hotly debated provision in the transportation spending package. It’s worth noting, however, that the Department of Transportation has strongly encouraged federal lawmakers to await the publication of its study on truck size and weight, scheduled to be completed in the coming months, before making any decision.
What are your thoughts on whether Congress should allow the length of double-trailers to be increased? Do you think it will reduce truck crashes and congestion, or do you think it’s something of a ruse designed to help truck companies increase profits?


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What you need to know
- A new report says a 10-core Intel i9 Mac Pro is mentioned in new macOS code.
- The switch to an i9 chip would mean a move away from Intel Xeons.
Apple will launch a new Mac Pro powered by Intel one last time, according to a new report. That report says that code found in the latest macOS 11.4 RC update references an unannounced Mac Pro with a 10-core Intel i9 chip inside.
The reference was spotted by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.
... a reference to an unreleased 10-core Intel i9 processor has been discovered by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser in the latest macOS Big Sur 11.4 RC update, released yesterday.
The same report correctly notes that an iMac with a similar Core i9 chip processor was found in benchmark results in July last year. The 24-inch iMac has already switched to Apple silicon, pushing MacRumors to suggest that the new Intel chip must be for use inside a Mac Pro. However, we don't yet have a 27-inch iMac refresh – so it's possible. even if it's unlikely, that this i9 chip could still find its way into an iMac.
The switch to an intel i9 processor in a Mac Pro that has historically dealt exclusively in Xeon chips would be a surprise, although never say never with today's Apple. It could allow for a lower barrier to entry in terms of price point at the very least.
Apple announced its switch to Apple silicon last year with a two-year target for having completed the transition to its own chips. There is still plenty of time to go before that timescale runs down.
Speaking of that 24-inch iMac, it goes on sale this week. Here are the best iMac deals you'll find today.


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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Jan 23 (ANI-NewsVoir): Superstars Kareena Kapoor and Sonu Nigam were in Doha, Qatar last week to be part of the Shop Qatar 2018 Bollywood Week. Their appearance at the annual shopping festival, organised by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), comes as part of the country's efforts to attract more visitors from the Indian Subcontinent.
Indian visitors are among those now eligible for a visa waiver that is valid for 30 days from the date of issue, entitling them to spend up to 30 days in Qatar with the possibility of applying for an extension of the waiver for an additional 30 days (multiple-entry waiver).
Rashed AlQurese, Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer at QTA, said, "Shop Qatar 2018's differently themed weeks echo the country's message of welcoming the world and leverage the country's new status as the most open country in the region. We were very pleased to see the Bollywood Week so warmly received by both Qatar's residents and visitors and look forward to further promoting the country as a welcoming destination in India."
He added, "As we turn the pages of the next Chapter of the National Tourism Sector Strategy 2030, we are strongly focused on diversifying our visitor source markets in Asia and the Indian market is one we are particularly keen to tap into with the opening of our representative office planned later this quarter."
In a colourful celebration of the Indian subcontinent's vibrant culture and arts, the second week of the festival (January 14 - 21), saw a unique line-up of activities at malls and special venues across Qatar. The week featured a Bollywood Fashion Show with a dazzling display of Saris and Lehenga-inspired dresses.
The showcase of over 100 looks featured outfits by six celebrity designers including Vikram Phlankis andArchana Kochhar. The evening's show was crowned with a guest appearance by Kareena Kapoor. Later in the week, the multi-talented singing sensation Sonu Nigam serenaded his fans in a four-hour performance at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center.
In addition, malls participating in Shop Qatar also hosted a variety of Bollywood-themed pop-up shops inviting mall-goers to create and personalise their own embroidered khussa slippers, bangles and much more.
The second edition of the country's biggest shopping festival, Shop Qatar runs from 7 January to 7 February 2018 under the slogan 'A Brand New Tradition'. It offers discounts on popular brands, car and cash prizes worth over QAR 4 million (USD 1.1 million ), and a colourful schedule of fashion-forward and entertainment events.
The Festival invites visitors to discover the full range of shopping destinations the country has to offer, from luxury malls and high-end shopping complexes to entertainment-rich shopping centres, as well as authentic souqs and bazaars.
Retail outlets around Qatar are providing special offers and discounts of up to 50 percent on a range of consumer goods including clothes, electronics, cosmetics and accessories for men, women and children.
"A lot of my fans are in Qatar, I know that. I would like to thank Shop Qatar 2018 this opportunity for being here. This is my second time in Doha and I definitely can say it's not my last," said Kareena Kapoor.
"One day I would like to come as a visitor, without work, and just spend some days and enjoy the original Qatar experience. I am sure there is so much to see," added Sonu Nigam.
"To me, Doha has always been was a stopover destination when I am travelling to different parts of the world. Now that I am on the ground, it's just stunning: the hospitality and people are so beautiful, I just love being here! I think getting a platform to do a closing show here was just the most outstanding experience. I would love to come back again as it is as close as home; it's not far away and it is beautiful destination," said Vikram Phadnis. (ANI-NewsVoir)


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More Odd Thomas film news, and it's not good (unless you're in Hungary)
July 9, 2013
We now have an update on the ill-fated movie Odd Thomas, and what’s causing it to be stuck in limbo. It turns out it’s due to a monetary dispute between two production companies behind the film; one of them is not paying up! According to The Hollywood Reporter, Two Out Of Ten production company (TOOT) and Fusion Films had filed a lawsuit back in January that continues to postpone the release of Stephen Sommers’ film adaptation of Odd Thomas , a novel written by Dean Koontz. The lawsuit had been filed because OMG (Outsource Media Group) had promised producers $35 million to cover marketing prints and other advertising leading up to the release of the film, and money to pay back production loans. Through many meetings, missed deadlines, and second chances, the producers have not seen the money they were promised.
The above paragraph is from PageToPremier.com and you can find pretty much the same info on FirstShowing.net and some more stills from the film on IndieWire.com.
But, the PageToPriemer article also points out an announcement from the Unofficial Odd Thomas Movie Facebook page that there was a DVD release of the film back on June 17th… in Hungary.
I quickly found a copy with a little online searching and got it for $35. However, and this if very important, it is a Region 2 DVD which means that it will not play on 99.9% of US DVD players. Unless you have a region-free DVD player, if you purchase this disc, you won’t be able to watch it.
Luckily, I do have a region-free DVD player and I’ll post more as soon as my copy arrives.


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1 Min Read
Feb 9 (Reuters) - French software games developer Ubisoft cut its full year sales guidance by 10 percent after reporting sales below expectations for the key Christmas quarter, the company said on Thursday.
Sales for the Sept-Dec quarter fell 6 percent to 529.9 million euros ($565.4 million), short of the 560.0 million euros, it had expected.
The company said the launch of a sequel to its open-world hacking game, Watch Dogs 2, did not go "as dynamic as expected". ($1 = 0.9373 euros) (Reporting by Wout Vergauwen; Editing by Adrian Croft)


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Overcoming the challenges of Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath has fatigued many, but with Hanukkah and Christmas on the horizon, area residents may welcome the chance to shed some of that storm-weariness by getting out of the house and going shopping.
The Cedarhurst Business Improvement District is sponsoring a shopping extravaganza this weekend that includes a first-of-its-kind event for the BID. The village-supported organization will not only hold its third Black Friday event and Midnight Madness sale, but will combine the two on Friday and Saturday. Midnight Madness will take place from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday — which is also Small Business Saturday, a nationwide promotion of shopping at community businesses.
And the good times will roll into Sunday, with more than 80 stores and restaurants expected to take part in weekend sales, said Teri Schure, the BID’s executive director. Comprising landlords and business owners in the village, the BID funds a variety of improvements and events.
Schure said she knew the BID was on the right track with the event after she spoke to a board member of the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce. “When I told her about the number of stores participating in the Midnight Madness event,” Schure said, “she was shocked, and wanted all the details to take back to her board.” Schure said the woman didn’t know of any other village or town that does anything similar to promote small business in their community.
Steve Silverman, who owns Morton’s, a sporting goods and clothing store, sees the event as a boon for both storeowners and customers. “It brings in a lot of people — the town is hopping with people,” he said. “The restaurants are busy and there are great deals. It’s a win-win. Customers love it, retailers love it.”
Silverman is hoping that the weekend will help him recoup some income he lost to Sandy. With a majority of Cedarhurst without power, he tried to work around the problem by powering his cash register and credit card machine with his car battery and using flashlights to navigate store aisles. “We worked from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” he said. “We had to do some business … no money was coming in.”


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Triumph 400s bookings are underway at the official website. The company is ramping up production to meet demand..
Call it magic of Bajaj or the immense brand recall of British-origin Triumph Motorcycles, the recently unveiled 400s have received bumper response. Triumph informs that it has received 10,000 bookings of its motorcycles already. All of this within 10 days of unveil that took place on 27th June in UK!
Most of this would have come after the price announcement but whatever it is the cash registers are ticking, and ticking real fast. If all of this would translate to confirmed deliveries, Triumph is sitting on a potential revenue of almost 223 crore Indian Rupees! This in a matter of 10 days! This without any media reviews!
It must be noted that price of the Speed 400 is already known and it comes in at Rs 2.23 Lakh for the first 10,000 customers after which it will go to its original tag of Rs 2.33 Lakh – all prices ex-showroom Delhi. This magical figure of 10,000 includes both the variants. Yes, Triumph is also taking bookings of the Scrambler 400X and people are mopping that up as well, without knowing its prices!
Triumph will start delivering the Speed from this month-end onwards, however, the Scrambler is slated to come in October. Booking amount is Rs 2000 (fully refundable) and can be done at the official website and it must be noted that the offer price of Rs 2.23 Lac is still valid and is applicable on the first 10,000 deliveries and not bookings!
Bajaj has thanked the customers and promised to ramp up the production to meet the unprecedented demand. If you are a fence sitter and still undecided, you can wait for media reviews that will start pouring in from the 14th July.


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- You are here:
- Auto News >
Automakers just reported their most recent sales numbers, with things looking up virtually across the board. Despite that, and despite the fact that it's summer, sales of that quintessential warm-weather car, the convertible, are down. Droptops normally account for two per cent of the overall car ...


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Popular bottled water brand “Real Water” has been linked to liver damage in five children who have been recently hospitalized. The Las Vegas-based brand, which is sold throughout the American Southwest, has not been officially recalled. However, the company’s president, Brent Jones, called for stores to stop selling the bottled water pending an investigation.
The brand’s website, at the time of this writing, has no mention of a recall and still links to shopping pages to buy the bottled water from. “Real Water is asking that all retailers pull the product from the shelf, effective immediately, and hold it in the back rooms or return it to the distributors,” president Brent Jones said in a recent statement. “Any customer who has purchased Real Water from a retailer is asked to return the product.”
It is bizarre for a company official to call for an item to stop being sold and to be returned to stores without the company declaring an official recall. It is unclear if the brand itself is resisting Mr. Jones insistence that the item be recalled or if this is simply a matter of timing, with the president reacting more quickly to the news than the company itself.
The unofficial recall follows right after five children were hospitalized with liver illness. It is unclear what, exactly, caused the illness, but the children had all recently had “Real Water” brand water. “To date, the consumption of ‘Real Water’ brand alkaline water was found to be the only common link identified between all the cases,” said authorities in the region.
The bottled water in question is sold in box-shaped, blue bottles and is marketed as “infused with negative ions” and “alkalized.” Positioned as a premium, high-end health water, the brand is sold in stores like Sprouts, Costco, and Whole Foods. A lawsuit was lodged against the brand Tuesday for its alleged role in the liver illness of one child.
The company has not yet publicly addressed the lawsuit, which names “Real Water” as the defendant and alleges that impurities in the beverage caused the illness in the child.
People who have purchased the water are urged to return it or otherwise throw it out. Stores are being told to stop selling the water altogether until the source of the illnesses can be determined. At the time of this writing, it is unclear what, exactly, is causing the illness, and if, indeed, it is because of “Real Water.”


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China Is Destroying These Papers To Trap Citizens
(UnitedHeadlines.com) – Social media is abuzz with reports from people who claim to have had their travel visas rendered obsolete by Chinese authorities — leaving them stranded in the country. China, however, adamantly denies these allegations. Considering the harsh COVID restrictions in China, and the notoriously unreliable information on social media, it’s hard to know what to believe.
China's central immigration authority has denied reports that passports were being "clipped" and green cards confiscated in order to curtail travel. https://t.co/3FORgCFpY1
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) May 17, 2022
Travel restrictions and even at-home lockdowns are nothing new in this part of the world, where some of the most extreme measures are still implemented based on a zero-COVID policy. According to a report from Newsweek, police in China have admitted that some relevant travel documents are being held in order to keep them safe until the pandemic is over.
According to social media users, the government isn’t just holding on to passports, they’re cutting off the corners to invalidate them. In either case, the result is the same; travelers find themselves unable to leave the country.
Adding further proof to the allegations, just days ago the Chinese National Immigration Administration announced new travel restrictions, in effect issuing a complete ban on non-essential travel. Since Chinese authorities seemingly admit to holding on to passports, etc. in an effort to limit travel, it isn’t much of a stretch to imagine they might tamper with these permits to achieve their goals.
Copyright 2022, UnitedHeadlines.com


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Sydney, Australia: The bright lights of Sydney City created a vibrant ambience for 50 Riviera Syndication owners and guests who enjoyed a social function on board two luxurious 5000 Sport Yachts and a 5800 Sport Yacht.
Riviera Syndication managing director John Russell said the evening gave Sydney owners the chance meet their partners in the boats and discuss the upcoming Hamilton Island trip for ‘Bellagio’, a Riviera 5800 Sports Yacht.
“Owners of our two 5000 Sport Yachts ‘Palermo’ and ‘Catania’, and our 5800 Sport Yacht ‘Bellagio’ were treated to a feast of fresh seafood, including prawns and lobster from Nick’s Seafood at Darling Harbour,” John said.
“Combined with good wine and great company, we all had a very enjoyable night.”
Riviera Syndication has also just released details of its next overseas holiday, the Riviera owners Yacht Rally in Croatia from June 21 to July 7, 2013.
“This time we are sailing 10, 45’ yachts for two weeks from Split to Dubrovnik in Croatia,” he said.


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The company is looking forward to its second TV campaign of the year.
The advert will have over 200 TVR’s, double the amount of the highly successful Hama Easter campaign.
Futher marketing and PR will take place across the entire Hama Bead range including influencer push and support from the kids press. The objective will be to kick start the Christmas gift buying period and reinforce Hama as the No. 1 bead brand.
Hama Beads is enjoying strong sales and sell though, thanks to the high-profile TV support, and the company is urging retailers to ensure they are stocking all key lines ready for the Christmas period.


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Around 11:45 pm, on a Friday night in 2011, Jay Leno gave me a fit of giggles as he mocked Bank of America’s plans to charge consumers a monthly debit card fee of $5, in his classic late night television series, ‘The Tonight Show’.
The episode remained etched in my memory for it is seldom that the banking industry becomes the subject of satire in a late night television show.
The report released on June 11th, Tuesday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reaffirmed the satire. The regulatory body is gearing up again to criticize the US banking industry for charging overdraft fees that generated close to $32 billion in revenue, in the US alone.
The rigmarole around overdraft fees is not new. It repeats itself every year, and every once in a while the regulators decide they must pull up their socks and attack the banking industry in the interest of the public. Fair enough and good cause, perhaps, if one could be sure that these efforts would lead to constructive outcomes.
The Dodd Frank financial overhaul law in 2010 created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to act as an advocate of consumer interests. Back then, the Fed required banks to give consumers the right to opt-in to overdraft protection for debit card purchases. This came to be called Regulation E. At the same time, the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act required that consumers opt-in to the services. Nevertheless, by the end of 2011, 16% of all consumers had enrolled in overdraft protection plans, and 22% of new account holders opted-in to the plans. That was a surprise to those who thought consumers wouldn’t want to opt in.
Despite the relatively low opt-in rates, overdraft and non sufficient fund fees, these fees made up 61% of banks’ total consumer deposit service charges in 2011.
While one could certainly question some of the practices the banks take with overdraft charges, the banking industry is struggling to turn around its P&L accounts amid the recovery from the 2009 financial crisis. In the absence of this revenue source, $32 billion as I said, banks will be compelled to take to other measures for increasing their revenue which may result in higher annual fees. In the absence of overdraft fees, consumers might have to pay fees for returned checks, late fees and it could eventually affect their credit reports.
And these fees aren’t all bad. The overdraft service acts as a short-term loan for consumers and is a convenient way to raise cash quickly. According to Richard Hunt, President and Chief Executive of the Consumer Bankers Association, “New rules by CFPB could push some consumers to use unregulated industries with riskier and costlier alternatives such as payday lenders, check cashers or pawn shops”.
The probe into overdraft fees could prove costly for small banks in particular, that consider this an important source of revenue growth. Over the years, charges have seen a shift with 12% of banks charging less than $20 per overdraft. This is up from 7.4% in 2008 and 1.3% from 2011. Bank of America and Wells Fargo are the exception in this case and charge $35 for every over drawn item.
Richard Cordray, CFPB’s Director, clarified in a conference call that the agency is not out to ban the product entirely, but to deal with numerous concerns with industry practices. “What is marketed as overdraft protection can in some instances, put consumers at greater risk of harm”, he said.
An aspect that has attracted private class action litigation and regulatory actions, also raised by CFPB, is the question of when charges are posted to the accounts. Some banks post ATM, debit and check transactions in the order they happen and some put them at the top of a day’s transactions that allows them to subject more transactions to overdraft fees.
In its report, CFPB continues to argue for daily caps on the number of transactions that become eligible for overdraft protection and hopes to bring uniformity to overdraft protections. However, similar attempts like the review of overdraft practices in February 2012 and the introduction of legislation in May 2012 have only rubbed the surface of overdraft fees without outlining uniform ground rules for the banks to follow.
Overdraft fees, given their nature and impact, will always invite the ire of consumers and regulators alike but with a slow recovery and low interest rates, what is the alternative source of revenue generation for banks? Cracking down on banks for overdraft fees is justifiable provided the alternative path is clearly defined and really makes consumers better off.


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The owner of Facebook and Instagram will cut another 10,000 jobs, months after laying off 11,000 staff, as the technology group prepares for years of economic disruption.
Meta Platforms unveiled a fresh wave of redundancies as it battens down the hatches, announcing it would also shut about 5,000 additional vacant roles that it had not yet filled and cancel “lower priority” projects.
“This will be tough, and there’s no way around that,” Mark Zuckerberg, its chairman and chief executive, told employees. Tech companies worldwide are scrambling to cut costs amid apprehension over the economic outlook.
Zuckerberg, 38, suggested that junior employees work better from the office, at least for part of the week.
“Engineers earlier in their career perform better on average when they work in-person with teammates at least three days a week,” he told staff, citing “early analysis of performance data” that required further study. “But our hypothesis is that it is still easier to build trust in person and that those relationships help us work more effectively.”
Shares in Meta closed up 7.3 per cent, or $13.12, at $194.02 in New York last night after it outlined the latest stage of its drive to cut costs. The group has promised to reduce expenses by $5 billion as part of a “Year of Efficiency” in 2023, having endured a stock market rout in 2022 amid concern over the strength of the online advertising market, and its spending.
The stock endured a sharp decline in 2022, in the face of mounting fears over the economy, a digital advertising slowdown and intense scrutiny of its investment in the metaverse, an immersive digital realm that many in Silicon Valley deem to be the future of the internet. However, they have rebounded strongly since the start of the year.
Asked about specific plans for the UK, where it had some 5,000 staff before the first wave of layoffs, a Meta spokesman declined to comment further.
Last year amounted to a “humbling wake-up call” for Meta after years of rapid sales growth, Zuckerberg said in a 2,200-word memo, as the economy turned, competition from rival platforms including TikTok intensified and the company’s growth slowed.
“At this point, I think we should prepare ourselves for the possibility that this new economic reality will continue for many years,” he said. “Higher interest rates lead to the economy running leaner, more geopolitical instability leads to more volatility, and increased regulation leads to slower growth and increased costs of innovation.”
Meta, which is based in Menlo Park, California, was founded by Zuckerberg in 2004. The company has 3.74 billion monthly active users across its platforms, which also include WhatsApp, and a market value of almost $500 billion. It had more than 87,000 employees last autumn, after years of rapid recruitment, before announcing the first wave of lay-offs in November.
So far this year, some 128,000 lay-offs have been announced across the sector, according to Layoffs.fyi, a tracker.


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The National Retail Federation has estimated that b-t-s spending will reach $13.39 billion this year, down from $14.79 billion last year. WWD reported earlier this week that sales have been sluggish, due to high temperatures and soaring gas prices. Still, many retailers put their b-t-s goods out early this year, hoping to cash in on the Bohemian and Western fads of the season. Look-Look Inc., a research, marketing and trend firm specializing in youth culture, has provided the top fashion accessories female students are planning to purchase this b-t-s season. DeeDee Gordon, co-president of Look-Look, said, “Jewelry has been so popular among younger people — the quality is better these days, and the products are closer to what’s happening on the runway.”
Percentage of female students who plan on purchasing for back-to-school: 44
Claire’s Stores, an accessories retailer that targets teens and young adults, features a section on its Web site titled “Bohemian Beat.” Wooden rings, feathered brooches and chunky beaded necklaces and bracelets can all be found at claires.com. Marla Schaefer, co-chairman and co-chief executive officer of Claire’s, told WWD that in addition to Bohemian styles, customers also like gold earrings and extra-long necklaces.
Hobo bags and oversized totes are the way to go for back-to-schoolers this fall. Reason number one: They’re in fashion this season. Reason number two: Oversized bags can potentially fit schoolbooks and supplies, eliminating the need for a separate backpack or shoulder bag. Trendy retailer Urban Outfitters offers both the bags and totes, while Wal-Mart features hobo bags and oversized crochet bags with sequins on its Web site.
“American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood has been spotted in a slew of Skechers’ new sneaker ads for fall. The Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based company signed her in July. Underwood, a longtime wearer of the brand, succeeds Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears as the new face of Skechers. Other recent ads feature action shots of students in private-school uniforms wearing Skechers sneakers, to target those heading back to school.
Oversized, colorful and bejeweled belts have hit the junior sections of department stores like Macy’s. Sash belts are also featured at macys.com. Belts have been seen accompanied with jeans, skirts or dresses, all in an effort to live up to the popular Bohemian theme. For b-t-s, Aéropostale’s collection includes studded leather and metallic jeweled leather belts, both retailing for about $25.
- BACKPACKS/MESSENGER BAGS
Target features backpacks on one of its latest television advertisements, where kids of all ages show off various styles available — as a remake of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” plays in the background. In addition to backpacks, sling bags from C9 by Champion and messenger bags from Mossimo are hot items for the discount retailer. An added bonus for Target shoppers: Students can conveniently pick up all their school supplies there, too.
- HAIR ACCESSORIES
Colorful headbands, sequined head wraps and hairpins adorning butterflies or oversized flowers are all the rage at Claire’s Stores this year. And Philadelphia-based Urban Outfitters is featuring its line of hair scarves for fall: Often adorned with sequins or prints, the collection is mostly made of silk or cotton.
- DRESS SHOES
“For young people who like to dress up, outfits have to start with the footwear,” said Gordon, of Look-Look Inc. Hot shoe brands like Mudd and Unlisted will provide ideal options for those choosing to get gussied up on their first day of school. J.C. Penney Co. Inc. offers choices under the Mudd and Arizona lines, while Nordstrom Inc. sells dressy numbers via the Unlisted and Steve Madden brands, among others.
American Eagle Outfitters features fall scarves on its Web site, ranging from $6.50 to $15.50. The AE Striped Campus Scarf is made of cotton and is versatile in its range of uses: Young women can use it as a head wrap or neck scarf indoors or out, or they can tie it as a sash or belt around the waist.
Old Navy’s trendy straw cowboy hat is so popular that it’s out of stock at the moment on the retailer’s Web site. Instead, females can snatch up various newsboy caps, available in tweed and corduroy; some contain oversized sequined flower pins. Another popular item available is a vintage-style hat, made of 100 percent wool, whose brim can be worn down or flipped up.
Students looking to buy a watch at Nordstrom will be impressed with the selection. The Seattle-based department store’s selection is extensive for juniors, featuring watches from brands such as DKNY, Fossil, Diesel and Anne Klein.
- IPod/PDA/LAPTOP/CELL PHONE CASES*
“IPod cases have remained at the top of our polls over the past couple of years, but this year it’s surprisingly low,” Gordon said. “Getting a camera phone isn’t as special these days. Buying an iPod isn’t as special, either. The techy products are too mainstream now — so the demand for accessories to accompany those products is going down.”
It’s a hard time of year to imagine purchasing gloves, but 13 percent of respondents still planned to buy them for the school year. Perhaps because of heightened awareness or interest in knitting, items like gloves and scarves have become trendy accessories to make as well. “Knitting is big as a hobby these days — it’s a favorite pastime of lots of young people,” Gordon pointed out.
Source: Look-Look Inc., based in hollywood. Female students were asked to select all applicable fashion accessories they planned to purchase for back-to-school. *Indicates a tie.


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Brits disgruntled with broadband speed
Broadbandchoices.co.uk, the UK Ofcom-accredited broadband comparison site, polled almost 42,000 broadband users on their attitude to broadband speeds and a staggering 77% claimed that their broadband service was slower than they had expected it to be.
Despite this dissatisfaction with speed, when asked how much they would pay per month for superfast broadband, there was little appetite to pay a premium for the sake of a faster connection: 42% stated that they wouldn't even stretch to £10 a month to get the benefits of a superfast connection; 20% indicated they would be happy to stump up £15 per month; and 22% said they would pay £20 per month for such a service. Just 12% were prepared to pay a more realistic monthly subscription charge of £30 - £50 for superfast services, whilst 5% said their broadband speed was so poor they would fork out over £50 for a connection that could be relied upon to deliver high speeds.
Dominic Baliszewski, broadband expert, commented: "Broadband speed is an extremely contentious issue with many customers experiencing far slower speeds than they were led to believe. The rules regarding broadband speed advertising were tightened at the start of April but this is too little, too late for thousands of households who are now waking up to the fact that the Ferrari they thought they were paying for is little faster than a Fiat.
"Broadband providers need to win back the trust of disillusioned customers. It is hardly surprising that bill-payers are unwilling to shell out a premium for a superfast product when they have been let down so badly on the slower packages. The man in the street has little understanding that superfast fibre services deliver speeds much closer to those claimed by the providers.
"Ultimately, the way in which broadband is advertised needs a fundamental rethink. Until we have a stable broadband infrastructure offering stable speeds, the quality of service that customers experience will continue to be a postcode lottery."


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Dell continues to tease its forthcoming ultra-slim Adamo XPS notebook, with the hardware making another public appearance.
Dell today publicly showed off Adamo XPS at an event open to the media, Gizmodo reports. The hardware maker did nothing more than wave the notebook around without providing any real detail about forthcoming PC.
The Adamo XPS will likely be the follow up to the Dell Adamo, rolled out by the hardware maker in March of this year. As it did with the Adamo before it, Dell is doing everything it can to provide as little information as possible about the new notebook.
Dell in September first teased the potentially new version of the Adamo XPS. A teaser Website, launched September 9, merely hinted at what the new hardware might entail. As far as technical specs were concerned, there were none. However, Dell did seem to indicate that the Adamo XPS would be an ultra-thin computer, likely measuring 9.99-mm thick.
Wednesdady's appearance by the Dell Adamo XPS marks the second time that the hardware has been spotted in person by the vendor.
The Adamo -- which is Latin for "to fall in love with" -- was Dell's first attempt to market an alternative to Apple's MacBook Air. The Adamo will start at $1,999 -- not exactly chump change. Still, for the market it is aimed at, the price is competitive; the MacBook Air starts at $1,799.
Dell is banking on the design of the Adamo to be appealing enough to consumers that they can get past the initial sticker shock. Early details put the luxury notebook at 0.65 inches thick, about one-tenth of an inch thinner than the MacBook Air, and with a 13.4-inch glass screen. While the glass screen may give the Adamo a unique look, it also adds weight, with the notebook tipping the scales at about 4 pounds.
Right now Dell is mum on hardware specifications or a release date on the Adamo XPS.


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Valley Bounty: Old Friends Farm
Daily Hampshire Gazette, May 21, 2021
By Jacob Nelson
FOR THE GAZETTE
For over a year, there’s been a new way to buy local food from Old Friends Farm in Amherst. At the onset of the pandemic, they were among the local farms that launched contactless online ordering and curbside pickup — of their own products as well as those of other growers and makers in the region.
As owner Casey Steinberg explains, they were driven to create this new platform by the simplest of farming desires: getting food to people. Last April, that wasn’t easy.
“We didn’t know what would happen to our markets,” Steinberg recalls. “Wholesale was up in the air, restaurants were suffering, farmers markets didn’t know if they were opening at that point — and even if they did, we didn’t know if people would come.”
“We had to make a decision based on a lot of questions,” Steinberg says, “but one thing we knew was that we could grow food with our committed team of employees, and we could provide an outlet to other regional producers to move their food as well.”
This was a big shift for Old Friends Farm. Founded in 2003, the farm grows certified organic produce, flowers, and specialty crops on 28 acres. They’re well known for their salad greens, and as being one of the first farms in New England growing ginger and turmeric on a large scale. The latter they use to create a wide variety of syrups, infused honey, teas and other specialty goods.
Usually, they sell to local retailers including River Valley Co-op, Atlas Farm Store and State Street Fruit Store, as well as restaurants. Regional distributors carry their products north to Vermont, south to New York City, and across the width of Massachusetts.
The Amherst Farmers’ Market is an important outlet for them as well. “We’ve seen some customers there face to face for a long time,” Steinberg says. “Those relationships are very important to us. We’re only a mile from the market, so you can’t get more local than that.”
When the pandemic jeopardized those sales outlets, Steinberg and business partner Missy Bahret took it into their own hands to provide for their customers and employees.
“Many of our employees have been here for years,” Steinberg explains. “They are the farm’s backbone, and we needed an income stream to keep them employed.”
By creating their own online store and ordering system, they ensured they wouldn’t have to rely on less predictable outlets. “We knew if customers took to it, we could uphold our end of the commitment,” he says.
By designing their system around online ordering for curbside pickup, they made it contactless and as pandemic-proof as possible. “We wanted to provide a way for customers to get local food without visiting an environment where they didn’t feel safe,” he explains.
Then, they opened the doors to other growers and producers to take part.
“We wanted to ensure a comprehensive shopping experience for people,” Steinberg says. So, produce, dairy, meat, eggs, baked goods, herbs, pantry products and more from other regional producers were added to round out Old Friends Farm’s offerings.
Any outside products they carry must align with their philosophy. “We’re not asking folks to do anything differently for us,” Steinberg maintains, “but we do have certain criteria. Products should be grown organically or responsibly, and either grown in our region or made using regionally grown ingredients. Anything else wouldn’t fit with our sense of integrity.”
For customers, shopping on the online store has been made as simple as possible. The farm’s website (www.oldfriendsfarm.com) provides directions, and staff can be contacted to help if needed. Orders can be placed any time Friday through Sunday for pick up on Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the farm on South Pleasant Street.
Says Steinberg, “Most customers are local — within 30 minutes of Amherst — though a few drive from Boston, Springfield or the Berkshires. Some use our online store to do all of their shopping, but most use it to supplement, and either is great.”
The online store also accepts payment through SNAP (the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and HIP (the state Healthy Incentives Program). HIP offers rebates for users that spend their SNAP dollars on produce from participating local farms — up to $80 a month depending on family size. Families get free produce, and farms benefit from more money entering the local food economy.
“The pandemic wasn’t going to make food access any easier,” Steinberg says, “and we were already set up to accept SNAP and HIP at farmers’ markets. It just made sense to continue that with this new sales outlet.”
Old Friends Farm’s new platform is certainly not the only game in town. Steinberg cites Atlas Farm Store, Simple Gifts Farm, the Sunderland Farm Collaborative (spearheaded by Kitchen Garden Farm) and Mass Food Delivery (created by Mycoterra Farm) as examples of other pandemic-inspired online marketplaces that have established themselves in the local food economy. Information about these and other online ordering options for local food can be found on CISA’s website at www.buylocalfood.org/find-it-locally.
All these farms drastically shifted their sales operations to offer customers a new way to buy local food. “Really it’s like creating a whole separate business,” Steinberg says, noting that they recently hired a dedicated staff person for their online store.
As the pandemic fades, so do the factors that encouraged people to find food in new ways and inspired these new shopping platforms. But until proved otherwise, Old Friends Farm will continue to bet on customers’ enthusiasm to keep ordering local and online.
“This pandemic has been really, really hard,” Steinberg says, “but some beautiful things have come of it. The increased commitment to buying local in all these different avenues, I hope it stays.”
“We don’t have plans to close curbside ordering. We have producers lined up to grow for it and we’re firing on all cylinders,” he says.
“The product will be there, it’s just a matter of if people show up for it.”
Jacob Nelson is communications coordinator for Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA).


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Truiclar suddenly became the most talked about topic on the dark web as it sold the personal information of 4..ec5 crore Indians at a drunken price. The perpetrators who put the data on sale claimed that it was used by Truickler users to add credibility to the fact that the app is used in the country to identify unknown callers.
Compromised personal data was identified by Sibel, a US-based cyber intelligence agency founded by global cybersecurity expert Binu Aurora. The agency has studied the leaked data and found that it has reached users in various states of India including Maharashtra, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, North East India, Orissa and Punjab.
What was leaked and how much?
The agency identified the leaked information of 4.7575 crore Indians as phone number, name, gender, location, email id and Facebook profile information. Considered as a gold mine for bad actors, all this information is available for only 1000 1000 or about Rs 75,000.
How data can be misused is a matter of wonder that data is available for such a low price. However, as Aurora points out, the cyber criminal named Tugged on the web of darkness is not for money, but to expand his presence.
What are the risks?
Any amount of data bad actors can use in different ways. Cybercriminals can carry out a variety of crimes, from identity theft to phishing attacks and more. Although the Indian Central and State Cyber Crime Agencies are looking into the matter, users feel that they can register at AmiBreach.com to confirm their release.
If your personal data is exposed, in some cases you can do nothing but change your phone number, email ID to avoid being attacked by phishing attacks. If security agencies can be trusted, Truickler users are only affected by this data leak.
Truickler raises questions about credibility
Since the cybersecurity firm claims that the data belongs to the users of the TrueColor application, we have reached out to the popular Caller ID application for clarity. Not only did Truickler deny any breaches to its database, it also said that hackers used Truickler labels to add some credibility to the data.
Our database has not been compromised and all of our user information is secure. We take our user privacy and the freeness of our services very seriously and we constantly monitor for any suspicious activity. In May 2019 we were informed about similar data sales they have here is probably the same dataset as before. It’s easy for bad actors to compile multiple phone number databases and put a TrueCaller stamp on them. By doing this, it lends some credibility to the data and makes them easier to sell. We urge the public and users not to fall prey to bad actors whose primary purpose is to push people into public money, ”Truikler said in a statement.


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The Notion columnist is back casting a sharp eye over this month's hot & nots. August saw the rise of TikTok musicians and a New York Tinder Swindler after a pair of Tabis.
‘Regenerative tourism’ is on the rise, but what does it actually mean for the environment? Earthrise’s Social Media Producer Vee Panday investigates.
From sequins and special effects to surprise songs, Taylor's euphoric 45-song set was a musical journey that transcended time and space.
In 2023, UK drill is still the country's most popular rap genre. But are its biggest stars in search of something new?
Since the pandemic, gig etiquette has been called into question more than ever, as fans find new and outrageous ways to interact with their idols.
Supermodel of the world Naomi Campbell surprised many with the announcement her latest collaborative collection this week, with fast-fashion brand PrettyLittleThing.
One of Britain’s most successful and yet elusive voices is back with his first solo material in six years.
As Sam Levinson’s 'The Idol' debuts to intense criticism, we ask whether the age of hyper-sexualisation in teen dramas has really come to an end.
With brands like Coach and Valentino launching sustainability efforts this month, does designer going green mark a trend or a turning point?
Our columnist Lewys Ball is back, casting an eye over everything you might’ve missed. This week, it's Claudia Schiffer-inspired wedding dresses, Pinkpantheress' NCT link up and a suspiciously timed celebrity scandal.
Earthrise Studio are our newest columnists committed to telling stories for a new world full of hope and possibility for the future. In this first column celebrating Earth Day, find 10 creatives to follow.
Lewys Ball is our columnist, casting an eye over everything you might’ve missed. This week, it's the return of track shorts, Demi Lovato's rock-awakening and Harry Styles and EmRata's oh-so-clumsy kissing.
Panniers, bloomers, and brooches - oh, my! Fashion seems to have taken to the history books as a new wave of opulence hits the red carpets, runways and 'For You' page.


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Outlook Tactical Nuclear Penguin is a beast of a speciality stout that, at an ABV of 32 per cent, is seven and a half times the strength of the wildly over-rated black stuff that Guinness churns out.
This imperial stout also retails at around £40 a bottle, so isn't really a session bevvie – not that many people could survive a skinful of this chestnut brown brew.
The beer is one of a number of frankly insane (but very tasty) craft ales and lagers that James Watt and Martin Dickie have produced since starting BrewDog as 24-year-olds in 2007.
This Aberdeenshire-based brewery has a loyal following and fame has spread as far as the US, where the pair will soon have their own television show.
A key to their success has been convincing 7,000 discerning drinkers to invest in the business, so that two years ago BrewDog raised £2.2m through crowdsourcing to build a new brewery.
The boys are at it again, looking to increase their output 1,000 per cent by raising a record-breaking £4m through their "Equity for Punks" scheme. They also want to set up a brewing academy in London and expand their bar chain overseas.
Mr Watt and Mr Dickie are looking to turn BrewDog into an empire, which would rather take away from the niche, craft-selling point of the business that their customers so love.
Also, for £95 a pop, the 42,105 shares sold will represent just 3.6 per cent of the business. That values BrewDog at more than £100m, well over 200 times BrewDog's profit in 2012.
Sure, cannier investors will factor in the company's recent growth – an annual average of 167 per cent over the past five years – and future expansion when they buy the shares. And Mr Watt insists that the brewery has been constrained by capacity issues that the fundraising will solve, meaning the multiple will soon be closer to the 20-25 times that the industry's biggest players enjoy.
Plus, the more hardened drinkers will find that the savings they get as a shareholder means that buying a case of beer a month should see the £95 recouped within a year.
But, as things stand, investors are being offered a minuscule percentage for a lot of money. This looks like the brewers are taking advantage of their worshipful following's emotional attachment to BrewDog.
Creating such a strong brand is obviously something that Mr Watt and Mr Dickie have every right to exploit. But "Equity for Punks", like the Tactical Nuclear Penguin, should come with a warning to consume with caution.


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Walt Disney World recently announced the name of the upcoming Signature Restaurant at Epcot’s Japan Pavilion. Takumi-Tei, set to open this summer, will provide guests a signature dining experience inspired by the natural beauty of Japan.
Takumi-Tei means “house of the artisan.” Disney said in a statement that, “The design celebrates the relationships between Japanese craftsmanship and the natural world, while the food is inspired by the wonderful collaboration between nature and takumi, the artisan.”
The restaurant will have a few different themed rooms including Material Room (check-in, Lobby), War Room, Water Room, Washi Room, Wood Room, Stone Room and Earth Room. Guests can enjoy a Chef’s Table dining experience in the Water Room.
The upscale menu will highlight wagyu beef, and there will be a multi-course wasting menu featuring traditional tea service. Signature cocktails and premium sake will be available along with wine and craft beers.
Takumi-Tei will be operated by Mitsubishi USA, which operates the merchandise, restaurants (Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining) and kiosks in the Japan pavilion.
There is still no exact opening date for the new restaurant. Stay tuned for more details.


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News and Updates!
Greetings, dear users!
We have news and updates that will surely be useful to you!
We can now accept Sofort payments from 9 different countries, the list includes United Kingdom, Netherlands, Slovakia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, France, Austria.
Giropay transfers can only be accepted from Germany.
Bancontact/Mistercash Belgium payments can be made via vouchers.
Multibanco Portugal is now available!


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You do not need an unlimited budget or a stylish wardrobe to appreciate high fashion. To do so, you can simply visit an art museum. Museums all over the world have curated exhibitions featuring the most innovative, forward-thinking designers. Here are five extraordinary fashion exhibitions that recently opened.
Balenciaga, Shaping Fashion– Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Thru February 2018
Curator Cassie Davies-Strodder took a year and a half to collect the best Balenciaga pieces from all over the world. It includes ruffled flamenco-inspired dresses, beaded evening gowns, exclusive photos and hand-written notes from the late Balenciaga. One would expect nothing less from an exhibition of the house that influenced designers like Christian Dior and Alexander McQueen. According to Vogue.com’s Scarlett Conlon, the exhibition will be a “euphoric celebration of the master of them all.”


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Live ChatJul 12, 2016 10:59 AM By MCM Staff
Olark Live Chat introduced Hummingbird, a mobile-friendly version of its live chat experience. Ideal for chat on smaller screens, Hummingbird helps small- to mid-sized businesses talk to customers who are making a purchasing decision on a handheld device.
Live ChatApr 06, 2016 5:10 PM By MCM Staff
Newegg announced it will team with Facebook messenger to enhance customer support. See what Newegg’s plans are and what this will mean for their customer support.
Live ChatJul 20, 2015 10:28 AM By David Lowy
One area of holiday planning that often gets overlooked until the last minute is online chat. Here are some tips about how to properly leverage your live chat.
Live ChatMay 05, 2014 8:32 AM By Tim Parry
On average, only every 12th greeting leads to a chat. However, there is a lot of room for improvement, as exemplified by some of the business using well-customized greetings.
Live ChatDec 06, 2013 9:42 AM By Dennis Casey
With the holiday shopping season in full swing, merchants are looking to boost holiday sales this year. However, business could ultimately suffer if customer service is not up to par. Here are five tips that will lead to not only exceptional customer service across all channels but also a happy customer.
Live ChatDec 05, 2013 12:55 PM By Erin Lynch
The Cyber Weekend holiday was one for the record books for online merchants. The influx of holiday shoppers also meant and increase in holiday contact center calls. However, according to a recent survey conducted by StellaService, a majority of consumers spent most of their holiday weekend on hold.
Live ChatSep 10, 2013 11:37 AM By Erin Lynch
A recent survey of 6,000 online shoppers has found that the number one most important factor when it comes to defining and offering a positive ecommerce shopping experience all comes down to customer service. So what can you do to improve your online shopping experience? It’s all about contact options such as live chat, click-to-call, and video chat in the contact center.
Live ChatAug 19, 2013 2:02 PM By Erin Lynch
Amazon has opened an 80,000 square-foot contact center in Kentucky this month and while the customer service center is the first of its kind there, it joins four other fulfillment centers across the Bluegrass State.
Live ChatJun 17, 2013 3:39 PM By Erin Lynch
When it comes to revamping their ecommerce sites in 2013, retailers are focusing on keeping the consumer in the loop from the moment an order is placed right until the packaged is delivered to the doorstep.
Live ChatJun 11, 2013 3:27 PM By Erin Lynch
Gone are the days when the contact center meant having a customer call a 1-800 number or send an email if they have a product question or concern. Nowadays, the shape of the contact center is one that meets the needs of the 24-7 consumer and in order to do that successfully it all comes down to training.


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China continues to issue supportive policies in sectors such as finance, taxation, social security and other fields to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) overcome the difficulties. The country will continue reducing taxes and fees for SMEs, and will urge relevant departments to roll out detailed rules and implement relevant policies. Third-party assessment will be conducted to evaluate the implementation of these supportive policies.
China Development Bank (CDB) will provide 360 billion yuan (US50.5 billion) of financing support to the Greater Bay Area (GBA) in 2020. The financing plan includes 290 billion yuan of loans. A total of 110 billion yuan will be spent on technology innovation and emerging industries, according to CDB.
Chinese banks' wealth management businesses remained stable, with the non-guaranteed bank wealth management products amounting to 25.9 trillion yuan (US$3.65 trillion) as of end April, according to China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC). As of end last month, 19 banks have been approved by the CBIRC to set up their wealth management subsidiaries, with twelve of them already in operation, according to the regulator.
China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) has eased regulations on foreign exchange settlements amid efforts to support cross-border e-commerce. With relevant certificates or electronic transaction information, foreign exchange settlements are allowed for individual market entities of international e-commerce entities, without taking up their annual foreign exchange purchase quotas.
China's annual two sessions, the policy-making meetings held by the country's top legislature and political advisory bodies, will officially start tomorrow. Postponed by two months, the sessions, which used to last for half a month, is cut short to one week this year due to the Covid-19. The two sessions will focus on further opening up and reforms, as well as how the country can boost its economic growth after the Covid-19.
China's number of 5G base stations in use has exceeded 200,000, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The country now has 128 million registered 4G users. Major telecom operators China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom say they will set up over 550,000 5G base stations by the end of 2020.
China's State Council, the People's Bank of China, China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, and China Securities Regulatory Commission have rolled out guidance on the financial support for the construction of the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The guidance calls for improvements in the cross-border trade finance infrastructure and simplifies cross-border investment.
The People's Bank of China will support the financial institutions to speed up their digitalization reform. The central bank will also strengthen the supervision on the implementation of technology in the financial industry.
Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei announces that it will partner with a number of car manufacturers to form a 5G-enabled automobile ecosystem. The list of partners includes traditional carmakers like FAW Group and new energy car manufacturer like BYD. The initiative aims to speed up the incorporation of 5G technology in the automobile industry and develop 5G-enabled cars for the market.
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com is said to relist in Hong Kong on May 25, according to a source talking to WenWeiPo. The company is now listed on Nasdaq. The potential re-IPO will likely to be the largest IPO in Hong Kong for 2020.
China will remove quota limit on QFII and RQFII schemes, according to the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. As of March 2020, Chinese regulators have approved US$113 billion of QFII quota and US$712 billion RQFII quota. Foreign investors are allowed to choose in which currency and when they remit money through QFII.
The non-performing loan (NPL) ratios stay flat for most of China's large State-owned commercial banks in Q1 this year. The NPL ratios of the four out of the six largest State-owned commercial banks stays the same in Q1 compared to end 2019. Bank of China's NPL is up by 2 basis points to 1.39%, and Bank of Communications up 12 basis points to 1.59%. This indicates that the asset quality of major Chinese bank has remained stable overall.


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A user by the name of Businesscat2000 has posted a handful of videos which show iOS apps running on a PlayBook. Understandably, his claims were met with skepticism on the CrackBerry Forums, until one user sent him an iPhone-only app, which he then got up and running on a PlayBook within an hour. Hmmm.
However this isn’t something the average user will be able to do. It took the expert-hacker an hour to port an app then its simply not feasible to the average user. However it’s still a cool concept.
Now where’s my Android phone running IOS?