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Aldi has unveiled plans to launch in China next year as the discounter continues to break into new markets across the globe.
The German grocer said it will start selling “a carefully selected range” of items to Chinese consumers online from the second quarter of 2017.
However, Retail Week understands Aldi has no current plans to establish a bricks-and-mortar presence in the country.
Aldi said it had been “active” in China for “several years”, as it ran the rule over potential options for entering the market.
The “majority” of products it plans to sell in the market, which will initially be limited to non-chilled groceries and wine, will be sourced from Aldi’s existing suppliers in Australia.
Aldi said the move offered its supply partners “exciting business opportunities” for growth, with access to 1.4 billion new consumers.
A spokeswoman for Aldi Australia said: “Aldi has enjoyed strong and long-lasting relationships with many of our Australian suppliers since our first stores opened in 2001.
“Our growth across the country has provided increased business for these suppliers, allowing them to invest this back into their own operations and contributing to their success.
“We look forward to further expanding these relationships as we develop further opportunities in Asia.”
The spokeswoman insisted that there was “strong demand” for Australian-manufactured products in the Chinese market and said Aldi intended to “provide a competitively priced alternative” for grocery shoppers in the market.
The move to launch online in China comes less than a year after Aldi started selling wine and special buys online in the UK.
Aldi’s plan to launch online first in the Chinese market goes against its usual preference for a bricks-and-mortar presence.
The discounter has repeatedly shrugged off suggestions that it will launch an ecommerce grocery offer in the UK, due to the pressure online retailing would place on already slim food margins.


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More Than Logistics: UPS is Using 3D Printing to Completely Transform Their Industry and Business Model
The thing that has always struck me as disruptive about 3D printing is the unpredictability of who and how it is going to be used. The fact is, you just never know where it’s going to show up, and who is going to be using it. 3D printing seems a natural extension of services for companies like Staples or Home Depot, as they have already been in the market of providing small business services to their customers. But who exactly could have predicted that a shipping company like UPS would be one of the fastest growing 3D printing service providers in the country, through The UPS Store?
It started small of course, a handful of their physical locations started including a 3D printer on-site to offer customers an additional service while they stopped in to ship a package. But now, barely a year later and that additional service has spread to more than a hundred locations all over the country. But on-site 3D printing services are only part of the future of one of the largest private shipping companies in the world, and it is becoming evident than in a few years it may not even be accurate to call them a shipping company any longer.
It is important to remember that UPS has always referred to themselves primarily as a logistics company, and now, according to UPS vice president of marketing for global logistics and distribution Alan Amling, that is going to include light product assembly and manufacturing. In a conversation with InformationWeek, Amling detailed exactly how 3D printing is going to factor into the future of the company, and how they’re going to do it.
For a company that sells customized golf clubs like Hopkins Golf the ability for UPS to store individual components, assemble them together when an order is placed and ship directly to the customer is a key part of their business plan. What is sort of brilliant about this particular partnership is the benefits that the relationship offers both companies. For Hopkins Golf they only need to source the parts and make sure that UPS is fully stocked, there is no need to assemble the clubs themselves, package them up and ship them off to customers. Not only does that save them time and allow for faster fulfilment in the age of Amazon Prime, but it reduces the amount of staff that they need as well as virtually eliminates the need for packaging or shipping materials.
UPS benefits by saving on the manpower required to physically pick up Hopkins Golf’s products from their shipping location and physically transport them to a UPS distribution hub. By having the products already in their central shipping facility, where staff can pick and ship what is needed, they can almost instantly be sent directly into their shipping network. This is a service that is already being implemented successfully and has proven itself to be viable. And according to Amling, light manufacturing using 3D printers is simply the next step of this type of service.
“You’d never want to make and store all the possible combinations [of Hopkins Golf clubs]. UPS stores shafts and heads and puts them together to order — this is light assembly that’s already being done. 3D printing coupled with pre-manufactured parts is the next evolution,” Amling told InformationWeek.
UPS recently invested heavily in a 3D printing services company called CloudDDM, who set up a large bank of about a hundred industrial 3D printers inside of the massive UPS facility in Louisville, Kentucky. The workflow is pretty simple, a company offers 3D printable products, or products that need light assembly with 3D printable components. When a customer places an order, it is sent over to UPS and any parts that need to be 3D printed are sent directly to CloudDDM. Once the product is printed and assembled, it is immediately shipped out to the customer. CloudDDM founder Rick Smith sees his new partnership with UPS as a way to set his company apart from his competitors.
“Most of the service companies in the space are mom and pop, but CloudDDM is trying to be a manufacturer with some scale. The target parts are things like low-volume replacement parts that might fall below the minimum order from a manufacturer,” explains Smith. “We talked about this huge disruptive tech over a 50 year span. UPS is a supply chain management company. They want to go to customers and tell them this is how to think about additive manufacturing.”
While it is still early days for this type of service, and both UPS and their customers have a lot of logistical issues to work out, creative logistics is what UPS is known for. Not only is this an evolution of the 3D printing service provider market, but it’s a complete disruption of the light manufacturing, shipping and fulfilment markets as well. UPS has a huge network of customers all over the country, and a sizable staff of people who manage them. If anyone can successfully proselytize the benefits of using this type of business model to their clients it is going to be UPS.
According to Amling, the goal of their new light manufacturing and digital reordering business model will require the use of every resource that UPS has available to them. That means using both the CloudDDM printer farm in Kentucky and the 3D printing capabilities of local UPS Stores to to the work. They just need to put a system in place to figure out what can be done where, and how much time will it save them. UPS is a global company, so the plan is to put this new model into place everywhere, however the company is currently restricting it to the US until they get the new model just right. But honestly it is only a matter of time before they do, and I fully expect to see similar fulfilment models implemented by other large online retailers like Amazon (which already offers something similar without the 3D printing) and Wal-Mart.com.
At a previous job I worked closely with UPS for several years, and the few times that I was able to look into their logistics network it was sort of like walking into an Escher painting come to life. Nothing seemed to make sense to me, but for some reason it all seemed to work both quickly and efficiently. With the plans that UPS has for 3D printing, it’s pretty clear that logistics is just another industry that is being transformed by 3D printing. Discuss this story in the UPS 3D Printing forum on 3DPB.com.
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ZunguZ launches social media debit card
INDUSTRY| Sept. 25, 2012, 11:23 a.m.
ZunguZ, a new, SA-born global multi-tier mobile payment platform, has started rolling out a debit card.
ZunguZ is a payment platform integrated into Facebook and provides technology to help banks migrate onto the social graph.
As with any debit card facility, the new ZunguZ debit card can be used to withdraw funds from an ATM or be used to purchase goods.
ZunguZ management believes the offering is expected to reinforce ZunguZ’s value proposition within the prepaid and financial market, and a step forward in plans to capitalise on both on-and offline banking markets. The inherent value is the social attributes that are delivered to the pre-paid cards via the patent pending algorithms that are built into the ZunguZ platform. The deep integration into the social graph, will bridge shopping habits of people and turn a merchants best customers into its brand ambassadors, through various mechanisms, one of these being a social loyalty platform.
The prepaid industry is driven by two clear ‘pushes’, the one being a versatile, cost-effective mechanism to accommodate un-banked consumers – and the other, a vehicle for banks and financial institutions to widen their service offering and expand their brand into previously untapped markets, says Robert Sussman, a leading South African high tech and high impact serial entrepreneur and joint CEO of ZunguZ.
“The prepaid card concept is established internationally and the industry continues to grow exponentially. One of the reasons is because it meets an immediate need – people that must take control over their finances, but do not want the additional burden of charges associated with accounts,” says Sussman.
At the same time the prepaid business model lends itself to a number of applications – including serving as vouchers and even payroll cards for large companies and enterprises.
ZunguZ is already affiliated to financial institutions and negotiations are in place to partner with other financial institutions to expand and rollout enhanced banking services to clients.
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A Malta-based video game company has been banished from the world's largest online gaming marketplace, on the suspicion it posted fake reviews of its own games.
Insel Games, which operates out of an office in Balzan, had its online Steam store shut down earlier this month after an anonymous employee on social media site Reddit claimed the company's CEO "threatened" employees who did not post positive reviews of the firm's latest game.
The Redditor posted an email from the company's CEO in which he urged workers to buy the company's latest game "or explain to me tomorrow why you do not wish to do this."
In the email, CEO Patrick Streppel told employees that the company's latest game, Wild Busters, was not selling well and only had six reviews on Steam.
Mr Streppel wrote that the company's future depended on the game being a financial success.
"If WB [Wild Busters] fails, Insel Fails, IME fails and then we all have no job next year," he wrote.
He went on to tell employees that he would refund them if they bought the game.
Following Mr Streppel's email, which was dated December 14, 2017, reviews for Wild Busters increased significantly, and a number of Redditors noted that many of the reviews came from users whose only other reviews were for other Insel games.
As talk of the alleged voting manipulation picked up traction, a Steam representative said that the platform had decided to terminate its relationship with Insel Games and remove the company's games from the Steam store.
"The publisher appears to have used multiple Steam accounts to post positive reviews for their own games," they said.
Being excluded from Steam is a huge blow to the company's hopes of success, as it leaves them frozen out of a marketplace with more than 150 million registered users and almost 12,000 video games for sale on its online store.
In a statement, Insel Games said Mr Streppel's email had never been intended as a threat and simply sought to rally support for Wild Busters.
"No staff has received penalties for not buying the game or writing a review. There also never were texts or instructions provided for reviews," the company said, adding that it was in discussions with Steam about the incident.
Mr Streppel set up Insel Games in 2016, having previously established consulting and content agency IME in Hamburg. The company is registered as operating out of an office on Triq il-Kannizata, Balzan.
Filtering out fake reviews has become a constant battle for e-commerce platforms and review sites, and it is easy to see why.
A Harvard Business School study dating back to 2011 had found that for every one-star increase in rating, restaurants stood to gain up to nine per cent more customers.
Astroturfing on Amazon, for instance, has led to developers creating tools such as Fakespot, which churns through metadata to identify suspicious posters.
The practice left travel site TripAdvisor with egg on its face late last year, after a London journalist managed to bump a restaurant that didn't exist to the number 1 spot using just fake reviews.
In an interview with MaltaProfile, Mr Streppel had touched upon the challenges of standing out among the crowd, saying cutthroat competition in the video game industry made competing difficult.
"The sheer flood of new games makes it very difficult to gain players' attention," he had said. "It is difficult for a game to appear on the front page of Steam."
Independent journalism costs money. Support Times of Malta for the price of a coffee.Support Us


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There are chocolate beers, raspberry beers, honey beers and even jalapeño beers. So why not kosher beer? Jeremy Cowan, 30, decided to fill that niche. "There was a microbrew explosion going on in 1996," recalls the Stanford grad, who launched He'Brew The Chosen Beer that year.
Although Cowan started the business with the barest essentials and $15,000-plus in savings, his San Francisco company expects sales of more than $500,000 this year. Cowan began by using a small Bay area "do-it-yourself" brewery to make experimental test batches. By Hanukkah 1996, Cowan--with help from his girlfriend, his mother and an assortment of friends--had produced about 100 cases of Shmaltz Brewing Co.'s first hand-bottled, hand-labeled beer, Genesis Ale.
Despite a negligible advertising budget (the biggest ad Cowan could afford was a 1-inch spot in the local Jewish paper), Cowan's kosher beer brewed in positive feedback. And thanks to He'Brew Beer's novelty, a short article in the San Francisco Chronicle led to tiny mentions in 15 national papers. During Hanukkah, says Cowan, "The voice mail was full every night with calls from all over the country. It was obvious we were on to something."
As sales increased, Cowan landed a contract with Anderson Valley Brewing, one of the nation's top 10 breweries, which enabled him to hire a distributor to warehouse and deliver the beer, now sold at grocery stores, kosher delis (yes, it's certified) and liquor stores.
Cowan eventually graduated from his kitchen office to a tiny loft--but the 6'1" entrepreneur didn't let the space's 5'10" ceiling cramp his style. "Each [difficult] step of the way [I told myself], `Someday I'll look back on this and laugh.' " He's laughing now: He's finally got a "real" office, private investors and distribution from Los Angeles to New York City. Says Cowan, "Every day, [people] e-mail me and say `Loved the He'Brew. Keep up the good work.' It's a blast."
Shmaltz Brewing Co., (415) 648-4327, http://www.shmaltz.com


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Your weekly top 5 technical and security issues Nerds should pay attention to:
Signal CEO Hacks Cellebrite iPhone Hacking Device Used By Cops. Cellebrite has quite a shady history, so it’s nice to see Moxie Marlinspike turn the tables in this way to shine a light.
Facebook downplays data breach in internal email. Apparently they’ve been expecting this and the playbook is to generalize it as an industry problem!? Just this week’s reminder that there’s no net value for anyone other than Facebook’s shareholders for us to use their platforms.
Codecov hackers breached hundreds of restricted customer sites – sources. Just a reminder how interwoven our systems are and additional protection by way of Zero Trust is so absolutely necessary for our own protection.
Backdoored password manager stole data from as many as 29K enterprises. The lesson here is to be careful in choosing a password manager, at the very least one that is vetted by independent security researchers.
Academics detail ways to leak contact info of nearby iThings for spear-phishing. While this is less of a story than it claims to be, you might be glad to know that always-on VPN infrastructure for iOS actually mitigates this, and is part of the adam:GO™ product offering.
Did you know?
Prominent security expert Dan Kaminsky passes away at 42. It is unfortunate that so much of the article is focused on trying to convince the public that his vaccination had nothing to do with it.
For a video version of this, see https://youtu.be/4nAOM5bGu1s


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Charlotte, N.C. (May 25, 2021) – Charlotte has landed another fintech unicorn as Credit Karma announced today major plans to expand its operations into the city increasingly becoming known globally for its dominance in the fintech space.
This afternoon the west coast fintech unicorn announced a $13.25M investment and 600 new jobs in Charlotte. Minimum average wage for these newly committed positions exceeds $150,000 per role. Analysts estimate that over the next 12 years this expansion will provide a $2.6B economic impact to the region.
“When you look back at the last 4 years of company expansions, from LendingTree to AvidXchange to Better.com to Robinhood to name a few, and now to include Credit Karma in that list, it’s getting hard not to make the argument that Charlotte is the dominant future force of fintech nationwide,” said Tariq Bokhari, Founder of the Carolina Fintech Hub. “Our entire community has leaned in to grow the fintech scene, and that’s what has made Charlotte the owner of a finance workforce 150% bigger than the national average, a tech workforce 44% higher than the national average, the number 1 market for tech talent growth in the nation, home to over 60 fintech companies, and regularly in the news for announcing new fintech company expansions like Credit Karma today.”
For those unfamiliar with the term “unicorn”, this moniker is typically given to privately-owned companies that exceed a $1B valuation. These companies tend to be critical for a city’s economic development as they bring jobs, growth, and much more to the ecosystem in which they are located.
Charlotte continues to ascend higher on the global list of cities with the most fintech unicorns and is now second only to San Francisco in the United States. Today though, one of those San Francisco based unicorns is reaching the same conclusion that many of their peers are realizing—the future of fintech in the Carolinas is bright.
“Credit Karma has rapidly grown to over 100 million registered users and has made a mission of helping people make financial progress regardless of where they are in life,” Bokhari went on to say. “In many ways Charlotte was the perfect choice for the fintech company to make – as we are both rapidly growing and dedicated to creating upward mobility and equity of opportunity available to everyone. I can’t wait to see how the City of Charlotte and Credit Karma shape each other’s future for the benefit of all in the coming years.”
Managing Director, CFH


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As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. Faced with a family member's carjacking, entrepreneur Kelvin Macharia Kuria wanted to do something to stem the massive problem with vehicle thefts in Nairobi, Kenya. Still in his early 20s, he founded a company called Sunrise Tracking in 2012 to do just that, and Macharia has come up with a novel way to potentially get people's cars back, according to CNN.
Ultra low-cost transportation doesn't have a particularly successful history in the recent past. Just ask Tata. The company's Nano subcompact was supposed to revolutionize the way low-income families the world over moved themselves, but as it turns out, even those with no money don't want to be seen in a vehicle known primarily for its cheapness. Even so, one company is working to give rural Africans a shot at changing their lives with a new low-cost SUV. Nairobi-based Mobius Motors wants to bui


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Toyota Tries to Keep Wraps Under Solar Car
Toyota reportedly is developing a car that would be charged solely by solar, reports the Associated Press.
The futuristic car is years away from market, however, the report notes.
From a story originally published in the Nikkei newspaper and not verified by Toyota, the automaker’s solar car would get some of its power from solar cells on the vehicle, and the rest from solar panels on the rooftop of the home where the car is parked.
Eventually, Toyota’s goal is make a car completely powered by solar cells on the vehicle. The Toyota Prius prototype pictured above, equipped with solar panels, is not likely to be the solar car in Toyota’s future.
At a factory in Japan, Toyota has been using rooftop solar panels to produce electricity equivalent to the amount needed to power 500 homes. The system cuts 740 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually from Toyota’s carbon footprint.
Toyota’s partner in developing and producing hybrid batteries, Panasonic Corp., is set to complete its takeover of Japanese rival Sanyo Electric Co., a leader in solar energy, early next year. That development should hasten Toyota’s push into solar cars.
Last year, the ship carrier for Toyota’s auto exports began experimenting with solar panels atop the ship.
Earlier this year, Toyota gained the coveted pace car position for several NASCAR races, using its hybrid Camry.
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Microsoft is today ending support for Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update). This is coming after Microsoft initially delayed the end of support for six months. The company took that action to help users avoid updates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is worth noting today’s cut-ff affects Windows 10 Home and Pro SKUs of version 1809. Also this week, Microsoft is rolling out the last cumulative update for the build as part of November 2020 Patch Tuesday.
As the version reaches two years old, that’s all Microsoft will support for Home and Pro users. Those running Enterprise or Education variants of Windows 10 have longer support of 30 months. In other words, those machines will be supported until May 2021.
Windows 10 version 1809 is one of the most infamous Windows updates of all-time. It was certainly one of the most problematic Windows builds in recent memory. Microsoft botched the update at release.
Microsoft launched the platform on October 2 2018 during a Surface hardware event. However, version 1809 was quickly put on ice as the manual update was deleting personal user files. Other issues found in the update included a ZIP extraction fault, a file association problem, and an activation downgrade flaw.
Windows 10 Version 1809 Patch Tuesday
As part of November 2020 Patch Tuesday this week, Microsoft issued the monthly cumulative update for Windows 10 version 1809. The update is KB4586793, bringing the build number to 17763.1577. Users can manually download it here, with the following changes:
- Updates to improve security when using Microsoft Office products.
- Updates to improve security when using input devices such as a mouse, keyboard, or pen.
- Updates to improve security when Windows performs basic operations.
- Updates the 2020 DST start date for the Fiji Islands to December 20, 2020.


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HTC's latest flagship smartphone has an all-new rear camera, but is that a good thing? We tried an early version out in Barcelona with very mixed results.
And why you may prefer to stick with one color or the other.
A tech blogger's too-itchy trigger finger has revealed HTC's new flagship phone a day before the firm's press event at Mobile World Congress -- that is, if appearances are to be believed.
Technically Incorrect: Apple's CEO says he doesn't believe that people should sacrifice their privacy on the altar of governments' definition of global security.
Technically Incorrect: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says that the FCC overseeing the Web will be a positive step in controlling illegality. He also describes it as a victory for consumers.
Samsung's easy dismissal of Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor highlights the chipmaker's weak brand power with consumers. What can Qualcomm do to raise its profile?
Technically Incorrect: Verizon issues a press release suggesting that the FCC's decision to regulate the Internet as a utility is archaic and sends the world back to the Dark Ages -- of 1934.
Technically Incorrect: The March issue of Vogue features 12 pages of ads for Apple's new and possibly revolutionary gadget, says Advertising Age.
Technically Incorrect: Twitter activity claims another public victim, as ESPN's iconoclast gets into an ill-advised spat with Penn State students.
In 1908, a doctor used X-rays to highlight the damaging effects of tight corsets on a woman's body.


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14 October 2010 | Angeline Albert
Lloyds Banking Group has appointed Best Buy Europe's purchasing chief Michael Whitby to take up the post of group procurement director from early next year.
Whitby has been procurement director at the consumer electronic retailer for almost three years.
In his new role at Lloyds, he will replace Mark Swyny who has been interim group procurement director since the departure of the bank’s CPO Caroline Booth in early August.
Whitby has previously worked as BAA’s group supply chain director, Reuters’ global sourcing director, Barclays Bank's sourcing director and Natwest’s head of IT purchasing.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Whitby’s expertise is in “sourcing and purchasing in the oil and construction, financial services, technology, media, transport and retail market sectors”. He was not available for comment at the time of going to press.
Lloyds Banking Group’s former CPO, Booth, left the company to join Toronto Dominion Bank Financial Group as CPO. She worked for Lloyds for more than four years – initially as group procurement director for Lloyds TSB and then for Lloyds Banking Group.
The group saved £34 million in 2009 through procurement activities, following its merger with HBOS. To lower costs following the merger, Booth consolidated existing contracts across the group, removed duplication in the supply base and took advantage of greater spending power.


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[Disclosure: The following article is a sponsored post]
Mobile casinos are always evolving and 2017 seems set to be another year of this. Their operators are always looking for something new to impress players, so we’re likely to see big changes in the industry yet again this year. Join us as we take a look through our predictions for 2017.
Slot game sequels are nothing new but some developers are branching into creating series of games. These can focus on themes or even characters, like the Jack Hammer franchise of games. NetEnt have been playing around with their NetEnt Rocks series too, which focuses on rock icons.
NetEnt usually lead the slot game pack so we wouldn’t be surprised if other developers jumped on this band wagon too. Even NetEnt themselves could create another one of these series based on a different genre of music, like pop music.
With regards to new technology, virtual reality is the elephant in the room as sites strive to adopt this tech. It’s still early on in this race and it’s anyone’s game so far, whether a big site or an indie one will be the first to do so we can’t say. These headsets are becoming more affordable though, so this is likely to stimulate the growth of the market.
The big challenge with VR is not just for a site to do it, but for them to do it well. With some AAA titles like Resident Evil coming out on VR, slot games will need to be sophisticated to compete with this.
We all love a bit of sci-fi and this is a large part of what we see in the most recent slot game trends. New mobile casinos feature the latest games, which can offer a range of themes. However, sci-fi is dominating the industry and the big players are taking notice of this shift in paradigm.
For a while, branded slot games were at the top of their game as players wanted to see their favourite characters come to life. We’ve left this trend behind a bit in 2017 but a big blockbuster movie could make all the difference.
Last year was the year of the mobile casino but now experts are predicting that casting games from mobile onto a TV will give a boost to the industry. We can’t see family friendly developers like Nintendo allowing their players to access casinos through their console but if the phone were to act like the console this would be a different story.
This could be the thing that mobile casinos need to give them an added player base, as right now casinos are fighting over players. They could also benefit from the fact that some VR headsets simply double up an image on a smartphone, so they already have a niche with some users. This is all very reliant on the technology though, as some users won’t want the hassle of implementing hard to use tech.
Gamblers like their anonymity and security, which is why selected payment methods are so popular. Some, like Paysafecard, are totally anonymous and the user can purchase them with cash so there’s no paper trail. While this may go beyond the needs of some users, it’s absolutely essential for some that don’t have or don’t want to use a card.
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies may also be on their way to these online casino sites, as they seek to expand these options even further. These currencies could be the way forward for sites to appeal to new users who like to gamble with alternate payment methods. Leaps and bounds have been made in recent years, so it’s possible a big change could be coming up next.
These are our predictions for the upcoming year of mobile casino gaming, though there are bound to be some surprises on the way too.
Come comment on this article: Mobile Casinos Trends in 2017


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Food Standards Agency
Review of bio-based food contact materials published
The safety of bio-based food contact materials has been examined in a new report produced for the FSA.
Bio-based food contact materials (BBFCMs) are made from biological, renewable resources. They are a popular alternative to fossil fuel-based materials because they come from sustainable sources and are generally biodegradable or compostable.
An increasing number of BBFCMs are coming onto the market and the FSA commissioned a review of evidence relating to potential risks and other unintended consequences of replacing oil-based plastic food packaging and other food contact materials with BBFCMs.
The report, produced by Fera, found that BBFCMs can exhibit properties similar to traditional oil-based plastics, enabling comparable shelf-life performance and consumer protection. It also suggested that current risk assessment processes for establishing contaminant chemical transfer from packaging to food would be appropriate for BBFCMs.
However, the report also found that in many areas limited research has been undertaken into BBFCMs and that there is little information available on these new materials, for example the potential risk of allergens present in these bio-based materials transferring to food. It suggested that additional studies may be required to help contribute towards our understanding of these novel FCMs, ensuring future food safety and consumer protection.
Prof. Rick Mumford, Director of Science, Evidence and Research at the Food Standards Agency, said:
'With an increasing number of different bio-based food contact materials coming onto the market, this review has shown that more work needs to be carried out to better identify the benefits and potential risks associated with these new materials.
We will continue to work with businesses as they look to more sustainable packaging alternatives to ensure that the materials they use are safe and fit for purpose.'
There is a comprehensive system in place to keep food and packaging safe. This includes legislation specifying what chemicals can and cannot be included for materials such as plastics, and a rigorous risk assessment process. The legislation requires that chemicals must not migrate into foods at levels which harm health.
All businesses must ensure the materials used in their food packaging are suitable for the food and the conditions of use.
Latest News from
Food Standards Agency
FSA welcomes sentencing of DNP seller03/08/2020 14:10:00
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) welcomes the sentencing of a man who unlawfully sold DNP for human consumption.
Report into international foodborne disease rates published03/08/2020 09:15:00
The Food Standards Agency has published the first of three scientific reports, which attempt to compare international food standards.
Call to evidence: Front-of-pack nutrition labelling30/07/2020 14:10:00
We are seeking views and evidence from consumers and industry in Northern Ireland on the current UK ‘multiple traffic light’ label as part of a four-nation consultation.
Food we can trust - making it happen: Address to the Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum08/07/2020 12:25:00
Transcript of FSA Chief Executive Emily Miles' address to the Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum.
FSA publishes its Annual Report and Accounts for 2019/2002/07/2020 15:38:00
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has today published its Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts for the past financial year. The report covers our performance and activities in 2019/20 across England, Wales and Northern Ireland at a net cost of £112.6 million.
Food Standards Agency blog launches30/06/2020 16:51:00
Food Standards Agency yesterday launched their official blog.
Insufficient evidence for vitamin D preventing or treating acute respiratory tract infections30/06/2020 13:38:00
The Scientific Advisory Commission on Nutrition (SACN) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) yesterday published their rapid reviews exploring the role of Vitamin D supplementation in reducing the risk of Acute Respiratory Tract Infections (ARTIs) and the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
Covid-19 Consumer Tracker waves one and two report published25/06/2020 13:38:00
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) yesterday published the findings for waves one and two of the Covid-19 Consumer Tracker.


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Crossfield Farmers' Market a Growing Success
Story by Allison Chorney
Photos by Britton Ledingham
For more than 45 years, the Crossfield Farmers’ Market has provided locals with fresh produce and yummy treats.
“The Farmers’ Market is a fantastic community hub,” said Market Manager Cheryl Shea. “Folks can come down and shop, dine and visit with their neighbours.”
As an Alberta Approved Farmers’ Market, 80 per cent of vendors at the Crossfield Farmers’ Market must be Albertans, providing products that are made, baked or grown in the province. The remaining 20 per cent may sell products that complement the market mix.
“All markets are not the same, and all markets are not farmers’ markets,” Shea said, adding the variety of businesses and vendors at Crossfield’s market provides shoppers with options they may not see together elsewhere.
Though the market is now a popular destination for shoppers near and far, that wasn’t always the case.
“I had experienced the market when I first moved to the area. I knew the potential of [it] and the strong community supporting it, which seemed to maybe be at a disconnect,” said Shea, the recipient of the 2020 Alberta Farmers’ Market Association’s Outstanding Manager of the Year Award. “My goal was to once again see a market in Crossfield that would be of benefit to all residents and vendors.”
With this in mind, Shea set about bringing the market back to what it once was. Weekend event-based markets were introduced, which drew local and out-of-town shoppers and allowed the market to host more vendors.
As word of these events spread, so too did the market’s popularity, transforming it into a must-visit stop and drawing shoppers from the nearby communities of Calgary and Airdrie. Shea said the market is also a popular destination for shoppers from Red Deer, Drumheller, Canmore, Sundre and even High River.
While the COVID-19 pandemic forced the rescheduling of the 2020 Spring Market, she said the Crossfield Farmers’ Market was determined to open for the season. Shea said the “passion, dedication and effort from so many” allowed the market to open as scheduled on June 4, 2020 – following guidelines outlined by the province – and it had a tremendous year.
“Last year Crossfield folks became more involved shopping at the Farmers’ Market and supporting the vendors,” she said, adding the market and its visitors contributed to 216 businesses in 2020. “Supporting and shopping local really meant something, and it was fantastic to see Crossfield and area get behind these vendors and build relationships.”
Despite it taking place during a pandemic, the 2020 Christmas Market was a huge success and highlight from last year. Held Nov. 7, 2020 at three venues – the Crossfield Community Centre, Crossfield Baptist Church and Collicutt Siding Golf Club – the event was larger than ever and included a visit from Santa and his reindeer, as well as the Grinch and his dog Max.
“I loved the 2020 Christmas market so much [and] I expect it to be very similar this year,” Shea said, adding this year’s event will expand to two days, taking place from 4 to 8 p.m. Nov. 5 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 6.
She said the multiple venues prevented overcrowding while the controlled directional flow of market-goers kept attendees safe and ensured shoppers went by each booth, benefitting all 166 vendors that participated.
The Crossfield Farmers’ Market runs from 3:30 to 7 p.m. each Thursday from June 3 to Sept. 23. Special markets for the season include the Oct. 2 Fall Market and the Christmas Market on Nov. 6.
For more information, visit the Crossfield Farmers' Market Facebook page or email email@example.com


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Last February, Fila collaborated with Fendi in its 2018-2019 Fall-Winter collection. Next September, the sportswear giant will be putting on its very own runway show at Milan Fashion Week.
Fila, the sportswear label popularized in the '90s by the likes of West Coast rappers Tupac Shakur and LL Cool J, will make its runway debut at Milan Fashion Week in September.
After Fendi invited Fila to collaborate on a capsule collection last Milan Fashion Week and after several collaborations with creators such as Jason Wu, Anna Sui and Gosha Rubchinskiy, the sportswear giant has brought on former Adidas Originals designers Antonino Ingrasciotta and Joseph Graesel as creative directors in an attempt to formally enter the high fashion arena.
"Their background perfectly matches sports and fashion," said Fila Global chairman Gene Yoo. "Starting from the Fila archive, they're working on a collection that aims to bring the brand to the next level, connecting the past with its future."
What to expect? A women's ready-to-wear line 100% dedicated to streetwear, with a modern take on the brand's heritage offering.


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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Increasingly, people use credit and debit cards for all their transactions. But paper money is still quite popular.
There’s a new trend when it comes to investing your money — bills made out of 24-karat gold. They are like the paper notes you regularly use but instead are valued based on the gold market. And they’re made by a Portland-based company.
Adam Trexler, the president and founder of Valaurum, joined AM Extra to explain why gold is so popular now, how to invest smartly and explain in detail what aurums and valaurums are.


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***UPDATED: Turns out the Black Friday sale was CANCELED due to “contractual restrictions” (full story here).
If you’re planning to purchase the Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz pay-per-view (PPV) event, which takes place Sat., Nov. 24, 2018 inside The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., then I have some great news for you (and your wallet).
Golden Boy Promotions and FITE TV are holding a special Black Friday sale at the start of the official weigh ins on Fri., Nov. 23, at 4 p.m. ET for a period of two hours. That’s when fans can pre-order the event at the special rate of $19.99, as opposed to the regular price of $39.99.
The catch? You’ll have to watch “Lidell vs. Ortiz 3” — live or on demand — exclusively on the FITE.TV website or mobile app for viewers in United States and Canada. Fans will be required to create a free FITE account and sign up for the offer.
For much more on the upcoming Liddell-Ortiz trilogy click here.


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Adult Industry News
Wed, Feb 09 2011 10:15am PST
Penthouse Pet Ryan Keely has won the title of 2011 Penthouse Pet of the Year Runner-Up. Penthouse is celebrating the occasion with a gorgeous, all-new pictorial of Keely in the March 2011 issue, available on newsstands everywhere Feb. 15.
Wed, Feb 09 2011 10:00am PST
USB flash drive company FleshDrive has released 8GB and 16GB drives, increasing the amount of porn users can fit in the palm of their hand.
Wed, Feb 09 2011 06:00am PST
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted last Friday to instruct the city attorney to investigate mandatory condom use in porn movies.
Tue, Feb 08 2011 08:30pm PST
A standing-room-only crowd listened to some of the top company leaders forecasting sectors of the industry at XBIZ LA’s second day.
Tue, Feb 08 2011 06:15pm PST
The latest innovations in adult business products, services and solutions took center stage during XBIZ LA’s revamped Mix & Meet Market, where attendees also had the opportunity to network with industry leaders and source new leads.
Tue, Feb 08 2011 05:00pm PST
Pink Visual President Allison Vivas delivered a keynote address to a packed house at XBIZ LA, giving attendees an informative and revealing look into Pink Visual's changing business model and how it has paved the way for sustained growth by focusing on customer satisfaction.
Tue, Feb 08 2011 03:00pm PST
Following up on this year's informative traffic session, the 2011 XBIZ LA Digital Media Conference has presented the first-ever Traffic Master Class.
Tue, Feb 08 2011 02:00pm PST
Dell Inc. on Tuesday rolled out a tablet device for business users that runs Microsoft's Windows software.
Tue, Feb 08 2011 01:00pm PST
Mobile advertising network Adultmoda announced it has recently served a record-breaking number of ads.
Tue, Feb 08 2011 12:00pm PST
FameDollars has announced the launch of LowArtFilms.com, a new site that emblazons the synergy of art and porn.


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The beauty of Indian women has been noted once again as India’s Srishti Rana, from Faridabad, has been crowned Miss Asia Pacific World 2013, BizAsia��can confirm. She was passed on the crown from last year’s winner��Himangini Singh Yadu, also from India.
Rana’s peacock gown was also awarded the Best National Costume award for it’s portrayal of India’s national bird.
Rana follows a line of other well-known names who have adorned the crown in previous years including Zeenat Aman in 1970 and Dia Mirza in 2000.
BizAsia would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Rana on this wonderful accolade.


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A new Mexican restaurant is making its way to 2227 N. Arkansas in the former space of such restaurants as Taquería El Paisa, Armando’s Mexican Grill and Casa Del Charro. La Jerezana, who has one location in Salina, KS, will be taking over the spot and plans on celebrating their grand opening on February 5.
Their hours on opening day will be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Much of what can be found at their Salina location will also be available on Wichita. Their menu will include menudo, tortas, tortillas that are made from scratch, tacos, gorditas and more. There will also be a full bar.
Check back next month when we stop by for a first look at the new restaurant after it opens.
For more information, check out their Salina location’s Facebook page.
Have some news to share? Please email us with your information for consideration. We are always open to suggestions.
Did you find this article helpful and want to support the continuing free content at Wichita By E.B.? The site is made possible by contributions and keeps this resource free for the city. You can help keep our site going with a simple one-time or recurring donation.
If you’re a business owner and would like to be featured or partner for a highlight, visit here.


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Huobi has announced its newly-established collaboration with five firms to establish their own trading platforms. The five firms involved are Yatai International Holding Group, Vnesheconombank, Chi Fu Group, Asia International Finance Holdings, and Dbank Group which aims to develop the exchanges in the Asia region such as in the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia and Canada.
A report made by the Worldcore was recently published by Bitcoin.com. The finding of the report reveals that Malta leads the ranking with the highest cryptocurrency trading volume. Meanwhile, Russia leads the highest cryptocurrency trading based on the peer-to-peer transaction. Between June and July, Malta has recorded $1.2 billion trade.
The Zebpay crypto trading platform has delisted VeChain token. The deadline for deposits is 9th August and for withdrawal is 20th August. The trading would be entertained only until 13th August. The company tweeted, “Zebpay regrets to inform all our valued traders that we are delisting VeChain token and discontinuing VeChain trading and transfer transactions.”
The recent huge spike of trading volumes in cryptocurrency exchange BitForex seems to indicate a suspicious activity. It has been suggested that they are fake volumes as the cryptocurrency exchange was recently launched in June. BitForex has made it clear regarding its platform ownership, “In the future, BF holders will have the right to participate in platform building major decisions and community management.”
UAE-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange, BitOasis declared that the users could trade with 0% transaction fee for 7 days on the completion of their account verification process before September 1, 2018. The users who successfully verify their account before the given date would receive a confirmation email emphasizing that the validity of the discount for seven days.
Coinbase has announced that its cryptocurrency exchange platform accepts British Pound for digital currency purchase purposes. Until now, the UK customers maintained fiat funds in euros. CEO of Coinbase UK, Zeeshan Feroz explained, “UK banks have been conservative in terms of working with crypto businesses and we’re proud to be one of the first companies to get access to domestic banking.”
Bittrex crypto exchange platform has enabled USD trading on its platform. The exchange offers the user to choose between ‘USD trading only’ of ‘USD trading, deposits and withdrawals.’ The user’s account would be enabled for trading on the approval of fiat trading request. The users would have to provide bank details and the exchange supports multiple accounts.
The Coinbase crypto trading platform has announced that Jeff Horowitz would serve as its first chief compliance officer. Horowitz headed the compliance and anti-money laundering programs of Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, and Salomon Brothers and was also a regulator at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The COO of Coinbase mentioned the recruitment is an important step.
OpenBazaar has launched the latest version of its decentralized marketplace, Version 2.2.2 that will offer some new features and bug fixes. As an effort in enhancing the user’s experience with OpenBazaar, two main features were offered in the latest version making seamless transactions among the users become possible with the addition of 1,500 coins in the new system.
The cryptocurrency adoption in the Africa region shown a significant increase since the crypto price rises from last December. A partner at the South African-based cryptocurrency exchange, AltcoinTrader, De Sousa highlighted that the investors interested to invest in cryptocurrency need to hold an adequate understanding and emphasized that the warning released by the authority is the right thing to do.


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Íslandsbanki hf. will be resheduling an auction on commercial paper to Monday 17 February 2020, instead of the auction planned for 14 February.
The 12-month series ISLA 21 0218 will be offered to investors.
The auction will be managed by Íslandsbanki’s Fixed Income Sales. Offers shall be submitted by e-mail to email@example.com before 16:00 p.m. on 17 February and the payment and settlement date is 20 February 2020.


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Love Island 2019 winner Amber Gill led the celeb charge last night as she stepped out at the Sure Everyday Gym opening – an exclusive launch party to celebrate and encourage women to use the everyday world around them to move more in their day to day.
Pictured enjoying a well deserved night out following her split from Greg O’Shea, Amber was snapped flexing her muscles whilst stunning in a vivid orange mini dress..
Eastenders star and mum of two, Jacquline Jossa, who has recently spoken out about “cruel body shaming trolls” online, was also pictured at the event, enjoying time with friends and posing up a storm against the Sure pledge wall.
The London event, hosted by Sure Women, was put on to help inspire women to fit more movement into their everyday, whatever that might look like – whether that’s taking the stairs instead of the lift, or going for a power walk around the block.
Leaving their adorable brood at home, The Mummy Diaries sisters Sam Faiers & Billie Shepherd didn’t fail to impress, with Sam sporting a denim boiler suit and Billie wowing in pink florals. The pair were captured laughing as they posed against a beautiful flower wall.
Recent research from Sure Women found that almost half (49 per cent) of women have at some point felt negatively judged when working out – with this number highest for those aged 18 -24, with a huge 70 per cent feeling this way.
In response, Sure Women has launched its Your World Your Workout initiative – designed to encourage women to use the everyday world around them to move more, by incorporating simple steps in their daily routine.
The Everyday Gym event gave guests the chance to pick up practical tips on how they can fit more movement into their everyday, share their own movement experiences and get their hands on the new Sure Advanced Protection Workout.


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In a world that’s rapidly embracing environmental consciousness, sustainable packaging has become the star of the packaging universe. Among the sustainable packaging spotlights, non-plastic windowed packaging takes center stage. This article will delve deep into non-plastic windowed packaging, exploring its sustainable attributes, its vital role in packaging, and how it’s shaping the future of sustainable packaging. Get ready for a journey filled with style and sustainability as we unwrap the secrets of this eco-packaging solution.
The Plastic Predicament: The Need for Sustainable Packaging
Let’s first acknowledge the urgent demand for sustainable packaging:
Plastic Pollution Crisis
Our planet grapples with the devastating effects of plastic pollution, with plastic waste inundating our oceans, threatening marine life, and wreaking havoc on ecosystems. It’s high time we tackle this issue head-on by embracing sustainable packaging alternatives like non-plastic options.
Fossil Fuel Dependency and Climate Change
The production of traditional plastic packaging leans heavily on non-renewable fossil fuels, almost like the plastic industry’s red carpet to climate change. It’s a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, casting a looming shadow over our planet. Taking a step back from the overuse of plastic isn’t just a good idea; it’s a critical move in the climate-saving playbook.
Recycling plastics can be a complex and inefficient process. Unfortunately, not all plastic items manage to navigate their way back into the production cycle, making recycling a complex and sometimes inefficient process. However, sustainable packaging, like sustainable non-plastic windowed packaging, shines with higher recyclability rates, providing a practical solution for waste reduction.
Sustainable Non-Plastic Windowed Packaging: Purpose and Eco-Friendly Design
Now, let’s peel back the eco-curtain on non-plastic windowed packaging and discover why it’s not just your average eco-friendly choice—it serves a vital purpose:
A Shift Towards Sustainability
Sustainable non-plastic windowed packaging isn’t just a change; it’s a revolutionary pivot away from traditional plastic materials. Choosing sustainable alternatives for the window component Is like charting a new course that actively lessens our dependence on plastic, taking a stand against the ongoing plastic waste crisis.
Embracing Renewable and Biodegradable Materials
Non-plastic windowed packaging has a defining trait that’s worth highlighting—it’s all about embracing renewable and biodegradable materials. Take, for instance, paperboard or cardboard. They are responsibly sourced from forests and possess a remarkable ability to return to nature when their packaging journey is done, perfectly aligning with sustainable packaging goals. It’s not just about being eco-friendly; it’s about having a comprehensive approach to sustainability, where every aspect of its environmental footprint is carefully considered.
Materials featured in sustainable non-plastic windowed packaging often outshine certain types of plastics when it comes to recyclability rates. This not only streamlines the recycling process but also guarantees that these materials can be reborn and repurposed, leading to a remarkable reduction in environmental impact.
Transparency with a Purpose
The windowed feature in non-plastic packaging isn’t just for show; it’s a strategic move. It provides businesses with a captivating canvas to display their products while staying true to eco-friendly ideals. Whether it’s a mouthwatering pastry or finely crafted cosmetics, the windowed design brings an element of intrigue to the packaging, elevating its overall appeal.
Why Businesses Choose Non-Plastic Windowed Packaging
Businesses are hopping aboard the sustainable non-plastic windowed packaging train for a myriad of reasons:
Aesthetics and Functionality
Non-plastic windowed packaging doesn’t just do the job; it does it with style. It offers businesses an aesthetically pleasing and highly functional solution. It’s like a sneak peek for consumers, offering an alluring visual preview of what’s inside. This sneak peek can work wonders, especially for products in the realms of food, cosmetics, or retail, where presentation matters as much as the contents themselves.
Aligning with Brand Values
For many businesses, sustainability is not just a trend; it’s a core value. Non-plastic windowed packaging enables brands to align their packaging choices with their broader sustainability goals, fostering trust and loyalty among customers.
In regions with strict regulations concerning single-use plastics and environmental impact, non-plastic windowed packaging can be a strategic choice to ensure compliance and steer clear of potential fines or restrictions.
Unveiling the Innovations in Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable non-plastic windowed packaging is dynamic, continually evolving to meet the demands of sustainability:
Bio-Based Brilliance: Transparent Films with a Green Heart
Manufacturers are at the forefront of innovation, crafting transparent films from bio-based materials like polylactic acid (PLA) or cellulose. These materials provide transparency while being biodegradable and compostable. It’s a true embodiment of sustainable packaging principles, where innovation meets eco-consciousness.
Recycling Renaissance: Closing the Loop
In a bid to cut down on their environmental footprint, certain non-plastic windowed packaging options are taking recycling to the next level by incorporating recycled materials. This approach fosters a circular economy by giving discarded materials a new lease of life, highlighting the potential of sustainable packaging.
Brands have taken an exciting step forward by actively involving consumers in their sustainability journey. They’re not just packaging products; they’re packaging knowledge and awareness. Through clear labeling and educational packaging, they’re unraveling the sustainability story behind their products. It’s like they’re handing consumers the environmental playbook, showing them exactly how to dispose of the packaging responsibly. In essence, it’s an invitation to embrace eco-conscious behavior and be part of the sustainability solution.
Non-plastic windowed packaging represents a promise—to the planet, to sustainability, and to a greener, healthier Earth. It’s not merely packaging; it’s a pledge to embrace a more sustainable future where packaging enhances rather than harms our planet.
With consumers and businesses increasingly prioritizing sustainability, this type of packaging is poised to play a pivotal role in reducing our collective environmental footprint.
As you consider your packaging options, remember that the choice to go green with non-plastic windowed packaging isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about making a difference—one package at a time. By opting for sustainability, you’re not only enhancing your brand but also contributing to a brighter, more sustainable future for all. Let’s celebrate sustainable non-plastic windowed packaging—the superstar that’s reshaping the packaging industry, preserving our environment, and guiding us towards a more eco-conscious tomorrow.
Pioneer Packaging Leads the Way in Sustainable Packaging Solutions
In search of packaging expertise that goes beyond the ordinary? Say hello to Pioneer Packaging, where sustainability meets exceptional know-how! With over 35 years of experience, we are seasoned pros in crafting custom packaging solutions for various industries.
Equipped with cutting-edge technology and a collaborative approach, we’re here to co-create the ideal packaging solution that suits your needs in terms of shape, size, and material and aligns with our shared commitment to sustainability. So, if you’re curious about packaging that treads lightly on the planet without compromising functionality or style, don’t hesitate to reach out to Pioneer Packaging today! Together, let’s embark on a greener packaging journey that leaves a positive mark on the world.


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Have you heard about the April Fool’s prank that we pulled earlier on in the week? Lovin Malta pulled off the epic launch of The Planting Authority, what was to be the island’s first-ever cannabis social club, which would have allowed users to buy and consume cannabis in a fun, safe environment.
Unfortunately, that cannot be a reality just yet but we’ve created a mini collection of the coolest merch and that is still available! Keep the dream alive and get yourself some new t’s as the summer months are fast approaching.
From fresh t-shirts to cute coaster sets and stickers, designed by the team at Souvenirs That Don’t Suck, this merch really does not suck! Some of the pieces feature a smoking gardjola and examples of our dream Maltese strains like ‘Ramla l-Ħadra’.
The Planting Authority, although an April Fools joke, does reflect what Lovin Malta believes to be the way forward when it comes to cannabis reform in Malta.
And if you support this message, help spread the word by sporting our very real collection of merchandise. If people should not be punished for using cannabis, as our government has expressed.
The next steps would be to ensure that users across Malta have access to the plant in a safe and regulated manner. Creating a space in which people are encouraged to ask questions and grow the economy in a way that does not rely on black market transactions.
Cannabis social clubs have been known to be successful in other European countries making it all the more realistic that maybe one day they could be the reality here in Malta.
Many a Maltese cannabis user yearns for the acceptance and safety of their practice to be legalised in different spheres. Prime Minister Robert Abela has recently pledged to change Malta’s cannabis laws to end the arrests of people caught with small amounts of weed and to allow people to grow up to four plants for their personal use.


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CJ – Cryptocurrency Specialist
A DFSA spokeswoman told a news organization that Three Arrows Capital is not a DFSA-approved entity.
Su Zhu, the CEO of Three Arrows Capital, said at the beginning of April that his business will move to Dubai in order to launch a $5 billion fund.
An official from the Dubai Financial Services Authority confirmed in an email to CoinDesk that the problematic cryptocurrency fund Three Arrows Capital is not a DFSA-approved entity and is not within the DFSA's authority. Three Arrows Capital's CEO Su Zhu earlier disclosed that the company's headquarters would relocate to Dubai in order to establish a new $5 billion fund. He highlighted Singapore as having a less business-friendly regulatory environment than Dubai because the company there is subject to Monetary Authority of Singapore oversight.
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), a purpose-built financial free trade zone, is where businesses can offer financial services, but only with license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority, according to the website of the regulating body (DFSA). It was added that Three Arrows has no external entities. Although there isn't a corporation that fits Three Arrows Capital's definition in Dubai's national economic registry, there is a "Three Arrows" air conditioning company.
According to 3AC co-founder Kyle Davies, the business is committed to coming up with a solution that benefits everyone of its stakeholders equally. The fund was in control of more than $3 billion in cryptocurrency as of April.
Cheapest place to buy Bitcoin or other cheap cryptocurrency is BCBitcoin - a cryptocurrency trading platform that provides a variety of services, one of them being crypto asset management.


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The two main engines of the Karts are essentially identical.
One has an 875hp (750kW) V6 and the other a 2.5-liter V8.
The difference between the engines is that the engine is an advanced hybrid.
This means that it can produce an extra 10 to 15 percent power than the gasoline engine when running on electricity.
In practice, the K-cars have only been around for a short time, but it will make a big difference to how quickly the sport grows in popularity.
The first K-car to debut was the K3, which was the first electric vehicle to compete in the European Touring Car Championship (ETC) from 2009 to 2013.
The car went on to be the winner of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2017 and is a favorite of the Formula E race team.
However, it has been a long time coming for the K2 to take the crown.
The first electric K2 was built in 2005, which made it the first car to be officially licensed by the FIA.
It was followed by the K4, which has a power output of 1,100hp (1,200kW), and the K5, which is powered by a 1,050hp (999kW).
These K2s were only produced on the European continent for a year, however, and in the US, they were only sold to customers at the beginning of 2018.
However, the FIA has said that it will eventually have a global production facility, which could include the K8, which will go on sale in 2020.
The new K8 will be an all-electric K2 with a 3,000hp (2,400kW)—a bit more powerful than the K1.
The new K2 is also powered by an electric motor that will produce the same 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint as the K7 and K8.
The engine also has an electric battery, which helps to power the car while on the road.
However in practice, we can only speculate that this means the K9 and K10 will also get an electric powertrain.


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After two decades, Fort Worth-based Cyan Design will embark on a new chapter by unveiling its renewed brand identity at the upcoming Fall High Point Market in its newly renovated showroom in the (IHFC building (C-258).
“As a family-owned company, our legacy is about responsibly delivering quality accessories, lighting, and furniture easily distinguishable in the marketplace. We are proud to carry these values forward into the future,” stated José Lopez, President of Cyan Design.
The decision to rebrand Cyan Design stems from the desire to better communicate the company’s essence, story, and aspirations. “While our core values and commitment to excellence remain unchanged, we recognize the importance of telling our story in a way that resonates with our customers,” according to a company statement. “We are excited to unveil a visual identity that pays homage to our heritage while embracing a modern aesthetic. This updated look and feel will reflect our entire product range, website, and marketing efforts.”


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San Antonio is covered head-to-toe in mouthwatering restaurants, especially once you start getting near the downtown part of the city. For those of you who haven't tried The Jerk Shack yet, a popular spot in SA, it's an award-winning Jamaican restaurant that sells roti, among other delicious items. Now, San Antonio's build-your-own-roti restaurant is set to open later this month and will be The Jerk Shack's second location.
Mi Roti is set to open later this month, according to Eater Austin. The Jerk Shack's sister restaurant will focus solely on roti if that's not obvious already by the name.
The restaurant will open at The Pearl's food hall, Bottling Department. The Pearl is an incredibly popular location among San Antonians as well as tourists, and Mi Roti will likely add to the popularity once it's open.
An exact date has yet to be announced, and an official website is not yet set up, so we recommend keeping an eye out for both of those things.
For now, we can add to our excitement by either visiting The Jerk Shack sometime soon or checking out their menu online to get an idea of what it is you'll be ordering.
Roti is somewhat similar to burritos, as it's wrapped around tasty fillings and can be dipped in all kinds of sauce.
Though, the two meals certainly have their differences.
Roti comes with a buttery flatbread that's folded around things like curry goat, grilled lamb, tikka masala, butter chicken, jerk chicken and more.
Rice, spinach, corn, and jalapeños are also some options, after all, you've gotta have more than just meat!
You'll get to decide exactly what you want in your roti each and every time you visit once the restaurant opens.
Address: 303 Pearl Pkwy. Ste 300, San Antonio, TX
Why You Need To Go: Build-your-own-roti has never been so delicious!


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Oh noes! Dell seems to have put a mean halt on the Froyo upgrade for AT&T’s Streak users, for whatever reason. In an email sent to StreakSmart which looks to have been from Dell to AT&T, Dell’s stating the unlocked devices on AT&T can grab the update OTA by going to the settings menu. Unfortunately, those with locked devices (bought subsidized) won’t be seeing it until the week of January 12th. Gingerbread will be out by then!
And what’s more: folks have been reporting that the units shipping from Dell.com that are advertised with Froyo pre-installed are still coming with 1.6. I’d say that Samsung Galaxy S owners are just as distraught as Dell Streak owners, but some of them aren’t even on 2.1. Bummer, right?


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Being the pioneer of mega real estate fests in India, Square Yards, has come up with another blockbuster event “Buy a Home and Celebrate Diwali at Akshay’s Home” for home buyers this Diwali. Top news publishers like BusinessWire India and Business Standard, along with ANI, have dubbed it as a unique association between a proptech firm and a Bollywood franchise.
“Traditionally, this is the season when consumer sentiments are at an annual high and we boosted that sentiment by adding the dazzling Housefull4 star cast to the equation. We decided to launch a first-of-its-kind contest for our customers wherein one family will get to celebrate Diwali with the cast of Housefull 4 at Akshay Kumar’s house,” says Kanika Gupta Shori, Co-Founder & COO of Square Yards.
This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is open to home buyers based in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Square Yards Doha, Muscat, Kuwait City, Riyadh, and Manama. Read more here :
Business Standard https://bit.ly/2VRz9ss
ANI News https://bit.ly/33GKgHt
Published by: Business Standard, BusinessWire & ANI News
Date: 17 October 2019


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As China goes, so goes ocean shipping. China is pivotal to dry bulk and tanker shipping markets on the demand side and to container shipping on the supply side. Any risk to China’s economy and its consumption of raw materials puts shipping in the crosshairs — and that risk is rising.
Concerns had been building for weeks over Chinese state intervention in bulk commodity trades. Then, on Monday, fears of financial contagion spiked due to the expected default of Chinese property developer Evergrande. Shipping shares plunged along with the rest of the stock market.
Dry bulk shipping
Dry bulk shipping is most directly exposed to recent events in China: both to a possible decline in construction due to fallout in the property development sector, and to government intervention in commodity trades.
Many dry bulk stocks have hit 52-week highs in recent weeks. On Monday, they reversed course.
- Golden Ocean (NYSE: GOGL) plunged 17% in five times average volume.
- Eagle Bulk (NYSE: EGLE).
- Genco (NYSE: GNK).
- EuroDry (NASDAQ: EDRY) declined 14%,
- Safe Bulkers (NYSE: SB) 13%.
- Star Bulk (NYSE: SBLK).
- Pangaea Logistics (NASDAQ: PANL).
- Grindrod Shipping (NASDAQ: GRIN) 12%.
Even before the sell-off, Nick Ristic, lead dry cargo analyst at ACM Braemar ACM Shipbroking, had warned: “We are …. receiving alarming signals from China. The apparent slowdown in China’s economy, along with instability in the property market, present a significant risk [to dry bulk] for the longer term.”
Maritime Strategies International (MSI) cautioned, “Signs are mounting that suggest underlying consumption of raw materials in China is under threat.”
China’s steel production fell 12% year on year in August, “the greatest year-on-year slump in percentage terms since the global financial crisis,” said Ristic. According to S&P Global Platts, Chinese steel cuts have accelerated this month.
The benchmark price of iron ore (used to produce steel) declined to $94 per ton on Monday, less than half its price in May and the lowest price since July 2020.
Breakwave Advisors said Monday: “The cost of transporting iron ore from Brazil to China as a percentage of the delivered price reached a new high today, as freight prices remain strong while iron ore prices have collapsed. The ratio is now approaching 40%.”
Spot rates for Capesizes (bulkers with capacity of around 180,000 deadweight tons that carry iron ore) averaged $53,795 per day on Monday — another decade-high. But futures sank. According to Clarksons, one broker described Monday’s trading of Capesize forward freight agreements (FFAs) as “mayhem.” Q4 FFAs pulled back to $36,750 per day and Q1 FFAs to $20,250 per day.
The tanker sector is in the midst of its worst depression in 30 years. Any slowdown in China’s economy is bad for crude and products tanker demand and would delay a recovery.
As with dry bulk, the central government is intervening in liquid bulk markets. China announced this month that it would auction crude from its strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) to stabilize pricing. The first auction, for 7.4 million barrels, will be held Friday.
According to Argus Media, “The amount to be auctioned is relatively small, far less than the expected 20 million barrels, and represents only a fraction of China’s monthly imports, which [totaled] 325 million barrels in August. But it appears likely that there will be further auctions … in October-December.”
MSI called China’s new SPR policy “historic,” adding that it “further reinforces the view that crude cargo volumes are under substantial pressure.”
Poten & Partners warned Friday that “tanker owners can no longer take Chinese growth for granted” and that “it appears the days of rapid, unbridled growth are behind us.”
It highlighted the growing Chinese regulation of independent refiners known as “teapots,” which have been the largest contributors to Chinese import growth since 2015.
“Recently, the government has limited quota allocations and increased taxation, which squeezed the margins of the teapots, forcing rationalization and consolidation. For tanker owners, this means less import volumes,” said Poten.
Tanker shares took less of a hit than dry bulk shares on Monday.
- Pyxis Tankers (NASDAQ: PXS) fell 10%.
- Top Ships (NASDAQ: TOPS) 9%.
- Scorpio Tankers (NYSE: STNG) 8%.
- Nordic American Tankers (NYSE: NAT) 7%.
- Frontline (NYSE: FRO) 7%.
- Teekay Tankers (NYSE: TNK) 5%.
- International Seaways (NYSE: INSW) and DHT (NYSE: DHT) 4%.
Container shipping is considerably less directly exposed to recent events in China than tanker and dry bulk shipping.
Containerized exports continue to be a success story for the Chinese economy. China’s export numbers for August surprised to the upside, rising 26% year on year despite escalating port congestion on the U.S. West Coast. Concerns that large-scale COVID lockdowns could cripple Chinese supply chains have at least temporarily abated. Container freight rates and ship charter rates remain at all-time highs.
Nevertheless, container shipping stocks — which, like dry bulk stocks, hit 52-week highs recently — were dragged down in Monday’s selloff.
Among the liner operators:
- Shares of Zim (NYSE: ZIM) fell 9%.
- Matson (NYSE: MATX) 4%.
- Among the container-ship lessors, shares of Euroseas (NASDAQ: ESEA) — which recently leased out one of its ships for a record $200,000 per day — declined 8%.
- Global Ship Lease (NYSE: GSL) dropped 7%.
- Shares of Danaos (NYSE: DAC) 6%.
- Costamare (NYSE: CMRE) 6%.
- Capital Product Partners (NYSE: CPLP) declined 6%.
By Greg Miller


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Double the joy in Saarlouis: The five millionth Focus has just come off the assembly line – a world car, as Karl Anton, Director Manufacturing of Ford Europe, said. Furthermore, the Ford plant in Saarlouis celebrates its 45th anniversary. The official inauguration of the plant took place on June 11th,1970 whereas the production of vehicles – at that time the Escort – had already been launched before in January 1970. And also the vocational training at the Saarlouis factory has reason to celebrate as it has now been existing for 45 years.
>> Read more (article in German)


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A collaboration between the Brazilian Renderers Association (ABRA) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), Brazilian Renderers is preparing for another important commercial promotion journey. It’s the “Mission Asia,” which will take the best image of national rendering to countries like China, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
The Brazilian delegation will be composed of animal rendering industries participating in the Project, accompanied by ABRA and Brazilian Renderers teams. The Mission Asia will take place from September 2nd to 24th, and its main objective is to establish business connections, identify business opportunities, and promote growth and development in Asian markets. Collaboration with the Brazilian Embassy in each of these countries and with Agricultural Attachés in China, India, and Indonesia is a testament to the strategic importance of the initiative.
This series of intense agendas is a testament to Brazilian Renderers commitment to leading the expansion of the animal by-products rendering trade and strengthening Brazil’s presence as one of the main global players in this sector. Through these efforts, the Brazilian animal by-products rendering industry has the opportunity to contribute to sustainable economic development while providing valuable solutions to the Asian market’s needs.
Brazilian Renderers first stop in Asia will be China, where they will participate in VIV Nanjing from September 6th to 8th. The project will participate in the fair with a booth for prospecting business.
Important events have been confirmed in Brazilian Renderers program in India.
Confirmed agenda in the country is a meeting at the Brazilian Embassy with Indian government authorities on September 11th, including the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy of India (DAHD).
The final appointment in India is an event organized by the Project, with the support of the Brazilian Embassy in India.
On September 14, Brazilian Renderers met with the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) to discuss market expansion.
On September 15th, Malaysia will welcome Brazilian Renderers for the traditional Business Connection business round.
Concluding the sector’s tour of Asia, the project will conclude its commercial prospecting mission in Indonesia. Brazilian Renderers will participate in ILDEX Indonesia 2023, which brings together exhibition sectors of livestock, dairy products, meat processing, and aquaculture from around the world. They will also promote Business Connection Indonesia on September 21st with the support of the Brazilian Embassy in Jakarta.
Since 2012, ABRA and ApexBrasil have promoted the Brazilian Renderers project with the objective of promoting exports from the Animal Rendering sector – meal, fat, blood products and palatabiliy ehancers, and hydrolyzed protein of animal origin. Through participation in fairs, workshops and other special actions of commercial promotion, the projects value attributes of the animal rendering industry and its products – such as quality, health status and sustainability of production – and value the international brands of products, fostering new business for Brazilian exporters.
To learn more visit: brazilianrenderers.com
ABRA is an entity that represents the industries in the animal rendering sector that produce meal, fat, blood products and palatabiliy ehancers, and hydrolyzed protein of animal origin. It is a non-profit entity. It was founded in 2006 and works to promote its members, disseminate actions aimed at the segment, mediate the relationship with other entities and government agencies, in addition to fostering the generation of business in the national and international market.
For more information, visit: abra.ind.br
The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) acts to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investments to strategic sectors of the Brazilian economy.
The Agency carries out diversified commercial promotion actions aimed at promoting exports and valuing Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospective and commercial missions, business rounds, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in large international fairs, and visits by foreign buyers and opinion-makers to know the Brazilian productive structure, among other business platforms that also aim to strengthen the Brazil brand. ApexBrasil also acts in a coordinated manner with public and private actors to attract foreign direct investments (FDI) to Brazil, focusing on strategic sectors for the development of the competitiveness of Brazilian companies and the country.
To learn more, visit: https://apexbrasil.com.br/


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Conflicts of interests? What are those? Apparently Family Trump thinks they are what they have always been entitled to.
Ivanka Trump, leader of a retail brand bearing her own name and adviser to her father, President Donald Trump, won provisional approval of three trademarks from China on the same day she dined with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, The Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
The president hosted Xi and his wife at his Mar-a-Lago estate in early April. Ivanka Trump and her husband, Trump adviser Jared Kushner, were present throughout the weekend and sat next to the couple at dinner.
Ivanka Trump has distanced herself from her retail brand since her father won the presidential election in November 2016, but sales of her products have continued to surge.
The brand, which she still owns, saw a spike in sales in the weeks after her father’s inauguration and after White House counselor Kellyanne Conway urged consumers to “go buy Ivanka’s stuff.”
I guess what this really means is that America is nothing but a ‘consumer’ culture, one that thinks it is OK for the president to use his power to enrich himself, as long as the over-consuming American public can buy a nice piece of ‘bling’ to make it happy.
Founding fathers be damned.


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First Gameplay Trailer of Battlefield 2042 Released
The first gameplay trailer of Battlefield 2042, one of the most anticipated games of the year, has been released. Here is that trailer with amazing images.
New information about the recently announced Battlefield 2042 game continues to be announced. Along with the event made by EA, the distributor of the game, the first trailer of the game was also released. Here is your game 4K 60FPS fragment.
Battlefield 2042 Gameplay Trailer
We can say that the excitement of game lovers who watched the first gameplay video of Battlefield 2042 has increased even more. When we look at the comments of game lovers on social media platforms, it is seen that the criticisms are positive after the trailer released. The “action-packed moments” expected from the Battlefield series are given a lot in the trailer. We can say that Battlefield 2042 is reborn from the ashes of the series with its modern theme, large maps and impressive graphics.
Battlefield 2042 game, which uses Frostbite’s latest game engine, will be released for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One platforms on October 22, 2021. It is worth remembering that the game will come with 128-player maps.


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SUITCEYES was featured on the Canadian news website newatlas.com where they have published their article “Haptic-feedback clothing designed to guide the deafblind”. Click here to view the article.
Cnbeta.com informs its users on the SUITCEYES project in this article here.
Bulgarian website Monitor.bg has recently dropped an article on the SUITCEYES project. Interested? Then check out the article here.
For all the Chinese readers out there, check out this article reporting on the SUITCEYES project by 7tin.cn.
SUITCEYES is in the spotlight yet again. This time in afaae.com’s article “Clothes that speak through vibrations”. Check out the article here.
The Chinese website WellNylon.com presents the SUITCEYES project on their blog dealing with the latest developments in the textile industry. You can find this article here.
Swedish website Expertsvar.se reports on the latest developments in the SUITCEYES project. For more information, click the link here.
The SUITCEYES project stars in Steven Fresco’s blog. Check it out here!
Recently, the SUITCEYES project was featured in an article on ModeInTextile.fr, a French magazine reporting on the latest innovations in textiles. Click here to view the article.
May 8-10, 2019
Harpo participated in SightCity Frankfurt . It is the biggest, annual exhibition for aids for the visually impaired. Together with many other manufacturers from all over the world, who present novelties and well-established products of their product range, Harpo promoted the developments of the SUITCEYES project. In 2019 135 exhibitors and about 3800 visitors were present at the fair.
SightCity International Exhibition stands for innovation and profound information concerning visual impairment. Over three days visitors had the opportunity to test various systems and products, inform each other about the latest medical findings and evaluate a large number of consulting and product offers. The specialized character of this exhibition gives visitors an opportunity for a personal contact with manufacturers, associations, consultants and doctors.


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According to a survey conducted by Kaspersky Lab and B2B International in 2014, 53% of companies are willing to invest in software specifically designed to protect financial transactions, using either components installed in their own infrastructure or provided by a third-party service.
According to Kaspersky Lab’s survey, the safety of payment data and financial transactions is a high priority for business: one-third of companies (34%) place the protection of this information as a top three IT management priority for the coming year, and nearly half the respondents believe their company needs greater security for financial transactions. Larger companies are more willing to invest in the best security technology: among enterprises with more than 5,000 employees, 64% of companies have declared that they are ready to pay more for a premium security service, compared to 48% of smaller businesses 15% of respondents also believe the cost should not be a determining factor in this case.
The survey also noted how often cybercriminals steal financial data from companies: 33% of businesses which lost data in cyber-attacks admitted payment data was stolen. 32% of respondents felt this was the worst possible type of data they could lose. And it appears their fears are justified — Kaspersky Lab experts recently discovered a fraud campaign targeting the clients of a large European bank, where the fraudsters intercepted customer financial data and in the space of just one week, stole more than half a million euros from accounts in the bank. Today it is also important for businesses to think about multi-platform protection since, according to the survey, 43% of businesses claimed to conduct sensitive transactions on mobile devices.
“Customers are willing to invest in protecting their payments, and the high rate of financial data theft demonstrated in our survey is yet another reason why effective protection is worth the investment. Financial service providers should implement integrated security solutions that provide proactive fraud prevention to maximize effectiveness and optimize user experience. These layers of protection will allow financial service providers to not only avoid the loss of money and reputation that result from data breaches, but to earn extra income by attracting new customers and offering additional high margin services to existing customers as a differentiator,” says Ross Hogan, Global Head of the Fraud Prevention Division at Kaspersky Lab.
To do this Kaspersky Lab has developed the Kaspersky Fraud Prevention platform for financial and e-commerce companies. It can protect any device used by customers, regardless of whether the customer uses a Windows-, Mac-, iOS-, Android-based device or Windows Phone, and can detect illegal transactions within the company’s infrastructure. In addition, the platform includes information services and tools that enable financial services companies to develop robust defenses against cyber fraud in their own secure mobile apps with the support of Kaspersky Lab’s advanced technologies.


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Traditionally, communications carriers deliver bandwidth, but in some cases, they’re willing to offer long-term leases on unused, physical fiber strands in their networks, commonly known as dark fiber.
Not too long ago, dark fiber was a dirty term. While plenty of dark fiber deals were being done in the wholesale space, few carriers would willingly admit to selling it, much less publicly market it as a product. Times have changed, however, and now many carriers are openly inviting customers to go dark.
There were many reasons carriers were hesitant to sell dark fiber in the past, but two of the most prominent were their fear of enabling competitors, and the belief that by selling dark fiber to customers, they were foregoing key long-term revenue. The concern about increasing competition is valid: If you give another carrier access to customers within your footprint that the carrier could otherwise not reach without a costly over-build, you will have to bid against that carrier to win customers.
The limited revenue concern also was a reality, as a long-term fiber lease is just that, and basically turns a carrier into an infrastructure provider. Growing bandwidth demand means higher revenue from an existing customer in the future, and management of that bandwidth delivery has margin in its own right, all of which is foregone when the carrier turns over the fiber to the customer.
Conversely, there exists considerable incentive to sell dark fiber, as it is a very popular product. In the 2013 ATLANTIC-ACM US Long Haul Wholesale Carrier Report Card, 27 percent of the participating wholesale buyers reported buying dark fiber, and 57 percent of those already buying anticipate increased spends on dark fiber in the coming year.
In the metro market, the demand is even higher. Sixty-five percent of our respondents currently buy dark fiber, almost a quarter of which expected their spending on dark fiber to increase by at least 10 percent in the following year. Beyond traditional wholesale buyers, it’s now very common for wireless carriers — currently the most sought after buyers of wholesale capacity — to request dark fiber to their cell towers on a massive scale.
With this type of demand growth, it’s no surprise that many carriers have come around on selling dark fiber.
The dark fiber, dumb pipe trade off
Keeping these demand trends in mind, many carriers have embraced dark fiber with gusto, most notably Zayo, which has been snatching up companies and fiber network at an unprecedented rate. While most carriers are furiously trying to layer managed services on top of every circuit they sell, Dan Caruso, Zayo’s president and CEO, will eagerly volunteer that, not only is his company very happy to be a “dumb pipe” company, but that it wants to be the biggest and best dumb pipe provider in the market.
In addition to Zayo, other carriers that appear to be making sizable plays in dark fiber include DQE Communications, DukeNet, Edison Carrier Solutions, Integra, FiberLight, Fibertech, Level 3, LightTower, Sidera Networks, Sunesys, and UPN. The pure infrastructure model is nothing new in telecom, with tower providers and datacenter operators building compelling cases for how pure, infrastructure-oriented operators with recurring revenue from very-long-term leases can succeed and maintain solid valuations in the marketplace.
It also should be noted that, while many competitive players are embracing the explosion of dark fiber, others remain strongly opposed to giving up fiber strands to long-term leases. Most notably, the US’s largest carriers — AT&T, Verizon, and CenturyLink — currently do not offer dark fiber, favoring shorter-term, lit-service deals that may allow them to drive or capture additional future revenue via customer bandwidth growth.
While many carriers still refuse to sell dark fiber, it will continue to be a growth product in the coming years. It’s a long-term play, so only time will tell if selling off network elements is a good strategy, but, for now, it’s clear that players refusing to offer long-term leases on strands of fiber are going to be turning away near-term business.