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President Joe Biden continues to bury his head in the sand when it comes to inflation. Speaking on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” the president declared that the country’s skyrocketing prices are up “just an inch” in the short term.
Nevermind, of course, that year-over-year inflation came in at 8.3% in August and still hovers near four-decade highs. For the Biden White House, this is something to celebrate.
Even when reminded that inflation has lingered at its highest point in 40 years, the president was in denial. He claimed for the past several months, “it hasn’t spiked” and has “been basically even.”
In other words, it soared extremely high and stayed there. That is supposedly good news. Even when consumer prices were expected to decline in August due to prices at the pump decreasing, they went up instead.
60 Min: "What can you do better to lower inflation?"
Biden: "inflation rate month to month was just up an inch."
60 Min:"You're not arguing 8.3% is good news?"
Biden: "You're acting like all of a sudden 'my God it went to 8.2%'"
60 Min: "It's the highest rate in 40 years." pic.twitter.com/DEwugGct4d
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 19, 2022
Biden told CBS’s Scott Pelley that there needs to be “perspective.” Inflation reaching its highest levels in four decades clearly is not enough.
For more perspective, the median Consumer Price Index, which only tallies the middle of the price changes, rose 0.7% in August. The exact figure, 0.73789%, is the highest on record and spreads out to a 9.2% annual inflation rate.
For a country that hardly has any inflation, according to the president, Americans are paying much higher prices for nearly everything. Groceries rose 0.7% in August and food at home showed a 13.5% year-over-year increase.
Credit card companies report that there is a major shift as to where consumers are swiping their plastic. The top categories presently are food and gas, reflecting the enormous increases in both and the strain they are applying to U.S. paychecks.
Buying a car? Figures from the Cox Automotive/Moody’s Analytics Vehicle Affordability Index show that the average American car payment is now a shocking $743 per month.
As for the so-called Inflation Reduction Act that the White House continues to celebrate, independent analysis shows it will only reduce costs by 0.1% over the next five years.
The president is playing fast and loose with the numbers, and while that is expected from political leaders, it does not ease the pain suffered by consumers one iota. It must be difficult to deny inflation with a straight face, even for Biden.


text: Check that.......Make that the best Quarter in 11 Years! And all the conservatives were rooting for them to fail... GM: Best quarter in 11 years - Nov. 10, 2010 General Motors reported its best quarter since 1999 Wednesday, setting the stage the automaker to begin selling shares to the public once again. GM reported it earned $1.96 billion in the quarter, compared to a loss a year earlier when it was still in the process of emerging from bankruptcy. It's the third straight quarter that the automaker has reported a profit. The last time GM reported a profit this large was the first quarter of 1999, when it earned $2.05 billion. But by 2005 the company's declining market share and uncompetitive cost structure had plunged it into a series of annual losses that culminated in its 2009 federal bailout and bankruptcy filing. What emerged from that was a new company without much of the debt, labor obligations and excess capacity of the old GM. Wednesday's earnings report put the company in position to post its first annual profit since 2004.

domain: news


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- Northrop Grumman Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2012 Financial Results to be Webcast Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time
FALLS CHURCH, Va. â Jan. 9, 2013 â Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) will announce its fourth quarter and year-end 2012 financial results on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013. The company's conference call will be held at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time the same day. Wes Bush, chairman, chief executive officer and president, and Jim Palmer, chief financial officer, will review fourth quarter and 2012 results and discuss Northrop Grumman's 2013 outlook. The conference call will be webcast live on Northrop Grumman's website at http://www.northropgrumman.com .
Replays of the call will be available on the Northrop Grumman website for a limited time. Presentations will be supplemented by a series of slides appearing on the company website. Listeners are encouraged to view these materials in conjunction with the call. The fourth quarter and year-end 2012 earnings release will be posted on the home page of the website.
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cybersecurity, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.
CONTACT: Randy Belote (Media) 703-280-2720 firstname.lastname@example.org Steve Movius (Investors) 703-280-4575 email@example.com


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KINGLAND TIRE SUPPORTS INDO MOTOCAMP, HERE’S THE FUN
Pengendara.com- Indo Motocamp is an event held at Camp Samara, Bogor, West Java. This first new event was created by Gomax Adventure and the team in commemoration of the 77th Indonesian Independence Day. Biker-style camping is unbeatable fun with any other event.
In the excitement, Kingland Tire participated in enlivening the event after event for all bikers. In addition to opening the booth, Kingland Tire also presented special clothing and helmets bearing the Kingland logo which were specially designed for Motocamp Gomax Adventure. No less interesting, Kingland Tire presented a door prize for Indo Motocamp 2022 participants in the form of tires that are safe and comfortable for motorcyclists in all road conditions.
The moment which lasted for two days, Saturday and Sunday (27-28/8/22) was very interesting for other riders. No wonder this event is very lively and excited. In addition to enjoying the camp, the bikers can stay in touch. What’s unique is that they commemorate the 77th Indonesian Independence Day in their own way, a flag ceremony.
Joko Suseno, Marketing Head of Kingland Tire Division who was accompanied by Kingland Tire Distributors West Java, Rizki, Sholeh and Badrun said, Kingland Tire supports this Indo Motocamp event which unites Indonesian bikers
“Kingland Tire always works for the progress of Indonesia with the spirit of Recovering Faster, Rising Stronger. Kingland is here to enliven the event and open a sales stand so that Kingland’s products are closer to bikers and able to accommodate bikers’ expectations to get tires that are good in terms of quality and function,” he said.
He said, the Indo Motocamp event was a unifying event for Indonesian bikers, especially from various backgrounds and professions, to always cooperate in positive ways to maintain safety and be polite in driving.
At the Indo Motocamp event, Kingland introduced Genuin, Regular and Premium products. As proof that the work of the nation’s children should be proud.
“Of course, Kingland Tire also shares about choosing the right tires as a daily activity and also accommodates bikers’ suggestions or desires to get the desired motif and size,” he said who also asked to stay safe and healthy always.
On this occasion also Kingland Tire introduced its new product RTX 5, especially 120/70-13 & 140/70-13 and also available Ring 14.
Meanwhile, Anang Fauzi, Head of Gomax Adventure, said that the Indo Motocamp was only held for the first time. It is hoped that every year it can be realized. Now this is very appropriate, besides that, this activity is also in commemoration of the 77th Indonesian Independence Day.
“This event is very exciting. Hopefully every year can make this event happen again. Just pray, brother,” said Anang
Greetings Indonesian bikers, keep moving forward and victorious and safety.


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Originally scheduled for January, ADF&PCD and PLD Paris has been rescheduled for June 22-23, 2021 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in Paris, France. ADF&PCD and PLD Paris connects the world’s beauty, drinks, luxury and FMCG groups with packaging suppliers, materials and inspiration. The event offers the latest packaging solutions and allows attendees to…
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More than 43,000 Toyotas in Britain have been recalled after a defect which could cause a fire was discovered.
The move involves all Yaris models built in 2006 and 2007 and is part of a global recall of 1.3m cars, reported Daily Telegraph.
Car owners are being told to take vehicles to garages after the problem was identified on a component known as a seat belt pretensioner, which locks the belt in place.
It was found that this part could heat up and set a foam insulating pad alight, running the risk of a fire in a high-speed head-on crash.
A Toyota spokesman said: “We can use chassis numbers to identify the cars involved and then trace the owners through the DVLA to ensure the right people are sent letters.”
It is unclear how long Yaris owners will have to do without their cars or whether the company will be in a position to arrange loan vehicles.
Yaris has previously been considered one of the safest cars of its type, having been awarded five stars by Euro NCAP.


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Luxury British carmaker Aston Martin and menswear retailer Hackett launch an exclusive capsule collection “Aston Martin by Hackett” for Autumn/Winter 2016. The collection will be another milestone in undeniably fruitful long-term global partnership between two iconic English brands. Since 2005, a multi-channel menswear retailer has been the official team clothing supplier for the Aston Martin Racing team. Hackett […]
The post Aston Martin By Hackett Capsule Collection For Autumn/Winter 2016 appeared first on Illumination of Luxury.


text: Induslogic, a provider of outsourced software product development services, is merging with another outsourcer, Bonus Technology, to get access to Bonus\u2019 operations in the Ukraine, the companies said Monday. The financial terms of the merger were not disclosed. Induslogic, of Vienna, Virginia has about 90 customers, and delivers most of its product development offshore from India. Bonus Technology of New Jersey in contrast has focused on the Ukraine for the delivery of product development services to its approximately 10 customers of which the largest is Telecordia Technologies, a provider of software and services for IP (Internet Protocol), wireline, mobility and cable networks. The combined company, called GlobalLogic, is forecast to have revenue of US$50 million for this year, said Induslogic chief executive officer Peter Harrison, who will take over as chief executive officer of GlobalLogic. Induslogic was planning to acquire an outsourced product development company in the Ukraine for the last two years, as a number of its customers were outsourcing part of their product development work to companies there. "If a portion of their product is very algorithmic and mathematically computationally intensive, customers would send that work to Ukraine, as they could not get in India the specific skills they required," Harrison said. By having an operation in the Ukraine, GlobalLogic will now be able to get that part of the product development work as well, according to Harrison. "We can now be a one-stop shop for these customers," he said.Bonus has a team of 250 engineers in the Ukraine, of which half have master\u2019s degrees and more than 15 percent have doctorates. The average experience of the staff in the Ukraine operation is 12 years in contrast to five years in the Indian operation, Harrison said. GlobalLogic plans to double the number of staff in the Ukraine to about 500 over the next 18 months.Expansion in the Ukraine will not be at the expense of its Indian operations, Harrison said. GlobalLogic plans to increase the number of staff in India from 1000 at present to about 3000 over the next 18 months. The company employs some 50 staff in the U.S.India offers a larger pool of skilled talent than the Ukraine or other low-cost locations in Eastern Europe, Harrison said. Although Indian staff are not good at working on products that involve hard-core mathematics, Indian staff are good at building other products and have strong project management skills, he added. Having operations in India and the Ukraine will enable GlobalLogic to offer more services to its customers, including round-the-clock development, as well as provide them a disaster recovery model spanning two continents, Harrison said.-John Ribeiro, IDG News Service (Bangalore Bureau)Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage.


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Find your thing, connect with new people, and share your world. Byte lets you shoot or upload and.
— byte (@byte_app) january 25, 2020 the development of byte was actually happening from the past two years and today the official announcement has suddenly taken the internet by storm again.
Byte vine app. These include a content feed, user profiles and an explore page. Find your thing, connect with new people, and share your world. It's like you never left.
And it got off to a rocky start over the weekend. It launched in early 2020 with a lot of online hype about its similarity to its video loop app predecessor, vine.byte is sticking to basic features for now with big plans to unroll more in the future, to better compete with other video sharing apps. Tiktok teens have a shiny, new toy to try:
And it already has some of that old vine feel, as you can see from some of the videos above. In january 2015, vine launched vine kids, an app that was designed specifically for children aged 7 to 12 only. Or byte, if you prefer.
The creator of that platform was dom hoffman, and after its demise, he continued to develop a successor. In january 2020, almost eight years after vine launched, hoffman was ready, and byte hit the app stores. Even “vine” and “byte” were trending worldwide today on twitter.
Vine 2 app finally released. It comes loaded with the features you’d expect from a social media platform. *over 4 million users* have tried the original version of the app, but we listed to user feedback and added the best of looping videos from vine and are constantly scouring the internet to find more!
Vine cofounder dom hofmann has been teasing a sequel since late in 2017, and after months of being in closed beta, byte is now available to everyone on android and ios. Here's what we've got today:. Byte is a new app designed to replace the void left by vine credit:
Byte’s most ambitious tool, though, is the computer — an app launcher within the app that lets you pull a variety of images, text, and memes into your bytes. Using apkpure app to upgrade byte, install xapk, fast, free and save your internet data. It's available on ios and android.
Yet that wasn't the end of vine. Just like its predecessor, byte (aka vine 2) allows users to get creative making looping videos. A video app organized around creative communities.
Byte, a social media platform, has launched on mobile. Byte is a video app for communities. “the idea was to bring back what people remember about vine, even if it isn’t necessarily the way that vine was,” said dom hofmann, a founder of vine, in a phone interview.
On the app's official website, the only teaser. It was slated to come out in spring 2019. The byte app gives users just seconds to show off their humor, talent, or creativity.
It's a direct successor to the vine app, which was discontinued in early 2017 although videos. Byte is a video app for communities.


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Wells Fargo Offers Mobile Deposit Nationwide
Wells Fargo's (WFC) mobile check deposit is now available to customers nationwide.
The San Francisco company said Wednesday that its customers across the U.S. can deposit checks by taking pictures of the front and back of checks. During the initial launch of the service from June to October, the mobile deposit was available in 15 states.
"The exponential growth of mobile banking is fueling the thirst for more futuristic, easy-to-use applications such as mobile deposit," Brian Pearce, senior vice president and head of the retail mobile channel, digital channels group at Wells Fargo, said in a news release. "Mobile deposit is a very popular service among our customer base. Customers love the added convenience of depositing checks while on the go."
Customers can use mobile deposit through the Wells Fargo mobile app for Apple and Android supported devices.


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The Usafi market was bought by the government through KCCA in 2014 from Safinet U Ltd, a company owned by businessman Umar Ssekamatte at a cost of 39.4 billion Shillings. The cost later shot up to 43 billion Shillings after KCCA was subjected to a 3.6 billion Shillings fine for delayed payment.
Prior to demolition of structures, vendors had been informed that Kiggundu fronted a six months pay for 700 stalls in Usafi market, a facility adjacent to the clock tower, initially acquired by Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA to absorb vendors from the streets.
The cost of lockups in Usafi market will drop from 480,000 to 288,000 Shillings. Stalls which were previously hired at 150,000 Shillings will now cost 90,000 Shillings while those hired at 45,000 Shillings will now go for 13,000 Shillings. The 6500 Shillings stall remains unchanged.
Susan Amero, the Presidential Affairs Committee vice chairperson, says KCCA will be tasked to explain why it has delayed to pay Ssekamate his dues, despite the fact that parliament approved a supplementary budget of Shillings 7 billion as partial payment for the business man.
But members of the Presidential affairs committee of Parliament this morning questioned the motive of the purchase on ground that KCCA may not get value for money from the investment. Ntungamo Municipality MP Yona Musinguzi says the rate is far above the market value and needs to be revisted.
The developments follow a recent decision by KCCA to relocate illegal taxi stages to gazetted parks alongside a tightly enforced ban on picking passengers by the roadside. According to KCCA the new regulations are designed to streamline public transport in Kampala City,
Vendors in Usafi Market at Kalitunsi in Katwe, a Kampala suburb, continue to wait buyers with some staring at empty stalls more than two months after the first phase of the market was opened. The market, a liaison between SAFINET Developers and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), was opened early February but traders have to do with empty stands as they hope that customers will trickle in.


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July 16, 2012
iPad Mini Fever Is Contagious
Michael Harper for redOrbit.com — Your Universe Online
There´s been a lot of tablet talk this year. Apple released the newest version of their best-selling tablet this spring, the new iPad. Last month, Microsoft took to a seedy Los Angeles back-alley warehouse and announced they had plans to someday release a tablet of their own. Just weeks later, Google announced their very own tablet– the Nexus 7– at the Google I/O developers conference. A 7-inch tablet, the Nexus 7 was available to order immediately and started at a Kindle-Fire-competitive $199.The Kindle Fire is still around, by the way. Despite the analyst reports which say Amazon´s tablet was less of a Fire and more of a Flash, rumors have been heating up that Amazon will throw their hat once more into this booming tablet market with a larger, more capable slab. Such a tablet could be released as early as July 31, according to CNET.
Yes, it seems the industry is now keen on catching up with the iPad, and it only took them 2 years to bring their solutions to the market (with the notable exception of the Microsoft surface, of which no one has had a chance to fully review).
Now, any criticism or praise of these other tablets is once more being drowned out by the thunderous roar of rumors of a smaller iPad, and this morning, the New York Times joined the chorus.
The Times has confirmed what many have believed for years: Apple is developing a new, 7.85-inch tablet which is expected to sell at a market-shaking price point. Such a report is a strong indication that these rumors could end up being very true.
Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported the same thing, another strong indication. After all, the Journal has a strong track record when it comes to Apple rumors, so much so that many believe Apple strategically leaks information to them. With both the Journal and the Times confirming this smaller iPad rumor, it seems incredibly likely Apple will release such a tablet sometime this year.
It also causes many to question the sincerity of Tim Cook´s “double-down on secrecy” claim he made at this year´s All Things D conference.
Apple isn´t known as a reactionary company, releasing new products and product revisions in order to directly compete with another, existing product. Therefore, it´s unlikely Apple plans to release such a tablet in order to defy Amazon, Google or any other company who plans to release a 7-inch tablet.
As the Times points out, it´s more likely Apple is sending the iPad on the same trail blazed by their game-changing iPods. The first iPods started out with one screen size and remained in a familiar shape. The iPad mini was released 2 years later, introducing a smaller form factor and smaller drive options. One year later, they introduced the Shuffle, a much smaller device with much smaller drive options. The Shuffle, however, introduced a sub-$100 price point, a move which was seen as the final nail in the coffin of the dying non-iPod media player market.
So far, it seems as if Apple is sticking with their iPod game plan, announcing the small iPad two years after their first, game-changing device.
Many have also suggested Apple could give this new iPad the iPod Touch moniker, expanding the market´s view of tablets.
If these rumors are true (and it appears as if they are) Apple could put a quick end to the developing tablet market just as it´s finally put wheels to the ground“¦just two years after Apple.


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Infiniti’s forthcoming electric production cars will present a chance to make a “compelling statement” and help grow the brand, according to its design director.
Nissan’s luxury arm, which was launched 30 years ago, has become an established firm in the US and Japan, but slow sales elsewhere recently prompted the brand to announce its withdrawal from the European market. The brand sold just 750 cars in the UK last year.
The firm is gearing up to electrify its range from 2021 onwards, including its first full electric cars – previewed with the near-production-ready QX Inspiration concept car showcased at the Detroit motor show in January.
Speaking before Infiniti revealed plans to leave Europe, design boss Karim Habib said the design changes enabled by electric cars – particularly the lack of need for a front grille and the greater interior space – present an opportunity for the brand to reinvent itself.
Calling the QX Inspiration a “brand-defining step”, Habib said: “The Infiniti brand is fairly established, but we need to distil it and be clearer about who we are and what we stand for. Electric cars give us a lot of opportunity to do that: we’re able to conceive the brand as a whole – to see a whole ‘world’ of Infiniti become a statement.”


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Of the American women who shop for beauty products on TV, almost 25 percent of them spend more money than other shoppers. The same is true for 33 percent of women who shop via infomercials, according to a new report from The NPD Group.
The report, called “Emerging Channels Series: Beauty Care Products, Special Focus: TV Shopping Networks & Infomercials,” polled females ages 18 to 64 from an NPD online panel from Nov. 20 to 26.
Overall, about 4 percent of women, or an estimated 4.9 million, shop for beauty items via TV, and they “report spending almost as much as fine department store shoppers, more than traditional department store shoppers, and those who buy from dermatologists,” NPD stated. Almost 80 percent of shoppers on the leading shopping channels, QVC and HSN, will shop-purchase if they watch.
About a third of TV shoppers are most likely to tune in between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., NPD found, and 18 percent tune in between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Some 40 percent of infomercial shoppers usually shop between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., according to the firm.
Fifty-two percent of respondents who said they spend more money through TV shopping networks said, “It is easier to shop there,” according to NPD. The reasons the report cited included, “There are more products available that I like (43 percent),” and “I purchased more beauty products in general compared to last year (35 percent),” the firm stated.
Additionally, 38 percent of TV and infomercial shoppers said they browsed on TV to compare product pricing or get product information and then made the purchase either online or in a store, the report found.
“Most women who shop for beauty products on television say they typically do so on impulse, something that is occurring less and less at traditional channels as women make fewer shopping trips,” according to NPD.
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews
“Stranger Things” is getting a new cast member for season 2. Meet @sadiesink_, the 15-year-old who will be joining the Netflix series for its new season. You may recognize her from “The Glass Castle” with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson, but the Texas native’s next role goes in an entirely different direction. She describes her character, Max, as “a rough and tumble skater girl [who] becomes friends with the boys at school.” The second season debuts on October 27. (📷: @jgreenery) #wwdeye
Amid the Harvey Weinstein controversy, there’s another sector that’s being put under the spotlight for sexual abuse: the modeling industry. While rumors about abuse and sexual harassment of female and male models — and the photographers, agents and others who perpetrated it — have circulated within the fashion world for years, model @cameronrussell started posting stories from models on Instagram last week about abusive situations they’ve encountered — from sexual harassment and molestation to attempted rape. Over 75 have weighed in so far. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews
To celebrate its 16th anniversary, @dylanscandybar tapped designers and celebrities to create mosaics out of candy. The mosaics will be auctioned off to support the philanthropic cause of each participant’s choice. Pictured here is the mural created by @aliceandolivia's Stacey Bendet. For a first look at some of the other artwork being unveiled tonight, go to WWD.com. #wwdeye
The annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Pacific Palisades this weekend drew Kate Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laura Dern and more. See pictures of the star-studded event on WWD.com. (📷: @chelsealaurenla) #wwdeye
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye
"Nowadays when life is not so happy with everything going on in the world, I think people come to me for a little bit of whimsy and color and fun." - Designer Rebecca De Ravenel on her cult-favorite jewelry line. (📸 : @vsteves) #wwd40
“Everyone is talking about how the retail industry is struggling, but I think it’s an incredible time because brands who are doing something different and innovative are setting themselves up for the future,” said @adamgoldston, who founded the luxury athletic brand @apl with his brother @ryangoldsten. The Goldston’s are part of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables. See the rest of the list on WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
@eyeswoon blogger Athena Calderone debuted her first-ever cookbook, “Cook Beautiful,” which is heavily centered on the presentation and visual expression of food. Pictured here are her miso glazed carrots from the book. Get the recipe on WWD.com. (📷: @johnny_miller_) #wwdeye


text: Home News New Nigerian banknotes. Economy New Nigerian banknotes. 09 Mar, 2007 Facebook Twitter Redesigned banknotes have been introduced in Nigeria to make the country RELATED ARTICLES Economy Kenya legalizes the use of drones Economy Investments in Africa provided the highest yield for British Companies Economy Top startups in Africa to watch out for this 2020 Economy Kenya expecting “blockbuster inward investment” in 2020 Economy New convention centre in Addis Ababa Economy Kia Motors to assemble cars in Ethiopia Economy Lagos to export crude oil from Aje field Economy Italian premier to visit Accra on West African tour Economy Mozambique to check credit card use overseas Economy Cape Town puts start-up companies on the map Economy Rockefeller Foundation funds Accra ICT park Economy Nairobi most expensive city in Africa Wanted in Africa EVENTS THIS WEEK view calendar MTWTFSS 12345 6789101112 13141516171819 20212223242526 2728293031 Booking.com STAY CONNECTED 16127Fans Like 86Followers Follow 219Subscribers Subscribe The Wanted Network Wanted in Rome Wanted in Milan Wanted in Europe Latest news African women have covid-19 stories to tell Coronavirus in Africa 08 Jul, 2020 Hundreds of fossilized human footprints give clues of ancient African traditions History 08 Jul, 2020 Ghana’s dancing pallbearers up for best meme of 2020 with their ‘coffin dance’ Blog 07 Jul, 2020 A practical travel guide to Tanzania Travel 06 Jul, 2020 Latest What's on Grand Egyptian Museum opening shifted to 2021 Museums 23 Apr, 2020 Penguins stroll Cape Town's streets during lockdown Nature 21 Apr, 2020 Tanzania artists use music to share awareness on COVID-19 Music 15 Apr, 2020 10 Exciting Things to See in Morocco Culture 13 Apr, 2020 Latest classifieds Rome Classifieds Moving sale Household sales 10 Jul, 2017 Expired! Rome Classifieds Moving sale Household sales 10 Jul, 2017 Expired! Cape Town Classifieds BBC DOCUMENTARY SERIES REQUIRES AFRICAN PARTICIPANTS Jobs vacant 11 May, 2016 Expired! Cape Town Classifieds BBC REQUIRES AFRICAN PARTICIPANTS FOR NEW DOCUMENTARY SERIES Events 11 May, 2016 Expired!


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Virginia Beach, Va. – Virginia Beach is in the running to be featured in the next Monopoly game.
The resort city is among 58 cities in the running for the contest by Hasbro, the maker of the popular board game.
The top 20 cities will be featured as property space in the new game with the highest-ranking city getting the “Boardwalk” spot.
The contest ends Wednesday and the final list will be announced March 19.
Visit votemonopoly.com to vote.


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The increased use of plastics during the Covid-19 pandemic has raised concerns the crisis is leading to more plastic waste reaching the environment
Due to an increase in PPE production and hygiene concerns over reusable packaging, Covid-19 has caused a significant increase in plastic waste. Thomas Parker looks at whether or not the pandemic will impact the plastics waste agenda long term.
At the start of 2020, packaging giant DS Smith published four trends it believes will shape the industry over the coming decade.
Sustainability, through legislation and consumer pressure, is seen as one of the main areas to tackle over the next 10 years — with the use of plastic likely to be central to this.
Whether it’s the European Union’s (EU) single-use plastic ban or that consumers are making purchasing decisions around both price and environmental impact, DS Smith believes successful businesses will be those which shift towards materials and packaging solutions that are fully recyclable.
Indeed, 2020 was seen by some as the year of plastic — with a raft of solutions coming from both industry and government focusing on how to best manage and reduce use of the material.
And in the first few months of the year, this appeared to be the case.
In January, supermarket chain Tesco announced it was removing plastic wrapping from its tinned multipack products in the UK — a move designed to clear one billion pieces of plastic from its stores by the end of 2020.
Two months later, the UK government announced it is to introduce a tax on plastic packaging products containing less than 30% recycled content.
On the same day, the European Commission officially adopted the Circular Economy Action Plan — which aims to make sustainable products the norm with the EU.
University of Hull environmental professor and researcher Dr Pauline Deutz says: “Plastics was such a big story, then, of course, it disappears when the next thing comes along.
“And of course that thing is so big that everything else has vanished.”
That “thing” was Covid-19.
Due to concerns over hygiene mixed with a dramatic need for PPE, the pandemic has caused an ever-increasing demand for plastic.
But has it pushed the plastic waste agenda backwards?
The ‘Attenborough effect’: How perception of plastic waste was changing pre-Covid-19
On 10 December 2017, the penultimate episode of Sir David Attenborough’s BBC TV series Blue Planet II — titled Our Blue Planet — aired.
The programme examined the impact that plastic and microplastic pollution is having on the world’s seas, threatening the lives of marine life and affecting the planet’s ecosystem.
After the programme had aired, there was a 100% increase in online searches for “dangers of plastic in the ocean”, and a 50% rise in searches for “plastic recycling”.
Coined the “Attenborough effect”, the episode has had a lasting impact long after it was originally aired.
Research published in 2018 by retailer Waitrose found that 88% of people who watched the programme have since changed their behaviour as a result.
A year later, Kim Borg, a PhD student and research fellow at Monash Sustainable Development Institute’s BehaviourWorks Australia, conducted research focused on single-use plastic and how behavioural insights can help encourage plastic avoidance.
In a survey of 1000 people in the Australian state of Victoria, she found that on average 70% said they avoided these items at least half the time.
She explains: “What was really interesting was that, even though we found that their perception about how often people were avoiding was a key predictor of their own behaviour, they still thought they were much better than everybody else.
“This gives us some really interesting insights into how we can encourage people to avoid single-use plastic more often, that’s simply by sharing the news that more people are doing it than we probably realised.”
Work being done to tackle single-use plastic waste pre-Covid-19
Although public awareness of the plastics problem has grown post-Blue Planet II, governments and businesses had already been looking at how to tackle single-use plastics.
One method touted as an enabler for this is the circular economy — a system where materials are designed to be reused.
In 2013, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation charity launched its first major business-wide initiative focusing on this system called CE100.
Formed as an alliance of 100 global corporations, the network provides a pre-competitive space to learn, share knowledge, and build collaborative approaches.
Global partners of the group include Google, Unilever, and DS Smith, with its membership made up of the likes of Apple, Ikea, and Microsoft.
Two years later, the European Union (EU) adopted its Circular Economy Action Plan, which aims to establish measures that cover a product’s whole cycle.
In January 2018, The Coca-Cola Company announced its World Without Waste vision, which commits the firm to collect and recycle the equivalent of 100% of its packaging by 2030.
Speaking at the time, its CEO and president James Quincey said: “The world as a packaging problem — and, like all companies, we have a responsibility to help solve it.
“Through our World Without Waste vision, we are investing in our planet and our packaging to help make this problem a thing of the past.”
Fellow consumer goods brands including Unilever and Nestle have also made commitments to address plastics in their businesses.
2018 also saw two cross-industry collaborations launched aiming to tackle the plastic waste problem.
In April, circular economy charity the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) launched the UK Plastics Pact, which aims to transform the UK’s plastic packaging system.
Initially made up of 42 retailers, manufacturers and consumer goods companies, members were at the time responsible for more than 80% of the plastic packaging on products sold through UK supermarkets.
Speaking at the time, WRAP CEO Marcu Gover said that “we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rethink and reshape the future of plastic”.
He added: “This requires a wholescale transformation of the plastics system, and can only be achieved by bringing together all links in the chain under a shared commitment to act.”
Six months later, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation launched its New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.
Aimed at eliminating plastic waste and pollution at source, it was initially signed by more than 250 organisations representing 20% of all plastic packaging produced globally.
Set up in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, its founding signatories included PepsiCo, Danone, The Coca-Cola Company and Unilever.
The targets, which are reviewed every 18 months, include eliminating problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging, and to move products from single-use to reuse packaging models.
Signatories have also committed to ensuring that 100% of their plastic packaging can be easily and safely reused, recycled or composted by 2025.
National and international governments have also been pushing legislation to tackle the plastic waste problem.
In May 2019, the EU’s European Council formally adopted the Single-Use Plastics Directive, introducing new restrictions on products made from the material.
Initially proposed in 2018, the directive builds upon the EU’s existing waste legislation – setting strict rules for the top 10 most frequently found items polluting Europe’s beaches.
It also bans selected single-use plastic products where alternatives exist on the market, including cotton bud sticks, food and beverage containers made from expanded polystyrene, and all oxo-degradable plastic by 2021.
Tackling the plastics problem, according to PlasticsEurope’s director of external affairs David Carroll, has a “huge role to play” in the EU’s Green Deal, which sets out a roadmap towards a more environmentally-friendly economy in the trade bloc.
The commission will also focus on implementing measures to tackle intentionally added microplastics and any unintentional releases of plastics in products such as textiles and tyre abrasion.
Alongside this, it will develop a regulatory framework for biodegradable and bio-based plastics.
In March 2020, the UK government outlined its intention to introduce a new tax on plastic packaging.
Due to be introduced in April 2022, it will see producers and importers having to pay a fee for products that don’t contain at least 30% recycled content.
Announced during his first budget, UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “To tackle the scourge of plastic waste, we will deliver our manifesto promise to introduce a new plastic packaging tax.
“From April 2022, we will charge manufacturers and importers £200 ($257) per tonne on packaging made from less than 30% recycled plastic.
“That will increase the use of recycled plastic packaging by 40%, equal to carbon savings of nearly 200,000 tonnes.”
Borg believes when legislation is introduced, it should be communicated that people are avoiding plastics more often as well.
She says: “I know that there are a lot of policies where governments are trying to do their part by banning single-use items or encouraging businesses to phase out particular items.
“And whenever those policies come into play, it would, from what my research suggests, be a great method to also share the news about the fact that more people are avoiding more, focusing on the fact that avoidance is increasing.
“Because as much as knowing that other people are avoiding helps us feel more comfortable to avoid because it’s normal, knowing that others are changing their behaviour makes it even easier.
PPE and packaging mean people are using more plastic during the Covid-19 pandemic
The plastics problem was high on the agenda, and then the pandemic hit.
At the beginning of May, researcher MarketsandMarkets estimated that the Covid-19 pandemic would result in the packaging market growing by 5.5%.
The report went on to say: “The Covid-19 crisis has shown that, since the demand from many end-use industries is growing mainly in the food and beverage segment, the use of plastic packaging will also see a significant rise during this crisis.”
The single-use plastic increase is in part down to hygiene concerns around other packaging methods, most notably reusable packaging.
Borg explains: “What I have observed in terms of businesses that are no longer accepting reusable cups or containers, there are certain governments and jurisdictions that are delaying or overturning policies related to plastic production.
“It started off as a bit of a knee jerk confusion reaction where single-use is aligned with the perception of hygiene regardless of what scientific evidence says — which is that, as long as you clean your reusable items, they’re completely safe.
“The fact businesses and government were starting to point to single-use plastic as safer would definitely have changed people’s individual risk perception around whether they should be using reusables or single-use.”
There were, according to Carroll, also “suggestions” that it was time to delay or roll back plastics policies”.
He adds: “PlasticsEurope has never signed or called for any of this, and in general the industry doesn’t see things going this way.”
Another factor contributing to the rise of disposable plastics has been due to unprecedented growth in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE).
According to UNICEF, during the first quarter of 2020, the United Nations (UN) alone had delivered more than 6.4 million gloves, 1.8 million surgical masks, and one million gowns across the world.
The non-governmental organisation goes on to say that demand through to the end of the year could reach 2.2 billion surgical masks, 1.1 billion gloves, 13 million googles and 8.8 million face shields.
A large proposition of PPE items — including respirator and surgical face masks, face shields, protective gowns and gloves — are either partially or significantly made with some sort of plastic polymer.
Polypropylene can be found in respirator and surgical face masks, while protective gowns can also contain polyester or polyethylene.
And, while some PPE products can be reused, others including medical aprons should never be re-used.
It’s also difficult to recycle PPE items such as face masks and disposable gloves because they are not recyclable through conventional facilities.
Carroll believes PPE in healthcare settings “isn’t really a problem”, pointing instead to its visibility in wider public spaces.
He adds: “The waste is something that’s so visible, everybody notices it and it’s not a nice thing to see.”
Supply chain concerns caused by the pandemic have also seen priorities shift for some organisations in the industry.
Carroll explains: “PlasticsEurope has had to deal with really urgent things to make sure that plastic packaging is an industry that can continue.
“We’ve done this by making sure our members’ workers can cross borders to keep their plants up and running.”
Will Covid-19 have a long-term impact on the plastics agenda?
Despite this, Carroll doesn’t see Covid-19 “reshaping attitudes towards plastics and plastic waste”, instead describing the pandemic as “just a hiccup”.
He adds: “What I’m trying to get across is that, certainly for our industry, we’re going through quite a quick transition and we don’t want to change direction following Covid whatsoever.
“We also see it as an opportunity for people to understand the benefits and the value of plastics, while simultaneously showing that we are willing to deal with waste issues and improve recycling rates.”
Indeed the problem of plastic waste is not an insignificant part of the much-discussed “Green Recovery” from Covid-19.
In an op-ed for Devex in June, non-governmental organisation the Global Plastic Action Partnership’s director, Kristin Hughes, said: “In this new approach, governments have the opportunity — and the responsibility — to transform sustainability commitment into action, both in the short and the long term.
“Addressing plastic pollution should be a key piece of this rebuilding effort, and governments can help keep everyone on track.”
On 5 June, the intergovernmental Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published its “Build Back Better” plan to develop a sustainable, resilient recovery after Covid-19.
The circular economy — a method seen by many as the best way to manage plastic waste — was referenced as a key part of the “Green Recovery”.
The OECD’s report said: “Economic recovery policies may provide an opportunity to improve resource efficiency overall, including through exploiting job creation possibilities related to the circular economy.”
It also adds that governments’ proposed recovery measures present an opportunity to provide greater circularity in the supply chain.
The pandemic has also failed to put the brakes on some single-use plastic legislation.
On 8 April, industry association the European Plastics Converters (EuPC) called for the postponement of the implementation of the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive “for at least an additional year” due to the pandemic.
The European Commission quickly responded by stating it had no such plans.
Speaking to Euractiv on 15 April, the European Commission’s spokesperson for environmental matters Vivian Loonela said: “The Commission’s position continues to be that deadlines in EU law have to be respected.”
She explained that, regarding the arguments raised by EuPC, “good hygiene practices should be applied to all products, including substitutes of banned single-use plastics”.
Loonela added: “Moreover, the Single-Use Plastics Directive foresees expectations for medical devices.”
Moreover, some administrations have banned or begun the process of banning single-use plastic items.
In July, the Australian state of Queensland launched a bill to ban plastic products including straws, stirrers, cutlery and plates.
If passed, the earliest date for the ban’s commencement would be 1 July 2021, giving businesses, schools and other facilities time to plan for the changes.
Queensland environment and the great barrier reef minister Leeanne Enoch said: “First our government banned single-use plastics bags, then we introduced the highly successful Containers for Change programme, and now we have taken the next step in our war plastic waste by introducing this bill.
“In March this year, we asked Queenslanders to decide the future of single-use plastic items and we received a resounding response that was very clear.
“Almost 20,000 responses were received, with 94% of submissions in favour of a ban.”
In June, more than 50 “global leaders” — including the CEOs of Amcor, Nestle and The Coca-Cola Company — pledged to “build back better” with the circular economy.
Speaking at the time, Ellen MacArthur Foundation founder Dame Ellen MacArthur said: “CEOs of some of the world’s biggest companies, policymakers, philanthropists, academics and other influential individuals have reaffirmed their commitment to building a circular economy.
“Together we can build an economy that is distributed, diverse, and inclusive.”
The statement published by the charity calls on businesses and governments around the world to join the journey towards a circular economy, invest in circular economy solutions and raise the ambition level of circular economy targets.
Throughout the pandemic, major businesses have also made further commitments to tackling plastic waste.
Computing company HP has pledged to eliminate 75% of its single-use plastic by 2025, while Amazon has eliminated all single-use plastic in its packaging across its fulfilment centres in India.
Alongside this, personal care firm L’Oreal has committed to making 100% of the plastics used in its products’ packaging from either recycled or bio-based sources.
It also appears that public perception on plastics has not changed much during the pandemic.
Borg, who published her plastic attitudes study on The Conversation, said she has received similar feedback to that from a study she had conducted on the supermarket plastic ban in Australia.
She explains: “Most people are not only supportive of the general message that we should be focusing on single-use, but they’re calling for more action.
“This tells me that we may be re-entering this phase where we now know how to control our health risks and practice better hygiene, so maybe it’s time that we’ve got to get back into some of our old habits.
“One of the other things to keep in mind is that it’s much harder to start a new behaviour than it is to restart an old behaviour.
“So if we’ve had to put certain behaviours on hold for a temporary period because of a bit of uncertainty, bringing those old behaviours back when we know a bit more information should actually be easier.”


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Saturday, Nov 1, 2008
Washington, taking a page out of Hollywood, looks set to release Stimulus 2, the sequel.
And unhappy, tapped-out taxpayers—aka voters—may get a sneak preview of the second fiscal package as soon as next week if lawmakers return to Washington for a lame-duck session under the eye of a newly elected President.
Critics and supporters alike, however, should hope that the next fiscal stimulus package is more of a commercial success than its predecessor, lest another big-budget flop be tacked on to the ever-growing federal debt.
“It has to be done in a way where you get a good rate of return,” says Tom Schatz, president of Taxpayers Against Government Waste. “What can we do that will work, not how much can we spend and where can we spend it?”
(Article continues below)
The hastily conceived $168-billion stimulus package quickly signed into law last February was built around tax breaks for business and tax rebates for consumers, whose impact on the economy was fleeting, at best.
This time around—with recession a reality not a perception and consumer confidence at a record low—the package may be bigger and broader. But that doesn’t mean it will be any wiser or more likely to leave a lasting impression on the nation’s economy or psyche of consumers.
This article was posted: Saturday, November 1, 2008 at 5:36 am


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The 2021 season will be SRT’s third in the premier class, the Yamaha satellite team in its short tenure already a six-time race winner. Last year, Morbidelli won three times on his way to runner-up spot in the championship, and ended up just 13 points behind title winner Joan Mir. For 2021, SRT welcomes nine-time grand prix world champion Rossi to its ranks, after the Italian legend elected to extend his MotoGP career by another year at least. This is the first Rossi has been a Yamaha rider that he won’t race in its factory colours, but will remain a factory-contracted rider with full works support in 2021. The 2021 season will be Rossi’s 26th in grand prix racing and his 16th in MotoGP as a Yamaha rider. Despite his best efforts, Rossi hasn’t been able to bring his entire crew from the factory Yamaha team to SRT, with the Italian only able to keep crew chief David Munoz, data engineer Matteo Flamigni and rider coach Idalio Gavira. Rossi protégé Morbidelli … [Read more...] about Petronas SRT unveils 2021 MotoGP livery with Rossi and Morbidelli
Jspm college of engineering
Home Two wheelers oi-Promeet Ghosh By Promeet Ghosh Updated: Monday, March 1, 2021, 16:39 [IST] Bajaj Auto launched the Pulsar 180F Bs6 variant last year in the month of April. The company launched the Pulsar 180F BS6 model at Rs 1.08 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi. The motorcycle featured an electronic fuel injection system instead of a carbureted one. However, the Pulsar 180F Bs6 model has been discontinued from the Indian market. This news can be confirmed as the Pulsar 180F is no longer available on the company's official website. Instead, now it only has the 220F as the only half-faired motorcycle listed on its website. The reason for the 180F getting discontinued may be because of the pricing, as it was expensive for a half-faired motorcycle. And also the sales for the 180F was not that great after it was launched. Powering the Pulsar 180F was the BS6 compliant 178.6 cc engine that produced 16.8bhp of power and … [Read more...] about Bajaj Pulsar 180F BS6 Removed From The Company’s Official Website: Here’s Why!
Home Four wheelers oi-Punith Bharadwaj By Punith Bharadwaj Updated: Monday, March 1, 2021, 15:29 [IST] MG Motor India will be launching its fourth SUV in the Indian market, which is a petrol variant of the ZS EV. It is expected to arrive sometime later this year. Ahead of its launch, some additional information has come to light recently. According to the recent report from Autocar India , the upcoming MG ZS petrol variant could be called the Astor when launched in the Indian market. The company has trademarked the moniker ‘Astor' in the country. The new name will help give the upcoming SUV a distinctive presence from its electric counterpart sold in the country. The MG ZS petrol a.k.a Astor has been spotted testing several times in different parts of the country. The company is also expected to increase the percentage of localization in the manufacturing of SUV. As a result, the ZS petrol is expected to be … [Read more...] about MG ZS Petrol Could Be Called Astor In India: Will Rival The Hyundai Creta
Home Four wheelers oi-Promeet Ghosh By Promeet Ghosh Updated: Monday, March 1, 2021, 13:41 [IST] Tata Motors is currently working on the CNG models of Tiago and Tigor for the Indian market. The homegrown automaker is now looking to expand the Tiago and Tigor range by adding CNG-powered variants to the line-up. Both the cars were spotted testing earlier on our roads. However, according to the latest report by CarandBike , the CNG variants of the Tiago and Tigor were spotted testing under heavy wraps while performing road tests in the ghat region towards Lonavala, Maharashtra. Tata Motors is expected to launch both these models sometime later this year. As seen in the spy pictures, both the models are likely to be based on the facelifted models of Tiago and Tigor. However, we don't expect any dimensions or design changes on the cars. As seen in the images, the Tata Tiago CNG appears to be a mid-trim variant … [Read more...] about Tata Tiago & Tigor CNG Variants Spotted Testing Once Again Ahead Of Launch: Read More!
Alfa Romeo and Fiat will get their own versions of the pint-sized crossover. It was a little over six years ago when Jeep hinted at launching a new entry-level model to slot below the Renegade. It would appear the pint-sized crossover is finally coming as Automotive News Europe reports production is scheduled to commence in July 2022 at the Tychy factory in Poland. That's still a long way to go, but if the SOP date is accurate, an official reveal should take place several months before. While the Renegade rides on the Small Wide 4x4 platform developed by the defunct Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), its kid brother will use underpinnings engineered by the former PSA Peugeot Citroën. Specifically, the unnamed Jeep model will be built on the Compact Modular Platform (CMP) and use engines from PSA. Gallery: Jeep Renegade 4xe 28 Photos It wouldn't be a … [Read more...] about Tiny Jeep Built On French Underpinnings To Slot Below Renegade In 2022


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Moscow, may 14 — “News. Economy” Defeat Apple in the Supreme court may ultimately hinder the development of the service industry. It can be rotated so that Apple will be forced to reduce the size of the fee. But these fees make up the bulk of the service business Apple — and a significant portion of the total gross profit. While Apple is betting on a service business as a growth driver.
The Supreme court ruling increases the likelihood that Apple will lose the case or will eventually be forced to deal with it in a disadvantageous conditions. In any case, it is likely that Apple will eventually have to reduce the percentage fees in the App Store.
Recall that the U.S. Supreme court has allowed the App Store to file antitrust lawsuit against Apple. A group of plaintiffs accusing kopeiskogo tech giant is abusing its position in the market of mobile software, when apps are distributed exclusively through its own store.
The users of iOS devices are required to use the App Store, which charges a 30% Commission from app developers. Developers, in turn, lay the 30% to the cost of the application, causing the client to pay the difference. Judge Brett Cavanaugh on Monday, supported by four judges-liberals, recommended denial of the application for the Apple on the termination of a claim for a 30% Commission.
It is worth noting that while this case is in its early stages, and therefore still not been established for certain, whether Apple violated Federal antitrust law. However, the court’s decision could set a precedent, which would mark the beginning of the war between Apple and offended users, who have leverage on the company.
The plaintiffs will be able to demand billions of dollars in compensation for the damages if they win the lawsuit. According to Apple, the Supreme court ruling, allowing the case to continue, will pose a threat to e-Commerce is a rapidly growing segment of the U.S. economy, estimated in hundreds of billions of dollars a year.
The App Store is the basis of business services, which CEO Tim cook is betting.
For many years business telephone with Apple were quite stable, and the company managed to sell more devices, while increasing the price tag on the iPhone. But in the beginning of this year, the company warned investors that sales of the iPhone down amid falling sales in China in the context of the ongoing trade war.
Apple compensated for the fall in iPhone sales continuing growth of its business to digital services, which the company sees major growth driver. Services segment, which includes products such as the AppStore, Apple Pay, Apple Care and Apple Music has generated in the last quarter record revenue of $11.5 billion, which is 16% higher than a year ago. Currently it is the second largest source of Apple’s revenue, outpacing Mac and iPad.
Apple seeks to expand this segment even more: the company held a conference where they presented the new services that will be launched soon or is already available: Arcade gaming service, streaming service Apple TV+ news Apple News+ etc.
Despite the growing catalog of service offerings, the App store remains the biggest part of the business services, providing around one third of the income from this business, according to analysts on wall street. Moreover, only one App Store will bring 12% of the total gross profit of the company this year, forecast at KeyBanc Capital Markets. This is an impressive figure considering that the entire service business, Apple accounted for only 16% of the total sales for the first six months of the current financial year and shows how profitable is the App Store for the company.
But the Supreme court decision could kill the cash cow. We are talking about where the owners of Apple devices can download apps. The Apple ecosystem is built in such a way that the only way to get iPhone apps download through its App Store. The plaintiffs in the case argue that the fees are higher than they would be Apple owned a monopoly on the app store.
Judge has not yet decided whether Apple has a monopoly, abused if she has it, or what is the penalty for it; instead, they simply ruled that consumers have the right to sue Apple, and their business can continue.
But this decision is a significant obstacle for Apple, as it increases the likelihood that the case will indeed be transferred to the court. It is easy to see how this can become a big problem for Apple.
For the plaintiffs will not be a problem to prove that Apple has a monopoly on distribution of iPhone apps. They also should not be too difficult to prove that the price that Apple will charge as a Commission as the owner of the site AppStore, makes these applications more expensive, as the developers lay the Apple Commission in the final application cost.
For example, Spotify charges $3 more clients who have subscribed to the service through the Apple app store than with those who subscribed directly through the web site. Spotify admits that this is done in order to cover the cost of royalties to Apple. And Spotify is not the only company-the plaintiff, which may indicate that they had similar practice pricing.
In other words, there is a big chance that Apple will lose the case. But even if this does not happen, the fees in the app store, the company may change. Meanwhile, a growing number of app developers have decided to completely abandon the Apple platform, offering customers a subscription through their own web sites.
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The Tesla Cybertruck’s exact size remains a mystery, but several sightings indicate that its dimensions are not to be sneezed at. A recent drone film adds perspective on how large the electric truck might be compared to popular gas trucks.
In the film, the Tesla Cybertruck, likely a pre-production version, is seen circling Gigafactory Texas. In one frame, it passes by what appears to be a black Ford F-250 Super Duty, a large truck in its own right, parked in the middle of an intersection.
When the two are parallel, they appear comparably sized. Note that we cannot rule out lens distortion, and one-dimensional visual comparisons are unlikely to be accurate, but nonetheless, the footage provides perspective on the Cybertruck’s size relative to other trucks on the road.
During the Q2 2023 earnings call, Tesla revealed that the Cybertruck would be less than 19 feet long, with a bed longer than six feet. The Ford F-150 Lightning measures 19.3 feet (232.7 inches) long and has a 5.5-foot bed (67 inches). The F-250 Super Duty in the image above is likely a short-wheelbase crew cab version, measuring 20.8 feet in length (250 inches), including its 6.75 feet bed, as per Ford's website.
Gallery: Tesla Cybertruck
The comparison also highlights the Cybertruck’s radical design. It appears outlandish next to the conventionally designed F-250 Super Duty, which has a traditional three-box silhouette. The Tesla on the other hand, with its stainless steel exoskeleton, sharply raked windshield, and beveled rear section appears unique.
The same drone footage also went viral for showcasing the Cybertruck’s rear-wheel-steering at work. The truck appears to easily make a U-turn without requiring a three-point maneuver.
In July 2020, the Elon Musk-led brand shared a picture, via X, of the first Cybertruck release candidate rolling off the production line at Gigafactory Texas. Tesla expects low-volume production to commence later this year, while mass production could begin early in 2024.
Drone footage, spy shots, and leaked images from within the factory have helped enthusiasts track the highly anticipated EV's development and progress. But Tesla is now reportedly cracking down on leaked images, as per an internal email. If employees and contractors are caught leaking any Cybertruck-related information, they could be fired with immediate effect.


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By Erica E. Phillips Erica E. Phillips The Wall Street Journal BiographyErica E. Phillips @eephillips_wsj [email protected] July 11, 2018 10:30 a.m. ET 0 COMMENTS For U.S. retailers, manufacturers, importers and exporters, warehouse space is at its tightest since 2000, when the first dot-com boom was driving strong consumer spending and imports from China were beginning to surge. Economists with real-estate brokerage CBRE Group Inc. CBRE -1.44% say in a report released Wednesday that new warehouse space is getting gobbled up as soon as it’s completed. In the second quarter, demand for industrial space went beyond the 49 million square feet that came online, but supply and demand are edging closer to equilibrium.. As consumers increasingly do their shopping on the internet—even buying big, bulky items like furniture off the internet—the availability of warehouse space to store those goods and fulfill orders continues to decline across the U.S. In … [Read more...] about U.S. Warehouse Supply At Its Tightest in Two Decades
Demand supply and market equilibrium
Farm commodity prices are mixed again for the week beginning June, 18 with cotton remaining bullish. Cotton prices could move through the 98-cent area. Soybeans, corn, and wheat this week likely start the process of correcting their rapid downside move and then one of two outcomes emerge: First, corrective price move to the upside followed by a decline to test the previous low with prices moving higher, or Second, corrective price move to the upside followed by a decline to new lows. Long Grain Rice is looking at new crop price weakness, a function of demand and planting expectations Week beginning June 18, 2018 Commodity Index, $CRB – Weakness emerging due to global growth uncertainties. Oil, $WTIC – Correcting excessive bullish price move, then higher. Cotton – Bullish, but one worries about contagion due to building near-term aggregate commodity weakness. S&P 500 – Bullish, but correction and/or consolidation may not be complete. Foreign … [Read more...] about Fed bullish global growth and demand for commodities
By Erica E. Phillips Erica E. Phillips The Wall Street Journal BiographyErica E. Phillips @eephillips_wsj [email protected] April 10, 2018 5:05 p.m. ET 0 COMMENTS The gap between warehouse demand and supply appears to be narrowing. The availability of industrial real estate across the U.S. declined slightly in the first quarter, according to real-estate brokerage firm CBRE Inc., the latest signal that a market driven by fast-growing demand for e-commerce fulfillment is getting close to balance. The availability rate—which includes properties that are vacant or will soon be vacant—fell less than one-tenth of a percentage point over each quarter in the past year and a half, reaching 7.3% in U.S. markets during the first quarter of 2018, according to CBRE. By contrast, from late 2012 to late 2016, availability fell much more steeply, dropping more than two-tenths of a percentage point on average every quarter. CBRE said warehouse developers have been … [Read more...] about U.S. Warehouse Market Coming Closer to Balance
This time of year you're probably doing a lot of shopping and may be finding that some items you were hoping to buy as a gift are out of stock. But most days, people all over the U.S. go to stores to look for goods and services they'd like to buy and, for the most part, these goods and services are supplied by the marketplace in approximately the correct quantities. How does this happen? In a market-based economic system such as ours, prices play a key role in regulating supply and demand and in directing resources in the economy to their best possible use. However, there are instances where prices cannot move far enough or fast enough so that supply and demand are equal. Price floors and price ceilings imposed on an industry limit how far prices can move. Price stickiness limits the speed at which prices can adjust. Here's an explanation of these important terms: Price ceilings A price ceiling is just what the name implies: A maximum price the providers of a good or service … [Read more...] about Explainer: Why prices go up — and sometimes down
(Moneywatch) Last year ended on an up note for the real estate market: Home prices, pending sales and construction activity all increased, while the number of existing houses for sale continued to drop. At the same time, home values remain depressed, while what is expected to be slow economic growth this year could hinder the housing sector's recovery. So will 2013 be the year that buyers and sellers finally return to the market en masse, or will people continue to stay on the sidelines in hope of a stronger recovery? Many, but not all, experts believe will 2013 will be a good year to be a seller because there are fewer homes on the market, propping up prices, and mortgages are more easily available. Inventories of unsold homes in November amounted to 4.8 months of sales, the lowest level since before the housing meltdown, according to the Center for Economic Policy Research. Existing home sales rose 5.9 percent in November and are up 14.5 percent over a year ago. New home sales grew … [Read more...] about U.S. housing market finally ready for take-off?


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As many Americans shop for supplies amid the coronavirus outbreak, concerns have circulated about whether handling cash could contribute to the spread of the virus. Some outlets reported that you should use contactless payment methods instead of paper money.
Cash is notoriously covered in germs; studies suggest that paper bills can contain bacteria and viruses, plus lead to the spread of disease. The lifespan of various bills ranges four to 15 years, according to the Federal Reserve, meaning your bills have a lot of time to accumulate germs.
And in China, where there are more than 80,500 cases of COVID-19, banks began disinfecting cash with ultraviolet or heat treatments in February to prevent the further spread of the virus.
So what is the reality when it comes to COVID-19 and cash?
Despite reports that the World Health Organization was pushing people to use contactless payments, a spokesperson for the WHO tells CNBC Make It it has not issued any warnings or statements about the use of cash. Instead, it reiterated that you should wash your hands, including after handling money, especially if you're eating or touching food.
For starters, COVID-19 doesn't spread by penetrating the skin on your hands, Michael Knight, assistant professor of medicine at the George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, tells CNBC Make It.
"Getting coronavirus, or other respiratory viruses like influenza, on your hands only leads to infection when it is transferred from your hand to places like your mouth, nose or eyes," he says.
Additionally, if you stick to contactless payments but don't wash your hands after touching your phone, credit card or a payment terminal, "you are still susceptible to potential infection," Knight says.
Given that, the best measure you can take to prevent the spread of germs is hand-washing. If your job requires that you handle money (or any other potentially contaminated surface), it's important to be diligent about washing your hands and not touching your face, Knight says. If you want to wear disposable gloves, it's still a good idea to change them and wash your hand between touching money and preparing food, according to the New York Department of Health. Otherwise you're just spreading germs with your gloves instead of your hands.
You should also wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing, according to the Centers for Disease Control. (Using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is recommended if you can't wash your hands.)
The CDC suggests that you also clean and disinfect anything else that you tend to touch a lot using a regular cleaning spray or wipe.
COVID-19, has infected more than 100,000 people and caused at least 3,410 deaths worldwide, according to data complied by Johns Hopkins University. In the United States there are currently at least 233 cases of COVID-19 and 14 deaths in Washington and California.
It is believed to be spread through respiratory droplets from an infected person sneezing or coughing. While it's unclear how long the virus survives on surfaces, it could spread from touching a contaminated object and then touching your eyes, mouth or nose.


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Many Limited company contractors considering a change of business funding provider
Limited company contractors may relate to a recent report revealing that many SMEs are considering a change of business funding provider in 2014.
According to findings from Bibby Financial Services, a third of small to medium-sized UK firms are looking to change their business funding provider this year, citing a lack of flexibility and poor customer service among the top reasons for moving.
The survey of 1,000 SMEs revealed that business owners expect similar levels of service as non-business customers, with more demand for facilities such as 24-hour online access.
The research carried out by the independent invoice finance provider, shows that one in five respondents believe their current arrangement is inflexible, with 42% suggesting the service they receive from their existing provider is average or poor.
David Postings, chief executive officer at Bibby Financial Services, commented on the findings, “Our research shows that a significant proportion of UK businesses are considering the use of other forms of finance to their existing arrangement and it seems that many are not completely satisfied with their current provider, which is likely to be a driver for change.
“SMEs today expect much more when it comes to flexibility in relation to the amount they can borrow, contract length and online access to finance.”
More than a third of the smaller sized businesses surveyed said that a cheaper deal would encourage them to consider a new arrangement, 17% said that they would prefer a shorter term agreement, and 15% said they would like to try a providers’ services before committing.
David Postings added, “In terms of finance, businesses are becoming more like consumers and they want to try out different types of funding before taking them on.
“Increasing funding available to SMEs is critical to building solid foundations for sustainable economic growth, but it’s evident that funders need to become more flexible in their approach if they are to meet the growing demands of the marketplace.”
How could registering for the Flat Rate VAT Scheme benefit you? Read our plain English guide on the Flat Rate VAT Scheme.
Considering switching accountants? Read our simple guide to switching accountants here or alternatively speak to a member of our new business team who can guide you through the process. Call 01442 275789 or email email@example.com.


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The holidays may be over, but hopefully you left a little room for a slice of something delectable. Janice Leach, a local English teacher and writer, has launched a creative and delicious side-business. Why Not Pie? is a virtual bakery where Leach creates homemade pies each week for pickup or delivery, taking; “Some things I feel more confident making – I tend to avoid cream pies in the summer, but I’ll try anything,” said Leach. “I love to get a new recipe from customers and try it out.” Ingredients are sourced locally whenever possible, including fresh Michigan apples for her special caramel apple pie. Keep an eye out for her red raspberry pie to start the year through Valentine’s Day.
Ypsilanti-based singer/songwriter Chris Dupont is putting out a new album of live recordings this weekend
High-Brow Cannabis and Canvas Event Reimagines Paint and Pour
What’s happening at the A2 dining destination and what is to come Speaking of big things happening in the Ann Arbor food and bev. scene, because there seems to be a lot of it this spring, one of the city’s biggest players in the restaurant community, Zingerman’s, is saying farewell to Chef Alex of The


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By Li-mei Hoang
LONDON (Reuters) - British pub chain JD Wetherspoon has been hit by a cyber attack which leaked the names, email addresses and birthdates of 650,000 customers as well as some of the credit and debit card details for 100 buyers of its gift vouchers, it said on Friday.
Wetherspoon, which operates around 900 pubs, said the attack on its database occurred in June but had only just been discovered, and mainly affected customers who had purchased vouchers online or signed up to the company newsletter.
It said no complete card numbers were recorded and as a result the data could not be used for fraudulent purposes.
Cyber security has become an increasing concern for companies in Britain and worldwide following a string of high-profile attacks on customer databases in recent weeks.
British telecoms company TalkTalk was hit in October, with the personal details of 157,000 customers stolen from its database via its website, while earlier this week Hong Kong-based digital toy maker VTech Holdings said data on 6.4 million children across multiple markets had been accessed by hackers.
Wetherspoon said the information had been obtained from its old website, which has since been replaced by a new, unconnected site.
"We apologize wholeheartedly to customers and staff who have been affected," said Chief Executive John Hutson.
"Unfortunately, hacking is becoming more and more sophisticated and widespread. We are determined to respond to this by increasing our efforts and investment in security and will be doing everything possible to prevent a recurrence."
Shares in Wetherspoon reversed earlier losses on Friday to trade up 1.43 percent at 745 pence by 1024 GMT (0524 EDT) to value the company at 879 million pounds ($1.3 billion).
The company said some personal information from its staff had also been stolen, but not salary, bank, tax or National Insurance numbers.
($1 = 0.6615 pounds)
(Editing by Paul Sandle and Greg Mahlich)


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SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Giro has updated its Privateer mountain bike shoe with a new nylon and rubber co-molded outsole and a reinforced toe box.
WHITEFISH, Mont. (BRAIN) — Hammer Nutrition is offering a whey protein supplement made with hormone- and antibiotic-free whey protein isolate from 100 percent grass-fed cows.
LAS VEGAS (BRAIN) — K-Edge has introduced a new single-ring chain guide for cyclocross, new computer mounts for Garmin and a new Go Big camera mounts for GoPro cameras.
LAS VEGAS (BRAIN) — Multi-sport clothing maker Emilio De Soto launched a craft tequila at Interbike on Thursday, sharing a few bottles with some lucky show goers at day's end.
LAS VEGAS (BRAIN) — Stages Cycling hs revamped its crankarm-based power meter lineup, showing a second generation, slimmer housing, a new carbon crank option and lowering its retail prices on several models.
LAS VEGAS (BRAIN) — Pioneer's Cycle Sports Division officially announced its new single-leg power meter at Interbike on Tuesday. The new power meter is available for Shimano Dura-Ace and Ultegra cranks, retailing for $900 and $800, respectively.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (BRAIN) — Velo Orange is offering a new 27-inch rim, designed as a replacement for the hard-to-find rim size on many American, European, and Japanese bikes built for the U.S. market in the mid 70's-80's.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (BRAIN) — 45NRTH is expanding and updating its line of winter cycling footwear with the release of the Japanther wet weather cycling boot, which will replace the discontinued Fasterkatt boot model.
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — Uvex' new Variotronic glasses adapt their tint to the light situation in less than 0.1 seconds, automatically or at the press of a button.
LEXINGTON, S.C. (BRAIN) — Tacx new NEO Smart, a Eurobike 2015 Award Winner, is a direct drive smart trainer that the company said offers the truest road feel, from long flat roads to steep descents, without the complication of calibrations and maintenance.
RICHMOND, Va. (BRAIN) — Greg LeMond is the co-author of "The Science of Fitness: Power, Performance, and Endurance," a new book that condenses the current state of exercise physiology into an easy-to-read paperback, loaded with practical advice and backed by 240 scientific literature references.
BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — RockyMounts' new upright bike mount, the TomaHawk can accommodate everything from 20-inch kids bikes to fat bikes with 5-inch wide tires.
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany (BRAIN) — Lazer has launched its first enduro-style helmet, the The Lazer Revolution.
The brand says the Revolution offers "Cross-country performance, downhill protection."
VINCENZA, Italy (BRAIN) — Campagnolo's new mobile app was designed to help cyclists keep track of their entire garage of bikes and the components as well as customize Campagnolo's electronic EPS drivetrains.
CHICAGO (BRAIN) — SRAM is taking a swipe at the many companies offering "narrow-wide" chainrings for single-chainring mountain bike drivetrains. The company is now offering a steel X-Sync chainring that will retail for $19.95.
SQUAMISH, British Columbia (BRAIN) — OneUp Components' new Chainguide weighs just 35 grams and is designed to be easy to install and adjust. The company said the guide is a good idea even with narrow-wide chainrings because chaindrop is still possible with those setups, especially as the rings wear.
PHILADELPHIA (BRAIN) — Fuji Bikes is revealing its new super light road frame Thursday in Spain, two days prior to the start of the Vuelta a España. The new SL frame will be raced in the Vuelta by the Fuji-sponsored Murphy's Caja Rural-Seguros RGA.
NORTHVALE, N.J. (BRAIN) — Jamis Bicycles has launched a new line of enduro bikes called the Defcon Series, that includes three models all sharing the same 160mm travel frame platform.
MADRID (BRAIN) — Bkool has announced its most affordable, gradual resistance curve trainer, "Bkool One."
Th One features a powerful simulator, offering the same pedaling sensations as a top-of-the-line trainer, the company said.
SAN DIEGO (BRAIN) — Speedplay, Inc. is now shipping its Zero Aero Pedal System.
The pedal, first shown at last year's Interbike, was designed to reduce aerodynamic drag. The race-specific design has a tiny frontal area and a dimpled, contoured surface to smooth and shape the airflow.


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This new feature will allow gift senders to link videos to their parcels over the holiday season.
Australia Post is currently encouraging Australians to use their new service based on QR codes to record a video of up to 15 seconds in length and link it to the parcels that they are sending to their loved ones.
These videos can be accessed by the recipient by scanning the barcode with their smartphones.
The QR code is added to the parcel so that the recipient will be able to use their smartphones or tablets in order to view the message from the person who sent them the package. These have been labeled as “video stamps” and were developed by Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, a creative agency.
These QR codes services will be promoted through a massive advertising campaign across the country.
The hope is that consumers will be able to quickly and easily learn about the QR codes and how to use them by way of the ads on national television, print, digital, online video, and outdoor campaigns. There is also a website that can be viewed, in addition to apps for both Android and Apple devices
The executive creative director of Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, Ant Keogh, was quoted in a press release, which stated that “As an agency we’re excited to provide an innovative, digital solution to a real-world business problem.”
The chief marketing officer of Australia Post, Greg Sutherland, also stated that “This is our busiest time of year and to be able to give people a unique way to deliver their Christmas wishes in person is thrilling for us.”
QR codes were selected because they have become widely recognized and quite popular among marketers. They are commonly seen in advertising and on product packages throughout the country. It provides a rapid link from the physical environment into the digital world and helps to add a new personal touch to traditional parcel mail. This is one of a number of efforts that are being made by Australia Post in order to keep up with the cutting edge of technology and continue to appeal to consumers.


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New vehicle sales in Vietnam increased by less than 1% to 20,746 units in August, from 20,569 units in the same month of last year, according to member data released by the Vietnam Automotive Manufacturers Association (Vama).
The data do not include some non-affiliated brands, meaning the actual market size is larger than these figures suggest.
This follows a sharp decline in July, with the overall trend negative in recent months after four years of exceptionally strong growth. The market last month was supported by recovering demand for commercial vehicles.
Economic growth in the country is estimated to have rebounded to 6.2% year-on-year in the second quarter, from 5.1% in the first quarter, driven by strong manufacturing and construction sector activity.
In the first eight months of the year the overall vehicle market was just under 2% lower at 165,586 units, from 168,813 units a year earlier. Passenger vehicle sales were still up by 3.3% at 97,699 units in this period, while commercial vehicle sales fell by 8.6% to 67,887 units.
Toyota was the leading brand in the first eight months of the year with sales rising by 17% to 39,723 units. Truong Hai (Thaco) group, the local assembler and distributor of brands such as KIA, Mazda, Peugeot and Hyundai, and a significant player in the commercial vehicle segment, reported a 16% drop in group sales to 60,956 units.
Ford's sales rose by 3% to 19,081 units in the eight-month period, while Honda's sales were 17% higher at 7,683 units and GM's 23% higher at 7,254 units.


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“This pandemic has been setting a new normal in every step”
As part of the build up to Adgully’s first PR summit – IMAGEXX 2021 – we present the valuable insights provided by our esteemed jury panel comprising the leading names from the country’s PR and Corporate Communications field.
In the last 10 years, PR has taken a different dimension, especially after the entry of social media and the rapid shift to digital, especially in the pandemic period. However, at the same time the industry has been facing stiff challenges, moreover client expectations has also increased, with more emphasis being given to digital and online reputation management. The industry has undergone a radical shift and the current times have pushed the industry to change gears.
IMAGEXX Awards 2021 to attend - REGISTER NOW
IMAGEXX 2021 will turn the spotlight on the PR and corporate communications field like never before and highlight several current issues as well as explore ways to take this industry to even newer heights.
As part of our series of IMAGEXX 2021 JURY SPEAK, Sukanya Chakraborty, Head - Corporate Communications & CSR, VFS Global, speaks about the dramatic shifts that have happened in communications, information overload due to consumption of content across multiple platforms, successfully harnessing the power of digital and more.
The transition to digital is happening at an accelerated pace. Going forward, what will be the role of digital in PR and how brands and agencies will adapt to this in the new normal?
Communications have changed dramatically over the past two decades – Global dynamics, technology shifts, communication channels, speed of communication, the audience wants to know facts in real time.
The power of technology is today seen as of the most treasured aspects of brand communications, one which helped businesses sail through the COVID-19 pandemic and stay connected with consumers at a time when the world was practically shut. For PR agencies and communication professionals, it is vital to not just be well informed about the technological developments, but to also understand and explore a strategy to leverage these effectively. With the exponential rise in media platforms and hybrid content formats, there has also been a drastic shift in outreach functions and tools. Brands today can engage with a larger audience base through the wide digital media canvas. There are tools that help measure the impact and map progress on a real-time basis.
GAMEXX Awards 2021 Early Bird Discount Extended Last Date - Wednesday, June 30, 2021 - ENTER NOW
The advent of digital media and the benefits of its strategic usage have transformed the way brands speak and engage, not just with consumers but also with their internal stakeholders. From a one-way transmission to an interactive always-on conversation, digital has paved the way for the future of PR & Communication – one that will be integrated with ideas cutting across owned, earned, and paid channels.
The onset of the pandemic only accelerated the use of digital and we have seen several shifts, ranging from in-person media rounds to pitching story ideas over phone calls, on-ground events to virtual launches, and conferences and brand-owned channels being leveraged to break critical business updates. This pandemic has been a learning for us in many ways, setting a new normal in every step, emphasising the need to be agile and flexible to make shifts whenever required.
AI and technology will be the game changer in the coming years, especially in the area of data. What are your views on this and how are agencies and brands gearing up to face this new challenge?
The world around is changing – it’s noisy, cluttered and there is certainly an information overload with people consuming content across multiple platforms. In this scenario, not only is it difficult to get people’s attention, but it is also challenging to drive effective communication that stands out and builds a higher recall for the brand. Audiences today expect that brands they follow, understand what they are interested in and this means getting to know who they are to provide content they want.
Leveraging advanced technologies, including AI-powered tools can help tackle these challenges and create solutions to identify potential customers, customise messages catering to specific needs, improve outreach tactics, and recognise the most effective means to communicate the message. AI enables quick learning and sophisticated pattern recognition and when used efficiently, it can create much more relevant outreach that have a greater influence on consumer decisions, ultimately leading to increased RoI.
Each year, we continue to see a rise in the introduction of innovative technologies that are changing the way businesses interact with their consumers. It will be interesting to see where the adoption of these new technologies leads us and the impact it can create across sectors.
PR has evolved a lot in the last 10 years and is still evolving. How does the road ahead look like and what are some of the new trends that we will notice in the PR industry in the next 5 years?
The operating environment for communication & PR professionals has transformed over the last decade. The media landscape has witnessed significant changes facilitated by technological advancements and mobile-first behaviour. The emergence and growth of social media and the rise in digital-only platforms have led to the decentralisation of content creation and professionals today have to must monitor news in real-time and respond quickly to a potential crisis, no matter big or small. This shift in the operating environment has added layers of complexity to the communicator’s role.
Another shift for communicators has been the accuracy and detail with which campaign results can be measured today. Be it an article in a traditional publication or a social media campaign – the sheer amount of data available to measure the reach, readership, website traffic, and engagement, gives the ability to develop and execute strategies more effectively with a near-precise RoI.
Going forward, PR professionals will continue to harness the power of the Internet, its reach, and its insights to provide customised and integrated solutions to brands. As we move ahead, success lies in being dynamic and adopting an approach guided by the new sensitivities of the world we live in.