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This is the web version of The Broadsheet, a daily newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.
Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Stacey Abrams is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, the Fortune 500 has only had 19 Black CEOs, and we meet the woman running Airbnb’s global hosting business. Have a thoughtful Tuesday.
– Online experience. Today’s essay is courtesy of Fortune senior writer Michal Lev-Ram.
Early on in the pandemic, not long after the Bay Area first went into shelter-in-place, I booked a virtual cookie-baking class through vacation rental site Airbnb. I’ve never really gotten into online classes, or baking for that matter. But I was running out of options for keeping my three kids entertained. Their school and daycare were shut down, the nearby playground was closed, and even flag football (my oldest daughter’s sport of choice) had gotten cancelled.
Yes, I could have baked cookies with my kids on my own, but I figured they were less likely to fight over who gets to stir in the chocolate chips if a stranger was watching. I was right. Not only was there less arguing, but I was into it too. The host of the baking session was located in San Francisco, not far from us, but some of the other families who had joined were Zooming in from all over the world: Argentina, Switzerland, and, um, New Jersey. It made the experience that much more special.
At the time, I had no idea that this online class, one of Airbnb’s fledging new “Experiences” offerings, was part of Catherine Powell’s domain—or who she was. Fast forward a few months, and I just finished profiling the Airbnb exec, who was originally brought on board to run the Experiences product in January 2020 and subsequently promoted to oversee all of “global hosting,” from vacation rentals to online cookie baking and more.
Before coming to Airbnb, Powell had spent the bulk of her career at Disney’s parks division, overseeing 120,000 employees. This was a huge career jump for her, a leap from a large, established brand to a much newer and nimbler one. And that was before the pandemic hit.
Shortly after the British-born executive joined the Silicon Valley company, COVID-19 had made its way across the globe, wreaking havoc on the travel industry. The tech company’s business tanked, dropping 80% in just eight weeks. Airbnb laid off 25% of its employees, borrowed $2 billion, and delayed its IPO. (It eventually went public in December.) “I have been through every emotion,” Powell told me in an interview over Zoom.
To be sure, she is not the only executive who has been on a roller coaster ride this past year. But in my interviews with Powell, I was struck by how she had kept her cool in the face of utter chaos and change—and a wholly new gig and team. (Because of the pandemic, she has only met about 30% of her direct reports in person.) The past months have been a true test of our ability to improvise, to adapt, to accept that the job we signed up for is not the one we are currently doing.
Just weeks into her new gig, heading up Airbnb’s Experiences division, Powell had to completely shut down the service she was brought in to run. Going into someone’s home to learn how to whip up sangrias or dance salsa just wasn’t safe or practical at a time when much of the world was entering shelter-in-place mode to ward off the virus. But Powell quickly turned around and transformed the service into an online offering. In just 14 days, she was able to launch a virtual version of some of the Experiences offered through the site—including the online baking class I proudly used as a makeshift babysitter for my kids one desperate afternoon.
Of course, some experiences don’t translate as well online. Touring a petting zoo just isn’t the same when done virtually. But then again, everything is different these days. And we all just have to embrace it. My new motto: Keep Calm and Cookie On.
You can read my full story here.
Today’s Broadsheet was curated by Emma Hinchliffe.
ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
- Peace out. This year's long list of Nobel Prize nominees is out, and those nominated include the Black Lives Matter movement and Stacey Abrams. Politicians serving at a national level are permitted to submit candidates (Jared Kushner was also nominated); a member of Norway's Parliament said Abrams was nominated for "for her work to promote nonviolent change via the ballot box." Reuters
- Black corporate history. On the first day of Black History Month, Fortune published this look back at the 19 Black executives who have ever served as Fortune 500 CEOs. The only women on the list are former Xerox CEO Ursula Burns and former Bed Bath & Beyond interim chief Mary Winston. Roz Brewer will soon join them as CEO of Walgreens. Fortune
- Capitol trauma. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez broadcast an emotional Instagram live on Monday night, in which she described thinking she was going to die during the Capitol riots, hearing a man's voice yelling "Where is she?" as she hid in a bathroom. In the same session, Ocasio-Cortez said for the first time that she is a survivor of sexual assault, and connected that experience to her trauma from the Capitol. "When we go through trauma, trauma compounds on each other," she said. New York Times
- Secret admirers. Fortune's annual list of the World's Most Admired Companies is out, featured in the February/March issue of the magazine. On the list measuring corporate reputation, 17 of the companies included are led by female CEOs. Fortune
MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Mandy Ginsberg, the former CEO of Match Group, joins thredUP's board of directors. Carla Piñeyro Sublett of National Instruments joins IBM as SVP and CMO. The American Civil Liberties Union elected general counsel Deborah Archer as its new president; she succeeds Susan Herman in the role. Everlane hired Nike exec Sophie Bambuck as its first CMO. Udacity hired Dana Bennett as chief people officer. Digital marketing company Incubeta named Zoe Hall managing director of adtech solutions and Lauren Stearley director of programmatic.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
- Super Bowl cleanup. During the Super Bowl on Sunday, Procter & Gamble will run an ad about the "chore gap"—that in 65% of homes, one person does most of the housework. (Of course, that person is often a woman.) Brands Dawn and Swiffer, part of many Americans' domestic duties, want to be part of the conversation about closing that gap. AdAge
- Out of work. The latest cover of New York magazine says it all: "This isn't working." Writers weigh in on the crisis facing working women, from how the state of the economy is disrupting women's lives to why women's advancement through the professional ranks was always a tenuous proposition.
- Speaking out. Actor Evan Rachel Wood has long spoken out about being a survivor of sexual and physical violence. This week, she named her former fiancé, rock musician Marilyn Manson, as the perpetrator of that violence. "He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years," she wrote on Instagram, adding that she wants to "expose this dangerous man" before "he ruins any more lives." A representative for Manson didn't respond to request for comment. New York Times
- Fashion forward. Emilia George is a maternity wear brand with a focus on workwear. Founder Elle Wang is featured in Fortune's Startup Year One series, talking about transitioning from strategist at the UN to startup founder; having goals, like getting sold in Neiman Marcus, put on hold amid the pandemic; and what kind of clothing she thinks pregnant working women are looking for. Fortune
ON MY RADAR
Dems deliver GOP ultimatum over Marjorie Taylor Greene Politico
The Three Mothers honors the women who raised Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin The 19th*
Serena Williams claims Australian Open delay has helped with achilles recovery Guardian
"It’s OK to be a boss. It’s OK for not everybody to like you 24 hours a day."
-Actor Natasha Lyonne on her career and launching a production company with Maya Rudolph


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Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. (LW) topped market estimates on revenues and earnings for the first quarter of 2019. The stock was up over 4% in premarket hours. The company reported a 12% increase in net sales to $915 million compared to the same period last year. Volumes improved 4% driven by growth in the Global and Retail segments.
Net income attributable to Lamb Weston increased 29% to $107.8 million while diluted EPS grew 30% to $0.73 versus the prior-year period. Adjusted diluted EPS grew 28% to $0.73.
Lamb Weston posted revenue increases across all three of its segments. While the Global and Retail segments saw volume increases, the Foodservice segment saw a slight dip in volume as the sales growth of higher-margin Lamb Weston products largely offset the loss of some lower-margin product volumes.
Tom Werner, President and CEO said, “For the remainder of fiscal 2019, we continue to anticipate the operating environment in North America will remain generally favorable, with solid demand for frozen potato products and tight manufacturing capacity. However, we expect that our European joint venture, Lamb Weston/Meijer, will face challenges arising from a poor potato crop. Although it’s too early to determine the full impact of these challenges, we believe that Lamb Weston/Meijer’s pricing and cost reduction actions, along with opportunities in our North American and export businesses, enable us to remain on track to deliver on our fiscal 2019 targets.”
For fiscal-year 2019, Lamb Weston expects net sales to grow mid-single digits, with price/mix higher in the first half of 2019 versus the second half. Adjusted EBITDA, including unconsolidated JVs, is expected to come in between $860 million and $870 million. Capital expenditures are expected to total approximately $360 million, excluding acquisitions.
Last week, the company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.19 per common share, payable on November 30 to shareholders of record on November 2.
Shares of the Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) have been rallying since the entertainment leader delivered strong results for its third quarter of 2022 a day ago. The stock was
Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE: KSS) has been on investors' radar ever since the retailer put itself up for sale earlier this year, after coming under pressure from activist investors. Putting an
Entertainment behemoth The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) on Wednesday reported higher revenues and earnings for the third quarter of 2022. The results also topped expectations. Third-quarter revenues of the Los

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Congratulations to our client, LCI (formerly LC Industries), on the successful launch of the company’s rebrand! As one of the largest employers of Americans who are blind or visually impaired, LCI is the Triangle’s best kept secret – but not for long!
We partnered with LCI in 2018 and embarked on the rebranding journey together. The rebrand aims to advance LCI’s goal to continually drive innovation while serving the needs of customers, employees and the blind and visually impaired community. While LCI has a new look and feel, the company has remained true to its mission and vision and we are thrilled to embark on this new chapter together.
Since its inception in 1936, LCI has continued to grow and evolve into a multi-faceted entity with business capabilities ranging from manufacturing and distribution, to retail and e-commerce. Additionally, LCI has added tech services as a new division specializing in digital accessibility and usability. We’re proud to be part of this pivotal moment and we look forward to your continued success!
Want to check out LCI’s new branding? Visit its website, at: www.lcindustries.com


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Facebook's is winning in the battle for display advertising dollars. That's the headline from ComScore's third quarter display advertising data, which it gave CNBC an exclusive look at today.
Find out what six big themes the “Mad Money” host thinks are controlling individual stock movements this earnings season.
Despite being a Netflix skeptic, Whitney Tilson of T2 tells us this is the time to buy. "There are a lot of different ways to win here," he says.
"It's hard to imagine anyone could possibly fill the enormous vacuum left with the tragic death of Steve Jobs. But people are searching hopefully for such a person," and this author thinks that person could be Jeff Bezos.
Amazon.com disappoints investors with its Q3 earnings. A breakdown of the numbers, with Anthony Diclemente, Barclays Capital.
Time to sort through more Tweets. Following are your questions about the banks, as well as Google and more.
The rapid adoption of tablet computers like Apple’s iPad has not reversed the slide in paying customers for news, as many media company executives had hoped the devices would.
Have you noticed that there’s a slow, shuffling feeling of dread and impending doom in this economy? References to zombie banks and zombie economy are piling up like bloody coats at a zombie Christmas party. Where are they … gulp … coming from?
Over the weekend, it was leaked that Google was interested in helping at least a couple of private equity players to finance a purchase of Yahoo. Most folks have protested loudly against this possibility by concluding that such a deal would never get past the U.S. government.
A Booz & Company study found that companies whose innovation strategies are clearly aligned with their business and culture goals delivered 17-percent higher profit growth over five-year periods than those lacking such tight alignment.
Google is reportedly considering a bid for Yahoo, talking to a couple of PE firms about helping finance a deal, with Colin Gillis, sr. technology analyst at BGC Partners. He also weighs in on Apple stock.
The death of Apple founder Steve Jobs this month triggered rounds of soul-searching in China over why the country lacks technology entrepreneurs as successful as Mr Jobs, who came up with products that changed the world. The FT reports.
If you hate your job, or you've ever dreamed of quitting, you've got to watch this video.
Here's five dumb things that happened on Wall Street, running the gamut from Research in Motion to coffee.
Concern about an effective European bailout has decimated U.S. investor sentiment, causing them to ignore an earnings season that shows stocks offer a great value right now, say analysts.
Almost all bank websites will prominently disclose the fees they don't charge. Identifying the fees they do charge is much more difficult, USA Today reports.
In his last years, Steven P. Jobs veered from exotic diets to cutting-edge treatments as he fought the cancer that ultimately took his life, according to a new biography to be published on Monday. The New York Times reports.
If it weren’t for Europe, the U.S. stock market would be higher, the “Mad Money” host says. And he’s got 10 reasons why.
Microsoft's earnings hit Wall Street's target and revenue beat, helped by strong sales of its Office applications package. Still, shares skidded.
We've had quite a few dress rehearsals for the end of the world but this one could be it! Here are some tips for the end. The Four Horsemen? Yeah, turns out, they're My Little Ponies.


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Duluth’s newest mobile sauna, Cedar and Stone Nordic Sauna, has found its semi-forever home: at The Inn on Lake Superior.
The News Tribune profiled the business a few months back, when we reported that it will offer individual and group saunas with a focus on health.
Founder Justin Juntunen said he believes the practice of sauna is one of the best experiences of the north.
It will be open Thursdays through Mondays, or by appointment for groups, according to a news release.
“In the early 1900’s Duluth’s Canal Park was referred to by locals as ‘FinnTown’ since there were so many Finnish immigrants that lived here. At the time there were multiple community saunas running,” Juntunen wrote. “We are reviving that tradition and living into Duluth’s current outdoor and wellness culture.”
Not a coffee fan?
You’re in luck.
Last week, Duluth-based Boomerang Energy Inc. launched its new energy drink called Boomerang.
The company has experience in the powder energy drink market but wanted to branch into canned drinks because they’re easier to distribute and more convenient for customers, said Donny Pearson, general manager.
Boomerang nixed all artificial ingredients and has a list of natural ingredients, Pearson said.
People can find it in a bright blue can on the shelves of the Whole Foods Co-op, Duluth’s Best Bread, Mount Royal Bottle Shoppe and the liquor store in Cromwell. It will be sold at more stores in the future.
“(Our) goal is to be a brand that (the) broader market can embrace and enjoy,” Pearson said.
The labor market tightened in January.
We’re now at an unemployment rate of 3.2%, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
The private sector also added 8,500 jobs — making for the tightest labor market we’ve seen in 20 months.
The Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Statistical Areas — an area made up by St. Louis, Carlton and Douglas Counties — lost jobs. Our MSA area lost over 920 jobs from January 2019 to January 2020.
The U.S. Small Business Administration, a federal agency, released initial expectations for low-interest federal disaster loans for small businesses and nonprofits that are affected by COVID-19.
After the agency receives a request from a state’s governor and is approved, applications will be made available for businesses within designated sections of the state. Loans up to $2 million will be given
Call the SBA’s disaster assistance line at 1-800-659-2955 or email email@example.com for more information.
Kelly Busche covers business and the health care industry for the News Tribune. Have any interesting stories related to COVID-19 prep or avoidance? Drop her a line at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Surviving CEDIA: Amazon "Let's Work Together", LG Courts Integrators, HiFi Audio is Booming
Day two of CEDIA is in the books and there are a ton of new announcements and influential keynotes making some buzz on the show floor. Here is our recap of some of the highlights from the second day of the 2017 CEDIA convention.
Amazon Really, Really Wants to Play Nice
Yesterday, our press coverage involved the thoughts of Origin Acoustics Jeremy Burkhardt and his big bet on Alexa. Today, Sarah Zenz, General Manager of Amazon’s Smart Home Services business, took the stage to echo his message, explaining how Amazon wants to make money with the CI community.
"Let's work together," Zenz said. "There is a mass market who want these technology solutions, not just the top 5% who can afford it."
Zenz covered a lot of the new avenues Amazon Smart Home Services will present to dealers, namely giving advanced certified technicians - ESC-T, EST-N, ESC-D - referrals if Amazon techs can't help a client. The logic is that Amazon, to no surprise, services a ton of customers that aren't spending in the mid-range $10,000 - $30,000 market on theaters. The market for smaller jobs is something the CEDIA community has struggled to really capitalize on.
They also want to show off the 2,700 plus CEDIA dealers with a CEDIA member showcase, a move that could spotlight custom installers and shift the industry as a whole. Consumers would be able to browse CEDIA members work and more importantly educate themselves on the benefits of working with a professional.
Burkhardt took a brief moment to reiterate his points from yesterday as well, noting that this is the first opportunity for dealers to capitalize on the dot. He notes any hesitations are reminiscent of the iPod rise to fame, stating it's time to embrace or fall behind.
It's all starting to feel like an "if you can't beat them, join them" situation except both parties has extended the olive branch.
"This isn't an inflection point," Burkhardt said. "This is an entire change in the business."
LG "Looking to Make a Big Bang in the CI Market"
LG came to CEDIA 2017 in San Diego intent on showcasing its full lineup of OLED consumer and commercial screens as well as a slate of new programs designed to bolster its support of the integrators that sell them.
Tim Alessi, LG’s senior director, home entertainment product marketing, said the company is reorganizing its channel sales force, customizing programs and working more closely with distributors, with the goal of being Number One in this channel by 2020. “We’re looking to make a big bang in the CI market,” he said.
RTI Focuses on Foundational Issues
It takes a lot of courage to admit mistakes, it takes even more to hold a press conference about it.
Early in the morning, the newly appointed CEO Ed McConaghay talked about all the big changes coming to the control and automation manufacturer, with many of them focused on themselves. They have hired two new senior design and programming consultants, appointed Mark Derus to CFO, Mark Klayum as Logistics Manager, and promised to only talk about a product if it is ready to ship in hopes to remove some of the blemishes RTI may have acquired over the years.
"RTI is celebrating its 25th anniversary," McConaghay said. "Our new strategy is to build infrastructure underneath RTI that is scalable, and worldwide so we can be here for another 25 years."
Of course, RTI brought all of their new tech, including a special edition white matte T3x remote, and a C2K1 starter kit that has a handful of "hidden messages." According to McConaghay, that includes a new warranty policy that extends the duration to three years, and a RTiPanel license that works with every device and has unlimited uses. The starter kit also includes a company’s XP-3 control processor and a Pro Control’s Pro.24.z remote
It's a step in the right direction and an honest one that admits that there are fixable issues within the company. There is a lot of respect in taking an honest approach when dealers look to work with certain companies, and RTI is certainly hoping to change the entire dealer experience by "doubling down" on the experience from every angle.
Stream the Studio: Consumers Demand Better Audio Experience, Dealers Can Deliver
Stream the Studio took the stage to deliver one simple message - CEDIA members are primed to hear the message about high-fidelity audio, but it takes some time to deliver.
Senior Director for Digitial Entertainment Group Marc Finer threaded a narrative of just how much consumers have begun to demand better audio. He cites two CTA studies that found 90% of consumers cited sound quality as the most important factor and that of the four main segments of audio consumers, 47% look for the best sound as a primary motivator. Finer also noted that desire-based consumers also demand a higher quality sound and audiophiles want a sound that replicates studio quality.
"All of this created a growing market that is steadily growing," Finer said. "It is about delivering high-resolution audio the way an artist intended it to be."
Finer revealed that Gen Z is quickly becoming the most influential demographic, behind the notorious millennial, because of their stress on experiences. He then invited speakers Mike Jbara, CEO of MQA, and Enno Vandermeer, Founder and CEO of roon Labs to explore the capabilities of nifty metadata manipulations that gave consumers the power to see virtual albums, investigate artist influences, and control individual layers of music, all in real time in the highest possible quality.
Finally, Finer invited ProSource president and CEO David Workman about how important an experience can be and how complacency for inferior products can stunt an industry.
"The competitive threat isn't other dealers, it isn't even Amazon," Workman said. "The real problem is an experience becoming a commodity but solutions never do and we provide solutions."
He echoes Dave Pedigo, VP of Emerging Technologies, who notes that "hi-res audio combined with CEDIA expertise will allow home owners to experience music the way the producers and artists intended."
CEDIA 2017 Best New Product Winners, Honors Alex Capecelatro as Young Professional of the Year
Formally inducted on the USS Midway the night before, recipients were given their physical awards on the show floor. The winning products were selected by a panel of home technology professional judges and were selected for the innovation they represent and the value they provide to both the integrator's business and the end user.
Alongside product recognition, CEO of Josh.ai Alex Capecelatro was honored as Young Professional of the year.


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|Bid||277.02 x 800|
|Ask||277.08 x 1400|
|Day's range||274.90 - 279.30|
|52-week range||161.68 - 299.00|
|Beta (5Y monthly)||1.56|
|PE ratio (TTM)||79.22|
|Earnings date||30 Oct 2020 - 03 Nov 2020|
|Forward dividend & yield||N/A (N/A)|
|1y target est||304.23|
(Bloomberg) -- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. foresees its cloud services arm turning profitable for the first time this year, a milestone for the decade-old business that underscores how Asia’s largest corporation expects a return to pre-pandemic levels as China’s economy rebounds.Alibaba’s shares rose 3.8% on Wednesday in Hong Kong, their biggest gain in over a month. Its internet computing business is growing roughly 60% at an annual revenue run rate of about $7 billion, Chief Financial Officer Maggie Wu told investors at an annual company conference. The unit should turn profitable in the year ending March, she said.Cainiao, the logistics service Alibaba folded fully into its broader empire in 2017, should generate positive cash-flow on an operating basis over the same period, she added.China’s most valuable corporation has invested billions in hosting computing for corporations over the cloud, while building a nationwide logistics network that can handle the billions of parcels its e-commerce business throws out. Achieving profitability will boost Alibaba as it tries to revitalize growth alongside a recovery in the broader Chinese economy. The e-commerce giant is riding a pick-up in consumer spending -- particularly online -- in a country among the first to recover from Covid-19.“We typically spend 8 to 10 years incubating, nurturing and growing a new business,” Chief Executive Officer Daniel Zhang told investors. “We still regard ourselves to be in the nascent stage of the global cloud era.”Like Amazon.com Inc.’s, Alibaba’s cloud service emerged from the computational power needed to handle billions of online shopping transactions to become one of its fastest-growing initiatives. The Chinese company today relies on the service, which competes globally with Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Corp. and Google, to underpin both its global expansion and forays into newer arenas such as live-streaming.Read more: Alibaba Touts Post-Virus Rebound While Watching ‘Fluid’ U.S.What Bloomberg Intelligence SaysAlibaba’s announcement at its 2020 Investor Day that its cloud computing business is targeting positive profits in fiscal 2021 could come as a surprise to the market and lift consensus estimates. Alibaba has intentionally kept its cloud segment operating at a small loss in past years in order to gain market share, so the announcement marks a shift in messaging for the segment.\- Vey-Sern Ling and Tiffany Tam, analystsClick here for the research.Alibaba’s cloud business continued to grow during the global Covid-19 shutdowns this year. It held a leading 40.1% share of China’s total cloud infrastructure services spending in the June quarter, more than double its closest competitors, according to industry researcher Canalys. Even as economies start to recover, the company is aiming to take advantage of the shift to upgrade more corporate IT infrastructures to the cloud and boost cloud-based collaboration at work, Zhang told investors Wednesday.Retail sales in the world’s No. 2 economy rose for the first time this year in August, after virus restrictions eased. The comeback in consumer spending has allowed Alibaba to further expand a $700 billion empire that already spans online retail, food delivery and internet computing. It owns a third of Ant Group, the Chinese financial titan pursuing potentially the world’s largest initial public offering, and most recently outlined plans to create a new line of business by modernizing factories.Excluding its stake in Ant, Alibaba’s strategic investments are currently valued at $45 billion, Wu told investors on Wednesday, adding that the company will continue to invest in technology and research. Alibaba last year reported an $83 billion stake in its global portfolio of investments, which included its 33% stake in the fintech behemoth.Zhang -- credited with orchestrating Alibaba’s last big foray into a new arena, with a move into brick-and-mortar retail -- is responding in part to intensifying competition on multiple fronts. Pinduoduo Inc. has lured small-town buyers away with cheaper bargains, while traditional foe JD.com Inc. has ventured beyond its traditional strength in consumer electronics into groceries, a category that leapt to the fore during nationwide lockdowns.Even social media companies like ByteDance Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. are increasingly reaching out to shoppers through live-streaming -- a route Alibaba pioneered with Taobao Live -- after Covid-19 fueled online entertainment. While rival video apps like Tencent-backed Kuaishou and ByteDance’s Douyin typically directed traffic to Alibaba platforms, they’re now seeking to handle the transactions by themselves.Then there’s sustained competition in food delivery. Alibaba’s Ele.me now directs flowers, housekeepers and masseurs to doorsteps in addition to lunchboxes, while Tencent-backed Meituan Dianping tries its hand on beauty products and smartphones.With more than 1 billion annual active consumers, Alibaba generated over $1 trillion in gross merchandise value in the 12 months ended June, Wu said. Spending on its platforms accounted for about 18% of China’s total retail sales, up from about 10% in 2015.“Domestic consumption, cloud computing and data intelligence, and globalization -- these are the three growth engines for Alibaba’s future,” Zhang said. “Digitalization is the biggest opportunity of our time.”Read more: Chinese Consumers Join Industrial Recovery From Covid-19(Updates share price in second paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- Amazon Inc. is planning to take over some of Citigroup Inc.’s office space in Singapore at a time when a number of the e-commerce giant’s Chinese tech rivals expand in the city state.The online retail giant will lease three floors covering about 90,000 square feet (8,360 square meters) at Asia Square Tower 1 in the heart of the financial district, according to people with knowledge of the plans. Staff will move into the new offices early next year, the people said, asking not to be identified because the plans aren’t public.Citigroup, currently the building’s largest tenant with nine floors, is trimming its office space to better use its real estate as its 10-year lease is due to expire soon, the people said.Amazon’s plans in Singapore come as some of China’s biggest tech corporations such as Tencent Holdings Ltd., Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and ByteDance Ltd. make the island state their beachhead for the rest of Asia. Singapore is becoming a regional base for both Western and Chinese companies because of its developed financial and legal system. It’s becoming more attractive to some as Beijing tightens its grip on Hong Kong.“Amazon is always in a state of innovation and disruption,” said Justin Tang, the head of Asian research at United First Partners in Singapore. “Asia is a source of growth for them and they need to be near where their rivals are.”Job OpeningsAmazon currently has about 200 job openings in Singapore for roles covering data analytics, sales and advertising, business development, marketing and public relations, according to its career site.A representative for Amazon declined to comment. A spokesman for Citigroup confirmed the bank is giving up the space, but declined to say which tenant is taking over. Some consumer banking staff and employees in other functions will relocate to Changi Business Park where the bank has bigger premises and a long-term lease, he said.Amazon, which has been rapidly expanding in Singapore over recent years, has existing offices in Capital Square and One George Street. A lease for the space being taken in Asia Square Tower 1 would typically be for more than five years.Cutting CostsCitigroup is among financial firms around the world that are grappling with what post-pandemic working life will look like, with some companies such as Nomura Holdings Inc. and Fifth Third Bancorp seeing opportunities to cut costly real estate by keeping a portion of staff at home.Although the Singapore government has eased some restrictions around the virus such as allowing more workers to return to the office, remote work is still the default option.Citigroup is reviewing its work spaces due to the virus and looking at other ways of working to allow flexible arrangements, the spokesman said.The bank on Tuesday said it will open its biggest wealth management hub globally in Singapore in December as it aims for double-digit growth in the nation. ‘Citi Wealth Hub at 268 Orchard’ will open with space for more than 300 relationship managers and product specialists.(Updates with comments from analyst in fifth paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- The record $40 billion deal for wireless carrier NTT Docomo Inc. is sparking discussion of whether an even bigger Japanese buyout could be in the works: SoftBank Group Corp.Founder Masayoshi Son has debated for years whether to take his conglomerate private because of a persistent discount between his stock and the perceived value of his assets, particularly Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. shares. The 63-year-old billionaire revived informal talks this year after his shares tumbled and he sold off assets.The Docomo deal signals Japan has plenty of capital for deals on the kind of scale unthinkable in the past. Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. will borrow the entire purchase price to finance the affiliate’s buyout, even though it had 1.09 trillion ($10.3 billion) in cash and equivalents at the end of March.“A successful buyout of Docomo could spur a similar move by SoftBank. There is plenty of liquidity for both,” said Justin Tang, head of Asian research at United First Partners in Singapore. “For lenders, this can be a huge source of revenue. And shareholders can have a catalyst in which to realize the value of their holdings.”Son has been frustrated that investors won’t pay more for his stock considering his company’s holdings. SoftBank posts on its website an estimate that its shareholder value is about 13,000 yen a share, a figure it calculates by adding the value of stakes in Alibaba, SoftBank Corp. and other assets, then subtracting debt. That’s roughly half the roughly 6,500 yen a share SoftBank Group trades at.After his shares plummeted in March, Son announced a record 4.5 trillion yen asset sale plan and a record 2.5 trillion yen buyback program. In addition, he’s cut a deal to sell chip designer Arm Ltd. to Nvidia Corp. for about $40 billion in cash and stock, although regulatory approval is expected to take more than a year.“Given SoftBank’s valuation discount and the availability of cheap financing, there is a good chance of an MBO,” said Tang.Goldman Sachs Group Inc. analysts published a research note after the Docomo buyout, arguing the deal is likely to spark further corporate alignments in the country. The report didn’t specifically mention SoftBank.The Docomo deal does present at least two challenges for SoftBank. NTT is buying out public shareholders in part so it can lower wireless rates more easily, a competitive threat that may hurt SoftBank Corp., Son’s domestic telecom unit. Newly anointed Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has made lower phone tariffs a key part of his early agenda.In addition, NTT is paying 40% more than Docomo’s share price before the announcement. SoftBank shareholders could ask for a similar premium if Son pursues a buyout, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Anthea Lai.SoftBank Group’s market capitalization is about $128 billion, so that kind of premium would mean valuing the company at $179 billion. That would be by far the largest buyout ever.Between the stake held by Son himself and the treasury shares SoftBank has already bought back, more than 30% of the company’s stock is already controlled by management, according to Bloomberg-compiled data.SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. analyst Satoru Kikuchi wrote earlier this month that a management-led deal to take the company private looked feasible.“The firm seems to be selling off assets rapidly and is considering the sale of its ARM holdings earlier than initially planned,” Kikuchi said in a research note. “Given the scale of its buyback operations, we think delisting via management buyout is a possibility.”For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.


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As travel begins booming again in some parts of the world,
the travel market in Asia Pacific continues to face significant challenges in
its recovery, according to Phocuswright’s
Asia Pacific Travel Market Report 2021-2025.
Agoda’s vice president of corporate development, Tim Hughes,
estimates Asia is about six months behind the rest of the world due to ongoing
But Hughes sees this as an opportunity for the online travel
agency, a subsidiary of Booking Holdings.
Subscribe to our newsletter below
“We don’t want to be at the starting line of the COVID travel
boom standing still, we want to be racing. So we are investing ahead of that,”
In an interview in the PhocusWire Studio at Phocuswright
Europe, Hughes explains how the company is now bigger than it was pre-COVID and
is hiring for hundreds of open positions in a variety of roles around the world
(Agoda has 75 offices worldwide) – while also still figuring out the right
balance of home- versus office-based work.
Additional priorities include building out Agoda’s travel
platform to serve the end-to-end experience for consumers and exploring new
options related to payments and other fintech solutions.
“If you’re not a fintech company as a travel company, you’re
missing a beat,” he says.
“We spend as much time thinking about payments as we do
Watch the full discussion below.
Phocuswright Europe 2022 Executive Interview: Agoda


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- Many luxury-hospitality businesses have started catering to the market of solo female travelers.
- Women are seeing perks like waived single-supplement fees and specific amenities and trip offerings.
- Even honeymoon resorts that usually seek couples are offering the chance to experience luxury alone.
Three times each year, Tracy Testin, 59, steps back entirely from her hectic life as a luxury-real-estate agent in Malibu, California, and books a trip overseas.
Two of the trips, she told Insider, usually involve hiking or something outdoorsy — like a coast-to-coast walk in the UK — while the other is a pampering adventure she books to make the most of better prices during the holiday season.
"Between American Thanksgiving and December 15 or so, that's a dead travel time, so it's the best time to take an expensive trip," Testin, who estimated that she spent about $8,000 a trip during this time, said.
This year, she visited Egypt to pay homage to Agatha Christie's "Death on the Nile."
Testin might invite a friend to split a room on occasion, but most of the time, she travels alone — an approach she's taken for more than 35 years.
"I hate asking someone to travel with me — the whole, 'Where are we going? What are we doing?'" she said. "You're either in or you're out. I don't want to wait for someone."
When she started traveling alone, she said, the trend was less common and locals were often surprised to see her without a companion. Today, several luxury-travel companies told Insider, she's one of many looking for adventure on their own.
Simon Lynch, the global sales director at the UK luxury-tour operator Scott Dunn — the average spend per booking is $36,000, the company reported — told Insider inquiries around solo trips had significantly increased in the past three years. Of those that booked solo trips, he added, 60% were women. A representative at Up Norway, which runs high-end trips throughout the Scandinavian country, similarly told Insider that its bookings from solo women travelers were up 40 to 50% compared with 2019. Keri Levitt, the founder of the bespoke-tour operator Morocco by Design, said a full quarter of her bookings now came from women traveling on their own.
The Solo Female Travelers Club, a 190,000-member social network and tour operator, surveys 5,000 women annually on their habits and opinions. Its poll in 2021 found that 65% of respondents were interested in women-only group travel, a rise of two-thirds year over year. Seeing an opportunity to bolster revenues, many companies have started catering to this market.
Some have started waiving single-supplement fees, a charge imposed on single travelers who take up rooms typically filled by couples — the cruise specialist Avalon Waterways, the museum-tour company Smithsonian Journeys, the wellness resort Body Holiday, and the private-jet operator TCS are among the luxury brands that have jumped on this trend.
Others are offering amenities and trips tailored to solo women travelers, with success. The tour company Trafalgar introduced a women-only set of tours earlier this year, and a rep for the firm said 61% of those who booked the trip said they're traveling alone. This summer, the Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf in St. Barts started offering a $7,000 "Alonemoon Package" — complete with a deluxe bungalow, private yoga and meditation classes, spa treatments, and a restaurant voucher.
Similarly, Gili Lankanfushi in the Maldives, a prime honeymoon spot, now runs a solo package that allows one traveler to enjoy all the experiences a couple might — think sunset sailings and sleeping under the stars — starting at $1,800 per villa a night. A Gili Lankanfushi representative told Insider six women traveling alone had booked the package in the past 18 months.
Michelle Master Orr, a travel advisor who also often travels alone — most recently, she went on a luxury whale safari in Baja California, Mexico — said the uptick in solo women travelers had been driven largely by the constant regulatory changes around borders during the pandemic.
"Solo travelers are not burned with coordinating other people's schedules, so they are more flexible," she said.
The emotional fallout from COVID-19 is another factor.
"I've met a lot of women who had pandemic divorces or relationship splits," Sarah Wilson, a 48-year-old writer who's spent the past several years as a digital nomad, said. "And it's maybe been a year, and now they've sorted out the custody stuff. They're starting their lives again."
Wilson added: "Women did a lot of the nurturing during various lockdowns, and so much of the feminine experience is tied down to caring for others.
"I think it's a wonderful, life-affirming experience to be a woman traveling solo and experience the nurturing care you can get from strangers. It reaffirms your faith in the world."
Meg Jerrard, a cofounder of the Solo Female Travelers Club, recently started a consulting division of her company to help guide other businesses as they reevaluate their offerings and staff in light of growing demand from solo female travelers.
A recent survey conducted by Hospitality ON magazine found women ran just 12.4% of the world's top 350 travel companies.
"The travel space is male-dominated — yes, there are women in the travel industry, but they often have roles like housekeeping," Jerrard said.
While Jerrard works to change that, travelers like Testin have no plans to wait around.
"People ask me questions like, 'Where's your husband? Or, 'Why are you alone?'" she said. "I handle it with loving kindness and always said the same thing: 'I'd rather go on my own than not at all.'"


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Volkswagen & Argo AI to Test the ID. BUZZ Electric Van in Germany This Summer for an Autonomous Ride-Hailing Service
【Summary】Automaker Volkswagen will begin testing its first autonomous commercial vehicles this summer in a new partnership with Argo AI. The automaker’s Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles division will launch trials for the upcoming ID. BUZZ electric van outfitted with self-driving technology developed by Argo AI for a ride-hailing pilot in Germany.
Automaker Volkswagen will begin testing its first autonomous commercial vehicles this summer in a new partnership with Argo AI, the company announced on Wednesday. The automaker's Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles division will launch international trials of the upcoming ID. BUZZ electric van outfitted with self-driving technology developed by Argo AI, a company backed by both Ford Motor Co and Volkswagen.
The first self-driving prototypes based on the future Volkswagen ID. BUZZ production electric vehicles will begin testing in Munich, Germany, this summer. The self-driving ID BUZZ vans will be outfitted with lidar, radar and cameras by Argo AI to support Level 4 autonomous driving, which requires no human supervision.
"We believe Argo AI has the largest urban self-driving testing footprint, with operations in six cities in the United States," said Bryan Salesky, Founder and CEO, Argo AI. "We are excited to begin testing our self-driving system on European roads later this year."
Earlier this year, Argo AI integrated its self-driving system with a Volkswagen vehicle prototype to begin testing in Germany.
Volkswagen's ride-hailing provider MOIA will be the first to deploy the self-driving ID BUZZ vans in Germany by 2025 as part of a commercial transportation service. MOIA is the largest ride-sharing provider in Hamburg, Germany, and currently employs roughly 1,200 people.
"Our aim with the self-driving version of the ID. BUZZ is to facilitate commercial deployment of transport and delivery services starting in 2025," said Christian Senger, divisional director at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. "In select cities, customers will be able to have a self-driving vehicle take them to their destination. The delivery of goods and packages will also be made much easier through our autonomous driving service."
While most of the auto industry has focused on self-driving passenger vehicles for the past several years, there has been a shift towards developing long haul autonomous trucks for highways as well as multi-passenger autonomous vehicles that can be utilized in commercial ride-hailing services or built for last-mile delivery services.
One example is the Cruise Origin autonomous shuttle which was designed for a commercial transportation service. The Origin was built in a partnership between General Motors, Honda and GM's autonomous driving division Cruise. Like Volkswagen, Cruise and GM also plan to launch a commercial ride-hailing service in San Francisco using the self-driving Origin shuttles.
The ID BUZZ electric van will launch in the U.S. in 2023.
Ford Motor Co invested $1 billion in Argo in Feb 2017 to jumpstart its own autonomous driving development, back when the startup was a little-known Pittsburgh-based robotics company. At the time, Argo CEO Brain Salesky stressed that Ford was not acquiring his company, rather the investment will allow it to continue to operate as an independent company.
In June 2020, Volkswagen closed on its $2.6 billion investment in Argo AI. As part of the agreement, Argo AI is developing self-driving technology for both automakers. Ford and Volkswagen announced in 2019 that they will work together to develop electric and self-driving cars.
Argo AI is considered to be one of the leading developers of AI-based autonomous driving technology, along with rivals Waymo, which spun out of Google's self-driving car project, GM-backed Cruise and Toyota-backed Aurora.
Last week, Argo AI announced it developed a new, advanced lidar sensor for self-driving vehicles called "Argo Lidar." The new lidar sensor is referred to as "Geiger-mode" sensing. Geiger-mode lidar has the ability to detect a single photon of light, which Argo AI says is key to sensing dark objects with low reflectivity, such as a black car in pitch darkness up to 400 meters away.
The Argo Lidar offers ultra-high resolution perception that provides the photorealistic imaging required to identify even small objects for safe operation of autonomous vehicles in busy urban areas and crowded city streets, the company said.
"MOIA has extensive experience in the field of mobility services and fleet management. Within a very short time, we have set up Europe's largest, all-electric ride pooling service and provided mobility to millions of passengers," said MOIAS's managing director Robert Henrich. "We will bring this expertise to the cooperation with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Argo AI. Hamburg will be the first city to offer an autonomous ride pooling service with an ID. Buzz."
In the U.S., Argo AI is currently testing its autonomous vehicles on public roads in Miami, Florida; Austin, Texas; and Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, Michigan, and California.
Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.
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- GM Agrees to California’s Emissions Requirement, Wants Federal Help for EV Adoption
- Ford’s Electrified Vehicle Sales Were Up 184% in May, F150-Lightning Reservations Reach 70,000
- Tesla to Hold Off Buying Land to Expand its Shanghai Factory Due to Ongoing U.S.-China Tensions
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- GM’s Autonomous Driving Unit Cruise to Tap $5 Billion Credit Line to Mass Produce the Origin Autonomous Shuttle
- Computer Vision Developer StradVision to Showcase its Most Advanced Perception Camera for Autonomous Driving & ADAS at Auto Tech 2021
- California Utility Company Plans to Install 38,000 EV Chargers in the State Over the Next 5 Years


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Apple Under Fire for Sharing iOS Safari IP Addresses with China’ Tencent
Apple is under fire after it was discovered that the iOS edition of Safari is sending user data to the Chinese internet giant Tencent.
Matthew Green, a cryptographer and professor at Johns Hopkins University, has revealed Apple added Tencent Safe Browsing checks to the existing Google Safe Browsing checks as early as February of 2019.
As part of that service, when checking if a website is fraudulent or not, Apple may send the IP address of the Safari user to Tencent. Given the recent press cycle concerning Chinese influence over U.S. tech companies in general and apple in particular, this has raised some concerns.
The Safari feature — dubbed “Fraudulent Website Warning” in iOS and macOS — is meant to enhance online security by cross-referencing URLs against a blacklist service provided by safe browsing providers such as Google and Tencent.
The obvious issue that raises concern is what the latter company might do with that data. Both companies may log IP addresses to aid their anti-phishing systems, but Tencent’s frequent cooperation with the Chinese government raises concerns that its data could be used for surveillance or other nefarious ends.
“Before visiting a website, Safari may send information calculated from the website address to Google Safe Browsing and Tencent Safe Browsing to check if the website is fraudulent,” Apple notes. “These safe browsing providers may also log your IP address.”
The Fraudulent Website Warning feature in Safari can be disabled from settings on iPhone and iPad running iOS 13 (it’s believed that older versions of the operating system could also send similar information to Tencent). However, blocking the feature means that you also lose access to Google’s system, so you end missing out on the security arsenal that could otherwise prove to be pretty useful.
Update Oct. 14, 10:40am: Apple has released a statement regarding this matter to iMore:
Apple protects user privacy and safeguards your data with Safari Fraudulent Website Warning,” Apple told iMore. “A security feature that flags websites known to be malicious in nature. When the feature is enabled, Safari checks the website URL against lists of known websites and displays a warning if the URL the user is visiting is suspected of fraudulent conduct like phishing. To accomplish this task, Safari receives a list of websites known to be malicious from Google, and for devices with their region code set to mainland China, it receives a list from Tencent. The actual URL of a website you visit is never shared with a safe browsing provider and the feature can be turned off.


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In the yellow tobacco stained fingers, his hair disheveled hair and facial expressions, Courtney Love is a picture of grace and style last night when he spoke at Trinity College Dublin, where he was given the honor of the Philosophical Society Promoting UNI.
Apparently, the award was given only for "contributions in this range is considered excellent," and the recipient of the accused "to protect society and using its reputation to ensure its survival".
Meanwhile, in a completely unrelated note, a U.S. judge ruled that Courtney is responsible for paying for some expensive jewelry (valued at $ 13,700) that he "never again" in the store after a loan for a charity event earlier this year. Missing element seems to be "missing".
What is the "good name"?


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Public-health officials say that the best way to avoid catching norovirus is to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water, especially after using the toilet or changing diapers and always before eating or preparing food. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not a substitute for washing with soap and water, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People who are infected with norovirus shouldn’t prepare food for others while they have symptoms and for three days after they recover.
People can become infected by eating food or drinking liquids contaminated by the virus; by touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then placing their hands in their mouth; and by having direct contact with an infected person.
After an episode of illness, such as vomiting or diarrhea, people should immediately clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces with a bleach-based household cleaner. Soiled clothing or linens should also immediately be washed in hot water.


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As lockdowns descended and grocery stores emptied, Amazon’s business boomed. The company—which has been pioneering online shopping since 1994—posted its highest-ever profits last summer and is now the second largest company in the U.S., with more than 1 million employees, having added over 400,000 jobs in 2020 alone. However, its size has continued to raise concerns about its business practices and economic dominance. Founder Jeff Bezos testified in front of Congress for anti-trust hearings last summer, and warehouse unionization efforts are expected to continue, despite a recent defeat in Bessemer, Ala. In February, Bezos, who is worth a reported $179 billion, announced he’s stepping down as CEO, but promised Amazon will continue to expand.
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The World Trade Organization announced Monday that global merchandise trade is expected to grow at a slower pace than usual for the fourth quarter of 2019, hampered by trade tensions and tariffs.
That follows a September projection from the organization that global trade would grow at 1.2% in 2019, down from the 2.6% annual growth projected in April.
If trade growth slows as projected, what effect will it have on Missouri? Import figures from last year provide one measure.
Missouri accounted for 0.8% of U.S. imports in 2018, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. China was Missouri’s top import partner, supplying close to $4.9 billion of goods last year — an increase of 3.8% from 2017.
Canada imported more than $4.2 billion of commodities to Missouri, ranking second. Mexico and Germany also topped , the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, Japan and India.
According to the Census Bureau, Missouri’s top import in 2018 was crude oil from petroleum and bituminous minerals, with a value of close to $1.4 billion.


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Editor’s note: Contributing columnist, Steve Nicklas, expresses his views and insight on various topics in Marketplace.
— Steve’s Marketplace —
The Republican National Committee’s annual meeting last week at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island fizzled like defective Chinese fireworks.
In retrospect, any celebratory fireworks were already scrapped following the consequential election losses. RNC members hobbled together here to lick their political wounds. While prominent Republican leaders like Sen. Rand Paul stopped by, mostly low-level staffers huddled in the Ritz conference rooms and lobby bar during the three-day meeting.
After all, the main event of the meeting had to be scrapped. It was to be an appearance by President Trump. Reverberations of the violence in Washington, D.C. forced Trump to remain under tight cover, however.
The Republican party is in disarray. A triumvirate of losses of the House of Representatives, the Senate and the White House have set Republicans back by light years. And an RNC that was supposed to prevent the unthinkable from happening failed miserably.
The overall week was a catastrophe, as were the feeble meetings.
Hotels Are Hurting
Another revelation of last week was that few people were at the Ritz. Other than the badge-wearing RNC folks, that is. Like the Republican party, hotels are hurting. The culprit in this case is the Covid-19 virus.
Similar languid news came from the Omni Amelia Island Plantation. And there are reports that at least one hotel on the island may suspend operations. Meanwhile, two new hotels are nearing completion – adding 300 more rooms to the crowded equation.
Hotel reservations have dropped off a mountainous cliff, and bed-tax collections have suffered mightily. Jobs have been lost. Some prized hotels may be permanently impaired. Our area has been dealt a Mike Tyson-like blow.
The vaccines cannot be mobilized fast enough to improve the health of travel and leisure businesses, here and around the state.
While Walmart shoppers are sometimes vilified, they may be telling us something. And it’s a meaningful, non-discounted message.
Walmart shoppers don’t expect the U.S. economy to bounce back quickly from the pandemic, according to its chief customer officer. The Walmart executive spoke at a virtual National Retail Federation conference recently.
In fact, almost half of Walmart shoppers commented in a survey that they are worried about the health of the U.S. economy. Walmart stores have remained open during the pandemic, providing necessary goods like toilet paper, food and sanitizing products.
Same-store sales rose by more than 6 percent in the last quarter for Walmart, while e-commerce sales skyrocketed by 79 percent as people shopped online during the pandemic. Walmart has 4,700 stores in the U.S., with a smaller one in Fernandina Beach and a superstore in Yulee. Walmart also plans to open health clinics in its stores, with low prices on the services like a $30 annual checkup.
Steve Nicklas is a financial advisor with a regional brokerage firm who lives and works on Amelia Island. He is also an award-winning columnist. He has published a book of his favorite columns, “All About Money,” which is available at local bookstores and on Amazon. His columns also appear in newspapers in North Florida and South Georgia, as well as on his website at www.SteveNicklasMarketplace.com. He can be reached at 904-753-0236 or at [email protected]


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Lesson of the day: Twitter does not mess around when it comes to skincare. Shortly after Kylie Jenner teased her new Kylie Skin essentials on social media, the KUWTK star, 21, was met with serious backlash over a number of the products — particularly her walnut face scrub.
“Well, this is horrifying. A foaming face wash and a walnut scrub?! Tragic to think that millions of girls will buy this trash and destroy their skin barriers,” one person wrote on Tuesday, May 14. “A walnut face scrub?! Why is Kylie trying to destroy our skin? OMFG,” echoed another.
“Walnut shells are way too rough of an exfoliant for the face — as are any plastic beads. You shouldn’t be using ANY kind of manual scrub on the face as often as she’s promoting in this video. That’s for other areas of the body,” someone reasoned. One person even decided to go into specific detail, writing, “Crushed up walnut in your face scrub is not good!!! The walnut pieces will actually create tiny little cuts on the surface of your skin.”
Ouch. That certainly doesn’t sound pleasant. To be fair, Kylie described the scrub as “gentle yet very effective,” but from the looks of it … literally no one on the internet believes her. At the end of the day, we think it’s ill-advised to take skincare advice from Twitter. This isn’t to say that you can’t ask ~ordinary~ people for tips and tricks, but considering dermatologists go to school for roughly 12 years, it may be wise to ask a medical professional about what’s best for your skin.
Speaking of dermatologists, as one Twitter user pointed out, “Kylie Jenner has access to the best dermatologists and estheticians in the world.” Yes, that is 100 percent correct. It’s important to remember that even if Kylie does use her walnut scrub … it’s likely that her glowing face gets a little extra love and care from $1,000 facials.
P.S. If you don’t care about any of the warnings above. Kylie Skin drops on Wednesday, May 22.
Have a tip? Send it to us! Email In Touch at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Christopher J. Nassetta
President and Chief Executive Officer at Hilton Worldwide
Thank you, Jill. Good morning, everyone, and thanks for joining us today. The third quarter marked a very important milestone in our continued recovery. For the first time since the pandemic began, system-wide RevPAR surpassed 2019 levels. Additionally, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS exceeded the high end of our guidance and 2019 levels. We achieved several notable development milestones in the quarter including reaching 100,000 rooms open across Europe and announced various strategic partnerships further enhancing the guest experience and the strength of our global system. The quarter's strong performance coupled with our capital-light business model enabled us to continue returning meaningful capital to shareholders. Year-to-date, we've returned more than $1.3 billion and for the full year, we're on track to return between $1.5 billion and $1.9 billion to shareholders.
Turning to the specifics results in the quarter. Occupancy reached more than 73% only 4 points shy of 2019 levels. As expected, strong travel demand continued through the summer months, primarily driven by robust leisure trends. Post Labor Day, demand remained strong as business transient and group demand improved significantly and leisure demand remains robust. Overall demand for the quarter peaked in September nearly reaching 2019 levels with business transient demand only 2 points off 2019 levels.
ADR also continued to strengthen improving quarter-over-quarter and up 11% versus 2019. Rates across all segments surpassed 2019 levels with leisure transient rates up in the high-teens and both business transient and group up in the mid single-digits. All of this translated into third quarter system-wide RevPAR growth of approximately 30% year-over-year and 5% compared to 2019 levels with each month surpassing prior peaks. Leisure transient RevPAR continued to lead the recovery exceeding 2019 levels by more than 11% for the quarter. Business transient RevPAR reach 2019 levels with notable acceleration in large corporate business. Our top 20 business accounts are now just 3% shy of 2019 levels with forward bookings trending above 2019. Small and medium-sized businesses remained ahead of 2019 levels.
Group RevPAR reached roughly 93% of prior peak levels for the quarter with company meetings improving significantly as a percentage of mix. We expect trends to remain strong for the balance of the year with system-wide RevPAR once again surpassing 2019 levels in the fourth quarter. Leisure transient RevPAR is expected to remain meaningfully above prior peaks, driven by solid consumer confidence, and a continued eagerness and ability to travel. We expect business transient RevPAR to continue to see gradual recovery, primarily driven by rising demand as companies encourage their people to get back on the road.
System-wide group position for the fourth quarter [Phonetic] is approximately 5% above 2019 levels accelerating over the last several months largely due to a robust demand pipeline. Additionally, rates on new bookings are up in the mid to high-teens versus 2019 with group mix continuing to normalize. Company meetings and convention business make up a larger percentage of forward bookings versus the same period in 2019. As we look ahead, we remain very optimistic about the future of travel. Despite near-term macro headwinds, we're not seeing any signs that fundamentals are weakening. Rising demand coupled with historically low industry supply growth should continue to drive strong pricing power.
Consumers are shifting back to spending on experiences, international borders are reopening, and pent-up demand is being released across all segments. Consumers still have an estimated $2.4 trillion of excess savings accumulated during the pandemic or approximately 55% more in their checking and savings accounts than they did in 2019. Additionally, according to a recent global Hilton study, 85% of business travelers hope to travel as much or more next year and group position for 2023 is less than 10% shy of 2019 peak levels with a tentative pipeline up significantly. While the macro environment is more challenging, we are in the midst of a strong rebound with secular tailwinds that should support continued growth.
Turning to development. We opened 80 properties totaling nearly 13,000 rooms in the quarter and achieved several important milestones including reaching 100,000 rooms in Europe, 25,000 Curio rooms globally, and 600 Hilton Hotels and Resorts. All of our brands continue growing at a healthy pace given their distinct identities and compelling value propositions for both owners and guests. According to STR, our year-to-date net additions remain higher than all major branded competitors demonstrating the power of our disciplined development strategy and the strength of our industry-leading RevPAR index premiums.
During the quarter we signed approximately 20,000 rooms bringing our pipeline to a record 416,000 rooms, half of which are under construction. Signings were boosted by strong RevPAR performance in the U.S. which drove greater owner optimism around the recovery. While macro factors tempered international signings, we were thrilled to announce 9 landmark agreements to expand our luxury presence across seven countries in the Asia Pacific region including the Conrad Singapore Orchard. We also signed agreements to grow our flagship Hilton brand in Malaysia, Waldorf in Morocco, and what will become our first system-wide Tempo property in Times Square. Construction starts outperformed expectations in the quarter largely due to better activity in the U.S. as the cost of materials stabilized and demand for residential construction declined. According to STR, Hilton is the only major hotel company to deliver year-to-date growth in its under construction pipeline. For the full year, we continue to expect net unit growth of approximately 5% and we expect mid single-digit growth for the next couple of years before returning to our historical growth rate of 6% to 7%.
With even more exciting destinations to enjoy, we continue strengthening our value proposition for Hilton Honors members. In the quarter, Honors membership grew 19% year-over-year to $146 million and members accounted for more than 61% of occupancy, up 200 basis points year-over-year and roughly in line with 2019. We also continue to invest in new innovations focused on ensuring we deliver reliable friendly stays that meet guests' evolving needs. An overwhelming 98% of guests in a recent survey said they are prioritizing wellness activities while on the road. During the quarter, we announced an industry-first partnership with Peloton to have Peloton bikes in every fitness center across all of our 5,400 U.S. properties by year end.
Our extremely talented team works tirelessly to execute on a great strategy, and we continue to be recognized for our award-winning culture. Hilton was recently named the number 1 Best Workplace for Women in the U.S. and the number 2 on the World's Best Workplaces by Fortune in Great Places to Work, our 7th consecutive year on the list and the only hospitality company on the list. As we begin a new golden age of travel, I think we're better positioned than ever. Our brands are performing at their highest levels, we're running our highest margins in our company's history, and we're on track to generate our highest levels of free cash flow yet.
Now, I'll turn the call over to Kevin to give you a bit more details on the quarter and our expectations for the full year.


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Nintendo goes big on 3D with 3DS XL Video
Nintendo goes big on 3D with 3DS XL Video Transcript
It's time can live large ads and curl and you if you -- I'm Bridget Carey and it's just an update. The Nintendo media system gallon extra large on sale August 19 and intended three -- -- -- 90%. Larger screen at four point eight inches and a better battery and the -- three yes if he ever had your hands on that -- Erik yes -- This will be even larger bigger screens can be easier on the eyes -- gives you more screen room for drying with art applications and it would come in handy for watching movies with Netflix. If you're using it this tutorial programs like for working out there for -- you really like that larger screen for easier -- distance. Upcoming better -- bundled with a fourteen ID card for 200 bucks so it's thirty dollars more than the 3-D S but it's -- -- SD card. It's also coming out the same day as the new Super Mario Brothers two game. The -- at Pixar studios are known for developing technology that sets new standards animation. There was underwater environment in -- Lima the balloons -- up and for great it's about -- hair. -- developed in new hair simulation software to calculate the balance and load each corkscrew for princess Mary and a The Little Mermaid was apparently must have curls but that was too -- -- -- back then and it's only now that Sony has taken on how to do it. Movies he has can -- CGI exit -- the Titanic or build new alien world but -- on the fastest costs too much. The first Microsoft -- tablet. Is set to come with Wi-Fi only according to Bloomberg report that Microsoft is keeping quiet about -- details and -- on a price or release day. Most people still -- not aware that their library can land electronic books according to a new pew Internet poll. One and half a library card owners said they did I -- check out an e-book. Only 12% of readers have borrowed. The first Smartphone to get the next Android -- system that's code named jelly bean. Looks like it'll be big -- nexus according to one line in a product listing in the Google play store but there could be and jelly -- tablet that comes -- before this. We're expected to hear more about and nexus tablet next week -- Google's developer's conference. The popular news -- at -- board is now available to Android users. The free -- in the story feed them your social networks and favorite news sources and presents them in a magazine layout has recently added option of pulling feeds from Google+ circles. The planet on Android phones as well as Amazon's Kindle fire and the Barnes and album that. That's your tech news update for its vapor more in the stories as they show visit cnet.com slash update artist Addison's -- -- years. From our studios in New York -- --
The supersize Nintendo 3DS XL is a solid portable gaming device, but its thin game library keeps it from being a must-buy for existing 3DS owners and newcomers alike.
Skipping the newer flipping, folding, or sliding designs, the Twist goes back to a traditional center-hinge design.
YouTube names the most popular videos of the year, the Obama administration sets aside $2 billion for broadband, and you can now supersize your Wi-Fi at McDonald's.
News Feed ads will target browsing history, eBay and Goodwill let users "Sell it Forward," and users are flipping over Flipboard's custom magazines.
This week on the CNET Tech Review: Toyota's plug-in Prius is poised to give the hybrid market a jolt; hands-on with Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play in Barcelona; and Samsung's Galaxy Tab gets supersized.
The latest evolution of Nintendo's whacky minigame romp has users creating games.
This week we freak out about Slingbox outages that have hit users around the country (fortunately, the problem seems mostly solved at this point). Then, we check out the two big tech firm ousters of the past week: HP's CEO and Apple's head iPhone guy. Dan goes over some recent NYC subway nightmares, and how the MTA's high-tech makeover isn't moving very quickly. And finally, we check out candid shots of a gorilla that got his paws on some poor zoo visitor's Nintendo DSi XL.
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, CNET Radio's Brian Cooley demos Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP, featuring a new compact, flip-style design that can fit into smaller areas.
This week on the CNET Tech review, we take a look back at E3 2010; hands-on with the Nintendo 3DS; how to sell stuff on eBay; and SoundHound for iPhone and Android.
This week on the CNET Tech Review: highlights from the 2011 Detroit auto show, including three new models of the Toyota Prius and the 2012 Audi A6; launch titles announced for the Nintendo 3DS; and get the best iOS games for your Android phone.
- Nintendo supersizes the 3DS
- Bravely going where Pixar animation tech has never gone
- Microsoft Surface tablet said to come with only Wi-Fi
- Most don't realize they can borrow e-books at the library
- How to download e-books from your local library
- Galaxy Nexus is first Jelly Bean phone
- Flipboard arrives on Android


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Hacking attempts are on the rise across the world and costs to the global economy are well into the billions. Often payment data, customer records and company data are targeted and routes into hacking are constantly multiplying.
Leading IT services business, TSG (Technology Services Group) h
Our Chief Technology Officer Steve Cox has just written a new blog post on the re
We've recently added another TSG customer case study to our growing resource centre area.
As the IT industry enters a period of significant change, TSG has reported strong figures for the year ending March 31st 2012.
Please find details below of our opening hours over the festive period*:
TSG, one of the UK’s leading IT support companies, has chosen Sophos UTM as its default offering for customers.


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MILO, Maine — Town officials have completed final negotiations with Ron and Amy Desmarais of Eastern Maine Shooting Supplies, Inc. and signed a purchase and sales agreement for property at the Eastern Piscataquis Industrial Park, it was announced earlier this month. The agreement is subject to voter approval at a special town meeting tentatively scheduled for June 3 at the town hall.
According to a new business announcement, which is available at www.trcmaine.org, the total cash price plus additional considerations is nearly $110,000. The plan for the approximately 3.5-acre property would be for three businesses to move in once renovations are completed over the next six months. Two of the businesses are owned by the Desmaraises and consist of Eastern Maine Shooting Supplies and Mars Machine, a manual machine shop. The third business will be identified at a later time but consists of a fairly large machine shop and welding business.
The three businesses are expected to employ more than 25 people within the first year, with growth forecasted for the future. The Desmarais’ auto body shop at 71 Main St. is expected to remain there and will be expanding this summer.
The Desmaraises have provided a letter of commitment to move forward provided approval is granted at the special town meeting and with grant assistance from the state and federal governments to run various utilities into the park. The letter helps provide assurance that there will be lots ready to be developed by other businesses who may choose to locate to the park — previously the town could not offer sites that were able to be built upon within 90 days.
This is the first time in seven years that any manufacturing business has made this type of commitment to locating, and operating on a long-term basis in the business park, according to town officials.


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The owner and operator of a local daycare center, Little Wonders Childcare, continues a tradition of teaching her charges the value of paying it forward. Mallory Ramaekers says the kids have held a fundraiser for the past few years, selling ice cream from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. right out in front of the center and then distributing the proceeds locally.
She says when they sit down and talk about where they are going to donate their earnings, she tries to pick out services that the youngsters can understand. This year, they will be giving what they earn for the benefit of the entire county.
This year Ramaekers is considering an added element to the giving.
The kids at her center range in age from zero to nine, but those outside selling will be rotating shifts of the children two and up. Ramaekers says the benefits go beyond the value lessons and include the joy of socialization.
Ramaekers says they are always interested in watching the amount they are raising grow over the six hours of the sale.
The idea for the ice cream sale is something that came from Ramaekers’ childhood.
The Little Wonders Daycare is near St. Anthony Regional Hospital and Holy Spirit Church, at 212 S. Walnut St. To help the kids out with their fundraiser, stop by and get your ice cream treats from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today (Friday).


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AAA Cooper Transportation® received a certificate of membership for 2015 from the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. The certificate is given to AAA Cooper Transportation® by Bill Graves, President & CEO of ATA, and Dave Brodie, Senior VP Membership & Marketing of ATA.
Roadrunner Transportation Systems Announces Terence R. Rogers as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Downers Grove, IL – May 24, 2017 – Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. (“Roadrunner”) (NYSE: RRTS), a leading asset-right transportation and […]
On May 16, 2017 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) #17-000278 responding to the […]
On May 16, 2017 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) met for the inaugural meeting of the Committee on […]
May 15, 2017 – Today, FedEx President and COO David J. Bronczek joined the CEOs of three other leading U.S […]
On May 15, 2017 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) announced a reorganization of […]
05/11/2017 – Deutsche Post DHL Group, the world’s leading mail and logistics company, increased revenue significantly in the first quarter […]


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Google launched Google+ back in June of 2011. Facebook, in particular Mark Zuckerberg, saw it as an immediate threat to the platform. Google had a big advantage over Facebook. As it has been the default search engine on many computers, smartphones and tablets, as well as having a slew of Gmail and YouTube accounts already. Which meant users wouldn't need to do much to start using the service. When Google+ started, it was meant to be an online identity to tie together all of Google's services. Much like Facebook had been doing for the entire internet.
A former Facebook employee, by the name of Antonio Garcia Martinez, has a new book coming out this summer. And in this book he recounts the day that Google+ was announced. Stating that Zuckerberg put Facebook on lockdown. The lockdown was essentially to get Facebook ready for what Zuckerberg thought would be a war between the two. Of course, we all know now that Facebook is still king and Google+ is struggling to get active users.
The lockdown caused Facebook to start thinking twice on a code change before actually pushing it out. Martinez stated that Facebook could occasionally look like a "thrown-together, social-media Frankenstein" with all sorts of bells and whistles on the platform. That was something that changed that day, during that lockdown. Those on the Ads team basically sat in "corporate solidarity". Seeing as there wasn't much that the Ads team could do as this was a user war and not a revenue war. Additionally, Ads product manager, Paul Adams was in close conversation with Mark Zuckerberg and a few other executives. Adams was one of the product designers for Google+. So they were picking his brain for everything he knew about Google+, seeing as it had just launched, so he was able to actually talk about the details. Facebook was really going to war with Google+, as they saw Google as a true competitor to their throne.
A bit interesting to see that 5 years ago, the announcement of Google+ really threw everyone at Facebook through a loop and put everyone in lockdown. But then again, Zuckerberg is serious about the business he has created, and is looking to keep Facebook on top.


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Sales in local currencies were up 7 percent for the cosmetics and beauty direct seller, but an 11 percent negative currency effect led to total revenue for the third quarter of $2.5bn, down 4 percent on last year.
Net income came in at $1.56bn, in comparison to $2.23bn for the same period last year, a drop of 30 percent. Although, this is partly due to lower sales, it was also exacerbated by high costs from the company’s ongoing restructuring plan.
Latin America, which is the largest market for the US-based company, brought in the best results out of all the company’s regions, with revenues increasing 5 percent to reach $1.11bn.
Two other winners in local currencies were Central and Eastern Europe and the company’s Western Europe region that covers Middle East and Africa, where revenues increased 7 percent (not accounting for currency effects) to reach $314.1m and $298.2m respectively.
China’s boutiques struggle
Asia Pacific recorded a 2 percent increase in local currencies to each $222.6m, but giant in the region China was far from positive.
Sales in China amounted to $67.3m, which is 11 percent less than the same period last year in local currencies. This, the company said, is due to the company's struggling Beauty Boutiques retail arm where sales dropped 40 percent.
The hybrid model of boutiques and direct selling was implemented only in China and it seems the direct selling model will win out in the region.
North America suffered a drop of 8 percent in sales, which the company put down to a double digit decline in the non beauty categories fashion and home, as well as lower consumer spending.
Commenting on the results CEO Andrea Jung said the company was pleased with the results considering the current economic environment.
“Our broad-based strength is proof that our strategies to focus on representative recruiting and Avon’s ‘smart value’ products are working,” she added.
It was the company’s color cosmetics products that pulled in the best results for this quarter, with sales growing 17 percent in local currencies worldwide, and 4 percent in US dollars.
Color cosmetics was the only one out of the four beauty segments (fragrance, skin care and personal care) to grow sales in US dollars.


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Optimism about the advertising market at the Daily Mail's parent company has been scuppered by the terrorism attacks in the US.
The Daily Mail & General Trust is now forecasting an eight per cent drop in ad revenues over the year.
Back in June, the company had been predicting that ad revenues would rise after some disappointing months and, indeed, the Daily Mail saw a slight recovery in August with a three per cent year-on-year growth.
But the events and aftermath of September 11 have put paid to that. The group's titles all put on sales after the events, especially the Daily Mail, with the paper selling more than 250,000 extra copies the day after the terrorist attacks.
However, revenue was hit as, like the rest of the nationals, the paper pulled advertising to devote more space to covering events and major advertisers pulled their ads.
Now the group admits its revenue forecast is uncertain, with the consequences of the attacks still unclear.
DM> finance director Peter Williams said it was impossible to predict where the company's revenue would go from here.
"We just don't know"he said. "But the Daily Mail is very strong on the retail side. That gives us some confidence.
"As long as people keep spending in the high street, our big advertisers will keep advertising with us."


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A pet robot which coos when its owner strokes it and is designed as a loyal companion for lonely elderly people is among the hit products at CES, the world's biggest technology fair in Las Vegas.
Japanese manufacturer Groove X says its robot Lovot, which comes complete with cartoon eyes and fuzzy teddy bear arms, has been built to “nurture people’s capacity to love” by demanding the affection of its owner. Packed with sensors to respond to human touch, when Lovot wants to be cuddled, it waves its arms in the air, and will trail around adoringly behind its owner on wheels. It will even ‘fall asleep’ in their arms if offered a cuddle.
The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is where the world’s largest technology companies go to show off their latest hardware. This year, one of the biggest themes at the conference is technology to help ageing baby boomers.
Lovot uses a video camera mounted on its head to recognise the face of its owner and to avoid collisions. Groove X hopes that the robots, which cost $6000 (£4700) for a pair, can become companions for Japan’s aging population, but is also planning to release the devices in the US in the future.
Another technology business, Intuition Robotics, used CES to announce its ElliQ robot, which is designed to befriend the elderly. The device features a light-up head which nods as the robot talks, as well as a detachable tablet screen and a camera which can be used to make video calls.
The ElliQ device will sell for $1,499, but will require a monthly subscription between $35 to $50 to keep using its service.
Hyundai also revealed a car with robot legs that can help individuals with reduced mobility, such as the elderly. The car legs that allow the “Elevate“ vehicle to walk like a dog were initially designed to be used by the emergency services, but its designers said it could have other applications.
John Suh, who is leading the project at Hyundai, said: “This technology goes well beyond emergency situations.
“People living with disabilities worldwide that don’t have access to an ADA ramp could hail an autonomous Hyundai Elevate that could walk up to their front door, level itself, and allow their wheelchair to roll right in. The possibilities are limitless.”
Research for The Daily Telegraph last year found that global investment in technology designed for older people has almost trebled since 2017.
During the first ten months of 2018 alone, investment in technology companies creating products in the elderly care market increased to $453m, up from $166m in investments in the whole of 2017.
CES is best known for the cutting edge updates to hardware like televisions and laptops shown at the event.
But as populations age, technology companies are increasingly tailoring their products for a new demographic, often using innovations like artificial intelligence and facial recognition.
Another brand-new system is from British brand Hive, part of Centrica. Launched in the UK last month, it allows carers to remotely check on a vulnerable person using sensors placed around their home. The system, which costs £149 plus £14.99 per month, learns someone's daily routine and alerts family or neighbours that something may be wrong if they don't stick to it.
The system can detect whether the front door has been closed, the kettle switched on, and the kitchen cupboards or fridge opened. The company says it helps carers feel less worried and guilty about leaving their loved ones alone, and lets older people stay in their homes for longer.
Samsung revealed its new Bot Care, two-foot tall, white, wheeled artificial intelligence robot that trundled onto the stage for the company’s showcase at the electronics event.
The Bot Care can provide a companion to its human owner while monitoring their health through blood pressure and heart rate tests. It has emergency settings to call emergency services if something goes wrong, and can play relaxing music to deal with stress. It can also enable video calling from families to check up on sick relatives.
Samsung’s vice president of AI Gary Lee said: “Samsung Bot care gives daily health briefings, shares exercise guidance and monitors medication intake. Family members can easily stay in touch with one another and check on their wellbeing even from far away.”


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Skopje, 23 June 2016/Independent Balkan News Agency
By Naser Pajaziti
Almost 30% of households in FYROM live on 100 euros a month, while their main financial sources are pension, social aid and remittances.
These data have been published in the opinion pull called “Household expenses in 2015” of the State Authority of Statistics.
Statistics show that only 6,3% of households can meet their monthly needs. Based on this information, over 56 thousand households only have 106 euros worth of disposable incomes a month.
On the other hand, the richest households in the country have 1212 euros worth of disposable incomes a month, 12 times more than poor households. /balkaneu.com/


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New York PostJudge gives HSBC two-week extension on money-laundering reportNew York PostA Brooklyn federal judge on Tuesday extended by two weeks the deadline for UK bank HSBC to redact portions of a potentially explosive anti-money-laundering report. Judge John Gleeson. who has already rejected requests from the Justice Department and ...HSBC money laundering report's release likely delayed: US judgeReuters UKHSBC money laundering report's release likely delayed-US jLondon South East (registration) (blog)all 26 news articles »
AOL Money UKSurge in number of fake current account applicationsAOL Money UKCriminals see current accounts as a lucrative target as they can max out an overdraft as well as using the accounts as a "gateway" to commit other frauds, including making bogus loan and credit card applications. The increase in current account fraud ...Current account fraud doubles – how to stop criminals in their tracksMirror.co.ukall 8 news articles »
This is MoneyChallenger bank Vanquis flogs credit cards with 40% interest rates in the street as household debt boomsThis is MoneyBank staff are flogging expensive credit cards to shoppers in town centres and outside fast-food restaurants despite fears that Britain is heading towards a new credit crunch. In a disturbing development, Money Mail has discovered that lending bosses ...
Mirror.co.ukCurrent account fraud doubles – how to stop criminals in their tracksMirror.co.ukAlong with fraudulent current account applications, credit card and insurance policy fraud also saw a big rise in 2015. Much like current account fraud, credit card fraud was largely driven by identity theft. “There is a significant knowledge gap ...and more »
This is MoneyWell-off, hard-working and never late paying bills: Yet perfect borrowers are refused a mortgage because they're too oldThis is Money'We could raise the money by selling up and trading down, but we don't want to do that.' They're not alone. The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) says that 1.9 million borrowers had wholly interest-only mortgages at the end of 2014. A further 460,000 ...Mortgage fees at 21-month highMoney Marketall 36 news articles »


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WALLACE, N.C. (WNCT) —The town of Wallace is reaping the benefits from its strawberry festival this past weekend.
The town says about 15,000 folks came out to enjoy fresh strawberries, rides and entertainment.
The money raised from the festival is going into downtown revitalization projects.
“This year we wanted to do a downtown sound system so you could have announcements and music going throughout the whole downtown,” Matt Livingston, town manager, said. “There will be wireless speakers throughout the downtown area so shoppers can hear music while they shop.”
Last year the town used the money it raised to buy trees and plant them along the streetscape.
The town is finishing up counting all of the money but expects to have plenty to purchase the equipment.
Everything is coming up strawberries as the town of Wallace gears up to host its annual festival featuring the sweet red fruit.
Attendees can enjoy fresh berries, ice cream and jams.
The festival also features rides, vendors and helicopter rides.
The town manager says while it’s a fun event the festival helps bring in at least $10,000 dollars to the area.


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Nomadic Coffee recruits and pays emerging and established poets to write verse to include in every bag of beans.
Berkeley's Winnie Yu has launched a cold-brew coffee and tea company that brings out the best flavors in iced beverages.
The new, sleek coffee shop takes the place of Café Yesterday, with a streamlined, coffee- and pastries-focused menu.
After nearly 10 years serving coffee and food to a loyal Berkeley clientèle, Mokka will close largely due to minimum wage increases.
Blue Bottle will open its first coffee shop in Berkeley, sharing a downtown Berkeley space with a high-end ramen restaurant.
Cassie Cushing's coffee shop and storytelling venue already has a following in Point Richmond. Nosh stopped by to check it out.
Berkeley Co-Roasting is the first shared coffee roasting facility on the West Coast, and it hopes to serve as both an educational and a production facility.
Last week, Chris and Amy Hillyard of Farley's announced that the company will now divide a portion of its profits amongst all of its employees.
In this week's Bites, news on Grand Lake Kitchen's expansion, an Oakland outpost for the toast-slinging San Francisco coffee shop Trouble and much more.
With the first Red Bay Coffee Roasters café, Keba Konte hopes to transform low-wage jobs and bring some diversity into the coffee business.
West Oakland's Continental Club has a new owner, the Wolfhound Bar opens, and much more in this week's Bites.
Philz Coffee on College Avenue opens today, becoming the fourth coffee shop on a single block in the Rockridge neighborhood.
Wrecking Ball coffee will be on the menu at Kaleidoscope Coffee, a café and event space in Point Richmond, being opened by storyteller and barista Cassie Cushing.