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Biosimilar products help reduce medical costs: Malaysian official
Kuala Lumpur, The introduction of biosimilar products is a promising strategy that can benefit the people and country as it encourages competition in the market which can then lead to a reduction of about 30-40 per cent in the cost of medicines, said Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
She said this is particularly important in Malaysia, especially with an estimated 73 per cent of total deaths in the country due to non-communicable diseases, including cancer, Malaysia's National News Agency (Bernama) reported today.
"According to the Malaysian National Cancer Registry Report 2007-2011, a total number of 103,407 new cancer cases were diagnosed in Malaysia during the period.
"Statistics from Health Facts 2016, published by the Health Ministry, show that cancer is the third leading cause of deaths in government hospitals, contributing to 13.6 per cent of deaths.
"This is very worrying, especially since the percentage of the number of deaths caused by cancer in 1996 in government hospitals was only 8.9 per cent," she said in her speech at the Biosimilar Carnival 2018, here today.
Also present were Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Inno Bio Ventures Sdn Bhd chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Mamat.
Dr. Wan Azizah said biosimilars are medical products that are almost identical copies of an original product which are manufactured by a different company and are usually approved versions of the original products that are manufactured when the original products' patents expire.
"Additionally, advances in biotechnology are also seen as a means of providing employment opportunities to Malaysians and to indirectly produce more skilled workers in Malaysia," she said.
She said the government is aware and supportive of efforts made by organisations such as Inno Bio in organising campaigns and awareness programmes on life-threatening diseases, such as cancer, within local communities.
"I was informed that Inno Bio is currently focusing on the medicines and treatment of cancer, alongside other diseases.
"I am happy to share that Inno Bio received international recognition in 2016 from the D8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation through biosimilar product invention efforts in collaboration with Ayrogen Pharmed (from Iran)," she said. The D8 Organisation is an organisation for development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.
She said the collaboration between Inno Bio and Ayrogen Pharmed is an excellent example of technology transfer strategies and demonstrates that biosimilar initiatives are relevant and accepted globally.
"This cooperation will fulfill technology market functions, information dissemination on technological capabilities, achievements and needs among the D8 Member Countries. This also proves that our country is capable of producing our own high impact biopharmaceutical products through strategic partnerships," she added.
After officiating at the Biosimilar Carnival, Dr. Wan Azizah also witnessed the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Inno Bio, represented by its CEO Mohd Zaid Abdul Jalil, and D8 Organisation, represented by its secretary-general Datuk Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari.
Dr. Wan Azizah said the MoU aims is to strengthen the engagement between Inno Bio and D8 in order to increase inter-related cooperation between the Islamic states in the area of innovation and technology transfers, business opportunities and support.
"With this platform, I look forward to more collaboration between industry players in exchanging expertise, technologies and business opportunities," she said.
Source: Bahrain News Agency


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The exact future of Airbnb.com remains in a small degree of doubt, following its recent "defeat" by New York City. Airbnb had sued the city to prevent it from levying fines on tourists who rented whole apartments for their short stays in the Big Apple. But just a few weeks ago, the litigious Airbnb settled and withdrew its claims. From now on, the only way that Airbnb can rent out an apartment in New York City is if the owner of the apartment remains in residence throughout the entire stay. Since the majority of tourists do not wish to encounter the owner wandering down the halls in his or her bathrobe while they occupy a spare room, New York City becomes, in effect, off-limits to people choosing Airbnb. Violating that rule subjects the owner or tourist to a fine of $7,500.
Why is this important? Well, besides the fact that New York's hotel rates are the highest in the nation and would otherwise be a fertile market for Airbnb, it is probable that other U.S. cities may follow New York's lead and impose fines for dealing with the popular apartment-rental service. Local activists (backed by the hotel lobby) could prevail in their claim that Airbnb results in fewer available apartments for permanent residents. You can chalk it up to a defeat for tourists - but it's still unresolved in other cities.
Marijuana tourism also might be facing defeat. Although seven states have now legalized the sale and use of the popular drug, it remains illegal under federal law. And the person designated by president-elect Donald Trump as the new U.S. attorney general — Jeff Sessions — is a fierce opponent of marijuana use. Many political observers are predicting a big legal battle between the feds and the states. Who will prevail?
What other major issues remain outstanding in the world of travel? Surely the most important question is whether the new president will reverse the opening up of tourism to Cuba. Certainly, statements made by him during the course of his campaign seem to indicate that he will, unless a number of major industries — cruise lines, airlines, hotel chains and other travel entities — succeed in convincing him that they have invested heavy sums in the preparation for widespread American tourism to Cuba. They undoubtedly will point out that our 50-year embargo against travel to Cuba has accomplished nothing, and probably has strengthened the current Cuban regime instead of weakening it. They also will point out that the new policies enacted by President Barack Obama have permitted the transfer of capital to Cuban entrepreneurs, enabling them to establish new industries and new examples of free enterprise, and are more effective in freeing the people of Cuba than the failed policies of the past 50 years.
Is there any good recent news in travel? Surely an important development is the approval by the legislature of Colombia of a revised truce agreement between the country and its insurgent opposition. At long last, it is apparent that all the major attractions and cities of that attractive South American country — Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena — have become entirely safe for visits by American vacationers. The addition of this new destination, which is inexpensive to reach and visit, surely is a positive travel development.
— Arthur Frommer is the pioneering founder of the Frommer's Travel Guide book series. He co-hosts the radio program, The Travel Show, with his travel correspondent daughter Pauline Frommer. Find more destinations online and read Arthur Frommer's blog at frommers.com.

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Uber Technologies Inc is the maker of transportation app Uber, which enables customers to book drivers using their own cars. It was founded by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp in 2009 with the app released in June 2010. At the end of 2011, Uber had raised a total $44.5m for international expansion. In 2014, the company raised another $1.2bn pushing its valuation to $18.2bn.
China’s Baidu was reported to invest $600m in December 2014, though precise financial figures of the deal were not disclosed. As of September 2015, the app is available in 60 countries and 300 cities worldwide and has been estimated to be worth $50bn.
Uber international expansion by city
Since its launch the app has sparked protests in cities such as Paris, Berlin and London from cab drivers threatened by its low prices. The app has since been banned in Berlin by the government. This year, the company has been busy launching the Uber Advanced Technology Center in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon, as well as car sharing service UberPOOL in LA and NYC, as well as food delivery services UberFRESH and UberEATS.
Key Uber Data Points
- Uber app is available in 60 countries and over 300 cities worldwide (Source: Uber)
- It fulfills one million rides daily and has over eight million users (Source: Uber)
- In 2011, Uber raised $44.5m, followed by $1.2bn in 2014 and another investment from Baidu at the end of 2014 (Source: Vator, Higbeam, Techcrunch)
- In the US, Uber has over 160,000 active drivers, receiving $656.8m of payments during Q4 2014 (Source: Benenson Strategy Group)
- 14% of its drivers are female (Source: Uber)
- The top two reasons for drivers to choose Uber are higher income (91%) and work-day flexibility (87%) (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- It’s largest competitor Lyft generates a fraction of revenue ($2.2bn) compared to Uber ($26.4m) (Source: Fortune)
- However, Uber has given Lyft a boost – generating greater engagement on the app (Source: Forbes)
- Uber is expected to process $10.84bn in bookings in 2015 (Source: Reuters)
According to Uber, the company is fulfilling over one million rides on a daily basis and currently has over eight million users. The company’s fast rise to success directly correlates with the decrease in traditional taxi usage.
More people are using Uber than taxis now
Given the fast rise of smartphone adoption globally, Uber’s success doesn’t come as a surprise. But there are many reasons why customers prefer to book Uber versus taxis. Among those are: clear overview of pricing prior to booking, one-tap rides, follow drivers on map, cashless convenience, fare splitting as well as feedback options.
Taxi versus Uber services
Findings by Benenson Strategy Group show that Uber had over 160,000 active drivers by the end of 2014 in the US, receiving total payments of $656.8m during Q4 2014 from the company.
Active Uber drivers
Interestingly, the study found that 14% of drivers were female, exceeding the percentage of women taxi and chauffeur drivers. 71% of Uber drivers have family at home and prefer the flexibility that Uber allows them.
Large number of Uber drivers in the US are female
Due to its low barriers to entry and flexible options, many drivers test Uber. However, continuation rates drop off steadily over time.
Uber driver continuation rates half over 12 months
A survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics adds that the reason why many drivers choose Uber is that 87% of them wish to be their own boss. 85% want to have a better life-work balance. Interestingly, 51% of Uber drivers only work 15 hours or less per week. However, the top reason for driving with Uber is still a demand to earn a higher income for 91%.
Why are people choosing to drive with Uber?
Among Uber’s largest competitors is American company Lyft. However, given Uber’s head start, it outscores Lyft significantly when spending on both apps was compared. At a total of $28.6m spent on both services, Uber takes the majority share of $26.4m and Lyft $2.2m. Uber has up to six times more new rides per month and a total of 1.23m rides. However, Lyft rides are an average $8 cheaper than Uber.
Uber vs Lyft
When comparing users of Uber and Lyft it becomes evident that customers of the two platforms aren’t all that different. Whilst more women (58%) than men (42%) use Lyft, Uber user genders are fairly close in terms of percentage. Both on Lyft as well as Uber, the age group taking the most rides are the 25-34 year-olds.
Uber vs Lyft user profiles
However, the latest data research from Wefi Intelligence, which tracks mobile user analytics anonymously, shows that Uber’s success may have inadvertendly given Lyft a boost. Over the first four months in 2015, the percentage of Uber users who installed Lyft (green line) has grown, rising from 6% to 10%.
Uber boosts Lyft
Perhaps even more interesting, the competitor is generating higher engagement than Uber. Wefi shows that people with Lyft installed were more likely to open that app than Uber users.
Lyft sparks greater engagement
Despite higher rates however, Uber is generating 12x more revenue than Lyft, according to FutureAdvisor.
Uber increases revenue 10-11 times faster than Lyft
According to recently leaked documentation to Reuters, Uber is expected to process $10.84bn in bookings in 2015. The company takes a 20% cut on rides bringing its revenue to a total of $2bn. Projections for 2016 are to triple to $26.12bn payments with $5bn in revenue.
Whilst predictions for growth are strong, the company is burning through cash fast. According to shareholder documents released earlier this year, Uber had operation losses of $470m on $415m revenue. However, the company said the figures were old.
Adding fuel to the fire, there has been much controversy surrounding the company recently, particularly in relation to safety concerns including fake Uber drivers, a driver threatening a customer for canceling a ride as well as allegations that the company may have been operating illegally in Jakarta.
It remains to be seen if Uber can generate revenues high enough to satisfy its investors and achieve predicted scalability as new competitors such as Gett flood to market.


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When the tablet sales continue to chip away at PCs, that what the Steve Jobs “Post PC era”. But the electronics company, Lenovo is not agreed with this point of Steve Job.
The company is not giving up on all-purpose computers. It says:
“We don’t live in a post-PC world; we are entering the PC plus era.”
The chief executive Yang further added, “In our industry many players think PCs have become a commodity product, we have never thought this way.”
He thinks that companies which are suffering are those who never tried to innovate something.
The Hybrid Solution:
The idea of Yang’s solution of PC plus era comes from the devices that fill the gap between PCs and tablets. The hybrid notebooks of Lenovo like ThinkPad Twist and IdeaPad Yoga are said to meet the success, according to Reuters it captures combined 40 percent of US market share.
At CES 2013 the company, Lenovo has increased the scope of its both ThinkPad and IdeaPad series with ThinkPad Helix and IdeaPad Yoga 11S offering 11.6 inch display size in both convertible notebooks.
Beside Lenovo we have seen Dell, Toshiba, and Asus producing hybrid PCs, like Dell XPS 12, Toshiba Satellite U920T and Asus Taichi respectively.
With the meanings of “post-PC” or “PC plus” era we don’t mean that regular PCs are not still around. It means that regular PCs are shifting smartly towards the tablet PCs or Hybrid computers. So, no doubt this will be a good scene to see whether these PC plus options have staying power or end up as the next notebook.


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DUNNES STORES HAS been stalled in its Kildare expansion plans after a row over the ’great wall’ the supermarket chain erected to divide it and a neighbouring SuperValu.
The supermarket giant has an outlet in Newbridge that is part of a small shopping centre and is located next to a retail park.
For years, there was open access between the retail park and Dunnes Stores, with shoppers able to easily park in one area and shop in another.
However, in September 2015 Dunnes built a concrete wall – that stands at around six feet tall – to separate it from the retail park. The wall was built just days before SuperValu opened a store next to Dunnes.
Since then, residents have appealed for the supermarket chain to take down the concrete divider, dubbed by locals as the ‘great wall of Dunnes’.
Many say that it is a major inconvenience, while officials say it could restrict emergency vehicles. However, the company has stood firm.
Meanwhile, SuperValu has taken matters into its own hands – erecting a large, digital display board that faces into the Dunnes car park and shows its special offers.
Most recently, the wall has become a barrier to Dunnes’ plans to expand at the site.
One of the supermarket’s subsidiaries, Castlebrook Investments, has applied for planning permission to demolish part of the existing shopping centre so that it can increase its footprint.
It also wants to build four new retail units, space for a restaurant and over 400 car parking spaces.
But officials from Kildare County Council have been reluctant to approve the plan, highlighting the presence of the wall as a significant concern for the new development – and calling for Dunnes to knock it down.
“It is stated that no transport links exist between the applicant’s site and the adjacent retail park,” a document from Kildare County Council said.
“While this is currently the case, the link did exist as recently as two and a half years ago and was subsequently blocked by the construction of a concrete block wall.
“The applicant is requested to submit proposals to reinstate full permeability at this location.”
Dunnes said that vacancy rates in the neighbouring retail park – which it added had been largely empty for years – had fallen recently as more shops opened up.
“(This has) the potential to increase traffic volumes travelling to and from the retail park through the Newbridge shopping centre car park and for this reason the applicant took the decision to close the link.”
Nevertheless, the Kildare council said the new development with the “boundary wall” remaining in place “may endanger public health by reason of a traffic hazard”.
It said that the Dunnes wall could cause “restricted access for emergency vehicles at this location in particular at peak times”. A final decision is due later this month.
Speaking to Fora, independent councillor for Kildare-Newbridge Paddy Kennedy said that many locals want the wall gone.
“Before the wall was built you could park in the retail park and then shop in Dunnes, now you need to go out onto the main road and around. It’s a busy road so the drive-through was important,” he said.
“Residents are very annoyed about the wall, I’ve met many who complain that they can’t walk into the retail park because Dunnes built the wall. I’m hoping that (Dunnes) will see sense in their planning.”
A local Facebook page, Newbridge – People Traffic, has been urging people to make submissions to local councillors asking for the wall to be scrapped.
Neither Dunnes nor SuperValu responded to requests for comment, while Kildare County Council declined to comment due the current planning application.


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In addition to compensating all household consumers for their electricity bills, the Center Party has proposed the state cover 50 percent of all gas bills for consumers and to compensate legal entities for the electricity network fee in full.
Center's management and Riigikogu group met on Tuesday evening to discuss a new support measure package to compensate for the soaring energy prices for both household consumers and legal entities.
As a short-term measure, the junior coalition partner would compensate all household consumers for 50 percent of their gas and electricity consumption and legal entities for the electricity network fee in full. Center's proposal would be in effect from January to March and would cost the state an estimated €170 million, the party announced.
Additionally, as a long-term measure, the party would compensate household consumers 20 percent of their solar panel installation fees and increase the tempo of wind farm developments.
"Electricity consumption has already begun to affect grocery prices and will soon reflect from the price tags of consumption goods and services. The state has options to lend a helping hand to its residents, both with short-term measures and long-term solutions. Electricity cannot be a luxury resource. It is irresponsible to stand and look at how many people need to choose between their utilities and their daily shopping basket," Center Party Riigikogu group chair Jaanus Karilaid said.
The proposals would supplement the already existing energy support measures.
Economic affairs minister: Practically everyone needs help
Although there might be questions about compensation for people that do not really need it, there are so many people in need of help today that a universal approach is reasonable, Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Taavi Aas (Center) told ETV's daily affairs show "Aktuaalne kaamera".
"We are in a situation today, where the number of people who need compensation increases each day, because we know fixed-term contracts are also being changed. Providers are currently reviewing their packages. They are offering completely changed prices for people whose contracts are running out. /.../ In today's situation, practically everyone needs help," Aas said.
The minister said the new support measure would be covered by very good VAT collection recently and added that a universal support scheme would also be technically easier.
What Center's coalition partner Reform thinks of the proposal will become clear in the coming days. Aas was optimistic about the proposal's being approved. "I think it is relatively likely that everything will be discussed and I hope it will also be approved," he said.
The government partners are set to discuss the proposal on Thursday.
Reform deputy chair: It is a dumb proposal
Reform Party deputy chair Jürgen Ligi said on ETV's interview show "Esimene stuudio" on Tuesday that he does not consider Center's proposals reasonable.
"I almost had a heart attack at how dumb the proposal is, including the economic affairs minister's justifications. You start thinking about how this is the potential in charge of the country. /.../ Lowering network fees is already universal, for those that do not need it and those that consumer more, get more. Now they decided that those with €10,000 bills will receive €5,000 in support and those with €40 bills, which are the most common, will receive €20. Genius," Ligi said.
Responding to a question from show host Andres Kuusk about if Reform's response to the proposal will be negative, Ligi said: "Yes, no need to play dumb about it."
The veteran politician noted that the current support measures are too universal and the state is paying for people being able to consume at regular volumes and is not helping those that truly need support.
"I am sorry, but the circle of people receiving support on the basis of one price (electricity - ed) cannot be 800,000 people. Private consumption bills are picked up by the state, it will get more expensive. /.../ Currently, compensation is given to everyone so they would consume more. We can provide support to maintain the middle class and to help poorer people manage. The problem does not include everyone, the middle class will not go poor based on this one bill," Ligi said.
He pointed to a lack of investments because of stable prices in previous periods as the actual root cause of the energy inflation crisis.
Sitting across Ligi on "Esimene stuudio" was Isamaa chairman Helir-Valdor Seeder, who noted that the government has made some odd choices, such as partially compensating consumption through local municipality governments, which he claimed to be the most bureaucratic and inefficient way. Seeder pointed to Isamaa's electricity market reform plan, which would allow people the "freedom to buy electricity over-the-counter and the state will compensate the producer for the CO2 quota price".
"In a situation, where we do not have a free market, a regulated price is completely normal. If more than half of the Estonian population ends up qualifying for support and will take their applications to the local municipality government, the bureaucratic mechanism is no solution now or in the long-term," Seeder said.
Ligi noted that Isamaa's proposal is also not a good option. "That hides the problem and amplifies it. The problem is a lack of investments and capacities. Helir here is claiming as if we were able to cover Estonia's consumption with our own production - old oil shale plants are depreciated and a portion of them will fall from operation within the decade. Secondly, it is a counter-action to sustainable production, if we were to stray from the exchange prices and would being to produce from oil shale. The exchange is our way of getting electricity, no matter how angry we are at it," the Reform deputy chair said.
Seeder noted that leaving the exchange is not the main goal, but rather providing household and small consumers another option. "It would also not affect the exchange, because Estonia's consumption is marginal," the Isamaa chair noted.
Ligi said one of the solutions is focusing on the green transition and creating new production capacities. The current record price period should not cause the state to rush any decisions, because paying everyone's bills is not sustainable, he noted.
Editor: Kristjan Kallaste


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The TENCEL™ brand is celebrating its 30th year of innovation in the textile industry. Coinciding with the anniversary celebrations, Lenzing’s Commercial Director for Europe, Americas & Turkey, Johannes Stefan, gave a presentation at the Sourcing Journal’s Annual Global Outlook Conference, providing an update on the latest raw materials trends and what they mean for the TENCEL™ brand and the textile industry as a whole. He analyzed the economic and retail environment, and also took a closer look at recent developments in the sector as well as long-term trends.
The global economy entered 2022 in a weaker position than expected, with rising energy prices and supply chain disruptions, which resulted in broad-based inflation. Many countries re-introduced mobility restrictions to fight the COVID-19 omicron variant in the first quarter of the year and new uncertainties emerged, such as the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Pandemic restrictions are now less prohibitive than before, decoupling demand from fluctuating COVID-19 cases, yet high uncertainty from geopolitical tensions still influences consumer demand and supply chain efficiency. Monthly global apparel and retail sales showed a promising positive growth trajectory across major economies compared to 2019, but with large regional differences.
In the lead up to the pandemic, prices of major textile fibers were steadily declining and hit record lows during the peak of the pandemic. However, because of strong demand recovery in the second half of 2020, fiber prices climbed up. While Cotton prices hit their highest levels since 2011, Viscose fiber prices returned close to their long-year average. Strong demand for sustainable fiber alternatives across all fiber types at times caused “micro-shortages” that were accompanied with higher fiber prices. Price changes of wood-based specialty fibers such as Lyocell and Modal were less pronounced and less volatile, causing the attractiveness of these fibers to increase.
Johannes noted that continued high prices and volatility on commodity markets are expected to remain a challenge for the textile industry. He advised the audience to keep an eye on underlying factors influencing fiber production costs, such as food crops, fertilizers, chemicals and energy. Another factor Johannes mentioned was the high inflation levels in developed economies who have the potential to weigh on consumer demand.
Analyzing long-term fiber trends, Johannes stated that by 2030, the world will need 30 million tons of additional fibers, which is 25% more than today. However, the ability of many fiber types to meet this demand is limited due to factors such as arable land, climate conditions and environmental aspects. To prepare for this future, Johannes highlighted the importance of understanding and accounting for these limitations through careful long-term planning of fibers used in consumer products. “One thing the TENCEL™ brand has learnt over the last 30 years, is that it's very important to have a close exchange between the retail side and the fiber production side. This helps in securing supply and making sure that changes in the market are taken into consideration by all industry players,” Johannes said.
He further added, “To address rising prices, it’s important to extract more value out of the raw materials used in consumer products. With Lenzing’s TENCEL™ and LENZING™ ECOVERO™ brands, we have received a great deal of positive feedback – these offerings enable our partners to better communicate about fiber properties and sustainability to consumers, and thereby increase the value and credibility of their own products.”
Johannes’s full presentation:


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Paul Sawers was a reporter with The Next Web in various roles from May 2011 to November 2014. Follow Paul on Twitter: @psawers or check h Paul Sawers was a reporter with The Next Web in various roles from May 2011 to November 2014. Follow Paul on Twitter: @psawers or check him out on Google+.
Almost two months after Amazon revealed a new ‘Coins’ virtual currency for Kindle Fire app purchases, Barnes & Noble has now announced that Nook-users will soon be able to make in-app purchases too.
The media giant has partnered with Fortumo for this roll-out, which means that developers will now be able to monetize premium content for apps on devices such as the Nook HD and Nook HD+.
We actually reported on Fortumo, a fast-growing company with offices in Estonia, San Francisco and Beijing, last month just as it raised a new ‘growth round’ (size undisclosed) to solidify its position as one of the leading providers for mobile payments. Indeed, Fortumo’s one-click checkout means that once a Nook-user has registered for in-app purchasing, they don’t need to enter credit card numbers with each payment.
A specific date hasn’t yet been given for this rollout, but Barnes & Noble say that “thousands of the most-requested games and apps featuring in-app purchasing will be available for customers to experience” in the coming weeks and months.
As with the Amazon news last month, this heralds a major new monetization conduit for Barnes & Noble’s Nook devices, with developers able to offer basic content for free to lure users on board, whilst making it easy for them to upgrade their content and procure new features with a few deft touches.
Along with the launch, developers will be given a dashboard with real-time insights on activities around in-app purchases.
“We are thrilled to bring in-app purchasing to Nook with Fortumo for our community of developers so they can foster a profitable relationship with their customers, while also providing our Nook customers with a more in-depth app experience and an even wider selection of popular apps,” says Claudia Romanini, VP of Nook Apps, Nook Media, LLC. “We look forward to adding thousands of more apps that feature in-app purchasing over the coming weeks and months to expand Nook’s already wide array of digital content offerings.”
Barnes & Noble first announced the Nook HD and HD+ last September, before going on to launch them a couple of months later – just in time for Christmas. The Nook HD is a 7-inch tablet which is evidently designed to compete with Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD, while the HD+ is 9 inches and its first HD tablet capable of playing back films and TV shows from its Nook Video Store. It’s designed to compete with the 8.9 inch Kindle Fire HD.
Now, with in-app purchases coming too – quite possibly before Amazon’s actually come to fruition – Barnes & Noble and Amazon will really be going head-to-head in the tablet realm.
Image Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Parklet Pilot Fee Waiver Extended Through Sept. 30
NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans’ Parklet Pilot Program and subsequent fee waivers have been extended from June 30 through Sept. 30 as the City continues to develop a permanent program. The extension also includes fee waivers for sidewalk café use permits.
The Parklet Pilot program has been available to restaurants and bars citywide since Fall 2020, with 36 businesses currently operating a parklet space. The Program allows restaurants to utilize on-street parking spaces in front of their business for additional seating. Under COVID-19 restrictions, the additional outdoor dining space helped increase capacity for restaurants under occupancy restrictions.
“As we continue to address the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that despite our progress it is still safer to eat outdoors, and that many restaurant patrons continue to feel more comfortable doing so. Any increase in capacity for restaurants and other businesses still affected by COVID-19 will contribute to the recovery of the City’s economy and tax base and improve our residents’ quality of life,” said Jeffrey Schwartz, director, Office of Economic Development.
The future permanent program being developed by the City would require re-permitting and the City is working to make the transition as seamless as possible.
For more information, visit www.nola.gov/parklets.


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Talented young professionals from across the country were hailed as “the future of the industry” at Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ first sales trainee graduation ceremony.
Gary North, the manufacturer’s Head of District Management, told them: “We’re here to celebrate your rites of … [Continue Reading]
Tickets for the eagerly anticipated 2018 London Motor Show officially go on general sale this weekend from 10am on Sunday 17 September.
Next year’s event has been billed as the biggest and best ever, with the show taking up new … [Continue Reading]
Further entries are invited for Barons’ annual Jaguar Heritage, Classic and Sports Cars sale at Kempton Park racecourse on Saturday, September 16th. Lots already consigned four different examples of the 3.8 Mk2, and a Series 2 E-type.
One … [Continue Reading]


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A round-up of the latest airline policies related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) for your ease of use and to help you manage your company's travel with confidence.
We are pleased to announce that we are now able to offer all clients the ability to book business accommodation via booking.com
As a preferred partner, Wexas negotiates waiver of new ticketing charge that was set to be introduced by British Airways and Iberia in the upcoming months.
The USA's Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that it will introduce additional, enhanced screening procedures as part of the security checks on all commercial flights to the USA. Read more now...
The UK government has announced that passengers on 14 airlines will not be able to bring on-board large electronic devices, including laptops and tablets, on inbound direct flights from six countries: Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon and Tunisia.
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Browse our brochure for further information about Wexas Travel ManagementRead online


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News & Reviews: Internet
Feb 23, 2021
With 5G connectivity underway for Malaysia by the end of 2021 (according to our PM), the Malaysian Government has also announced that they will be launching the first 5G CyberSecurity Testing Laboratory. Malaysia will be the first in the Southeast Asia country to do so and it will be a joint effort with CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM), Huawei Malaysia and Celcom.
Dec 18, 2020
Yesterday, we wrote about how Facebook is attacking Apple for changing their ad-tracking feature. The first one was about claiming the upcoming iOS's App Tracking Transparency is about profit, not privacy which hurts SMEs businesses (we very much doubt so), now they are doing it again with a different angle saying it can make the Internet worse.
Nov 20, 2020
Today, Yoodo just announced a Double Special for all their subscribers and as the promo name suggests, all Yoodo users will get the double amount of data they have originally. The promotion period will begin on 1 December 2020 until further notice.
Oct 05, 2020
Whenever you check your internet speed at home, signing up for a new internet service provider, or even purchasing a new network router you'll often see various terms such as MBps, Mbps followed by a number indicating the network speed. With that said, what exactly are the differences between MBps and Mbps, and why are network speeds measured in Mbps instead of MBps?
Sep 04, 2020
As we still have a long way to go to 5G connectivity, Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin just recently announced that the government is preparing at least 500 new communication towers across the nation to strengthen 4G connectivity instead. He also said that this initiative is to provide wider and better quality coverage.
Jul 27, 2020
unifi has officially announced #BEBAS where you can sign up to a month of 4G LTE internet at the price of RM35 from 27 July until 31 December 2020. If you are interested in signing up or finding out more information about #BEBAS, head over to unifi’s official website.
Sign up for Digi's Internet Freedom which bundles Postpaid Plan and Home Fibre with price up to 20% cheaperJul 06, 2020
Digi has officially announced the Digi Internet Freedom which bundles both Digi Postpaid Plan, as well as Home Fibre for a lower price start from as RM130 a month, not including the postpaid plan. In addition to that, depending on which Internet Freedom package you pick, you could get discounts on your postpaid plan by up to 20%.
Jul 01, 2020
Telekom Malaysia has recently released a statement on their Facebook page, stating that users in Penang might experience internet disruption due to a node catching on fire at 12:07 AM. But that’s not all, TM also stated that mobile connectivity may be affected due to the fact that the aforementioned node functions as a backhaul for third-party mobile networks.
May 16, 2020
Based on a blog entry posted on the Chromium Blog, Google will remove ads that hogs too much of the device’s system resource, making the user experience much more enjoyable especially for those with limited internet data. This is due to the fact that Google recently discovered that some of the ads use up much more battery and bandwidth than usual, which can be a problem especially for those who signed up with telco that provides very limited internet data.
Apr 21, 2020
A few days ago, unifi users experienced some slow Internet speed due to the damaged APCN-2 submarine cable system undersea. With this, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) sent out a team to do some maintenance work on 17th until 21st of April. As per schedule, TM is pleased to announce the maintenance work has been completed.


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It’s a day after the Xbox One announcement and the reception around the interwebs has been…. less than great. The bloggers have ruled, and their expressions of disappointment range from mild to downright indignant. Sony’s stock has shot up while Microsoft’s is down. Now the head honcho of the Xbox division has his foot planted firmly in his mouth after comments he made about backwards compatibility.
Microsoft Interactive Entertainment head, Don Mattrick gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal today where he dismissed the idea of backwards compatibility outright.
“If you’re backwards compatible, you’re really backwards,” he said.
Mr. Mattrick, them’s fightin’ words!
One of the most disappointing things about both the Xbox One and the PS4 is their lack of backwards compatibility. Gamers who’ve spent this generation amassing huge libraries of games are getting the shaft, and it they’ll be much less likely to be early adopters of the new hardware.
However, both consoles will be powered by x86 chips, a completely different architecture than the Power PC based consoles of the current generation. So backwards compatibility isn’t really an option.
But Don Mattrick’s comments don’t reflect this. According to the WSJ, he “says he doesn’t think compatibility is really a problem. He said only 5% of customers play older games on a new video game system anyway, so spending time and money to develop technology to allow them to play older games isn’t worth it.”
It’s one thing to say, “Ok guys, we appreciate all the money you’ve spent on our hardware and games this past generation. We can’t offer backwards compatibility but we’ll be working on an emulation solution.” Or even, “sorry”.
But Mattrick’s flippant comments show little concern for the hardcore gamers that made the 360 such a colossal success. That attitude was echoed in yesterday’s reveal, with its focus on everything but the games.
[Via: Wall Street Journal]


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We saw this coming a mile away in our Youth Culture Studies when we noticed that Quiksilver started losing rankings in preferences among the youth marketplace starting around 2006. While many teen retailers blame the 2008 recession for the beginning of economic hard times, the real trouble is when your target market thinks you’re completely […]
Quiksilver Files for Bankruptcy in the U.S., Brings on Oaktree Capital, Investor for Billabong
Quiksilver’s Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Bob McKnight, Retires; Andy Mooney CEO, Pierre Agnes Now President
Significant changes are again underway at Quiksilver. This time it’s with the executive leaders. On October 14, 2014, Quiksilver announced that Bob McKnight, co-founder and senior executive, would be retiring as of October 31, and Andy Moony would be the new CEO and Pierre Agnes would become President. Quiksilver has been dealing with economic challenges […]
Quiksilver Continues to Get Hammered: 200 Laid-Off, Poorly Timed Commercial with Microsoft Debuts; Prized Jewel DC Shoes Rumored to be Sold to VFC%u2026and Here’s What Youth Markets Think
Label Networks recaps the brand’s preference placement among 13-25-year-olds in our consumer data from North America over the last 5 years (one reason why subscriptions come in handy).
Quiksilver America’s President Marty Samuels Resigns
Quiksilver’s Americas President exit among wave of the future for many other top executives in fashion and retail from Wal-Mart to Bebe.
Finally, Quiksilver Sells Rossignol, But Takes a Bath on the Transaction
It’s been one of those “Euro’s vs. Americans” heated debates that lasted an ugly 2 years until finally, selling the brand proved to be the only best option. Here’s the story.
Sports News: Singapore Gets Bid to Host 1st Youth Olympic Games; President of Quiksilver Bernard Mariette Resigns as Bob McKnight, CEO, Takes on Additional Role
In our on-going reportage of the Youth Olympic Games, the latest update is that Singaporehas won the bid to host the 1st Games in 2010, beating out Moscowin the final bid.
“This is a key moment for the Olympic Movement,” said Rogge to journalists present in Lausanne. “Singaporehas put together a very exciting project. Hosting the Youth Olympic Games for the first time is a great responsibility, and I have every confidence in the team in Singapore. I have no doubt that their professionalism and enthusiasm will be instrumental in the staging of successful Youth Olympic Games in 2010.”


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Amneal’s president and co-CEO, Chirag Patel, has shared the company’s long-term plan of becoming one of the top biosimilars players in the US. The company is set to launch three biosimilars this year, while building its manufacturing capabilities and looking for opportunities and partnerships.
Cipla’s recent US approval with a partner for its 505(b)(2) hybrid lanreotide injection product signaled the firm’s intentions to broaden in the peptides and injectables space, as it looks to add hundreds of millions to its revenue base by Cipla’s 2027 financial year.
Amgen CEO Robert Bradway has delivered confident predictions for the company’s biosimilars business at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, with a steady flow of launches expected to give the company’s earnings a significant boost over the coming years.
Hikma has snapped up the Canadian sterile injectables assets of bankrupt Teligent in a $46m deal that marks Hikma’s first move into Canada.
With Eagle set to launch its long-awaited vasopressin ANDA product on 17 January, the US firm’s management told investors it was unsure what its launch meant for the 505(b)(2) rival product in the hands of American Regent.
Glenmark is celebrating a “major milestone,” after its Ryaltris nasal spray to treat seasonal allergic rhinitis was approved by the FDA. Hikma will handle commercialization in the US, as part of its continued specialty push in the market.
A delay in FDA approval for partner Alvotech’s proposed high-concentration biosimilar version of Humira has not concerned Teva, especially after the product was approved by the EMA at the end of last year. There “shouldn’t really be any challenges here,” management says.
After being found liable for helping fuel the opioid epidemic in New York last month, Teva used the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference to explain how it intends to go about overturning the verdict.
Executive vice chairperson of Cipla Samina Hamied talks to Generics Bulletin about the company’s intention to become global lung leaders on the back of biosimilars opportunities and its inhalation assets. As well as discussing Cipla’s three-year strategy, Hamied – who is also the vice president of IPA – discusses creating a favorable regulatory and policy landscape in India.
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Less than 52 days remain until analog television screens in the greater Wilmington region lose their pictures. When analog television users turn on their TVs after noon Sept. 8, they can expect to see only an informational message and a phone number.
Only 52 days remain until analog television screens in the greater Wilmington region lose their pictures.
When analog television users turn on their TVs after noon Sept. 8, they can expect to see only an informational message and a phone number, which will run for about a month. The message explains how to tune in to the digital signal that will have swept the city.
The Wilmington TV market will be the first in the country to switch from analog to digital. Wilmington was chosen as the test market for the Feb. 17 nationwide conversion, because all of the local broadcast stations were either already running digital signals or could be up and running by this fall.
Only 7 percent of Wilmington households do not subscribe to cable or satellite TV, relying exclusively on free over-the-air TV broadcasting. The upcoming change will have the greatest impact on these 12,600 homes. Even so, some cable subscribers have an additional TV in the kitchen or bedroom that is not hooked up to cable, which also could be affected.
That is why representatives of the Federal Communications Commission have been in Wilmington over the past three months to let everyone know about the conversion and what steps analog TV owners need to take so they aren't left in the dark.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, an agency within the U.S. Commerce Department, is administering a coupon program, in which viewers sign up to receive two $40 coupons that can be used to buy analog-to-digital TV converter boxes at local retailers such as RadioShack , Sears, Best Buy, Wal-Mart or Circuit City.
The price of the converter box is about $60, but with the coupon it costs around $20. The coupons expire within 90 days from when they are mailed. The government will grant and send coupons only to a household address, not a post office box or workplace address to ensure that people will receive only two per household. For more information about the coupon program, visit dtv2009.gov/Wilmington.aspx.
"The optimal time for the consumer is now," said FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, on his third visit to Wilmington as part of the FCC's outreach campaign.
"They want to go and apply for the coupon program as quickly as they can, because it takes several weeks to get your coupon in the mail. And then you still have to go out to a retail store and buy it and take it home and hook it up," he said.
Local television stations have been rolling out their digital conversion at different stages over the past six years. Some are up and running, but a few stragglers are racing to switch their signals before the deadline that's only seven weeks away. The digital broadcast signal from WECT Channel 6, the NBC affiliate, does not yet cover the full range of its analog signal.
"Some people have problems picking us up right now unless they aim their antenna," said Gary McNair, WECT general manager.
WECT plans to rectify this issue to digitally broadcast its usual full range by the first week of August, a month before the switchover, he said.
The digital conversion also will end WECT's audio simulcast that can be picked up on the 87.7 FM radio dial.
"There's nothing we can do about that," said McNair. "It's been something nice to have, but we only have a television license," he said.
WILM-LP Channel 10 (CBS) will convert to digital by the last week of August, said Constance Knox, general manager of the low-power station. The result will be a leap in the station's broadcast signal, which currently covers from Independence Boulevard and Wrightsville Avenue to Shipyard Avenue and the 17th Street extension, but will span the five counties of New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Bladen, and Columbus.
Some analog TV users can expect to receive CBS broadcasts for the first time since 1993 without cable or satellite TV.
"We're getting a lot of e-mails about the coverage. A lot of people with cable are considering shutting off their satellite and cable because now they will get CBS," said Knox.
The statewide PBS affiliate UNC-TV will broadcast in both analog and digital until the rest of the state converts to digital in February. Those who convert now receive the added bonus of three extra channels that provide children's programming (UNC-KD), North Carolina public affairs and original local productions (UNC-NC), and educational television (UNC-ED).
To answer any questions about the digital conversion, UNC-TV will broadcast a call-in show once-a-month titled Digital TV: Are You Getting It? Check your local listings for the next show or visit unctv.org/index.shtml.
WSFX Channel 26 (FOX) has informational flyers on the transition, which viewers can pick up at the station. There is an online forum on the station's Web site and chief engineer Dan Ulmer is available to answer questions over the phone, said Thom Postema, WSFX general manager. WSFX's phone number is 791-8070.
New viewers of digital TV will receive an extra local 24/7 Weather program on WWAY (ABC). WECT viewers will be able to tune into Weather Plus, a national weather program with local daily updates.
But the additional weather programming does not answer many people's concerns about getting news coverage in severe storms when the power goes out.
"Since it's hurricane season, we will have analog signals running in case of an emergency up to at least 30 days after the transition," said WWAY station manager Andy Combs.
After that the only option residents may have is to buy a new battery-operated portable digital TV like the Accurian brand sold at RadioShack for $199.
As TV stations and viewers prepare for the big switch, the countdown clocks tick on local TV station Web sites to the Sept. 8 deadline. One question lingers: Are you ready?
For more information about the conversion visit Digital TV: Get the Answers at starnewsonline.com/digitaltv
Alison Lee Satake: 343-2009


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- North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is negotiating an incentive package for Apple, according to a report in the Triangle Business Journal.
- Citing unnamed sources in real estate, law and the North Carolina government, the report said the Research Triangle Park "tops Apple's short list."
- Separately, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has also floated areas near Washington D.C., like Crystal City and Tysons, as locales for Apple.
Separately, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has also floated areas near Washington D.C., like Crystal City and Tysons, as locales for Apple.
Citing unnamed sources in real estate, law and the North Carolina government, the Triangle Business Journal said the Research Triangle Park "tops Apple's short list," although the process is far from finalized — Apple is still looking at sites across the country.
Gov. Roy Cooper is negotiating an incentive package for Apple, which has yet to be presented to the state's General Assembly, the Triangle Business Journal report said. Cooper has touted North Carolina's prospects for big tech bids in the past. Discussions took place over the weekend when Apple CEO Tim Cook visited Duke University to give a commencement address, according to the Journal. (Apple declined to comment.)
The sources told the Triangle Business Journal that Apple was "zeroing in" and that the North Carolina area was a "top contender," citing "a lot more market activity" in the area.
Amazon, which has led a much more high-profile campus search, also has named Raleigh, North Carolina, as a finalist. The area around the nation's capital is also a contender for Amazon's new offices. But, unlike Amazon, Apple has said it "will not hold a bidding process" for the location of its new offices.
There's a long history between Apple and the area of North Carolina which surrounds Duke University, North Carolina State University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Cook attended Duke as did Apple software chief Eddy Cue. Apple also has a data center in Maiden, North Carolina, and has invested in clean energy projects there.
Apple announced at the beginning of the year that it planned to invest in a new campus, which "will initially house technical support for customers." The company would certainly have its pick of entry-level talent in the Research Triangle, where more than 50 percent of the population has a bachelor's degree, and there's an annual pool of 8,500 graduates, according to its website. About 250 companies have campuses in the area, including Lenovo, Cisco and IBM (a company where Cook worked before Apple).
The Washington Post describes Apple's exploration of Virginia as "quiet," and cites officials and real estate executives familiar with the discussions. One official told the Post that Apple is more of a "suburban company." Cook has twice been spotted in the D.C. area so far this year, and has met with the president regarding trade and immigration.


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DTown of Frankfurt expects vital earnings from the deliberate video games Nationwide Soccer League (NFL) within the years to come back. This was confirmed by Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann and Sports activities Director Mike Josef at an NFL press convention in Los Angeles on Friday, which the 2 metropolis representatives attended by way of video hyperlink. Expertise from London, the place the most effective soccer league on the planet has been internet hosting common season video games for a number of years, has proven that followers there spend as much as 30 million euros in the middle of these video games. “Frankfurt will due to this fact profit from the NFL video games to a really appreciable extent,” stated Josef, referring to the anticipated gross sales within the lodge, catering and retail sectors.
Nevertheless, there may be nonetheless no readability as to when the primary encounter between two NFL groups will happen within the Eintracht Frankfurt Bundesliga stadium. Opposite to what the mayor stated Feldmanwhich relies on an alternating rhythm – the primary venue this 12 months might be Munich – the NFL officers in Los Angeles made it clear as soon as once more that the precise order has not but been decided.
Brett Gosper, the league’s Europe and UK CEO, cited the numerous variables that make planning dependable, together with stadium logistics and occupancy schedules, as the rationale for the discrepancy. In the meantime, the push of spectators for the NFL sport in Munich is gigantic: 215,000 followers utilized for tickets inside two days, based on Gosper.


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Tesla will make a new “low-cost” electric vehicle (EV) at its as yet unbuilt plant in Nuevo León, the company’s CEO Elon Musk said in an interview.
Musk, who announced in March that Tesla would build a “gigafactory” near Monterrey, spoke about the planned US $25,000 “next-gen” model in an interview with automotive engineer Sandy Munro that was posted to YouTube on Tuesday.
“The first production will be here in the gigafactory in [Austin], Texas,” said the 52-year-old magnate, adding that the plant in Nuevo León will be “the second place” to manufacture the new EV.
“It would take too long to complete the factory in Mexico,” Musk added, apparently explaining why the planned Santa Catarina plant won’t be the first facility to make the vehicle.
The Tesla CEO said earlier in the interview that the low-cost electric vehicle – often referred to generically as the “Model 2” – “will be made at very high volume.”
“We’re quite far advanced. … I review the production line plans for that every week,” Musk said.
“The revolution in manufacturing that will be represented by that car will blow people’s minds. It’s not like any car production line that anyone’s ever seen. … It’s a level of production technology that is far in advance of any automotive plant on earth. It’s going to be cool,” he said.
Musk said in October that Tesla is “laying the groundwork” in Mexico to begin construction on its new gigafactory, adding that the initial phase of the plant will begin in early 2024.
Tesla hasn’t revealed how much it intends to invest in the plant, but estimates are in the US $5-10 billion range.
Nuevo León Governor Samuel García said in September that Tesla and its suppliers will invest US $15 billion in the northern state.
Mexico News Daily


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have been designed for male eyes only.
PAGEANT mum Roxanne Moss is right - what's the harm in holding beauty pageants
for young girls (Mirror, September 5)?
The final will be held in Dharamsala on sixth June," said Lobsang Wangyal, Director, Miss Tibet Beauty Pageant
WOMEN of all nationalities are being invited to compete in one of Bahrain's most popular beauty pageants
that will take place early next month.
The 29-year-old's daughter, Luna, now one, last year became the youngest tot in the UK to enter a beauty pageant
at just six weeks old.
Laura Ayre, 25, was taking part in a beauty pageant
for the first time after recently losing five and a half stone.
Navneet Kapoor, CEO and President, Square Entertainment, a division of Square Communications Pvt Ltd said, "Miss India Worldwide India is a niche beauty pageant
reaching out to the global Indians worldwide, and we are thrilled to get ownership of this property.
The Miss Duniya Pageant focus for its contestants is to enhance the inner and outer beauty of Modern Women while they gain self-confidence and passion within themselves; thus, the Miss Duniya Beauty Pageant
2015 slogan is "I Am Beautiful".
The beauty pageant
will be held annually at the national level," said the spokesperson.
Fast forward to this week, and World's Pushiest Mother accolade goes to the pregnant woman who entered her 20-week antenatal scan in a beauty pageant
VKontakte, the Russian equivalent of Facebook, blocked the Web site of the Miss Hitler 2014 beauty pageant
because of its push for violent actions on Jews.
A PROMISING Rawthorpe actress will tread the boards for a whole new cause after being named regional finalist in a beauty pageant


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A daylong event at Lucid Motors in Casa Grande Tuesday meant major celebration for the city, Pinal County and Arizona. Guests got an up-close look at something many had anticipated for years, luxury electric vehicles being manufactured and scheduled to be delivered to the first buyers this month.
The start-up company’s plant was announced with much fanfare nearly five years ago. After that came a long process of finding more financing for the company, building two plants in Casa Grande to make the cars and batteries, and gaining regulatory approval. The size of the plant with hundreds of people being hired, and thousands contemplated, leaves no doubt that this is a really big deal for the area’s economy. The return of Gov. Doug Ducey for the festivities indicates it is for Arizona as well.
Lucid already is working on a major expansion to make its planned SUV models. Meanwhile, a new Nikola Corporation plant in Coolidge shows Pinal County is an important part of the growing electric vehicle manufacturing industry.
The cars being produced are luxurious in nature, and not many will be sold locally, at least for now. However, the quality of the designs really has produced little skepticism. The company is planning to deliver cars this month and says it has 13,000 reservations. The plan is eventually to be able to produce 1,000 cars a day, reducing the price.
Added to the festivities on Thursday was a panel discussion at Central Arizona College’s Drive48 training center at Signal Peak, which is crucial to the workforce needed by Lucid and other plants. It was part of the National Governors Association’s Fall Workforce Symposium held in the Valley this week. The session indicates the importance of Pinal County and Arizona in manufacturing and also the importance of training and recruiting a workforce necessary for the economy of today. That need cannot be overemphasized.
It was a big week for Pinal County indeed.
— Donovan Kramer Jr.


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The Internet of Things Practice launched at Customer Science today!
We welcome Michael Humbert who leads the IoT team. He has just returned from Europe where he spent the last few years implementing succesful IoT solutions and new business models that transformed customer experience. Helping sectors such as retail, healthcare, utilities, customer service, government and many more. The IoT market is growing and on track to be 2.9trillion by 2020.


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Tickets for Dan TDM show at Regent Theatre, Ipswich selling for four-times face value as excitement builds over YouTube star’s appearance
- Credit: Archant
YouTube personality ‘Dan TDM’ (Dan Middleton) has sold out two shows at The Ipswich Regent within days of going on sale.
The 24-year-old internet star rose to fame through daily reviews and Minecraft gameplays on YouTube is set to go on his first ever national tour.
The four stop tour is set to travel to Brighton, Glasgow and Milton Keynes before visiting the Ipswich Regent on Saturday, August 13.
Seats for the 1,551 capacity theatre sold out in three days for the two shows. But tickets for the show are now appearing online for four times the original price on resale websites.
Mark Whiting, Commercial Development Manager at Ipswich Borough Council, explained that this is a first for the Ipswich theatre.
You may also want to watch:
“We are delighted but not surprised that tickets flew for this show as Dan TDM is an internet sensation and has millions of followers across the world.”
“Gaming is not a frequent genre at the Regent - in fact, this the first show of its kind here - but our job is to provide the biggest names across comedy, music and other kinds of entertainment for people across Suffolk and Essex.
- 1 Tributes paid to inspirational Ipswich teenager Harrison Boyd, 13
- 2 Three fire engines called to Ipswich flat fire
- 3 Four men arrested after man dies at Felixstowe lorry park
- 4 Updated: Bury Road reopened after two car collision near BMW garage
- 5 Members of 'notorious' Ipswich gang jailed for 19 years
- 6 Man jailed after safe stolen from Spread Eagle pub
- 7 The places with the highest and lowest levels of Covid in Suffolk
- 8 Superhero send off planned for 'charismatic and cheeky' Alexander, 15
- 9 Daughter pays tribute to keen sailor with 'contagious energy'
- 10 Woman sexually assaulted near Ipswich Waterfront
“Dan’s show sold out in three days – that’s more than 3,000 tickets and the fastest selling event here for some time.”
From July 2015, his YouTube channel was listed as one of the most popular in the world and as of March 2016 Dan has amassed over 10 million subscribers.
The YouTuber uploads daily onto the website and so far has collectively received more than seven billion views. Dan won the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards for UK’s Favourite Tipster in 2015 and 2016.
In an interview with The Big Issue the internet star described his line of work. “I am like a children’s entertainer, creating and presenting a sort of kids’ TV online.”


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War, as the saying goes, is politics by other means. After years of Washington hoping that Chinese companies would eventually bend to the rules of the American-led world order, Washington’s trade war with China so far appears to be negotiations by other means, although it is unclear what the White House is ultimately pursuing.
The Trump administration was threatening a new round of $200 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods at the time of this article’s publication, with many observers seeing the move as a fait accompli. That would mark a major escalation in Trump’s trade war with China, with the first two tranches of tariffs totaling only $50 billion.
What is perhaps most noteworthy of Trump’s trade war with the world’s second-largest economy is the perhaps unexpected bipartisan agreement in Washington coupled with the feeling among many American companies operating in China that, while nobody wants a trade war, the previous terms of economic engagement were not working. How deep the American and Chinese governments will dig their heels in remains to be seen, but a protracted trade standoff appears to be a real possibility.
Technology has been one of the major areas of dispute so far, with Beijing’s Made in China 2025 plan, which seeks to make the country a dominant power in innovative industries and cutting-edge technologies, emerging as a prime target for the Trump administration.
Acquiring high technology companies has been a priority for Chinese companies, which have had a much easier time buying American and European firms than foreign companies have had acquiring their Chinese counterparts. Intellectual property theft and forced technology transfers have also been raised as points of contention. One of the major questions in the current trade standoff is Washington’s intentions – does it intend to simply level the playing field for American companies, or does it have larger strategic goals?
ZTE, the world’s fourth-largest manufacturer of telecoms equipment, was the first Chinese tech casualty, when it was blocked in May from buying US software, semiconductors and other products vital to its business, for violating American sanctions. The move rattled not only smart phone supply chains, but also Chinese confidence in its tech sector. The following month, the Trump administration gave ZTE a new lease of life, at the cost of a $1 billion fine.
Known as the “ZTE incident” in China, it appears to have served as a shot across Beijing’s bow, both in terms of the willingness of the current White House to confront Chinese companies and regarding the level at which China’s tech champions still rely on American firms for crucial components.
Anne Stevenson-Yang, cofounder and research director at J Capital in Beijing, said China’s leadership has been caught off-guard by the Trump White House’s recent moves.
Zhongnanhai’s response so far has been to “Slalom back and forth between a nationalistic posture of ‘We’re never going to back down’, to trying to figure out some kind of negotiating strategy,” Stevenson-Yang said. “The problem with Trump is there isn’t any strategy, there isn’t any negotiating point, so if you’re China what would you offer? Who knows?”
China’s likely strategy in the short term, she said, would be to hold out until the mid-term elections in the US in November with the hopes that voters targeted by their tariffs in important Republican and Trump-supporting regions would repudiate his tough approach.
Bill Bishop, whose Sinocism Newsletter tracks Chinese politics, the Chinese tech industry, and Sino-American relations, noted that larger American tech companies have been having a rough time in China for a while. “Most major US tech players not focused on consumers have had to do joint ventures to continue to sell into China,” Bishop said.
Should the trade war end up being a long-term one, though, China’s leadership appears willing, if not ready, to play a long game.
“Self-reliance is the foundation for the Chinese nation to stand firmly in the world, while independent innovation is the only way for us to climb the peak of the world’s science and technology,” Xi Jinping proclaimed to a gathering of scientists in May.
The ZTE incident may have highlighted some of China’s vulnerabilities in a trade confrontation with the US, but Washington is by no means the only party with the ability to inflict pain.
Bishop said that in addition to the security reasons that may slow or block sales of US tech products, we should not be surprised to see delays around inspection and approvals. “An outright boycott is not impossible, but I think much less likely,” he said.
With no electoral pressures to contend with on the Chinese side, and Trump seeking to bail out farmers whose commodities are suffering from Chinese tariffs, it does appear that neither side is likely to back down soon, which could lead to strategic shifts, especially in China.
“I do not think there are any winners in the short term,” Bishop said. “In the longer term there may be some significant Chinese winners as the country invests significant resources in building indigenous ‘good enough’ replacements. That won’t be easy, it won’t happen overnight, but the ZTE case and the broader trade war are both huge wake-up calls for China.”
Stevenson-Yang was even more skeptical of China’s ability to innovate its way out of its current situation and become self-reliant in terms of technology.
“It’s already been a massive initiative for the past two decades, with pretty mixed results, I’d say pretty bad results,” she said. “But that doesn’t really have a lot to do with US trade posture, and I don’t think it can be accelerated as a consequence of this.”
Chris DeAngelis, a partner and general manager of Alliance Development Group in Beijing, has a slightly sunnier take on the trans-Pacific trade clash. ADG works with big and small Western tech companies who are looking to sell to enter the China market or partner with leading Chinese companies, with roughly 80 percent of its clientele being American companies.
“I generally believe that this rebalancing that is happening is healthy,” he said. “Trump aside, it’s kind of a natural progression for a maturing relationship.”
DeAngelis said that while many people in the US were focused on large publicly-listed companies such as Alibaba or Qualcomm, they were overlooking another important story.
“If you’re a small technology company, it’s a great time to be in China and it’s getting better every day, because China’s getting richer and more demanding.”
American and other Western tech companies that offer superior technology will always appeal to Chinese companies. “The local competition in China is getting better,” he said, “but in terms of a level playing field, this is primarily a large company issue. On the other hand, while equal market access affects both large and small companies, the smaller companies will find a much more welcoming environment."
ADG’s business has recently been growing at a faster clip he said, despite the trade rumblings of the past several months, which he attributed to global trade forces. China’s technology sector is more globally competitive than it was five years ago, and in order to operate on a global scale, the need for Chinese companies, or their foreign counterparts, to partner locally in other markets is imperative, DeAngelis said.
While it remains to be seen which products will be targeted by the proposed $200 billion in US tariffs and the $60 billion in Chinese retaliatory tariffs, it does seem likely that the tariffs will be implemented. But for technology-focused tariffs, there may be workarounds.
“Tariffs on digital products that aren’t commodities could be tricky to enforce in a digital world,” DeAngelis said. If an American customer pays for hardware that comes bundled with a service or software, it could be quite easy to move the value from one piece to another.
“How does the concept of dumping even apply to a platform product that has zero variable cost?,” he asked. “There’s so many ways to fairly adjust the price.”
After the recent Communist Party leadership summit at Beidaihe, it seems that the conclusion drawn by Xi Jinping and his colleagues is that the Trump administration’s goal in this trade war may be the containment of China’s rise. Beijing has struggled to find a coherent strategy to deal with an American president who simultaneously seeks to escalate tariffs while also tweeting about how much he likes Xi.
“It’s kind of ironic, because the Chinese have spent twenty years thinking that the United States wanted to keep them down, and never ended the Cold War, and was afraid of China’s success,” Stevenson-Yang said. “Now it’s actually true, and China has no idea what to do, they’re just like does in the headlights.”
The trade war could “melt away” after November, she said, adding the caveat that she’d previously thought that Trump wouldn’t impose tariffs in the face of Chinese pressure. If the White House sticks to its guns, European and Indian companies that are able to replace affected Chinese and American tech exporters are likely to benefit from a prolonged trade war, she said, noting that the Chinese tech sector was less vulnerable than other industries.
At this point however, it’s difficult to say with any degree of certainty where things are headed. The intertwined nature of technology supply chains in both the US and China create a situation in which one broken link could send manufacturers scrambling.
On a political level, Beijing appears willing to sustain damage while the White House is seeking to avoid a potential Democrat surge that, if it results in a shift in Congressional power, could lead to Trump’s impeachment for any number of scandals in which the White House is embroiled.
“It’s utter chaos within the US government,” Stevenson-Yang said. “It’s very hard to predict any outcome.”
This article was originally published in the pilot of the upcoming AmCham China Quarterly, an executive-targeted periodical focused on policy, business, and technology, driven by C-suite perspectives and insights. The AmCham China Quarterly is set to launch early 2019 – to subscribe or contribute to the Quarterly, contact our editor: firstname.lastname@example.org
For More T&I insights, information, news, and events, click here to follow the T&I Initiative on LinkedIn.


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The US government has filed a lawsuit on Google.
The Justice Department of the US Government has sued Google. The government has accused Google-owned company Alphabet of illegal use of its dominance in Internet search.
- Last Updated:October 21, 2020, 9:18 PM IST
Digital advertising on Google also under investigation
Search digital ads on Google are also under investigation. This includes searches, web displays and video ads. The allegations alleged that Google’s behavior in the digital advertising space is to boycott and suppress monopolists and smaller competitors. Google prevents any new changes or discoveries in the Internet sector resulting in huge disappointment to the consumers.
Google gave its responses on this subjectGoogle says that it has consistently ensured that its services are useful to consumers and free to all. Google has also emphasized that all the deals done by it are legal and help the companies.
Attitude of american lawmakers
The issue has been repeatedly raised by senators such as Barney Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez that a company having so much power is a matter of policy concern. At present, this lawsuit is being interpreted because it has been done just two weeks before the 2020 US presidential elections.
Similarly, Microsoft was also sued
A similar case took place 22 years ago in 1998 against Microsoft. Microsoft was accused of bundling all products around Windows. At the time Microsoft was sued, Google was just a startup and claimed at the time that Microsoft’s work system or behavior was “anti-competitive ( were anti-competitive).
read this also: Protesters violent in Chile, church burnt, looted
Now the US government and Google can enter into an agreement, but if it is not possible, then both will move the court. The decision of this lawsuit will take a few years to come, but this lawsuit against a big company like Google is the first important step taken against Google.


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Bookings For 2016 Hyundai Elantra Begins
Hyundai is all set to introduce the sixth-generation 2016 Elantra in India in September and dealerships have already started accepting bookings for the upcoming sedan.
It is expected of Hyundai to launch the sixth-generation Elantra next month
Hyundai is all set to introduce the sixth-generation 2016 Elantra in India in September and dealerships have already started accepting bookings for the upcoming sedan. However, there is no official word from Hyundai regarding the bookings. Dealers are accepting bookings for the new Elantra with a payment of around Rs 25,000.
Deliveries of the vehicle are expected to begin soon after its official launch. The previous Elantra is no match to the upcoming sedan, in almost every aspect. The 2016 Elantra is based on a new lightweight platform, offers new engines along with added features. In terms of design, it is based on the Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture 2.0.
Like the outgoing model, the new Elantra will compete primarily with the highest-selling vehicle in its class – the Toyota Corolla Altis. Rest of the rivals include the Skoda Octavia, theVolkswagen Jetta, and the Chevrolet Cruze. Moreover, the tenth-generation Honda Civic, which might become one of its chief competitors, is also expected to come next year. Similar to its predecessor, the new Elantra will be priced in the vicinity of Rs 15 lakh.


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Landmark European Union legislation could mean WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Apple’s iMessage will have to let their users communicate with one another.
Approved by EU members on Friday and awaiting official adoption,is aimed at regulating massive “gatekeeper” providers, requiring them to exchange more information between services and provide space for smaller platforms to thrive in the market. In theory, it could allow consumers to choose between installing Siri or Alexa on their smartphone, regardless of what device they owned.
The goal of the act isn’t to break tech companies apart but to “break them open,” France’s minister of state for the digital sector, Cédric O, said during a press conference.
“We have taken a step I think we can call historic,” he said. “It goes well beyond the digital, and affects democracy as well.”
What would the Digital Markets Act do?
The legislation targets what it calls gatekeeper providers — EU lawmakers cited WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Apple’s iMessage by name in a statement — saying they would “have to open up and interoperate with smaller messaging platforms,” like Signal, Discord or Telegram.
“Users of small or big platforms would then be able to exchange messages, send files or make video calls across messaging apps,” the European Parliament and Council of the European Union said in the statement.
Negotiators added language in the DMA that would let users freely choose which browser, virtual assistant and search engine to use on their phone, tablet or computer. But the committee said interactivity of other features would be looked at down the line.
Other requirements include:
- Allowing third-party services (like messenger apps) to interact with gatekeeper systems.
- Letting users access services they may’ve acquired outside of a gatekeeper platform.
- Enabling users to uninstall any pre-installed software or apps.
- Allowing companies that advertise on gatekeeper platforms to access performance-measuring tools.
- Letting business users access data generated by their activities.
What companies would be impacted by the DMA?
The DMA includes any company that provides web browsers, social media services, messaging apps or other online services to at least 45 million EU users, or 10,000 businesses, and has a market capitalization of at least 75 billion euros (about $82 billion).
That rarified group includes Amazon, Alphabet (which owns Google and YouTube), Apple, Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) and Microsoft.
Notably, the DMA would force Apple touse third-party payment methods in its App Store, which currently collects a 30% commission, and allow alternatives to the App Store for downloading apps.
Meta and Google would be further limited in sending members targeted ads without consent, and Amazon would be blocked from collecting data from third-party sellers on its platform in order to offer competing products.
What would this mean for Big Tech?
If a gatekeeper doesn’t comply with the rules, the commission can levy fines of up to 10% of the company’s global revenue and 20% in the event of a second violation. If a gatekeeper continues to violate the DMA, “structural” repercussions could be imposed, including a possible breakup of the company, CNBC reported.
The Digital Markets Act “ushers in a new era of tech regulation worldwide,” Andreas Schwab, a representative of Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, said in a statement.
The legislation “puts an end to the ever-increasing dominance of Big Tech companies” and allows for fairer competition on the internet, Schwab said.
Will the Digital Markets Act affect American users?
Technically, the DMA is enforceable only in EU countries. But cyberspace rarely recognizes geopolitical boundaries. It’s highly unlikely Facebook or Twitter would create separate platforms for different continents.
When the EUin 2018, requiring sites to ask permission to track users’ data with cookies, Americans reaped the benefits too.
What’s the next step?
Though the law has been approved by EU member states, the language still needs to be finalized and approved by both Parliament and the Council, then officially adopted by the 27 countries that make up the EU, but that’s considered more of a formality.
EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager said she expects the regulations could start being enforced sometime in October.


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Fashion, style and art are the ways we express ourselves: the way we showcase and celebrate identity, the way we define who we are. Especially for those whose identities are muted or changed by being on this campus, fashion and art are ways we can always be our authentic selves. Recently, I had the privilege of seeing this concept come to life in a magical way at EnspiRED’s art exhibit and performance series at the Taubman Commons last weekend. The level of artistry and beautiful self-expression in the room was, perhaps, the most important thing I have gotten to witness during my time here. The event featured all artists of Color and their artwork, project or performance piece — everything from drawings, to poetry, to dance, to photo and jewelry collections. I was so moved by the people and the stunning art that I asked Music, Theater & Dance senior Andrew Otchere, EnspiRED’s creative director, to do an interview with Daily Arts so that more people can learn about the organization and what it does.
As creative director, Otchere started his work back in June. His role oversees creating a vision, theme and aesthetic that work together harmoniously for the season. This season, Otchere chose the idea of Afrofuturism to base his work off of. His work includes directing photoshoots, producing and directing a virtual fashion show and overall management of the season.
“EnspiRED is an arts, fashion and charity organization on campus that hosts multiple events during the year that lead up to an annual fashion show,” Otchere said in an interview.
EnspiRED is made up of predominantly Black and Brown students, but is open to everyone. Though the group started as a mainly fashion and modeling focused organization, it has expanded its work to include more art forms in general like visual art and live performances. However, fashion remains the core of their work and mission, as it is arguably one of the most authentic forms of self-expression.
Otchere described EnspiRED as a community for students of color on campus and said he hopes it will continue to be a safe space for self-expression.
“I hope that when people think of EnspiRED, I hope for people within the Black community at the University of Michigan think of it as a safe and beautiful community space for us to come together, to feel comfortable and to have fun.”
Something special about art, and about fashion in particular, is that it creates community: Art and fashion bond people together because they are the truest forms of self-expression. EnspiRED has cultivated a space in which people can wear the clothes they want to wear and create the art they want to create.
Otchere explained “spaces like EnspiRED not only allow people to freely express and explore who they are and what they want to showcase to the world, but also give us an opportunity to appreciate Black artists and Black art”.
In a world that asks us so often to conform or change our identities, spaces and communities like EnspiRED gives individuals, especially students, a place to tell the world who you are on your own terms.
If you would like to learn more about EnspiRED, take a look at their Instagram page, @enspiredrunway, or send them an email at email@example.com. Their next event to be on the lookout for will be their annual fashion show on March 11th.
Style Beat Editor CC Meade can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Until Oct. 31, students can visit The Cornell Store or Campus Copy and Supply at Appel Commons to turn in their torchier style halogen lamps. In exchange, both stores are offering participating students a 70 percent discount off of a new Energy Star torchier lamp.
Halogen lamps’ presence in student housing has raised concerns about safety and the environment.
With their light bulbs reaching up to 1000 degrees, halogen lamps are more likely to start fires than other lamps. An event yesterday afternoon promoting the trade-in featured a demonstration of their fire hazards by Fire Marshall Ray Wheaton.
In addition, halogen lamps are extremely energy inefficient. The replacements lamps use 80 percent less energy than the equivalent halogen lamps. To continue the environmental effort, the halogen lamps turned in will be recycled.
To promote safety and energy conservation, starting Nov. 1, Campus Life has banned halogen lamps in dorms and will use disciplinary action to enforce this rule. Beginning next semester, the lamps will also be banned in sorority and fraternity houses.
So far, the campaign has been successful at The Cornell Store, according to Peter Salce, supply buyer. Out of the 100 available, The Cornell Store has sold about 62 lamps.
“It’s gone quite well,” he said.
The Cornell Store had been looking for an alternative to halogen lamps when the campus environmental group Kyoto Now! approached them with the idea of a trade-in. With the help of Kyoto Now! and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), The Cornell Store began the trade-in on Oct. 1.
“It was almost like a perfect fit that we did this,” Salce said.
In comparison to The Cornell Store, Campus Copy and Supply has reported slightly slower sales, with 10 out of 20 lamps available sold. However, manager Chris Hoover believes the program is worth the effort.
“As a store on campus, we are there to provide for students’ needs,” she said. “Our store is there for the students.”
Kyoto Now! and NYSERDA have been planning this program since last April, according to Abigail Krich ’03, president of Kyoto Now!.
The idea for the program came to Krich as she listened to Rick Gerardi, director of the residential energy affordability program for NYSERDA, give a presentation in her City and Regional Planning energy and design seminar. After he described the trade-in program and said NYSERDA was interested in launching a university pilot program, Krich volunteered to organize a pilot at Cornell.
Krich believes this program provides a valuable opportunity for students to save energy.
“We’re focused on our classes and we aren’t really focused on our electric bills,” she said. “I think this is a great way to [lower them.]”
Students seemed supportive of the trade-in, although some had not known about it.
Although he had not heard of the program previously, Roberto Ko grad said he would consider trading in his halogen lamp.
“If it’s promoting more energy efficient lamps that are safe, I’m all for it,” he said.
Some students who supported the program expressed concerns about the safety of halogen lamps.
“[Trading in lamps] seems like a good idea; not to burn my room down,” said Steve Clancy ’04.
Conservation issues ranked high on reasons for supporting the program for Greens member Dana Perls ’03.
“I think it’s a wonderful way to save money, save energy and personally participate in conserving the environment,” she said. “I think that the University should really promote it and use it as an opportunity to be consistent with their statements on the environment.”
The program is being sponsored by Kyoto Now!, Campus Life, Cornell Grounds Department, NYSERDA and the Student Assembly Finance Committee.
Archived article by Shannon Brescher


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Mentos, the global number three candy brand , has launched two new Pure Fresh gum products: a Bubblefresh bottle and a Cherry roll. The new variants build on the significant +101 per cent  growth of the range, following its launch last year.
Fruit-flavoured gum currently occupies a 20 per cent share of the chewing gum market and recruits new and existing users by tapping into a more indulgent refreshment moment. The merging of fruit flavours with traditional, functional gum occasions, increases category penetration and is proven to build incremental sales.
Perfetti van Melle’s new Bubblefresh bottle and Cherry roll joins its Mentos Pure Fresh fruit gum portfolio with Tropical, Cherry and Bubblefresh available in a 50pc bottle and 8pc roll. Bottled gums support new “stock-up” shopper habits, which are becoming more popular, while the rolls tap into the impulse purchase, to assuage an immediate need for a quick, tasty pick-me-up.
The launches will be supported by a £2.1 million above the line “Yes to Fresh” campaign that encourages consumers to use indulgent refreshment to escape the mundane and say yes to unexpected situations. Disruptive in store, digital, VOD and out-of-home advertising will ensure maximum awareness, and there will also be focused sales support from March to drive visibility and availability of Mentos Pure Fresh at store level.
“There are 30 million gum chewers in the UK, but we have seen a decline in frequency, driven by consumer changes in habits due to reduction in travelling and commuting,” said Kim McMahon, Product Manager at Mentos. “That’s why we’re investing in the category, to ensure the products are front of mind to ultimately encourage more sales at till point – we want the nation to ‘Say Yes to Fresh’.”
RRPs: Pure Fresh Bubble Fresh Bottle £2.25, Pure Fresh Cherry Roll 0.65p
 Euromonitor 2020
 IRI YTD 2nd Jan 2021


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Following a trademark battle, Barefoot Bucha launches crowdsourcing campaign to rebrand.
Calling all creatives! Barefoot Bucha, a certified organic kombucha microbrewery located in Afton is getting a facelift—new name, new tagline, new logo—and the owners want your help. Kate and Ethan Zuckerman are excited about the change, but the decision to rebrand didn’t come out of the smoothest of circumstances.
Last fall, the Zuckermans learned that E & J Gallo, the largest wine producer in the world and owner of the Barefoot Wine trademark, was suing them over their use of the word “barefoot” and their logo, a set of footprints. Last week, the Zuckermans announced that they “amicably” came to a settlement with Gallo outside of court. They’ve launched a campaign called “Name That Bucha!” asking Virginia, D.C. and Maryland residents who love their kombucha to submit ideas for a new name, tagline and logo art.
“This is not really a situation that any small business owners foresee, facing a lawsuit and changing everything,” says Kate Zuckerman. “But we really put a lot of thought into how we can make this into a positive, and we’re excited about it.”
Barefoot Bucha isn’t just any kombucha producer, and the owners want the branding to reflect that. The Zuckermans originally branded the company with the tagline “big flavor, small footprint,” which reflects their commitment to producing and distributing kombucha with as little waste as possible. The sweet, vinegary, fermented tea is available on tap at grocery and health food stores all over the region, where customers can reuse and refill their glass bottles and growlers.
“We got to thinking about our model, and it really is all about community involvement and a purchasing choice that is in some ways less convenient,” Zuckerman says. “People do it because they believe in the mission of doing it without waste. And this is another way people can participate as a community.”
So go ahead—pour yourself a glass of the soon-to-be-former Barefoot Bucha (which comes in ginger, elderflower, black raspberry, blueberry, pear and grape flavors) and get those creative juices flowing. Submit an entire package (name, tagline, logo), or just one or two of the elements by Monday, Sept. 12. Winners of the contest will receive a year’s supply of kombucha, not to mention bragging rights. BarefootBucha.com/NameThatBucha


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The company hopes to break even by the end of the year, but in the meantime, finances are worrying the company, MandrakeSoft said on its Web site.
"The Mandrake Linux distribution's short-term future is in jeopardy due to a simple factor: money," the company said. "It is unlikely that MandrakeSoft can remain unchanged during these next few months without drastically cutting costs unless additional revenue is generated quickly."
Mandrake has been marketingplans since last year.
Individual club membership benefits include discounts, chat privileges with Mandrake staff and access to discussion groups. Corporate benefits include special product offers, faster software downloads, and display of sponsors' names on Mandrake products and Web sites.
Mandrake stock currently trades at $3.43, giving the company a market capitalization of $11.7 million.the initial public offering waters in 2001 and is trading on an unregulated European market called the Marche Libre, but the money raised wasn't enough to reach profitability as the company hoped. The company's
The IPO was a far cry from that of rival Red Hat, which raised $84 million back when Linux was awash in hype as a way to power Internet sites and undermine Microsoft's power. The software has succeeded in servers, but hasn't dethroned Microsoft or been much of a foundation for corporate profits among those selling the software.
Mandrake expects shortly to release version 8.2 of its software, which includes support for devices that can be plugged in and unplugged while the computer is still running, a better graphical user interface, and an encrypted file system to increase security.