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Moneybase won the Best Financial Institution award at the Malta Business Awards held on Friday October 28th. Moneybase also won a second prize for the Innovative Company Award.
Alan Cuschieri, CEO and Founder of Moneybase, said, “We are proud to have won the prestigious award for Best Financial Institution in our first year of business. We are committed to ensuring that Moneybase is offered to the highest possible standards and we are now seeing the results. I want to thank our customers for their continued support and all of our employees for producing such a great product and service.
The awards ceremony took place at the Mediterranean Conference Center in Valletta on Friday, October 28, where more than 20 local businesses received the most distinguished awards from the local business scene.
Commenting on what’s next for Moneybase, Mr. Cuschieri said, “We’ve just launched Joint Accounts, which allows Moneybase customers to switch from their personal account to their joint account and have a separate card for each, and we have more interesting features. , which will be announced early next year.
The Malta Business Awards, presented by the Malta Chamber of SMEs and Malta Enterprise, recognize the most successful companies. The initiative awards prizes in four distinct categories: Celebrating Business, Business Innovation, Distinct Initiatives and Green Ambassadors. Moneybase, part of Calamatta Cuschieri Financial Group, is this year’s winner in the prestigious Celebrating Business category.
Independent judges selected 100 finalists from more than 300 nominations, and the winners were then selected in a second round of judging after the finalists had a chance to showcase their company’s accomplishments.
The highly anticipated event brought together over 600 guests, including finalists, business leaders and personalities, representing the hottest names in the local business community and key industry stakeholders.
As a next-generation financial platform, Moneybase provides investments and payments in a single ecosystem backed by local ISO-certified customer support. Customers can send and receive person-to-person payments, as well as make domestic and international transfers. Users can also choose to receive their salary, pension or allowance directly on their Moneybase IBAN. Moneybase customers save when traveling or making international payments thanks to the platform’s competitive exchange rates and Moneybase card’s multi-currency capabilities. Moneybase can be downloaded from the App Store or Play Store and the Moneybase Mastercard can be ordered for free from the app itself. With Moneybase Invest, users can invest locally on the Malta Stock Exchange or access over 40 international markets with over 20,000 stocks, ETFs, bonds and funds through the award-winning platform. The platform also offers fractional shares and extended trading hours, which provide an additional 9.5 hours of access to the US market. Moneybase is part of the Calamatta Cuschieri financial group.
More information is available on the Moneybase website: https://moneybase.com/
content provided by Moneybase
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Hogan Lovells Global Payments Newsletter l May 2015
Hogan Lovells has just published the May edition of its Global Payments Newsletter containing the latest updates on payment technology and policy-related developments from around the world. Notable items in the May edition include:
- An update on the progress made by the EU in developing payments and anti-money laundering regulations;
- The opening of a Bitcoin exchange in the UK by the Bitcoin wallet provider Coinbase; and
- The publication of the Global Financial Inclusion database, which features news on the uptake of mobile digital wallets in the developing world.

domain: news


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Ahead of tomorrow's Apple extravaganza, a new leak suggests the company will offer GarageBand for free to iPhone 5s users.
Cupertino's Built-In Apps(Opens in a new window) page highlights gratis software like iMovie, iBooks, Podcasts, and Find My iPhone, among others. But on Sunday, it also briefly suggested a no-charge version of the music-mixing application.
According to MacRumors(Opens in a new window), a footnote on the website tipped the free basic download of GarageBand for iOS 7 devices activated on or after Sept. 1. A number of other iLife and iWork applications are also free for certain iOS users.
The fine print has since been removed from the iPhone 5s website, and Apple declined to comment on the reports.
GarageBand currently costs $4.99 for gadgets(Opens in a new window) running iOS 5.1 and above. According to the leaks, the app will be free to download on iOS 7, with in-app purchases available for new instruments and sounds.
GarageBand landed on the iPad in March 2011, while the iPhone and iPod touch version followed in November for $5 or as a free upgrade for those who already purchased it on their tablet.
Ahead of Apple's Tuesday press event, which kicks off at 10 a.m. Pacific at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, expectations for another iPad reveal are high. This week's announcement comes one year after Apple unveiled the iPad mini and 4th-gen iPad, both of which will likely get a refresh, perhaps alongside a new 7.9-inch iPad mini with Retina display.
For more, see PCMag's review of Apple GarageBand 1.3 for iPad, as well as the iPad Rumor Roundup slideshow above.
Editor's Note: This story was updated at 5:50 p.m. Eastern with comment from Apple.
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Friday July 22,2011 :S ignificant update to mobile range, Betfair Touch and applications
Betting exchange Betfair has announced an update to its mobile product range, including key upgrades to Betfair Touch, the company's Mobile Web Application, and the launch of updated native iPhone and iPad applications into the Apple store.
Betfair's flagship Mobile Web Application has undergone a "significant upgrade" to enhance in-play betting, featuring faster response times, live scores and enhanced search capabilities.
The company's updated native iPhone 2.3 app features, for the first time, the ability to deposit and withdraw funds to a registered card solely via a mobile phone. The upgraded app also features account loss and deposit limit features, facilitating enhanced player protection and social responsibility.
Betfair’s new version of its native iPad app is especially tailored for the devices specific dimensions, displaying full Betfair market depth across all application screens as well as allowing the user to place a bet whilst simultaneously viewing a market and their betting position.
Richard Hewitt, Head of Mobile Product at Betfair, said: “Having pioneered betting via mobile, Betfair now has a highly evolved customer proposition in this channel and we believe all three of these Applications will bring an enhanced user experience to our growing band of mobile customers.
“We are looking forward to really growing out this key platform with more innovation over the coming year.”
Betfair recently announced over 168,000 active mobile users in June, an increase of 122 percent year on year, and recorded turnover of GBP 1 billion on its exchange via mobile devices in FY2011.


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Fiber optic business shed by SamsungSamsung Electronics said Tuesday it is selling off its fiber optic and optic cable business to the U.S. company Corning.
In a statement, Samsung said the deal includes plants that manufactures fiber optics and optic cable in Gumi, North Gyeongsang, and Hainan, China.
The company said the sale, including government approval, should be finalized in the first quarter of next year.
The sell-off is part of the company’s recent restructuring of core businesses, while shutting down or selling affiliates it considers less crucial.
It has become evident from Monday’s announcement of reshuffling of top executives and the sales and mergers of affiliates and business units that Jay Y. Lee, Samsung Electronics vice chairman and heir apparent, has been reordering the company’s priorities, which previously were centered on smartphones.
Instead, he has been giving more weight to other core businesses such as computer chips and consumer electronics, including TVs, that have been performing better than the smartphone business.
Meanwhile, Samsung lately has been trying to place more emphasis on software development by holding various forums on related fields. In addition, it has encouraged other software engineers to participate in building the foundation for Samsung’s own ecosystem.
The decision to sell its fiber optic and optic cable business follows last weeks sale of its defense contractor and chemical company to Hanwha Group.
BY LEE HO-JEONG [email@example.com]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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Czech industrial production increased by 1.9% year on year and by 2.8% month on month in October. The October increase follows a 5% slump registered in September, which alarmed local analysts.
Decline of 6.5% y/y is second worst in EU.
Czech retail sales decreased by 1.4% year on year and increased by 0.6% month on month in October, in the softest monthly drop in a year and a half. The drop in sales eased compared to the 4% y/y drop in September and the 2.8% y/y drop in August.
GDP also up by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter as trade surplus makes up for lower domestic demand.
Czechia remains the only EU country not to have recovered its pre-pandemic level of output.
Hungary’s economy grew 0.9% quarter-on-quarter in the third quarter, after four consecutive months of contraction.
Czech manufacturing PMI data from S&P Global market intelligence company posted 43.2 in November.
Poland's Purchasing Managers' Index grew 4.5 points to 48.7 in November.
Analysts now expect the CPI to continue easing in the coming months but at a clearly slower rate.
Polish retail sales expanded 2.8% year on year in constant prices in October (chart), after falling 0.3% y/y the preceding month, the statistics office GUS said on November 22.
A rebound in real wages and relatively stable employment are great starting points for a recovery in household spending. Economic growth in 2024 may reach around 3% on the back of both private and public consumption.
Poland's producer price index (PPI) declined 4.1% year on year in October (chart), following a revised fall of 2.7% y/y the preceding month, the country’s statistics office GUS said on November 21.
Poland’s industrial production grew 1.6% year on year at constant prices in October (chart), after a revised fall of 3.3% y/y the preceding month, unadjusted data from the statistical office GUS showed on November 21.
EU regions with the steepest population loss were all in Bulgaria, led by Vidin with a loss of 25.7 per 1,000 people.
The CPI index remains above the National Bank of Poland’s target of 1.5%-3.5% but appears on track to near the target next year.
Overall industrial output fell by 5.8% when adjusted for the number of workdays.
Stronger than expected rise marks the end of a technical recession that has lasted a year.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices edged 0.1% lower.
Businesses are increasingly concerned over geopolitical and economic risks to the global economy, according to Oxford Economics’ latest Global Risk Survey released on November 6.
Analysts quoted by Czech Television (CT) sounded alarm bells, pointing out that a disruption in supply chains in the car industry caused by damaging August floods in Slovenia quickened the September decline of Czech industry.


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You’ve probably heard that soda isn’t the greatest for you. (Two experts just said that’s true even for diet.) Now, a new study has looked at a broader category of drinks to find that when it comes to daily diet habits, it’s not just soda that can lead to disease and even earlier death.
Keep reading to learn which drinks, besides soda, were linked with higher risk of early death among women. Also, check out This Is The Exact Age Your Metabolism Starts Slowing, Says New Study.
In a new study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a team of public health researchers at the University of California San Diego share their findings after an analysis from the California Teachers Study.
Starting in 1995, over 100,000 female participants with an average age of 53 years shared their daily diet habits. In 2015, at the end of the 20-year study, 14,143 of the original cohort of women had become deceased.
Subscribe to the Eat This, Not That! newsletter for daily food and wellness news.
The researchers for the current study discovered a few significant trends among regular drinkers of sugar-sweetened beverages. In particular, they looked at the effect of sweetened bottled waters and teas, fruit drinks, and caloric soft drinks (meaning regular soda, not diet).
RELATED: The Surprising Effect Reducing Sodium May Have on Your Blood Sugar, New Study Says
Compared to a group that rarely or never drank these types of sweetened beverages, it was seven or more caloric soft drinks per week—an average of one a day—that was associated with higher risk of all-cause and cancer-specific mortality. (Also read These 12 Cancers Are Linked to a Bad Diet, Doctor Says.)
Upon further analysis, consuming 1.5 cups or more of sugar-sweetened beverages per day was associated with all-cause mortality.
The takeaway? After comparing the findings to nationwide mortality rates, the researchers conclude that their findings “support public health efforts to reduce caloric soft drink consumption.”
It may be time to kick that can (or bottle) for good.


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But the plan remains controversial.
The topic of tax credits for new electric vehicles has been hotly debated this year. In July, we reported on proposed changes to EV tax credits that could raise the maximum amount to $12,500, up from $7,500 currently. However, only certain models would qualify for the $12,500 maximum depending on specific factors like where the cars are built.
The debate is likely to rage on following a newly updated bill proposed by Democrats in the US House of Representatives. This new bill proposes expanding the $12,500 tax credit to more expensive EVs, while also lowering the income limits for buyers who are eligible. While the bill maintains the $55,000 limit for sedans, it proposes raising the price of qualifying vans, SUVs, and trucks to $80,000, reports Reuters.
Previously, the pricing caps were $74,000 for trucks, $69,000 for SUVs, and $64,000 for vans. In addition, the new proposal denotes that the full EV tax credit applies to individual taxpayers reporting adjusted gross incomes of $250,000 or $500,000 for joint filers. That's a drop from $400,000 and $800,000 respectively.
If one looks at trucks alone, the newly proposed bill's cap of $80,000 would theoretically include vehicles like higher-spec versions of the Ford F-150 Lightning. The GMC Hummer EV, which starts at $79,995, would just about make the cut. The updated bill is expected to be voted on by the House in the days ahead but faces stern opposition. Foreign automakers have pushed back since qualifying for the full incentive would require the relevant EV to be a union-made vehicle, with a $4,500 incentive for such vehicles.
Just days ago, Toyota harshly criticized this plan that would benefit the likes of Ford and General Motors, but that would rule out others like Tesla.
"What does this say to the American consumer?" said the statement from Toyota. "It says that if they want to buy an electric vehicle not made by Ford, General Motors, or Chrysler, they will have to pay an extra $4,500 - which is about $100 more per month over a four-year period."
Toyota isn't alone in its stance as 25 ambassadors have written to US lawmakers to oppose the proposed bill. Already, Teslas don't qualify for tax credits since the automaker has already sold over 200,000 EVs. The new proposal does, however, state that the phasing out of tax credits should be done away with. If the new bill is passed, some pricier EVs could become a lot more enticing to buyers, but foreign automakers will be unfairly excluded from the full tax credit.


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Driven by the belief that travel shouldn’t damage the earth, Pod Point is pioneering electric mobility by building a network of smart EV charging points that are easily accessible for drivers.
Alongside funding from Tesco and Volkswagen, the debt facility will help hundreds of EV charge points to be supplied, operated and maintained by Pod Point at 600 Tesco stores. The new points will include 7kW media chargers capable of displaying advertising on a screen, from which customers will be able to charge for free. Some sites will also have 50kW rapid chargers priced in line with market rates.
The Pod Point partnership with Tesco and Volkswagen, announced in 2018, effectively created a new, sponsorship-based business model for EV charging. Tesco itself has set a goal to increase its business-wide energy sourcing from 65% renewables in 2020 to 100% in 2030, as part of its commitment to reduce its carbon footprint.
By supporting the transition towards the decarbonisation of transport, this lending from Triodos, Europe’s leading sustainable bank, is firmly aligned to the bank’s mission to deliver positive environmental impact and address the climate emergency.
Philip Bazin, head of the environment team at Triodos Bank UK, said: “Given our focus on sustainable and responsible finance, it is fundamental to Triodos to support projects, such as charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, which help us transition to a low-carbon, clean future. The transport sector now has the highest greenhouse gas emissions of any industry in the UK, with passenger car road transport accounting for over 50% of these emissions. We need the vision and capabilities of pioneering companies like Pod Point and mainstream businesses like Tesco wanting to deliver the change in our transport infrastructure that we need to see.”
Erik Fairbairn, Pod Point CEO & founder, said: “We are witnessing a pivotal moment for the UK’s rapidly expanding public charging network. Through our partnership with Tesco and Volkswagen we are rolling out smart, easy-to-use chargepoints at a scale that is going to accelerate EV adoption in ways we haven’t seen before and make it easier than ever for drivers to go electric. In Triodos, we’ve found a bank that shares our vision of a world where travel doesn’t damage the earth and who can help us achieve our mission to put a chargepoint everywhere you park.”
Energy company EDF recently acquired a majority stake in Pod Point, as part of a newly formed joint venture with Legal & General Capital. EDF’s ambition is to become Europe’s leading e-mobility energy company by 2022.
EDF already offers one of the most competitive low-carbon electric vehicle tariffs, ‘Go Electric’, which gives people the chance to lease an electric vehicle while getting lower off-peak electricity rates. With the acquisition of Pod Point, it will be able to provide further charging solutions to a wider audience.
Triodos has long been committed to financing renewable energy, which is the European group’s largest portfolio, with a total exposure of €2.25 billion at the end of 2018. This new lending facility is part of its ongoing strategy to broaden its financing focus from mainly renewable energy generation projects to supporting the transition towards 100% smart clean energy systems, the wider decarbonisation of our economy and protecting and enhancing our natural capital.
Legal advisers on the transaction were TLT LLP. Everoze Partners Limited acted as technical adviser.
Images available upon request.
For further information please contact:
- T: 07817 413792
- [email protected]
- T: 0117 311 0241
- [email protected]
Notes to editor
About Triodos Bank
Founded in 1980, Triodos Bank has become a frontrunner in sustainable banking globally. As an independent bank that promotes responsible and transparent banking, it does not see any conflict between a focus on people and the planet and a good financial return. Instead it believes that they reinforce each other in the long-term.
Triodos Bank has banking activities in the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Spain, Germany and France as well as Investment Management activities based in the Netherlands but active globally. Triodos Bank co-founded the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV), a network of 54 sustainable banks. Together these banks want to grow sustainable banking and its impact on the real economy substantially.
About Pod Point
Pod Point was founded in 2009 by CEO and entrepreneur Erik Fairbairn. Driven by a belief that travel shouldn’t damage the earth, Pod Point has more than 69,000 charge points in the UK and Norway and is an official charge point supplier for major car brands in both countries.
Pod Point’s products range from smart domestic charge points to 150kW high power rapid chargers and load balancing systems. Along with consumers, it works with a broad range of organisations to offer workplace, residential and commercial charging solutions. Its customers include major retailers, hotels, restaurants and transport hubs.
For more information on Pod Point’s vision for zero-carbon travel visit:
Triodos Bank UK Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triodos Bank NV. Registered Office: Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AS. Registered in England and Wales Company No. 11379025. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 817008. VAT reg no 793493383.


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PH auto sector left in the dust in terms of regional sales
The Philippine automotive sector continues to lag behind its Southeast Asian neighbors in terms of vehicle sales and production.
Latest data from the Asean Automotive Federation showed that, as of end-November 2013, the Philippines ranked fourth among seven countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as it sold only 164,098 motor vehicles from January to November. The Philippines was way behind Thailand, which sold the most number of vehicles at 1.2 million units.
Indonesia had the second highest number of cars sold in the first 11 months of 2013 at 1.1 million units, followed by Malaysia, at 595,300 units. Vietnam, Singapore and Brunei meanwhile sold 87,017 units, 30,453 units and 17,174 units, respectively, during the same period.
For motorcycles and scooters, Indonesia posted the highest sales at 7.2 million units from January to November. It was followed by Thailand, which sold 1.88 million units. The Philippines was far behind with 677,101 units.
Among five countries rated in terms of motor vehicle production, the Philippines remained at the bottom, producing only 73,558 units as of end-November.
According to the Asean Automotive Federation, Thailand led the way, producing 2.3 million motor vehicles from January to November. It was followed by Indonesia with 1.1 million units. Malaysia’s motor vehicle production meanwhile reached 548,420 units, while Vietnam produced a total of 83,656 units during the same period.
Heftier investments are expected to be poured into the Philippine automotive sector once the government issues the much awaited automotive roadmap. But delays have hampered its release as the economic managers sought for more data to justify the new or additional incentives to be given to the sector.
Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said last month that the roadmap could be issued in the first quarter of this year.
Domingo had said that, with the buildup of a supply chain, the Philippines would gain a competitive edge in the region.
For instance, one company from Taiwan has put up a local facility for plastic molding, not primarily for the purpose of servicing the automotive sector. But it can be tapped later on by the sector, the Trade chief said. Another Japanese firm is reportedly setting up shop that can supply parts for automotive firms.
The only investments lacking, Domingo said, are for facilities for steel stamping for large parts. The target is to attract at least one or two firms that can do large parts metal stamping, he added.
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Indonesian Telcos Building Messaging Solution to Compete with the Likes of Viber, Line, WhatsApp
Amir Karimuddin - 25 February 2013
IndoTelko is reporting that BRTI, the Indonesian telecommunications industry regulator, along with local mobile operators are working on a plan to deliver “Messaging Indonesia”. Messaging Indonesia is expected to be a solution to a cross platform instant message and multimedia document delivery network which works across multiple carriers.The concept is similar to WhatsApp as well as other messaging solutions, but with domestic routing which is expected to reduce operational costs for carriers and offer an alternative solution to customers.
In Singapore, a similar concept is being developed by StarHub and SingTel, each with its own application. Certainly all of this is an effort by operators to remain competitive considering the concept of SMS in the current climate is outdated and the revenue for operators keep declining, replaced by data-dependent messaging services.
Is this a correct move? In my opinion Messaging Indonesia has good potential for feature phones that have 3G connectivity but without access to cross platform messaging apps that are common on smartphones. Perhaps it’s only the Nokia Asha series that has access to WhatsApp which natively has similar features. Alternatively mig33 is one service that has captured the attention of Indonesians who are still on feature phones.
As Indonesian mobile data subscriber inches closer to 100 million in total (both feature phone and smartphone) this may end up becoming an alternative revenue generator for carriers. of course, this is relatively useless for smartphone users who are already familiar with a wide range of alternative messaging apps with much better features.
Will this service withstand popular foreign competitors? Only the market can decide. If the reliability and quality of the service are maintained, it may grow and develop to compete with other services who are already in use by tens of millions of people, even hundreds of millions across the world. Especially if the incentives to use the service are attractive, for example, costing only Rp 15,000 – Rp 20,000 (USD 1.6 – 2.06) a month for unlimited access. As a comparison, Telkomsel has an unlimited use data package for WhatsApp, Line and KakaoTalk for Rp 30,000 (USD 3.09) a month.
- Perkuat Layanan Mobile Payment, Axis Gandeng InterAcct Solutions Group
- Pemerintah dan Industri Tidak Sependapat dalam Revisi Aturan Konten Premium
- Badan Regulasi Telekomunikasi Indonesia Ingin RIM Memindahkan Pabrik Mereka dari Malaysia ke Indonesia
- Indonesia’s Telecommunications Regulatory Body Wants RIM to Move Manufacturing from Malaysia to Indonesia
- Penjelasan Atas Permasalahan SMS Premium
More alternative services surely will give consumers more options to choose the service which fit their needs best. The competitive nature to maintain service quality may become the benchmark of success for these services.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — Genetically modified foods have been around for years, but most people in the United States have no idea if they are eating them.
The Food and Drug Administration says such foods don't need to be labeled, so some states are moving forward on their own.
Vermont recently became state the first to require labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Bills and ballot initiatives are pending in many more.
What about the rest of the country? And does labeling matter?
There's much confusion about genetically modified foods and their safety.
Opponents, who at times have protested in the streets, say consumers have the right to know whether their food contains GMOs. The food industry and companies that genetically engineer seeds have pushed back against the labeling laws, saying GMOs are safe and labels would be misleading.
A look at the debate and some of the facts about genetically modified foods:
WHAT THEY ARE
GMOs are hard for the average consumer to grasp. You can't touch or feel a GMO.
Genetically modified foods are plants or animals that have had genes copied from other plants or animals inserted into their DNA.
It's not a new idea.
Humans have been tinkering with genes for centuries through selective breeding. Think dogs bred to be more docile pets, cattle bred to be beefier or tomatoes bred to be sweeter. Turkeys were bred to have bigger breasts — better for Thanksgiving dinner.
What's different about genetically modified or engineered foods is that the manipulation is done in a lab. Engineers don't need to wait for nature to produce a desired gene. They speed up the process by transferring a gene from one plant or animal to another.
What are the desired traits? Most of the nation's corn and soybeans are genetically engineered to resist pests and herbicides. A papaya in Hawaii is modified to resist a virus. The FDA is considering an application from a Massachusetts company to approve a genetically engineered salmon that would grow faster than traditional salmon.
IN YOUR GROCERY CART
Most of the genetically modified corn and soybeans are used in cattle feed or are made into ingredients such as corn oil, corn starch, high fructose corn syrup or soybean oil.
Even in some of those products, the manufacturing process eventually may remove some of the modified genes.
A few fruits and vegetables are engineered — the Hawaiian papaya and some squash and zucchini, for example. Only a small amount of sweet corn, the corn we eat, is genetically modified.
But there's no genetically modified meat or fish, like the fast-growing salmon, currently in the market for human consumption. The FDA has yet to approve any.
The vast majority of scientific research has found genetically engineered foods to be generally safe.
An Italian scientist's review of 10 years of research, published in 2013, concluded that the scientific research conducted so far has not detected "any significant hazard directly connected with the use of GM crops."


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March 2 – 12:48:13
My parents always told me to save more of my allowance. Like most Americans, faced with financial insecurity, I finally am taking the advice to heart.
In the long term, higher savings might have delayed or averted our current economic crisis. Right now, though, it’s causing problems.
Personal saving, 3.9 percent in December, rose to 5 percent of disposable personal income in January, according to a Commerce Department report issued today. As discussed previously, the best way out of this recession is an increase in aggregate demand. Money saved is money not spent, and consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the U.S. gross domestic product.
It all comes back to governmental expenditures. We need to increase demand, but American consumers have maxed out their credit and are scared. Scared of losing their jobs, scared of the decline in their retirement investments, scared of their dropping home values. That means the increase in demand — necessary to avoid a continuing downward spiral — must come from the government.
To stimulate the economy, governmental expenditures now must overcome increased personal savings, as well as the reduced effective demand wrought by increasing unemployment.
What a mess.


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It's springtime in Texas. The weather is warming up and the air is thick and humid as students count down the days until summer break, but inside one Houston-area high school, a group of students isn't exactly tied to their desks.
They aren't in the gym, in home economics class or studying math. These students are inside Scarborough High School's mock Wal-Mart store, located just down the hall from traditional classrooms. The store is a lab of sorts, set up and paid for by the retail giant, complete with a cash register, shelves of inventory, and those familiar "rollback" pricing signs on each display.
As the students of all high school grade levels fill up the lab, their teacher Sarah Ray begins to lecture them on the finer art of retail seasonality as she stands amid racks of bathing suits and beach towels.
It's the end of the first year of a retail immersion class called Etail/Retail, which is the brainchild of Tracy Davis, director for the Center for Retail Management at the University of Houston—Downtown.
Read MoreWal-Mart CEO: Big stores will change
Davis started the class, born out of his passion for the industry that he once worked in, as the first step in what he hopes will become a four-year program.
Retailers need good employees, school districts need their students to graduate, and high school students need to know there are career opportunities available to them, Davis said. With the class, it is a way to connect all three, he said.
"I was driving to work one day, and I heard a newsperson say something about people not going to college and ending up in retail and I thought wow, what a great opportunity to end up in retail, and to be able to do just about anything you want to be able to do," Davis said.
By "anything," he isn't talking only about being a cashier or adding inventory to store shelves—jobs traditionally associated with retail. Davis hopes the program, which will award certificates in retail to the high school students from the University of Houston—Downtown, will show the class that marketing, logistics, accounting, and even meteorology, are all careers that are a part of the industry.
"There is this perception of retail that it is a go-nowhere job, that it doesn't pay well, so why would a parent say 'hey son, hey daughter, have you ever thought about going into retail?' That does not happen because it's the perception we have to change," Davis told CNBC.
So how does that perception change? He starts with a dollar figure. He tells students that store managers can make upward of $150,000. Not bad for a career many think of as a fallback option.
He isn't discouraging the students from going to college—after all he is a professor—rather he is hoping the class inspires them to finish high school with a new perspective on retail; perhaps wanting to carry their newfound interest into higher education. Although, he said, if they do not go to college, their opportunities have not hit a brick wall.
"We tell them as long as they have a smile on their face and they have the ability to work hard every day, they will have a very successful career," said Nick Scribner, a human resource manager for Wal-Mart.
Scribner has been working with Scarborough High School, with the support of the retail giant, speaking to the class in school and also bringing them to field visits so students can see every aspect of operating a retail business.
On one of the last field trips of the school year, the students were taught a lesson in produce sourcing and seasonality by a store manager.
That's one of many lessons that opened the eyes of students such as Ramon Cardanes, who says he had no idea about retail prior to starting the class.
Meanwhile, his classmate, Joel Lopez, is thinking big.
"Maybe I can start my own business since I already have so much insight on retailing—a company that's as big, or even bigger than Wal-Mart," he said, with a huge grin and a chuckle.
As for Davis, he said he hopes this relationship with Wal-Mart is just the beginning for the Etail/Retail class. He has already signed on grocery store chain Kroger and auto retailer Firestone Tire and Rubber to sponsor Houston-area high schools for next year, and he hopes this is just the beginning.
"When I was in high school, you did have welding, wood working, automotive and stuff like that," Davis said. "But one thing you never saw when I was in high school was...retail. Retail is the new gal on the block."
—By CNBC's Justin Solomon


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Tourism Authority of Thailand rethinks strategy as 2020 doubts grow
Project focuses on local operators
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has revised its 2020 strategy, aiming to piggyback on local operators to survive the economic slowdown and intense competition.
"The TAT will implement the YOU project, which stands for Yield, Overcome and Uncertainty," said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn. "The main purpose is to help local operators get higher yield, overcome challenging factors and come up with efficient risk management against uncertainty."
All 45 domestic TAT offices will be assigned to talk directly with local operators to assess problems in each area, find proper solutions and devise a risk management plan.
The priority task is to solve the cumulative problems of Thai tourism, including safety, tourism scams, overcrowding and insufficient facilities such as airports, immigration control and public transport.
Meanwhile, the agency will reach out to tourism-related business such as spas, diving sites, golf courses and restaurants, to help them create more standardised products and services.
The new strategies will depend on online partnership more than before, as traditional marketing in the form of trade shows abroad may not be an effective marketing tool anymore.
With the methodology called Plug In, the TAT will collaborate with private sector innovators that have a technological advantage, such as TripAdvisor, Agoda, Expedia, Alibaba and Grab, to enhance the capability of tourism business.
The Digital Economy Promotion Agency will provide digital marketing training for local operators and help them create a "digital mindset" to survive in the age of technology disruption.
As the fiscal budget is delayed, Mr Yuthasak said the cooperation will benefit all stakeholders equally.
"We have to brace for the economic slowdown which is prevailing now," he said. "For example, the IMF has lowered the forecast of economic growth in 2020 from 3.4% to 3.3% due to several factors."
Moreover, Thai tourism is facing fierce competition from other countries that hope tourism revenue will lubricate their sluggish economies.
Mr Yuthasak said many countries have already implemented visa facilitation, one of the effective measures to stimulate the decision-making process of those considering multiple destinations.
The growth of the international market was 4.2% last year with 39.79 million international arrivals, according to the Tourism and Sports Ministry.
This year, the agency aims to achieve 2.5% growth with at least 40.78 million international travellers.
The TAT is holding discussions with the UN Development Programme to introduce the responsible tourism agenda as a flagship project.


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Technology that increases the lifetime and reliability of battery packs won first place this week in the New Energy Challenge 2017 in Amsterdam.
Start-up U.K. company Brill Power received a 100,000-euro (US$118,000) convertible loan for its submission of an innovative solution that enables individual control of each lithium-ion cell in a battery pack.
In a recent video about the company, Brill Power CEO Christoph Birkl said that what happens inside a battery is really important, noting that over time, batteries lose their ability to store energy not only because of their material properties, but also because all the cells are slightly different. They lose their ability to store energy at different rates, and current batteries can’t handle that difference. Therefore, the performance of the entire battery is limited by the weakest cell.
To make batteries smarter, Birkl said, Brill Power has created a smarter battery design.
“Through intelligent cell management, Brill Power technology extends the lifetime and improves the performance of multi-cell batteries,” he said.
The company plans to sell microchips to battery makers who can integrate the chips with their battery designs.
Birkl said the company expects the intelligent controls will provide a 60 percent longer lifetime for batteries. Among Brill Power’s target markets is grid-scale energy storage, he said.
Shell Technology Ventures, Rockstart and YES!Delft presented the New Energy Challenge initiative, which offered a competitive environment for Europe’s start-ups engaged in the energy transition.
Runner-ups for the challenge were Solaris Offgrid of Spain and HySiLabs from France.
Solaris Offgrid provides affordable access to energy through modular pay-as-you-go solar energy platforms. HySiLabs developed a hydrogen-based liquid fuel that is readily available, stable, non-toxic, non-explosive, generates no emissions, and is easy to transport and store.
Lead image credit: New Energy Challenge


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Growth in Agriculture Value Added at constant prices increased to 6.6 percent to 953.6 billion shillings in 2018 from 1.8 percent recorded in 2017 which stood at 894.9 billion shillings as reported by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics in their recently released 2019 Economic Survey.
The survey has attributed the improved performance to favorable weather conditions for both crops and livestock production, occasioned by the long rains in 2018.
Agricultural output at current prices increased by 7.8 percent to 3,346.3 billion shillings while agricultural input at current prices increased by 13.5 percent to 461.1 billion shillings in 2018. Consequently, agriculture value added at current prices increased by 6.9 percent from 2,699.1 billion shillings in 2017 to 2,885.2 billion shillings in 2018.
The value of marketed production has been increasing over the last four years and increased further by 11.4 percent to 497.9 billion shillings in 2018. The share of crops to the marketed production rose from 69.7 percent in 2017 to 70.5 percent in 2018.
Maize production increased by 26.0 percent from 35.4 million bags in 2017 to 44.6 million bags in 2018. Similarly, production of tea, coffee and sugarcane increased by 12.1 percent, 7.0 percent, and 10.4 percent, respectively in 2018.
According to the survey, the quantity of horticulture produces exported increased by 6.1 percent to 322.6 thousand tonnes while the volume of marketed milk increased by 18.4 percent to 634.3 million liters in 2018.
The value of marketed agricultural production has been increasing over the last four years and increased further by 11.4 percent to 497.9 billion in 2018.
The value of horticulture exports, on the other hand, increased from by 33.3 percent to 153.7 billion shillings in 2018 on account of higher production and improved international prices. The value of marketed livestock and livestock products increased by 8.3 percent to 146.8 billion shillings in 2018.
However, earnings from tea and coffee decreased by 5.3 percent and 7.5 percent to127.7 billion shillings and 14.8 billion shillings, respectively, in 2018, despite increased production volumes.


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One day we will all be able to order a freshly made coffee from our favourite coffee store through an app, but until then it seems like we are destined to queue up for caffeine fix with everyone else! However, Briggo in the US have come up with the first intelligent coffee machine where a robot makes the perfect brew and the customer orders through the Briggo app on their Smartphone! Is this the way to go for the future of coffee drinking or is it still better to go into the store and enjoy the atmosphere?
According to the Briggo Facebook page, this is how the Briggo intelligent coffee machine will serve you;
Through the perfect combination of the best coffee ingredients and robotic technology, Briggo’s mission is to empower people to create their perfect cup of coffee, integrating seamlessly into their active lives and enabling them to easily share their experience with their community. The first Briggo Coffee Haus is located at the Flawn Academic Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
So far the first robot Coffee House powered by Briggo is at the University of Texas-Austin.


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An iPhone battery gets overheated and starts emitting smoke leaving temporary evacuation of the Apple Store on Tuesday at the Swiss City of Zurich.
A police statement said, “At the same time, there was a slight build up of smoke, which led to around 50 customers and employees having to leave the business temporarily.”
“The staff responded well and correctly. It sprinkled quartz sand over the overheated battery so that the smoke could be contained and sucked out after switching on the ventilation,” the Swiss police said.
This incident left a worker with minor burns on his hands and seven other people suffered minor injuries and received medical attention. But none of them had to be hospitalized.
Reportedly, the incident happened when a worker was replacing the battery of an iPhone 6 Plus, subsequently leading the device to overheat.
The forensic experts were brought to determine the cause of the incident. Notably, the iPhone will be further examined by Zurich Forensic Institute.
Apple admitted that it slows down the performance of the iPhones with chemically depleted or damaged to protect against abrupt shutdowns that can damage the device. Apple, in order to appease the public, offered $29 out-of-warranty battery replacements, which is likely taken as an advantage by the people.
Apple hasn’t officially released a statement about this incident.


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TECHNOLOGYRecent and archived news stories on: Alternative Energy, Automotive, Computing, Engineering, Internet, Nanotech, Software, Telecom, Wireless...
Anaheim-based Extron Electronics Inc. expanded operations into Texas
October 21, 2013
Other items of interest in the Orange County Business Journal
Multimedia Company Buys Online Advertising Tools
Ubiquity Broadcasting Corp., a multimedia company based in Irvine, acquired two online advertising tools from Think Design Media Inc.
Bills Product As Business Growth, Profits Catalyst
Business software maker Kofax PLC has launched the most significant product rollout in its 28-year history.
A Hong Kong investor group has emerged as the likely buyer of Anaheim-based Fisker Automotive Inc.'s Department of Energy loan, reports say.
Shares of Acacia Research Corp. plummeted in after hours trading Thursday after the Newport Beach-based company reported third quarter revenue and adjusted profits that widely missed Wall Street expectations.
San Juan Capistrano-based TextPower Inc., which makes alert notification software, has secured $525,000 in its first institutional funding round.
Anaheim-based Extron Electronics Inc. has expanded operations into Texas with a new regional office, training center and product demonstration facility in Irving, outside of Dallas.
Aerospace Supplier Builds ‘Premier Engineering and Manufacturing Center’ in Irvine
Orange County’s legacy in the aerospace industry and deep pool of engineering talent led Meggitt PLC to the doorsteps of a new 190,000-square-foot factory and office in Irvine.
HEALTHCARE: ‘Value-based’ shift as part of reform goes beyond tech
Orange County’s medical device industry is due for some adjustments
Parlet Puts Priority on Programmers
Solid data management skills back John’s Incredible Pizza and now Burrissimo.
Vinny Smith’s To-ba Capital took a stake in another Orange County company.
First of Three Buildings On La Palma Avenue
Kaiser Permanente, the Oakland-based nonprofit that operates Orange County’s largest health plan, is expanding its cancer treatment options.
San Clemente Association Honors Industry Standouts
San Clemente-based Internet Marketing Association drew big names from the online advertising industry
Company Aims to Broaden Adoption of Its Software
San Clemente-based business software maker gen-E has inked a deal with Virgin Media Inc.


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7-Eleven has partnered with PayNearMe to create an app that lets U.S. shoppers not only pay for goods at convenience stores, but does double duty as a financial tool for the unbanked and underbanked population.
The PayNearMe Bill Pay app serves as a full-service bill payment center. It lets cash users keep track of payment history, set reminders, and securely pay bills. But while the program is run through an app, it's not entirely mobile.
Users sign up for the service and download either the PayNearMe app or the cobranded 7-Eleven Bill Pay operated by PayNearMe, and create an account. The program then generates a bar code for each biller or account. Users then go to a participating store—and 7-Eleven has nearly 8,000 participating U.S. stores—show the cashier the barcode, and provide the cash to pay the bill. There is a service fee of approximately $1.99 per payment.
Nearly 28 percent of U.S. households have limited or no access to bank accounts. Serving this group of consumers is an opportunity that some retailers, including Walmart, are doing.
"This PayNearMe Bill Pay app is just the beginning," said Danny Shader, PayNearMe's founder and CEO. "Cash users are largely neglected in today's bank-based digital economy. By building a suite of easy-to-use financial services that are also easy for retailers to provide to their customers, we will make it possible for everyone to benefit from the convenience of digital transactions."
"Because of 7-Eleven's global footprint, we saw the opportunity to leverage mobile early on, in countries outside of the U.S.," wrote Raja Doddala, VP of omnichannel and ventures at 7-Eleven, in a LinkedIn Pulse blog post. "Japan's 'konbini' system, for example, allows consumers to pay for bills and purchases using cash in local convenience stores, eliminating the need to use a credit or debit card.
"By contrast, in the U.S., the needs of cash-based consumers in an increasingly online world have been largely ignored. We began to look for ways to serve this 28 percent of U.S. households who are unbanked and underbanked, since many of them are also 7-Eleven customers. It was clear that we should build a product to serve this audience, but 7-Eleven is a retailer, not a software company."
The partnership and domestic bill payment service is the first in a line of affordable financial services that the company plans to offer cash-preferring U.S. shoppers. The retailer recently partnered with DoorDash for home delivery. The goal, said Doddala, is to transform 7-Eleven's convenience stores into "convenient stores."
7-Eleven tests delivery
7-Eleven opens first US airport store at LAX
7-Eleven acquires Tedeschi Food Shops
Convenience stores make up 34% of all US retail outlets
7-Eleven launches coffee rewards program


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Just in from the Comic Con 2014 show room floor we get our first look at the LEGO exclusive minifigure Bard the Bowman giveaway!
Check out the new LEGO Bard the Bowman minifigure images after the jump.
Mega Bloks just dropped a BOMB on the brick collecting community. For the first time ever Call of Duty is getting the Mega Bloks Signature Series treatment with the new Modern Warfare 3 Hovercraft! This is a massive 2,700-piece behemoth military vehicle featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and features official Frost and Sandman minifigures and a ton of accessories! This COD Mega Bloks set will be on display for the first time at SDCC 2014 at the Mega Bloks Comic Con booth!
Check out all the new Mega Bloks Signature Series Hovercraft images on display for the first time ever at Comic Con 2014.
Sideshow has their Escape From New York – Snake Plissken Sixth Scale Figure at San Diego Comic-Con 2014. With Snake, they also had standees for products based on Beetlejuice and Evil Dead 2. Also included in this set of images is Marty McFly from Back to the Future, Maleficent, Captain Harlock and Aliens.
We snapped a few quick photos of the Hot Toys figures that Sideshow is displaying right now. Should get more Hot Toys later during San Diego Comic-Con 2014. Right now they had:
New images just in live from Comic Con 2014 of the LEGO booth! Included in these images are Star Wars, Ninjago Mixels, Lego Sculptures, LEGO SDCC 2014 Exclusives and more. For some reason LEGO has released the exclusive reveal SDCC 2014 set images on the web but has chosen to block them from SDCC Attendees via shadow boxes. If you want to know what’s in the cases just follow our SDCC 2014 LEGO links story at the top of the page.
Check out all the new SDCC 2014 LEGO Booth images after the jump.
Check out a gallery of nearly 100 pics from Mattel’s DC Comics display from San Diego Comic-Con 2014. Included are:
Batman: Arkham Knight
DC Multiverse Arkham Origins and Arkham City
DC Super Powers
DC Total Heroes
DC Comics 12″ Figures
DCU Signature Collection
Batman Classic TV Series


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To offer customers an end-to-end solution
Mahindra & Mahindra on Wednesday said it has signed an MoU with Mahindra MSTC Recycling Private Limited (MMRPL) to offer its customers an end-to-end solution for scrapping their vehicles.
These services would provide utmost convenience to the customer without the need to look for a vehicle scrapping agency/dealer, the statement added.
A vehicle scrappage policy was announced by the Minister for Road, Transport and Highways in the Lok Sabha on March 18, 2021, which aimed at creating an ecosystem to eliminate old and polluting vehicles.
“Our agreement with MMRPL is a step towards delivering customer delight through a convenient, one-stop solution for customers who wish to scrap their old vehicle. While the scrappage policy will take effect in some time, we are ready to help customers who intend to discard their vehicles,” said Veejay Ram Nakra, CEO, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
The statement said that Mahindra dealerships, along with CERO, will offer the following services: vehicle evaluation; arrange quote for exchange/scrappage value of the vehicle; provide end-to-end services including vehicle pick-up, transportation and environment friendly dismantling at CERO Scrap yards; and post this, the Certificate of Deposit/Destruction (COD) will be issued by CERO, which will enable customer to claim eligible benefits under upcoming scrappage policy.
In addition, Mahindra is also offering evaluation of the vehicle at doorstep.
CERO is an authorised recycler for motor vehicles built on a PPP model. It has dismantling centres at Greater Noida, Pune and Chennai and, in addition, collection centres at major cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Chandigarh. “Further, CERO has plans to have presence in 25 cities within the next 8-10 months. The arrangement with M&M is going to strengthen this reach and benefit all Mahindra vehicle customers who are looking for solutions for scrapping their old vehicles,” said Sumit Issar, Managing Director of Mahindra Intertrade Ltd.


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HTC Vive vs Oculus Rift: Hardware, Design & Games Comparison
In the virtual reality battle, the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift have been put against each other again and again. Now, a few months after the consoles release dates, there is more proof to the claims.
Samsung Galaxy S8 To Focus On Virtual Reality: Specs And Design Rumors
A week before the official release of Samsung's newest flagship and the public is already itching for the Galaxy S8, which will highlight the company’s understanding of VR.
AMD's Workstation GPU Radeon Pro WX Can Create VR On A Budget
AMD's workstation graphics chip Radeon Pro WX offers VR creation capabilities on a budget.
Oculus Rift Update Provides Improved Room-Scale VR
Oculus has updated its Rift virtual reality headset in order to implement better support for motion controls and room-scale VR.
Google Drops Its Oculus Rift, Lets The HTC Vive Rule Market
Google’s plans of owning its own VR device is in shambles for now, as the company opts out of the Oculus Rift/HTV Vive competition and focuses on mobile VR instead.
Developer Unveils Pokemon Go Demo For Microsoft HoloLens
The development studio Capitola VR has built a demo version of Pokemon Go for Hololens.
Nvidia Boost VR Sales With Fun House Mini Games
Virtual Reality is still in its infancy stages and there have been negative press on the same. Fortunately, Nvidia has released a series of mini games that might turn everything around.
'No Man's Sky' VR Release Still Remains Unknown; Bitcoin Can Now Be Used To Pre-Order Game
"No Man's Sky" will have its own VR support, though the date to when it will happen remains unknown. Meanwhile, Bitcoin can now be utilized as payment option in pre-ordering the game.
Why The HTC Vive Is Outselling The Oculus Rift
Much to everyone’s surprise, it is the HTC Vive and not the Oculus Rift that is the main contender in the Virtual Reality Platform, as it is outselling the Oculus Rift at 2 to 1.
Google To Offer Virtual Reality Version Of Chrome For Android
Google will launch a Chrome for Android VR version.
Twitter Is Working On New Augmented And Virtual Reality Project
Twitter has created a new Augmented Reality team within its Twitter Cortex project.
Samsung Buys Joyent To Expand Its Efforts In AI And VR Fields
Samsung Electronics Co. announced that it will aquire Joyent Inc, an U.S. cloud services company.
Game Developers Push Virtual Reality At E3
Virtual Reality is still a little restricted with the what users can experience with it, but folks at the Electronic Entertainment Expo are proving that VR can be the future of gaming.
Criterion Games tasked to bring the ultimate X-Wing mission experience
Gamers who pondered on what it would take to be an “X-Wing” fighter can find out for themselves thanks in part to the advent of virtual reality.


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US consumer price inflation cooled down in October after rising for the last two months.
The Consumer Price Index rose 3.2% for the 12 months that ended in October, down from 3.7% in September, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Tuesday.
On a monthly basis, prices were unchanged for the first time since July 2022. A month before, they shot up 0.4% as gas and rent costs added upward pressure.
Economists anticipated a 0.1% monthly increase and a 3.3% year-over-year gain, according to Refinitv consensus estimates.
There also was positive news on the underlying inflation front.
Core CPI, which excludes the more volatile food and energy categories, climbed 0.2% monthly, bringing the annual increase to 4%, which is the lowest yearly increase since September 2021. The index cooled from the prior month, when core CPI rose 0.2% monthly and 4.1% annually.
This story is developing and will be updated.


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Investcorp has sold 275 Hartz Way, a 403,869-square-foot warehouse, data co-location and retail outlet facility in Secaucus, N.J. The value of the transaction was not disclosed. ING/Clarion Partners purchased the single-story property, which is situated on 20 acres in an ...
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Apple splits stock after 9-year gap
Shares rise 1.6% as firm aims to appear more affordable
Posted: June 10, 2014 at 2:39 a.m.
Apple Inc.'s stock split Monday for the first time in nine years, a move designed to make it more affordable to buy shares of the maker of iPhones and iPads.
This story is only available from our archives.


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New orders for U.S. factory goods fell for a fifth straight month in December, but a smaller-than-previously reported drop in business spending plans supported views of a rebound in the months ahead.
(Reuters) - Walt Disney Co's quarterly revenue rose 8.8 percent, helped by an increase in visitors to its theme parks in the holiday quarter and higher sales of toys and merchandise based on its hit movie "Frozen".
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose more than 1 percent on Tuesday, led by gains in energy shares as oil prices extended their recent rally, while higher-than-expected January car sales also bolstered the advance.
LONDON (Reuters) - Rosneft is raising money from Swiss trader Trafigura days before it must repay a $7 billion debt and squeezed by sanctions, industry sources said, seeking new options after a foray into the bond market fueled a devaluation of the rouble.
HOUSTON (Reuters) - It may be months before a final verdict is issued on the size of the fine BP Plc will pay under the Clean Water Act for its 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, lawyers said on Tuesday after the last phase of the trial ended.
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Twitter Inc's stock jumped more than 6 percent on Tuesday after the social media company said its promoted tweets will appear on third-party mobile apps and websites under a new advertising distribution program.
(Reuters) - Credit rating firm Standard & Poor's will pay $1.5 billion to resolve a collection of lawsuits over its ratings on mortgage securities that soured in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis, concluding one of the U.S. government's most ambitious cases tied to the housing collapse.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Credit Suisse Group is getting out of the U.S. equity retail market making business by the end of the first quarter after failing to gain enough scale to make a go of it, the bank confirmed on Tuesday.
DETROIT (Reuters) - January U.S. car sales by the three Detroit-based automakers topped analysts' expectations, as low gasoline prices and easy credit terms helped fuel sales of utility vehicles and big pickups.


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With the remake of the classic film, Great Gatsby, gentleman everywhere are dappering up for Spring/Summer 2013. Celebrities are taking cue as well, such as Justin Timberlake and Sean “Jay-Z” Carter in their recent hit video “Shirt & Tie”. This is truly the year of the gentleman and we hope it last for the upcoming years.
To keep with the roaring twenties theme, Brooks Brothers, with the help of designer Catherine Martin, recently released the Great Gatsby Collection. As the official designer and brand for the latest Great Gatsby adaption, Brooks Brothers used clothes from their 1920s archives that were tweaked to fit F. Scott Fitzgerald’s vision. The collection, that is currently available in stores and online, is sure to keep dapper men around the world quite pleased for the Spring and Summer months. Check out our top picks from the collection below:
-Phaon K. Spurlock
Follow me on Twitter – @Phaon
Follow the Magazine on Twitter – @LuxePROTOTYPE
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A bleak outlook for computers and TVs and a wobbly global economy is overshadowing robust sales of Samsung’s new version of its flagship Galaxy S smartphone, which has emerged as a major competitor to Apple blockbuster iPhone.
Samsung, one of the first major global technology firms to kick off quarterly earnings, is expected to have become the world’s top smartphone vendor in the second quarter, ending Nokia’s more than 10-year reign.
“The forecast is slightly better than what the market had been expecting as many had been slashing their forecasts recently due to losses from the LCD division,” said Kim Young-chan, an analyst at Shinhan Investment Corp.
Samsung’s shares closed two per cent lower, underperforming a 0.4 per cent rise in the market. The shares, which have one hold recommendation and no sell ratings among 46 analysts tracking the company, have risen nearly nine per cent so far this month, beating a three per cent rise in the broader market.
“Optimism for the second half is somewhat reflected in its recent share move and now investors are bit concerned about falling chip prices,” said Kim Sung-in, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities.
Samsung boasts a market capitalisation of $134bn (£84bn), bigger than the combined value of Sony Corp, Nokia, Toshiba Corp, Panasonic Corp and LG Display.
Samsung overtook Sony as the world’s most popular consumer electronics brand in 2005.


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- Lafourche Parish family's toy drive giving back to hospital Updated: Nov-29-15 8:09 pm
VALENTINE, Louisiana - Monica Kyzar has been giving back since the Christmas morning that a nurse showed up with gifts for a baby Kyzar was afraid might die after brain surgery, and for his older brother.
- Jailer organizes toy drive for children of inmates Updated: Nov-29-15 1:39 pm
STANFORD, Kentucky - When Lincoln County Jailer Rob Wilson asked inmates how they would feel about a holiday toy drive for their children, tears filled the eyes of many.
- Everett Toys R Us store closed by smoky fire on Black Friday Updated: Nov-27-15 12:51 pm
EVERETT, Washington - The Everett Mall Toys R Us store was closed by a smoky fire on Friday morning.
- 3 Trends for the holidays Updated: Nov-25-15 2:20 pm
NEW YORK - The holiday season is upon us. Here's what shoppers can expect if they're heading out to stores at any point during the holiday shopping season:
- A look at the hot toys for holiday 2015 Updated: Nov-25-15 11:44 am
NEW YORK - Which toys will warm the hearts of parents and kids for the holiday 2015 shopping season?
- Illinois AG Madigan releases annual safe shopping guide Updated: Nov-23-15 7:20 pm
CHICAGO - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has released a list of toys and children's products that have been recalled.
- Duchesne man's wood toy shop lost in fire Updated: Nov-22-15 12:50 pm
DUCHESNE, Utah - A fire has destroyed a Duchesne shop belonging to man who carves wooden toys for charity.
- Dinosaur claws among items on annual list of dangerous toys Updated: Nov-18-15 1:24 pm
BOSTON - Dinosaur claws inspired by the movie "Jurassic World" and a quick-folding trampoline are among the items on a consumer watchdog group's annual list of hazardous toys released Wednesday.


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See that spot next to Yahoo Messenger? Yeah, that one with the "RIP BBM" plaque? Yours to claim come May 31, Blackberry Messenger.
The end is nigh for the messaging feature that was once a beloved and important feature of Blackberry phones. Emtek, the company in charge of reviving the chat app, broke the news in a post yesterday, April 19.
"Three years ago, we set out to reinvigorate BBM consumer service, one of the most loved instant messaging applications, as a cross-platform service where users can not only chat and share life experiences, but also consume content and use payment services.
"The technology industry however, is very fluid, and in spite of our substantial efforts, users have moved on to other platforms, while new users proved difficult to sign on," Emtek says.
After 31 May, BBM users won't be able to view any photos, videos, and documents in the app so Emtek is strongly advising users in an FAQ page to download them before the axe comes swinging down.
In 2016, Emtek acquired rights to BBM for a six-year period. The Indonesia-based company tried to lure more users to sign up, but by then, the messaging competition was already stiff with the presence of WhatsApp and Apple's iMessage. Emtek's admission proved that the intention was there, but perhaps it was too little too late.
For the few remaining BBM users, the business-centric BBMe will open up to normal consumers. The app is now available on Android, while an iOS version is coming soon.


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Plaid launched it’s got leased Ripsy Bandourian as its direct off European countries to lead the business’s expansion Ohio payday loan lenders in the region. She satisfies Plaid off Scheduling, in which she struggled to obtain eight many years round the some elder-management positions during the equipment, selling, method and, most recently, partnerships. You can read more info on the headlines into Plaid’s website .
Dependent by a couple fintech experts, Ceo Michael Gifford and you will COO David Zvaifler, the firm tries to greatly help consumers combat rising prices and you can ascending household costs through its domestic collateral compliment of lump-share bucks deals in exchange for a portion of their house’s fancy
Arch circulated a new type of product entitled Runway . Within 24 hours, they says, creators are provided “flexible, low-prices financing which have zero dilution otherwise loans, enabling went on businesses and you may financial stability through the volatility.” We covered the company’s introduction off covert last year w ith $150 mil in financial trouble financing and you will $11 billion from inside the vegetables capital. At that time, Arch informed me it actually was strengthening just what it means due to the fact “a residential district of advanced application companies” that delivers SaaS startups an approach to borrow, cut and you may invest “most of the on one tech program.”
Have earned , a beneficial fintech organization you to definitely claims it is “converting playing cards towards the app one to lifetime into the mobile and also in this new affect,” announced this has revealed an offering “one to allows banking institutions and you will B2B companies to launch corporate borrowing from the bank and you can charge cards.” The fresh new business raised $50 million last Summer.
And finally, discover chat that Australian buy today, pay afterwards large Afterpay may have reasoning to doubt its decision to invest $31 million to have Square a year ago. The latest Questionnaire Morning Herald said on that Afterpay “recorded a giant blowout within its 1 / 2 of-seasons losings immediately after a rise in the money owed and other operating costs failed to offset a massive escalation in this new group’s money.” Meanwhile, discover speculation that Affirm, an excellent You.S.-oriented vendor off “Buy Now, Shell out Later” resource, are a good takeover address .
Really, that’s all for it month. I think which was my longest version actually. Once again, thank you for discovering, and i also vow you really have a sensational vacation week-end.
And you may, a n umber out-of firms that was users of its take a trip expenses device have also finalized to TripActions Liquids
At the same time, a fairly the new member from the space, TripActions , shared with me personally certain statistics doing its current progress. It’s “new” in the same way when brand new pandemic hit-in age so you can a stop, the business pivoted to help you its general expenses management unit, TripActions H2o. It informs me one “ in reaction so you can consult,” it really circulated the ability to own SMBs and you will development-phase companies to thinking-register – and also got “more 1000 companies signup in an effective times.” Types of new clients is Perception, Skydio and you will Patreon. Men and women become Carta, Amplitude, Loom, Lattice and Canva.
Since concept of launching youngsters to at least one quite erratic and you will high-risk advantage groups may boost some eye brows, MacDonald said he isn’t worried about children to the Step Purchasing and work out reckless conclusion such YOLO-ing almost all their birthday currency into Dogecoin. He additional one to moms and dads should be able to set spending and you may investing limits to their children’s levels therefore children can not “walk out handle.”
Splitero , an economic service provider getting residents options to availableness their house guarantee, established increasing an excellent $5.8 million vegetables round and you can securing over $1 billion in funding, claimed FinLedger .
Everyware , an Austin-based contactless payments business, put out development of the Pay Because of the Text abilities , that enables consumers to make use of their phone number and then make a fees. With their collaboration that have Charge, Everyware says it is leveraging Token ID, providing the business the ability to “try to be good token requestor asking for network tokens on the part of their readers and you can providing their people to pay with only good telephone number round the merchants and you can fee processors, irrespective of where Visa was recognized.”


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Britain's state-backed banks RBS and Lloyds were yesterday fined �90million between them in their latest day of disgrace. In an announcement released late last night, RBS admitted it has been fined �62million by US regulators for breaching sanctions on ...
A key Bank of England policymaker has broken ranks with governor Mark Carney by expressing doubts about the effectiveness of its flagship low-interest rate policy on encouraging growth.
Asda chief executive Andy Clarke is looking to launch an own-brand tablet to rival Tesco's Hudl as he signalled last week's day of discounts known as 'Black Friday' would return next year.
Monarch is buying the new short-haul planes as part of a turnaround programme it began two years ago to help it compete with no-frills carriers.
Shares in Imagination Technologies collapsed after its boss sir Hossein Yassaie - knighted for helping to create the iPhone - called the end of the smartphone boom.


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Stories Tagged as
Will new, diverse leadership help bring cultural change to Broadway?
Lileana Blain-Cruz, the new resident director at Lincoln Center Theater, is in an influential position. Her choices could resonate nationally.
Broadway theater returns with an unprecedented seven plays by Black writers
Their success may hinge on attracting new audiences.
More people are buying art online, but is that making the fine art market more accessible?
Online art sales doubled during the pandemic, but that didn't necessarily make it easier to break into the art world — as a collector or as an artist.
The music industry may be ditching the "urban" label
Black artists make all kinds of music. Critics of the status quo say one label does not fit all.


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It might not have crossed your mind, but the many auto recalls of this year have affected more than consumer car owners and vehicle manufacturers: They've impacted many car rental companies like Hertz and Avis as well.
Rental companies are having a hard time maintaining enough available cars because many in their fleet are out of commission due to recalls, Fortune reported. The companies aren't required to fix the vehicles, but most of the car rental businesses won't rent out a vehicle that has safety concerns attached.
Hertz stated this week its profits have below its initial expectations. The company initially expected their 2014 earnings to be $1.07 per share. However, they've had to lower their expectations after stock prices dropped as much as 13 percent as of end of August, according to Fortune.
Avis reported recalled vehicles have cost the company tens of millions of dollars because about one-third of its fleet was hit by recalls this year.
How it affects you
Consumers may not be impacted by the profit, or lack thereof, for companies like Hertz and Avis. But, consumers are affected if they receive a rental vehicle that's been recalled due to a safety issue. While many companies took recalled vehicles out of their fleets, that isn't true for every business and every recalled vehicle.
Whether it's to check your personal car or the rental car you'll be driving around for days or weeks, you can now use an online search tool launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. All you have to do is find the vehicle's identification number (VIN) and put it into the NHTSA's website to discover if the car is part of a recall and whether it's been repaired.
"This should be a one-stop shop for consumers," said Jim Schulte, NHTSA's director of digital strategies, on a conference call with reporters in August, according to Automotive News. "If you have a recall that has not been repaired, this is how you find out."
If the car is not part of a recall or the defect has been fixed, the search will come up with no results. If there is a relevant recall, search results will come up in red text.
Consumers may also be affected if there has been a recall notice regarding their personal vehicle and they fail to have the defect repaired. If the defect causes an accident and the owner neglected to fix it, his or her auto insurance rates may increase.


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March 8, 2023
Power of Women x Man City's “I am EMPOWERED” collection is a tribute to the passion and diversity of women in football.
March 2, 2023
Creature World's “Crowd” is an infinite-supply generative art collection that promises to be a one-of-a-kind experience for collectors and fans alike.
February 3, 2023
In January, we took in our community’s feedback and built the tools and features that our users have been requesting the most.
February 5, 2023
OpenSea is launching an exclusive, opt-in program for our users to participate in pressure testing and shaping the user experience of our new features.
November 30, 2022
As we reflect on a *wild* 2022, one stat in particular stands out: this year, creators earned over $1 BILLION from creator fees using OpenSea.
June 8, 2022
I want to share my perspective on OpenSea’s efforts to protect against plagiarism, IP infringement, and fraud. We at OpenSea feel a huge responsibility to ensur
September 13, 2022
When we started OpenSea in late 2017, we were realistic about a range of potential outcomes – from a niche community to buy and sell CryptoKitties, to a destina
September 14, 2022
The homepage of OpenSea is often the first place people visit to explore the vast world of NFTs. We’re always looking for ways to enrich and simplify this exper
September 19, 2022
Since our founding in 2017, OpenSea has become the best place to explore the vast world of NFTs. As we continue to grow, our vision is to create a home for cre
August 30, 2022
In June, we introduced Seaport — a brand new, open-source, web3 marketplace protocol for safely and efficiently buying and selling NFTs. Launched first on Ether
Trust and safety issues – specifically scams and theft – are some of the biggest barriers to broader NFT adoption today. At OpenSea, we’ve invested significant
At OpenSea, we believe that NFTs are foundational technology that will eventually underpin thousands of use cases and industries. But today, their applications
As the NFT ecosystem evolves, OpenSea remains committed to improving trust and authenticity in the space. In May, we announced improvements to our verification/
I’m excited to formally welcome Chris Dixon to the OpenSea Board of Directors. Chris has been extremely influential in shaping my views on web3. I followed his
We believe in a multi-chain future where people on OpenSea have access to NFTs across a vast number of blockchains. In the last year, Solana has emerged among t
We recently learned that an employee of Customer.io, our email delivery vendor, misused their employee access to download and share email addresses – provided b
For the second year in a row, OpenSea is proud to sponsor the 2022 NFT Awards at NFT.NYC. This year, we’re excited to celebrate some of the most incredible and
Today, OpenSea is migrating to Seaport, a new web3 marketplace protocol designed for safely and efficiently buying and selling NFTs. Seaport is a game changer –
In a recent blog post, Devin outlined the many efforts we’ve made – and are making – to address core Trust and Safety issues on OpenSea. A key priority of this
The following guest post is an abridged version of “Music NFT sales in 2021: What we learned,” a longform analysis of 2021 music NFT sales conducted by the Wate
Starting today, we’re excited to reveal the first steps in a design refresh aimed at improving everyone’s OpenSea experience. Our first step includes upgrades t
Today, we’re excited to announce Seaport, a brand new web3 marketplace protocol for safely and efficiently buying and selling NFTs. We’re incredibly excited to
At OpenSea, we’re working around the clock to welcome more people into the world of NFTs. As the NFT ecosystem continues to evolve, imitation and plagiarism are
At OpenSea, we’re constantly taking steps to improve trust and safety in the NFT space and ensure users feel confident connecting with us in all of our communit
As the NFT ecosystem continues to evolve, imitation and plagiarism are growing issues that hinder trust in this space; in a recent blog post, we outlined a numb
At OpenSea, our mission is to bring the power and potential of NFTs to more people around the world. As the NFT community grows, we’ve recognized a need to bett
Fragments is my first PFP collection, commissioned by Outland, and my approach was to explore the library of images that I’ve developed over the past 20 years
Over the past year, Solana has emerged as one of the fastest growing NFT ecosystems in the world, and is among the most requested chains by the OpenSea communit
Sometimes graffiti is temporary, but this isn’t one of those times. Autograph & theBUKU + Art Project have partnered with renowned visual artists to bring toget
Looking to kick off your NFT collection, but not sure where to begin? The first thing you’ll need is a crypto wallet, which will store your method of payment an


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Looking back at the previous 3 years (Since my last public post) things are looking very un-loved on the public side across my channels. However, I believe it’s now time to revisit where I was, …
As with Samsung recently releasing their Firmware upgrades for the Omnia 7, it is HTC’s turn not to start rolling out their firmware to squash a peskey bug plauging HTC Trophy owners after the 8107 update.
OEM’s have been pushing out the next wave of Firmware upgrades to Gen 1 handsets recently with the Optus Samsung Omnia 7 being one of the lucky ones to receive a firmware upgrade.
© 2019 3k Network.
Made with by Graphene Themes.


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Korea’s biggest ‘Brexit’ concern is about EU
Seoul’s main Kospi index rallied 0.5 percent on Wednesday compared to the previous trading day thanks to a buying spree by foreign investors.
“Investors seem like they have decided to wait until the result is out,” said a dealer at KEB Hana Bank.
Although the “leave” and “remain” camps are running neck-and-neck in British polls, Korean manufacturers aren’t really preparing for the worst.
Automobiles and petrochemical products account for the largest shares of exports to the EU under the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
If Britain does leave the EU, those industries might demand the government sign a separate FTA with Britain.
Korea’s automotive and oil refining industries admitted they could suffer from a so-called Brexit, but said they were still highly doubtful that the United Kingdom would actually end up leaving the EU.
Hyundai Motor, the No. 1 carmaker in Korea, admitted that the U.K. has become a major market within the EU, with a surge in sales in the past couple of years.
But it is more concerned about the European market as a whole, and whether a British exit would lead to exits of other member countries.
“If Brexit happens, what worries us most is not the additional tariff on cars exported to the United Kingdom, but the effect it will have on the European market as a whole. We are looking at the matter from a long-term perspective,” a Hyundai Motor spokesperson said.
An insider from the tire industry said no detailed plans have been made since a Brexit would not immediately affect exports. “How the exchange rate turns out once the decision is made will be the biggest factor,” the industry insider said.
Korea’s oil refining and petrochemical industry also scratched their heads on what effect the vote will have on their companies.
“Exports to the U.K. is of limited concern to the petrochemical market,” a spokesperson for the Korea Petrochemical Industry Association said. “What should be considered is how oil prices will be affected. But there are so many variables, it is hardly possible to forecast that right now,”
If the “leave” camp triumphs, there could be an exodus of foreign funds invested in Britain, said Lee Jong-woo, research head at IBK Securities.
About 138.2 billion pounds ($202.9 billion) are invested in the U.K. by foreigners.
“If these huge funds start to move, the global economy could fall into chaos,” Lee said. “There is also a possibility of British funds invested around the world being pulled out, and this would affect Korea.
British investors are the second -largest foreign investor group for Korea, and this would cause the Kospi to fall.”
Meanwhile, Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol expressed caution about the Brexit issue and its possible effect on the Korean economy.
At a meeting on current economic trends with experts on Wednesday, Lee cited the possibilities of a Brexit and U.S. rate increases as external factors affecting the economy.
BY SONG SU-HYUN, JIN EUN-SOO [email@example.com]


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Manchester-based pub group Clover Taverns has entered administration.
The company has 10 pubs across the country, from Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, up to Preston in Lancashire. Clover Taverns claims to be the home of the "great British pub", although its food offer includes both US and South African cuisine.
Insolvency practitioner Duff & Phelps was appointed administrator to the company last week.
Duff and Phelps said it was reviewing the financial position of the company with a view to selling it as a going concern. It added it was working closely with Spirit Pub Company with a view to finding alternative tenants for the existing 10 licensed premises that are currently operated by the Company.
John Whitfield, Partner, Duff & Phelps said: "It has been well publicised in the press that consumers discretionary spending has reduced and inevitably, the leisure sector has seen the impact of this. Under the current economic climate, the downturn in trade has exacerbated cashflow demands. With the support of the Brewery, the ten public houses will continue to trade under the supervision of the Administrators. We are confident that there will be a significant amount of interest."
By Neil Gerrard
E-mail your comments to Neil Gerrard here.
Looking for a new job? Find your next job here with Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs


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If the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing served as the awkward first date between social media and the Olympics, the 2010 Winter Games is social media leaving its toothbrush in the Olympic’s apartment (or getting to first base, whatever end to that analogy floats your particular boat). Either way, the point is that things are more serious this time around. Social media has taken an even more pervasive grip on our culture and it’s certainly more in the public mind than it was even in 2008. Athletes and advertisers are ready. Update your statuses and slip in a quick tweet. It’s time to talk social media at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The fact that more athletes will be writing blogs and giving up-to-the-minute updates undoubtedly gives social media a bigger impact in the Olympics this time around. For popular athletes this means unprecedented opportunities to bring the viewing public into one of the most exciting times of their lives. The face of US snowboarding, Shaun White is looking forward to “flooding” photos and personal stories from behind the scenes. Similarly, Lindsay Vonn, who just recently revealed at a press conference that she may be too injured to participate in various skiing events, tweeted that she “took a bunch of pain killers” and her situation was “good enough to give it a shot in the training run.” NBC has gone so far as to aggregate twitter feeds from 80 athletes for a one-stop shopping for fresh updates, which is likely to be a popular addition to their coverage. From personal experience to injury update, outlets like Twitter and Facebook offer exciting opportunities to followers.
The popularity of social media in these Olympics may mean even more for those athletes seeking extra exposure. Jeret Peterson, a member of the US freestyle skiing team, is using social media to not only to give his fans insight but to also generate new fans. Peterson is hoping he can get as many followers as possible (already 2,000 on Facebook) to cheer him on as he performs the “Hurricane”, his one-of-a-kind aerial trick that competitors have yet to master. Tweets like “Check out NBC’s The Biggest Loser tomorrow…I will be on there” mixed in with “There is no better feeling than when the other country’s coaches…tell you how well you did when you STOMP the Hurricane!!! I am SOOOO pumped to compete tomorrow” show a blend of PR along with personal tidbits that the fans are sure to love. You’ll be able to follow many of your favorite athletes on a moment-by-moment basis and get a true sense of being transported to the games, while up-and-coming athletes will be able to make a name for themselves.
Despite some recent confusion on how social media and blogging may be used by athletes, Bob Condron, the Director of New Media for the International Olympic Committee, expects “heavy social media activity among U.S. athletes in Vancouver.” That’s good news for you, good news for NBC to build up some extra excitement (more viewers), and in the event of a no-snow situation the athletes can use Twitter to decided where to meet for karaoke.
Athletes and fans aren’t the only ones getting in on the game: Advertisers this time around are working to integrate social media into their campaigns, whereas in Beijing it acted as more of an add-on to existing campaigns. Sponsors and advertisers will be “plowing money that in previous Olympiads would have been spent in TV into digital channels that barely existed during prior games.” For instance, Samsung is sending out teams of “Mobile Explorers” to blog via cell phone, and Panasonic is combining its efforts in social media with its athlete sponsorships to offer unique content to put its logo on. Social media is still a small component of overall advertising strategies of big sponsors, with TV and online still holding the predominant advertising role. Given its relatively small size, the integration of social media increases the chances of a deeper level of engagement with the consumer. Big sponsors are likely to achieve a more personal touch while being able to offer something of content value to its target audiences.
Expect social media to have its biggest presence in the Olympics yet, and expect to get what may be an altogether new dimension of experience that Olympic fans have been craving. The connectedness is sure to add a new buzz to the world’s favorite games.


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Andrew Jordan has continued his preparations for the 2010 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship with another strong test at Silverstone.
Jordan, who will use one of the new turbo charged NGTC Engine in his Vauxhall Vectra, and after initial tests at Snetterton and Rockingham last week, the Silverstone test, enabled Pirtek Racing to gain more knowledge about the new power plant.
The 2.0l, 300bhp, turbocharged engine will reduce the teams budgets for engines by over 50%, and is the first part of the rollout of the new Next Generation Touring Car regulations which will come into full force in 2011.
As well as youngster Jordan running a turbo powered Vectra, experienced racer David Pinkney will also run a former works Vauxhall Vectra – the same one which Fabrizio Giovanardi piloted in 2009 – again powered by the new NGTC engine.
Harpenden based Pinkney had his first run in his new Vectra at Brands Hatch, in an interim livery – the Vauxhall team's stickers having been removed. It is anticipated that Pinkney will return to his traditional pink livery once the season starts in anger.
Also out testing at Silverstone were popular independent runner Martin Johnson in his Vauxhall Astra Coupe and likely newcomer Lea Wood in a Honda Integra.
Among those present at the Brands Hatch test were Matt Neal in the Team Dynamics Honda Civic and Andrew Jordan in his NGTC Engine powered Vauxhall Vectra.
The official BTCC Media Day is at Brands Hatch on the 23rd March, ahead of the season opening races at Thruxton on the 4th April.


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Wincanton has confirmed that it has taken over the Aggregate Industries (AI) Concrete Products Division work from Eddie Stobart Logistics (ESL), as exclusively revealed by mototransport.co.uk last month. In a press release today, Wincanton said it had signed a five-year deal with AI “for the distribution of concrete products from a majority of its UK manufacturing sites”. Under the new agreement, Wincanton will operate a dedicated fleet of specialised vehicles, backed up by its national network. The 3PL will transport […]
Wincanton has sealed a deal with ambient grocery firm LDH (La Doria) to provide warehousing.
Tesco is to close two of its distribution centres in the UK, bringing all warehouse operations carried out by DHL Supply Chain and Wincanton in-house, as part of a long-term plan to “simplify” its distribution operations.
Wincanton has warned that a decline in customers’ volumes and a reduced demand for warehousing will “adversely affect” the business in the next 12 months. In a trading update issued today (Tuesday 3 April), the group says that while it has successfully retained and won new contracts across all sectors, market conditions in retail, FMCG and containers have been challenging. It adds that a number of its customers are seeing a decline in volumes, which is resulting in reduced demand […]


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Tesla Model 3 is now available in China.
According to Tesla’s announcement last Friday, customers were able to pre-order the assembled Model 3 in China. Compared to the imported Model 3 from the US, the price of the assembled Model 3 in China will be about 13% cheaper. This will allow this reputable electric car company to take another step in conquering the world’s largest electric vehicle market.
According to Tesla’s statement, standard Model 3s assembled at the Gigafactory 3 factory in Lingang, Shanghai will cost about 328,000 Yuan (about 47,529 USD), 49,000 Yuan cheaper than the imported version from America. Tesla expects the delivery will start within the next 6 to 10 months.
A nice price for an electric vehicle
Currently Tesla’s electric cars are subject to a 25% import tax in China. Acording to researchers in the industry, 300,000 yuan for a high-end electric vehicle is very good deal for Chinese consunmers. .
“If Chinese customers can get a Tesla for less than 300,000 yuan, they will buy it right away, as they are the best electric car in the world. “Tian Maowei, business director of Yiyou Auto Service in Shanghai:
This price appear at the time of the US-China trade tension. The US government criticized China for its “compulsory technology transfer” policy in exchange for entering the country market, including revealing their most important technologies to Chinese partners to join the joint venture.
A Tesla’s factory in Shanghai
Tesla began to build a $ 5 billion factory in January, 3 months after they found an appropriate land. The factory will produce Model 3 and Model Y, which are affordable for the Chinese market.
Gigafactory 3 is expected to ship around 3,000 cars a week in the first phase. Then increase to 500,000 cars a year when operating at full capacity.
This move will allow Tesla to compete with Chinese automakers such as Geely and SAIC, or electric car startups like Nio and Xpeng Motors. According to a report by the China Automobile Manufacturers Association, sales of electric vehicles including battery-powered vehicles and electric-powered vehicles have increased 27% this year to 1.6 million vehicles.
“The competitive environment in China nowadays is very different from 5 years before. Tesla no longer has the absolute advantage of battery technology and Interligent features. The low price of Model 3 shows the ability to be uncompetitive without the core autopilot features.”He Xiaopeng, Xpeng’s Found and Chairman


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Scottish corporate failures dip in as raised risk becomes ‘new normal’
The number of Scottish business failures dipped in the three months to June, bucking a two-year-plus trend of rising corporate insolvencies, new figures show.
Official bankruptcy statistics for the first quarter of the 2019-20 financial year revealed that the number of Scottish-registered companies becoming insolvent (including, for example, entering receivership) decreased to 239.
This marks a fall of 15 per cent compared with the previous quarter and a 2 per cent drop from 245 business failures in the opening quarter of 2018-19.
However, experts cautioned that the quarterly improvement alone would not be enough to reverse the long-term trend of rising corporate insolvencies in Scotland since the beginning of 2017.
The figures from Accountant in Bankruptcy also found that there were 137 members’ voluntary liquidations, down from 141 a year earlier.
The corporate results contrast with a rising number of personal insolvencies, which increased for a fourth consecutive year.
Eileen Blackburn of Scottish insolvency and restructuring trade body R3 said businesses braced for Brexit may have been caught out by the decision to postpone until October. She said: “It’s fair to say that economic sentiment in Scotland is mixed.
“Many companies stocked up in the first quarter of 2019 on raw materials and components, in preparation for potential disruption to normal delivery flows via EU countries in the case of a no-deal Brexit, and may have found after 29 March that they were left with a pile of stock in warehouses, with no immediate buyers.”
She also said levels of elevated insolvency risk for Scottish businesses remained static, adding that “a raised risk level may be the ‘new normal’ for Scottish businesspeople”.
Blackburn also cited the recent increase in “real wages” – wage increases above the level of inflation – which will have given Scottish consumers’ personal finances a boost but has not yet fed through to increased spending in shops.
The figures were published the same day as a separate report that found Scotland to be the UK region with the highest rate of business closures, with a yearly average of 16 firms closed per 100,000 people.
The study by self-storage specialist Safestore cited a lack of adequate business models, issues with cashflow and finance, and unsustainable levels of competition as the top reasons for business failures.
Wales recorded the lowest deficit, Safestore added.