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Canada has approved recreational cannabis. This makes Canada the second country to permit legal pot.
By a vote of 52-29, the Canadian Senate today passed a bill for legalization. This follows campaign promises by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to pass recreational cannabis.
The Canadian House has already approved the bill. Now it is up to Trudeau and his team to decide when the bill goes into effect. The bill contains a buffer of eight-to-12 weeks, giving provinces opportunity to prepare.
Several amendments in the original bill were struck down by the Senate, for fear that they would damage the emerging cannabis industry. These included a ban on pot paraphernalia like t-shirts and tote bags, as well as rules against home-growing cannabis. As it stands, paraphernalia will be legal, and Canadians can grow up to four plants in their homes.
A move to force transparency of foreign investment in Canadian cannabis companies also failed. Marketing of pot products remains severely restricted, and law does not pardon criminals who received punishments for cannabis in the past.
Canada’s first retail stores should open by September. But for the first year under the law, retailers can sell only dried plant and oil. After that, additional forms of cannabis may be approved.
Cannabis remains federally illegal in America. Efforts by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, notoriously anti-pot, to curb cannabis in states that with legalization laws have not resulted in the crackdown that some had feared. Part of the problem for Sessions is that President Trump seemingly does not share his oppositional views towards the substance.
In the meantime, U.S. alcohol producers are preparing for the inevitability of broader cannabis legalization.


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Two-man delivery business Arrow XL has launched a next-day delivery service. It will allow Arrow XL’s retail clients to offer their customers next-day delivery of large goods to 98% of addresses nationwide, Monday to Saturday. Shop Direct, which owns brands such as Very.co.uk and Littlewoods.com, is the first retailer to sign up to the new service, which it said would provide its customers with quicker delivery of larger items. Receipt, inspection, picking, dispatch and returns management of products for Shop […]
November 29, 2017 Emma Shone
Arrow XL has spent £2m on 40 new 7.5-tonne DAF LFs.
August 3, 2016 Emma Shone
Panther Warehousing will offer its customers new services from next month including Sunday deliveries, just months after its £17m MBO by MD Colin McCarthy.

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A new investigation has revealed that E10 petroleum’s supposed low greenhouse gas emissions have never been officially verified.
The investigation by the Daily Telegraph, found that auditors of government-approved fuel supplier Manildra were hired by the company and accept its assurances about E10 emissions.
A Manildra audit report shows “there is no legislative requirement in Australia for biofuel producers to have lower emissions than fossil fuel derived petrol and diesel”.
In a briefing from March 2016, Manildra said E10 “delivers a 30% reduction of greenhouse gases and other harmful exhaust emissions”.
The situation has raised concerns for the Department of Fair Trading about the claims, bureaucrats from Fair Trading visited the Manildra plant in June to try and check the claims.
Fair Trading director of consumer protection Michael Cooper said: “The auditor makes it quite clear that he has issued the certificate based on information supplied by Manildra”.
Manildra is required by law to be certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, which is Geneva based however its green house standards are not enforced by Australian law.
A spokesperson for Manildra said the company had sustained certification through “implementation of all RSB’s environmental, social and economic principles and criteria”.


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For some time now, we’ve been wondering if and when Class 1 railroads will take advantage of the shift in imports from the West Coast to the East Coast. Wait no longer. Ari Ashe at the Journal of Commerce reports Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) will launch a new international intermodal service between the Port of Virginia and Memphis beginning April 1. The goal is to capture trans-Atlantic business from Europe and Asia as more cargo owners shift freight to ports along the US East Coast. According to PIERS, a sister product of the Journal of Commerce within S&P Global. February import volumes in Virginia were 101,940 TEUs, down 18% m/m and 25% y/y. Import volume for the east coast is down 14% YTD y/y, 15% m/m, and 20% y/y for February.
Norfolk Southern already serves Memphis from ports in Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, GA. The proposed Norfolk to Memphis 900-mile daily trip will take five days compared to two days for a solo truck driver or one day for a team. Trains moving the approximately 900 miles between Norfolk and Memphis will take five days, about a day longer than Savannah trains but a day shorter than trips from Charleston. PIERS reports the West Coast market share of Asian imports dropped to 54.1% y/y in January, while the East Coast share of 36.2%in January was up from 34.8% a year ago. The well-documented shift in import cargo away from the West Coast is largely the result of port congestion throughout 2021 and into 2022 and the failure of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and marine terminal operators to reach a new labor agreement, which expired in July last year.
All rates cited below exclude fuel surcharges unless otherwise noted.
At $1.80/mile for outbound loads, state average spot rates in California were identical to 2019 last week; only 2016 and 2017 were lower. The San Francisco market, hardest hit by devastating rain in recent weeks, was one of two markets in the state to post an increase in spot rates. Outbound loads were up $0.01/mile to $1.59/mile, while in San Diego, linehaul rates increased by the same amount to $1.65/mile. San Diego to Las Vegas loads at $3.03/mile was up $0.03/mile last week, reversing a three-month slide.
Looking at two high-volume lanes directly linked to import volumes, the number of loads moving from Los Angeles to Stockton, the busiest spot market lane on the West Coast, was down 2% last week. Spot rates at $2.49/mile were the lowest in 12 months. Los Angeles to the growing warehouse market in Phoenix reported were also the lowest in 12 months at $2.20/mile, 45% lower than a year ago.
In Texas, spot rates were up $0.01/mile to $1.66, around $0.08/mile lower than in 2018. Outbound linehaul rates in Houston increased by $0.02/mile to $1.75/mile. Loads moving between Houston and Dallas are almost $250/load, lower than the previous year at $506/load last week.
Load-to-Truck Ratio (LTR)
Dry van load posts dropped 8% last week and are now down by 25% in the last month and 57% compared to the previous year. Volumes are tracking directionally, with 2017 and 2019 as we end the first quarter. Spot market capacity was flat last week and almost at the same level as last year. The net result was an 8% w/w decrease in the dry van load-to-truck ratio (LTR) from 2.09 to 1.92, slightly above the LTR in 2019.
Linehaul Spot Rates
Dry van linehaul rates dropped below $1.70/mile last week for the first time since mid-March 2020. At $1.69/mile, dry van rates are $0.70/mile lower than the previous year following last week’s $0.02/mile decrease. Based on the volume of loads moved the average rate for the top 50 dry van lanes was $0.22/mile higher at $1.91/mile last week. On DATs Top 100 dry van lanes, linehaul rates decreased on 68% of lanes, increasing on only 11% with the balance remaining neutral.
The post Dry Van Report: Norfolk Southern looks to expand East Coast services appeared first on DAT Freight & Analytics – Blog.


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Firefly today officially launches out of beta, with a new approach to spur business and revenue by connecting brands, rideshare drivers, and local city governments. The company, which operates a network of first of its kind “situationally aware” digital smart screens mounted to existing rideshare vehicles, is already proving to be a win-win business and has now attracted of Silicon Valley’s top venture capitalists and angel investors with $21.5M in Seed Funding from NFX, Pelion Venture Partners, Decent Capital (Tencent founders), and Jeffrey Housenbold (SOFTBANK Vision Fund).
Despite the promise of flexible and well-paying work, for many in the gig transportation economy, it’s a struggle to make ends meet. As the rideshare market has grown increasingly saturated, driver wages have stagnated, meaning longer hours are required to earn a healthy return. Firefly works directly with these drivers to install its proprietary displays atop their vehicles, turning them into geo-targeted out-of-home (OOH) advertising stations. Not only does this work to offset wage stagnation across the rideshare economy, but Firefly represents a growing exercise of entrepreneurial freedom from drivers to expand their income beyond that earned directly through ridesharing platforms.
“I have been driving to make money for two years and adding the Firefly opportunity has made it easier to pay university tuition, pay for insurance, and fuel,” said Jacqueline Arena of San Francisco. “I am a single mom, so any extra income helps me month to month. I really love the company and the Firefly support staff is awesome to work with, which makes the entire process easier. I love being a Firefly driver.”
The outdoor advertising market is at an all-time high, with worldwide OOH spend expected to reach $38 billion this year (Zenith). Firefly’s proprietary technology delivers the right message at the right time with pinpoint geographic accuracy, cutting through the noise of a crowded market and leading to highly effective campaign performance and consumer-engagement. The screens promote national and regional brand advertisers, small businesses and charities while also informing municipal governments with useful data such as clean air and pedestrian movement.
Firefly has designed its network with local communities in mind. This means a minimum of 10 percent of all inventory goes to promote and advertise local not-for-profit organizations, public sector PSAs and other non-commercial entities such as charities, advocacy groups, and community organizations. In partnership with the Coalition of Clean Air, it executed a hybrid campaign around California Clean Air Day. A multifaceted program built on the idea that shared experiences unite people to action to improve community health, Clean Air Day is a statewide effort to make conscious and environmentally-minded choices. Firefly worked with the Coalition in the Los Angeles area, running a 4-week campaign that saw geofenced content in popular neighborhoods like Downtown LA, Santa Monica, and Hollywood.
The company works hand in hand with municipal governments to provide information on city mobility conditions and follow best practices in privacy. Its GPS sensors provide granular insight so transportation agencies can make informed decisions and policy. Additional sensors have the potential to address pressing urban ailments like pollution levels, pavement condition, and street lighting. The company has also taken a stand on supporting small businesses such as coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques by allocating an additional 10 percent of unsold screen time to non-chain small businesses.
Co-founder and CEO Kaan Gunay spent several years working with Habitat for Humanity and dedicates time to advocate for refugees of the Syrian civil war. With a commitment to altruism at his core, Gunay launched Firefly out of the passion to build something that benefits the majority, rather than a select few.
“Unlike many other startups, we started Firefly with a community-first mentality -- we sought to have community baked into our product, ingrained in the DNA of our company, rather than tacked on as an afterthought” explained Kaan Gunay, co-founder & CEO of Firefly. “To do that, we’re working closely with stakeholders from all aspects of urban communities that drive value, wages and insights. With Firefly, we’re building a smart city network that works for the city, to better the lives of all of the people that live and work within it.”


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One of my photos has been chosen to be displayed at an exhibition of prints by members of the PDML (Pentax-Discuss Mailing List) at Gallery Dank Haus in Boston. The exhibition opens on May 7th.
All the exhibition photos plus more from other members will also be featured in a book to be published shortly by Blurb. This will be the 2nd PDML annual to be produced. All proceeds of sales are to go to a childrens’ charity.
Here is the photo – entitled “Milkweed”
It is for sale as a limited edition print. A framed copy can be bought from the gallery and this will be print 1/25.


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Vast majority of cord-cutters happy leaving pay-TV
| 29 May 2014
Bad news for US pay-TV providers: research from nScreenMedia has revealed that 84% of broadband consumers who have cut the cord are at least somewhat happy with their decision.
The nScreen nSights: View My Video – Consumer Digital Media Consumption survey also reveals that nearly two-fifths (37%) are so happy with their decision to rely solely on online video and over-the-top (OTT) services that they will never come back. Just 17% are unhappy with decision, and 9% wish they still had the service; 29% missed absolutely nothing about the pay-TV services they cancelled. Interestingly, given their perceived importance, just 9% said they missed sports services and 6% premium films. That said, just under a third (31%) said they missed shows they couldn't find anywhere else.
Attempting to define who exactly the cord-utters are, nScreenMedia found bulk of them come from people in the 18-49 age range. Millennials, those aged between 18-29, are heavily represented in the group that have never had pay-TV services. 19% report they do not have pay-TV, while just 5% of those in the 29-49 age range say this. In all, 17% of US broadband consumers say they had pay-TV and now no longer have it. 10% say they have never subscribed to pay-TV, and 74% say they currently have it.
Analysing the trends revealed, nScreenMedia said its findings were not good news for pay-TV service providers. It argued that if the companies are to reverse the downward trend in subscriptions they need to find a way to appeal to this growing group of defectors. "Clearly price is a strong factor in the decision of consumers to leave pay-TV," said principal analyst Colin Dixon. "So, part of any solution the industry tries to win back defectors must include lower priced options. However, are there other things the industry can do to appeal to cord-cutters?" Dixon noted that one of the things pay-TV has started to try is creative bundles of broadband and content to try and lure non-subscribers.


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Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar has announced that plans to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions in Ireland are being accelerated and will move to 'Phase 2 Plus' on Monday.
He also said the roadmap was now made up of four phases for reopening the country instead of five.
Phase 3 will start on 29 June and Phase 4 on 20 July.
The taoiseach said some measures on mass gatherings may need to remain in place until August.
It comes as the Irish Department of Health revealed there have been seven more coronavirus-related deaths there.
It brings the total number of deaths in the Republic of Ireland to 1,670.
Change of pace
On Friday the Irish cabinet agreed to ease more lockdown restrictions quicker than previously set out - with all travel restrictions now set to be lifted by the end of June.
Mr Varadkar said this acceleration of the process had "been made possible by the considerable sacrifices that you have made to restrict the spread of the virus and protect others".
The cabinet agreed to implement all elements of phase two and bring forward actions in the remaining phases.
The Irish cabinet also agreed that the hospitality sector, including hotels and B&Bs, will reopen from the beginning of July.
What happens from Monday?
Under 'Phase 2 Plus' People in the Republic of Ireland will be able travel anywhere inside their own county from Monday - rather than be limited to just 20km from home.
If they live in a border area they will also be able to travel up to 20km into another county.
- Groups of up to six people can meet indoors or outdoors if they keep two metres apart
- Groups of up to 15 people can meet for outdoor sporting activities
- Up to 25 people can attend funerals and public libraries can open
- Shopping centres can reopen from 15 June, but there will be no congregating on food courts, and social distancing will have to be observed.
Under phase two of the road map for reopening the economy, those who are cocooning - people older than 70 and those who are medically vulnerable - can have a small number of visitors to their home.
However, visitors would have to wear gloves, face coverings and keep at least two metres away from the person who is cocooning.
Small retail outlets can reopen with a small number of staff as long as the retailer can control the number of individuals that staff and customers interact with at any one time.
This will come into effect on 29 June with parts of Phase 4 brought forward.
- Drinking and eating: Bars (with or without restaurant licences, as long as they serve food) and restaurants will reopen alongside hotels
- Health Minister Simon Harris says there will be a "clear timeline" on resumption of screening programmes expected by the end of June
- Travel: All restrictions for travelling within Ireland will be lifted. There is no date set yet for people to be allowed to travel abroad again
- Hair salons/barbers: At present, they remain in the Phase 4 stage (20 July)
- Weddings: There is no decision yet as to if they can be held in Phase 3 or 4 and the numbers that will be allowed to attend
- Religious services: Places of worship will be allowed to open again at the beginning of Phase 3, with physical distancing measures in place.
Bodies representing the retail and hospitality sectors in Northern Ireland are now calling on Stormont to also bring forward planned reopening dates.
In a joint statement, Colin Neill from Hospitality Ulster and Belfast Chamber chief executive Simon Hamilton said: "With the government in the Republic announcing it is bringing forward its dates for when retail and hospitality can reopen, the Northern Ireland Executive urgently needs to follow suit."
It continues: "It is ridiculous that in a few weeks' time you'll be able to eat a meal in a pub or buy a pair of shoes in Ballina but not in Belfast. We are demanding that Stormont don't let our retail and hospitality sectors fall behind."
Hotels in Northern Ireland are set to reopen on 20 July, while only some large retailers, including shops in retail parks, reopen on 8 June.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that travel for people from the Republic of Ireland to countries where Covid-19 has been successfully suppressed will return in a number of weeks.
Minister for Business Heather Humphreys told RTÉ that the Irish government plans to reintroduce air travel through "air bridges", which will allow travel to countries where the curve has been "flattened" to the same degree as it has in the Republic.
Ms Humphreys said she would not encourage people to book holidays yet, but she said plans are in place and will be activated as soon as it is safe to do so.
The Republic of Ireland began the first phase of relaxing its Covid-19 restrictions last month.
Some construction firms returned to work and garden centres and hardware stores reopened.


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By Dan Levine WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday closely questioned Google's claim that Oracle does not enjoy copyright protection over certain parts of the Java programming language. The issue, under review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, is being closely watched by software developers in Silicon Valley. Google's Android operating system is the world's best-selling smartphone platform. The Java programming language was created by Sun Microsystems, which Oracle acquired in 2010.
By Mia Shanley and Olof Swahnberg STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Fingerprint Cards is aiming to sell its identity technology to most of the world's biggest smartphone makers, which are likely to follow Apple in offering touch recognition for mobiles from next year. Apple's September launch of the iPhone 5S was the first smartphone with a fingerprint identity touch sensor, provided by AuthenTec, part of Apple.
By Danilo Masoni and Stefano Bernabei MILAN/ROME (Reuters) - An activist shareholder campaign to reform Telecom Italia won traction on Wednesday as influential proxy adviser ISS recommended institutional investors back a proposal to remove the company board at a meeting on December 20. The potentially disruptive vote comes as Italy's biggest phone company by market share tries to revive years of sluggish growth and share underperformance while at the same time cutting its 28 billion euros of debt. Businessman Marco Fossati, Telecom Italia's No.2 investor through his 5 percent stake, and small shareholders group ASATI have proposed to oust the Italian phone company's board, which they say caters more to the interests of core shareholders such as Spain's Telefonica than to other investors. Holding company Telco, which owns 22.4 percent of Telecom Italia, is controlled by Telefonica together with Italian financial companies Assicurazioni Generali, Intesa Sanpaolo and Mediobanca.
Google Inc has quietly acquired more than a half-dozen companies for a new robotics groups led by Andy Rubin, formerly in charge of Google's popular mobile software, according to a report in the New York Times on Wednesday. A Google spokeswoman declined to comment. Google Chief Executive Larry Page wrote on his official Google+ profile page on Wednesday that it was still "early days" for the robotics project, but that he was looking forward to seeing the progress. Rubin was formerly in charge of Google's Android mobile operating system, which is now used on roughly 80 percent of the world's smartphones.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union antitrust regulators have approved Microsoft's $7.3 billion acquisition of Nokia's mobile device business without conditions, the European Commission said on Wednesday. "The Commission concluded that the transaction would not raise any competition concerns," the European Commission said in a statement, adding that it was unlikely "to lead to competitors being shut out from the market". (Reporting By John O'Donnell; editing by Robin Emmott)
A vote on a bill that would force Internet giants like Google and Facebook to keep Brazilians' information inside the country will be delayed until next year over disagreements about its content, a senior lawmaker told Reuters on Wednesday. The bill would give President Dilma Rousseff powers to order Internet companies to store users' data in local servers, a move seen as response to allegations that the United States spied on her communications and that of thousands of regular Brazilians. The delay is a temporary relief for Google and Facebook, which oppose a requirement they say would increase costs and erect unnecessary barriers in one of the world's largest Internet markets. The postponement of the vote stems from disagreements among government allies in Congress over the requirement and a "neutrality" clause that bars telecom companies from charging different rates for Internet speed.
On Tuesday night's episode of "Jeopardy!," the smartest man on television, Alex Trebek, officially announced something many of us already knew to be true: "GIF" is meant to be pronounced with a soft "G." Here's the question, which was the episode's "Final Jeopardy!" clue: All of the contestants got the question right. No, I don't care that it sounds like the peanut butter.
Almost 2 million people visited the federal health insurance marketplace on Monday and Tuesday, nearly doubling the site's traffic, an administration official told reporters today. "Healthcare.gov remains stable," says Julie Bataille, communications director for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the health department agency in charge of the site. The error rate, the percentage of time that a user is prevented from advancing to the next page, is down to .6 percent according to the administration's measurements, and response times are down to 630 milliseconds. The administration has declined to release enrollment figures, but Reuters reported that more people signed up on Sunday and Monday than during the entire month of October.
By Diane Bartz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The growing online usage of ads designed to blend in with the rest of a website's content, a practice known as "native advertising," may be illegal in some instances, the Federal Trade Commission warned on Wednesday. The FTC said that a survey of online publishers found that 73 percent allowed native advertising, the digital descendent of the newspaper "advertorial" and television's infomercials. "Marketers have ... moved past the banner ad into advertising that is more seamlessly, and inconspicuously, integrated into digital content," FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said in a speech that opened a conference on "Blurred Lines: Advertising or Content." "While native advertising may certainly bring some benefits to consumers, it has to be done lawfully," she said. "By presenting ads that resemble editorial content, an advertiser risks implying, deceptively, that the information comes from a non-biased source." The website Buzzfeed.com is often cited as an effective user of native advertising.
It’s no news that both iOS and Android portable devices have eclipsed Nintendo’s 3DS and DS platforms over the past couple of years. But it’s a bit of a surprise that now even Amazon’s Kindle devices are moving ahead of Nintendo’s systems when U.S. gamers are polled about their favorite portable gaming system. The new IDC-App Annie report on the gaming ecosystem represents another grim setback for Nintendo. There are now three different smartphone/tablet ecosystems that American consumers view more favorably as gaming platforms than Nintendo’s offerings. Interestingly, IDC polled American iPad gamers about what their other gaming platforms are, and it’s in this area that Amazon is doing damage to Nintendo. 18% of iPad gamers also play games on Kindle devices,
Prepare for a world of Microsoft-made Windows Phone 8 devices. Hot on the heels of yesterday's Department of Justice decision, Reuters is reporting that the European Commission has granted final approval of Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia. The $7.35 billion deal, which is now all guaranteed, will see Nokia's mobile assets folded into the Microsoft camp, effectively giving Microsoft an end-to-end smartphone vertical for its Windows Phone 8 line, as well as a treasure trove of related patents.
New York artist David Datuna debuted a Google Glass-powered interactive piece yesterday at Art Basel, one of the world's biggest modern art shows. "Viewpoint of Billions" is a giant 85" by 114" American flag covered with thousands of eyeglass lenses, but that's only the first layer.
Production on Fast & Furious 7 had been temporarily halted in the wake of star Paul Walker's death this past weekend, but now the film has been put on hold indefinitely. The Hollywood Reporter first broke the news that Universal Studios had decided to stop production on the film altogether while it decided how best to proceed, a change in course from the studio's previous statements.
New Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler may have started his term off on a pro-consumer note, but his latest remarks could throw a wrench into that initial image. While taking questions at Ohio State University, Wheeler delivered a pair of seemingly opposing answers: he declared his support for net neutrality, but then endorsed a marketplace that seemingly doesn't follow those very rules. Rather than explicitly suggesting that Netflix could pay an internet provider to give its customers better service — which would violate tenets of net neutrality by discriminating against certain companies or services — his remarks could be interpreted as simply suggesting that it build out a better content delivery infrastructure of its own.
Jeremie Miller almost brought on a golden age of instant messaging. The company also plans on providing its SDK for free, including user interface mockups developers can use to get started designing apps.
A day early and a dollar -- well, just a day early, actually. We missed last week, seeing as how we were all busy shoveling turkey in our respective mouths, so we're coming back with a day to spare. Join Brian, Dana and Terrence as we burn through the tryptophan haze for another exciting week of tech news.
More than 2 million passwords for sites including Facebook, Yahoo, LinkedIn, Twitter and Google have been stolen and posted online, BCC reports. Security firm Trustwave has discovered the trove of login credentials, email credentials and passwords, it announced on Tuesday. “Facebook takes people’s information security extremely seriously and we work hard to protect it," a Facebook spokesperson told The Huffington Post.
Fans of the cancelled neo-noir drama Veronica Mars can now mark their calendars. After running a successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this year that hit $5.7 million, series creator Rob Thomas confirmed with Entertainment Weekly today that the film followup will land in theaters on March 14th, 2014.
Simultaneously, the official Beats Music site has just launched, letting users claim their username now in advance of the service's launch. There's still no other details about what exactly will make Beats Music unique over other offers like Spotify, Rdio, and the Beats-owned Mog, but all along Reznor and co-founder Jimmy Iovine have said that Beats will offer a much better discovery and recommendation algorithm than its competitors. Last year, Reznor said that Beats Music "uses mathematics to offer suggestions to the listener... [but also] would present choices based partly on suggestions made by connoisseurs, making it a platform in which the machine and the human would collide more intimately." After a few delays (Project Daisy was first planned to launch in early 2013), it won't be long before we finally find out what might make Beats Music stand out in the already-crowded subscription music world.
Let’s be clear: I think that Windows 8 is in many ways a good operating system. But it is also a very polarizing one among longtime Windows users and that’s something Microsoft will ignore at its own peril. First, let’s go through Windows 8′s obvious virtues — it runs much more smoothly than earlier versions of Windows, it starts up more quickly and is generally a more stable platform than Windows 7. However, for a sizable chunk of PC users these plusses are outweighed by the giant minus of the big changes Microsoft made to the traditional Windows user interface. Take two of my friends who recently made the upgrade to Windows 8.1 from Windows 7. Upon installing the software,
The European Union has cleared Microsoft’s deal to purchase Nokia’s Devices and Services unit. Microsoft quickly applauded the move. As a Microsoft spokesperson told The Verge: "We look forward to the date when our partners at Nokia will become members of the Microsoft family, and are pleased that the European Commission has cleared the deal without conditions." The European approval comes just days after the US Department of Justice also gave Microsoft’s deal the go ahead, and paves the way for the merger to complete early next year. Former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop is now expected to rejoin Microsoft to “lead an expanded Devices team" that encompasses Surface, Windows Phone devices, and the Xbox games consoles.
Rumors had been circling that Zack Snyder's follow-up to Man of Steel wouldn't just feature a new Batman but another classic DC character as well. Now it's official: Deadline reports that Gal Gadot will play Wonder Woman in Batman vs. Superman. Perhaps best known for her role in the recent Fast & Furious films, she will join Henry Cavill as Superman, and the hotly contested Ben Affleck as Batman.
Imagine if your phone, computer, car and home could recognize you and unlock when you're nearby. How would they know it was you and not someone else? They would recognize your heartbeat. That's the premise behind the Nymi, an upcoming security device from Toronto-based Bionym Inc. The Nymi is a wristband that reads a wearer's electrocardiogram, or EKG, a measurement of the heart's electrical activity. The wristband then transmits an ID based on the EKG to the wearer's devices. MORE: Hack-Proof Pacemakers: Code Based on Heartbeat Could Thwart Disruption IF you've been lucky enough to never see an EKG reading in real life, you've probably seen one in a movie or TV show, usually as a heartbeat wave on a hospital monitor while a character lies injured or dying. EKGs are based on a number of factors, including temporary measurements such as heart rate and stress, but they also include permanent factors, such as a heart's size, position in the chest and electrical signals. All of these characteristics contribute to the EKG wave's unique shape. The first time you put on the Nymi wristband, it performs an enrollment process. The Nymi takes a reading of its wearer's EKG, and then puts the results through an algorithm designed to strip away temporary data and quantify the unique, persistent data. The Nymi then turns the persistent data into a theoretically unique string of numbers, called a HeartID, which the wristband transmits via a Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy radio signal. Each time a user puts the Nymi back on, the wristband performs a check to match the EKG with what it has on file. After that, the Nymi merely monitors whether it is still in contact with the original wearer — it doesn't provide any data about the wearer's heart or other medical functions. If the Nymi is removed, it will cease its Bluetooth transmissions and won't resume until it verifies that the correct user is wearing it. MORE: 7 Ways to Lock Down Your Online Privacy Devices running Nymi-associated apps can read the device's signal and react appropriately. For example, a smartphone with a Nymi app could unlock its screen when in range of the wristband's Bluetooth signal. Cars, homes and other electronic devices with the app could also be configured to unlock when in range of the Nymi device. The Nymi is scheduled to hit shelves in June 2014. By early December 2013, more than 6,000 people had applied for Nymi's software development kit (SDK). Karl Martin, CEO of Bionym Inc., imagines further uses for the Nymi. A "smart" home could adjust heat and lights as a Nymi-wearing person moves from room to room, and even configure presets for individuals. Retail stores could create custom shopping experiences for Nymi-wearing consumers. Security based on a biometric — a measurement of a unique aspect of a person's body — isn't new, but it has been used more frequently in recent years. For example, the iPhone 5s features a fingerprint reader that lets users unlock phones without needing to enter a password. Similarly, many Android phones have a Face Unlock feature. (Neither feature is foolproof, and both require passwords as backups.) One drawback of using biometric measurements for security purposes is that these biological traits can't be changed — if a password is compromised, you can create a new one, but you can't change your fingerprints if someone gets access to them. MORE: iPhone Fingerprint Reader Already Hacked Trustworthy security is critical to a device like the Nymi, and not just because it unlocks doors and opens password-protected devices. A person's EKG is as distinctive as a fingerprint, and more medically sensitive. The Nymi wristband uses hardware encryption (far more secure and energy-efficient than software encryption) to store its owner's HeartID. When the wristband broadcasts its Bluetooth signal, it encrypts that message using cutting-edge elliptic-curve public-key cryptography. These layers of protection serve to keep the HeartID and any other personal data secure. Even if someone were able to capture the Nymi's Bluetooth signal, he or she would not be able to decrypt it and get to the information stored within. The Nymi wristband also includes a unique digital "signature" in its Bluetooth signals. Any application that unlocks using a HeartID will also need to verify the signature. " transmissions have to go through the sensor ," Martin said. "There is no way to brute-force it." A "brute-force attack" cracks a password by methodically trying every possible combination of characters. No security is perfect, of course. For example, if someone were to steal a Nymi wearer's phone, the thief could unlock the phone by bringing it close to the person's body. "There's always a situation where you might be forced to do something," Martin said. "It's the age-old problem that the best way to crack a password is with a baseball bat. We don't necessarily solve that ." When the Nymi is launched, Bionym won't be able to see its users' HeartIDs, further protecting their security, Martin said. The company will have only customer names and payment information on file, as well as the product ID of each Nymi wristband. "We're looking, in the future, to have a cloud service to enable new applications," Martin said, "but none of data would be shuttled off into the cloud without knowing. That's a basic principle of this company." Email firstname.lastname@example.org or follow her @JillScharr and Google+ . Follow us @TomsGuide , on Facebook and on Google+ . How Secure is the New iPhone's Fingerprint Security? PC-Based Home Security: Do It Yourself 13 Security and Privacy Tips for the Truly Paranoid Copyright 2013 Toms Guides , a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A secretive online black market was robbed over the weekend, costing its users possibly as much as $100 million in Bitcoins — and some say the thieves were the marketplace owners themselves. After the FBI shut down the largest online black market, Silk Road, in October, a number of other black market sites filled the vacuum. One was a narcotics bazaar called Sheep Marketplace. Like Silk Road and most of its ilk, Sheep Marketplace was only accessible via Tor, the anonymizing software designed to protect users' Internet anonymity. Furthermore, all transactions were in Bitcoin, a decentralized online currency that is difficult to trace. MORE: Security and Privacy Apps and Plugins On Sunday (Dec. 1), Sheep Marketplace abruptly closed down, claiming one of its vendors by the name of EBOOK101 had exploited a security vulnerability to steal $6 million in Bitcoins. Most, if not all, of that money belonged to the site's numerous users, who used it to buy and sell their dubious wares. "This vendor found bug in system and stole 5,400 BTC —your money, our provisions, all was stolen," reads the message posted on the now-shuttered site's homepage. "We were trying to resolve this problem, but we were not successful." Despite the message's promise that "all of current BTC will be distributed to users, who have filled correct BTC emergency address," it doesn't appear that any Sheep Marketplace users have received refunds. That's all of the theft that can be confirmed. But the story doesn't end there. Some believe that the thieves were Sheep Marketplace's administrators themselves, and that the whole marketplace was an elaborate scam. A website called sheepmarketscam.com, set up before Sheep Marketplace's closing, lists what it claims to be evidence suggesting that the theft was an inside job. Sheep Marketplace users weren't able to withdraw Bitcoins for up to a week before the site's shutdown, according to several Reddit users. Deposits, however, were still possible. The admins blamed the problem on a technical glitch and said it would be fixed within a few days. They then said the problem was fixed, though on Reddit, former Sheep Marketplace users say that was never the case. By the time of the site's shutdown on Dec. 1, withdrawals still hadn't been enabled. Sheepmarketscam.com alleges that many of Sheep Marketplace's higher-ranking administrators and vendors had drastically slashed prices, allegedly to encourage as many people as possible to deposit money. And a public but anonymous record on a website called Blockchain.info, which tracks Bitcoin transactions, shows a transfer of 39,918 Bitcoins into a wallet associated with Sheep Marketplace at some point over the weekend. At the current Bitcoin exchange rate, that's more than $43 million — far more than the originally reported 5,400 BTC, or $5 million. MORE: Browser Plugin Secretly Mines Bitcoins at Your Expense Finally, a pair of Reddit users say they've been chasing a series of Bitcoin transactions that they claim originate with the Sheep Marketplace theft. The amount involved is more than 96,000 BTC, almost $100 million, and has been moved from wallet to wallet several times over the past several hours. Meanwhile, other anonymous online markets on the so-called "dark web" are also affected by Sheep Marketplace's closing. A site called Black Market Reloaded blocked new members, saying on its forums that Tor-based anonymous websites aren't designed to handle large volumes of users, and then announced a shutdownshut down as well, saying the site needed to close for maintenance. "Sheep went down and BMR can't stand," wrote a Black Market Reloaded admin called Backopy in a forum post dated Dec. 1. In the post, Backopy says that people will be given the opportunity to withdraw their funds before the closing. "Don't worry, we don't rip anyone and will be back stronger than ever," wrote another administrator called LeContog in the same thread. Email email@example.com or follow her @JillScharr and Google+. Follow us @TomsGuide, on Facebook and on Google+. 10 Reasons Coin Card Could Be a Security Nightmare 7 Ways to Lock Down Your Online Privacy 13 Security and Privacy Tips for the Truly Paranoid Copyright 2013 Toms Guides , a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Why Is Tesla Part of Google's Electric Fleet? Wed, 04 Dec 2013 12:52:23 -0500 In this exclusive Fresh Dialogues interview, Google's Rick Needham describes the company's fleet of electric vehicles and how it has enabled millions of miles of electric driving (almost 2M and counting). As well as the "usual suspects" like Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, and Ford Focus Electric, Google's electric "Gfleet" includes several Tesla Model Ss, a favorite due to its range of up to 265 miles. Some commentators say it's part of an ambitious plan by Google involving electric vehicles, driverless cars, Google maps and car sharing services like Uber.
Apple’s $200 million purchase of Topsy prompted speculation earlier this week on what the iPhone maker may do with the analytics firm. PeerIndex founder Azeem Azhar in an article on LinkedIn proposes Topsy as a way for Apple to reduce users’ reliance on Google Search on its devices. Instead, Apple would serve custom search results provided in part by Topsy technology. Topsy is a “search engine, at its heart,” Azhar writes. “And Apple doesn’t have a search engine. Instead, iOS relies on its frenemy Google.” Even though Google Search is no longer the only search option on iOS devices, many users still prefer it over Bing or Yahoo when looking for stuff online. A report in February claimed that the search
Though most of us cast stones at large-scale corporate password thefts, we ought to be checking our own glass houses, according to a security company called Trustwave. It just revealed that a single attack from a Dutch-based server has resulted in 2 million passwords pilfered from individual users for sites like Facebook and Google. The ne'er-do-well did it using a botnet and hacker program called "Pony," which likely directed the stolen info through a gateway or so-called reverse proxy.
WTF: Woman Takes Selfie With Suicidal Man on Brooklyn Bridge in Background Wed, 04 Dec 2013 12:48:17 -0500 Yesterday, a crowd gathered in view of the Brooklyn Bridge when an apparently suicidal man was being coaxed by police into stepping away from the edge. A New York Post photog was on the scene when he caught a woman whipping out her iPhone and getting her selfie on, with the cops and the distraught man in the background (click through for a pic of the selfie enthusiast).
United Nations forces launched surveillance drones for the first time this week in an effort to track potential violence on the Democratic Republic of Congo's war-torn easternmost borders. According to Reuters, the Selex ES-manufactured Falco UAVs will be deployed from the city of Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, from which Selex staff will watch for armed groups crossing into the country from nearby Rwanda and Uganda.
PHOENIX (AP) — An Arizona judge is refusing to require jurors in the next phase of the Jodi Arias trial to reveal their Twitter usernames so their accounts can be monitored for communications about the case.
By Andrew Osborn and Peter Griffiths LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will clear Chinese telecoms equipment firm Huawei to run a UK-based cyber security center if it agrees to tighter rules to allay spying and hacking fears, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Huawei supplies software and equipment which channels phone calls and data around Britain and has found itself at the center of a debate, particularly in the United States, over whether it is a risk for governments to allow foreign suppliers access to their networks. Last year, the U.S. House Intelligence Committee urged U.S. telecoms companies not to do business with Huawei because it said potential Chinese state influence on the firm posed a security threat. Australia's government upheld a ban in October on Huawei bidding for work on its National Broadband Network, citing security agency advice.
You don’t have to pay nearly as much as you’re likely paying now for cell phone service. Increasingly, cheaper cell phone plans are available through what are called “mobile virtual network operators,” or MVNOs. These MVNOs rent space from the major networks instead of building their own. MVNOs are increasingly popular; there are now more than 120 MVNOs with a combined 30 million customers. An example of just one company that is making real headway: Consumer Cellular, an MVNO that uses AT&T’s network, has increased its customer base from 400,000 to 1.3 million over the past four years. MVNOs can save users a lot of money. One person interviewed by The Wall Street Journal said that switching to Republic Wireless,
While Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year choices often appear to be intentionally buzzy — be it "podcast," the verb "GIF," or this year's selection of "selfie" — Merriam-Webster has turned to statistics to determine its Word of the Year, removing an editorial hand from the selection. That process makes 2013's Word of the Year a fairly fitting winner: science. "Science" may seem like an odd candidate, but Webster's editor-at-large, Peter Sokolowski, suggests in a statement that it was relevant to this year's news, "A wide variety of discussions centered on science this year, from climate change to educational policy."
Nigerian Computer Society is a place where people interested in computing technology within Nigeria gather to share ideas and knowledge online. This is an interactive site encouraging contributions from all members and visitors, so feel free to use our public forum click here to go to the forum.
Bookmark this site and visit us regularly. We keep adding fresh content, expanding existing applications and building new ones.


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Bralettes are one of the biggest trends in the lingerie world right now. Need proof? This summer, we reported on statistics that confirm the style is selling like hotcakes (and push-up bras are on a major decline). So it should come as no surprise that the trend is approved by the Pinterest crowd as well.
Refinery29 revealed that one bralette, in particular, is getting tons of love on the platform: Frankie Phoneix's Arabella Bralette ($23), which has over 29,000 pins on Pinterest. It's not hard to understand why it's the most popular bralette with pinners: the pretty image features three gorgeous hues, each as covetable as the next. Sadly, the exact style is out of stock, but we rounded up similar bralettes from the same brand so you can still get your fix.
Scroll down to see the most-pinned bralette on Pinterest, and go a bit further to shop other styles from the same brand!


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A major university in China has become the country’s first academic institution to join the metaverse, after it reproduced its physical campus as a virtual university on Baidu’s XiRang platform.
- The Communication University of China announced last week that the digital campus had hosted an anniversary celebration and awards ceremony on Dec. 26, which was co-hosted by both virtual and physical people.
- Metaverse visitors can walk around the virtual campus of the university, which has trained generations of China’s journalists and broadcasters, by plugging into VR headsets or via mobile phones and PCs.
- XiRang, which means “land of hope,” is a non-blockchain online metaverse platform developed by internet giant Baidu that launched in December.
- Virtual universities are rising in popularity amid the pandemic, with tech giant Meta (formerly Facebook) pledging to build 10 digitized university campuses this year in a partnership with VR headset producer VictoryXR.
- Stanford University also opened its first VR classroom last November to allow remote learning and interaction.


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Ted Baker starts formal sale process as US private equity suitor Sycamore tables sweetened third offer and another bidder joins takeover race
- Sycamore has made a new bid higher than last, which had valued Ted at £254m
- It also received another 'unsolicited' approach by an unnamed party
- Ted Baker shares were up almost 12% to 143.26p by market close on Monday
Ted Baker has launched a formal sale process after receiving a sweetened takeover offer by US private equity firm Sycamore and the emergence of a rival suitor.
The fashion retailer turned down two proposals - one of 130p and another of 137.5p per share - from the US private equity firm last month, the latter of which valued the business at £254million.
Today, it said Sycamore has now come back with a third, higher bid, while it also received another 'unsolicited' approach by an unnamed party.
The news sent Ted Baker shares rising almost 12 per cent to 143.26p towards market close on Monday.
Takeover battle: Ted Baker has formally put itself up for sale as buyers show interest
The company did not reveal how much the two bidders have offered.
It said.in a statement to investors: 'In view of the interest expressed by potential offerors, and having consulted its major shareholders, the board has decided to conduct an orderly process to establish whether there is a bidder prepared to offer a value that the board considers attractive relative to the standalone prospects of Ted Baker as a listed company.'
Ted Baker added that interested parties will be invited to submit non-binding offers to its financial advisers, Evercore and Blackdown Partners.
It said a select number of these will move to a second phase.
Ted Baker added that it has not yet had discussions with Sycamore regarding whether the US investment firm will participate in the sale process.
Sycamore has until the 15 April to make a firm offer or walk away.
Last month, the group rejected Sycamore's bids because they 'significantly' undervalued it and 'failed to compensate shareholders for the significant upside that can be delivered by Ted Baker as a listed company'.
Ted Baker, which has 377 stores and concessions, of which 97 in the UK, has been mired by scandals and was devastated by Covid.
It issued a series of profit warnings and saw its shares tanking over the past few years.
The stock is up 40 per cent since the start of the year, but at £1.47, it is far away from its highs in 2015, when it was trading at over £25.
Sophie Lund-Yates, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said it was not surprising that Ted Baker was receiving offers, given the decline of its share price.
'Takeover interest in British companies is at fever pitch, as valuations have come down following the challenging cocktail of the pandemic and Brexit,' she said.
But added that the fashion retailer may struggle to get what it wants.
'There may well be a disconnect between Ted Baker’s valuation of itself and the amount a third party is willing to spend on a much improved, but nevertheless struggling, bricks and mortar retailer.'
Sarah Riding, retail and supply chain partner at law firm Gowling WLG, said whoever ends up buying the company 'will have a challenge ahead' in terms of maximising its potential.
'While attracting a buyer for this purpose is important, questions around the brand's continuation and enhancement here in the UK will doubtless be front of mind for the current owners.'


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Chair of Governors, Jonathan Drori CBE, has announced the appointment of six new governors to Ravensbourne’s governing body.
The Ravensbourne Fencing Society, won Bronze Medal for Team Sabre at the XXII Universities Challenge at the Saclay Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, France.
Ravensbourne will be collaborating with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) for a second time this summer to stream Henry IV parts I and II direct into classrooms up and down the country.
Ravensbourne fashion student Lauren Field has won a coveted competition to find the 'next design stars' run by retail giant M&S and the British Fashion Council.
Top names from the world of 3D Film and TV will be speaking at the this years 3D Creative Summit
The work of 12 students from across Motion Graphics, Animation and Post Production was chosen in a competitive pitch, together with the music and sound design students.
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Longbridge £70m redevelopment plan submitted
Part of Birmingham could undergo a £70m transformation, which could create more than 600 jobs.
St. Modwen Properties Plc and partner Advantage West Midlands have submitted plans to Birmingham City Council to redevelop Longbridge.
The application includes a supermarket, shops, restaurants, a hotel, 40 apartments, a two-acre park, car parks and roads.
Construction should start in the summer of 2011 if the scheme is approved.
A spokesman for the developers said negotiations were "well advanced" for the sale of the supermarket and pre-lettings of the retail space and hotel.
The scheme is linked to the redevelopment of the nearby MG Rover site.
The spokesman said: "Once complete, the town centre will establish a new heart for the community and a focal point for the regeneration of the former MG Rover works at Longbridge.
"The project will provide an important economic boost to the area and create a diverse range of employment opportunities, potentially creating over 600 jobs."
Bill Oliver, chief executive of St. Modwen, said: "The submission of a planning application for the new town centre at Longbridge is a major milestone in the evolution of this project.
"It underlines our expertise in taking on large scale regeneration projects and provides a clear indication that 2011 will be one of the most active years yet for this important scheme."


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updated 05:30 pm EST, Fri December 17, 2010
Meizu M9 gets OK for China
Meizu wrapped up a positive week with word that it was cleared to sell the upcoming M9. A network license from the State Ministry of Industry and Information Technology was considered the last barrier to sale in the country. Major cities in the country should get the Android phone by Christmas.
Other countries are likely to get the M9 in time, but the company hasn't detailed those plans so far. It won't likely directly sell in the US due to its copyright battle with Apple. While Apple's claims in China might have been rendered invalid, the American company is likely to have a stronger legal case in its own country. Imports may be an option.
The phone is stylistically further away from the iPhone than the M8 but still borrows some technical similarities, including the use of a 1GHz processor and a 3.5-inch, 640x960 touchscreen. It ships with a heavily customized version of Android 2.2 but could get Android 2.3 in the future. [via MeizuMe]


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Google’s Triangle App- A Big Step in the App Development World!
For a long time, the data consumption by the apps remain a major concern for both the developers and users. The smartphone users were demanding apps that do not consume the whole of their data. This problem was more prevalent in case of users with limited data, or among those living in less bandwidth region. Various updations were made in the app development process and strategy, but none provided satisfying results. This has forced developers to cut down the app functionalities so as to prevent excessive data usage.
But, now no more! Google has introduced an app Triangle which will allow the users to better control their data usage. When compared to the Google’s previous attempt of including ‘Data Saver’ feature in the mobile Chrome browser, this app will function more effectively.
It will enable the users to view their data balance and check how much data is consumed by each app. Also, it will give the users privilege to block the apps using most of their mobile data. The smartphone users will be able to customize their data usage as per the time or even block them. That means they can choose between the options like for 10 minutes at a time, 30 minutes or always.
This way, Triangle will minimize the data usage and even help the developers to give ultimate experience to the users. As now, they can fully focus on creating unique and innovative apps, without worrying about data consumption.
The perk of this app is not limited to this! According to the experts of Appinventiv- the renowned mobile app development company, Triangle app will be a big step in the world of mobile market. This app will be a boon in developing markets where WiFi isn’t common and people have limited data.
Triangle mobile app will allow users to see their data balance on carriers like Globe and Smart. These carriers will provide them data rewards, which means the users will be free to download and try new apps without concerning about its impact on their mobile data. Developers will also be benefited by this mobile app. This app will prompt the users to use existing apps in return of extra data. Thus, a newer and effective way of app marketing is about to enter the mobile app market.
This app has been in knowledge since April 2017 and is undergoing testing in Philippines right now. Google has not yet announced anything about its launch or impact on the emerging markets. But, still one can hope for a big change in the app development world with the emergence of Triangle app.
strategies your digital product..


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In what could be seen by many as further proof that Alfa Romeo is steadily losing sight of its core values (whatever is left of them, that is...), the firm's UK division unveiled two concept designer bags for its MiTo subcompact as part of the company’s centenary year celebrations and to help support young British fashion talent. We might be wrong, but we think it would have been more appropriate for the Italian firm to show its support to young British car designers...
In any case, for the creation of the bags, Alfa Romeo UK held a special competition for students from the MA Fashion course at Central Saint Martins College, London. A total of 15 graduates submitted sketches inspired by the MiTo for initial consideration, but only two made the cut.
"After being critiqued and judged by some of the leading faces in British fashion, the bags created by CSM students William Hendry and Tamara Elliot were chosen for the limited run," said Alfa Romeo UK in a statement.
According to the Italian firm, the two bags are prototype designs for Alfa Romeo UK, which is now looking to produce a limited range of both in the near future.


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Tag: Xbox Game Studios
News Xbox Exclusive Wins GDC Award Following Microsoft's Metacritic Disqualification
Obsidian Entertainment takes the prize
Yesterday, we brought the unfortunate news that review aggregator Metacritic decided Xbox Game Studios "failed to qualify" for its annual publisher rankings - due to the fact that it launched less than five titles in 2022. However, one of the four qualifying games it did launch seems to have down well with the...
News Xbox 'Fails To Qualify' As Metacritic Reveals 2023 Game Publisher Rankings
Here's a look at the top ten
We were taking a look at the new 2023 Game Publisher Rankings over at Metacritic earlier today, trying to figure out where Xbox Game Studios had landed in the list of 45 different publishers, and then we realised... Xbox isn't there. The reason? Well, these rankings are actually based on all of 2022's releases, and...
Deals Get Up To 85% Off In Xbox & Bethesda Spring Sales On Steam (March 16-23)
Plenty of titles discounted
If you're anything like us and have caved at Valve's current Steam Deck offer (or you game regularly on PC), you might be looking for some new Steam titles to bulk out your PC library. Well, you're in luck! Both Xbox and Bethesda are running major Steam sales right now, with some deep discounts available across a bunch of...
News Xbox Marketing Budget Reportedly 'Reduced' In The Wake Of Microsoft Layoffs
Will we hear less from the company in the coming months?
While the team at Xbox have finally been a little more vocal about their upcoming slate of games recently — namely in the form of Xbox Developer Direct and future showcase announcements — it turns out that the platform's marketing push, generally speaking, could actually be reduced in...
News Here's A Look At The Updated Xbox Game Studios Roadmap For 2023 & Beyond
We've got some great stuff to look forward to!
Yesterday's Xbox Developer Direct gave us release dates for a couple of upcoming Xbox first-party games, as well as the announcement of Hi-Fi RUSH, and therefore it's a good time to take a look at the upcoming slate of XGS titles. Fortunately, the supremely talented Xbox fan Klobrille over on Twitter...
News Rare's Everwild Team 'Warming Up' For 2023 As Work Continues On New Title
"Back in studio this week"
Remember Everwild? Rare's brand-new IP was first unveiled way back in 2019 at this point, and we've been eager to hear more about it since its mysterious reveal. While the team has remained largely quiet about the game over the past few years, we do at least have some confirmation that work on the title is ongoing. Louise...
Pick One Which Game Are You Most Excited For At The Xbox 'Developer_ Direct' Event?
Redfall? Forza? Minecraft? Tell us!
It's time for another round of Pick One! This week, to celebrate the announcement of the Xbox Developer_Direct event happening on January 25th, we want to know which of the four confirmed titles you're most excited for. Microsoft has revealed information about what we can expect from Forza Motorsport, Minecraft...
Talking Point Are Games Announced Too Far In Advance?
Microsoft, CDPR, we're looking at you
Today's 10-year anniversary of the teaser trailer for Cyberpunk 2077 got us thinking about about game announcements and how long we often have to wait between reveals and releases. CD Projekt Red's almost eight-year gap between teaser trailer and launch might be
Pick One Which Xbox Game Studios Title Are You Most Excited For Right Now?
Looking at the upcoming slate
It's no secret that Xbox's first-party developers have had a quiet year, especially when it comes to the big AAA experiences we all expect from a platform holder like Microsoft. Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic certainly hasn't helped, with game delays largely contributing to such a barren year on Xbox. However, the...
Feature Looking Ahead To A Brighter 2023 For Xbox Game Studios
A lot has been said about Xbox Game Studios this year, with Microsoft's first-party output dropping quite significantly from last year - especially when talking big AAA titles. While that's true and has indeed been disappointing, we want to look ahead to 2023 as we all hope for a much stronger output from Team Xbox. The first offerings...
News Xbox Confirms Exclusivity Plans For Three Upcoming Bethesda Games
"Designed to be played primarily alone or in small groups"
Microsoft and Activision Blizzard's initial court responses to the FTC Lawsuit have been published today (as we've highlighted elsewhere on Pure Xbox) and as part of this, Microsoft mentions that three upcoming ZeniMax (Bethesda) games are anticipated to become Xbox and PC exclusives at...
News Xbox Unveils Job Listing For 'Director Of Japan Creator Partnerships'
Another major hire in the region
Microsoft has made a big deal about the need to grow Xbox's presence in Japan over the past couple of years, and it seems like that's still a major focus for the team right now, as a major job role has just opened up at the company. The ad, posted on the Microsoft website, is for a "Director of Japan Creator...
News Hideo Kojima Reveals More About His 'Unusual' New Xbox Project
He's been thinking about it for "five or six years"
We've known that Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima has been working on a project with Xbox Game Studios for a little while, but both parties have remained largely quiet about what we can expect from it. However, speaking to IGN in an interview this week, Kojima
Rumour Xbox Might Be Planning 'Some Kind Of Event' For Early 2023
Definitely not a guarantee though
The Game Awards 2022 definitely ended up feeling a little disappointing from an Xbox perspective last week. Sure, we saw plenty of games announced for the platform, but none of them came from Xbox Game Studios. Since then, Windows Cent
News Xbox Fans Left Disappointed With Lack Of First-Party Reveals At The Game Awards 2022
Update: Xbox says it has "a lot planned" for 2023
Update: Xbox's Aaron Greenberg has shared a brief message on social media, mentioning how Xbox has "a lot planned" for the year ahead. Apparently, fans won't have to wait long to find out what's next! "We have a lot planned to show and share about an incredibly exciting year ahead for 2023...
News Phil Spencer Admits 'Something Had To Give' With Price Of First-Party Xbox Games
"We had held off as long as we could..."
Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has been speaking about the recent announcement that major first-party Xbox games will be getting a price increase beginning in 2023, jumping from $59.99 to $69.99 at launch. In his conversation with the
News Xbox First-Party Games Are Officially Getting A Price Increase In 2023
Including Starfield, Redfall & Forza Motorsport
Microsoft has confirmed today that Xbox Game Studios (first-party) titles will be getting a price increase from 2023 onwards, with Starfield, Redfall and Forza Motorsport all reflecting the new $69.99 USD price point next year. This will affect games "built for Xbox Series X|S" - in other words, all...
News Xbox Game Studios & Bethesda Hosting Major Steam Sale This Weekend
It's now live!
We've talked a lot about the huge Xbox Live Black Friday 2022 sale, and for good reason - there are over 700 games discounted on Xbox through late November! However, if you're also looking at picking up some PC games this weekend, the team has thrown together a nice little Steam sale featuring a bunch of Xbox & Bethesda titles...
News Pentiment Is The Best Xbox Game Studios Release Of 2022, Say Critics
It should crack the Metacritic Top 10 list
Obsidian's latest release arrives in the form of Pentiment on Tuesday (November 15th), launching into Xbox Game Pass on day one. Ahead of release, the reviews have been dropping everywhere today, and it's been getting fantastic scores. In fact, if you look at the Metacritic average (86 on Xbox Series X),...
Pick One Which Is The Best Xbox Game Studios Release Of The Past Two Years?
Halo Infinite? Forza Horizon 5? Tell us!
It's time for another round of Pick One! This week, to celebrate two years of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, we thought we'd take a look back at the first-party games that have been released on those consoles so far. The only game missing from this list is Obsidian's Pentiment, which arrives on...
News Halo Infinite 'Fell Short' After Launch And Needs To 'Recover', Admits Xbox Studio Head
"We just fell short on the plan..."
It's no secret at this point that Halo Infinite has suffered a rough time ever since its release back in late 2021. The actual launch was great, and we had brilliant things to say in our review, but the post-launch momentum just wasn't there for 343 Industries, and players have suffered from a lack of regular new...
News The Outer Worlds Looks Like It's Getting A Native Xbox Series X|S Upgrade
Rated in Taiwan
Obsidian's The Outer Worlds has been rated for next-gen platforms by the Taiwanese ratings board, a regular source for early leaks on upcoming titles. The sci-fi RPG first launched back in 2019 as an Xbox One game, shortly after Microsoft acquired the studio. Since then, Obsidian has announced a sequel, although for all intents and...
Rumour Xbox Is Talking To 'Major' Japanese Publishers About Acquisitions
Even while the ActiBlizz deal is underway
Xbox is continuing to push for growth in Japan, highlighted by its recent Tokyo Game Show livestream which was one of Xbox's best in recent memory. The show brought a bunch of Japan-focused news, like Ni No Kuni shadow dropping on Xbox Game Pass and much more. Well, if fresh rumours are to be believed, then...
Rumour Xbox Initially Planned To Launch 9 Exclusives In 2023
But how will things actually pan out?
Due to 2022's unfortunate slate of delays, we've always looked at 2023 as a pretty stacked year for Xbox Game Studios. Redfall, Starfield, and Forza Motorsport are all planned for the first half of next year, however it appears Xbox originally had a pretty packed lineup planned for 2023 anyway. VentureBeat...
News Microsoft Is Looking To Bring More Original Japanese Titles To Xbox
In the vein of 'Blue Dragon' and 'Lost Odyssey'
We have to admit, we've been really impressed by Xbox's efforts in Japan as of late, especially its recent Tokyo Game Show livestream, which was jam packed with Japan-flavoured Game Pass announcements. As it turns out, this doesn't look like the end of Xbox's upward trajectory in the Japanese market -...
News Xbox Will Be At Tokyo Game Show 2022 With Japan-Focused Livestream
"This will be a show curated for our players in Japan and Asia"
Team Xbox has revealed that it'll return, at least digitally, to the Tokyo Game Show this year, which takes place mid-September. Xbox will host a livestream focused mainly on Japanese and Asian titles from "developer partners" around the world. The team has tempered expectations...
News Xbox Continues To Look For Potential Acquisitions, Says Phil Spencer
Especially in different markets
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has sat down with Bloomberg to discuss all things Xbox, as the industry focuses on Gamescom 2022. Microsoft's head of gaming expressed how he feels about the ongoing Activision Blizzard deal, while also touching on what could potentially come next. In short, Spencer says the company continues...
News Awesome Starfield, Bethesda Merch Created By Animal Charity To Celebrate Quakecon
Starfield and Redfall might have been delayed recently, but we're still incredibly hyped for this pair of Bethesda titles to hit Xbox Game Pass in 2023. The latter of the two is due to appear at this year's Quakecon even too, which kicks off August 18th, and ahead of the event, some awesome merch has been been revealed by Dallas...
News Perfect Dark Supposedly Coming Along 'Really Well' Despite Previous Reports
According to WC's Jez Corden
Since Perfect Dark's reboot was announced at TGA 2020, we've not really heard much positivity on its development. In fact, reports have since said that developer The Initiative was struggling to get development going, especially before Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics
News Bethesda's 'Roundhouse Studios' Is Working On An Unannounced Title At Xbox
Alongside co-developing Arkane's Redfall
Since Xbox fully acquired Bethesda last year, quite a few of the company's studios have remained tight-lipped on the future. Sure, we now know quite a lot about Starfield and Redfall — after the Xbox showcase anyways — but the future of teams like Id Software and Machine Games remains fairly unknown...
Feature The Exciting Prospect Of ActiBlizz On Xbox Game Pass Is Starting To Feel Real
So close we can almost taste it
With the recent news that Xbox has reportedly submitted all the requested info to the FTC regarding the big Activision Blizzard deal, we’re starting to get excited about the prospect of the publisher’s titles hitting Xbox Game Pass. Sure, we’ve known for some time that Xbox is hoping to bring as many Activision...
News Xbox Sets Positive Precedent As Minecraft Says 'No' To NFTs
Mojang Studios has put forward its stance on NFTs and their place in Minecraft, and it's a positive one for the swath of gamers who are vocal about their disdain for the technology. In short, Mojang has said that NFTs in Minecraft are "generally not something we will support or allow". The developer says that the use of NFTs is not permitted...
Feature Stray's Success Could Pave The Way For Everyone's Favourite Xbox Cat To Return
You might of heard of a little game called Stray — out now on PlayStation platforms and PC — featuring a whole bunch of our cute feline friends. (We say friends, but do cats really like us?) Anyway, let's not try and figure that one out because we'll be here for eons. Instead, let's ponder how Microsoft can fight back with the return...
News Grounded Is Getting TV Adaptation By Star Wars Writer & Halo Director
Well, this is unexpected
Remember when it seemed a little odd that famous western RPG developer Obsidian Entertainment had decided to make a survival game about avoiding giant bugs in an overgrown garden? Well, things are getting even stranger as Grounded — which is set to hit its 1.0 release this September — is being converted into a TV series!...
News Psychonauts 2 Physical Version Slated For Xbox This September, Bonuses Included
Hit the motherlobe
Psychonauts 2 came to Xbox last August, not too long after developer Double Fine was scooped up by Xbox Game Studios. Just over a year after launch, a physical version is set to arrive — 'Psychonauts 2: Motherlobe Edition' — featuring some extra goodies and bonus content. Here's what's included. First up, of course, you'll...
News Xbox Exec Claims Crunch At Bethesda Is A Thing Of The Past
"We do not have a situation where people are crunching"
In a new Kotaku report, the outlet has shared details of a recent all-hands meeting featuring Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty. He touched on various aspects of the Xbox business, including the continued handling of its studios and how the company is working on integration with the likes of...
News Phil Spencer's 'No-BS' Approach Convinced Obsidian To Join Xbox
There was "trust" from Phil's reputation
It's no secret that Xbox has gone on a bit of a spending spree these last few years. Phil Spencer & co. have been building up Xbox's first party lineup for almost half a decade, in part to bolster the Game Pass library. Having said that, the company still had to convince devs to join up, and it looks like...
Rumour Fable & Perfect Dark Won't Be At The Xbox Games Showcase
But plenty of other games will be there!
This weekend's Xbox & Bethesda Showcase should be packed with games, especially those coming from Xbox Game Studios. However, it's looking like two already-announced Xbox reboots won't be appearing, according to VentureBeat's Jeff Grubb. Speaking on his latest podcast episode, the well-known leaker and...
News Xbox Plans To Release At Least 5 Exclusives Within The Next Year
The company is on track to match last fiscal year's output
After the unfortunate delays to Starfield and Redfall, we can't say we weren't a tad worried about Xbox exclusives over the next few months. However, from a recent media briefing, Xbox has raised our hopes once again. The company recently went ahead and detailed its plans over the course of...
News Forza Horizon 6 Development Underway As Playground Games Searches For Staff
Are we there yet? Japan that is
Forza Horizon 5 only launched about six months ago, but 'Horizon 6' appears to already be in development. A new job post, spotted by XGP, shows developer Playground Games advertising for a level designer on its "next AAA title", as part of the Forza Horizon team. Now, we don't know about you guys, but that sure...
News Unsurprisingly, Xbox Is Expected To Be At Gamescom This Year
As the event returns in-person
As Xbox gears up for its own big summer showcase, we can't forget about Gamescom, the huge European convention that typically closes out the summer gaming season. This year, the event returns to in-person proceedings, and it's looking like Microsoft will return as well. Jez Corden spoke about Xbox's presence at the...
News Former Nintendo Manager Joins Xbox As Forza's 'Director Of Quality'
Seal of approval
We're not sure we'd ever say Forza lacks in the quality department, but clearly, Microsoft sees room for improvement. Redmond-based Turn 10 Studios has made a major hire this month, as a former Nintendo manager joins the team as the franchise's Director Of Quality. That means that new hire, Heather Gearreald, will oversee both...
News Xbox Execs Tease 'Cool', 'Amazing' Demos They've Been Testing This Week
It's safe to say we're pretty pumped for Xbox's big showcase next month. Whether E3 itself is around or not, summertime is always an exciting one in gaming and we're ready to see what Team Xbox has been cooking up. Having said that, some Xbox execs seem even more giddy than us! That's probably because they've had the chance to go...
Video Here's Gameplay Of An Unreleased Half-Life Game From Arkane
Recently, developer Arkane became a huge new addition to Xbox Game Studios, arriving as part of the big Bethesda deal. However, did you know that long before that, the team worked on a Half-Life game that never got released? Nah, us neither. Well, thanks to video game documentary channel Noclip, about an hour's footage of that very proje
News Jeff Grubb Suggests Another Square Enix Acquisition 'More Likely' Following Western Studio Sale
Could the Japanese side of the business be sold?
It seems to be acquisition season right now in the gaming industry. Embracer Group, the huge Swedish firm who owns the likes of THQ Nordic, recently picked up Square Enix's Western studios, and now there's talk of WB Games being up for sale too. However, business regarding Square Enix might not be...
Rumour Warner Bros' Game Studios & IP 'Supposedly' Up For Sale
Right, let's take a breath. Yesterday, May 2nd, Embracer Group announced that it's to acquire Square Enix's western studios, but that's not all the acquisition talk done just yet. WB Games' development studios appear to be the next bunch up for sale, and quite a few publishers are said to be interested. This rumour comes from...
Rumour 'Virtually Every' Xbox Studio Has Submitted Content For June's Games Showcase
Last week, Xbox finally got around to announcing its big summer showcase for 2022. Even so, they didn't really reveal much of what they'll show off - aside from the fact that Bethesda will have a huge presence once again. However, as expected the rumours are starting to swirl, and this one is getting us pretty excited! Rand Al...
News Xbox Isn't Done With New Acquisitions, Job Listing Suggests
Here comes the money
Xbox made huge waves earlier this year when it announced its intentions to acquire Activision Blizzard for a frankly ridiculous $70 billion. However, that doesn't seem to have stopped the company from looking at other potential takeover targets. A new job listing went live a few days ago (spotted by VGC) that spells out just...
News Xbox Game Studios Japan Is Working On A 'Truly Groundbreaking Product' For Xbox
"We are working with top-class developers"
Xbox has long spoken of its plans to expand in Japan, and here's some evidence of those efforts. Matt Smith, an Xbox exec in Japan, is looking to expand his team in the region. Smith says that Xbox Game Studios Publishing in Japan is "working with top-class developers" on a "groundbreaking product" for...
Guide Here's How PlayStation's New Services Compare To Xbox Game Pass
PS Plus Essential, Extra, Premium vs. Xbox Game Pass
PlayStation has officially revealed its new tiered subscription plans, with three levels available to players. Each level includes a range of different benefits, with some clearly positioned to compete with Xbox Game Pass. So, how do they all compare? And will any of them really rival Microsoft's...


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“Dangerous Women Membership” star Shannade Clermont was arrested and charged for committing fraud and making an attempt to swipe a number of thousand through the use of debit card info stolen from a deceased man, authorities in New York introduced Wednesday.
Clermont, 24, was charged with one rely every of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, entry gadget fraud and aggravated identification theft.
The fees stem from crimes allegedly dedicated following the 2017 dying of a person in New York, whom Clermont “had visited for a prostitution date,” a information launch from the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Southern District of New York and the NYPD stated.
Authorities stated they launched a probe into an “overdose dying” amid the invention of a deceased male positioned in his Manhattan condominium on Feb. 1, 2017.
‘JERSEY SHORE’ STAR NICOLE ‘SNOOKI’ POLIZZI REVEALS ADOPTION STORY: IT WAS ‘FATE’
“Through the course of that investigation, legislation enforcement discovered that Clermont visited the Sufferer for a prostitution date on the Sufferer Condo the earlier night (January 31, 2017), and used the Sufferer’s debit card info to make or try to make greater than $20,000 in fraudulent purchases in the course of the months following the Sufferer’s dying,” authorities stated.
Clermont additionally allegedly used stolen debit card info to pay for “her lease and telephone payments, flight purchases, and several other on-line purchases of hundreds of of clothes and different merchandise,” the information launch stated. Authorities stated the 2 debit playing cards from which Clermont allegedly took the knowledge have been present in his pockets on the condominium.
Authorities additionally declare that Clermont created a pretend e-mail handle to current herself because the deceased male “with a view to commit wire fraud utilizing the Sufferer’s identification.” In a single occasion, roughly two months after the male’s dying, the phony e-mail was allegedly used to make a Western Union account and to ship a $1,000 “fraudulent cash switch” addressed to Clermont, authorities stated.
‘BAD GIRLS CLUB’ STAR NICKY VARGAS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY PERFORMING ORAL SEX IN PARKING LOT
U.S. Legal professional Geoffrey S. Berman, who introduced the arrest and prices together with NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill, stated within the information launch that the allegations towards Clermont instructed she “lived as much as her actuality collection fame.”
“Due to the expert investigative work of the NYPD, Clermont’s new actuality is federal prosecution for her alleged nefarious conduct,” Berman stated.


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AIZAWL, April 3 � Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), the biggest student organisation in Mizoram on Wednesday carried out an operation against illegal traders in the State capital here and closed down some business shops run by non-tribals.
On October 9-10, 2014, the student body in its general assembly had passed a resolution declaring that a search operation shall be launched to drive out illegal non-tribal traders in the State. Adhering to the resolution, the student body took out the search operation in some localities in Aizawl during which business establishments run by illegal non-tribal traders were closed down. The business shops were mostly run by borrowing Mizo names while some were run by illegal non-tribal traders.
The student body said in a release that it will continue to conduct search operations against illegal non-Mizo traders and shops run in the name of Mizos.


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As a Senate inquiry into the ability of SMEs to access finance starts in Sydney today, small business lobby groups are urging the Government to strengthen competition in the banking sector to help get credit moving again.
The inquiry, which has been driven by the Coalition, has received more than 30 submissions from experts, banks and lobby groups including the Australian Bankers’ Association, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Council of Small Business of Australia.
ACCI chief executive Peter Anderson has accused the banks of ignoring the problem of small business finance following the end of the GFC.
“As important to our economy as a healthy banking system is, and as well managed as our retail banks are, the banking industry cannot hide behind its stability and profitability to sidestep the legitimate concerns of small and medium businesses when it comes to a fair deal in accessing affordable finance.”
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The ACCI’s submission focuses on the issue of competition – while the organisation expects this will improve as the economy recovers, it says it does not want to see a repeat of the recent mergers of Westpac and St George and Commonwealth Bank and Bank West.
“The Government needs to ensure that competition in Australian retail banking system is not further eroded by future merger and acquisition activity.”
COSBOA chief Jaye Radisich wants to see the Government lift its efforts to encourage non-bank financiers into the market and investigate other financing models which may be worthy of support, such as large retail landlords providing finance to tenants.
At the more practical level, COSBOA wants to the see Federal and State governments work more closely together to ensure small business customers can move more easily between banks.
“Bank account number portability, like mobile phone number portability, has the capacity to promote choice, reduce costs and increase productivity,” COSBOA’s submission argues.
It would also like to see the Government tighten regulations about bank fee transparency, using the models of the retail sector (with unit pricing) and the telecommunications sector (with whole-of-contract pricing).
“The perception that small business is out of the woods and that finance is freely flowing to small businesses post-GFC is simply not the case. Many small businesses still struggle to get a loan to start up, or to expand, and often end up funding operational costs through personal credit cards at 20% interest rates,” Radisich says.
The Australian Bankers’ Association, the Reserve Bank, the National Association of Retail Grocers, Westpac and Commonwealth Bank are all scheduled to appear before the inquiry today.
However, some doubts remain about exactly what effect the inquiry will have on improving SMEs access to finance is not clear.
As this inquiry was the result of a Coalition proposal, the Rudd Government may be wary about turning any recommendations into policy initiatives.


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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - A slew of toolmakers saw their shares drift lower following mostly upbeat quarterly results Thursday with Stanley Works taking the brunt of the selling.
Black & Decker, Danaher, and Illinois Tool Works rounded out the busy day in the tool segment.
First off, shares of Stanley Works
Stanley estimates it will earn between 49 cents and 51 cents a share while analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call forecast a profit of 50 cents a share.
For the fourth quarter, the New Britain, Conn.-based company posted a profit of $34.7 million, or 42 cents a share, versus $18.1 million, or 20 cents a share, a year earlier.
Excluding a pre-tax charge of $38 million relating to impairment and severance, Stanley pocketed $60.3 million, or 73 cents a share, up from $34.7 million, or 42 cents a share, a year ago and 3 cents higher than analysts had expected.
Revenue jumped to $727.7 million from $614.3.
Elsewhere, Black & Decker shares BDK fell more than 3 percent to $49.46 after the company reported fourth-quarter earnings of $99.5 million, or $1.27 a share, versus $75.7 million, or 94 cents, a year ago.
Strong areas included Dewalt products and power tools, while business in Europe declined due to a "weak retail environment."
"For the seventh straight quarter, earnings per share grew more than 19 percent," said CEO Nolan Archibald in a release. "All three of our business segments reported higher sales and at least 12 percent operating margins for the quarter."
Excluding restructuring charges, Black & Decker earned $1.35 a share, up from $1.05 a year earlier. Analysts polled by Reuters Research had pegged the company to post a profit of $1.27 a share.
Sales came in at $1.34 billion versus $1.2 billion.
The Towson, Maryland-based toolmaker said it expects first-quarter earnings between 65 to 70 cents a share. Analysts are looking for 68 cents.
Illinois Tool Works shares
The Glenview, Ill.-based diversified manufacturer posted a fourth-quarter profit from continuing operations of $286.9 million, or 93 cents a share, versus $227.9 million, or 74 cents a share, a year earlier.
Revenue grew 8 percent to $2.63.
"As signs of an economic recovery become more broad-based, we are again optimistic about our ability to outperform in 2004," said CEO H. Lawrence Culp in a statement.
The company said it earned $169.9 million, or $1.06 a share, versus $161.7 million, or $1.03 a share, a year ago. Excluding a 9-cent gain relating to the curtailment of its pension plan, Danaher earned 97 cents a share, topping analyst targets by 2 cents.
Revenue jumped to $1.49 billion from $1.27 billion a year earlier.


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Plans have been submitted for a new access road which would unlock land to create up to 1,000 jobs in Goole.
Sterling Capitol, a major Yorkshire developer, hopes the new road at Capitol Park will create opportunities for new businesses to open in the enterprise zone.
If given the go-ahead by East Riding Council, the road will open up 32 acres of land next door to giants Tesco Distribution and Guardian Glass.
Mike Heydecke, on behalf of Sterling Capitol, said: “This is a significant development for us, underlying our commitment to Capitol Park Goole. The access road will open up the site and create much-needed business space and jobs in the Goole area.
“The site has the capacity for 500,000 sq ft of quality warehousing and distribution space. We are looking to build one substantial unit but could subdivide into two. It is adjacent to Guardian Glass and a major Tesco distribution hub, underling the park’s credentials.
“As a company, we are extremely proud of what we have achieved in Yorkshire. Job creation is at the heart of our plans and we have developed some of the most impressive business parks in Yorkshire, with an excellent mix of tenants and facilities.”
The news comes at an exciting time for business in East Yorkshire.
Last month, manufacturing giant Siemens unveiled plans to create a state-of-the-art train factory on the site in Goole, which lies just off M62 motorway.
It is hoped the £200m factory will create up to 700 jobs.
Capitol Park Goole has already been given the green light to become a large-scale employment and distribution hub for the region.
The 32-acre site which would be unlocked by the new road has a capital value of £43 million, with direct access to the motorway and Port of Goole.
Iain McPhail, partner in the industrial team with joint marketing agents Knight Frank, said: “Capitol Park represents a major opportunity in the East Riding area, offering significant potential for employment and distribution development on a strategic site close to the M62 and the ports at Goole, Grimsby, Immingham and Hull.”
Rob Whatmuff, director at Colliers International in Leeds, said: “Capitol Park is a significant gateway development scheme for the region.
“The site’s close connectivity from the port at Goole through to the UK’s motorway networks, via J36 of the M62, coupled with its Enterprise Zone benefits, will be a big attraction to large occupiers looking to neighbour the Tesco regional distribution centre and the Guardian Glass’ manufacturing facility.
“Siemens’ recent announcement to invest £200 million in a rail manufacturing plant adjacent to the park further endorses the location…”
The Hull Daily Mail has recently launched a free app which features all the latest news, sport and what’s on information. You can download it foriPhone and iPad from Apple's App Store , or get the Android version from Google Play .


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Swiss will grow the premium economy cabin on its A350s as part of its “Swiss Senses” interiors program. The new design,will be delivered on the A350 fleet direct from the factory beginning in 2025.
Global Airlines had a spectacular opportunity, with the travel media world in attendance as the carrier hosted its “Welcome Aboard” party in London on 28 July. Instead, CEO James Asquith took the opportunity to once again highlight a bunch of brands that Global Airlines does not yet have a formal partnership with.
Is it premium economy on long-haul or first class for short-haul? Either way, Recaro expects the PL3810 premium seat will help it continue to deliver comfort to passengers while helping airlines save weight compared to the prior generation.
Is there such a thing as too many choices for passengers? Lufthansa is about to find out. The company formally revealed its “Allegris” long-haul cabin concept on Tuesday, highlighting options for “individuality and exclusivity” on board, and as many as 14 options for passengers.
An updated business class cabin is now flying with Air China. The carrier’s newest A350 has the Recaro CL6720 business class “minisuite” on board, offering increased privacy for passengers.
Porter Air will add an almost premium economy offering, dubbed PorterReserve, as part of its E195-E2 product launch. The offering will be one of three seating options on board the carrier’s first jets, and include other benefits in the terminal and on board as well.
Lufthansa has released photos of its new “Allegris” line of cabin seating, including the first images of the first class suites planned for its future fleet. The carrier will offer at least eight different types of seating on board its long-haul fleet going forward.
Flagship First Class is dead. Long live the Flagship Suite. American Airlines will introduce a new Flagship Suite seat to its long haul fleet from 2024. With that move, the carrier’s Flagship First class cabin will be no more.
More meal options are slowly coming back on Delta Air Lines. Progress is slow, as the carrier works to ensure supply chain stability and downline kitchen availability. But Premium Select and Main Cabin passengers should start to see some improvements as soon as next week.
Virgin Atlantic is the latest airline to offer a differentiated experience for some passengers in its business class cabin. The carrier introduced the Retreat Suite, a more premium version of its Upper Class suite, as part of the unveiling of its new A330neo interior.