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3rd March 2022 - 2 min read
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has decided to maintain the overnight policy rate (OPR) at 1.75%, despite Malaysia showing signs of economic recovery.
In a statement, BNM said it came to this decision after evaluating various factors, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict – which has emerged as a key risk to global economic growth, trade prospects, commodity prices, and financial markets. Additionally, there is the possibility of Malaysia still being affected by lingering concerns over Covid-19, risks of prolonged global supply disruptions, and heightened market volatility due to adjustments in monetary policies of major countries.
BNM further commented that risks to the country’s economic growth outlook remains tilted to the downside, whereas inflation in 2022 is projected to remain moderate. Core inflation, meanwhile, is expected to normalise to its approximated long-term average as economic activities continue to pick up amid the environment of high input costs.
That said, the central bank maintained that Malaysia’s economy can expect to continue its recovery trajectory moving forward, following an expansion of 3.1% in 2021 from the previous year. This is because the nation’s recovery will be supported by various elements, including an increase in global demand, higher private sector expenditure, improved labour market, as well as the expected reopening of international borders. Furthermore, the economic impact from the recent Covid-19 wave (Omicron variant) is expected to be less severe than previous waves.
In the face of all these elements, the MPC emphasised that it considers the current stance of monetary policy to be both appropriate and accommodative. “Fiscal and financial measures will continue to provide support to economic activity. Amid the prevailing uncertainties, the stance of monetary policy will continue to be determined by new data and their implications on the overall outlook for domestic inflation and growth,” BNM said.
The current OPR is the lowest on record, according to BNM data – brought down to 1.75% following four consecutive cuts back in 2020. The rate originally stood at 3.0%, but was subsequently pared down to 2.75% in January 2020, 2.50% in March 2020, 2.00% in May 2020, and finally 1.75% in July 2020.
(Source: Bank Negara Malaysia)
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Chick-fil-A Marks Milestone of 10 Million Meals Donated to Local Communities Through Shared Table Program
According to Feeding America, hunger impacts 42 million people in the U.S., including the 13 million children who may experience food insecurity in 2021. But, luckily for us, the kind-hearted folks who operate Chick-fil-A restaurants have stepped up to help feed those in need. That's right, the folks who quench our cravings for a Spicy Deluxe sandwich or the most snackable chicken nuggets, are also leading the way to help address hunger in America.
Chick-fil-A just announced that thanks to the company's Chick-fil-A Shared Table program, it and the operators that run the local franchised restaurants have just hit a major milestone in their fight against hunger. They have donated more than 10 million meals to those in need. The Shared Table program was started in 2012 and now include more than 1,200 participating restaurants across 47 states and Washington, D.C.. Through the program, which is run in partnership with Food Donation Connection, Chick-fil-A restaurants work with local shelters, soup kitchens and nonprofits to ensure that leftover food from Chick-fil-A restaurant kitchens isn't simply thrown in the trash, but instead turned into meals for those who may otherwise go hungry.
"About 80% of surplus food in our restaurant is now distributed through the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program," Steve Lowery, a Chick-fil-A operator in Springfield, Missouri, said in a press release. "This includes items such as chicken, eggs, biscuits, as well as salads and wraps. Through this program, we've had the opportunity to fill a need in our community and we are humbled by the opportunity to give back in this way."
This program helps Chick-fil-A make a positive impact in the local communities and fight food waste in a sustainable, useful manner—and helps us feel a little better about all those Spicy Deluxes we eat.

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FortiExpress Cyber Security Centre makes two-day visit to Bunbury
A $2 million cybersecurity truck rolled into town yesterday to show off the latest defence against online criminals.
Bunbury’s smart-city outlook made it the only city outside of Perth to get a visit from the 250sq m FortiExpress Cyber Security Centre.
Designed by American company Fortinet, the centre has been touring Australia since August after its success in North America and Europe.
Bunbury Geographe Chamber of Commerce chief executive Mark Seaward said it was a coup to get the truck to Bunbury. “We’re very excited to help provide these facilities ... it’s a unique offer to the businesses of Bunbury,” he said.
The experience includes live demonstrations on how Fortinet software responds to varying real-time threats.
Fortinet produces software and hardware used for defending electronics such as computers and smartphones from cyber attacks.
Fortinet WA State manager Gary Steenkamp said the experience would focus on education.
“We’re raising awareness of things people may never have considered,” Mr Steenkamp said.
He hoped the event could help solve a global shortage of cyber skills and get children interested in the industry.
Mr Steenkamp said it was an exciting opportunity for Bunbury businesses because many of them might not normally get to see this technology.
The main event for the centre will include 55 of Bunbury’s leading business people taking a comprehensive tour in a bid to raise cybersecurity awareness.
The public will also get a chance to take in the experience, with an open house between 7.30am and 9.30am today and tomorrow.
The centre will be set up in the Dolphin Discovery Centre carpark on Koombana Drive.
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Many banks haven’t found an efficient way to deal with issues like payment clearing inefficiencies, consumer fraud, and the general limitations of fiat currencies.
Blockchain, however, may be the go-to solution for many of these challenges.
Issues Traditional Banks Face Today
Traditional banks and financial institutions have faced some challenges for decades, but we have yet to see the technical innovations to mitigate or eliminate them, including inefficient payment clearing processes, fraud and currency options.
Inefficient Payment Clearing Processes
One of the biggest roadblocks that banks face today is how to quickly clear payments while complying with regulatory procedures. The number of payment clearing options available in 2018, is not different from the options available in 2008 – a decade ago.
In the U.S., for example, same-day ACH is likely considered to be the biggest improvement during this decade. Only in recent years have cross-border fintech applications emerged that reduce payment clearing costs and wait times. For the most part, we are still stuck with old architectures that lack innovation, efficiency and the data to make a meaningful impact on money laundering and fraud reduction.
Inability to Stop Fraud
Fraud has always been notoriously difficult to stop. Unfortunately, this remains the case even today. Fraud costs are so high in the US, that interchange fees paid by merchants are some of the highest in the world. Despite an increase of available identity fraud detection systems, banks are still unable to make a material improvement in fraud reduction.
For banks, this leads to financial losses in cases where funds are paid to the fraud victim. For customers, this can reduce trust in the bank. For merchants, it means higher fees for facilities, which creates higher costs for customers. Additionally, customers often wait to receive a new bank card. In 2017 alone, the cost the data lost to identity theft totaled $16.8 billion.
Limited Number of Currency Options
Fiat currencies are limited by geography and slim competition.
When we think about fiat currency around the globe, we have seen a steady move towards standardization. This presents risks for banks and consumers. For example, a heavy reliance upon a single national currency relies upon factors like economic growth and monetary policy.
Twenty-eight nations have experienced hyperinflation during the past 25 years. Not only did banks fail in some cases, but entire economies collapsed. Because there were no currency choices, the problem could not be easily avoided.
This process continues to happen in many locations globally.
Benefits of Blockchain Over Traditional Systems
There are ways blockchain can reduce or eliminate these issues for financial institutions.
More Efficient Approval Systems
When compared to traditional payment approval processes, many blockchains are already more efficient. Instead of waiting days for payments to go through clearinghouses, a well-designed blockchain can complete the verification process in minutes or seconds. More importantly, blockchain also offers a more transparent and immutable option.
With innovations like KYC (Know Your Customer) and KYT (Know Your Transaction) transactions conducted via blockchain, banks can be more capable of preventing finance-related crimes. This means traditional finance can more effectively comply with laws for AML (Anti-Money Laundering), ATF and more.
In addition, legitimate transactions can be approved at a lower cost.
No More Fraud
While fraud seems like a pervasive issue in society, this can be reduced using technology. Blockchain can change how people prove identity and access services.
Instead of having to wait to stop a case of fraud, blockchain can stop transactions before they ever occur. The Ivy Network will have smart contracts which will allow banks and financial institutions to review a transaction and supporting KYC and KYT before accepting the deposit. Because blockchain transactions are immutable, we could see a reduction in counterfeiting of paper currency and consumer products.
Increased Digital Payment Options
While blockchain has many use cases, this is one example of how technology can change finance and the global economy. In the early days of cryptocurrency, there was really only bitcoin. Now, there is a range of coins and tokens like Ivy that serve important purposes within existing regulatory and legislative frameworks.
One of the biggest misconceptions is crypto and fiat payment systems have to be direct competitors. By creating a blockchain protocol that links fiat and cryptocurrency, businesses and consumers can have more, better market choices and use cases for cryptocurrency.
At the same time, financial institutions can serve an important role in the future of digital payments and fiat-crypto currency conversions.
As financial institutions look to solve many challenges they face around payment clearing inefficiencies, consumer fraud, and the limitations of fiat currencies, blockchain is a viable solution. Financial institutions that fail to embrace blockchain’s potential will face heightened monetary and reputational risks, and miss opportunities for growth and innovation.


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Toys R Us announced the appointment of Melanie Teed-Murch as president, Toys R Us, Canada, effective Sept. 1.
Freds announced it has promoted COO Michael K. Bloom to chief executive, effective Aug. 29.
Uber riders in San Francisco and Los Angeles are getting even more benefits when they book a ride.
In effort to protect its organization from potential data breaches and prepare for the delivery of new omnichannel services, Davids Bridal is modernizing its failover network.
Sears Holding Corp. is hoping to capitalize on the upswing in home improvement projects.
Target Corp. is losing its top marketing honcho just months before it enters its most important selling season.
Cyber-criminals have been wreaking so much havoc among retailers that there has been a 137% jump in fraud attacks over the past four quarters, an issue affecting $7 out of every $100 of retail sales, according to the latest PYMNTS.com Global Fraud Attack Index.
The CEO of Davids Bridal is out after three years on the job.
From new store prototypes to merchandise changes, Abercrombie & Fitch has been investing in efforts to transform and update its namesake and Hollister brands.
Things are looking bleaker for bankrupt Aeropostale.


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Daimler Consults Ford Over New EngineGiancarlo Perlas May 28, 2013
The arrival of the new Ford Fiesta is at hand. One of the features of the new car is its 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine which is a product of one of the company’s small overseas powerplant.
The success of the American company in its new engine has caused popular automakers to take notice, including Daimler, according to a report from Autoblog. Then, currently, Daimler is consulting Ford about the specs and other information of its new engine so the company could use the data on the development of its future products like the Smart ForTwo and the Renault Twingo, a product under the Daimler and Renault-Nissan alliance.
In exchange for the information acquired from Ford, Daimler will supply the company with data about its Euro6 stratified lean-burn gasoline engine, which is available in its Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans, said the report.


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The roadblocks obstructing EV uptake in Nepal
(The Third Pole, 17 Nov 2023) Public and private transport in Nepal is taking its first steps towards electrification, but to reach its destination the country must first navigate infrastructure and policy shortfalls.
Shilshila Acharya was initially hesitant to buy her first electric car back in 2018, because she was worried how it would perform. But Acharya, who directs the Avni Center for Sustainability in Kathmandu, did not want to buy a petrol or diesel car. “I just had my child at that time and definitely didn’t want to transport the next generation in environmentally damaging vehicles,” she explains. Five years later, Acharya is happy with her decision: “It is comfortable, cost-effective, and doesn’t contribute to emissions.”
Acharya’s decision is just one example of Nepal’s growing enthusiasm for electric vehicles (EVs) in recent years. Orders for EVs at Sipradi, a major car trader and the sole distributor in Nepal of India’s Tata Motors, reached a record high during Nepal’s national auto trade show (NADA) in mid-September. Sipradi’s marketing manager, Aviruchi Giri, says the response has been overwhelming: “We launched two new EV cars and one ICE [internal combustion engine] vehicle, and almost all the attention from potential buyers was for the electric option.”


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While television viewers all over Chicago were wondering why that woman in the Wrigley Field bleachers dumped beer over her husband’s head last weekend, the marketing team at Anheuser-Busch InBev was breathing a collective sigh of relief.
“Finally!” admitted a Bud Light spokesperson. “Do you know how many couples we had planted in those bleachers dumping beer on each other? It’s about time those WGN-TV cameras finally caught it live. What on earth have they been filming instead?”
Added the spokesperson, “We’ve wasted a lot of high quality beer waiting for this moment. It’s probably the only reason why Bud Light sales have spiked in Chicago recently.”
When asked why A-B planted the beer throwers in the bleachers, the spokesperson responded, “Are you kidding me? We paid good money to name the Bud Light Bleachers, and all they show on TV is how empty the bleachers are because no one goes to the games anymore. They don’t even show the Bud Light Bleachers sign – just that stupid Miller Lite billboard over those stupid rooftops.”
“And with all the scuttlebutt about the Wrigley renovation and the nonstop TV footage of those darn artist renderings of proposed new signage, Bud Light is really getting the short end of the stick. So we decided to get guerilla and take matters into our own hands.”
When informed that the video had gone viral on YouTube, SportsCenter, Good Morning America, WGN, and other outlets, the spokesperson shook his head.
“Yeah, that was unfortunate,” he said. “Sunday was the one day our wardrobe stylist was unavailable. She was at Chicago Craft Beer Week, so our beer throwers were wearing their whatever clothes, instead of their official Bud Light attire.”


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Located in Toronto’s financial district at Yonge and Wellington, one of downtown’s custom tailor shops, Garrison Bespoke, has caught the attention of tons of international media earlier this month.
Using nanotechnology, this three-piece pin-stripped custom-tailored suit is lined with carbon nanotube material and can stop a bullet by dispersing the energy of the impact like how a soccer net stops a soccer ball.
I talked to David at Garrison Bespoke and according to him it’s the first time he’s aware of Canadian fashion making news in GQ.
“After receiving requests from high-profile clients who travel to dangerous places for work, we set out to develop a lightweight, fashion-forward bulletproof suit as a more discreet and stylish alternative to wearing a bulky vest underneath,” said Michael Nguyen, co-owner and bespoke tailor of Garrison Bespoke.
The custom-made bulletproof suit starts at $20,000.
Check out the video by CityNews
ABOUT GARRISON BESPOKE
Garrison Bespoke is a luxury menswear boutique in Toronto’s Financial District that creates custom garments to help clients make their mark. Designed with modern style and classic foundations, Garrison Bespoke pieces are conservative enough to create credibility but unique enough to stand out. A sharp pinstripe suit with crushed jade woven into the cloth for good luck is one client’s signature look. Secret suit pockets are the norm. For more info visit www.garrisonbespoke.com
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Nominees announced for the 2014 Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards


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iPad Support Hits End of Life
After WWDC yesterday there was unfortunate news revealed for iPad 2, iPad 3, and iPad Mini first gen owners. The new iOS 10 due out later this year will not be supported on the older iPads mentioned above. This news will either be the death of the iPad or the resurgence of sales of the newer iPads (iPad Air, Air 2, Pro, Mini 2-4, etc.). Apple will kill off support of around 42% of current iPad users if consumers choose not to upgrade (according to statistics provided by Localytics).
The iPad 2 has been very successful to consumers for a device that stopped being sold in early 2014 which happens to be second only to the iPad Air. There are currently around 318 million iPads floating around the world and many of these will become obsolete with the release of the new iOS.
To Update or Not to Update
People should be prepared to update, give up, or move to a different tablet if they choose to keep up with the latest supported technology. Consumer response will tell if Apple will strengthen their sales of tablets or move in an alternate direction for tablets with the new macOS announcement at WWDC. It seems as though Apple is trying to play roulette with their users to see if their plans will stick with the general public.
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Behind the scenes of Barry Callebaut’s Ruby chocolate
On September 5 2017 Barry Callebaut proudly presented a new type of chocolate called ‘Ruby’. You’ve read that right, a new chocolate type, next to dark, brown and white chocolate. Of course, this innovation didn’t happen overnight.
Global need states mapping
About two years ago, Haystack performed a large sensory mapping study in the USA, China and the UK to identify different need states linked to chocolates. Our research revealed a consumer chocolate need no existing chocolate type was able to satisfy: hedonistic indulgence. This is a need state found mostly among millennials, the current largest living generation.
Consumer research to test appeal
After Barry Callebaut’s R&D developed the new chocolate type, it was extensively tested with consumers in different markets. Haystack performed product tests in Japan, China and the UK to test the chocolate’s consumer appeal. It appeared that the new chocolate type was a product that fittted with the hedonistic indulgence need state, allowing Barry Callebaut to pave the road for concept development of this segment.
Jan Ryckmans, Sensory Research Director at Haystack adds:
“It’s wonderful to see a client launching such a great innovation. As a market research agency, we work behind the scenes. The innovation pipeline can be long, but with end results like these it’s totally worth the wait. We are proud to have been Barry Callebaut’s partner and we can’t wait for all new product categories that will definitely be coming up!”


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The EU-Mercosur agreement, the negotiations of which ended a year ago, is waiting to be signed and ratified. They shouldn’t be in a hurry.
As policymakers weigh their options after a devastating year, trade “liberalization” has been touted as a cost-free route to economic recovery. Yet with the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union and G20 labor and employment ministers meeting at the end of June, what evidence supports this view?
Examining the biggest proposal on the world table – a trade deal between the EU and the South American Mercosur bloc – reveals a less optimistic story. Trade liberalization is costly on many levels and can lead to slower growth and increased inequality, unless it is underpinned by active expansionary and industrial macroeconomic policies.
In one work document we show that demands for the EU-Mercosur deal ignore critical challenges facing EU economies, such as persistent unemployment and rising inequalities. Duly examined, the results for EU countries may well be negative.
The deal would be, more 15 years old, remove tariffs on 92 percent of EU imports from Mercosur and 91 percent of tariffs on Mercosur imports from the EU. It may seem like a good deal but these figures mask the different priorities assigned to industrial and agricultural products in the two regions: the EU would liberalize imports of industrial goods rather than agricultural goods, while Mercosur would do the opposite. This is where the trouble begins.
According to latest screenings, over the same period, the agreement would give the economies of the EU and Mercosur a unique boost of less than 1%. A closer look at the background studies reveals that these negligible gains depend on many unrealistic assumptions favorable to the deal, such as full employment, constant inequality and a given productivity. So even if some of the most critical problems faced by the EU and Mercosur economies are dismissed, only paltry benefits are expected.
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The projections also overlook the critical sectoral imbalances that build up, affecting productivity, wages, employment and ultimately growth. Our research shows that since 2000, most jobs in Germany, Italy, France, Poland and the Czech Republic have been created in “stagnant” (see table), low productivity and low wage sectors, while value added has increasingly been generated in “dynamic” sectors, with high productivity and high wages.
The stagnant economy
In general, manufacturing and other industrial sectors have downsized relative to retail trade and other services. In Germany, Italy and France, this deindustrialisation has been one of the main causes of the “secular stagnation” of gross domestic product and productivity. It is also a major cause of the increase in inequalities observed in most EU countries. This is clearly not sustainable for those seeking full employment – and it is the opposite of the path developing countries must take to raise living standards.
Exacerbated negative trends
Trade liberalization has, however, contributed, but not alone, to these negative trends and is likely to exacerbate them. It has also fostered specialization and strengthened the competitive advantage in EU economies. Over the past decades, most of these have advanced into high-tech sectors, such as vehicles, pharmaceuticals, information and communication. This allowed them to gain an advantage on the global stage, but created a more vulnerable labor market, pushing surplus labor into stagnant and lower-paying sectors.
The deal could thus boost productivity in dynamic EU sectors by boosting their exports, but would be unlikely to generate the demand needed to stop deindustrialization and the movement of labor to the sectors. stagnant. Distributive imbalances and the risk of secular stagnation would likely worsen, especially since the deal would do nothing to protect workers’ economic security.
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There are also environmental concerns. First, the projected expansion of agribusiness and mining in Mercosur could contribute to land use, deforestation and increased carbon emissions. Second, technological and competitive asymmetries between advanced EU economies and other EU and Mercosur economies would create a trade-off between environmental and development outcomes – exactly what policy should avoid in the face of the challenge. climate.
For example, Mercosur countries which face tougher competition with advanced EU economies would face pressures to reduce their production costs, cut wages, and forgo investments in green technologies. Such perverse incentives would deter them from making green transitions.
Properly managed, trade expansion can be a powerful driver of economic development and technological upgrading, alleviating exchange rate constraints and enabling economies of scale. But this must be accompanied by macroeconomic policies that support effective demand, rebalance the distribution of income and allow essential investments to alleviate (as opposed to ignoring) environmental constraints. Without such policies, trade liberalization risks aggravating economic and social polarization.
Standard trade projections can yield encouraging results because they ignore the macroeconomic context of trade policy. In a time of global economic upheaval, heeding such advice is more dangerous than ever.


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Joaquin Duato officially assumed Johnson & Johnson’s CEO position at the start of 2022, moving up from his prior role of vice chairman of the executive committee. But his pay package actually shrank in his first year as the company’s top exec.
Duato collected $13.1 million in total pay last year, compared with $13.8 million in 2021 when he was still former CEO Alex Gorsky’s right hand leading the pharmaceutical and consumer health sectors.
Duato’s pay package was less than half of the $26.7 million Gorsky scored in 2021 in his final year as CEO. Gorsky became J&J’s executive chairman during the CEO transition and handed Duato the board chair role this year.
When Duato moved into the CEO seat in 2022, his salary increased 4.5% to nearly $1.5 million and his cash incentive pay rose 32.8% to $3.1 million. But his equity awards declined by 12% to $8.3 million.
As J&J explained in a securities filing, the CEO’s long-term incentive award was granted in February 2022 based on the company’s business performance in 2021, when Duato had yet to become CEO.
Including the equity awards granted in February this year based on J&J’s 2022 performance, Duato’s 2022 “total direct compensation” rose to $19.9 million, versus $10.4 million in 2021.
Looking at J&J’s business last year, the board found that the company’s currency-adjusted sales and free cash flow both came below internal targets. J&J reported $94.9 billion sales in 2022, up 1.3% versus 2021.
In the pharma sector, several blockbuster products—including immunology drug Remicade, AbbVie-shared blood cancer therapy Imbruvica and prostate cancer med Zytiga—all posted double-digit sales declines last year. Plaque psoriasis treatment Tremfya, multiple myeloma antibody Darzalex and newer prostate cancer drug Erleada were the bright spots in the company's performance.
Duato’s leadership did lead to strategic achievements, J&J said, including having exceeded in its progress with the separation of Kenvue. The consumer health business just filed for an IPO with a plan to complete the spinoff by November this year. But the board said it slightly cut back the annual incentive payments to “align the payout more closely with” J&J’s peers.
On the M&A front, in 2022, J&J beefed up in medtech by splashing out $16.6 billion to acquire Abiomed. The target brought cardiovascular technologies for coronary artery disease and heart failure.
Meanwhile, J&J continues to struggle with thousands of talc lawsuits, although the company’s litigation costs for the consumer franchise in 2022 dropped to about $200 million from $1.6 billion in 2021.
A federal appeals court in January voted down J&J’s bid for a Texas two-step bankruptcy ploy, preventing J&J from clearing itself of the lawsuits. J&J hopes to save billions by channeling all talc suits to a holding company called LTL Management and calling it bankrupt.


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Apple today said that it will release iOS 11, the latest operating system for its iPhone and iPad line-ups, on Sept. 19, or a week from now.
If the Cupertino, Calif. company follows tradition, it will issue the upgrade at approximately 10 a.m. PT, or 1 p.m. ET.
Apple first revealed changes to iOS in June, at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where it touted new features and enhancements targeting the iPad above all. Analysts liked what they saw of iOS 11 then, and called out several important additions, including the new Files app, that they believed would make Apple's tablet a stronger PC alternative.


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CaptivateIQ, which has developed a no-code platform to help companies design customized sales commission plans, has raised $46 million in a Series B round led by Accel.
Existing backers Amity, S28 Capital, Sequoia, and Y Combinator also participated in the financing, which brings the San Francisco-based company’s total raised to $63 million since its 2017 inception.
CaptivateIQ must be doing something right.
Digital transformation is the name of the game these days, and companies that are enabling businesses to take a leap into the future, by helping them tackle their most complex operations, are reaping the rewards. In the latest development, OneStream, a startup that provides a toolkit of services to enterprises to help them run financial operations (for example, reporting, planning, tax and more), has raised $200 million in primary equity.
Historically, podcasts have been aimed at consumers. The value to be gained in the B2B world is something that has been largely untapped.
For Lindsay Tjepkema — who has been entrenched in the world of B2B marketing for more than 15 years — the opportunity was massive. So in 2019, she founded Casted, an audio and video podcast product aimed at B2B marketers.
Via Nuvi, Reputation will add social listening and data visualization tools to its RXM platform.
MicroStrategy CEO, Michael Saylor.
MicroStrategy bought another $15 million worth of bitcoin Monday, just three weeks after its last purchase.
The company now holds around $5.29 billion worth of bitcoin.
Saylor in a tweet said his firm owns 91,579 bitcoins acquired for $2.226 billion at an average price of $24,311 per coin.
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Michael Saylor's MicroStrategy bought another $15 million worth of bitcoin on Monday, three weeks after its latest purchase in March.The CEO on Twitter revealed that his business intelligence firm purchased an additional 253 bitcoin at an average price of around $59,339 according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing dated Monday."As of 4/5/2021, we #hodl ~91,579 bitcoins acquired for ~$2.226 billion at an average price of ~$24,311 per bitcoin," Saylor said in the tweet.MicroStrategy was the first corporation to directly purchase bitcoin, and made its last purchase on March 12.
For this morning’s column, Alex Wilhelm looked back on the last few months, “a busy season for technology exits” that followed a hot Q4 2020.
We’re seeing signs of an IPO market that may be cooling, but even so, “there are sufficient SPACs to take the entire recent Y Combinator class public,” he notes.
Once we factor in private equity firms with pockets full of money, it’s evident that late-stage companies have three solid choices for leveling up.
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Jon Loyens is chief product officer and co-founder of Data.World.
By now, all companies are fundamentally data driven. This is true regardless of whether they operate in the tech space. Therefore, it makes sense to examine the role data management plays in bolstering — and, for that matter, hampering — productivity and collaboration within organizations.
While the term “data management” inevitably conjures up mental images of vast server farms, the basic tenets predate the computer age.
Meet Soda, a data monitoring platform that is going to help you discover issues with your data processing setup. This way, you can react as quickly as possible and make sure that you keep the full data picture.
If you’re building a digital-first company, you and your customers are likely generating a ton of data. And you may even be leveraging that data to adjust your product itself — think about hotel pricing, finding the right restaurant on a food delivery website, applying for a loan with a fintech company, etc.
A data-driven approach allows companies of any scale to develop SEO and marketing strategies based not on the opinion of individual marketers but on real statistics. Big data helps better understand your customers, adjust your strategy according to the obtained results, and even decide on the further development of your product line.
Data-driven SEO and marketing activities leave no space for bad shots.
These are unprecedented times for the analytics industry. Thanks to new tools, including real-time tracking capabilities, businesses had access to more information about their marketing campaigns than ever before. That’s good news, right? Well, it should be, but having access to more marketing data is only actually good news when businesses understand what to do with it. Otherwise, it’s just noise.
If your brand is trying to navigate today’s crowded and confusing analytics environment, one of the best things you can do is actively seek to reduce the amount of information you’re trying to wrangle.
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Electric cars to be as cheap as petrol and diesel counterparts by 2022
EVs could be as cheap as petrol and diesel cars as early as 2022, however, the oil and electric industry still have catching up to do
Electric cars could cost the same as their petrol and diesel counterparts as early as 2022, thanks to developments in battery technology, a new report by Bloomberg Business reveals.
The cost of batteries has fallen by 35 per cent last year alone, putting them on a trajectory towards their internal combustion counterparts. Global EV sales grew by 60 per cent last year, and by 2040 Bloomberg predicts around 35 per cent of new cars sold globally will be electric.
This looks an ambitious target, especially when considering EVs make up less than one per cent of current global car sales. However, because batteries make up over 30 per cent of the cost of an electric car, bringing the costs of battery development down would have a dramatic effect on prices. According to Bloomberg, this could happen as soon as 2022, the year it predicts electric car sales will “lift-off”.
This lift-off would not just affect the car industry, but energy industries will have to play catch-up. The report estimates electric vehicles could displace as much as 2 million barrels of oil a day by 2023 – enough to start another oil crisis.
Meanwhile, electricity providers will have to think of new ways to meet the growing demand, as by 2040 the report predicts electric cars will need 1,900 terawatt-hours of electricity, equal to about 10 per cent of the total global electricity produced last year.
Do you think electric cars will be as cheap as their petrol and diesel rivals by 2022? Would you buy an electric car now? Tell us in the comments section below...


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After the COVID-19 pandemic saw motorshows and car gatherings being suspended, it seems that such activities are now returning in full force. For fans of modified cars, electric vehicle enthusiasts and those shopping for new cars, there will be yet another event this October – the International Modified Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia International Motor Expo 2023 (IAM-MIME 2023).
Three different elements
What makes IAM-MIME 2023 unique is that it will incorporate three automotive genres under one roof. Firstly, it will be a showcase of new cars from legacy automakers as well as newcomers to the Malaysian market.
With growing interest to electric vehicles (EVs), fuelled by the government, there will also be an EV Fest with displays of many models available at duty-free prices ranging from RM100,000 to RM500,000.
The third and most vibrant component will be a grand showcase of about 300 customized cars. This large number is a reflection of how the International AutoModified (IAM) event has grown exponentially and is now Southeast Asia’s largest and longest running modified car show.
IAM is part of regional tour
Regarded as the region’s largest car tuning and lifestyle show as well as competition, IAM has had the distinction of touring more than 38 cities throughout Indonesia since 2001. It has also expanded to hosting shows in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. The show attracts thousands of car enthusiasts and aficionados with nearly 100 individual awards presented in various categories.
First held in Malaysia in 2011, IAM combined forces with MIME in 2022 where close to 104,000 people visited the inaugural 3-day show held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Last year’s event featured more than 100 of Malaysia’s top grade modified vehicles with the numbers expected to triple this year.
“The show has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. There is a huge following and love for modified cars in the region especially in Malaysia and this is extremely evident from the high quality of cars on display,” said IAM Founder, Reza Aliwarga.
“The interest to display cars has been phenomenal and there are almost 1,000 modified cars on the list so we have to vet through before meticulously selecting the final 300 for the show,” he revealed.
This year’s regional IAM tour starts in Singapore on October 21/22 and then moves to Kuala Lumpur. It will then move back to Jakarta, Indonesia on December 2/3 before the finale the finale in Thailand a week after that. The organiser are also working towards a debut event in the USA next year.
Endorsed by MARii
To be held from October 27 – 29 at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) in Kuala Lumpur, IAM-MIME 2023 is endorsed by the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii).
Commenting on the event, MARii’s Deputy CEO, Ts Nizmar Mohd Nazar, said: “Beyond the promotion of the automotive industry, MARii’s agenda is very much aligned with Malaysia’s responsibility regarding energy transition and decarbonisation. On this note, I’m very happy to note that the organizers of the Malaysia International Motor Expo (MIME 2023) have focused on the Electric Vehicle (EV) mega trend and allocated a central location for the display of some of the leading EV brands in the world.”
MIME Founder Yamin Vong added that a major attraction will be the opportunity for the public to personally experience EVs. Many may not realise how different the feel is, especially the quietness and smoothness, and may be persuaded to switch to these zero emission vehicles.
Vote for the ‘ People’s Choice’
Mr. Vong said that during the show, there will also be digital polling for the ‘Peoples’ Choice Car of the Year’ (to be announced at a special Car of the Year Awards event scheduled in November 2023). Those who participate in this 10-question poll will also stand to win hourly prizes.
Besides the plentiful cars on display, IAM-MIME 2023 will have a wide variety of attractions which will include racing simulators, radio-control car displays, car club gatherings, a display of some of the exotic cars belonging to royalty, and a live music festival. There will also be a lot of contests with and giveaways for the public.
Discount on tickets for early birds
To know more about IAM-MIME 2023, visit www.internationalautomodified.com and www.malaysiamotorexpo.com. Entry tickets will be priced at RM30 per person but children below the age of 12 (must be supervised by at least 1 adult) can go in free. If you want to save money, you can get a discounted price of RM17 per day if you buy the before August 31.


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Kohl’s will add 45 new 750-square-foot Sephora shop-in-shops in stores across 29 states in the next few months, bringing the total to 910 Kohl’s stores by the end of 2023. In March 2023 Kohl’s announced the locations for the next 250 Sephora 2,500-square-foot shop-in-shops, part of its plan to operate Sephora stores in all 1,170 Kohl’s locations by 2025.
The newly announced smaller shop-in-shops will be opened at Kohl’s stores across the country, including four apiece in Indiana and Utah and three in North Carolina.
“We are excited to bring the Sephora at Kohl’s experience to more communities this fall with a uniquely curated assortment of the most-coveted beauty products that we know our customers will love,” said Nick Jones, Chief Merchandising and Digital Officer at Kohl’s in a statement. “We heard from our customers that they wanted prestige beauty offerings, and we set out to deliver in a big way by partnering with Sephora, the global leader in beauty, to bring a truly elevated shopping experience right to their local Kohl’s store.”


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After opening its doors in April 2017, the Trade Centre UK has relished with opportunities to interact with the community. From supporting the towns annual carnival to backing various local charities, the TCUK has opened their doors to the region.
When arriving in Wednesbury, TCUK launched the kit club initiative which takes pride in supporting local sporting clubs with the funding for a new kit. This hopefully takes away the strain from background financial worries and allows the clubs to focus primarily on their 'on the field' duties.
Tina Langstone Wolves United Ladies Manager said; ‘We would like to thank Trade Centre UK for their support, the ladies really appreciate the new kit and we can now look forward to the season ahead. ‘
The Trade Centre UK understands that as a new business to the area, they have a certain corporate responsibility to integrate and network within the community. The marketing team are always looking for new opportunities to drive the business’s platform. The TCUK launched its kitclub scheme to develop and grow relationships & commercial awareness throughout the county. Which has given local clubs from grass roots level right through to amateur an opportunity to gain commercial backing.
Dan Burt Marketing Assistant at the Trade Centre UK said; ‘We are very pleased to be the official kit sponsor of Wolverhampton United Ladies. The club have a real passion to succeed and its only their first year as a football team. Which as a business, I feel we can relate too. We look forward to following their results throughout the season and watching the club develop; as I know they have big aspirations for the future.’
Wolverhampton United Ladies will be playing in the Birmingham County women’s league. Their home pitch is at Prestwood Road and the season starts September the 10th. All are welcome to come and support the team.


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SEOUL, Jan. 24 (Yonhap) -- LG Display Co., a flat panel maker, said Tuesday that it swung to the black in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, largely thanks to a rise in panel prices and a diversified product portfolio.
Its net profit reached 825 billion won (US$706 million) in the October-December period, compared with a loss of 13.5 billion won a year earlier, it said in a regulatory filing.
Operating income shot up to 904 billion won in the fourth quarter from 60.6 billion won a year earlier, and sales increased 5.9 percent on-year to 7.94 trillion won, it said.
LG Display said it logged an operating income of 1.3 trillion won on sales of 26.5 trillion won last year.
"Sales increased during the latter part of last year and a diversified portfolio helped improve profitability," a company official said.
LG Display expects a rise in panel prices may continue for a while and strives to expand its premium product lineup to better compete with rivals, it said.
LG Display, the world's largest maker of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, has maintained its No. 1 spot in shipments of large-sized LCD panels for 28 consecutive quarters through the fourth quarter of last year.
LG Display, which has been the world's top maker of LCD TV panels since the fourth quarter of 2009, is expected to remain in the top spot this year with a target of over 51 million unit shipments, market tracker IHS Markit said earlier.


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Arstechnica reports that the campaign to rid our nation’s prisons of cell phones went to the next level, with a call from the Department of Commerce for intel on devices that can get the situation under control. The government is “seeking comment on technical approaches” to the problem, Commerce says.
The illicit use of cell phones by prisoners is a danger to public safety and must be addressed,” declared the DoC’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration boss Lawrence Strickling upon release of a Notice of Inquiry. “At the same time, we need to make sure that any technical solutions do not interfere with 911 calls, government or other legitimate cell phone use.”
Congress is all over the place on this issue. The Senate has passed the Safe Prisons Communications Act, which would allow prisons to jam cell phones. The Federal Communications Commission forbids this practice at present, and the wireless industry wants to keep it that way.
There’s also the Cell Phone Contraband Act, which would make illegal possession of a mobile wireless device by the resident of a Federal prison. The Senate has passed this proposed law, too, but neither bill has made it through the House of Representatives.
Photo by ticklethewire.
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New Car Reviews, New Car News Items, New Car Release Dates, New Car Prices. Search Archived Items By Manufacturer and Model.
Japanese car maker Toyota failed to beat Volkswagen in Global sales for 2016, falling short by around 130,000 vehicles German Car-Giant Volkswagen sold more vehicles globally than Japanese rival Toyota for 2016, taking the crown as the world's largest carmaker in the process, the 1st time VW group has achieved this feat.
The newly face lifted Toyota Yaris has been revealed with a new design elements, a new engine, new trim levels and upgraded technology. Upgrades for the Yaris include a new 1.5 litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that will replace the aging 1.33 litre. The new engine produces 110bhp and 100lb ft of torque with a 0-60 time of 11.0 seconds, with improved fuel economy and lower emissions.
Toyota has updated the new 2017 RAV4 model with safety in mind and now includes the next level of safety technology as standard. From now on the RAV4 will come with TSS or Toyota Safety Sense as standard on all models excluding only the entry level Active, where the TSS option is a £1,060 extra.
Toyota announced today it is conducting a global recall of 2.87 million vehicles due to the possibility that their seatbelts could be damaged by a metal seat frame in the event of a crash. In an email, the world's biggest-selling automaker said that the global recall involved its RAV4 SUV model produced between July 2005 and August 2014 and sold worldwide, and its Vanguard SUV model produced...
The New Toyota C-HR concept is a stylish and compact hybrid SUV/Crossover, and has been updated with the aim of launching a full offensive on its main rival- The Nissan Qashqai. The Nissan Qashqai has been the best-selling SUV/Crossover for the last decade and Toyota want a slice of the pie.
The New Toyota Avensis is the newest edition and competitor to the business saloon segment in the UK. We are going to take a look at the 1.6 D-4D Business Edition Plus, the perfect model for this new feature. With the words Business Edition in its name, you can take a guess that this car is aimed at and is absolutely perfect for the business commuter.
Toyota’s hydrogen powered car the Mirai The Mirai is going to be the first in the UK to qualify for the £5,000 grant offered to zero emission vehicle buyers. The eligible Car list for the grant is operated by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles or OLEV. They have qualified the Mirai, which makes it the very first such car to benefit from the current scheme.
Toyota has issued another re-call for 1.6 million vehicles made with faulty air bags. Over 15 million cars have been fitted with the faulty airbags since 2013 by the Japanese car maker. The latest re-call affects no less than 22 models that are sold in Toyota’s homeland of Japan, including the Vitz and Corolla, manufactured between early 2004 and late 2005, vehicles in Italy, Britain and...
Toyota has added two new trim-levels to the Yaris Hybrid range. The Yaris Hybrid Active is the entry-level model with UK Car Discount offering a cut-price of just over £13,000 whilst the Sport version offers a nippier more eye-catching alternative at around £17,000 before discounts.
The Toyota Prius is the industry leading Hybrid, its design and serene drive are unique ..... So what's new in the third generation model? Efficiency Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain has been completely revamped in the 3rd generation Prius model, the result is a much lighter system delivering more power and better efficiency in cold conditions.


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Crowfall State of the UI
A guided tour of what’s new and what’s in store for the Crowfall user interface.
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If you want to understand why Intel (INTC) isn't Microsoft (MSFT) -- which is a good thing right now -- you don't need to look any further than the product announcements coming out of the Intel Developers Conference that ended today.
Yes, both Microsoft and Intel are struggling with what looks like not just a slowdown in PC sales growth -- but also a market shift away from desktop computing and toward mobile devices from tablets and smartphones. PC unit sales are now forecast to drop 9.7% percent in 2013 and to go on falling in 2014.
But Microsoft is moving away from its strengths and expertise in software -- buying Nokia (NOK) and going into the tablet hardware business. That is because its traditional PC hardware partners have themselves fallen so far out of the mobile race.
Intel, however, is continuing to do what it does best -- manufacture chips at increasingly smaller sizes. That doesn't mean that Intel faces an easy job in getting those chips designed into products by the new masters of the hardware universe such as Samsung. But it does mean that Intel has a good chance to jump start revenue growth again by 2014.
So what did Intel announce this week?
First, there was Quark, a new line of tiny systems on a chip. The key here is that the Quark line is intended for a market that is just emerging. Intel isn't playing as much of a game of catch-up here as it is in smartphones and tablets because the devices will make up this market are just themselves emerging.
The Quark line is targeted at the developing market for an "internet of things" and "wearables." The Quark is extremely small and will use very little power. The chip is about one-fifth the size of Intel's current smallest chip, the Atom, and uses about one-tenth the power. Some of the uses cited by new Intel CEO Brian Krzanich included Internet-enabled appliances, wearables and medical diagnostics so small they could be swallowed.
Intel expects to have reference boards ready in the fourth quarter. The market for all wearable technology, including smartwatches, will more than double to $18.8 billion in 2016 from $9.3 billion this year, according to market researcher IHS.
The company also announced Bay Trail, Intel's 22-nanometer system on a chip for low-end PCs and tablets, and the next generation Atom chip, Merrifield, for smartphones and tablets. Intel said that those chips will start showing up in devices next year. Intel's next generation LTE product, the XMM 7260 modem, will hit the mobile phone market in 2014.
Behind those chips is another generation of chips manufactured with 14-nanometer technology mobile devices instead of already cutting edge 22-nanometer technology. Moving to that new process will enable Intel to pack more processing power onto an even smaller chip that uses even less power.
The company's Broadwell 14-nanometer system on a chip is due to start shipping at the beginning of 2014. Devices running the new Broadwell are projected to show a 30% power improvement over the current Haswell Core line.
None of this will allow Intel to claw back market share in the mobile device market from its competitors overnight. But Intel does seem to have a good understanding of what gaining design wins in this market will require: lower prices, lower power consumption and faster speeds. CEO Krzanich said tablets using Atom chips will be available for less than $100 in the December 2013 shopping season,
Bears on Intel right now are looking for the company and its stock to implode as PC unit sales continue to fall. That has certainly set expectations very, very low.
I think the current consensus that sees revenue falling in 2013 from 2012 levels is, however, too pessimistic. Revenue is more likely to be flat with 2012. That would only be a good performance on current pessimism. Revenue could, however, actually show some growth in 2014. It won't be huge growth -- maybe something like 3% to 5% growth. By that time, though, it's likely that the market won't be expecting any growth at all from Intel.
The shares, by the way, currently pay a 3.97% yield.


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According to a report on the Hanoi Times, Vietnam’s Ministry of Finance (MoF) wants to suspend the importation of digital currency mining hardware. The reason for the ban is allegedly a large scam where more than 32,000 investors lost almost $660 million.
The MoF suggested imposing a ban on Monday, June 4, explaining that new financial technologies, like virtual coins produced with a help of mining rigs, are hard to regulate. Besides, recent accidents of fraudulent initial coin offerings (ICOs) in Vietnam made country’s Prime Minister issue a directive increasing scrutiny into “activities related to bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies” earlier this year.
At the moment, mining rigs can be imported to the countries without any restrictions. Nevertheless, crypto coin as a form of payment is banned. As Vietnam Customs recently reported, more than 9,300 mining facilities were imported to the country last year. According to the data revealed in April 2018, Vietnam had already imported 6,300 items.
Last year there were some rumours that Vietnam was preparing to legalize cryptocurrency, however, the Central Bank did not recognize it as a non-cash payment option in the end. Moreover, the government also imposed fines up to $9,000 for using trade coins as a payment method.


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Theory&Practice, one of Russia’s main games blog have just posted an interview to Alexis Bonte on eRepublik.
eRepublik was mentioned alongside with other big companies in the industry such as Zynga and Bigpoint in yesterday’s article Investors Look To Turkey, Middle East For Next Wave of Social Games in the Tech Europe blog.
This blog covers Europe’s technology leaders, their companies, the people and industries which support them, and their ideas. Tech Europe is edited by Ben Rooney, with contributions from staff across The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones and others.
eRepublik was mentioned in the RT online site. RT, previously known as Russia Today, is the first Russian 24/7 English-language news channel which brings the Russian view on global news.
The article talks about the Life In Technology (LINT) event, where Alexis Bonte, CEO of eRepublik Labs, was one of the speakers.
eRepublik recently made it to the front-page of the Dutch newspaper Noorhollands Dagblad, with an interesting article under the headline “Poland occupies Netherlands” about the enthusiasm for eRepublik in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. This story was written by the journalist Joost van Egmond.
You can see it here:
Start a revolution. Create a political party. Set up a company. These are normal activities for players in the massively multiplayer online game called eRepublik (www.erepublik.com). Now in its third year and second version — eRepublik Rising, the game combines social networking and a strategy simulator. It’s accessible through most web browsers.


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Have you ever imagined a time when most of consumer engagement would be done on WhatsApp?
Have you ever imagined directing your ads to WhatsApp and receiving orders and payments right from the messaging app?
This might soon be the case, as top messaging app, WhatsApp finally launched worldwide, a version for businesses called WhatsApp Business.
Though the service is still currently free, WhatsApp’s COO, Matt Idema says the company will later start charging companies to use the app.
Could it be that Facebook Inc. is finally trying to make back the $22 billion it spent to buy the app some years ago?
Though it is basically the same as the WhatsApp messenger, it comes with some special features which sit at the core of its adaptation for businesses.
It also comes with tools and analytics that can help businesses manage a lot of messages and customers just through one channel.
WhatsApp Business to revolutionise Customer Service
WhatsApp Business accounts are expected to relieve the customer off the stress of having to wait long hold times on company phone lines just to talk to a customer service rep, having to carry out heavy app downloads, or scan through tediously long (Frequently Asked Questions) FAQ pages.
With the end-customer at the core of the designer’s mind, companies would not be able to abuse it in their benefit.
The businesses would only be able to message people who have given them their phone numbers and have agreed to be contacted by them.
Therefore, WhatsApp Business is very capable of becoming the top spam-free business to customer communication channel.
Some special features of WhatsApp Business
The “Away Message” feature, enables businesses to set "quick replies" to assure the customers that they have been heard and their enquiries will be responded to as soon as possible.
The feature can help businesses reduce the amount of clients they loose outside working hours.
The app also provides labeling options, with which businesses can effectively categorize clients based on their statuses in the business.
For example, you can start labeling clients as “Regulars, Pending orders, Promo clients” and more.
Facebook ads and WhatsApp Business
Just like Facebook ads can be placed to show on Instagram, the same now applies for WhatsApp.
Ads can now be placed on Facebook and the destination will be WhatsApp.
Businesses can now put up ads on Facebook to link prospective clients to relate with them on WhatsApp.
Chatbots on WhatsApp Business
It is also rumoured that WhatsApp will soon release its API. If this is done, it would mean that just like on Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp might soon be able to host its own chat-bots.
For businesses, this would mean they can automate to an extent, the answering of FAQS, provide information about prices and availability of stock etc.
If this is done, customers might be able to make orders straight from WhatsApp just like in Facebook Messenger.
Also, with the labelling function provided on the app, businesses might be able to provide customised offers manually or through the app based of their categories and customer behaviour.
Downside of WhatsApp Business
As good as this new app might seem for businesses, the downside is that just like on the regular WhatsApp messenger, it can only be used on one phone number at a time.
So, it might be really difficult for big businesses with a huge customer base to use it as one of their main customer service channels.
Except they put out different numbers for that purpose.
Also, as we speak now, the app is only available on Android devices.
So this shuts a large chunk or businesses out (especially ones who strictly use IOS devices for all computing operations).
This is however just a minor downside, as the IOS version of the app is expected to be rolled out very soon.
Have you tried out the WhatsApp Business app? What other features do you think should be added to it?


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Nissan has recently tested the impressive GT-R Nismo on the Sodegaura Forest Raceway, in its homeland.
One of the hottest vehicles ever produced by Nissan, the GT-R Nismo, is ending up in our news once again, this time with the help of a video, which has been recently released. The clip posted below is showing the hot sports car in action, on the Sodegaura Forest Raceway, in Japan, so if you want to see the impressive Nissan GT-R Nismo in action than you’re in the right place, because all you have to do is scroll down and click the play button.
The Nissan GT-R Nismo has been officially unveiled during the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show. The model in question is getting an subtle aerodynamic body kit, a double wishbone suspension, Bilstein dampers, a hollow rear anti-roll bar, new springs, six-spoke black alloy wheels and much more. As far as the engine goes, the 3.8 liter V6 has been twin turbocharged and it has received an optimized ignition timing for all 6 cylinders, along with a tweaked fuel pump and other tweaks. The result is 600 HP (441 kW) and 652 Nm (481 lb-ft) of torque.


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On 7 Feb 2018, the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) Entrepreneurship Programme welcomed two successful serial entrepreneurs, JD Lee and Benjamin Lee, to share insights on financial literacy and how to embark on a startup journey. Students of the Alibaba Cloud – SUSS Entrepreneurship Certificate/Minor and other guests had the chance to learn from the experts themselves. Interestingly our students were silent when asked about the difference between a startup and a SME. However, they were visibly enlightened when Benjamin Lee, Founder of Sapio, an edu-tech company, explained that the main difference is the scalability.
While a SME growth’s rate is constant, a startup’s growth should be exponential, also called scalable. A shop that sells bread is a SME, however if that shop owner decides to spend money on branding and creates a franchise, we call that Breadtalk in Singapore, and considered it a scalable startup ready to meet investors to attract funding.
This event is part of the FROM.IDEA.TO.STARTUP series which is organised by the Center for Experiential Learning together with a group of student volunteers.


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Davies Group has acquired Glasgow-based property and casualty public sector claims specialist Top Mark Claims Management Limited (trading as TMS), in a deal advised by BCMS.
UK pet supplements manufacturer Vetark Products ('Vetark') has been acquired by Italian pharmaceuticals group Candioli Srl, in a deal advised by BCMS.
Leading US multidisciplinary consulting firm J.S. Held has started expanding overseas with the acquisition of UK and Middle East construction consultancy Leach Group in a deal advised by BCMS.
As 2019 gets underway, there's little doubt that many UK industries face a very challenging year. There appear to be no easy answers to ongoing Brexit worries, rising insolvencies, a tightening labour market, or rapidly changing consumer trends.
Arrange an obligation-free meeting with an expert today.


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KAMPALA- The Rolex Initiative on July 3 launched the third Edition of the Rolex Festival, under the theme: Street Smart, a social event that is claiming itself on events calendars of many Ugandans as well as tourists.
A rolex, which is a chapati rolled with eggs and vegetables was adopted on the streets of Kampala as an easy and affordable food.
Enid Mirembe, aka Rolex Queen, the CEO Rolex Initiative, who is behind the idea of the delicacy being used as a unifying factor to all Ugandan food to be used to represent the country across borders and on the international scene told journalists that The Rolex Festival is not only meant to be a day out, but other goals.
“The Rolex Festival seeks to grow food tourism in Uganda as a key driver in the Tourism sector, support the SME sector through business education and creation of awareness of their products and also popularize the rolex on the world map as Uganda’s very own fast and street food,” said Mirembe.
Together with its sponsors, Coca Cola, KCCA, Shell Gas, Miss Tourism Uganda, Galaxy FM, Uganda Tourism Board, and Kaswa Flour, activations are going to be done around the country before the day of the Rolex
Festival to sensitise street food vendors on how to operate their businesses smartly by meeting hygiene, safety and environment standards.
Mirembe said the event which is due for August 19 at the Uganda Museum will treat revellers to a day of entertainment with musicians like Cindy, Fik Fameika, Vinka, Sleek Stuart and Roger, among others.
Different treats of rolex will be served, there will be kids games, a zoo, and those interested in cooking will be taught how best to make a rolex.


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The departure of two top executives at Nike speaks to a larger cultural issue, said Liz Dunn, founder and chief executive officer of Pro4ma, a forecasting and analytics firm for retailers.
"We're seeing it all over corporate America," Dunn told CNBC on Friday, referring to issues of workplace misconduct in the era of the Me Too and Times Up movements. "In some instances it seems it's almost part of the culture."
On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Jayme Martin, vice president and general manager of global categories for Nike, was removed from his post. Martin has been with the company since 1997. The news came only a day after Nike President Trevor Edwards announced he was resigning and would retire in August.
While Nike has been hush-hush about the details surrounding the two top executives' departures, in a statement the company said it is looking into workplace behavioral issues but that it was not implicating any one person or department. The company did not confirm or deny whether Edwards and Martin were removed from their posts because of misconduct. The internal employee memo went on to say that inappropriate workplace behavior does not reflect Nike's values.
Dunn, who is also an operating partner at Consumer Growth Partners, called the news "troubling."
The Journal reported that the two men apparently protected employees that exhibited demeaning behavior toward female and foreign colleagues.
"This speaks to the culture at Nike, that two individuals looked the other way," said Dunn, who said she does not have any insider information on the company. "It says something if [the company is] elevating people who kind of look the other way if there's misconduct going on," Dunn said on "Power Lunch."
"Culture and people are enormously important," she said of any organization.


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LOVE&ART has announced the release date for romance adventure game Genso Manege in Japan.
Genso Manege will launch on January 30, 2019 for Nintendo Switch at retail and Nintendo eShop. The game will cost 6800 yen physically and 6000 yen digitally, while the limited edition will go for 10,800 yen. All prices do not include 10% sales tax.
Here is a look at the boxart illustrated by Meij:


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Despite representing a major share of global markets, families and children have largely been left by the wayside in the ongoing fintech revolution. Apart from the occasional kid-friendly financial service offered by major brands like Revolut and a few others, young families have been left without significant options for bringing their finances into the modern era.
Closing that gap is exactly what micro-investing fintech Acorns has set as its mission. Already boasting six million monthly subscribers for its services that focus on investing small amounts of money, Acorns is looking to bring its popular offerings to families across the Americas and Europe. And with the recently announced all-stock acquisition of financial education subscription fintech GoHenry, Acorns is set to ramp up its technology and business strategy in a big way.
“We pioneered kids and teens with GoHenry, and Acorns very much pioneered investing and saving and bringing mental wellness to the up and coming, to everyday America,” said GoHenry’s Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Louise Hill, in an interview with CNBC on the acquisition. “Both of us had ambitions to stretch beyond that in terms of customer demographics, so that we could start to serve people throughout their lifecycle, through all life stages.”


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Video Find: 2014 Jaguar F-Type Teased at Nardo and Nurburgring
An uncamouflaged image of the 2014 Jaguar F-Type may have leaked out last week, but that's not stopping Jaguar from milking the highly anticipated roadster's debut for all it's worth. Jaguar has unleashed a few videos teasing the new 2014 F-Type testing on the Nurburgring and at the Nardo Test Facility.
The first video features the new British roadster being developed and tested at the Nurburgring. Engineers in the video say Jaguar took the 2014 F-Type to the Nurburgring for the same reason it's so popular with other automakers -- it allows them to tune the suspension, brakes, and electronic stability control systems so that the car can be properly set up for maximum enjoyment on the street and track.
The second video features the Jag doing high-speed testing at Italy's famed Nardo Test Facility (where we tested the Lamborghini Aventador in our first Ignition video). Jaguar says it uses the Nardo facility to test how the F-Type handles high temperature and abuse, as well as to see how stable the F-Type performs at its maximum speed.
Source: Jaguar via YouTube


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Legality of bitcoin by country or territory - Wikipedia
No Arun Jaitley did not say Bitcoin will be banned - CoinBitcoins will continue to be popular across the world in 2018 and are likely to see more.
Budget 2018 Bombshell for Bitcoin - Finance Minister ArunCall Centre Targeted US Tax-Payers For Loan Tax, Duped Them In Bitcoins.KryptoMoney.com, supported by ESS COMMERCE PRIVATE LIMITED, publishes latest news and updates about Bitcoin, Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain Technology and.
Bitcoin: News, Photos, Latest News Headlines about Bitcoin
Is Bitcoin Legal in India in 2018? The FM Finally AnswersThis thing cannot be stopped. 21st century will be known for blockchain technology among other things.Union Budget 2018: Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies not legal, govt to eliminate their use Last year, finance minister Arun Jaitley had informed Parliament that there.As we move forward into 2018, there are a number of Bitcoin developments worth monitoring, not all of them having to do with just its price.
CoinSutra is a community of Bitcoin, Altcoins, Cryptocurrency users from around the globe.It has great potential, will see bounce back of Bitcoin in 2018.
Bitcoin [BTC] banned in India – Reserve Bank of India
Bitcoin smashed as India and China close in - MacroBusinessThere are a lot of misconceptions regarding a recent decision by the Indian government.As in life, when it comes to forecasting, there are no certainties, only probabilities.Read about it In the Budget 2018-19 speech, Finance Minister Mr.
Real time bitcoin trading - BTCXIndia
Bitcoin in 2018-Price Review, Potential and InvestmentsRising demand for this cryptocurrency promises more upside in bitcoin prices, thus pointing to an optimistic bitcoin price prediction 2018.Explore our industry calendar to find upcoming Bitcoin, Blockchain and payment-related events and conferences for 2018 and beyond.India Bitcoin. 7.9K likes. India Bitcoin is the Facebook portal for Bitcoin in India. Jump to. Sections of this page. 2018. In the first round.Bitcoin was created by a Japanese person named Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009.
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Bitcoin Plummets As India Vows To - ETF Daily News
MANUFACTURE(bitcoin rate in india 2018 ) MODEL: 0 indicates that for every unit increase of market return.
Union Budget 2018: Will Tax and GST be levied on bitcoinMANUFACTURER: (usb bitcoin miner india ) MODEL: Release Date: Brand: in 2018 MODEL: SKU:663283-122.Today, the FM finally cleared the air and informed everybody of its status.A non-profit organization in India has announced a new cryptocurrency-mining program aimed at the rural youth.The complete report regarding the same will be submitted by the end of June 2018. regarding the same leading to speculations that Bitcoin was banned in India.
Bitcoin Daily: India Considers Crypto For - PYMNTS.com
Bitcoin: Latest News, Photos, Videos on Bitcoin - NDTV.COM
World Blockchain Summit India - An event by Trescon | Dec 2018
Charts providing a snapshot of the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) ecosystem.


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Boyds’ Gunstocks At-One Thumbhole Features
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The New Zealand-based company announced Monday that it is selling its Chinese farms to local rivals for 555 million New Zealand dollars ($369 million). CEO Miles Hurrell said the deals will allow Fonterra to focus on areas in which it has a competitive advantage.
"Selling the farms is in line with our decision to focus on our New Zealand farmers' milk," he said in a statement, adding that the proceeds would be used to pay down debt.
Fonterra started building farms in China in 2007 as a way to tap into the country's growing fresh milk market. Chinese customers have long trusted overseas dairy brands for safety and quality — a preference that grew after a massive scandal involving tainted baby milk in 2008.
But the business has been costly to operate. Last year, Fonterra wrote down the value of the farms by $135 million.
"There have been several events over the years, highlighting a higher level of risk in operating the farms than previously anticipated," the company said in its annual report published last September.
Hurrell said at the time that growing demand for fresh milk in China suggested that prices would likely rise in the future, but the company wasn't sure when that would happen. As a result, Fonterra would look at "how we can best unlock the value in the farms." He said the company was focusing on prioritizing its New Zealand milk supply and "simplifying our global portfolio."
The sale underscores how difficult it has been for Fonterra to find success overseas. The company lost more than 600 million New Zealand dollars ($400 million) last year, largely because of trouble with its business in China, Brazil and Venezuela.
The Chinese farms aren't the only investment in the country that has soured. Last year, Fonterra announced that it would reduce its stake in Chinese infant milk maker Beingmate, a partnership it called "disappointing."
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