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The Arab Spring challenges of 2011 have had a major impact for Middle Eastern companies trading across the region, but the future now looks positive and growth is expected to accelerate. LIZ SALECKA reports For MENA-based companies trading in countries across the region, the Arab Spring has had major implications in terms of its impact on their business activities and sales as well as their receipt of payments due.
However, as the situation eases, the future is now looking much brighter, and it is believed that the recent events will generate some important benefits for the MENA region, including increased consumption and a general upturn in business opportunities.
“By their own nature, the uprisings have had both short-term effects and long-term effects on corporates in the MENA region, but MENA markets are recovering and the long term-drivers for growth are still the same. The future looks much better with more democracy in place,” says Mohammed Abu Hassan, group treasurer at Hikma Pharmaceuticals, a multinational corporation whose Middle Eastern operations span Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, Libya and Yemen among other countries.
“Banks are starting to believe that the Arab world will get better because of the uprisings. There will be less corruption and there will be more democracy now and this will mean more business.
“Going forward, the Arab Spring has also been about getting more justice for people, and employees are likely to see their salaries rise – more money will lead to more demand and a stronger appetite for goods and services,” he concludes, although he also notes that wage rises will increase the expenses many companies face.
Mohammed explained that one of the biggest problems faced by MENA corporates with businesses in countries such as Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen was the need to keep their cross-border operations up, running and funded – despite weaker sales and revenues and major delays to their receipt of payments.
“Many corporates saw their businesses interrupted during the unrest experienced in different countries. For example, sales came to a halt for a number of days in both Egypt and Tunisia but the expenses companies faced in these countries had to be kept running.
“However, the nature of the uprisings was not the same across the region,” he continues. “In Egypt and Tunisia, the situation was very quickly resolved – the uprising lasted about 30 days in Egypt – but in Libya and Yemen, reaching a resolution has taken far too long, meaning that this has had a major impact on companies with local businesses and funds in those countries.”
In its half-year financial results for 2011, published in August, Hikma reported a 10.4 per cent increase in its group revenues to $394.8m with organic growth of 3.2 per cent, although group gross profit declined by 3.3 per cent to $127.6m.
Revenues from branded products, one of Hikma’s main business streams, grew by three per cent – much of which was driven by growth in MENA markets such as Algeria, Sudan and Iraq – putting it on line to meet its seven per cent target for branded product revenue growth. However, these revenues were offset by weaker results from its operations in Egypt, Tunisia and Bahrain as well as in Yemen and Libya – two countries, where it admits that business is only just starting to return to normal.
“During the period, our team in the MENA region did an excellent job of managing unprecedented disruptions in several markets and we have invested in strengthening our sales and marketing operations. With the exception of markets affected by political unrest, we delivered double-digit growth in most other markets,” says Susan Ringdal, Investor Relations Director, Hikma.
Major delays to payments.
The slow-down in the cross-border transfer of payments has also been a major challenge faced by companies operating in countries affected by the Arab Spring. For many companies, this made it impossible to collect invoice payments due on time – both during and after the disturbances.
Although the situation is now improving in Egypt and Tunisia, money transfers are still taking longer than usual – particularly where large sums are involved.
“Money transfers are not restricted, but banks in countries affected by the uprisings do not like signing money transfers outside those countries,” says Mohammed, pointing out that banks are concerned about the possibility that deposed politicians may seek to transfer money overseas.
“Banks need to make sure where the funds are coming from – and dig into their sources. As a result, money transfers are now taking a lot longer, and this was especially the case immediately after uprisings in certain countries. With the passage of time, we have seen money transfers taking less time.
“In Tunisia, there are no major complications now and making money transfers has got easier again. Cross-border trade and the payment of invoices have got back to normal in Tunisia, but the situation in Egypt has been slower to recover.”
He adds that companies looking to make dividend payments across borders, or to sell an existing investment in either Egypt or Tunisia, are still finding it difficult to transfer such large sums out of either country.
Problems with cross-border invoice payments have, however, continued to persist in both Libya and Yemen: “In Libya and Yemen, cross-border payments have come to a total halt, and this means that is impossible to claim receivables due on time. As a result, the payment terms and methods being applied in these countries are really being tested. This is not the banks’ fault – it is all connected to the uprisings,” says Mohammed.
He adds that for companies active in Libya, weaker sales and very late payments are not the only obstacles that they have had to contend with over the last year.
“In Libya, about 60-70 per cent of the economy is governmental, meaning that corporate have regular dealings with the government. At certain points during the uprising, both the old government and the new government were in charge of trades – now dealings are solely with the new government,” he says.
Better risk management
Today, one of the most significant after-effects of the Arab Spring is that companies and banks operating across the region are placing a greater emphasis on risk management.
“Credit risk has gone up significantly across the MENA region and this has proved very testing for those companies whose business payment terms and payment methods are insufficient. Many companies have relied on unprotected payment terms, but they are now recognising that they need to evaluate and understand their clients better than ever before,” says Mohammed.
He also pointed out that although many companies may have a history of trading with a client, that does not mean that they have a proper understanding of how that client will be impacted by an uprising in its home country.
“Now there is a need for greater classification of clients and the risks they present. Some clients may be small and concentrated in one country – and companies have to evaluate the implications of an uprising in that country, and seek greater security.
“For multinationals and regional trading companies – which operate in more than one country – this is not the case. At Hikma, we have not seen any changes to the ways that our customers do business with us.”
He adds that political risk insurance is still available in the region, although the price of it has gone up. Another option open to companies is to insure their profits against loss as a result of a war or uprisings against governments.
Companies should also consider asking their banks for more support. “Banks definitely have a big role to play in helping companies to assess and manage the risks they face. Risk management itself is most advanced in the banking sector,” he says.
How banks are reacting
According to Mohammed, banks operating across the region have also reacted – and they, too, have become more cautious.
Most banks are now examining their risk management processes and systems with a view to enhancing their risk mitigation.
“There have been no major differences in the way that local banks and foreign banks have responded to the situation,” says Mohammed.
“Banks provision of loans to small businesses has been extremely poor (generally), but they are keen to offer finance to larger corporates. Small firms are suffering, and the Arab Spring has made this situation worse.”


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At its WWDC developers’ conference today, Apple announced “News,” a curated news app the company describes as “all the news you want, right where you want it.” The app’s launch partners include CNN, ESPN, and Bloomberg Business along with a variety of legacy and digital brands, including The New York Times and BuzzFeed.
Apple says the News app will personalize a user’s feed to provide the kinds of stories they prefer. “News has the latest stories, articles, and posts, with over a million topics to choose from,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of product marketing.
“It supports our mobile strategy to publish and syndicate our content to new platforms, and meet our customers where they consume news.” CNN’s chief product officer Alex Wellen said in a statement.
Content from Bloomberg will include “text, photos, graphics, and videos” from the Bloomberg Business home page as well as the Markets, Technology, Pursuits, Politics and View sections.
“We’re thrilled to have a technology and design icon like Apple invite us to lead an initiative that will impact the way consumers get news on the go,” said Bloomberg Media CEO Justin B. Smith.

domain: news


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Coloring is getting a 21st-century makeover, courtesy of Crayola and Griffin Technology. And best of all, the combination iPad app and stylus offering introduced by the two companies Wednesday means there's almost no chance that your kids will wind u...
With consumers these days living ever more mobile and connected lives, it seems only natural that we'd move toward a more connected automobile. After all, the average urban American spends the equivalent of 8.3 days a year commuting, according to The...
LG Mobile this week added its wireless charger, called the WCP-700 Wireless Charging Pad, to the growing list of convenient charging devices for mobile phones.
Europe's first common mobile phone charger was revealed on Tuesday. Gone are the days of running out of battery charge when none of your colleagues have the same make of phone as you, or the hotel doesn't have your brand's charger.
U.S. iPod touch owners will soon be able to access the Internet without a Wi-Fi hotspot by using a new add-on being launched on Sunday by Sprint and Chinese network supplier ZTE.
Verizon Wireless customers will be able to link their Wi-Fi devices to the Internet via 3G mobile networks in more than 120 countries with the Fivespot portable hotspot, set to go on sale Thursday. But globetrotting with it won't be cheap.
Sony Ericsson has unveiled a remote control with a 1.3-inch screen that will allow Android smartphone users to view Facebook and Twitter updates and control their phone's music player.
Google updated its mobile e-mail client Gmail for the Android operating system decoupling it from a smartphone's core functions. The move by Google to independently offer a version of its Gmail software is a big step by the company to wrestle back co...
Nokia still sells more phones than Samsung, LG and Research in Motion (RIM) put together, but its inability to produce high-margin, high-end smartphones that can compete head-to-head with Apple's iPhone and Android-based smartphones is causing it maj...
Short range communication using NFC (Near Field Communication) circuitry embedded in mobile phones has had a difficult journey to market, but it may soon see light at the end of the tunnel with increasing adoption for city transit projects, according...
Qualcomm has started sampling its FSM9xxx family of chipsets for femtocells, the company said on Tuesday.
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By this point, it's an open secret that chain restaurants use fat and sugar to tease you into liking their food — against your tastebuds' wishes — and create an almost addictive response to their Big Mac or Bang-Bang Shrimp. Most fast food or fast casual restaurants manage to inject a heapload of those two fundamental building blocks into every dish on the menu without necessarily advertising that fact.
Obviously, Pei Wei Asian Diner no longer feels the need to be surreptitious about it.
Introducing Pei Wei's new Caramel Chicken! "Newest Exotic Entrée Created to Strike Balance Between Sweet and Spicy" claims the press release, which essentially means that they've ramped up the sweet and added a tiny, lowest-common denominator amount of spice to trick you into thinking there is some sort of culinary balance going on. It's like sprinkling a dash of cayenne on a Snickers.
Full press release after the break:


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The Eden Prairie-based restaurant chain is set to open its eighth location next month. Crave also has restaurants in Minnesota, Omaha and Florida.
Zuccarello helps Wild spoil Lundqvist's retirement party
After Henrik Lundqvist's jersey was hung to the rafters, Zuccarello led a 3-2 win.
David Arquette gives shoutout to MN's F1rst Wrestling on James Corden show
The Hollywood actor wrestled at at a F1rst Wrestling show at First Avenue in early 2019.
6 charged in Black Friday mass thefts at Twin Cities Best Buys
The group stole from three Best Buy stores that afternoon, the charges say.
Thieves steal large bell from rural MN church, don't get far with it
The bell was found in a ditch with tow ropes around it.
COVID: More help coming to Minnesota hospitals, Walz says
More than 200 medical professionals are coming to help at short-staffed hospitals.
Suspect arrested after falling asleep in vehicle at rest stop
The man was sleeping in a stolen vehicle in the parking lot of an I-94 rest area.
Charges: Edina man threatened to shoot up Domino's Pizza
He claimed a delivery driver had flipped him off, the charges say.
Carvana seeking to build vehicle vending machine in Twin Cities
The online car dealership submitted a letter of intent to buy land in the metro to build a fulfillment center.
Coller: New Vikings GM Adofo-Mensah needs to be ruthless
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah needs to make some big, difficult decisions, writes Matthew Coller.
Report: Vikings to interview Giants' Patrick Graham for head coach
Graham coached with the Patriots under Bill Belichick for six years.
Home brand plans 'flagship' store in Maple Grove AMC Theater space
This will be the company's first Minnesota location.
Minnesota's COVID-19 update for Friday, January 28
The state is still in the process of catching up with 10,000 yet-to-be processed tests.
Smashburger among newbies coming to Southdale
The Denver-based burger chain will open its ninth Twin Cities location in the mall's newly designed dining pavilion later this year, the Edina Patch reports. The Business Journal notes Smashburger already has locations in Eagan, Eden Prairie, Golden Valley, Plymouth, Roseville, St. Anthony, St. Paul and Woodbury.
Minnesota-based Buffalo Wild Wings to open restaurants overseas
Golden Valley-based Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. is spreading its wings to include restaurants in the Middle East and Puerto Rico. The company will establish 22 locations in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with options for four other Mideast countries, over the next six years. In a separate deal, a Florida-based franchisee of the company will open four restaurants in Puerto Rico by the end of 2016.
Supervalu to sell Midwest distribution center in Wisconsin
Eden Prairie-based Supervalu Inc. has inked a deal to sell its supermarket distribution center near Kenosha, Wis., to Meijer Inc., a Michigan-based retailer and grocer, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Terms of the deal were not released. Supervalu is set to move out of the 580,000-square-foot facility by 2013.
Supervalu offers top execs retention pay, options
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Supervalu fires CEO, names replacement
Supervalu has pushed out CEO Craig Herkert from the struggling Eden Prairie-based supermarket chain, the Associated Press reports. Chairman Wayne Sales will take on the roles of president and chief executive officer as Supervalu explores a possible sale of its operations following disappointing quarterly results.
Supervalu eliminating up to 2,500 positions in California, Nevada
Eden Prairie-based Supervalu said it will reduce its workforce by cutting supermarket-level jobs at its Albertson's stores in California and Nevada. Albertsons is the largest retail subsidiary of the Supervalu, with 247 stores in the western United States. Supervalu owns a dozen supermarket chains, including Cub Foods in the Twin Cities.
Minnesota company agrees to pay $500K for for violating California air rules
Birchwood Laboratories Inc., an Eden Prairie-based distributor of various consumer products, has agreed to pay $500,000 to the California Air Pollution Control Fund for violating strict air quality rules, the Sacramento Bee reports. The first of four $125,000 installments was paid in August.
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SEOUL, April 8 (Korea Bizwire) — Lee Ga-ram, 37, was forced to give up her decadelong annual ritual of having a picture taken of herself in the same spot at Seokchon Lake, one of Seoul’s most popular cherry blossom sites, as access to the park was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is just five minutes away from my home, but I will miss my chance this time. Sticking to home with my fussy toddler all day long in this weather is just torture,” Lee said.
To give a brief moment of respite to those like Lee, the Songpa district office in southeastern Seoul has turned to online platforms such as YouTube and Facebook and is broadcasting the scenery live on a regular basis, the first such attempt by the local government.
To obtain better footage, the office has even flown drones.
It is one of many creative ideas South Koreans have tested out to celebrate the floral abundance while being under unprecedented social distancing guidance aiming at flattening the virus curve.
Most of the country’s major scenic spots were closed and festivals were canceled this year.
One of the most famous ones, Jinhae Gunhangje held in the southern city of Changwon, was also called off for the first time since its launch in 1963. Last year, it drew around 4 million visitors.
Instead of simply barring public access, however, others introduced a “drive-thru tour program” after taking a cue from the country’s innovative way of testing for the new coronavirus.
“As Gyeongju has the largest community of cherry trees in the country, the whole city is like a blossom attraction. So the shutdown was not a viable option here,” an official of the southeastern city government said.
“Flower viewing is fine, as long as you don’t exit your vehicle.”
Police officers and volunteers were dispatched to guide traffic and to ensure that major parking lots remained closed.
Drivers are supposed to go slower along several key spots of the pink paradise, lest they not have enough time to view the landscape.
As parking is not allowed, the number of visitors on walking tours has decreased dramatically, according to Park Chan-young, chief of the Gyeongju Police Station.
A similar drive-thru program for a tour around Chungju Dam in central South Korea drew more than 15,000 cars over the past week alone, the local government said.
The central city of Cheongju came up with “one-way flower viewing” alongside the Musimcheon river, one of the city’s key cherry blossom spots.
Under the city’s administrative order meant to reduce contact among individuals, visitors are allowed to walk only one way, and wearing masks is a must. Parking along the stream or eating food is prohibited.
Despite restrictions and the subsequent inconveniences, many have shown positive responses.
“I had just taken daily walks around my community due to the coronavirus, but I learned of this drive-thru program in Gyeongju from a news report. I was able to view these puffy white flowers without wearing a mask and not being swept along in the crowd. It was just awesome,” read a blog post on the portal site Naver.
The blogger added that it couldn’t be better than to enjoy the flowers while listening to her favorite song, “Spring Day” by BTS.
“The lyrics go, ‘No season can last forever. Maybe it’s cherry blossoms, and this winter will be over.’ I hope this virus season ends soon,” she said.
In this stay-at-home era, delivery or takeout is not just for food.
An increasing number of people want to bring home the symbol of spring, and related businesses have been scurrying to meet such demands.
Market Kurly, an online grocery delivery service platform, added tulips and freesias in late February to its list of products to be delivered by sunrise if they are ordered before 11 p.m. And it was a hit.
On the first day, one thousand boxes of tulips sold out in two hours, the company said, adding that more than 500 orders have been placed every day.
“It is not cheap as one box with five tulips costs 12,900 won (US$10.44), but it is worth the money because now I can and should enjoy them all day long at home,” 35-year-old office worker Kim Min-seon said.
She has been telecommuting since last month due to the coronavirus.
“I’ve often sent the flowers to my mom to help her feel better, as she has been in a bad mood recently,” Kim said. Her mom is particularly sensitive to the virus issue as she is in her 60s and has underlying conditions.
Online flower shops have also seen their sales rise this year, according to market trackers. Kukka, a local company specializing in a regular flower delivery service, said its sales in February and March this year nearly tripled from the same period in 2019.
“More people have complained of metal health problems while experiencing ‘abnormality’ due to the coronavirus. As the situation has drawn out, it is advised to actively seek new alternatives and strive to adapt to these unwanted, but unavoidable, circumstances,” said Kwak Keum-joo, a professor of psychology at Seoul National University.
Last week, the government announced its decision to further extend the social distancing campaign for another two weeks until at least April 19 amid the slowing but still continuing spread of the new coronavirus.
As of Tuesday, South Korea had reported 10,331 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 192 deaths.


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China has shown interest in buying Soyabean de-oiled cake produced in Maharashtra and the initiative is likely to fetch higher prices for the crop than the minimum guaranteed price.
Soya de-oiled cake is a coarse granular material, produced from cleaned Soyabean seeds after a series of physical processes and multistage extraction.
One quintal soybean produces 18 kg oil and 82 kg of de-oiled cake, so the price of the de-oiled cake is more important to a cultivator than the oil rates.
The demand for Soyabean de-oiled cake in China is 10 times higher than that available in India. That is why China can be a good market for Soyabean grown in the state. Maharashtra is one of the largest producers of Soyabean in the country.
Keeping in mind the interest of Soyabean cultivators, the Centre has announced a 10 per cent export promotional incentive (subsidy) as well. This would certainly help Soyabean growers to earn more as the export will also increase the demand in the domestic market.
Maharashtra Agricultural Price Commission president said about three million tonnes of Soyabean will be available for export from the country this year.


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Klarna, Flybuys partner to triple Australians’ loyalty rewards
Buy now Pay later firm Karna and loyalty program Flybuys are partnering to allow customers to earn reward points for every dollar repaid through through the BNPL platform.
Starting in May, Flybuys’ members can use the Klarna app online and in-store and shop, and when making their repayments can earn 1 ‘vibe’ per dollar repaid, which convert to 3 Flybuys points.
“This partnership with Klarna opens up new opportunities for our members to collect points, and even more ways to be savvy with their shopping,” said Flybuys chief executive officer John Merakovsky.
“We’re incredibly proud to welcome Klarna into the fold as our first buy now, pay later partner.”
This is the latest major partnership from Flybuys, which last year also developed and launched a new payments platform, Flypay, with supermarket Coles.
And, in an economic environment where customers are looking to make the most out of each purchase, increasing the reach of a loyalty program into different methods of payment could make it easier to onboard new customers.
According to Klarna general manager for ANZ Fran Ereira, the new partnership has been designed for “modern customers”.
“Shoppers want more flexibility in payment options so they can get what they want now, but they also want to be rewarded for taking this option,” Ereira said.
“Klarna’s partnership with Flybuys rewards both our customers by tripling their points collection and rewards potential.”


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Global ad spending on social media will total $23.68 billion this year and reach $35.98 billion by 2017, accounting for 16 percent of all digital ad spending worldwide, according to the latest projections from digital consultancy eMarketer.
eMarketer predicted that advertisers in the U.S. and Canada will boost ad spending on social networks by 31 percent in 2015, topping the $10 billion mark.
As for other regions, eMarketer pegged the Asia-Pacific 2015 total at $7.4 billion and Western Europe at $4.74 billion, followed by a steep drop-off, with Latin America tallying $680 million and central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East and Africa far behind.
In terms of amount spent per user, advertisers in the U.S. and Canada will shell out more than $50 in 2015, jumping to $71.37 in 2017, while Asia-Pacific advertisers’ respective per-user totals were projected at $8.04 and $10.54 by eMarketer.
eMarketer sees U.S. advertisers spending $9.59 billion on social ads in 2015, up 2014 from the previous year and more than double the 2013 total. That figure will reach $14.4 billion in 2017, eMarketer projected.
China finished a strong second behind the U.S., with eMarketer pegging its 2015 total at $3.41 billion, leaping to $6.11 billion in 2017, or 12.5 percent of all digital ad spend in the country.
Breaking it down by specific social network, eMarketer wrote:
At a company level, unsurprisingly, Facebook is dominating the paid social advertising landscape globally. eMarketer estimates that the company will make $15.5 billion in ad revenues in 2015, which would account for 65.5 percent of all social network ad spending worldwide. Facebook owned 64.8 percent of the social network ad market in 2014. Twitter is also gaining share, expected to take 8.8 percent of all social network ad spending this year, or $2.09 billion, up from a 7.1 percent share in 2014. LinkedIn, the other major U.S.-based social ad seller for which eMarketer forecasts ad revenues, will make $900 million in advertising this year, but its share of social ad spending worldwide will dip to 3.8 percent, down from 4.2 percent in 2014.
Readers: What did you think of eMarketer’s projections?
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.


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PLANO, Texas and BURLINGTON, Mass – Keurig Dr Pepper, together with the Dallas Cowboys and the City of Frisco, broke ground on a new 350,000 square-foot built-to-suit office building located at The Star in Frisco, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys World Corporate Headquarters. The new space will serve as one of Keurig Dr Pepper’s two headquarters, with the other in Burlington, Massachusetts.
“Upgrading our Texas co-headquarters location will allow us to support the needs of our expanding business,” Bob Gamgort, chairman and CEO of Keurig Dr Pepper, said. “The new location at The Star in Frisco places us in the center of a vibrant and growing community, with access to state of the art collaboration tools and a wide variety of lifestyle amenities to enable us to attract and retain the best team members in the industry”
Set to open in 2021, the building will feature a state-of-the-art work setting for approximately 1,100 employees who currently work at the company’s location in Plano.
“The business community at The Star has made a significant impact on our city’s corporate landscape,” Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney said. “Keurig Dr Pepper’s move strengthens Frisco’s position as one of the top corporate relocation destinations in the country and will continue to benefit our residents and business community for years to come.”
“The Dallas Cowboys are excited to team up with Keurig Dr Pepper to grow our long-standing relationship,” said Jerry Jones, owner, president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys. “We look forward to working together to continue to foster an environment at The Star that values community and innovation, along with advancing business.”
About Keurig Dr Pepper
Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) is a leading coffee and beverage company in North America, with annual revenue in excess of $11 billion. KDP holds leadership positions in soft drinks, specialty coffee and tea, water, juice and juice drinks, and mixers, and markets the #1 single-serve coffee brewing system in the U.S. The Company maintains an unrivaled distribution system that enables its portfolio of more than 125 owned, licensed and partner brands to be available nearly everywhere people shop and consume beverages. With a wide range of hot and cold beverages that meet virtually any consumer need, KDP key brands include Keurig, Dr Pepper, CORE, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Canada Dry, Snapple, Bai, Mott’s and The Original Donut Shop. The Company employs more than 25,000 employees and operates more than 120 offices, manufacturing plants, warehouses and distribution centers across North America. For more information, visit keurigdrpepper.com.
About The Frisco Economic Development Corporation
The Frisco EDC operates as a Texas non-profit corporation and is governed by a seven-member board of directors appointed by the Frisco, Texas City Council. Job number one is facilitating the creation of jobs, as the Frisco EDC’s mission is to improve the economic opportunities and quality of life for all Frisco residents. The Frisco EDC has facilitated major economic development projects, resulting in hundreds of projects and thousands of jobs in the City of Frisco. For more information, visit FriscoEDC.com.
About The Star
The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco and Frisco ISD, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; and Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; The Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options throughout The Star District. For more information on The Star, visit thestarinfrisco.com.


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“A growing number of people don’t want to own a vehicle permanently, but would like the exclusive use of one for a defined period. The Volkswagen AutoAbo is a flexible new subscription offering that is mid-way between leasing and car sharing,” says Zellmer. “We estimate that, by 2030, around 20 percent of our revenue could come from subscriptions and other short-term mobility offerings.”
In the months ahead, Volkswagen will be making more than 2,000 nearly-new used cars available via AutoAbo, creating one of the largest such subscription models in Germany. Customers can choose between the ID.3 and ID.4, so all-electric vehicles only. Volkswagen is thus marking a further milestone on its Way to Zero and extending its sustainable mobility offering for everyone. The subscription model has been devised in conjunction with Volkswagen Financial Services, which is the Group development centre for car subscription models.
Dealers to be fully involved
The AutoAbo model is available with three-month and six-month minimum subscription periods. Thereafter, customers can terminate their subscription whenever they wish. Zellmer says: “The contract covers everything except electricity.” In concrete terms, this means 800 kilometres per month and a full-service package with registration, roadworthiness tests, maintenance and servicing, insurance and road tax. As a special offer to mark the launch, customers can have a car delivered to and collected from anywhere in Germany with 14 days’ notice. In the future, cars will be delivered via the dealer network. You can find more information at www.volkswagen.de/autoabo.
The dealer network will be incorporated into the subscription model right from the start, for example, when it comes to maintenance and repairs. The network’s integration into the model will be intensified gradually so that dealers remain the Volkswagen brand’s face to its customers. At a later date, the plan is for customers to be able to sign up to a subscription at their dealer. “We will continue to make full use of the advantages of our strong dealer network,” says Zellmer.
Online leasing and sales to start at the end of 2021
At the same time, the company is making rapid progress in digitalising its sales channels as part of the ACCELERATE strategy. Just a few months after launching the AutoAbo subscription model, Volkswagen will be offering online leasing and online sales, initially for models from the ID. family but then also for new and used cars with any drive system. The dealers and their vehicles will be fully integrated into Volkswagen’s central digital marketplace at www.autosuche.de.
In this way, the car maker is seeking to reach a larger customer base and generate additional revenue. “We are responding to changes in customers’ purchasing behaviour and enabling them to conclude contracts at a dealer or online. In both cases, we need a strong online presence coupled with the customer proximity and local presence provided by our dealers. A strong brand is based on a promise and trust,” says Zellmer. The dealers will remain crucial partners in online sales as well. Customers will choose their preferred dealer to advise them, provide service and deliver their vehicles. The dealers will receive the same commission as if the vehicle had been ordered from them directly.


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“Wyscout is what it is today thanks to the support received throughout the years, not only in terms of financial aid but also priceless guidance received by mentors and entrepreneurs. Thanks to their advice, Wyscout was able to walk the challenging and difficult paths of global markets.” – Stefano Tambornini, Wylab Director
The football platform, Wyscout aims to provide data of football teams, players and matches to agents, scouts, referees, coaches and players. Featuring player profiles, match analysis, and a pulse on the transfer market, it is used by 500 clubs including Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, Juventus, and Arsenal.
The team that started Wyscout is taking the notion of ‘paying it forward’ to heart and recently opened the doors to Wylab, Italy’s first sports tech incubator. Wylab is currently preparing to launch its first accelerator and incubator program and they are taking a collaboration-first approach in their pilot program, putting an emphasis on education and networking.
In describing the approach Wylab is taking to their incubator program, Tambornini used the phrase ‘contamination is the keyword.’ When asked to expand on that, he said, “We think that contamination among operators coming from different fields – athletes, managers, medical professionals, tech experts – and different sports is the key to delivering the best possible product or service.” He notes that even in the few months they’ve been open they have seen that seemingly common practices in some sports are completely new or not applied in other sports. So Wylab wants to be a place where different sports can meet and share their best practices to help each other improve their performance.
Throughout the selection process for the first incubator, the committee reviewed the 70+ applications based on the team, market dimensions, presence of a competitive advantage, business model and the possible synergies with the Incubator and Wyscout to narrow the pool to the most promising startups.
— matteo campodonico (@matte_campo) February 5, 2016
Their applicants included a wide range of products from IoT video analysis, data analysis, and sensors for athletes, to e-commerce, social media, and drone videos. They also came from around the world including France, Azerbaijan, Australia, Argentina and the US and included sports such as soccer, boxing, tennis, volleyball, running and basketball. While the selections haven’t been announced yet, Tambornini told me they were particularly impressed by an app that tracks the set distribution during a volleyball match that allowed for advanced tactical analysis that could be used in real-time and pre-match. Another interesting submission was a platform that applies statistical models to athlete movements to identify the ‘optimal gesture.’
We will provide an update when the final companies in the incubator are announced.
Those who are invited to join the Wylab family will endure a four month acceleration program, during which they receive mentoring to improve their business plan. This is also an opportunity for Wylab to further evaluate the startups and determine which ones will move into the incubation phase.
Once in the incubation phase, the startups will receive mentoring from Wylab’s managers and Wyscout’s partners and founders including Matteo Campodonico, CEO and Founder of Wyscout and Antonio Gozzi, CEO of Duferco Group and Chairman of Vitrus Entella, a football club in the Italian Serie B League. In addition to accessing top sports minds, the startups will also receive credit access and acquisition of equity.
Tambornini explains that they will offer seminars and courses hosted by experts in the industry and successful entrepreneurs as a way to connect these startups with those who have extensive knowledge of the sports tech industry. The education and networking emphasis is further achieved by Wylab being set up as a co-working space where startups and small businesses can easily collaborate. This is where the mantra ‘contamination is the keyword’ comes into play. Programmers, developers, web designers and web agencies work side-by-side with the startups to help them come up with the best possible product.
Over the next year, the startups selected will benefit from these resources and the best of the best will walk away from Demo Day with financing of up to 100,000 euros. It remains to be seen which will be the next Wyscout, but Wylab’s unique approach will certainly allow for innovation in technology to improve athlete performances, team strategies, and the fan experience.
‘Our goal is to become the hub for sports innovation technology in Italy,’ states Tambornini.
The startup Crowd Sports is offering sports fan a more interactive form of sports betting, allowing users to compete in real time during live sporting events against the "crowds" at home or at an arena.
- Tom Friend
- June 24, 2022


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FOR SALE: Ipswich home comes with bonus coffee van, business
An Ipswich teahouse operating from a 1900s character home is still up for grabs, more than six months after hitting the market.
The Dinmore Cottage was listed for sale last year and included the business along with the property, meaning the new owner would be able to jump right in and start trading.
The cottage was on the brink of transforming to service the disability care industry but, due to complications with approvals, a sale fell through.
Owners Lindy and Rob Leavy relisted the historic property as a home.
“Someone who is interested in buying the teahouse might want to live in the house and do the coffee van,” Lindy said.
“The mortgage for the place would be less than what you’re paying in rent, plus you have a way to generate an income straight away.”
For the past four and a half years, 1A Dinmore St, Dinmore has operated as a teahouse, serving up high tea, coffee and lunches.
To appeal to the early morning crowd, Lindy and Rob added a coffee van into the mix, which sits at the front of the property.
“Covid didn’t really slow us down because we did a lot of takeaways from the coffee van,” Lindy said.
The owners are accepting offers of over $479,000.
Read more news by Ebony Graveur.


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Tether have released a Chinese Yuan-Backed Stablecoin on the Ethereum Blockchain, expanding Tether’s capabilities especially in assisting the use of digitized fiat currencies.
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In this guest post, Anna Mukherjee from Sydney’s Lewis Global Communications, says marketers have lost sight of their objectives in the race towards optimum reach and efficiency, adding it’s time to step back and reassess strategies…
In the drive to maximize reach and efficiency, marketers have lost sight of fundamental objectives. The recent incidents with Pepsi, United Airlines and YouTube provide marketers with vital lessons which make it necessary to take a step back and reassess strategies.
A successful brand strategy is one that aligns with the values and beliefs of a company’s culture. It truthfully represents the characteristics and strengths of the business while emotionally connecting with consumers who believe the brand is aligned with their needs, wants and tastes. It isn’t easy to achieve this. In fact, many companies fail simply because they haven’t developed a brand that resonates with their audience, even if they do offer a good product. The brand is the first thing people notice and the last thing they remember.
Today, brands are spending more and more to win attention. Without substance and an underlying truth or purpose, companies are unable to form authentic relationships with their customers, leading to wasted resources and effort.
We are in the era of “fake news” and “alternative facts”, where consumers no longer blindly trust corporate or political institutions. There is a need for today’s brands to be honest and transparent about who they are and what they offer, to constantly build and retain confidence, and keep moving the business forward.
So, in today’s day and age, how can businesses stay true to their brand essence while implementing their marketing strategy, and how can we as marketers add real value to customers?
- Never ever compromise your brand
A recent Standard Media Index (SMI) report showed a drop in digital media spend in Australia for the first time in a decade – coming in at the early stages of the YouTube global boycott. Companies like Holden, Telstra, Foxtel, Tourism and Events Queensland, and even the Australian government stopped spending on YouTube because of brand safety concerns.
It isn’t uncommon to see companies advertising alongside online videos that have questionable content, but high viewership. For example, the numerous “prank” videos on YouTube contain content that is objectively violent, degrading, racist or simply repulsive. Fanatical, extremist videos are easily found as well. No brand would consider this content “brand safe”, but that doesn’t mean their ads aren’t being displayed with it. However, it took a Times investigation to drive advertisers to act and that too only when prominent brands came to the forefront for being displayed alongside extremist content. So, while viral videos with questionable content might deliver eyeballs, brands don’t necessarily reap benefits when they compromise their identities to achieve optimum reach.
Given Google has a long history of privacy and information violations, the longer-term strategies will be clearer in the next quarter when the effectiveness of the newly announced YouTube changes kick in and after advertisers stop scrambling to reallocate budgets. While this boycott should in no way be taken as a benchmark for reducing digital media spend, it should be seen as a lesson in making sure that as marketers, we go the extra mile to ensure that brands’ reputations are not being compromised by the marketing tactics we recommend.
- Make experiences relevant
We are living in a world where the borders between the real and virtual worlds are fast disappearing. Innovative and advancing technology offers opportunities to reach and engage new and existing audiences. The trick, however, is to strike a balance between audience desires, trends and strategic choices for your brand. For example, while VR has been around for a while, new innovations like the PlayStation VR, Occulus Rift and Samsung Gear are driving changes in viewing behaviour – creating new opportunities to develop immersive content and storytelling.
As marketers, we have been receiving an increasing number of briefs from brands trying to dabble in VR. But it isn’t enough to just repurpose a TV ad script – VR as a medium is experiential and provides an exciting way of telling brand stories, beyond just product demonstrations. But in order to take advantage of new platforms and channels, marketers needs to ensure that the message is being delivered in a relevant and appropriate way. To make experiences relevant, audience research therefore becomes critical and enables marketers to create brand-led content that is appropriate for the platform and applicable to audience interests and engagement.
- Trust the Data
With increasing demands for content to be personalised and targeted, marketers can discover, target and reach informed decisions by analysing the vast amounts of data available. It enables marketers to understand who their customer is, their likes and dislikes and the demographics of the audience. Data allows brands to find customers and fans who have not been engaged previously.
In fact, audiences respond positively to brands that take part and are involved in their community. Take Expedia for instance. The travel category is a competitive space and Expedia is investing millions of dollars in getting their adtech solutions right. According to Vic Walia, Expedia’s Head of Brand, they are effectively building a decision engine to help them understand which ad they should serve to which customer. “As a result, we’ve now learnt who to target and what to tell them,” he says.
Ultimately, it is vital that as marketers we keep sight of our fundamental objectives and not over-complicate solutions where a simple one can often deliver better results. Take a step back, reassess your business objectives and put the money where the brand’s heart is.
Leading Australian market research data brand, RDA Research, provides actionable consumer intelligence to help businesses inform decision making and growth strategies. RDA Research wanted to make its unique consumer data available for addressable digital targeting and required a data onboarding partner to help activate their data in an online environment.
Storytelling agency Enthral has appointed Channel 7 reporter and sports presenter Sean Sowerby as its new senior PR and content manager in Melbourne. Sowerby (pictured) started his award-winning career at 3AW before spending more than 15 years in television. Enthral founder and manager director, Cameron Smith, spoke of the significance of Sowerby joining the agency. […]
This week Nova’s Fitzy & Wippa are celebrating 10 years of their iconic radio show and plenty of famous faces have weighed in on the feat! For Fitzy & Wippa’s 10-year anniversary show they were joined by a bunch of special friends who shared their messages and favourite memories over the last decade. The guys […]
Ever since Google first announced it would be getting rid of third-party cookies on Chrome, digital advertising businesses have been actively sharing their plans for life after cookies. And now programmatic advertising company Blis might have come up with the most creative way to get the message across, in a new video which sees company […]
Integrated Melbourne agency Icon has taken top honours in the 2021 SABRE Awards, winning the coveted Australasian Consultancy of the Year for 2021 along with a host of category and craft awards. Icon led a large field of Australian agencies with a total of three major and seven minor awards, including gold in the cause-related […]
Former agency executives Tim O’Neill and Tim Fouhy have launched the auto technology startup Summon. Australia’s first full e-commerce service for prestige cars. O’Neill and Fouhy both founded Reactive, a digital agency, which was bought by Accenture in 2016. Following the deal, O’Neill and Fouhy ended up leading the company’s digital marketing arm, Accenture Interactive before […]


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EXPORT PROMOTION COUNCIL FOR HANDICRAFTS
Engineering exports to China, EU fall on demand slowdown, shipments to US rise in August
After a spell of positive year-on-year growth since February 2022, Indian engineering exports for the first time dropped drastically in the month of August 2022.
India-UK free trade pact to boost joint ventures, investments -UKIBC head
The proposed comprehensive free trade pact between India and the United Kingdom, likely to be signed by next month's end, could accelerate joint ventures and boost bilateral investments, the head of the body promoting bilateral trade said on Thursday.
Government to set up separate export promotion council for medical devices
The EPC will help exporters in promoting their products in international markets through various promotional activities including organising and participating in international trade fairs, buyer-seller meets, in line with the foreign trade policy of India. The Council may also organise awareness campaigns regarding the assistance available for the MSME exporters under various government schemes.
Toy sector pitches for PLI scheme, export council to promote growth
Little Genius Toys Pvt Ltd CEO Naresh Kumar Gautam said although support measures announced by the government are helping the industry, the PLI scheme and a council would give further impetus as it holds huge potential for creation of jobs.
Gem & jewellery exports up 4.4% during Apr-Aug
For the period of April - August 2022, the overall gross exports of cut & polished diamonds fell by 3.68% to US$ 10080.52 million as compared to US$ 10465.28 million for the same period last year. In August 2022, the overall gross export of cut & polished diamonds declined 7.48% to US$ 1879.74 million as compared to US$ 2031.64 million in August 2021.
Choked by the plastic ban, MSME units gasp to find an answerThe ban on some plastic items threatens to force many MSMEs out of business. The first of a two-part series on this issue looks at the questions and doubts giving sleepless nights to these entrepreneurs.
India's exports face risks from demand slowdown, global uncertainties, experts sayGlobal inflation, Russia-Ukraine war, simmering China-Taiwan crisis and supply disruptions are hurting economic growth worldwide, leading to poor demand, experts told PTI. The demand slowdown is impacting key sectors such as engineering, and gems and jewellery.
Revving exports to America keeps India in race to be next ChinaSea-borne shipments of festival goods and accessories to America touched $20 million last month, almost triple the value from the year-ago period, according to US customs data. In the process, India gained a clear lead over the Philippines as buyers diversify supply sources in the face of rising labor costs and disruptions from China’s strict Covid-zero policy.
Government considering PLI scheme for furniture sector to ramp up manufacturingThe government has already rolled out the scheme with an outlay of about Rs 2 lakh crore for as many as 14 sectors, including automobiles and auto components, white goods, pharma, textiles, advance chemistry cell and speciality steel.
China's zero-Covid policy hits India's diamond exportsThe China lockdown and Beijing’s zero-Covid policy have started to impact India’s exports of cut and polished diamonds, which fell for the first time this fiscal year in July. Exports of these stones fell 13.45% from a year earlier to $1,933.32 million in July, as demand was muted from China, the second largest buyer of India’s cut and polished diamonds after the US.
Gem, jewellery exports down marginally at Rs 24,913 cr in JulyIndia's gem and jewellery exports declined marginally to Rs 24,913.99 crore (USD 3,129.91 million) in July compared to the year-ago month, the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) said on Thursday.
US demand to lift India's lab-made diamond exports to $8 billionExports of polished lab-grown diamonds may double in the current financial year started April 1 from $1.3 billion in the prior year, Vipul Shah, vice chairman of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, said in an interview. “We have a huge potential to grow exports to $7 billion-$8 billion in the next few years on the back of US demand and acceptability in the UK and Australia,” he said.
Rural MSMEs in urgent need of funding, says MSME Export Promotion CouncilMSMEEPC chairman D S Rawat said that the "biggest challenge to the MSMEs is unavailability of timely capital. As a result, they suffer from either shrinking of operations or liquefying the enterprise itself".
Apparel and Diamond traders face slowdown in demand from US, ChinaApparel exports fell marginally by 0.6% year-on-year in July to $1,380.5 million. Compared to July 2020, exports were up 29.5% and 1.2% against July 2019. Cumulative apparel exports for the period April-July were $5,872.5 million, up 22.4% over 2021-22, 113.6% over 2020-21 and 6.0% over 2019-20.
Piyush Goyal asks industry to study FTAs, identify areas of competitive edgeAs per a government official who attended the meeting, the minister asked industry to become competitive and not depend on subsidies.
Goyal reviews overseas trade scenario with Export Promotion CouncilsGoyal reviewed the country's overseas trade scenario with export promotion councils and representatives from industry associations here.
Exporters explore ways to absorb rupee shock amid high global inflationJewellery exporters are opting to manufacture light weight ornaments while engineering goods manufacturers are scouting for cheaper Indian coal and coke. Carpet exporters are exploring ways to mix imported and local dyes to cushion the impact of expensive imports.
India's gold jewellery exports to UAE jump on duty free importsIndia's plain gold jewellery exports to UAE in May jumped 72% from a year ago to 10.48 billion rupees ($131.16 million), while in June the exports jumped 69% to 145.2 billion rupees, the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) said.
Centre extends RoSCTL scheme for export of garments, apparelsWith a view to boost exports and job creation in the textile sector, the government has approved the continuation of the Scheme for RoSCTL till March 31, 2024.
Rupee settlement will help India trade with Russia, Iran and South Asian neighbours: ExpertsOn Monday, the Reserve Bank of India said it had put in place a mechanism for international trade settlements in Indian rupees (INR) with immediate effect.
Exporters' order books begin to shrink due to low demand in key marketsHigh inflation in the US and the EU slowed take off for cotton yarn, ready-made garments, leather goods and handicrafts, impacting the pace of India's exports in June, which rose 16.8% on-year at $37.9 billion, slower than 20.5% in May.
Government hikes GST for cut & polished diamonds from 0.25% to 1.5%Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the apex body of gem and jewellery trade in India, through a series of representations, had been seeking GST increase on cut & polished diamonds to 1.5%, GST decrease on grading and certification (GCS) to 1.5%, refund of accumulated ITC, etc.
Trying to remove GST registration restriction for handicrafts’ ecomm onboarding: Goyal“There are companies which are willing to promote handicrafts and handlooms online. We are working to try and see to remove the restriction of GST. You have to be GST registered to be able to onboard yourself on e-commerce,” Goyal said at the event organised by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH).
Ukraine war robs India's 'Diamond City' of its sparkleRussian mining giants like Alrosa traditionally accounted for over a third of India's rough diamonds, but supply has all but stopped because of Western sanctions.
Rs 270 cr business enquiries in 16th edition of Fashion Jewellery & Accessories Show“Around 680 trade visitors comprising overseas buyers from 54 countries, their representatives and Domestic Volume Buyers visited the show to source their requirement,” said Rakesh Kumar, Director General, EPCH.
AEPC to take 140-member delegation to 3 countries next month for boosting apparel exportsNaren Goenka, Chairman of AEPC said these three markets alone have a share of more than 38 per cent of the total apparel exports market, valuing USD 6.8 billion in 2021. "These shows will give an opportunity to exporters to showcase their products and supply capabilities of value-added products with special emphasis on the products designed to suit fashion trends and requirements," he said.
Sea freight rates down 15%; Container availability betterThe Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has pegged India's merchandise exports in the current fiscal year at $475 billion, 14% higher than the previous financial year but much less compared to growth seen in FY22 over FY21.Load More
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Rivian has informed customers that it is recalling 13,000 electric vehicles — or almost all electric trucks and SUVs ever delivered — due to an issue that could result in drivers being unable to steer and control their vehicles. The company issued the recall after becoming aware of seven reports that a fastener connecting the steering knuckle to the vehicle’s upper control arm “may not have been adequately torqued,” according to the report Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal.
In the letter sent to customers, Chief Executive Officer RJ Scaringe said the company was recalling vehicles “out of caution” despite the small number of reported defects. He said the fastener could work loose in “rare circumstances” and lead to loss of steering control, but no injuries linked to the problem had been reported.
Rivian currently offers two models, the R1T truck and the R1S SUV, but also makes electric delivery trucks at its Normal, Illinois factory for its minority owner Amazon. As with most players in the auto and tech industries, global supply chain issues have impacted production capacity in recent years. It even attempted to raise the price of its R1T pickup truck by $12,000 due to inflation and component shortages earlier this year, though it quickly reversed the decision after customer backlash.
In July 2022, the automaker reported that it nearly doubled its production output in the second quarter of the year compared to the first to 4,401 vehicles. That’s a fraction of the output of other automakers — rival Tesla, for example, made 258,580 electric vehicles over the same period — but it’s a positive step toward its goal of producing 25,000 vehicles by 2022.
This recall is not expected to prevent the company from meeting that goal, and the automaker hopes to review all affected vehicles within 30 days. Rivian told customers they can take their vehicles to service centers to have the fasteners in their vehicles tightened in minutes. The company also said it can send mobile repair trucks to customers. Those experiencing possible symptoms of the problem, such as B. Noise and vibration should look at this option.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team independently from our parent company. Some of our stories contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may receive an affiliate commission. All prices are correct at time of publication.
https://www.engadget.com/rivian-recall-13000-ev-steering-control-problem-095548602.html?src=rss Rivian recalls 13,000 EVs due to potential steering control problem


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Glenn Chapman Sony is expected to reveal its vision of the future of home entertainment on Wednesday in the US by providing a glimpse at a new-generation PlayStation console that streams games, films, music and...
James Dominguez Our second interview today is with celebrated Australian video games writer and designer Christy Dena, who is running a crowdfunding campaign to launch a very unusual iPad game.
Cliff Edwards Sony, trying to reverse a two-year decline in PlayStation sales, is prepping a powerful new version of the home console to deliver more realistic games and entertainment features, an analyst said.
Jason Hill The Wii U controller's tablet-like screen is perfect for karaoke games, but Sing Party represents a missed opportunity.
James Dominguez In this week's news round-up, we have the two big winners at the DICE awards and a whole lot of R18+ rated games.
James Dominguez Thanks to the proliferation of smart phones and tablet devices, puzzle games are everywhere, but which were your favourites?
James Dominguez The Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita have both taken time to build up momentum. However, both systems have some great games that make them worth owning.
James Dominguez Get into your cocktail dresses and tuxedos, readers, because after a week of voting, it is finally time to reveal the games you've chosen as the year's best.
Ben Mckelvey The Grand Theft Auto video games have been attacked for their fuzzy morality, but they’ve made Dan and Sam Houser a motser.
Gaming The next generation of games consoles are designed to be central home-entertainment hubs.
James Dominguez This week Sony has announced the Australian launch of its PlayStation First academic partnership programme, which will teach students vital real-world skills.
Tim Biggs The new Xbox can collect data on your entertainment use, personal movements, speech and activities and send it back to Microsoft.
James Dominguez If some video games were living creatures, they would be chronovores, creatures that eat time. Which game is your worst time-devourer?
James Dominguez Made by a small studio in Melbourne, Stickets is an apparently simple puzzle game that gradually unveils greater and greater depth.
Peter Svensson and Derrick J. Lang Sony wants you to know that the PlayStation 4 is coming this holiday season, but not what it will look like.
Derrik Lang, Ryan Nakashima and Barbara Ortutay Microsoft has unveiled the Xbox One, an entertainment console that promises to be the one system households will need for games, television, movies and other entertainment.
Barbara Ortutay Here's a closer look at the next generation game consoles from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.
James Dominguez During last week's Xbox One launch event, DexX had the opportunity to interview a couple of Microsoft executives. Today, it's Xbox Live marketing boss Craig Davidson.
James Dominguez If you only find time for mobile gaming during your daily commute, what happens when you stop commuting?
James Dominguez Ubisoft has brought the Rayman series to mobile touch devices with Rayman Jungle Run, and it is something very special.


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Lehigh Valley Health Network will again this year give out free flu vaccinations at two community drive-through sessions:
- At Dorney Park in South Whitehall, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9.
- At Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10.
Lehigh Valley Health Network will accept donations of non-perishable food items, in partnership with the Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank, Allentown Rescue Mission, Transitional Living Center Program and the AIDS Activities Office food pantry.
However, you do not have to donate food to get a flu shot.
Those who choose to donate food are urged to check the expiration date and only bring items that have not expired and are non-perishable.
Those planning to receive a flu shot are urged to register online in advance. Go to http://www.lvhn.org. Or, you can request forms by calling 610-402-CARE (2273).
If you are planning to get a flu shot through the drive-thru, Lehigh Valley Hospital recommends:
- Complete the consent form you obtain online and bring it with you when you get vaccinated.
- Wear loose-fitting clothing for the shot to be administered in the arm of an adult and the leg of children less than 2 years old.
- Do not have pets in the vehicle.


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Fake news in a bitcoin era… an impact on the economy
Almost a decade ago a new sophisticated system of payment emerged as an alternative, decentralized and digital form of cash-flow that works beyond any governmental or administrative control. Many have heard little about cryptocurrency until it reached popularity in recent years showing how much the society mistrust the bank authority. Moreover, in just a year its price on the stock market skyrocketed extending investors’ revenue by nearly $16,000 by the end of 2017. Although bitcoin is acknowledged by most of the countries in the world, it is still considered as an unreliable source and often labeled as a ‘speculative bubble’ that may burst any time once it reaches the peak point.
Due to a lack of regulations and officials govern in the system itself, it became a vast platform for criminal activity such as money laundering, sensitive data-flow, etc. therefore a great area for generating fake news surrounding this uncharted currency exchange system. How bitcoin and fake news are related to each other and what impact they could possibly have on the economy? Questions that leave no fair answer but require a deep comprehension in the future.
To understand how cryptocurrency works a short explanation is given to ease the comprehension of the discussed topic. Bitcoin was first widely introduced to the audience when its domain name was registered as bitcoin.org and later on released as open-source software in 2009. The main role of the cryptocurrency system is making transactions directly between users without intermediaries such as banks (peer-to-peer system), which is found by many, more beneficial in terms of privacy, low transaction fees, ease and fast of use. Transactions are independently verified by cryptography codes and afterward registered in a public distributed ledger (blockchain).
However, there were many concerns over the exploitation of virtual monetary value in global trade as the system is uncontrollable, independent of authorities, regulations and possible to manipulate its value. The most well-known figure in the tech world and the principal co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates has stated that he does not see any good in the anonymity of transferring virtual money, he wrote:
“The main feature of cryptocurrencies is their anonymity. I don’t think this is a good thing. The Governments [sic] ability to find money laundering and tax evasion and terrorist funding is a good thing. Right now cryptocurrencies are used for buying fentanyl and other drugs so it is a rare technology that has caused deaths in a fairly direct way. I think the speculative wave around ICOs and cryptocurrencies is super risky for those who go long.”
Along with Bill Gates, many well-known economists, corporations have discouraged the use of cryptocurrency, among which is found Internet giant Google, who announced that it will restrict all the advertisements promoting virtual monetary exchange due to its highly risky financial instrument. Moreover, fake news websites along with malware contents attached to bitcoin ads have shown in the company’s annual report on ‘bad ads’. This was Google’s new approach towards eliminating misleading information by blocking thousands of suspicious websites from its search engine. Even Facebook seemed to follow the same path and start blocking ads concerning cryptocurrencies due to a similar cause. Rob Leathern, Facebook’s product management director explained:
“We want people to continue to discover and learn about new products and services through Facebook ads without fear of scams or deception, That said, there are many companies who are advertising binary options, ICOs and cryptocurrencies that are not currently operating in good faith.”
The fake news surrounding the bitcoin phenomenon has deliberately affected the cryptocurrency environment itself. As an example, Reuters has published misleading information regarding South Korea’s ban on Bitcoin which has led to mass panic reaction and rapid drop-off prices on the stock market. Rumors about the prohibition of cryptocurrency exchanges started with the announcement of the Ministry of Justice declaring his willingness to ban virtual coins which in fact turned out to be an unconfirmed proposal. The statement has immediately created a vast number of fake news surrounding South Korea’s withdrawal from virtual money transfers. What was, in reality, an intention to shut down anonymous accounts in order to get rid of money launderers and to regulate its fast-growing business in the country. The idea came from an incident when it was discovered that
“Chinese traders were laundering millions of dollars by profiting from premium rates at crypto-exchanges based in South Korea, which is quoted around 20% higher than the global average. Having this in mind, those traders brought bitcoins from China, sold them in South Korea, and send the profit back to their native country.”
Even though the government in the official statement discarded all the rumors and reaffirms the position of cryptocurrencies in an unaltered condition still it has left many investors in constant uncertainty after bitcoin’s sudden value drop-off. The example clearly shows the instant effect of fake news on bitcoin’s market despite the fact that it has been repeatedly warned by many public figures of its manipulative nature. The probable scenario for bitcoin traders in South Korea is that it will continue to operate at least in the short term because of its growing impact on the economy (South Korean’s webpage Bithumb is the second-largest platform for bitcoin trading worldwide) and which is gradually overtaking the overall marketplace. Banning the cryptocurrency would meet with huge social disapproval since it became too immense to shut it down.
To conclude, fake news can have a damaging impact on cryptocurrencies since its market highly depends on tiny bits of information provided by news, individuals’ opinions or rumors. As soon as bitcoin will be regulated by providing conventional principles of a central system that will prevent rapid value fluctuations, criminal activities and rebuild its trust, it might grow into a significant payment method in the future. Otherwise, it might remain unstable affecting inflation and economic activity. Nevertheless, cryptocurrency is becoming more popular as technology advances and so does all the dangers surrounding it.


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Fortnite, the year’s hottest video game, is finally making its way to Android devices. However, owners of those devices may want to proceed with caution. The game, for now, is available exclusively on Samsung devices through the company’s app store.
The Star-Spangled Banner has stayed the same, with the same words and the same tune for 87 years, but a Hawai'ian musician reinvented the song while performing the song at a football game in Hawai'i and left quite an impression. SEE ALSO: The top karaoke songs from 'A Star Is Born'The singer,
For years, Elon Musk has been touting the promise of a self-driving car. Well, it looks like that promise is a little further off than Musk previously thought, if it materializes at all.On Thursday, Elon Musk unveiled a new “lower cost, mid-range” Tesla Model 3 car coming in at around $45,000.
Just over a year ago, the adaptation of Stephen King's It shook horror fandom with a $123.4 million opening weekend — the highest ever for a horror movie. Now Halloween is here to join the party.The 40-years-later sequel that opened on Friday picked up an estimated $77.5 million in the U.S.
Selma Blair is starring in Another Life, a new Netflix sci-fi series, but an experience getting fitted for a costume for the show led her to disclose that she has been living with Multiple Sclerosis for years. SEE ALSO: Selma Blair says director James Toback threatened to 'gouge' her eyes out,
When a Twitter user asked Elon Musk if future Teslas would include a "dog mode" to keep car-bound pets safe and cool while their owner was away, he responded with a simple "yes."Yes— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 20, 2018SEE ALSO: Elon Musk steps down as Tesla chairman: What happens next?
In one of the Donald Trump administration's most flagrant acts of evil to date, a narrowed legal definition of gender that is currently under consideration could jeopardize the rights of 1.4 million transgender Americans.
Now that Big Bird's original puppeteer Caroll Spinney is leaving Sesame Street after 50 years, people are wondering who can possibly step in to fill his big orange shoesThe Late Show With Stephen Colbert put forth a few...interesting candidates. Like Kanye West, Brett Kavanaugh, and Donald Trump.
Wonder Woman herself is coming to the Disney animated universe with a role in Ralph Breaks the Internet.SEE ALSO:
A new fabrication method for millimeter-scale soft robots provides them with unprecedented dexterity, opening up the opportunities for medical applications. To demonstrate this new method, researchers from Harvard's Wyss Institute, the Harvard John A.
While the next few weeks will probably be a mix of cramming in the last few bittersweet beach trips and barreling through the packed aisles of Staples hunter-gatherer style, there is at least one comfort we can offer you at this chaotic time: You can now get 25% off backpacks from L.L.
苹果在今年的 WWDC 主题演讲大会上狠狠嘲讽了 Android 平台，随着谷歌 I/O 开发者大会的临近，他们也要对 iOS 进行一番评论了。
智能手表到底能够为人们带来什么好处？在看过许许多多关于智能手表的报道，以及自己试用了 Pebble 之后，却让我感到疑惑，如果只是把手表当成“手机应用的提醒器”，这样的手表就一定有价值吗？
1. msvc 2005 + wince 5.0 环境搭建：http://hi.baidu.com/hyyly520/item/f9ad7eddffc826362b35c7ef下载地址：http://blog.csdn.net/weiren2006/article/details/68428072....
Three games and one app are part of the updated range that gets its debut at IFA 2014 in Berlin next month before being released to all smart TV customers around the globe.Read more: http://www.itproportal.
一講起智能手錶，相信唔少 unwire 讀者第一時間都會聯想到各式各樣的運動，而最近 ESPN 便為 Pebble 智能手錶推出了專用的即時美式足球比賽分數 App，讓各位球迷可以即時知道愛隊的最新戰況！
穿戴式裝置種類越來越多，來自韓國的硬件新創公司 Zikto 就研發以改善用戶步行姿勢為目標的 Arki 智能手帶。
编者按：走的路多了，总会知道哪里有坑，哪里有捷径。即使是资深的设计师也难免犯错，今天这篇文章就是Facebook 设计主管 Julie Zhuo 的经...
The National Security Agency hacked Israeli drones, working with the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters to surreptitiously track developments in the Middle East, according to a new report from The Intercept.Read more...


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The German food minister has backed the NutriScore labelling system and plans to set up a voluntary food labelling scheme within the next year.
Establishing clear health guidelines
Across Europe, there has been an increased focus on combating the obesity crisis, with clearer nutrition labelling highlighted as a key way to help consumers make healthier choices. The NutriScore system originates in France and is being introduced in other countries including Spain and Belgium. There has been an ongoing debate in Germany concerning the nutrition labelling of products and by backing the NutriScore system, food minister Julia Klöckner wants to end the debate and provide a clear action plan for retailers going forward.
A colour coded system
The NutriScore system labels products on a colour scale, from green coloured A (healthier choices) to red coloured E (less healthy). It is an easy to understand system which gives consumers a summary rating in a quick and simple way. For a full understanding of nutritional values, they can then find this in the ingredients list and nutritional table.
Edeka ahead of the game
In August this year, Edeka launched a trial of nutrition labeling, in order to find out how it affects the customer. It is trialling three different systems, including the NutriScore labels, in order to understand the influence they have on consumers buying behavior. The trial is being run for around three months and is being tested at Edeka and Netto, to provide the retailer with the insight needed to develop a consumer led solution.
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WPCNR WEST SIDE STORY. From LCOR. November 16, 2016:
LCOR’s latest luxury development at 55 Bank Street in White Plains, NY has been named Continuum.
Signage is slated to go up within the next month at the project, which will feature 561 rental units, 6,345 square feet of retail space and 570 parking spaces.


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Once again the week has been wild as it is becoming more and more clear that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are becoming an integral part of the mainstream life. Bitcoin itself soars on highs of over 17 000 dollars per piece and as so many times before, the success of Bitcoin is also pulling other cryptocurrencies upwards, as most of the important cryptocurrencies are gaining on price.
For example Litecoin, the Bitcoin-based cryptocoin meant for smaller and faster transactions, has reached a new all-time high of over 300 dollars. The market cap of litecoin has exceeded 16 billion dollars and it is still rising. Ethereum’s native token ether has reached a new high of over 750 dollars. Ripple’s tokens have reached a high of almost 0.8 dollars as the cryptocoin is seeing gains of over 50% per day.
The cryptocoin rally has been historic, but we probably haven’t seen the end of it. The cryotocurrency market has reached a market cap of over half-a-trillion dollars. Cryptocoins are more valuable and more widely used than the fiat currencies of many countries.
The quick gains on cryptocurrency prices have given many reasons to questions whether they are in a bubble, and if so, when that bubble will burst. This – of course – is impossible to say, but as always it is a good idea to keep your head cool though the markets are heating up.
Rising adoption rates and prices have also caused massive surge of new users to buy bitcoin. This has caused problems for even the largest brokers and exchange services around the globe. Coinmotion has managed to get through these problems better than most services, but some users have reported problems. We are scaling up our systems and services so these kind of problems will be left in the past and Coinmotion will continue to be the most trustworthy broker on the cryptocoin space.
Denmark Considers Blockchain-Based Foreign Aid
Nordic countries have been on the forefront of the technological development for years and the same phenomenon is extending to blockchain and Bitcoin technologies as well. Many important cryptocoin services hail from the Nordic countries, like Coinmotion and LocalBitcoins. Even government officials are using blockchain; for an example the land-registry of Sweden is based on blockchain-tech.
Now Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a new report concerning blockchain and its usage in foreign aid. According to the study blockchain could be used in several different ways to make foreign aid policies better.
By using blockchain a nation could send the aid directly to the recipients instead of the aid having to go through multiple different third parties, like governmental institutions, banks and so on. Misuse of foreign aid and corruption have also been a serious problems in foreign aid policies, but with blockchain governments and other parties would be able to monitor the transactions and how they are used. This has the potential to minimize corruption and bring new openness to the field of foreign aid policies.
Denmark is not the first institution to consider using blockchain to send foreign aid. The United Nations has already run a pilot program in which they used the Ethereum’s blockchain to navigate aid and help for the recipients. UN’s program was considered a success and it shows yet another way in which the new cryptocurrency economy could improve the current monetary and political systems.
A Big Internet Provider Pays Wages with Bitcoin
Technologically savvy institutions like Bitcoin companies and Internet Archives have been paying their employees’ salaries with bitcoin for years, but not many mainstream companies have jumped on the possibility to use bitcoin this way. Now a big Japanese conglomerate GMO Internet Group has given their employees the possibility to receive their pay in bitcoin.
GMO Internet Group is a sizable corporation. It constitutes of 60 companies in 10 countries. It has millions of customers and a full range of different services. Because of the size of GMO Internet Group, this is a major step for the mainstream adoption of bitcoin.
The employees of GMO Internet Group can choose to be paid with either fiat currency of their respective countries, with bitcoin or with a combination of both. At least over a thousand employees are taking on the possibility.
It also seems that there’s a huge belief in the potential of bitcoin within the GMO Internet Group. According to GMO bitcoin and cryptocurrencies will develop into new universal currencies that are available to everyone regardless of national borders. This will create a new, fast and borderless economy, GMO group believes.
Israel’s PM: Bitcoin Could Replace Banks
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu has given a statement concerning the future of banking system and Bitcoin. According to the Prime Minister, the operation of traditional banks is doomed to become obsolete and replaced by new technological innovations like Bitcoin. Netanyahu believes that change and development are a natural part of economic society and the current banking system is quickly being left out as new technologies and innovations claim ground.
“Is the fate of banks that they will eventually disappear? Yes. The answer is yes. Does it need to happen tomorrow? And do we need to do it through Bitcoin? That’s a question mark” Netanyahu pondered.
According to Netanyahu the main reason for banks to exist is to ensure that monetary transactions are handled correctly. This economic control benefits banks and governments instead of customers and transacting parties. According to Netanyahu, cryptocurrencies can change the system and bring the control to people.
“The truth behind what I just said is what’s propelling Bitcoin upwards” Netanyahu said, though he cautioned that bitcoin is rising on a rate that is not sustainable on a long run, which could result in a bubble.


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Demand for gold jewellery in the UK falls: World Gold Council
Demand for gold has decreased in Europe, according to the World Gold Council (WGC). The demand is particularly down in the UK where demand fell 10% to a three-year low of 3.8t. The council released its gold trend for Q2 2017 and reported a 4% fall in demand for gold jewellery across Europe. Globally, the demand for gold jewellery was 480.8t which was 8% higher year-on-year. In some parts, global gold demand in Q2 2017 fell 10% compared with the same period in 2016.


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By Lauren Donia
Editors' note – This piece originally ran on 9/7/12. In honor of this week's New Orleans Fashion Week we've re-posted it.Both Jolie & Elizabeth and Blackout are NOLA Fashion Week featured designers.
Fashion designer Sarah Dewey recalls a September 2009 lunch in New Orleans with her friend and former boss, Jolie Bensen. The two had met when they were both working at BCBG in New York City. Dewey and Bensen both had ties to the south and independently of each other, they moved to New Orleans. It was during this lunch that the two women decided to team up and create a women’s fashion line.
“We both wanted to get involved in a fashion industry that did not exist,” Dewey explained. “We decided to blaze a trail and hoped people would follow.”
‘Jolie & Elizabeth,’ dubbed a “classic Southern women’s apparel line,” launched at the beginning of 2010 and a year later, New Orleans Fashion Week debuted. An industry trail had been blazed in a new city.
Women’s designer Ashlie Ming, for one, was pleased to have that trail ready for her.
When Ming was growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, she believed the only way she could pursue her dream of working in the fashion industry was to move to New York City or Los Angeles. When it came time for college, Ming left her home and headed west to L.A. where she attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.
Ming eventually decided to move back to the south and assumed she’d have to give up her fashion aspirations, but then she learned about New Orleans Fashion Week and the New Orleans Fashion Council. Ming realized a move to New Orleans might not actually be a step away from realizing her dreams, but instead a step towards it. She recently started her own brand, Blackout, and hopes to complete her Spring 2013 collection by this coming February.
To an onlooker, especially one who does not live in the Big Easy, a New Orleans fashion industry may seem surprising. Here is a city that was nearly demolished just seven years ago last week, and not only has it rebounded, but it’s coming back stronger and in new ways.
For the crop of new designers getting their start in New Orleans, the city is not just home to business headquarters, where designs are being born, but also where the garments are being manufactured.
When we asked Jolie & Elizabeth’s Dewey why having “Made in New Orleans” on the label is important to her, she offered several reasons. She mentioned that the relationship she and her partner have with the seamstresses and others who work in the factory is irreplaceable; that it’s important to the community; that the brand, office, and company cultures are important to them. If they were making their clothes anywhere else, it would not be the same – Jolie & Elizabeth would not be the same.
While Dewey is contractually obligated to not disclose the name of the garment factory that produces their pieces, she does mention that the local factory was working only at partial capacity and the added business from the burgeoning line allowed it to get to full capacity.
Ming’s response hits similar notes: “I like to be so involved in everything, I can run to them at any time and address problems myself. I work with them and talk to them, we have a great working relationship,” she said.
NOLA Sewn, a factory that is not yet two years old, produces Blackout. While the workforce of the factory expands and contracts with demand for garments, it has been holding steady with a staff of 12.
“Everyone there had to fight and build this because it didn’t exist after Katrina,” Ming said of the staff at NOLA Sewn. “Everyone is giving 110% all the time. They’re easy to work with and the quality blows away anything I’ve ever seen.”
Quality. It’s a word both Ming and Dewey repeat many times during our discussions. Both women stress the quality of New Orleans' craftsmanship and how durable it makes their pieces. Dewey is confident that the quality of a Jolie & Elizabeth piece means its owner will be able to wear it for years to come.
It’s worth noting that Dewey and Benson’s Jolie & Elizabeth, and Ming’s Blackout are aesthetically different.
Dewey describes Jolie & Elizabeth as “appropriate, respectable dresses.” She says the key is fit. The designers focus their efforts on getting a chic, A-line fit, and worry much less about runway trends. While they may keep abreast of the trending colors of a season, you won’t find any chain-metal or man-made fabrics in their clothing. They use durable materials, like cotton and silk.
Despite the differences in lines and cuts, what’s on the label is the same, and so is the inspiration. Both women mention being inspired by the sites and sounds of their city. Dewey says Jolie & Elizabeth reflects the weather and events a Southern woman may find. Ming finds inspiration in the color, music, and unique people of the area. She says, “There is no one cookie cutter image for fashion or art in New Orleans.”
And does that “Made in New Orleans” label benefit the companies who display it? Dewey and Ming both say yes.
While Dewey stresses that she and Benson do not make “Made in New Orleans” the key selling point for Jolie & Elizabeth, they know it helps.
“People will keep coming back for the great fit, (Made in New Orleans) is the cherry on the cake,” Dewey says.
Ming’s apparel is not yet for sale, but she says the Made in New Orleans label has helped open doors. She’s found people to be more supportive of her when they find out her garments are being made locally. Ming says people are willing to pay more, and to give her a chance when they know her clothes are creating jobs and generally helping the city grow.
And maybe that’s the point.
New Orleans’s nascent fashion industry embraces its sense of community. Not only do designers have a support network of their peers, the fashion council, and their fashion week, they also have a city that is ready to be known for something far beyond a devastating natural disaster.
The Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) has gone on record countless times stressing the importance of American manufacturing to the U.S. economy, especially as it relates to growing the middle class. Designers and garment makers in New Orleans are proving this to be true. When the designers have their pieces made locally, they not only keep people employed (or create new jobs), but they also strengthen their brands by giving consumers an extra reason to buy the clothes.
Photos provided by Ashlie Ming and Sarah Dewey. Photo information on Flickr Page.


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Google is working on a new technology called VP10 that will allow it to squeeze higher-quality video over broadband and mobile networks. And thanks to patent issues with a rival standard, it has a chance to catch on.
A month into its official debut, Microsoft's new system software is ahead of Windows 8 and Mac OS X Yosemite in desktop traffic, according to Web tracker NetMarketShare.
From CNET Magazine: Fingerprint readers, which are more convenient and more secure than passcodes, could finally do away with the weakest link in almost any security system.
With hundreds of filters and effects, ReDesign Photo is great for playing with photos, but it sorely needs a method to undo your edits.
Dubbed Project Rigel, the mobile app will let people retouch photos on iPhones and iPads. It is slated to make its debut at Adobe's conference for digital creators in October.
The alliance, which includes Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Netflix, pledges to build next-generation video technology -- and offer it for free.
YouTube rules the realm of on-demand video, but live video still has a tournament of contenders. With a YouTube Gaming hub, Google is juicing up live features -- and that may bring you face-to-face with gameplay streams you never knew existed.
Free unlimited storage, automatic backup and fun editing effects make Google Photos one of our favorite tools for wrangling your photos.
Pricing not available
A technical breakdown of the 1.08 patch reveals improvements to frame rate and more.
Running out of space on your phone? There's a hassle-free way to preserve precious photos before deleting them.


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Grocery prices in July fell by 1% month on month according to data from groceries website mySupermarket.co.uk.
After a small rise in June – the first increase in price in 2015 – prices continued to fall from £86.84 for an average basket of products in June, to £86.11, a weekly saving of 73p.
When compared to 12 months ago the same basket in July 2014 was 6% more expensive at £91.39, resulting in a saving for shoppers of over £5.
mySupermarket’s Groceries Tracker monitors the cost of the same 35 most commonly bought grocery products and publishes the prices on a monthly basis.
The products that decreased the most in July compared to June were bananas (-4%), fresh peppers (-4%) and tomatoes (-3%). The items that increased the most in the last month included broccoli (3%), mushrooms (3%) and deli bacon & ham (2%).
Unsurprisingly, given the dismal summer weather, the research also revealed that the price of the most popular ice creams in July fell 4%. The study of the most popular 40 branded ice creams show significant drops compared to last year with Cornetto Mint Cones down 18% to £1.51, Oreo Vanilla Ice Cream Cones down 17% to £1.79 and Magnum Mini Double Caramel & Double Chocolate down 16% to £2.74.