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Healthy Eating Everywhere
Meet Dr. Aliya Hussaini, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
25 years, 25 stories
It was as a medical resident that Dr. Aliya Hussaini first recognized the realities of childhood obesity and other diet-related diseases. “In room after room, I was having the same conversation: How can we keep these kids healthy and reduce their risk of the kind of long-term health issues that kids should never have to worry about?”
For Aliya, now health portfolio director for the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the answer was to address obesity prevention and food access issues holistically. “The Food Trust was a natural partner in that work,” says Aliya, who did a fellowship in Philadelphia and saw the organization’s efforts firsthand.
Over the last 10 years, The Food Trust has partnered with the Dell Foundation to support healthy eating in schools and corner stores in Philadelphia and to encourage supermarket and other healthy food retail development throughout the South and Southwest U.S.
“The role that the Food Trust has played in Philadelphia has demonstrated for all of us what is possible when organizations take a long-term view of how everyone in the ecosystem can play a role to move the needle around food access and improve the health of communities,” she says. For the past decade, Aliya has helped to expand the organization’s efforts across the United States. The Food Trust, she says, “is the leading edge of our work.”
Learn more about how The Food Trust has partnered with a variety of local, state and national partners throughout the U.S., including the Dell Foundation, for The Center for Healthy Food Access.


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By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) -- Samsung Electronics Co. said Tuesday it has reached a preliminary settlement in a class action suit over complaints about washing machines recalled in the United States in late 2016.
In November 2016, the South Korean tech giant recalled about 2.8 million top-loading washers made between March 2011 and October 2016 and sold in the U.S.
According to the U.S. industry tracker Consumer Report, Samsung and three major retailers that sold the products -- Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe's -- settled the class action suit that alleged certain washers had design and manufacturing defects and the company's voluntary recall didn't adequately compensate consumers.
With the preliminary settlement, consumers who purchased the recalled top-loading washing machines can now file a settlement claim.
Samsung denied that the top-loading washers were defective, but said it decided to settle the case to avoid "distraction" among consumers.
"Samsung has chosen to settle class-action lawsuits involving top-loading washing machines that were subject to a voluntary recall," the company said in an e-mailed statement. "This settlement only applies to certain washing machines produced until 2016 that have long been off the market. The company chose to settle to avoid the distraction and expense of litigation."
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the top of the washer can detach from the body of the machine while in use, posing a possible injury risk to those nearby.
Seoul-Tokyo ties tipped for deeper rift after Japan's expanded export control: experts
Trade row with Japan, another headwind for Korean economy
Japan hides true intentions, leaving export curbs unjustified
Boycott of Japanese goods to intensify as Tokyo expands export curbs
Japan's broader export curbs aim for S. Korea's Achilles heel

domain: news


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TOKYO — Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. has set out a series of targets for its development of innovative tire products to meet increasing requirements around safety, sustainability and connected mobility.
Unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Smart Tyre Concept roadmap will see Sumitomo begin mass production, in 2020, of a new tire that maintains its "brand-new performance" for longer.
That same year, the tire maker aims to unveil a concept tire with new materials that enhance environmental performance throughout its entire lifecycle — from raw materials and tire production to shipping, usage and even recycling.
Next, in 2023, Sumitomo plans to unveil a new concept tire that incorporates its "active tread" technology, enabling it to maintain high levels of performance regardless of road conditions.
As a wider goal, Sumitomo said it would continue these and other R&D efforts towards a goal of creating an all-new tire that incorporates all of its Smart Tyre Concept technologies. This product is set to emerge by the latter half of the next decade.
The company went on to identify key technologies behind its Smart Tyre Concept. These include its "sensing core" technology that transforms tires into sensors by installing a proprietary algorithm in a vehicle's brake system.
Sensing core is said to detect slipperiness and other road conditions as well as tire conditions such as wear, load and air pressure. This data is collected and processed not only for vehicle control purposes, but also for cloud-based big data analysis.
Sumitomo also is developing technology that responds to changes in road conditions by actively changing the functionality of tread rubber to optimize performance for the current road surface and temperature, thus ensuring uninterrupted safe driving and peace of mind even when faced with sudden changes in road conditions during automated driving.
A third key area of focus on countering the degradation of tire performance due to wear and rubber deterioration to maintain the performance of a tire like brand new for longer. Such technology, Sumitomo said, is already in use in studless tires launched last year.
This R&D effort includes the development of new materials that enable rubber to control and recover from internal structural deformation and that compensate for functionality that has been lost due to rubber deterioration.


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A year ago, Britain closed its doors and the streets emptied.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the British on March 23, 2020 to stay at home “to protect the NHS and save lives” in the fight to overcome the spread of the coronavirus, the “biggest threat this country has faced for decades” , to master.
The pandemic peak came just over two weeks later, when on April 8, the UK recorded more than 1,000 coronavirus deaths in one day. The government would not relax coronavirus restrictions for another two months as Covid-19 spread across the country.
Workers moved into their homes while schools, non-essential stores, pubs, garden centers and restaurants closed. Football stadiums and other sports venues came to a standstill. Socially distant queues gathered around supermarkets as delivery times became scarce.
There was a run on basics like toilet rolls as many dreaded shelves would be emptied. Flour became a luxury because people trapped at home started cooking and baking.
Many lost their jobs and turned to the government’s leave scheme to help them through the troubled times.
Companies went under. Homeschooling and Zoom calls from the bathroom became a way of life for many.
Some companies were luckier than others. The Royal Bakery on Stoke Newington High Street, serving pastries, curries and coffee, remained open for takeaways most of the year, but had to operate on a shorter schedule.
“It has been a big change for us,” says owner Malika, who has run the family bakery for about 15 years and did not want to give it its full name. “We had a lot of older people coming here, sitting and spending good money,” she said. “People now have no money, everyone is scared, everyone is worried. It’s very quiet. “
Ingredient costs have skyrocketed over the past year as suppliers struggled, but Malika did not increase her prices. “Because otherwise we won’t have any customers,” she said. “Not many people can afford much more.”
Along the way at The Zumrut Artistic Florist, owner Monika, who also asked not to print her full name, faced price increases of as much as 10 percent from suppliers, and in turn had to increase hers.
She imports most of her flowers from the Netherlands and has therefore been hit by coronavirus restrictions and leaving the UK from the EU. “After the first lockdown at the end of May, it was insanely busy, people went crazy,” said Monika.
But since then, she said, things have been tough. The UK, which is under lockdown restrictions for the third time since the pandemic was discovered in the country, faces a relaxation of rules next week when six people, or two households, can meet in private gardens .


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The 2020 Mid-range phones From Google are – Google Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel 5G, which will have the same Snapdragon 765G SoC. The release of Pixel 5 XL is highly Doubted.
Google has been all busy with the latest Android 11 Beta 2 on Pixel devices that now brings Platform Stability and capturing Device Audio with Screen Recording. Later on the Android 11 Beta 2 Screen Flickering Issue created havoc which will soon be addressed by Google.
Meanwhile, rumor has it that Google is currently working on a new device by the codename “Bramble” and originally called Google Pixel 4A 5G. The rumors of this device have arouse the possibility of Google Pixel 4A 5G featuring the same SoC as Google Pixel 5G.
Just like always, when the Google Pixel Codenames were outz we belived it to the Usual Pixel 5 and Pixel 5XL. But to our surprise, the 2020 Pixel Phones that Google is offering are the mid range Pixel 4A 5G which will hold the codename bramble. Along with Pixel 5G having the codename – Redfin.
While there were innumerable rumors, leaks and renders going on about Google Pixel 5 XL that even showed Dual Camera Setup and Punch Hole Display are now in doubts. With the huge doubt on release of Pixel 5XL at all.
As you can see from the Google search app list of codenames for 2020 Google pixel devices, usually we would expect the genera Pixel lineup comprising of a normal device and then its XL version.
However the list constitutes of Pixel 5G with the codename Redfin along with Pixel 4a 5G having code-named as Bramble. There has been no mention of Pixel 5XL.
Seems like the history is repeating itself with Just like we had Only one Pixel 4a Variant previous year. So probably this time too we shouldn’t expect Pixel 5 XL.
Now coming to the chipset of the two new comers from Google for 2020. Pixel 4a 5G expects to have the Snapdragon 765 Chipset that supports 5G.
Since the two devices are launching side by side, and Pixel 5G will have the Snapdragon 700 SoC, it is very likely that both the devices be powered by the same 5G compatible Snapdragon 765G Chipset
Now you might be wondering what would actually be different between the two devices. Well even if the two 5G devices be powered by the same SoC, the superior one, Pixel 5G will definitely have a better design and build up than Pixel 4a, thus costing higher.
Now speaking of Google Pixel 5 XL, it is highly likely that this device will be ditched by Google at least for this year despite all the renders moving Online.
That’s all for now.
I hope you have found the article about Google Pixel 4A 5G and Pixel having the same SoC, found useful. Also, do share your views on the doubt on release of Pixel 5 XL. We will be glad to hear from you.
Also see –
- OnePlus 7 and 7T OxygenOS 16/6 Beta Update Download
- Stop Facebook iOS bug from crashing apps like Spotify, Tinder, Pinterest, etc.
- OnePlus Earbuds TWS Teased; seen on Amazon India Notify List
- Redmi Note 9S Android 11 Update can be expected soon; MIUI 12 by July end
Happy Androiding 🙂


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The Chinese surveillance balloon was first reported to be near a nuclear missile silo near Great Falls, Montana. I had a look on Google maps and saw something interesting.
By zooming all the way out, I saw that missiles launched from there to attack China would go right over my house. So would missiles from China aimed at the Montana silo.
But don't worry. The Americans would try to shoot them down.
Another interesting thing I found online is that Amazon sells Geiger counters.


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Toys R Us has stopped telling girls and boys what they should be playing with, in a victory for parents upset by gender-based marketing.
The company, one of the world's best-known toy retailers, has dropped gender filters from its UK website following complaints that such signposting puts off girls from playing with trains and construction sets.
Shoppers are instead invited to browse depending on the child’s age group, brand, or type of toy they are after.
Campaigners and politicians have warned that stereotyping can deter girls from studying science and engineering.
Toys R Us joins a growing group of retailers from Marks & Spencer and Tesco to Boots and Sainsbury’s that are adopting a more unisex approach.
Jess Day, at Let Toys Be Toys, a pressure that has been campaigning for gender neutral toys for the last three years, says the group has a directory of retailers awarded its Toymark “for marketing toys in a way that is inclusive to both boys and girls”.
Earlier this month, i100.co.uk reported on Toy Planet, the Spanish toy maker which is turning gender stereotypes on their head by advertising its entire Christmas range in unisex.
Picture: Toy Planet
Posters released by the company show boys pushing prams and girls playing with DIY tool sets and the company's general director calling on more retailers to follow their lead.
Read Susie Mesure's full Toys R Us report in the Independent on Sunday here


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Imported food contaminants, potential criminal liability for allergen-related deaths, and a growing demand for hemp seed and cannabidiol (CBD) products amidst regulatory uncertainty were all topics of discussion at this year’s American Conference Institute (ACI) Advanced Summit on Food Law Regulation, Compliance, and Litigation, held in Chicago. Representatives from the country’s largest food manufacturers, food and beverage agency regulators, and food litigation experts gathered in April to discuss recent product trends and regulatory developments in the food and beverage space. A few highlights from the conference are discussed below.
FDA’s New Strategy to Protect Against Contaminants in Imported Foods
Protecting consumers from the importation of contaminated foods from abroad continues to be a top priority for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In February, the FDA introduced a new “imported food safety strategy,” which outlined 16 agency objectives, including: optimizing the use of foreign inspections; incentivizing importers to use verified suppliers of safe foods through the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program (VQIP); and refining the FDA’s import screening and entry review processes.
While the FDA offers early inspection and faster screening programs, like VQIP, to help importers remain in compliance, if contaminants are identified after importation, the FDA will pursue recalls, seizure of contaminated foods, suspension of facility registration, and/or issuance of an Import Alert in order to alert the public that the FDA has enough evidence to detain the product.
The FDA’s new strategy comes on the heels of a few large-scale contamination outbreaks. The E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce rattled the food industry earlier this year, and just last month, a nonprofit “watchdog” group called on U.S. agencies to clarify that it is illegal for companies to import and distribute contaminated poppy seeds, and that companies who do so are subject to federal prosecution. An otherwise harmless baking ingredient, unwashed poppy seeds can be contaminated with other parts of the opium poppy plant, and have caused at least 12 deaths in the United States since 2010.
Criminal Liability for Inadequate Disclosure of Allergens?
Conference panelists identified criminal liability for corporate executives for allergen-related deaths as an “emerging issue” in the food space. Using the catch phrase, it’s “so negligent, it’s criminal,” the speakers highlighted two international cases in which restaurants failed to adequately disclose allergens contained in their foods and faced criminal charges in the United Kingdom and Canada.
While U.S. prosecutors have not yet sought criminal charges relating to the inadequate disclosure of food allergens, conference speakers noted that litigation trends in the U.K. and Canada often foreshadow prosecutorial trends in the U.S.
What’s Next for Cannabis?
The December passage of the 2018 Farm Bill meant “industrial hemp” is now excluded from the Controlled Substances Act and is no longer listed as a “Schedule 1” drug. However, Congress explicitly preserved the FDA’s authority to regulate products containing cannabis and/or CBD, a now mainstream hemp-extract found in retail food and beauty products. To that end, the FDA recently announced several planned actions to advance its “consideration” of a new regulatory framework, including a public hearing on the issue scheduled for the end of this month. The agency also plans to form an internal agency working group that will explore lawful marketing options and necessary statutory changes.
In the meantime, conference speakers warned that passage of the Farm Bill does not preempt state law; at least 10 states restrict CBD to medical use or still label it as a controlled substance; and, at least 10 states prohibit hemp-growing within the state. The speakers were optimistic that policy initiatives in other states, including Colorado, California, and Kentucky may support a patchwork, test-market approach to FDA regulation.


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Samsung has released five new software development kits (SDKs) in an effort to set its smart devices apart from those of its competitors.
At its first ever developer conference in San Francisco, the South Korean company unveiled the software tools that it claims will make it easier to create Samsung-specific apps.
Speaking to the BBC, Samsung senior vice president Curtis Sasaki said, "Consumers want the best possible experience. What I'm passionate about is making sure that consumers have choice of applications and those applications really work well on Samsung products.
"Part of our job is to get developers excited about supporting all of our new features. That ends up benefiting the consumer with much better applications."
Currently Samsung relies on Android, a third-party operating system engineered by Google, which it is concerned fails to differentiate its devices from competitors who use the same software, such as HTC, Sony and LG.
By developing software that is unique to its devices, Samsung hopes to follow other companies – including Apple, Microsoft, Google and BlackBerry – in being able to offer platforms that stand out from its competitors.
Already Samsung has entered into partnerships with music app developer Pandora and chip maker Intel, with whom it is currently developing a new open source OS called Tizen.
"We're hoping that innovation happens outside of the company," Sasaki said. "That's why we have developers from 33 different countries."
The release of the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch signalled the company's intention to offer devices that only interact with other Samsung products, a strategy that has worked well for Apple.


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BUSINESS › NEWS
More Options For Electricity Bill Payment, Says TNB
KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 (Bernama) -- Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), which aims to make convenience a priority, will provide customers with more options to pay their electricity bills.
Senior General Manager for Customer Service Distribution Division, Kamaliah Abdul Kadir, said more methods would be made available to make it easier for the customers to pay their bills, such as via e-Pay, which was currently available at designated 790 Kedai Mesra Petronas nationwide.
"TNB aims to set up 3,033 e-Pay outlets through collaboration with Petron, Caltex, BP, MyMydin, 99 Speedmart, Tesco and Giant," she told reporters at a media familiarisation trip to TNB's Manjung coal-fired power plant recently.
As at June this year, TNB has been actively engaging more outlet agents such as KK convenience store and eateries like Ayamas, Lotus and Kayu Nasi Kandar, she said.
She said the customers could also take advantage of TNB's e-Services application, which provided a convenient way of paying electricity bills online, tracking monthly consumption, viewing and printing billing information.
The customers could also track and manage the tenant's electricity consumption and bill payment, she said.
"One-stop centres such as post offices, Telekom Malaysia and Water State Departments are ready to accept payment when customers are out and about running their errands," she said.
Kamaliah said to avoid long queue or waiting period at the counters, payment kiosks were now available as an alternative payment method at TNB's Pusat Perkhidmatan Pengguna.
Meanwhile, for payments over-the-counter, she said, banks like Bank Simpanan Nasional, RHB, Bank Islam, AmBank and Maybank were also TNB's active agents to accept electricity bill payment.
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Similar food, different menu.
Less than a week after Phillips Seafood Restaurant said it’s leaving Baltimore’s Harborplace this fall, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. said Wednesday it’s moving into the former Phillips space.
Bubba Gump has signed a lease to open a restaurant by May 2012 in 13,000 square feet of space currently occupied by Phillips Seafood Restaurant and Phillips Express, Harborplace officials announced Tuesday.
Phillips Foods said June 10 that it will terminate its lease for 20,000 square feet in Harborplace, effective Sept. 30.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., the restaurant group based on the movie “Forrest Gump”, will offer both a sit-down restaurant and a fast-casual dining experience in Harborplace, according to the waterfront retail center’s release. It will be the chain’s first restaurant location in Maryland and only one of two in the Northeast.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake praised the addition of another new restaurant to Harborplace.
“Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is a great new restaurant and attraction for the Inner Harbor and Harborplace,” Rawlings-Blake said.
The first Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant and Market opened in 1996 on Cannery Row in Monterey, Calif. The Baltimore Sun reported in 1998 that the company had plans to open a restaurant fit with its own barge in the Inner Harbor, but those plans later were scrapped.
Bubba Gump is operated by Houston,Texas-based Landry's Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: LNY)


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Virgin mobile is back in the news, doing what it does the best - thinking 'hatke'! The mobile brand's new set of commercials, launched as a part of its GSM launch campaign, adds a dash of glamour to the brand DNA of youthfulness and fun, showing actor Ranbir Kapoor getting naughty-witty with his Virgin Mobile.
With its GSM offering, Virgin has entered a new brand space called Network Alchemy, which is all about the power of a network and how best one can use his network of friends to go ahead in life. In terms of product offering, too, it has brought back the 'get paid for incoming' tariff and combined it with economic outgoing call rates. The new campaign aims at integrating the brand idea of Network Alchemy with the product idea of getting paid for incoming calls and having cheaper call rates on outgoing, STD and local calls at 20p/min.
Towards the end of the ads, he spends the money he has collected from these incoming calls to talk for long hours with his girlfriend.
In short, the creative concept explored in the ad is that the more incoming calls one takes, the more outgoing calls one can make.
According to Bates 141, the creative agency behind the campaign, a lot of research went into developing the new brand space for Virgin. Its research shows that today's youth looks at innovative ways to cut down their mobile expenses. Using multiple SIM cards is one of these ways. Most youngsters today carry a CDMA, a GSM and a couple of SIMs within the GSM so that they can switch SIMs as per their convenience and cut down their mobile expenses.
They are not at all brand loyal and turn to operators which give them the best deal. Virgin, with its new product offering, intends to cash in on this behaviour of the youth, confirms the agency.
The objective behind the campaign is to get more acquisition in the segment. Known for its CDMA services, this time Virgin Mobile is venturing into the GSM space, which is already crowded with many players. As Virgin competes with the likes of MTS, Uninor and Videocon, it wants to keep its focus fixed on the youth. It aims to attract the maximum number of youth with products exclusively designed for them. The idea is to make them look at Virgin Mobile as their own network.
Virgin has already launched its GSM service in15 circles but the campaign for the same, featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Genelia D'Souza, has been released only in the Southern states and Maharashtra. Unlike the recently launched national campaign, it mainly pushed the STD at 20p proposition.
The cost of the current campaign is Rs 8-9 crore and the media used is mostly TV, print, outdoor and digital.
A virgin thought, is it?
"As ideas, these are entertaining and fun. However, I liked the poster one better as in terms of insight, it's truer, while the other two look more convoluted for advertising," says Brijesh Jacob, managing partner, White Canvas. However, he doubts whether Ranbir Kapoor was actually needed for the commercial.
On the other hand, Vineet Mahajan, senior creative director, McCann Erickson Delhi observes that this is not the best from the Virgin stable and could have been made sharper and funnier. "Virgin Mobile brand has been associated with quirkiness. Somewhere, these ones are a little low on that."
Jacob goes a step ahead and remarks at the latest campaign's striking similarity with an earlier set of commercials from the Virgin stable. "Although entertaining and funny, I find it quite similar to one of its earlier campaigns. That campaign, too, talked about making people call you and making money out of it. The only difference here is Ranbir Kapoor doing things while in those, a bunch of not-so-famous boys were ideating for the same.
"It seems like they have just extended the idea from there and didn't push it enough," he adds.


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OK PPE and Med Supply Directory Expands
Mike Seals - May 13, 2020 12:02 pm
Oklahoma PPE & Medical Supply Directory Expands as Oklahoma Businesses Re-Open
Launched on May 1, the Oklahoma PPE & Supply Source Directory now features 87 companies, with 42 being Oklahoma manufacturers or suppliers. Some Oklahoma companies have retooled their production during this crisis to be able to offer personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies.
“With a shortage of face masks at the time, Bruce Baade, our company’s owner, came up with a face shield to help protect medical workers in many different offices and believed we could produce a disposable paperboard face shield in a timely manner, and for a very good price,” said Brenda Willey, Oklahoma Folding Carton. “We have had orders from multiple companies and entities, including the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, SSM Health and the Oklahoma Health Department, in addition to interest from college nursing programs.”
“NewView has supplied the State of Oklahoma with PPE products for a number of years now. Recently, we’ve been able to shift our efforts to support Oklahomans amidst the COVID-19 crisis,” said Lauren Branch, President and CEO, NewView. “We already have this capacity in our manufacturing division, so we’re uniquely set up to provide essential products. Our mission at NewView is to empower people with vision loss, but now we’re able to empower even more people to stay resilient in this crisis. Our employees find it incredibly rewarding to come to work every day and provide essential products and services to people who need them.”
The Tulsa Regional Chamber has joined the effort as a partner, further expanding the directory’s reach. Other partners include the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance (OMA) and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.
“As businesses begin to reopen, we want to ensure they have the necessary supplies and resources to open safely — a large part of which includes having personal protective equipment (PPE),” said Mike Neal, president and CEO of the Tulsa Regional Chamber. “Our goal is to do whatever we can to support our businesses during this time.”
The purpose of the list is to help prepare Oklahoma businesses as they re-open and invite their employees back into an office setting.
“As Oklahoma enters Phase 2 of Governor Stitt’s Open Up & Recover Safely Plan and the state’s economy further opens up, more Oklahoma companies and organizations will need access to these supplies in order to provide safe environments for employees and customers,” said Brent Kisling, Executive Director, Oklahoma Department of Commerce. “This list continues to grow and we are proud to support Oklahoma companies offering these goods.”
Businesses can search the PPE directory at https://okcommerce.gov/ppe. Oklahoma companies that manufacture or supply PPE and other needed supplies can fill out the form on the Commerce PPE webpage to be considered for inclusion. After a brief vetting process through OMA, the companies will be added to the list.
The state’s guidelines for reopening businesses under Governor Kevin Stitt’s Open Up & Recover Safely (OURS) Plan can be found at https://okcommerce.gov/ours.


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The market inched toward a recovery last week as data suggested inflation is slowing down. It had its best one-day gain in two years on Thursday after the data was released, with many stocks finally feeling some love.
It's still down for the year, however. The S&P 500, a broad indicator of the total market, is down 16% in 2022, still falling short of a bear market. And while many stocks spiked, they were small gains in an ocean of declines.
Consider Revolve Group stock (RVLV -0.03%), which notched a modest gain last week and is still down 68% from its 52-week high. Investors weren't pleased with its third-quarter earnings report, but there's a lot to like here. Plus, at this price, shares may seem undervalued and merit your attention.
A passion for fashion
Revolve Group is a fashion company that sells apparel and related products on its two websites. But that's a simplified explanation for what's a very sophisticated and technical operation.
All of Revolve's efforts are based on a robust artificial intelligence infrastructure. For nearly 20 years, the company has been collecting data points about its millennial market, its likes and dislikes, and what calls it to action. The result is an efficient, sales-directed business that reaches its customers through their preferred outlets, with a particular emphasis on social media influencers. Its algorithms quickly figure out what products are hot and which ones are not, and since it's all online, it can adjust its merchandise accordingly. That results in a higher-than-average rate of full-price sales, 87% of the total in 2021.
Remaining strong when the economy is weak
Revolve's performance this year suggests that this is a company that can weather tough times. Even the recent third quarter, its toughest yet, indicated that it could grow sales and remain profitable under challenging circumstances.
Revenue increased 10% over last year to $269 million, and net income decreased 28% to $12 million. Free cash flow increased a whopping 543% to $8.6 million.
This quarter was significantly pressured as compared to last year when sales increased 62%. However, it was strong under the circumstances, and there were other telling signs. For example, active customers increased 34% year over year over the trailing 12 months, and average order value increased 16%. Despite the gloomy economy, more customers are buying from its site, and at higher amounts. That's incredible stickiness.
Leading into the future of fashion
Revolve's reliance on artificial intelligence allows it to make disciplined and strategic decisions to operate in times of volatility. For instance, it's been able to keep inventory growth low as it quickly reacts to changing sales trends.
It also continued to seal partnerships with influencers that attract its core customers, such as an owned-brand collaboration with model Elsa Hosk that was one of its more successful launches ever, and the appointment of Kendall Jenner as the creative director of FWRD, the company's high-fashion web site. FWRD continues to be an important part of Revolve's business, growing sales 17% in the third quarter.
Why is Revolve stock down?
Revolve stock is down because investors' pessimism is sending many stock prices down, and the current atmosphere is pressuring Revolve's business. It's doing a great job of driving sales, profits, and cash flow under these conditions, but thinking about the future requires investor confidence in place of company performance.
At the current price, Revolve stock trades at a very reasonable 23 times trailing-12-month earnings. Considering its resonant business model, potential, performance under pressure, and healthy valuation, I would definitely recommend buying Revolve stock.


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John Garcia, 53, currently senior VP-product development and management and a 13-year Sprint veteran, was named acting CMO.
Mr. Kelly last year oversaw the hiring of Omnicom Group's Goodby, Silverstein & Partners as agency for the carrier's $1.2 billion ad account as well as the launch of the telecom's "Sprint Ahead" ad campaign. Before his seven years at Sprint, Mr. Kelly worked in branding, advertising, marketing and business development for ad agency Partners & Shevack and marketer Lever Bros.
Mr. Kelly, 49, said he was proud of the movement Sprint has made toward regaining its traction, and particularly the hiring of Goodby, which this week was named as Advertising Age's agency of the year, as well as the Sprint Speed campaign and the upcoming rebranding of Nascar's Nextel Cup as the Sprint Cup. "I am really excited about the future," he said.
Last week, Sprint reported a fourth-quarter loss of 683,000 postpaid customers, those billed monthly for service and who are considered the industry's most valued. Overall, Sprint's customer base was 53.8 million at the end of 2007, up only 700,000 from 2006.
Meanwhile, competitors, such as Verizon and AT&T continue to experience strong subscriber growth. AT&T today reported that at the end of last year it had more 70.1 million subscribers and added a record 2.7 million over the holiday period.


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By JOHN T. WARD
Two new Red Bank businesses kick off their residencies, and the summer of 2017, with openings planned for the Memorial Day weekend, redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn has learned.
In addition, a longtime veteran of the town’s restaurant and bar scene is unveiling a new outdoor expansion.
• Ending a 12-year vacancy, Cos Bar plans to take the paper off the windows at at 105 Broad Street Saturday, a company representative confirmed.
A chain beauty products retailer, Cos Bar took the storefront next door to (and just to the south of) Tiffany & Co., a space that’s been vacant since the now-deceased Larry Garmany moved his upscale clothing emporium next door to the former Steinbach’s department store building in 2005.
The similar-sized space on the opposite side of Tiffany in the building, which was built as a U.S. Post Office, remains vacant. Its last tenant was Rumson China & Glass.
As previously reported, the business, owned by husband-and-wife Luigi Beltran and Faye Salazar-Beltran, leased the former Subway sandwich shop space at 60 Broad Street.
The 1,500-square-foot trelllised space, surrounded by greenery, was approved by the borough planning board in December.


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Apple is apparently testing a prototype iPhone model on T-Mobile’s wireless network in the United States, and photos of the alleged device have found their way onto the Internet. Even though the rumor sounds enticing on its own, the photos spice things up a bit by showing what appears to be a white iPhone 4.
Leaked photos hint at T-Mobile iPhone in the U.S.
The photos, obtained by Boy Genius Report, show what looks like a white iPhone 4 on T-Mobile’s network, although the proximity sensor is apparently in the wrong location. The presumption is that the photos show a test model, and not a final production unit.
Assuming Apple really is testing the iPhone on T-Mobile’s network, the company is working with a non-standard unit because shipping iPhone models don’t support all of the GSM radio frequencies the carrier relies on. If so, this is a fairly good indicator that Apple is planning on adding T-Mobile to its list of U.S. iPhone carriers at some point.
Even if the photos are fake, T-Mobile may get to carry the iPhone — in a manner of speaking — relatively soon. AT&T is planning on purchasing T-Mobile from Deutsche Telekom, and hopes to have the deal wrapped up within about 12 months. AT&T is already selling the iPhone in the U.S., and T-Mobile customers would presumably have the option of buying iPhones once the deal is completed.
As always, Apple isn’t commenting on unannounced products and rumors, so there isn’t any official word on a T-Mobile iPhone coming out of Cupertino.


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OnePlus will launch an enhanced version of its flagship OnePlus 5, also known as OnePlus 5T, at an event in New York City on November 16. Far ahead of its high-profile presentation, the OnePlus 5T has leaked in all its glory courtesy of an early unboxing photo gallery, to the consternation of OnePlus, which literally leaves nothing to the imagination. Most importantly, the unboxing photo gallery reveals that the OnePlus 5T will come with a design scheme similar to the Oppo R11s, which means that just like the Oppo phone, the OnePlus 5T will also have an edge screen with almost no border. edge to edge with an unusual aspect ratio of 18: 9 instead of the more regular 16: 9 of OnePlus 5.
As is understandable in such cases, the OnePlus 5T will be shipped with a fingerprint scanner mounted on the back instead of the front seats on the OnePlus 5. As a result of such placement, the front of the OnePlus 5T will be all screen and almost without bevels. The OnePlus 5T, according to the shared documentation in the leak, will have an AMOLED 1080p 6-inch screen (Full HD +) with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top, but since the phone would be longer (and not wider) it would occupy a smaller footprint when in the hands. In fact, the unboxing photo gallery also shows the OnePlus 5T placed right next to the OnePlus 5 that shows that the new phone would be almost as big as its predecessor. The OnePlus 5, for your reference, is a 5.5-inch phone. The unboxing photo gallery has already been taken down.


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Dolce and Gabbana opens its first UK children's boutique in Sloane Square in London's Kensington.
Dolce and Gabbana has opened its first children's store in the UK.
The luxury fashion house, created by designers Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce, have launched the boutique in London's plush Sloane Square.
It's the brand's third store to open in the famous street, which is also home to a Dolce and Gabanna men's and women's boutiques.
Situated at 8 Sloane Square - it sells vintage toys, clothes, bags and shoes for children aged up to 12 years of age, along with furniture.
A children's pop up shop opened in London's Bond Street for three weeks last year to give shoppers a taste of the junior clothing collection ahead of the new store opening.
The 2014 range features detailed floral dresses for girls and denim shirts for boys.
The first Dolce and Gabanna children's boutique opened in Milan last year and occupied the space formerly used for the D&G line, which was discontinued in 2011.
The designers decided to end the youthful line, which was launched in 1994, to focus on their core brand.
In a statement they said: ''For the upcoming seasons, D&G will become part of Dolce & Gabbana, giving even more strength and energy to our collections. To us, it's like going back to when we began our adventure: full of ideas.''
Superman is missing from the 'Justice League' trailer.
The 'Power Rangers' reminded Elizabeth Banks of that 'team' aesthetic.
Charlie Hunnam has described his odd relationship on the set of 'The Lost City Of Z' with Robert Pattinson, who he "didn't say more than 10 words to...
The two actors worked together on 2003 western 'The Missing'.
Captain America actor Chris Evans has hinted he'd be open to returning for more Marvel movies in the future despite his contract coming up.
They say you should never meet your heroes, but Michael Fassbender is glad he met Brendan Gleeson.
'Prison Break' returns in April for a fifth season, but how will Robert Knepper's character T-Bag fit into the folds of the new episodes?


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San Jose, Calif. - Adobe Systems Incorporated has acquired Serious Magic Inc., maker of video software and communications tools for creative professional, business, consumer, and education markets. With Serious Magic solutions such as DV Rack extending direct-to-disk recording and monitoring into the field and Visual Communicator and Vlog It delivering the power of video communication to general business users and casual bloggers, the acquisition strengthens Adobe's position in video software -- for both video professionals and consumers.
“The huge momentum behind Flash Video, which is powering everything from online TV shows to YouTube and MySpace, is turbo-charging Adobe’s video business,” says John Loiacono, senior vice president of Creative Solutions Business Unit at Adobe. “The purchase of Serious Magic accelerates our vision to make, not just video but all dynamic media, an even more ubiquitous communications vehicle, whether you're delivering content for the broadcast market, over the Web or on mobile devices.”
Adobe plans to continue to sell Serious Magic’s products and future versions of Adobe’s video solutions will include Serious Magic technologies and software. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
“Adobe video products and Flash Video are creating new ways to integrate the moving image into almost every imaginable communication project,” says Mark Randall, CEO and chief magician at Serious Magic. “We’re proud of the cutting-edge work we've done at Serious Magic and believe that teaming with Adobe will be a truly magical combination enabling our award-winning technologies to have a lasting impact on video communications.”
Randall, a 20-year video industry veteran, will join Adobe as chief strategist, Dynamic Media.
Serious Magic is a privately held company headquartered in Folsom, Calif., and currently ships DV Rack, ULTRA 2, Ovation, Visual Communicator, and Vlog It.


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Vincent “Uncle Mick” DelGiudice, an 85-year-old man from Illinois, is now facing several years in federal prison as he has finally pleaded guilty to conspiring to conduct a multimillion-dollar illegitimate gambling business.
Ten individuals, including Vincent “Uncle Mick” DelGiudice and...read more
Casinos in many states across the country are opening up under strict health and safety guidelines. However, as Illinois casinos remain closed due to deadly COVID-19 crisis, Governor J.B. Pritzker issued an order late Thursday to allow sports betting enthusiasts to register for mobile accounts...read more
Pushing the long-awaited Chicago casino project closer to reality, members of the Illinois General Assembly amended casino tax structure for the city after state lawmakers agreed to trim down its tax responsibilities.
The Windy City businesses have been under lockdown since mid of March...read more
The Chicago-headquartered United Airlines is in for trouble after a passenger was given a rather humiliating farewell from the aircraft, this Tuesday.
Donna Beegle, a public speaker, was onboard the United Airlines flight along with her husband, son and autistic daughter, Juliette. As...read more
Authorities concerned said that between January and March, five dogs in Chicago died due to canine flu.
On Friday, the Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control warned that pet owners must avoid dog parks, group dog training facilities, doggy day care businesses and all other...read more
Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney took the plunge today in icy waters of Lake Michigan in Chicago during a fundraiser for the Special Olympics. Lady Gaga, Taylor Kinney, Vince Vaughn, Jon Seda and Brian Geraghty were among 4,500 participants who took the plunge in the ice cold water in Lake Michigan...read more
At the 2015 Chicago Auto Show, Mazda has displayed the all-new model 2015 MX-5 Accessories Concept, which boasts a number of notable embellishments. The 2015 Mazda MX-5 Accessories Concept on display features the automaker’s Ceramic Metallic paint; and its outfitted with 17-inch BBS alloy wheels...read more
At the Chicago Auto Show, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Ram Truck brand is unveiling the 2015 Ram Laramie Limited, which will set a new benchmark in truck opulence.
The 2015 Ram Laramie Limited will apparently be a "black-tie" luxury alternative to the well-liked Laramie Longhorn edition...read more
Automaker Ford is set to officially unveil its updated 2016 Police Interceptor Utility at the Chicago Auto Show. The new model of the Police Interceptor Utility has been developed by Ford with input from its Ford Police Advisory Board, which is focused on the business of fighting crime.
Automaker Honda has announced that the third-generation version of its boxy three-row Pilot crossover SUV - the all-new 2016 Pilot - will be unveiled at the 2015 Chicago Auto Show on February 12, 2015.
According to the announcement made by Honda, the 2016 Pilot will be a redesigned...read more
A cop from the Chicago Police Department saved the life of a 58-year-old man by pulling him out of icy Lake Michigan off Oak Street Beach on Sunday afternoon, authorities announced.
Near North District Officer Wadell Hardy reached the scene at about 1 p.m. after someone called police...read more
According to the findings of a new research commissioned by the Chicago Tribune, the red light camera program in Chicago is not as safe as it was touted to be when it was implemented.
As per the research, though the red light cameras were perceived as an effective mechanism for fighting...read more
- National Bank of Ukraine unveils illegal betting payments processed by Leo payment system
- Musk compares chip shortage to toilet paper shortage at start of COVID-19 pandemic
- SparkCharge to offer next-generation mobile charging for just $25 per month
- Gillig receives over $44M contract for 44 electric buses from UTA and Park City Transit
- Nuvve partners with Romeo Power to accelerate V2G adoption by commercial EVs
New Zealand News
- Top places to see in Singapore
- Xpeng enjoys 483% year-over-year jump in May 2021 deliveries; thanks to robust sale of P7
- Tesla offering new discounts & perks in China amid negative press
- Electric Vehicle Council slams Victoria Government for proposed punitive mileage tax on electric cars
- Chinese EV brand Ora unveils VW Beetle-inspired electric car Punk Cat
The Health Department of Northwest Michigan has...Read More
American gaming and hospitality giant Boyd Gaming...Read More
An American citizen who had boasted in front of an...Read More
Pushing the long-awaited Chicago casino project...Read More
A study was conducted to evaluate the effect a...Read More
Tech biggie Google’s recent filing with the US...Read More


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Can global trade drivers lead to recovery?
According to the World Bank’s January 2017 Global Economic Prospects report, global trade growth in 2016 was the weakest since the 2009 global financial crisis. The cyclical and structural factors that affected growth the most include the following:
- cyclical drawdown in inventories across developed economies
- overall fall in imports, mainly driven by China and other major commodity exporters
- slowdown in global investments, which impacted global trade
Structural influences also played a crucial role in global growth. They included trade liberalization and the value chain integration across countries. The other factors that drove global growth include flexible trade policies, the macroeconomic scenario, and political stability, which supplemented the gains from trade.
Oil prices and the effects on global trade
The fall in oil prices from 2014 until the first quarter of 2016 could have impacted global trade. The value of global trade fell in 2015, largely due to falling commodity prices, as you can see in the above graph. The high demand from China for commodities such as coal and iron ore is mainly due to the construction boom leading to rising global resource prices. The global weak demand and trade war among nations could have a significant effect on growth.
China’s exports continue to struggle. December data show a fall of 6.1% year-over-year, which was more than expected. Chinese imports rose 3.1%. The downtrend in exports has led to some structural reforms for China. Most likely, China will shift its focus from the manufacturing and export sector to domestic consumption, with increased protectionism and uncertain trade policies. These policies are expected to have a large impact on global trade in the future.
The Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index (SHCOMP) rose about 7.0% in 2016. Apart from China, commodity exporters such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Indonesia also faced slowdowns in demand, negatively impacting growth. Exports fell last year, which has taken a toll on major commodity exporting markets.
The Global Commodity Equity ETF (CRBQ) rose about 4.0% in 2016. The VanEck Vectors Oil Refiners ETF (CRAK) rose about 6.0% in 2016. CRAK’s four top holdings include Royal Philips (PHG), Valero Energy (VLO), Marathon Petroleum (MPC), and Tesoro (TSO).


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Disney-ABC Television Group renewed its streaming deal with struggling Netflix and announced a new agreement with Netlfix rival Amazon on Monday.
The Amazon deal expands its Prime Instant videos library to include 800 Disney-ABC TV titles, including ABC Family's "Greek" and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," ABC Studios' "Lost," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Felicity," the Disney Channel's "Phineas & Ferb," and Marvel's "Spider Man" and "X-Men Evolution." Prime member now have access to nearly 13,000 movies and TV shows.
The Netflix deal covers much of the same content. It extends a deal allowing Netflix to stream hundreds of library episodes from ABC Studios, Disney Channel and ABC Family, including prior season episodes of "Grey's Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives," and "Private Practice," all episodes of "Lost," "Brothers & Sisters," ABC Family series including "Secret Life," and "Melissa & Joey," and Disney Channel series including "Phineas and Ferb," "Good Luck Charlie," and "Hannah Montana."
Netflix will also add additional shows in the deal, includi ABC Family's "Switched at Birth," prior episodes of Disney Channel's "Kick Buttowski," and all episodes of "Alias."
The announcements come as Netflix is trying to fend off rivals, including Amazon. The company's stock plunged 35 percent last Monday on news that it had shed 800,000 subscriptions during the third quarter.
Netflix stock was down 1.45 percent to 82.92 as of 9:50 a.m. ET Monday. Amazon was up .45 to 218.30.


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Electric Cars increase UK Power Cuts with more demand on Supplies
Electric Cars increase UK Power Cuts with more demand on Supplies
Power Cuts in the UK WILL Increase!
The electric car revolution is happening but is the rush to go carbon-neutral too swift for connected industries to cope, we look at how the UK electricity supply will be affected and why it will increase the demand and therefore power cuts will become even more common in the UK
Electric cars have been taking the motor trade by storm over the last few years. People across the world are buying into this new technology, and manufacturers are locked in an ever-changing battle to be the very first to bring each new advancement to market.
In January 2019, more than 265,000 plug-in cars were registered in the UK alone. While this is less than 0.7% of the cars in the UK, it hasn’t taken long for electric vehicles (EVs) to find such success, and the market is only getting larger as time goes by.
Despite their increasing popularity, though, electric cars might not be all they’re cracked up to be. There are serious concerns that a greater surge in electric car use could lead to power cuts in the UK and across the globe, with mains grids only having the capacity to meet the needs of homes and businesses, no cars.
Trading conventional engines for regular power cuts isn’t a very good deal, but a lot of people are ignoring this factor, and this could make the problem even greater in the future. We’re going to explore this issue, it’s causes, and potential solutions, giving you the opportunity to assess it for yourself. First, though, let’s take a look at what makes electric cars so popular in the first place.
Companies like Tesla have been able to exceed market expectations over the last few years, finding success where a lot of people thought they would fail. This shows that there is a lot of demand for electric cars, and people are willing to spend a lot of money on them, but it doesn’t explain why they’re popular in the first place.
It’s never been easy to get people to trust new technology. When cars first started being introduced, people were concerned that accelerating faster than a horse and carriage would kill them, and this, coupled with the price of these machines, made it very difficult to get people to trust them properly.
Electric cars haven’t had quite as much trouble as this, with few people having strong concerns about these vehicles. Instead, in most cases, electric cars have been met with eager acceptance from consumers. When you delve into this field, it can be easy to understand why this is the case.
What impact will Electric Cars have on UK Power Supplies?
Despite often accelerating faster than their conventional cousins, there’s no doubt that electric vehicles are better for the world. Electric motors are far more efficient than combustion-powered options, and generating electricity can be done without any fossil fuels or pollutants, nowadays. This makes for a far more environmentally friendly vehicle than a petrol or diesel-powered motor. Most of the batteries which are made for EVs can be recycled or refurbished to give them new life.
While they may cost more at the moment, there are less moving parts inside an electric car, and this means that they are likely to last longer than their conventional alternatives. You will need to get fresh batteries every few years, though this can be done as part of a lease agreement which will make it much cheaper.
Cheaper to run:
As oil reserves run out, this vital resource is becoming increasingly expensive. In turn, products which are made from crude oil, like petrol and diesel, are going to go up in price. Electricity is far cheaper than this, making electric cars cheaper to run than their alternatives, while also generating a lot of appeal.
As you can see, there are many reasons for the popularity of electric cars. With these vehicles getting more popular, though, people are going to have to start working to ensure that this doesn’t have an impact on their local power supply.
The Electric Car Problem
Most countries don’t have an efficient way to store large amounts of power. Water can be pumped to the top of a hill to be held until power is needed, with gravity forcing the water into turbines which will generate power when demand is high. This isn’t always something which can be done quickly, though, and this places strict limits on the amount of power a country can generate.
The amount of power being generated is usually calculated based on what will need to be used. Power plants are built around this model, with their maximum capacity being little over what they are expected to make. In most cases, this doesn’t cause any issues, with the power usage of a country changing at a slow pace.
When you add hundreds of thousands of electric cars to the mix, though, this changes. And it only gets worse when you consider that most people will charge their cars at the same time of day, when everyone is also turning on their cookers, TVs, and other power-hungry machines.
These surges have already proven to be too difficult for power stations to manage over the last few years, with loads of stations around the world suffering with shortages as the result of electric cars being plugged in at the same time. This is something which can be broken down to show you just how big of an impact this could have over the next few years.
The cause of this issue is based around the charge rates and energy requirements of an electric car. These vehicles have massive batteries, and this means that they take an awful lot of power to fill, with many of them using fast-charging systems to ensure that they can be powered up as quickly as possible. Let’s take a look at a break down of what your electric car will take to fill, using the latest Tesla Model S as a sample.
The Tesla Model S is fitted with a 100 kWh 400-volt lithium-ion battery, and this means that you could get 100 hours of driving out of your Tesla if it were only using 1000 watts per hour. It will take around 75 minutes to charge this car to full using Tesla’s own Supercharger system, during which your car will be pulling huge amounts of power from the wall
If you were to drive 30 miles each day, you would end up using about 10% of the battery’s capacity. This means that you will probably want to charge it at least every couple of days, though a lot of people will do this every day. Charging your Tesla up by 10 kWh each day will add 3,650 kWh to your yearly energy usage.
With most homes using around 3,940 kWh each year, charging your Tesla like this could almost double your home’s energy usage. While this will still be a lot cheaper than conventional fuel, it will put a massive amount of strain on the UK’s national grid, and this means that power companies are having to fight to keep up.
Of course, it isn’t quite as simple as this, as the chargers which are made for electric cars are designed to be as efficient as possible. Coupled with the wall-mounted batteries which Tesla provides, the strain can be spread throughout the day. A lot of people don’t have these batteries, though, and many manufacturers don’t offer options like this.
The solution to a problem like this isn’t as simple as removing electric cars from the market. These vehicles promise to make the future brighter, saving the world from resource-hungry humans, while also opening the doors to new automotive technology. This is only really worth it if they can be brought into modern society, though.
There are two different timescales which need to be considered when thinking about the power usage of electric cars; the long-term and short-term.
In the long-term, it is hoped that governments and electricity providers will be able to bolster their energy production. This might involve adding power stations, looking at renewable energy, or buying electricity from other countries. Unfortunately, though, this isn't something that can happen overnight. This will cost billions of pounds to bring to life, with both the public and private sectors having to invest for it to happen quickly. Alongside this, it will also take planning, researching and development, and time for construction, making the whole thing even more costly and time-consuming. Some people hope that the future will hold free charging for electric cars in public places. So far, this sort of initiative has fallen flat, with companies only providing charging points to those who have memberships with them. This is a big part of the reason that it’s so hard to find charging points, even after electric cars have been on the market for years.
If people are going to take up electric cars over the next few years, serious work is going to have to be done to ensure that the grid can take these surges in the short-term. While you’re waiting for the government and manufacturers to do their part, you can look for ways to lessen your personal impact on the grid from home. One way to handle this is with your own batteries. By charging batteries when fewer people are at home, you can save power to use during peak times, lessening the surge which is felt each evening. Batteries that are big enough can cost a small fortune, though, and they won’t help you if there is an outage when you want to charge them up.
A diesel generator can provide a much better backup power supply when you’re thinking about an electric car. Not only will this be completely separate from the grid, but it will also enable you to access your power on demand. By simply getting your hands on a can of fuel, you can have your generator running day and night, filling your car up when no one else has power.
It’s crucial that you consider this sort of factor when you’re choosing the car you’d like, and the implications go much further than a simple power cut. With hundreds of people in your area charging their cars at the same time, the power could go out for everyone, leaving them unable to get their vehicles charged up.
This could make it impossible for people to get to work, school, and their other commitments, while also taking power away from vital parts of society, like hospitals and other emergency services. In the long run, this could have a far bigger impact than a lot of people expect.
Getting your hands on a diesel generator has never been easier. Here at Diesel Generator Direct, we have a host of different options available to our customers, offering a variety of features which will make it easy to find something suitable for your home.
Machines like this can be used for much more than simply charging your car. Some people use them to power their gardens, while others will use them for construction projects and other jobs that keep you away from the mains. We also offer spare parts and information about our generators, making it incredibly easy to keep your machine going for years to come.
We encourage anyone looking at products like this to get in touch with our expert team. We’re always happy to help with any questions you might have and have loads of experience when it comes to choosing the right generator for the job you have.
Machines like this can solve the problems of the future and make your life easier today, without forcing you to adopt expensive new technologies to make the most of them. While many people wouldn’t expect a diesel generator to go well with an electric car, we’re confident that they will serve most people’s needs, all without making your carbon footprint too big. If governments and businesses get their acts together, you may only need to use your generator for a few years, though it could be useful for more than a decade.


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Acer <2353.TW>, the world's No. 3 PC brand, barely matched market expectations for its second-quarter results, hit by fast-eroding profit margins in its low-cost netbook PC stronghold.
The results underscored how Acer's consumer-driven focus is riddled with risks, although it remains relatively better off compared with peers Dell
Acer leads the pack in the netbook PC segment - one of the brightest spots in the technology sector this year -- with research firm IDC expecting shipments to jump about 127 percent this year in a largely steady overall PC market.
Honestly, the results are very ordinary and even look like they missed it somewhat, said Vincent Chen, an analyst at Yuanta Securities. The key right now is how they perform in the coming months, especially with Windows 7 coming up.
Windows 7 is Microsoft's next-generation operating system, and the launch of any such software has typically led to a jump in PC sales.
Acer did not provide any outlook in its statement released after close of trading hours, but it has previously said it expects this year's second-half shipments to jump up to 40 percent from the first half.
Acer's net profit fell to T$2.3 billion ($70 million) in April-June versus T$2.9 billion a year ago, hit by the economic crisis as consumers and companies rein in on their spending, and also the lower profits associated with low-cost netbooks.
A Reuters Estimates poll had expected an average net profit of T$2.34 billion in the second quarter.
Revenue also fell, slipping 5 percent to T$119 billion as Acer needs to sell as many as six netbook PCs to make the same amount of money as it would from a single regular notebook PC.
On a shipments basis, Acer was the strongest performer among the world's top five PC brands in the second quarter, with IDC estimating its shipments to have risen nearly 24 percent from a year ago, stronger than HP
Acer's shares have jumped about two-thirds so far this year, outperforming a 47 percent rise in the benchmark TAIEX share index <.TWII>.
(Editing by Anshuman Daga and Jacqueline Wong)


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With Christmas almost upon us, 68% of people plan to do less or no indoor socialising during the festive season while Irish adults plan to spend around €1,350 on Christmas according to new research from Core.
Called Christmas Expectations, the in-depth research shows that people have no intention of “cancelling Christmas” despite the possibility of further restrictions being in place in December.
The research looks at the impact Covid-19 will have on Christmas, focusing on public and consumer sentiment towards the unfolding situation, adaption of shopping plans and where and how much people will spend this Christmas. The report is based on fieldwork conducted as Budget 2021 was being announced and the Government and public health authorities were finalising a return to tighter restrictions. The results are based on the views of 1,000 participants.
The research showed that while that there are increased levels of public concern (65%) about Covid-19, people have no intention of ‘cancelling Christmas’, with the majority of the public (67%) saying they will meet with family (outside of their household) this Christmas. However, 46% say they will not meet friends and 70% say they will not meet work colleagues.
When it comes to young adults, the cohort most likely to socialise at Christmas, 66% said they would attend less or no indoor social events this year, and only 15% said they would like to have people over to their homes. While there is a proportion of the population who are hoping that home visits will permit socialising indoors at Christmas, there are also groups who plan to return to Zoom screens and outdoor settings (12%) to socialise with close friends and family.
The research shows that we plan to spend on Christmas this year, as we have done in the past, with the average Christmas budget per person estimated to be €1,350. The largest proportions are expected to go towards gifts for friends and family (€208) and the big grocery spend (ex. alcohol – €194). Older Families (households with teenagers) have budgeted 40% more than the average, with plans to spend €1,896 this Christmas, while young adults (under 40s with no children) plan to spend €1,117 on their Christmas spend.
While the total Christmas budget for all Irish adults across Ireland is estimated to be €4.3 billion, with retail outlets closed for six weeks the challenge will be to guide people to click and collect or online delivery services during this period. 62% plan to shop less in-store or not at all when they reopen, and 67% say they plan to shop online more or the same as last year. As a result of this dual –channel purchasing behaviour, it is estimated that 45% of purchases will be made in physical stores, 27% will be a mixture of online and offline, and 28% will be ecommerce purchases.
Given Level 5 restrictions, much of the 27% of the ‘on and offline’ mix may convert into ecommerce, and within ecommerce, there is a division of intent to spend local and beyond. 16% of customers intend to shop on Irish based online retailers, but 12% say they will shop on foreign based sites.
According to Anne Zahan, Strategy Director at Core: “This research reinforces the fact that as with all celebrations that occurred over the course of COVID-19 (birthdays, marriages, births, graduations, etc.), Christmas too will be scaled back to its simplest form this year. Brands should therefore acknowledge the renewed sense of importance we have put on our loved ones, and show that there are people – with the same values we have – behind the brand.”
To view the full report and to download it CLICK HERE


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Fed Cattle Recap | Cash market toes the lineFed Cattle Recap | Cash market toes the line
The cash market for fed cattle has been off to the races lately. For the week ending Dec. 14, however, prices coasted to steady.
As Christmas draws near and retail and foodservice beef buying is wrapping up, packers are working to fill those orders and keep coolers, meat cases and plates supplied with beef. That’s been underpinning the fed cattle market of late and keeping feedyards current.
For the week ending Dec. 14, the cash market for fed cattle was mostly steady to $1 per cwt higher and cash sales volume was steady with the previous week.
Looking first at volume, the Five Area formula sales volume totaled 252,948 head, compared with about 262,000 the previous week. The Five Area total cash steer and heifer volume was 70,858 head, compared with about 71,000 head the previous week.
Nationally reported forward contract cattle harvest was about 42,000 head for the week. The packers have 164,000 head for December. National cash sales for the week included 27,078 head of 15- to 30-day delivery and 22,000 head from the previous week.
Now looking at prices, the Five Area weekly weighted average cash steer price for the week ending Dec. 14 was 119.17 per cwt, which was 25 cents higher than the prior week.
The weighted average cash dressed steer price was $189.54 per cwt, $1.44 higher.
The Five Area weighted average formula price was $191.14, which was $2.15 higher.
The estimated weekly total federally inspected cattle harvest was 662,000 head, which compares with 654,000 head the same week last year. The current year-to-date total estimated federally inspected slaughter is about 346,000 head higher than last year.
The latest average national steer carcass weight for the week ending Nov. 30 was 911 pounds, the same as the previous week. Carcass weights are now exceeding last year—now running 12 pounds higher than the 899 pounds the same week last year. Last year’s weight was 3 pounds lower than the week prior. Does that signal weights will begin to slide going into 2020? Stay tuned.
The Choice-Select spread was $12.05 on Friday Dec. 6, compared with $17.26 the previous week and a $7.82 spread last year.
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Allen Media Group’s Free Streaming Platforms Launch Speedvision Fast Channel
The channel expands the motorsports and automotive entertainment content on Local Now, Sports.TV and theGrio
LOS ANGELES—Allen Media Group has launched the Speedvision FAST channel, which offers more than 500 hours of premium automotive programming, on its free streaming platforms Local Now, Sports.TV and theGrio Streaming App.
The new Speedvision FAST channel on Local Now, Sports.TV and theGrio features blue-chip automotive entertainment from car build shows and garage content, to automotive history and auction programming. The Speedvision FAST channel also offers motorcycle and aviation series.
With the addition of the Speedvision FAST channel, AMG now streams more than 450 FAST channels, featuring over a dozen motorsports and automotive entertainment networks.
“We are excited to be partnering with Speedvision to bring our viewers more free premium automotive content,” said Byron Allen, founder/chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “We are continuously expanding our special interests and lifestyle content library in order to provide our audience diverse entertainment.”
“The original Speedvision was the best media brand ever offered to the auto enthusiast audience and those fans still see it as the high-water mark in the genre,” said president and CEO, Robert Scanlon, a co-founder of the original network in 1995. “I know from first-hand experience that the team of content creators and strategic partners that we’ve enlisted for the new Speedvision will match and build upon the legacy of the original, which has been imitated many times but never equaled.”
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George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.


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Throughout the year they have been dating, Jang Min Ji and Jung Tae Kyun have met almost every afternoon at online video game clubs, where they while away the hours zapping bad guys, dodging flame-breathing monsters or playing cards against anonymous strangers.
The action is so fast and furious at the RA PC Zone, their favorite meeting spot among the thousands of game rooms here, that they have almost no time to talk. Ensconced side by side in their gamers' loveseats, the college couple murmur and coo mostly news of their latest electronic triumphs and defeats, their words barely audible over the hail of gunfire, the grunts and screams of combatants and generalized whirring and clanging.
Only when they finally emerge from the pall of smoke and cathode ray blues and reds of the club lights will they finally chat. So what do they talk about? ''Mostly about games,'' said Ms. Jang, a slightly guilty smile playing on her face as her puppy, Urami, strained in her lap, where it had spent the afternoon in confinement. Mr. Jung never broke his gaze on the screen.
With the largest high-speed Internet market penetration in the world, South Korea has seen the broadband future that has stalled in so many other places.
More than half of all Korean households have high-speed Internet connections -- compared with fewer than 10 percent in the United States -- and the exploding Web culture has driven economic growth and spawned civic movements that have powerfully affected everything from politics to consumer culture.
But more and more these days, people are emphasizing a darker side to this technological success story.
Broadband's killer application -- the one activity that dwarfs all others -- is online gaming, which 80 percent of South Koreans under 25 play, according to one recent study. Critics say the burgeoning industry is creating millions of zombified addicts who are turning on and tuning into computer games, and dropping out of school and traditional group activities, becoming uncommunicative and even violent because of the electronic games they play.
''Game players don't have normal social relationships anymore,'' said Kim Hyun Soo, a 36-year-old psychiatrist who is chairman of the Net Addiction Treatment Center, one of many groups that have sprung up to cope with Internet game addiction. ''Young people are losing the ability to relate to others, except through games. People who become addicted are prone to violence, even when they are not playing.
''They clash in the games, and then they meet later and fight face to face.''
Far more than the United States, South Korea is a group-oriented society, where socializing in bunches is the preferred form of interaction, and Western-style individualism is frowned upon. Critics say this has been the secret to the tidal wave of online gaming, and the psychiatrist says it is the key to understanding its profound impact.
''Very few of our customers come alone,'' said Kim Gi Beum, the 29-year-old owner of the RA PC Zone, reputedly the largest of Pusan's thousands of game rooms, or PC bangs, as they are known here. ''Of course they could play at home, but it is more exciting to be surrounded by other gamers, especially if they are your friends.''
Correction: October 26, 2002, Saturday An article on Oct. 9 about the booming popularity of computer games in South Korea and the industry it has spawned misstated the fee at the RA PC Zone game room in Pusan. It is about $1 an hour, not $10.


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Nestlé Recalls 762,000 Pounds Of Pepperoni Hot Pockets
MOUNT STERLING, Ky. (AP) — Nestlé Prepared Foods is recalling more than 762,000 pounds of pepperoni Hot Pockets, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said.
The frozen stuffed sandwiches — shipped to retail stores nationwide — are being recalled because they “may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of glass and hard plastic,” the USDA said Friday.
The problem was discovered when the company received four consumer complaints of extraneous material in pepperoni Hot Pockets, the department said. The company has received one report of a “minor oral injury” associated with consumption of the product, the USDA said.
The recall is for 54-ounce packages containing 12 “Nestlé Hot Pockets Brand Sandwiches: Premium Pepperoni made with pork, chicken and beef pizza garlic buttery crust.” Affected boxes have a “Best before Feb 2022″ date and lot codes of 0318544624, 0319544614, 0320544614 and 0321544614, the department said.
The boxes also have the establishment number “EST. 7721A” inside the USDA mark of inspection.
“Consumers who have purchased this product are urged not to consume it,” the USDA said. “This product should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.”
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Jereaghogho Efeturi Ukusare
For investors and traders involved in global business or a business related or affected by global business, especially trade in currencies, then you must have noticed the lull in trading activities within the last seven days.
The Dollar gained significantly against the Euro, as a result of a seeming trade war; the British Pounds owing to Brexit and several other global currencies. However, this gain may be unnoticeable to non active investors and traders as these changes are in a few cents which in aggregate comes to a huge amount of money. This strengthening of the US Dollar could be attributed to the fact that the US economy has showed some strength in quietly picking up in its Gross Domestic Product and Consumer Price Index.
While that has a positive impact on the US economy, there are economies which will be adversely affected by this – a quick one will be China and many other major economies.
The uncertainty surrounding the issue of a looming trade war between America and its allies – the European Union – plays a major part in this lull in trading activities. Investors are not sure where to place their money and are holding on to it and this has had its ripple effect on many economies around the world.
Currencies around the world have perpetually been falling to the Dollar in the last one month. In addition, stock markets across major economies have also experienced downward trends. At the same time, the US Dollar has also weakened to a few currencies that are stronger like the Kuwaiti and Bahraini Dinar.


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Today was a big day for technology, iPhone and Apple product fans. Apple has just announced their upcoming slate of new products, highlighting improvements on their wearable tech, as well as their mobile devices and tablets. The first announcements were for the iPad, with Tim Cook introducing a low-cost iPad and a new iPad Mini. The Apple Watch Series 7 was the next to be announced, as well as updates to the Apple Fitness+ program. Then, they finally got to the main event, coming through with the official iPhone 13 announcement. Alongside the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max were shown. The improvements to the iPhone 13 include a new A15 Bionic chip, Cinematic Mode for videos, night mode on all cameras, a better battery life, and more.
— TechRadar (@techradar) September 14, 2021
— The Verge (@verge) September 14, 2021


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Lancia unveils electric Ypsilon for new push outside Italy
Lancia on Wednesday revealed its new Ypsilon compact car, the first of three new models promised by the premium brand as part of a multiyear relaunch plan under which it will again sell vehicles outside its Italian home market.
After shrinking to just one single model sold only in Italy, the 117-year-old brand, part of Stellantis, also has plans for a midsize crossover in 2026 and a compact hatchback in 2028, both fully electric.
The brand plans for its fleet to be 100% electric from 2026.
Unveiling the new Ypsilon in Milan, brand CEO Luca Napolitano said Lancia was targeting clients of Audi and Mini.
“I look at those brands with huge respect,” he said. “But I am not afraid to say that, in Italy, we look at their clients for Audi A1 and Mini”.
Initially presented in its battery-electric (BEV) version with a 51kWh battery giving a range of up to 403km, the new Ypsilon will go on sale in Italy before summer in a limited launch series of 1,906 units signed by Italian design furniture maker Cassina.
It will cost €39,500 (R805,826), including VAT but excluding government purchase incentives. Prices are expected to be lower for full-series versions of the car, which will also be available in a hybrid model in a few weeks.
The new Ypsilon replaces a current version of the car, which is cheaper and slightly smaller, and sold almost 45,000 units last year.
“It's different, in a different segment,” Napolitano said.
Sales of the new Ypsilon in other European markets will rely on a network of 70 dealers in major cities, Lancia said. They will start from Belgium and the Netherlands in mid-2024, with France and Spain following and Germany scheduled for 2025.
The aim is to make 80% of Ypsilon's sales in Italy and 20% abroad, the CEO said.
The new car will be built in Zaragoza, Spain, on the same platform as several other Stellantis models, including the Jeep Avenger, Fiat 600, Peugeot's 208 and 2008 and Opel's Mokka and Corsa.
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Khairuddin Rahman walks very thin line between bravery & stupidity Leveraging nearly 25 years of experience with satellite technology
The service agreement will also enable TM to offer BPO contact centre service to MYTV MYTV plans to have about 80 channels on its platform by end 2019
MyTV has unveiled its business plan for its digital terrestrial TV play. By charging RM12 million a year per channel to broadcasters, will it be easy for MyTV to recoup its multibillion-ringgit investment? Goh Thean Eu finds out from MyTV chief commercial officer Haniza Ros Nasaruddin.


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If the feds actually cared about food prices, they’d start looking at supply management: John Manley
A new RBC survey suggests financial uncertainty has become the new normal for many Canadians as inflation eats into their savings and hampers their future financial security.
The rising cost of living tops Canadians' list of worries, according to the poll, with 77 per cent of respondents saying they are not able to save as much as they would like to and roughly half saying they've never been more stressed about money.
Craig Bannon, director of regional financial planning support at RBC, says more than one-third of Canadians don't have an emergency fund, further weakening their financial flexibility.
The RBC poll also found that Canadians are worried about a potential recession, with the majority saying it would be tougher on everyone to weather an economic downturn today than it was in 2008.
If inflationary pressures continue into 2024, the poll finds 72 per cent of respondents with debt are worried about taking on more debt while 21 per cent said they might have to come out of retirement.
The survey, commissioned by RBC, polled 1,508 Canadian adults online between June 20 and 23. The poll cannot be assigned a margin of error because online surveys are not considered truly random samples.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2023.


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To help users distinguish between messages from legitimate senders and those sent by impersonators, Google on Wednesday introduced ‘checkmark icons’ for Gmail users who have adopted its Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI), the tech giant has announced.
Why is Google introducing checkmarks for Gmail?
Google announced the feature in an official blog post on Wednesday. It said: “Strong email authentication helps users identify and stop spam, and also enables senders to leverage their brand trust. This increases confidence in email sources and gives readers and immersive experience, creating a better email ecosystem for everyone.
Google shared this screenshot:
What is BIMI?
For Gmail, the feature was introduced in 2021, following a pilot in the previous year. It acts as another layer of security, and to use it, senders must use strong authentication, and verify their brand logos to display the logo as an ‘avatar’ in emails.
Further, BIMI helps email security systems filter spoofed, fishing emails from the legitimate ones.
Google began rolling out the checkmarks on Wednesday. The feature itself will take up to three days to be fully visible, and will be available to Workspace customers, G Suite Basic and Business customers, as well those with personal Google accounts.


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Different types of fish and cars live in the ocean… As it happens, now the cars also are in the Atlantic Ocean.
The crew members are overboard
The Korean ship Golde Ray carried 4 000 cars, took the ground and got on its side. The ground for this 200 meters ship is 11 meters of deep water.
As it turned out, 24 crew members were on the ship and they are alive at this very moment what is hard to say about 4 000 cars. We cannot say for sure what cars were on the ship, but usually, Golde Ray services are used by such companies as Kia and Hyundai.The fate of the cars is still unknown.
The same cases
Such a situation has not happened for the first time. You just need to recollect about the accident at sea, when in the spring on the shores of France, the Italian ship burned out. It carried 2 000 Volkswagen cars and 4 Porsche cars. The cars are fully destroyed and it is impossible to fix them.


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Home24 marketplace expands into Europe
Furniture and houseware retailer Home24 is expanding its marketplace to more European countries. The platform for third-party sellers launched in Germany this summer. By the end of 2022, it will enter Austria, France and Switzerland.
Home24 is a leading homeware retailer from Germany offering a wide range of home and living products. Currently, the platform has over 250.000 items in Europe and over 200.000 products in Brazil, including furniture, garden furniture, mattresses and lighting. At the end of last year, the company was acquired by German lifestyle chain Butlers, known for its physical stores.
Austria, France and Switzerland
This summer, Home24 first opened its marketplace for third-party retailers in Germany. Now the marketplace is coming to Austria, France and Switzerland. Home24 says the launch is planned before the end of this year.
The launch is planned before the end of this year.
The retailer already operates in these countries with a localized website, in addition to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy. The new marketplaces will be integrated in the local websites.
Over 100.000 products added from 100 retailers
The launch also means an expansion of Home24’s product range. When launching its marketplace in Germany, over 100.000 products were added from roughly 100 sellers. According to the company, every seventh order placed on the website contained a marketplace product ‘after just a few weeks’.
For the Austrian, French and Swiss marketplaces, Home24 is mainly expanding its range with accessories, home textiles and seasonal products.
‘Success of Germany encouraged us’
“The success of the curated marketplace in Germany has encouraged us to quickly transfer the concept to other European countries,” Home24’s CEO Marc Appelhoff says. “We look forward to offering our customers in Austria, France and Switzerland a significantly larger range on our website, which will ideally complement our existing range.”


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Cross River: Looking towards agriculture, tourism
Cross Rivers State is hard-hit in terms of dwindling revenue from the Federation Account. The state gets between N3b and N3.5b from the Federation, but after all deductions, it has less than a billion naira, with a wage bill of about N5b to settle state civil service and the local governments.
To worsen matters the state lost Bakassi and the 13 percent derivation, though some undisclosed palliatives are paid to the state monthly.
Faced with this situation, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor/Senior Special Assistant Media, Mr. Christian Ita said the state government was looking inwards to diversify and reduce dependence on the Federation Account.
He said: “We are more active now along the coastline taking advantage of transportation between Calabar and Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to make some revenue. The government was able to get Federal Government’s approval by obtaining license under solid minerals. This means that if anybody comes to Cross River state to set up a quarry or build a cement factory, he will pay some money to the state.
“Secondly, the state recently registered a company to go into petroleum business of buying and selling fuel and the state is getting a vessel to that effect.
“In agriculture, we are going to become a net exporter of rice. That is why we are building the rice city in Calabar, which is basically a research centre for rice where standard quality rice will be produced. Besides, we are also encouraging the local farmers and we are building a world-class rice mill in Ogoja. The mill will also produce byproducts of rice for baby food with rich vitamins. The rice project will be up and running by end of this year.”
On Cocoa, he said: “Lots of reforms are going on and we have advertised for a processing plant to create value chain for our cocoa.”
Special Adviser to the Governor on Cocoa, Mr. Oscar Ofuka said the only means of generating revenue remains cocoa; describing cocoa is an international commodity, which present price in international market is higher than the price of crude oil. He said the state governor, Prof Ayade is passionate about the development of cocoa plantations across the state. “We want to show it to the world that we have cocoa that is of best quality and it will surprise you that people from Ondo State used to come to Cross River State to buy our cocoa and blend it with their own before it is exported.”
Tourism is another area the state invested its resources to generate revenue. For instance, the annual Calabar Carnival now attracts people from near and wide with the multiplier effect on the various sectors of the state’s economy. The carnival is now self-financing and one of the major boosters of the economy of the state
Besides, the annual carnival, the state has other tourists’ attractions, which previous administration invested on and have now become major revenue earners for the government. They include Obudu Cattle Ranch, the Marina Resort and the annual pageant.
On the state’s garment factory, the governor said it has capacity to employ over 3, 000 workers and it was set up to produce uniforms for the police and other security agents. He believed that the garment factory would not only help to reduce unemployment, but also earn the state revenue.
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Only Pret’s location at University of Chicago remains.
The UK-based on-the-go sandwich, Pret A Manger has closed all but one location in Chicago after suffering from financial loss throughout the pandemic.
Sandwich local and UK import, Pret A Manger, otherwise known as “Pret”, opened its first location in NY in 2011. After rapid success as a quick-and-easy sandwich shop with soup and salad options — popular predominately with hustling crowds of office workers — the company expanded into a multitude of cities, including Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago — the latter in 2010. By 2016, the chain had become a $200 million business, having opened 11 locations in Chicago alone.
Late July, the company announced that they would shutter 30 locations in the UK as well as 17 locations between Boston and Chicago after suffering an 87% sales loss since the beginning of the pandemic.
“It’s a sad day for the Whole Pret family, and I’m devastated that we will be losing team members,” said CEO of Pret, Pano Christou. “But we must make these changes to adapt to the new retail environment. Our goal now is to bring Pret to more people, through different channels and in new ways, enabling us to grow once more in the medium term.”
Like restaurants, bars, and other eateries, Pret closed its locations at the onset of the pandemic. Even though the chain reopened its US locations in late April, it continued to suffer loses due to its missing target clientele — the crowds of busy-body office workers and morning commuters who stopped in on the go.
At this moment, its outpost in the University of Chicago is only one left in the Windy City. However, customers can still order delivery through Grubhub and Seamless.
“We cannot defy gravity and continue with the business model we had before the pandemic,” said Christou. “That is why we have adapted our business and found new ways to reach our customers. While Pret may look and feel different in the short term, one thing I know is that we will come through this crisis and have a bright future if we take the right steps today.”
[Featured image: @pret]


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London, UK, 11th July 2016 – Elstat Ltd, a leading provider of global Smart cooler solutions for cold drinks brands, today announces a strategic partnership agreement with Bosch to lead innovation in the sector. In working with one of the world’s most significantly experienced, leading engineering and electronics companies, Elstat will bring innovation to market […]
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