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All tagged Marvel Solicitations
In 1984, the Iron Man of 2020 visited from the future in MACHINE MAN #2. Now, decades later, that future has arrived! Just announced at the Marvel Comics: Next Big Thing Panel at New York Comic-Con, IRON MAN 2020 kicks off in January and begins an event that will redefine one of Marvel’s most iconic heroes!
POWERS OF X #6 hits shelves in just a few days, concluding the first step in Jonathan Hickman’s groundbreaking new era for the world of mutants. Following that, the Dawn of X titles will explore the bold new way the X-Men operate in the Marvel Universe…beginning with WOLVERINE #1!
A mighty creative team will be taking over the reins of Thor next year! Just announced at Marvel’s Next Big Thing panel at New York Comic Con, Donny Cates and Nic Klein will be ushering the God of Thunder into his next era starting in January. The quest Thor is on will be the stuff of legend, filled with thunderous adventure as well as mystery as the character finds himself in unexpected new territory and facing off against an ancient threat known as The Black Winter.
The devil’s bounty hunter returns! Ghost Rider streaks out of the underworld on his flaming motorcycle — with a skull to match — in an all-new ongoing series. Now, take one hell of a ride in a new trailer featuring Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski, Assistant Editor Chris Robinson and Writer Ed Brisson!
As the world continues to celebrate Marvel’s 80th anniversary this summer, Marvel revealed an exclusive new MARVEL COMICS #1000 D23 Expo variant cover to honor its birthday on August 31, featuring Mickey Mouse alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, drawn by legendary artist Humberto Ramos with colors by Edgar Delgado!
The web-head’s favorite redhead (and ours!) is spinning out of the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and into her own, all-new ongoing series! Coming this October.
Marvel Entertainment Unveils 2019 San Diego Comic-Con Marvel Booth and Signing Schedules
In celebration of Marvel's 80th anniversary this year, scores of comic creators – some Marvel icons, some first-timers – are assembling for an epic comic book story in honor of the very first issue of MARVEL COMICS. This August, get ready for MARVEL COMICS #1000, a massive collaborative effort that will see 80 different creative teams weave together one, expansive story.
Hitting comic shops this July – an all-new addition to the classic MARVELS graphic novel written by Kurt Busiek and fully painted by Alex Ross! And it’s a “Marvels” look at the “all-new, all-different” X-Men of the 1970s!
The melee is on as ACTS OF EVIL enters its final round! Modeled after the 1989-90 fan-favorite storyline Acts of Vengeance, ACTS OF EVIL pits Marvel mainstays against mismatched and unexpected foes, and this September, Ghost-Spider, Wolverine and Moon Knight will be the ones battling for their lives!
IDW Publishing announced the latest addition to their Marvel Action line of comics aimed at middle grade readers: Captain Marvel! From the stellar creative team of writer Sam Maggs (Marvel: Fearless and Fantastic! Female Superheroes Save the World), artist Sweeney Boo (My Little Pony), and colorist Brittany Peer, the first thrilling chapter hits stores in August!
Just as the Acts of Evil have taken over the Marvel Annuals for the summer, we couldn’t forget to spotlight our terrifying villains during Marvel’s 80th anniversary!
This summer, everyone is a target in ABSOLUTE CARNAGE, Marvel’s epic summer event!
Acclaimed creators Louise Simonson and June Brigman are bringing an all-new special story to the Marvel Universe this August, as POWER PACK’s young super heroes set the stage for an adventurous, thrilling ride!
The next monumental chapter for the X-Men is coming this July in POWERS OF X and HOUSE OF X – the upcoming series penned by critically acclaimed creator Jonathan Hickman!
This June, celebrate Spider-Man with a series of variant covers that show off the webslinger in the many epic costumes he’s worn over the years, including his stealth suit, symbiote suit, webbing suit, cosmic suit, Fantastic Four suit, and more!
Marvel Entertainment has announced that artist Pat Gleason will bring his distinctive style and ideas to Marvel in an exclusive agreement!
Last year, Marvel introduced the wildly popular Web of Venom series – a series of quarterly specials featuring new and exciting stories about the deadly symbiote that included some of the industry’s best talent. This August, Marvel invites you to once again explore new stories, exciting adventures, and thrilling surprises with a series of stories featuring Invisible Woman, The Thing, Human Torch, and Mr. Fantastic, all set within the continuity of the current Fantastic Four series!
This August, Marvel invites you to journey into the Hyborian Age with one of Robert E. Howard’s classic heroes! Witness a young and formidable Valeria, in a time before the fan-favorite “Red Nails” Conan story, as she treads the kingdoms of the Hyborian Age in search of revenge in an all-new story from Meredith Finch (Wonder Woman, Savage Sword of Conan) and artist Aneke (Red Sonja, DC’s Bombshells)!
Last month, Marvel announced the debut of ACTS OF EVIL – where Marvel’s most iconic heroes meet their match against some of Marvel’s most vicious villains!


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For all the long-term investors, the performance of Vinati Organics stock has been quite phenomenal. Shares of this midcap company have zoomed over 3,500 per cent in the last 10 years.
Notably, brokerages have maintained their bullish stance on the stock after the company posted its earnings for the quarter ended September 2022.
The company's net profit jumped 43 per cent to Rs 116 crore in the quarter ended September 2022 as against Rs 81 crore during the previous quarter ended September 2021. Net Sales rose 51 per cent to Rs 566.29 crore from Rs 374 crore same quarter last year.
Sharekhan said Vinati Organics’ dominant global market share in ATBS/IBB segments, niche product portfolio, capacity expansion/new product launches and massive export opportunity in the speciality chemical sector would drive sustained long-term high double-digit earnings growth. It has a 'Buy' call with a target price of Rs 2,500.
While suggesting a target of Rs 2,300, Nirmal Bang said VO is one of the very few companies from its coverage universe wherein it sees potential of 25 per cent EBITDA CAGR over the next five -years, backed by a strong track record, process innovation thrust and sound financials. While the margin profile might look tight for VO in the near future, the addition of ROCE-accretive projects will ensure an efficient capital allocation strategy, it added.
According to Geojit, the company's revenue growth momentum is expected to continue, given the strong demand for its key products, capacity expansion and higher contribution from new products. It values the company at a P/E of 38x on FY24E and has upgraded the rating to 'Buy' from 'Accumulate' with a target price of Rs 2,360.
"Vinati Organics Limited enjoys distinctive positioning by being a market leader in its two key products, viz, in 2- Acrylamido 2 Methylpropane Sulfonic Acid (ATBS) and Isobutyl Benzene (IBB) in the global market commanding more than 65% of the market share for both these products," Anuj Jain, Research Head and Co-Founder at Green Portfolio told Business Today.
"With strong balance sheet, robust margins and timely expansion via new and existing products justifies premium valuation. However, the short-term upside may be capped. In long term, the company looks like a promising story," Jain added.
Motilal Oswal believes that the demand outlook for the ATBS segment will remain quite strong going forward in the second half as well as for FY24. "We value the company at 40x FY24E EPS to arrive at our target price of Rs 2, 500. We reiterate our Buy rating on the stock," it said.
At 11:25 hours, the shares were trading 0.03 per cent lower at Rs 2115.85 on BSE.
Copyright©2023 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today

domain: news


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Posted May. 30, 2017 07:20,
Updated May. 30, 2017 07:23
Hyundai Wia, an auto-part maker and an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, has achieved localization of the all-wheel driving system (AWD) for the Stinger, a new sports performance sedan by Kia Motors.
On Monday, Hyundai Wia announced that it has entered the phase of mass production after finishing the development of Active Transfer Case (ATC), a rear heel based electronic AWD system.
ATC is a part that partially transfers power from rear to front, thereby powering the four wheels. While the local manufacturers had to depend on imports entirely for their demand for the part so far, Hyundai Wia has successfully developed the ATC for the first time in Korea.
The Korean auto-part maker also said their ATC is well equipped to compete with foreign products in terms of performance as well. The efficiency for power transfer from rear to front was maximized to prevent energy loss, and noise was also minimized. Mass production will be implemented at Hyundai Wia’s Changwon 2 Factory in South Gyeongsang Province, with an estimated number of units produced every year standing at 40,000 and over 17.8 million dollars of annual sales projected.


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Walt Disney Co., which has built its reputation on being a bastion for wholesome family entertainment, is about to release an album by Danzig--a heavy metal singer whose work is laced with satanic themes.
The album, "Blackacidevil," will be released by Disney's Hollywood Records division on Oct. 30--the day before Halloween and celebrated in some cities as "Devil's Night."
Danzig, a 20-year music industry veteran, has long denied that he is a satanist, according to his publicist. She also said that the new album contains no satanic references, but includes lots of "dark, Gothic and sexual" imagery.
Hollywood Records, which has been a financial embarrassment to Disney since its launch in 1990, wooed Danzig away from Time Warner's American Recordings for a lucrative seven-figure deal, sources said. Until now, Disney has shied away from affiliations with controversial rock and rap acts.
Several competitors questioned Disney's decision to sign such a controversial artist, particularly one who sells so few records. Sources said that no competitor even came close to Disney's bid for Danzig, whose recent recordings have not sold more than 500,000 copies each.
Disney has been branching beyond its franchise in family entertainment in recent years. It has been the target of conservative and Christian fundamentalist criticism for several movies released by Disney-owned Miramax. And some groups are boycotting the company in part because it extended same-sex benefits to its employees. Disney executives declined comment.


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Vistara’s new service for solo women travellers
March 8 (TravelAndy): On the occasion of International Women’s Day today, the airline Vistara has launched a service called #VistaraWomanFlyer for women travellers.
As part of the new service, which the airline claims to be the first of its kind in the industry, Vistara will assign preferred seats to women and will also provide baggage and transport assistance on arrival for women travelling alone.
“Our customers can pre-select their preferred seats during booking, after booking through the ‘manage my booking’ feature, as well as during web check-in. Even if the woman traveler has not pre-selected a preferred seat in advance, we will ensure only a window or aisle seat is assigned at check-in. In addition, uniformed Vistara staff will be available at the baggage claim area holding #VistaraWomanFlyer Arrivals Assistance placards, to assist women travellers with their luggage and with the booking of airport-authorised taxis, as well as escort such customers up to the taxi stand upon their request,” the airline said in a statement.
Vistara, a full-service airline, is a joint venture between Tata Sons Ltd. and Singapore Airlines.


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Before implementing a major reform throughout the country, China often tests policies in small regions. This gives central and regional governments experimental data and insight into the critically important details of policy. Sanming city, in East China's Fujian province, has been one of the pilot cities for healthcare reform.
Let's take a look at China's top 10 provincial-level regions with the highest GDP last year.
The 2017 China (Xiamen) International VR and AR Expo will take place between Mar 24 and 26 in Xiamen, as an event launched to foster connections between leading solution providers with brands and customers.
The route has been launched by XiamenAir and is operating Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners for the 14.5-hour flight.
Jomoo Kitchen & Bath Co Ltd, one of China's biggest sanitary manufacturers, said it will be adding smart manufacturing to its operations, in a move to expand its presence in global markets.
According to Sunnews.cn, the city accrued in excess of $900 million in 2016 from exporting fitness equipment.


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As the year draws to a close, BlackBerry CEO John Chen has been rather vocal about his company’s smartphone strategy. He’s already talked about the reasoning behind the creation of the BlackBerry Classic and last week Chen said that the phone was just a point of entry, or one part of BlackBerry’s larger strategy. When pressed, Chen was quoted as saying, “Smartphones will not matter in the long term.”
Just a few days after that interview aired, Chen has taken to LinkedIn to reiterate his point. Speaking via a blog post titled “Don’t Believe The Hype,” Chen said that in the interest of being straightforward, the company’s focus is on security and not the consumer market or China. Believing that it’s better to “tell it like it is” than to give in to the temptation to chase hype and trends, Chen cites Kim Kardashian and China as examples of BlackBerry hype.
“For example, recently I’ve been advised to capitalize on Kim Kardashian’s pronouncements that BlackBerry phones are her “heart and soul,” or talk up plans to enter the China market, however preliminary they are today,” Chen wrote. “I am grateful for Kim’s loyalty and respect her passion for BlackBerry, but it is not the right time for us to focus on the consumer market.”
He is, of course, referring to reports that he met with Lenovo, Xiaomi, and HTC to explore growth in China. In a recent interview, Chen expressed interest in expanding the company’s Chinese presence through partnerships. Chen said today that the plan for China will be ‘well thought out’ and will account for timing, and the company’s long-term strategy, among other things. One thing Chen seems sure of is that it won’t involve a takeover.
“It won’t be rushed because it’s exciting or turned away from because of security concerns. And it won’t include a takeover.”
For now, though, BlackBerry will focus on “extending [its] legendary security foundation with new solutions for the enterprise,” and Chen is adamant that this will not change.


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KC man creates special coffee blend for Pope Francis
Pope to drink Tracy Allen's coffee during U.S. visit next week
When Pope Francis arrives in the United States next week, his morning coffee will be a blend created in Kansas City.
Tracy Allen, whose business Brewed Behavior helps coffee growers and coffee roasters around the world improve their coffee, created the blend.
Pope Francis likely became aware of Allen’s work through business Allen does in Italy. The pope asked Allen to create a blend for him and his staff to drink while they’re in the U.S.
“It’s a bit overwhelming, obviously,” Allen said. “Humbling.”
Allen said he started by doing his homework. He said he learned Pope Francis loves many types of food and is also an expert in wine.
“So we got to have a little more fun with it. I took a few more risks. You know how that can go,” Allen said. “And it actually paid off.”
Among all the things Allen has done in the world of coffee, he can now say the Pope Francis is a customer.
“I have all the faith in the world in my team and the work that’s been done leading up to this,” Allen said. “It’s so great to be able to reward them with saying, ‘We got this.’”


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Google has opened a bug bounty program for its Play store to help it discover vulnerabilities and improve security.
The program does not cover every app in the app repository, however.
All Android apps developed by Google are in scope for the bounty program, which is run by HackerOne.
Apps from Alibaba, Dropbox, Duolingo, Headspace, Line, Mail.ru, Snapchat and Tinder also qualify for bounties, but vulnerabilities have to be submitted to the companies in question first.
Google has also limited the vulnerabilities that qualify for bounties to remote code execution (RCE) on user devices running Android 4.4 or higher.
Specifically, Google asks for proofs of concept for RCE vulnerabilities that allow attackers to gain full control of devices.
Other types of vulnerabilities that qualify for rewards include those that cause banking apps to make money transfers without user consent, and open webviews that could lead to phishing attacks.
Researchers up to US$31,337 with an additional discretionary bonus of US$1000 under the Play security rewards program.
Reports of malware infecting Google's Play Store have become more common in recent years.
In August Google pulled more than 500 apps from the store after they were found to contain a software development kit (SDK) that could download malicious plug-ins at will. That same month researchers discovered banking malware hiding in the app store as well as a botnet controller.


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|By JCN Newswire||
|June 25, 2014 01:54 AM EDT||
In China, SDK increased the production capacity for high-purity ammonia at its subsidiary in Zhejiang Province in January this year. This month, the subsidiary started shipments by ISO tank container on a full scale, in addition to conventional shipments by cylinder, to meet brisk demand from customers.
In Taiwan and Singapore, we completed expansions of high-purity-gas stockpiling warehouses at our distribution bases by the end of last year. This will enable us to expand high-purity gas sales in East Asia and the ASEAN region. At the same time, we expanded our sales/marketing functions in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, and Singapore, establishing a system for speedily responding to the needs of customers in the countries in East Asia and the ASEAN region.
Furthermore, we will step up our waste-gas-disposal activities, in addition to the production and supply of high-purity gases. Thus, we will aim to strengthen the integrated supply system and establish our status as a leading high-purity gas supplier.
High-purity gases are used in the manufacturing processes of semiconductors, liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for deposition of oxide and nitride films, etching, and cleaning. Demand for high-purity gases is growing especially in East Asia, where electronics production sites are integrated.
SDK is the sole manufacturer in the world that supplies wide-ranging high-purity gases based on ammonia, chlorine, and fluorine. In the process of supplying these products, SDK controls containers, offers the impurity ultramicroanalytical technology, and provides quality assurance to serve customer needs.
About Showa Denko
Showa Denko K.K. ('SDK'; TSE: 4004, US: SHWDF) is a major manufacturer and marketer of chemical products serving a wide range of fields ranging from heavy industry to the electronic and computer industries. SDK makes petrochemicals (ethylene, propylene), aluminum products (ingots, rods), electronic equipment (hard disks for computers) and inorganic materials (ceramics, carbons). The company has overseas operations and a joint venture with Netherlands-based Montell and Nippon Petrochemicals to make and market polypropylenes. In March 2001, SDK merged with Showa Denko Aluminum Corporation to strengthen the high-value-added fabricated aluminum products operations, and is today developing next-generation optical communications-use wafers. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp .
Source: Showa Denko
Showa Denko (SDK) Public Relations Office Tel: +81-3-5470-3235
Copyright 2014 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.japancorp.net
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Here is a new update from the VISIT DENVER organization on further details surrounding the upcoming week-long Denver Beer Fest being planned for September 18-27, 2009. Looks like all existing activities are being pulled into this heading as well as many new events being launched. Read below for details. - ChipperDave
Local Attractions, Hotels, Restaurants, Breweries and Neighborhoods
Provide Unique Experiences Throughout Denver Beer Fest
VISIT DENVER Works to Highlight City’s Authentic Beer Legacy During 10-Day Fest
DENVER – (July 30, 2009) – Denver’s claim as one of the world’s great beer cities continues to hold true as venues across the city team up with various breweries, offering an unparalleled foray into the brewers’ world during the first Denver Beer Fest (www.DenverBeerFest.com), September 18-27, 2009.
The 10-day celebration of beer-centric experiences will include beer tastings at restaurants and taverns, beer-paired dinners, “meet the brewer” nights, beer tappings, brewery tours, and a variety of entertaining beer events.
Denver Beer Fest will be a celebration of all-things beer leading up to America’s most prestigious beer festival and competition, the Brewers Association’s Great American Beer Festival (GABFSM). Denver Beer Fest also bridges the two weekends of Denver’s Oktoberfest on Larimer Street.
Additional beer events VISIT DENVER supports during Denver Beer Fest include*:
· Former brew pub owner and current Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper will tap the first keg Sept. 18 at 4 p.m., proclaiming Sept. 18-27 as Denver Beer Fest.
· Rioja, Vesta Dipping Grill, Stubens, TAG, Elways, Rialto Café, Oceanaire, the Tavern, Duo and many other restaurants will be offering beer-pairing dinners, many with the brewer present.
· Pints for Prostates at Wynkoop Brewery will host a beer tasting of twenty rare beers.
· “Beer and Burlesque, Tastings and Tassels,” including an Avery Brewery tasting and “meet the brewer” night at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret, Sept. 21.
· The Golden Hotel will be promoting events featuring the rare Coor’s Barman beer.
· Cheeky Monk Belgian Beer Café will offer the “Cheek to Cheek” beer day trip to Winter Park.
· Boulder Country Brews Cruise will start with a breakfast of champions and runs all day.
· WaterCourse Foods will provide two evenings of beer tastings and a three-course pairings dinner.
*Subject to change.
The Web site, www.DenverBeerFest.com, will be a one-stop shop for all things beer that week. Scharf explained that a similar beer extravaganza in Philadelphia, timed around their annual beer festival, created 60 beer events the first year, but swelled to 600 new beer events the second year.
Two landmark events bookend the 10-day Denver Beer Fest:
· Oktoberfest on Larimer Street: This 40-year Denver tradition will be held Sept. 18-20 and Sept. 25-27. Modeled after Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, Oktoberfest on Larimer Street commemorates this world-famous and time-honored tradition of German heritage. The festival has truly become a Denver mainstay offering music from national touring groups, performances by international dancers, children’s activities, the Oktoberfest Denver 10K /5K Run, the Long Dog Derby, an accordion concert, and authentic cuisine.
· The Brewers Association’s 28th Great American Beer Festival (GABF) at the Colorado Convention Center: The GABF, Sept. 24-26, has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as offering the largest number of beer’s tapped of any place on earth and attracts 46,000 beer lovers each year, as well as the nation’s top beer writers and critics. More than 400 breweries are expected to attend, offering more than 2,000 beers for tastings and medal competitions.
“VISIT DENVER started Denver Restaurant Week five years ago to increase awareness of Denver’s fine dining,” Scharf said. “In five years, we’ve seen Restaurant Week grow from 84 restaurants to 225 this past year, with nearly 300,000 special-priced meals being served. We are inspired by the success of restaurant week, and the business it drove for our local restaurants. We hope Denver Beer Fest will increase awareness, both locally and nationally, of Denver’s important role in the nation’s brewing industry and of how many fine beers are made and sold in Colorado.”
About VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau
Celebrating 100 years of promoting the Mile High City, VISIT DENVER is a nonprofit trade association that contracts with the City of Denver to market Denver as a convention and leisure destination, increasing economic development in the city, creating jobs and generating taxes. Tourism is the second largest industry in Denver, generating $3.1 billion in annual spending in 2008, while supporting 65,000 jobs. For more information on Denver call 800-2-DENVER or visit Denver’s official Web site at VISITDENVER.com.
C * H * E * E * R * S
- Details start arriving on Denver Beer Fest
- Denver Rare Beer Tasting
- Two official beer weeks coming to Denver
This article came from FermentedlyChallenged.com
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Sonimpex Topoloveni, the producer of the famous Topoloveni Plum Jam (magiun), recently opened a store in Bucharest’s District 2.
Located at the intersection between Carol I Blvd. and Calea Mosilor, the store sells plum jam, vegetable mix called zacusca, tomato paste and other products within the Topoloveni brand.
“We open this store because we want to give consumers a place where they can find our products at the best prices, to be sure of the quality of what they buy,” said Bibiana Stanciulov, general manager of Sonimpex Topoloveni, quoted by local Agerpres.
The new store will stay open from Monday to Friday, between 10:00 and 20:00, and Saturday between 9:00 and 17:00.
The Topoloveni plum jam (“Magiunul de prune Topoloveni”) has become one of the 1,000 products included in the European quality system in 2011, after it was included in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications, according to the European Commission.
Irina Popescu, [email protected]
(photo source: Magiun de prune Topoloveni facebook page)


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Dusit showcases hotel portfolio to Indian market
Leading Thailand hotel and property developer Dusit International has demonstrated its commitment to India by organising a roadshow to showcase its hotel portfolio.
‘India Roadshow 2018’ reflects the company’s focus on India as a source market for its hotels and resorts, and as well as showcasing its distinctive properties to the Indian travel trade fraternity, the event featured one-day workshops in Mumbai and Bangalore.
On both occasions, Dusit executives presented the company’s award-winning properties in Thailand, Maldives, and Dubai, as well as key openings in 2018 across Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam. They also revealed how they are exploring options to open Dusit-branded properties, under hotel management or franchise models, in India within the next three-to-five years.
Outbound travel from India – increasing by approximately 25 per cent per year and expected to reach 50 million travellers by 2020 – is a huge market that offers massive potential for hospitality companies.
Prachoom Tantiprasertsuk, vice president Sales, Dusit International, said India ranks ninth for Dusit International in terms of room nights overall and the target is to make India its fifth largest source market by the end of 2018.
As a source market, he said the Indian market consumed 45,000 room nights in Dusit properties in 2017, and the target is to grow that to 80,000 room nights this year.
“As evidenced by the recent opening of our new Global Sales Office in Mumbai, India is a key market for our international properties, and this roadshow is just one of the ways we are actively promoting our brands and gracious hospitality to Indian travellers,” he explained.
“Taking into account our own expansion, which will see our current tally of 27 properties top 80 worldwide within the next four-to-five years, we will be well positioned to leverage the rapid growth of India’s outbound market with a plethora of options for MICE and leisure travellers.
“As brand recognition in India increases, we will also look to tap into the lucrative domestic market, with Dusit-branded properties in key cities nationwide.”


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One cheesy tour is making its way across San Antonio
- Staff San Antonio Business Journal
Loafing around is a good thing — if you happen to be a cheese maker.
Tillamook, the 101-year-old, farmer-owned brand of cheeses, is doing just that in San Antonio as part of the cheese maker’s Loaf Love Tour.
The tour, comprised of three refurbished VW buses made to look like loafs of cheddar cheese, are rolling around the city through Nov. 11.
More info, including the tour’s full and detailed schedule, can visit www.LoafLoveTour.com.
Tillamook’s first-ever cross-country event will stop at grocery stores, farmers’ markets, neighborhoods and special events to spread the love of Tillamook’s cheddar to consumers in 100 cities and eight different states throughout the Western U.S. Event attendees will have the chance to learn about Tillamook while sampling their all-natural cheddars made in the Pacific Northwest using the highest-quality milk from humanely raised cows not treated with artificial growth hormones.
The Fourth Annual Run Around the Lake — Run for Wounded Warriors event brought in a record $21,660 donation in support of the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). This represents an increase of more than 73 percent compared to the previous record of $12,512 in 2009.
Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses J.M. Waller Associates Inc., Halfaker and Associates LLC and Tripol-E covered the entire cost of the event, ensuring that 100 percent of the $21,660 raised goes directly to the WWP’s mission to honor and empower injured service men and women.
The Fourth Annual Run Around the Lake – Run for Wounded Warriors consisted of a 4.7-mile run/walk held as a way to show support and appreciation for wounded warriors from all branches of the military. A record number of 406 runners and 60 donors combined to form the largest field in the event’s four-year history. Representatives from WWP participated in the run, and were on hand for a post-run ceremony that included a check presentation to wounded warriors following the event.
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Battlefield 3: Up to Date Info
So gamers, as “D-Day” slowly looms before us, more and more information about EA and DICE’s new FPS “Battlefield 3” is being leaked out on a daily basis. Ever since we all got a glimpse of actual game footage two months ago, more and more first person fans are coming out of the wood-works. Even during the E3 Conference two weeks ago, Activision’s head honcho and Mr. Curious, Bobby Kotick, was turned away by reps from EA when he asked to get a look at the competition. My opinion of this is due to the fact that their yearly “cash cow” “Call of Duty” is only 60% finished and was probably trying to see what new innovations he can bring to light to the developers at Sledgehammer and the remnants of Infinity Ward to give them an edge. From what I’ve seen of “Modern Warfare 3,” they are going to need that desperately. I have to admit, when I first watched the video I thought to myself, “Holy crap! I’ve never seen such clarity in the environment. It actually looks like I’m standing right behind the gun.” But alas, when I heard said footage was of PC game play, my heart dropped a little. Would I have to shell out an arm and a leg to build a rig with the right specs to run this game, or will it look the same for the console import? On Thursday, June 16, 2011, DICE and EA decided to put all the rumors to rest by unveiling actual game play footage from the Playstation 3 on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.”
Even more news was released stating that DICE chose to run “Battlefield 3” at 30 FPS. Well, when asked why they were not going to run it at 60 FPS, Dice’s Johan Andersson replied, “No, we always do 30 FPS on consoles, not possible to fit in vehicles, fx, scale and all players otherwise.” This suits me just fine, because game after game DICE has done what they felt was right to bring us a superior product that holds longevity in replay value. If you take away the vehicles, destruction 2.0 and large maps what do you have? “Call of Duty.” And I for damn sure don’t want that for $60+.


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In something of a surprise move, General Motors CEO Dan Akerson will announce his resignation today, and name Mary Barra as his successor, making her the first woman to pilot the auto giant, according to multiple reports. Barra started at GM as an engineering co-op student way back in 1980, and has since risen to product development chief, according to the AP. Bloomberg adds that she started out at the same Pontiac plant her father worked at for 39 years.
Barra got the job heading up vehicle development in early 2011, less than six months into Akerson's tenure, and oversaw, among other vehicles, the Chevy Impala, the first US sedan to take top Consumer Reports honors in 20 years, and the Cadillac CTS, Motor Trend's car of the year. The move comes immediately after the Treasury sold its remaining shares in the automaker, and Businessweek thinks that, coupled with Akerson's departure, signals the end of an era. Akerson and Uncle Sam took GM from the brink of annihilation to 15 straight profitable quarters. (Read more General Motors stories.)


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Manufacturers unite to target reshoring opportunities
Image credit: UK Manufacturing Unite
An initiative to build UK industrial capability and increase reshoring has secured £625,000 of orders in its opening few weeks.
UK Manufacturing Unite (#UkMfgUnite) was launched in response to a national effort to produce more critical components and essential equipment at home. It represents the first step in the sector’s fightback against the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Created by manufacturers for manufacturers, the movement urges more firms to come together to collaborate, share practice and find practical solutions for developing domestic supply chains.
Over 35 companies – ranging from AW Precision, Brandauer, Bruderer UK and Composite Integration to ENL, Fife Fabrications and Photofab – have already signed up to the online platform that will act as a central place for sourcing supply solutions and getting answers to the key issues that businesses are facing.
“We wanted an idea that would bring the manufacturing community together by simply asking, ‘What do you need help with and are you in a position to help others?’ As a nation, we need something to happen right now,” said Garry Myatt, collaboration director, #UkMfgUnite.
“Covid-19 has underlined the need for engineers to pull together, to innovate as allies and to build our networks closer to home so we can mitigate supply chain risk. Ultimately, what we need are collaborating engineers - ‘sharing networks, disciplines and advice’.”
“Collaborationeers, if you like, are a new breed of manufacturer evolving day by day to tackle the critical challenge of helping to care for a nation; to build economic stability; to increase UK productivity; encourage reshoring, and ultimately lay down a foundation for future generations to come.”
An accompanying website (www.ukmfgunite.co.uk) is already live and will be the focal point of the initiative, offering an online directory where companies can find suppliers, new opportunities and the answers to manufacturing concerns.
Each company will have a listing and a description of what they do, with the opportunity to post thought-leadership articles and best-practice blogs, as well as engage directly with other members in conversation on the interactive forum.
There will also be a section for videos showcasing collaborations, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and new technologies being developed in the UK.
“With any new initiative, it’s great to get off to a positive start with a few ‘wins’,” added Myatt.
“We got this immediately when a request was tabled for a UK manufacturer of cable looms in high volumes to support the Ventilator Challenge UK consortium. PP Control & Automation successfully tendered and is now in the process of manufacturing 50,000 units in just four weeks.
“This was quickly followed by two members working together to source and manufacture vital PPE, whilst another six enquiries have been logged this week alone.”
#UkMfgUnite is aiming to attract 100 members by the end of June. It is open primarily to all manufacturers regardless of size, sector or specialism. There is also an additional joining option for associate supporters who are passionate about the future of UK manufacturing.
The not-for-profit concept is hoping to play a central role in bringing manufacturing work back to the UK and building supply chain capability so that companies might avoid some of the issues seen during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Malaysia kicked off the much anticipated Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign, in a roadshow with MATTA (Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents) covering Four cities of South India -namely Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Kochi from 23 rd to 26 th September 2019.
The Consul General of Malaysia, SaravananKarathihayan, MohamadTaib Ibrahim, Senior Director of Tourism Malaysia, Datuk Tan Kok Liang, President of MATTA (Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents), Logi DhasanThanaraj, Deputy Director of Tourism Malaysia for South India and SriLanka, Gopalan Mariappan, Chairman of Selangor Chapter for MATTA and many other dignitaries gracefully launched the roadshow in Ramada Plaza, Chennai which welcomes the biggest tourism event in Malaysia, starting next year.
A total number of 27 participants from Malaysia, comprising a combination of 21-travel agents, 3 product owners, Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Malindo Air and Sarawak Tourism Board will come together to share the latest development of Malaysian tourism, and to promote the Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign aggressively. The aim is to provide a platform for Malaysian sellers to meet potential buyers besides enhancing strategic networking with travel agencies, online travel agencies, tourism associations and the media.
The Consul General of Malaysia, SaravananKarathihayan stated, "The VM2020 roadshow puts emphasis on India as one of the main potential market for the country. In 2018, 600,311 (+8.6%) Indian tourists visited Malaysia and spent almost RM 2.7 billion. Statistic from January until June 2019 show that a total of 354,486 with the growth of 15.2% Indian visited Malaysia compared to same period last year. For the record, Malaysia is aiming a target of 728,000 Indian tourists to visit Malaysia, assisted by three Tourism Malaysia offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai."
“Tourism in Malaysia is doing well with steady arrivals and tourism development”, stated Mr Muhammad Taib Ibrahim. International tourist arrivals from January to June showed a +4.9% positive growth from 12,730,368 (2018) to 13,354,575. Top ten international tourist arrivals for the first half of 2019 were from Singapore (5,381,566), Indonesia (1,857,864), China (1,558,782), Thailand (990,565), Brunei (627,112), India (354,486), South Korea (323,952), Philippines (210,974), Vietnam (200,314) and Japan (196,561).ASEAN arrivals continued to dominate the share of tourist arrivals to Malaysia with a 70% contribution. The medium-haul market and long-haul market occupied a 21% share and a 9% share respectively.Overall, the performance of the short-haul, medium-haul and long-haul markets registered positive increase with 4.7%, 7.1% and 1.8% growth respectively compared to the first half of 2018.“In terms of visa, the Malaysian government always facilitates Indian tourists’ entry with ease, since the introduction of eNTRI and eVISa,” he added.
Ibrahim reiterated that Malaysia is going full-force in reaching out to the world using the help of the web. “The campaign’s focus is on digital marketing through a dedicated VM2020 website, the use of hashtags for VisitMalaysia2020, VM2020 and MalaysiaTrulyAsia,” he added.
International tourism fairs’ participation as well as Mega Familiarisationprogrammesare already in place, as Malaysia hopes to reach Indian solo or business travelers, families, honeymooners, or film makers to choose Malaysia as a preferred destination. Many development took place from south to north of Malaysia, in addition to Borneo’s wonderful natural landscape. For instance, in state of Johor, there are new attractions in Desaru Coast – an integrated beach destination spanning 3,900 acres where tourists can enjoy golfing at the renowned Els Club, stay in Hard Rock, the Westin or other beach hotels, or have fun at the water theme park with one of the biggest wave pools in the world! In latest addition, the interactive sea aquarium in Legoland Malaysia, the Sea Life has some 13,000 fishes and 120 types of species on display.
More fun await families or thrill-seekers, as many new indoor entertainment parks are booming, like Superpark in Avenue K, My Best Box in Berjaya Times Square, Futureland Fun Zone in Sunway Pyramid, and VR’s hotspot the Rift in Mid Valley Mega Mall and Skytropolis in Genting. Dato KL TAN, President of MATTA stated that, “ MATTA is covering the potential tourists rich cities of Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Kochi through the MTEX (MATTA Travel Exchange) a trade event designed for Malaysian inbound tourism players to sell and market Malaysian tourism products to counterparts in India and establish business networking and partnerships for better business working conditions to entice more tourists to choose Malaysia as their next holiday destination”.
LogiDhasanThanaraj, Deputy Director of Tourism Malaysia (South India & SriLanka) stated that, “International tourism fairs’ participation as well as Mega Familiarization programs were already in place, as Malaysia hopes to reach the film makers, the students market and Wedding planners to choose Malaysia as the preferred destination”.
“Apart from the traditional areas of growth, MATTA continues to focus on digital by encouraging more of its members to move into the e-commerce space and offer digital alternatives when buying and selling tourism products and services” as stated by Gopalan Mariappan, Chairman of Selangor Chapter for MATTA. For VM2020, Malaysia targets 30 million international tourist arrivals and RM 100 billion in receipts.


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The devices will be sold exclusively through Best Buy and Amazon.com and via the retailer's chain of brick-and-mortar stores.
The press release reveals that more than ten new TV models from Insignia (Best Buy's own brand) and Toshiba will become available in the next few months. The Fire Edition TVs by Insignia and Toshiba are created to work seamlessly with Amazon's own voice assistant Alexa. At the same time, if you're convinced, running to Amazon for a cheaper price will take you straight back to Best Buy.
When it comes to Amazon Fire TV devices, there's a little more to the equation than when FireOS was only for tablets and smartphones.
Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly said the new Fire TVs will provide customers with a "incredible user experience".
Amazon and Best Buy were once mortal enemies. Other streaming services, such as Netflix, HBO, PlayStation Vue, Hulu, as well as Amazon Prime, will be included.
The two announced a partnership on Wednesday that will bring 10 new AmazonFire TV Edition smart TVs to Best Buy in 2018 from manufacturers like Toshiba and Insignia. But this move feels bigger, if only because consumers often go to physical stores to look at a TV before making a purchase. Issuing commands to your Alexa-enabled remote control can be used to set lighting and sound for ideal TV viewing conditions with appropriate accessory hardware. The highlight feature of the Smart TVs is, of course, the Alexa integration. They make the most money when they sell products that run software they've engineered to sell more products to the end user.
IN force the pace on Cavaliers The top-seeded Rockets had their hands full with the No. 8 Timberwolves on a night where Houston made just 10 of 37 3-pointers. Chris Paul added two free throws after that for Houston, but a tip-in by Karl-Anthony Towns got Minnesota back within 3.
In recent years, the TV industry has been moving more toward having operating systems embedded into the TVs themselves instead of relying on extra devices to provide access to streaming content, said Stephen Baker, an analyst with the NPD Group.
Best Buy gets to serve Amazon's enormous online customer base directly for the first time, and Amazon, which only has a small fleet of stores, can show products that customers like to see in person at hundreds of well trafficked locations across the United States.
Barbara Bush in failing health She is also known for her sense of humor, once joking that her husband couldn't keep a job, but that, at least, he wasn't boring. She was also Second Lady from 1981 until 1989 while her husband served as vice president in Ronald Reagan's administration.
Armenians voted for a more accountable political system, but the ex-president's job switch is evoking the specter of one-man rule. Activists opposed to Serzh Sargsyan as prime minister have been marching through Vanadzor, Armenia's third largest city.
Further, the report studies the market share held by the key players and forecast their growth during the next couple of years. Wealthcare Cap Ltd Liability Com holds 0.01% of its portfolio in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT ) for 1,087 shares.
She continued to 60 Minutes: "And then he leaned around and looked at my daughter and said, 'That's a attractive little girl". She said that as she walked around her auto , she dropped a toy belonging to her infant daughter who was in vehicle .
In Wisconsin, Tigerton and Big Falls, got more than 2 feet of snow over the weekend, the National Weather Service reported. There have been three deaths blamed on the storm system, which stretched from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes.
The Company said that the previously announced investigation into an allegation of misconduct against Sir Martin has concluded. Sir Martin said last week that he rejected the allegation "unreservedly but recognise that the company has to investigate it".
Her show was replete with a long list of references to America's historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Last year, the 36-year-old singer established a merit scholarship program to support young women.
But France says it has conclusive proof that "chemical weapons were used and that they were used by Assad's regime". The airstrikes were triggered by an alleged chemical attack in the town of Douma, just outside of Damascus.
A second-grade male student took out a knife after he put his backpack away and cut three others, according to the Star Tribune. Police describe the injuries as minor, but two students required stitches because they were cut in the back of the head.
Pittenger is sponsoring legislation that would strengthen the US national security review process for foreign investments . As part of the agreement, ZTE said it would dismiss four members of senior staff to discipline 35 more.
Former US first lady Barbara Bush dies at 92
Don't underestimate the power of her message or the example she set by doing something that was so controversial at the time. In 2013, she attended the same-sex wedding in Kennebunkport, Maine, of her friends Bonnie Clement and Helen Thorgalsen.
Night Court Star Harry Anderson Passes Away
He became a street performer and reportedly ran a lucrative shell game on the streets of San Francisco for a time. He actually started his show business career as a street magician, and fell into acting by some happy accidents.
Philadelphia 76ers: 3 takeaways from Game 1 vs. Heat
Veteran Amir Johnson will likely start in place of the injured Embiid in Game 1 of the Sixers' first-round playoff series. Oh wait, the Sixers actually DID blow out the Miami Heat? 42 games worth, where he's also started in 24 playoff games.
Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls Announced
At this point we'd be shocked if Konami ever committed to making another big, or even medium, budget Castlevania game on consoles. Genya ArikadoA mysterious person belonging to the confidential organization of the Japanese government.
Bryce Harper breaks bat on 406-ft home run
No matter, however, as Harper was still able place the ball 406 feet into the seats at Shea Stadium. Since the start of last season he has hit.377 (23-of-61) with six homers and 13 RBIs against them.
China to scrap foreign auto ownership limits by 2022
China imposed ownership restrictions in 1994, limiting foreign carmakers to owning no more than a 50% share of any local venture. Limits on foreign ownership of electric vehicle producers will be eliminated this year, the Cabinet's planning agency said.


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The organizer of the Fakuma trade show has announced to exhibitors that it is canceling the 2020 event, which had been scheduled for Oct. 13-17 in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
The decision comes as a growing number of exhibitors, including major plastics machinery makers, have announced that they were not going to actively participate at the trade show because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
P.E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG, the show organizer, sent exhibitors an email announcing the decision July 23. It noted that the 2021 show would have been the 27th Fakuma. That distinction will now fall to the next Fakuma, which is scheduled for Oct. 12-16, 2021.
"This decision is based on rational thinking and our sense of responsibility, and we feel certain that you'll support our choice," the email to exhibitors said. Plastics News and its European partner Sustainable Plastics were Fakuma exhibitors, and planned to produce English-language daily newspapers at the trade fair.
Schall officials said they thought that Fakuma could have been held safely in 2020, with some changes.
"Together with all involved parties, we struggled for a long time to amend the general conditions demanded by the corona pandemic in such a way that Fakuma 2020 could have been successful. A hygiene and security concept was developed for safe event promotion expressly to this end," the email said.
"But current uncertainties, for example with regard to sending an adequate number of employees to the event, are making it necessary to look to the year 2021 with pragmatism and confidence."
The email said exhibitors will soon receive details on participation in a virtual Fakuma, where they can highlight innovations and products.
Fakuma is the latest in a long string of international plastics industry events that have either canceled or postponed since the March, or transformed to virtual events. Fakuma, which is held annually except for during K show years, would have been the largest plastics show in Europe in 2020.
Fakuma seemed likely to cancel or postpone when a growing number of major plastics machinery makers announced that they would not actively participate in the show. Austria's Wittmann Group was the first, on June 22. It was followed by Engel, KraussMaffei, Sumitomo and others, including auxiliary equipment and materials suppliers.


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As we bid farewell to a tumultuous year for the media industry, what lies in store for the PR industry for 2019? PR Consultant, Rhiannon Sager analyses the biggest PR trends predicted to transform the way businesses approach their PR strategy, and how to best integrate them into existing PR strategies.
The past year has witnessed a seismic shift in the media landscape with online media outlets continuing to grow at a rapid rate, leading to the inevitable closure of an alarming number of print media publications. This monumental change has forced businesses to move away from more traditional PR strategies and embrace the new opportunities the digital world presents.
I have identified three key trends which look set to impact on the way businesses approach their PR strategies:
A shift towards content-based PR
As the volume of news content consumers are bombarded with grows, and time pressures increase, in order to cut though this noise and deliver content which consumers truly engage with, a PR professional needs to be able to craft well thought-out and desirable content.
Content in PR is increasingly being used to tell a brand’s story, engage and deliver value to the audience rather than simply providing key words for search engines. Creating original, thought-provoking content can give anyone on the internet the chance to find this content and use a quote for an article, contact a business for a new press opportunity or include a direct weblink as a resource.
In addition, if businesses have content under a specific industry figure-head, pitching journalists will be easier because they will have proven themselves to be a credible source when they search for more information.
Linkless mentions in media coverage become more important
Backlinks are one of the strongest measures and generators of web traffic and so securing a press mention or feature that links to the business website has been the ultimate goal for PR campaigns. The consequence of this was the inclusion of a particular web link being the priority for media coverage, rather than the quality of the press coverage secured or value of the audience reached. However, as technology improves, search engines are becoming smarter and can better understand the context of a press mention even without a direct website link, leading to linkless media mentions now proving effective within campaigns.
The direct consequence of this advance is an even greater need for brands to ensure its web content is truly unique and engaging to ensure search engines can recognise specific content linked to a brand.
A move away from Press Releases
While press releases are still relevant and should remain a key element within a PR strategy, the reality is most businesses aren’t constantly releasing new groundbreaking services or products or doing newsworthy things. Therefore, it is advisable to start to look at alternative ways of gain and maintain media attention as well as engage with new audiences.
One way businesses can look at earning press attention is through services like HARO (Help a Reporter Out), which helps journalists find potential sources for their articles.
This can even be taken offline by networking with leaders, subject matter experts, and media contacts at industry events. At these events, quotes may be exchanged and banked for upcoming articles. This helps build relationships with these contacts, turning a simple conversation or an expert quote into a potential lead or a future resource for press mentions or other content.
To best prepare for success in 2019, businesses should ensure they are aware of these trends. Where possible and budget permits, businesses should look at whether there is scope to integrate at least some, if not all, of the changes outlined into their PR strategy. The most important aspect to focus on, which is a common theme running through the changes, is content. If businesses can devote time and resource to developing rich content, they will be best placed to reap the rewards from their communications.


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Technically Incorrect: Apple's CEO tweets a photo of the Denver Broncos' celebrations, presumably taken with his iPhone. It wasn't a good photo.
Sure, there was a football game, but tweets and other social media posts showed most people focused on everything but the plays.
A mysterious object is believed to have fallen from the sky in India over the weekend, blasting out windows and causing an explosion that left one dead.
When a pattern of bizarre messages began piling up in my inbox, I turned to the source for answers: Google.
A new smartphone-based headset reportedly will feature improved sensors and lenses housed in a solid plastic casing.
The Audiophiliac compares a $380 stereo audio system with one of the very best sound bars, and even he was surprised by what he heard.
Samsung's next big phone reveal is just weeks away, and we think we already know quite a bit about it.
Pricing not available
From the Cheapskate: Well, after you install them, that is. Plus: one of the best Xbox One deals ever!
In this edition of Ask Maggie, CNET's Marguerite Reardon offers thoughts on when to get a bargain on a TV and why this year in particular is likely to offer some great deals.
A new study taps data supplied by everyday phone users just like you. The winner might not be who you were expecting.


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TTA ventures into energy
Thoresen Thai Agencies Plc, a leading dry-bulk shipper, is looking to expand abroad into logistics and energy businesses as part of a diversification to protect profits when freight rates fall.
The company's earnings dropped sharply last year due to a drop in demand for shipping. Managing director M.L.Chandchutha Chandratat said it expected lower net profit again in the business year that ends in September.
"Freight rates look no better in the second half as China is likely to see slower imports, while the number of dry-bulk vessels keeps rising," he said.
The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for shipping dry commodities, hit a 14-month low on Wednesday.
"That's why we will keep looking to invest in other businesses," he said."We started the planning in the previous year and the investment should generate significant income over the next two years."
"The deals we are looking at should be worth $5-20 million each."
Thoresen will report third-quarter earnings in mid-August and expects its net profit to be better than the 451 million baht in the previous quarter due to higher freight rates and a smaller loss from a subsidiary.
For the whole year, it expects net earnings to drop from 1.81 billion baht last year when it booked extraordinary gains, including gains from the repurchase of convertible bonds.
"Our operating profit this year should be flat, or slightly down from about 900 million baht we earned last year," said M.L. Chandchutha.
Thoresen, which mainly ships steel,coal, grain and other agricultural products, has 29 ships with a combined capacity of 29,125 deadweight tonnes.
Its shipping business contributes 60%to 65% of revenue, with the rest coming from energy and logistics.
Thoresen shares (TTA) closed yesterday on the Stock Exchange of Thailand at 23 baht, down 10 satang, in trade worth 122.77 million baht.REUTERS
17 July 2010


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All you need to know about Apple's new products
Apple fans, are your wallets ready?
The tech giant announced a host of new products at their event on Wednesday (Sept 9) at a packed auditorium in San Francisco.
From new iPhones, to a new Apple TV and remote, and to the iPad pro (and the very cool Apple Pencil), the California-based company went all out to wow tech enthusiasts.
In case you were too occupied with GE2015, here's a quick run down on some of the more interesting features and products that were introduced earlier this morning (Sept 10 local time).
Apple's CEO Tim Cook announced two "S" versions of their iPhone 6.
Sporting similar form to the iPhone 6 and the bigger iPhone 6 Plus, the new phones boast nifty hardware upgrades.
The new phones will have A9 chips, which promise faster graphics and performance.
One of the biggest changes? The new phones will be equipped with 3D touch.
For easier nagivation, users can trigger shortcuts on the phones when they press hard on the screen.
Apple calls this new feature Peek and Pop.
A "peek" allows you to have a quick preview at your e-mails. If you decide it's worth reading, then you just need to press a little harder for the email to "pop" (get it?) into a full view.
This also works with website links sent to you on iMessage by your friends. To decide if it's worth leaving your iMessage screen, press forcefully and a preview will pop up.
And then press harder if you want to see the entire website.
This works for photos as well.
3D touch also allows Quick Actions, a shortcut which allows you to do what you do most often in fewer steps.
For example, your can quickly bring up the camera to take a quick photo or message your favourite contacts all from the home screen.
Making digital cameras even more obsolete, the new phones will have a 12-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front facing camera.
Yes, that means your selfies will be in better quality. And that is all that matters.
Apple also introduced Live Photos, a feature which turns every photo that you take into a short video.
When you take a picture, the phone will also take two more pictures - one from a 1.5 sec before, and another from 1.5 sec after - turning the photo into a gif-like video.
Oh, they also added the colour rose gold (pink) to the lineup.
The Straits Times reported that the phones will be on sale in Singapore on Sept 25 with pre-orders available on Sept 12.
The other big announcement came in the form of the bigger iPad to the iPad family.
Phil Schiller, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at Apple Inc, introducing the iPad to the world. Prices in photos are in US dollars. PHOTO: REUTERS
The larger iPad has 5.6 million pixels. If that number doesn't make sense to you, it basically means that the device has the highest resolution compared to other Apple devices, according to their promo video.
The large screen means that you can comfortably conduct side-by-side multitasking.
But it should be noted that you can already do split screen multi-tasking on the iPad 2.
What the iPad gives you is an extra three inches of display, which should be a boon not just for multitasking, but for those who use iPads to design.
The iPad pro will be available in November.
Alongside the main dish, Apple also served up two accessories, the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard.
Meant to go along with the iPad Pro, the Smart Keyboard allows you to well, type... on a keyboard.
The keys are supposed to last longer because they are covered by a sheet of highly durable fabric.
It can also double as a cover for your mega-sized iPad Pro.
Some have scoffed that the Apple Pencil is just a stylus.
It is supposed to allow you to use the Pad Pro with greater precision... which is what a stylus is used for?
Apple touts the Pencil as having lightning fast response because they can reduce the lag to an almost imperceptible level.
This means that what you draw will immediately appear on your screen.
Coupled with 3D touch, it means that depending on how hard you press or manipulate the device, you can draw more types of lines on the screen.
Just like a real pencil.
Another interesting feature especially for creative professionals is the ability to conjure up a virtual ruler with just two fingers on the screen.
Already thinking of queueing up to get these babies?
We'll be right there in the queue with you.
Source: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube,TechCrunch


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R/€ = 16.31
R/$ = 14.22
Au 1292.99 $/oz
Pt 1079.50 $/oz
Aug 30, 2002
Maize-products firm conquers export marketBack
African Products was declared the winner of the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce (JCCI)/Standard Bank 2002 Gauteng Exporter of the Year Award, as well as the winner in the large-manufacturing category, at a function held in Johannesburg this month. The company is the largest wet-miller of maize products on the African continent, producing modified and unmodified starches, glucose syrups, powdered glucose, sorbitol, gluten 20 and gluten 60, which are used in food, beverages, textiles, paper spray-drying and animal feeds.
In the face of punitive duties that effectively closed European markets to the company, it has achieved noteworthy results in the Far East, Australia, New Zealand and, recently, in Nigeria. Until 1998, African Products was an exporter of surplus capacity – exporting what it could, when it could. In that year the decision was made that up to 30% of production should be committed to the export market.
Since then the company has expanded its markets in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore to Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand and, more recently, into Nigeria in head-on competition with European producers. The company's export turnover last year was R168-million.
The awards were divided into four categories, including export services and small, medium and large manufacturing, and is run to recognise excellence and promote an export-orientation in the Gauteng business community. Ford Motor Company won the services category award for its promotion of locally-manufactured auto components to the worldwide Ford group.
The firm is the number-one exporter of catalytic converters from South Africa, supplying 90% of Ford Europe's requirements. New initiatives are under way to target other markets, notably Japan and North America.
Klamflex Pipe Couplings was the winner in the small-manufacturing category on the basis of the significant challenges it overcame in meeting European standards for the piping of drinking water, wastewater, and effluent. It took the company, together with its local rubber-seals supplier, three years of design re-engineering to secure UK accreditation. During that time the company also realised that design changes were necessary to compete successfully in Europe – and reengineered its product range, bringing about significant reductions in costs. The last two years have seen the company experience exponential growth in export turnover.
The winner of the medium-manufacturing category was Container World. The company converts second-hand marine containers into refrigerated and customised containers used for accommodation, banks, bakeries and clinics.
The export market, particularly into Africa, has increasingly become a major focus. The firm is the preferred supplier of containerised ice-making machines for Coca-Cola in Southern Africa, and has been awarded contracts for the supply of complete mobile construction camps in Cameroon and in Mozambique. Speaking at the awards ceremony, JCCI CEO Marius de Jager said that the twelve finalists are making a substantial contribution to the province's job creation and tax generation that enables government to provide infrastructure and services.
Edited by: Joanne Delaurentis
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Creamer Media’s Automotive 2016 Report provides an overview of South Africa’s automotive industry over the past 12 months. The report provides insight into local demand and production, vehicle imports and exports, investment and competitiveness in the sector, as well...
Energy Roundup – April 2016 (PDF Report)
The April 2016 roundup covers activities across South Africa for March 2016 and includes details of a North Gauteng High Court Judge’s dismissal of a court application to postpone the 9.4% electricity tariff increase, which the National Energy Regulator of South...
Electricity 2016: A review of South Africa's electricity sector (PDF Report)
Creamer Media’s Electricity 2016 report provides an overview of South Africa’s electricity sector, focusing on State-owned power utility Eskom and independent power producers, electricity planning, transmission, distribution and the theft thereof, besides other issues.
Energy Roundup – March 2016 (PDF Report)
The March 2016 roundup covers activities across South Africa for February 2016 and includes details of the Department of Energy’s plans to announce the preferred bidders for the first tranche of the coal independent power producer procurement programme; the Council...
Steel 2016: A review of South Africa's steel sector (PDF Report)
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Construction 2016: A review of South Africa's construction industry (PDF Report)
Creamer Media’s Construction 2016 Report examines South Africa’s construction industry over the past 12 months. The report provides insight into the business environment; key participants; local demand; geographic diversification; corporate activity; black economic...
This Week's Magazine
The two spent-fuel pools at Eskom’s 1 800 MW Koeberg nuclear power station, in the Western Cape, will be full by 2018, increasing the urgency on the State-owned utility to begin pursuing alternative storage options. Koeberg has, over the past 32 years, accumulated a...
South Africa lacks the skills necessary to implement the government’s plan to build 9.6 GWe of new nuclear energy capacity, warns nuclear-qualified Quality Strategies International CEO David Crawford. “Apart from the concern about the affordability of the programme,...
Cybersecurity multinational Check Point has released its latest 700-series cybersecurity systems for small businesses, which draw on its international threat intelligence to provide up-to-date cybersecurity, says Check Point South Africa country manager Doros...
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Group of 20 (G-20) economies threatened to penalise havens that don’t share information on their banking clients after the leak of the Panama Papers provoked a global uproar over tax evasion. The G-20 will consider “defensive measures” against financial centers and...


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Communitech held a day-long Tech Leadership conference last Wednesday, which I somehow neglected to mention in my earlier post. Highlights included a presentation by author and Harvard professor Clayton Christensen on business and product innovation, an engaging talk by Fast Company co-founder Bill Taylor, and a variety of breakout sessions. There was also a Tech Expo featuring displays from several local tech start-ups. I was happy to see Alex and Chris from Snapsort there, as well the gang from Tiny Hippos. In fact, the tiny chocolate hippos from Tiny Hippos enabled me bring home a small part of the event for my sons to enjoy. Thanks, P.J.!
The ninth edition of StartupCampWaterloo was also held last Wednesday at the Accelerator Centre. Oddly enough, while the turnout was about as robust as at previous events there were only four demos. All were interesting, though the one that stood out for me was ReserveMe, a product that enables clients of salons to book their own appointments online. While they have a lot more work to do, they showed a polished initial version that solves a real problem and they appear to be off to a good start.


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MDEC wants to raise the visibility of local success stories
By Chong Jinn Xiung July 10, 2018
- MDEC wants to raise the visibility of local success stories
- Aims to attract foreign talent and companies into the country
THERE is little doubt that Southeast Asia is the fastest growing internet economy in the world. By that definition, the region is a very exciting space for any company to be in and local companies should definitely get in on the action.
Speaking at Wild Digital 2018 in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) vice president of enterprise development Gopi Ganesalingam says that it is imperative for global companies to emerge from Malaysia.
He asked whether Malaysia needed local tech champions in the first place. Gopi feels that success breeds success as bigger companies generate more revenue and this, in turn, attracts talent into the ecosystem.
He makes the case that Malaysia is very attractive in the region as the cost of doing business is merely one-third compared to its neighbours, hence allowing companies to break even much faster.
“With ready access to talent, money and a friendly government, there are plenty of reasons why companies should consider re-domiciling their headquarters to Malaysia,” he said.
However, Gopi observed that many Malaysian companies lack branding and visibility. The region just isn’t recognising them, even though they are doing great jobs and may actually be leaders in Asean. MDEC’s challenge has been to unearth these diamonds in the rough and bring them out in the open.
According to him, MDEC has taken a two-pronged approach towards raising the prominence of local startups and scale-ups. This is done through programmes and platforms like the Global Acceleration and Innovation Network (GAIN) that seek to catalyse the expansion of local technology SMEs to be global players by looking at market access, leadership and scale-up capital.
But because startups and scale-ups have different needs, MDEC has looked at other ways to help startups and one of them is Titan, a platform for startups to upload a video of their pitch to a platform that can easily be accessed by potential investors, funders and accelerators.
Mentorship also represents a significant part of MDEC’s efforts to cultivate better entrepreneurs. They have sent mentors to Silicon Valley to learn best practices with some coming back changed and ready to share lessons learnt with young entrepreneurs.
“Mentorship is critical because mentors can help them leapfrog over past mistakes and cut their readiness to market by half,” said Gopi.
It is not just about building local champions to take on the region but also about attracting the best companies from around the world to set up shop in Malaysia.
To that end, MDEC has looked at establishing Digital Hubs that offer startups facilities to grow their business in Malaysia and globally. This includes access to high-speed broadband, funding and a workforce-ready ecosystem.
Complimenting these are initiatives like the Malaysia Tech Entrepreneur Programme (MTEP) that looks to attract talented entrepreneurs to come to check out the local ecosystem.
According to MDEC, last year they received over 200 applications and have issued 50 passes already. The pass grants interested entrepreneurs a one- or five-year stay in the country to hopefully set up their company here.
Incidentally, MDEC collaborated with Catcha Group to organise the one-day Wild Venture Tech Conference that took place alongside Wild Digital 2018 where there were presentations to educate corporates and investors on the latest government regulations and tax incentives while encouraging them to invest in tech/ digital companies.
Gopi added that the initiative serves as an opportunity for traditionally non-tech focused corporations to expand and put their stake in the digital economy.


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Traceability and Supply Chain
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Swiss food and drinks giant Nestlé's membership in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has been reinstated after the company submitted a new action plan.
The Center for Food Safety has sued the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for failing to supply documents related to the review of the draft OMB disclosure rule.
USDA's proposed bioengineered food disclosure standard does not answer the key question of what threshold amount of a GMO triggers the disclosure requirements, prompting marked disagreement among stakeholders on where to draw the line.
One of Europe’s largest meat companies is making a significant investment in Mosa Meat - a Dutch start-up that claims to be the world's leading company for cultured beef.
The 41st meeting of the UN’s Codex Alimentarius Commission this month set new limits for methylmercury found in fish and a naturally occurring contaminant found in chocolate. It also agreed to undertake new work on simplified nutrition labelling.
Japan has finalised requirements that will allow imports of US sheep and goat meat for the first time in almost 15 years.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – Food companies have been successful in bringing down Salmonella loads on chicken products, but with illnesses continuing, the next focus could be best practices on the farm, said panelists at the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) meeting Tuesday (July 10).
UK government ministers will meet tomorrow (July 6) to review a proposal for ‘ongoing harmonisation’ with EU rules for agri-food products and other goods after the UK leaves the EU, according to reports circulating in London today.
The European Food Safety Authority has produced guidelines on assessing the risk of using nanotechnology in novel foods, food contact materials, food additives and other products which are likely to be consumed by humans.
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Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten will allow its customers to pay with bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies at thousands of points of sale across the country. As writes Yahoo Finance, users of the Rakuten Wallet will be able to exchange bitcoins, Bitcoin Cash and Ethereum for Rakuten Cash’s own electronic currency, which, in turn, can be credited to the Pay App account or payment card.
The company promises not to charge commissions for such transfers. Conversion limits will range from 1 yen ($ 000) to 9,5 yen ($ 100) per month. This allows customers to pay for purchases with cryptocurrencies at thousands of retail outlets across Japan that accept payments using the Rakuten app or card.
This spring, the company plans to directly integrate its crypto wallet with the Pay App. Rakuten Wallet President Tatsuya Yamada previously noted that the company’s goal is to “Make cryptocurrencies available for everyday payments in Japan”… Rakuten later allowed customers to use the loyalty points they earned to buy cryptocurrencies.
Rakuten Wallet has over 95 million registered users, according to the financial holding JPMorgan.
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Joy was picked as the newest Korean ambassador for TOD’S, an Italian fashion brand. Walter Chiapponi, Tod’s creative director stated that he is blissful to start a new journey with Joy especially that Joy is full of youthful energy. He is excited about the activities that they would do together. Meanwhile, Joy will be having several activities in line with TOZ.
Joy who has a sophisticated fashion style stated that she is blissful of becoming the ambassador of TOD’S and she is excited to participate in several activities with the brand. Meanwhile, Joy expressed her unique side as a solo artist with the remake album ‘Hello’, which was released last May. In addition, Joy plans to continue her career as an actor with the drama ‘Only One Person’, which is set to premiere in the second half of 2021.
Meanwhile, Joy is a member of the girl group Red Velvet who debuted in 2014 with the song ‘Happiness’. While in 2015, they released their first mini-album ‘Ice Cream Cake’. Their single hits are ‘Red Flavor’ and ‘Power Up’, which both reached number one on the Gaon Digital Chart. Their last release as a group happened in 2019 with the album The ReVe Festival: Finale with the song ‘Psycho’ as their title track.


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Retail will have lower cost with electronic invoice to consumers
The implantation of the Electronic Invoice to the Consumer (NFC-e) in Varejo Paraibano was one of the themes of the lectures of the Tax Workshop, held in the city of Patos. The event was promoted by the Paraíba State Supermarket Association (ASPB), in partnership with the Brazilian Supermarket Association (Abras).
The head of the Center for Analysis and Planning of Tax Documents of the State Revenue, Fábio Roberto Silva Melo, addressed in the lecture about the new model of electronic invoice intended for consumers and its advantages in relation to the current fiscal coupon printed by retail, which is being implemented in the State since July on an experimental basis.
According to the auditor Fábio Melo, the main advantage of this new electronic note is the cost factor for taxpayers. “They will start using a non-fiscal printer on the printed bill to the consumer. This non-fiscal printer is much more affordable than the current printer, which costs approximately one third of the current cost of a printer currently used, which is the fiscal one ”, he declared.
The implementation of the new Electronic Consumer Invoice (NFC-e) service, which will be an electronic alternative to the current tax documents used by retailers, will create the possibility of opening new payment boxes with non-fiscal printers in establishments with lower cost and greater agility. As for the consumer, in addition to making purchasing more simplified, it will facilitate access to tax documents, which will be filed electronically on the SER portal, which will guarantee the authenticity of your business transaction. In practice, the consumer will have access to the tax document at the time he needs and there is no need to use paper, but the company continues to be forced to print from conventional printers, which have a lower cost.
The State Revenue released earlier this month the initial list of retail companies that will start issuing the Electronic Consumer Invoice (NFC-e), as of January 2015. In all, 117 retail establishments in the State will start issuing the receipt of the receipt by electronic means. In July this year, the State Revenue launched the pilot project of the Electronic Consumer Invoice (NFC-e). Three retail companies in the state participate in the experimental phase of the project, which will take place until the end of September: Armazém Paraíba, from the N. Claudino Group, Esposende, from the Paquetá Group and the computer company João Oliveira Alves from the municipality of Guarabira.
Source: Paraíba Daily Portal
The importance of public security policies in the fight against organized crime
Partnership and integration are key words, since the exchange of intelligence information between the forces of repression, whether at the municipal, state or federal level, is fundamental to undermining the power of the powerful.


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Vince Neil, Slaughter performing in Beaumont Aug. 17
Updated 4:47 pm, Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Tickets, which range in price from $18.50 to $38.50, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at the Ford Park Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets (including HEB on Dowlen, the Beaumont Civic Center and the Lake Charles Civic Center), and by phone at 800-745-3000.
Ford Park is offering a discount for people who buy tickets during the first week of sales. Tickets normally priced at $18.50 will be sold at $13.50 until midnight June 21.
Ford Park is located at 5115 Interstate 10 S., Beaumont.


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McReynolds Among Most Influential Women CEOs
In its inaugural list of the 2015 Most Influential Women of the Mid-Market, CEO Connection® has recognized ArcBest President and CEO Judy R. McReynolds.
According to a press release from CEO Connection — a membership organization exclusively for mid-market CEOs — the list recognizes the top 25 women in the U.S. based on their ability to influence change, innovation and standards for excellence in companies with annual sales between $100 million and $3 billion.
"We are honored to be able to recognize such a prestigious group of women who have truly made an impact on their company and have given back to their community," says Kenneth Beck, CEO of CEO Connection. "We have been recognizing CEOs through our Mid-Market 500 and Mid-Market 1000 lists and saw a need to recognize an underrepresented group within the mid-market, so we started the Most Influential Women's list."
McReynolds has nearly 25 years of experience in the transportation industry, including 17 years at ArcBest. During her tenure, McReynolds has evolved the ArcBest strategic focus to expand its logistics services in order to better serve customers across the supply chain spectrum. Building upon ABF Freight’s 92-year roots as a leader in less-than-truckload shipping, she is diversifying ArcBest into a holistic logistics provider through the addition and investments in asset-light businesses, including ABF Logistics, Panther Premium Logistics and FleetNet America.
McReynolds also serves on numerous outside boards including OGE Energy Corp., First National Bank of Fort Smith, the Transportation Industry Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the Westark Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, on the Dean’s Executive Advisory Board of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, the UAFS Foundation Board and is a member of the American Trucking Associations Board of Directors and Executive Committee.
The 2015 list also includes Buffalo Wild Wings President & CEO Sally J. Smith, The Children’s Place President & CEO Jane T. Elfers and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store President & CEO Sandy Cochran.
The honorees will be recognized at the 2015 Mid-Market Convention on Oct. 18-21 at The Wharton School in Philadelphia. The event will feature hundreds of global CEOs, business experts, political leaders and presidential candidates.


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CES: Your smart TV is watching you. Will Samsung, LG, Vizio do more to protect privacy?
LAS VEGAS – Television vendors are still struggling to tune into privacy concerns.
The exhibits at CES here once again feature lusciously bright TVs, a little larger and a little thinner than last year’s crop and buzzing with even more streaming-media apps. But if you’re looking for TVs with less of an appetite for your viewing data and more ways to curb that hunger, this gadget gathering is mostly dead air.
That sets them apart from such tech firms as Apple and Google, which have either made privacy a core selling point or have given their customers more tools to limit how much of their data gets scooped up. Meanwhile, connected TVs continue to track what you watch to recommend other shows and movies and allow their vendors to make more money with targeted ads.
Your smart TV is spying on you:Here are step-by-step instructions to stop it
Powerful PC or responsive tablet?:New laptops increasingly offer best of both
Among the major television vendors, Samsung at least acknowledged privacy concerns in a press event Sunday evening.
Saying “We need to discuss privacy,” consumer-business executive vice president Joe Stinziano said the Korean firm would ship a Privacy Choices app to disclose what data its TVs collect and make it easier to control that.
But he didn’t describe its features further, and Samsung does not have this app available for inspection at its enormous exhibit in the Las Vegas Convention Center.
In an interview after Samsung’s event Sunday, vice president of TV product marketing Andrew Sivori said Samsung would ship this app for TVs as old as 2015 models.
“We know how critical privacy is to consumers,” he said. “We want to make sure we're just being very transparent about us.”
Other TV manufacturers couldn’t even provide such a low-resolution picture of their privacy plans. For example, LG and Vizio didn’t mention the topic – even though Vizio paid $22 million in fines in 2017 for burying its sets’ data collection in an arcane and deceptive interface.
Representatives for those three firms did not answer questions about whether they would revise their privacy interfaces or adopt such data-minimization practices as doing more personalization on each TV instead of in the cloud – what Apple calls “on-device intelligence” and Google terms “federated learning.”
Recent surveys of the data-privacy tools provided on major brands of connected TVs suggests they fall well short of those in such streaming-media players as Roku and Amazon’s. The latter’s Fire TV models, for example, make tracking opt-outs available two clicks into their settings apps.
Amazon and Roku’s software also runs on some brands of connected TVs--TCL was an early adopter of Roku – and both firms announced more deals with TV vendors at CES.
But will users shop with privacy in mind? Two analysts suggested most won’t, considering how data collection subsidizes TV prices and demonstrated enthusiasm for always-listening smart speakers.
“The dirty little secret in the TV industry is that ever-lower prices are driven in part by payment for user data,” emailed Techsponential founder Avi Greengart.
“I think Samsung is trying to build a differentiator rather than responding to a strong market need,” emailed Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies. “We have so many screens and mics in our homes that if you are worried about privacy, you have more important data than the TV.”
Rob Pegoraro is a tech writer based out of Washington, D.C. To submit a tech question, e-mail Rob at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at @robpegoraro.


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Chinese Deepfake App Zao Goes Viral And People Are Freaking Out
A new app rocketed to the top of the Chinese Apple App Store charts over the weekend called Zao. The app launched in China on Friday and allows users to swap their faces with film or TV characters very easily. The app required users to submit a series of selfies to the app where the user blinks, moves their mouth, and makes facial expressions.
The app then uses the selfies submitted to realistically morph the person's animated likeness on to popular characters in movies, TV, and other content. The deepfake tech is so good at putting faces onto the bodies of other people that some have been concerned about the potential for misuse.
In case you haven't heard, #ZAO is a Chinese app which completely blew up since Friday. Best application of 'Deepfake'-style AI facial replacement I've ever seen.— Allan Xia (@AllanXia) September 1, 2019
Here's an example of me as DiCaprio (generated in under 8 secs from that one photo in the thumbnail) 🤯 pic.twitter.com/1RpnJJ3wgT
After the privacy uproar and a rash of bad reviews, Zao updated its app to say that it will not use the selfies or videos uploaded by users other than to improve the app. Zao has promised to change its policy, stating that it "understands" the concerns about privacy. The company promised to "fix the issues that we didn't take into consideration." It did note that making the fixes would "take some time."
Zao has said that when content uploaded by users is deleted that it will remove the content from its servers. Deepfakes such as those made by the Zao app have been a big concern for users over the potential for misuse. A deepfake app called deepnudeapp was able to disrobe women and was incredibly popular before the people behind the app killed it off, stating they didn't want to make money that way.


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Rakuten says to book $990 mln gain on Lyft investment
China concerned about Japan curbs on Chinese telecom firms: ministry
K-Vision provides network services for mobile communications to telecom operators in Japan.
Masayoshi Son has been converting SoftBank Group into a technology investment firm.
Investors are looking for reassurance that the telco can keep its promise of paying 85% profit in dividends.
UiPath culled a total of 30,000 job listings from 15 industry-leading countries, retrieving any role that requires either skill or training in AI or Machine Learning .
Japan's big three telecoms operators plan to exclude network equipment from China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp , Kyodo News reported on Monday.
China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it was seriously concerned over reports that Japan plans to ban government purchases of equipment from China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp.
Last year, Rakuten had about 300 employees, which has since grown to about 450. The company’s chief information officer said that more employee growth was on the cards.
Electronics co reports net loss of ₹132 cr on 3% dip in revenue; cites internal, external risk exposures.
Round, led by Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co, values wearable devices maker at $100-125m.
KDDI will give Rakuten access to its nationwide roaming services, while Rakuten will provide KDDI its expertise in mobile payments, the two companies said in a statement.
Brand Connect Initiative: Ciena’s Brian Lavallée looks at five of the more popular myths, debunks them, and talks about what we’re likely to see in the marketplace
India saw 36.9 billion app downloads from Google Play Store between January 2012 and August 2018, the highest among all countries, according to mobile app analytics firm App Annie.
Japanese government wants competition to accelerate among the country's cellphone carriers before next October
Arif, the new R&D head, will be setting up a team which will focus on software localization for Indian consumers as well as device quality.
"Since last year we started working on many device-related things including chipset, equipment, not only on the networks side, but also on the device side," said Mr. Alves.


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A charity shop wants locals to donate any unwanted Christmas presents to help meet surge in demand.
Mind in Devonshire Road has noticed a spike in the number of people turning to charity shops in the hunt for a festive bargain as belts tighten across the town.
Stocks are running low after a busy pre-Christmas period so the charity is asking people to take in any unwanted presents they may have received – either last year or this.
It is particularly keen to get good quality clothing, winter coats, accessories, CDs and DVDs to help it enter the New Year with full shelves.
The shop relies on local generosity for more than 95 per cent of donations and every bag dropped off has an estimated average cash equivalent of around £30 once it finds its contents find their ways to the shop floor.
All proceeds go to fund the charity’s work, such as the Mind Infoline, information and advice services, and the campaigning Mind does to secure a better life for the one in four people who experience a mental health problem every year.
In addition, Mind shops play a vital role in providing support to the local community, especially at a time like Christmas when many people feel lonely or isolated. Mind Shop Manager Marie Cullinane said: “Christmas is a time when everyone would like to buy and give gifts to their loved ones. This year many people are feeling the pinch, and charity shops are proving to be a great option for those on a budget.
“However, due to a dearth in donations, Mind cannot meet the additional demand. The Mind shop in Bexhill is therefore asking people to look carefully at last year’s gifts, that they no longer need and donate them. Anything you can spare would be welcome. “All donations to our shops go to a worthwhile cause. It is thanks to your support that we are able to raise funds for the charity’s vital work.”


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Some electric vehicles, like the Tesla Model S, can already drive further than that, with an EPA-rated 265 miles of range. But starting at $85,000 for the 85 kWh model (before taxes), it is a car very few people can afford. Right now, most affordable EVs have less than 100 miles of range, which would make this a big, big jump.
But if the cost of batteries decreases enough, there would be enough financial room to install 180 miles worth of batteries in all electric vehicles. In other words, Bosch thinks electric cars with more than 180 miles of range will be affordable or in today’s EV price range by 2020. That would be a huge step towards wider adoption of electric vehicles, as most consumers don’t drive even half that on an average day.
By 2020, there will also be a wider availabilty of charging stations, especially in areas where EVs are popular, so even if you are stretching the range of your electric car, you should be able to top it off rather easily.
Source: Bosch via Green Car Congress