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Apparently, a few things, so buckle up.
As many of you know, Bob Marley was no stranger to cannabis.
The autodidact spent many a year enjoying the festivals, the crowd, and the reefer to his heart’s content. So too, it seems, the legacy continues through his kin.
Damian Marley, through his unique Stony Hill Corp. (OTCQB: STNY) brand, wishes to propagate that legacy with a little help from corporate America and the intelligentsia. On the surface, the matchup between reggae legend and scientist/doctor may seem far-fetched, but upon closer inspection, it makes all the sense in the world.
Stony Hill Corp. (www.stonyhillcorp.com), founded by Damian Marley, is a diversified company focused on multiple areas of the cannabis, hemp and CBD industry.
The company is focused on select investment, branding, real estate, and partnership opportunities in the recreational, health and wellness, nutraceutical, as well as media industries.
One of Stony Hill’s recent announcements, which was quietly released and most likely not on most canna-investors radars yet, was that they just launched a line of hemp-derived CBD products. What’s interesting about this launch is not that the product offering is so broad, offering roughly 14 SKU’s, but that the CBD is hemp derived.
According to their press release from October 24th, 2017 they allude to the fact that being hemp-derived may help them in their expansion efforts as they may not be affected by the same interstate and federal export laws cannabis-derived Companies face—in other words, they could manufacture in one state, and sell throughout the US, the rest of North America and globally with no issues—cannabis-based players are marooned in the State they operate in.
It is these CBD products we see the connection to STNY’s Advisory board with their illustrious medical backgrounds. CBD is said to be a compound with many medical uses stretching from inflammation reduction to pain management, and the only way to make these claims is with true medical research.
Enter Dr. James Mulé, recognized for his research and clinical trial contributions to cancer immunotherapy over the years, particularly as they apply to melanoma. With professional degrees from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington he looks to take this company to the next level.
- The company Stony Hill is currently traded under ticker symbol OTCQB: STNY.
While thinly traded, it currently sits at $2.38/share with some steady support. We anticipate a potential skyrocketing share price due in part to the small float and thinly traded nature of the shares. The information we present to you here as yet to be disseminated to a broader audience, so consider yourselves early.
- Fun Fact: Dr. Mulé in his translational work in this area has helped to develop new treatments for advanced cancer patients.
His pedigree and background stretch out beyond even that. Image the potential for synergy and opportunity – particularly as legislation changes – to capitalize on this company’s potential if only at the pharmaceutical level.
Additionally, Dr. Mulé also received his formal post-graduate training at the Surgery Branch, Division of Cancer Treatment, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland. Pedigree like this is hard to come by in the OTC/Small Cap arena.
“This key addition to the team of Dr. Mulé is something other smaller cap companies could only dream of”
As if that’s not enough the company also has a Professor and another Ph.D. on board as well…
Professor Oded Shoseyov
is a Co-Founder of SP Nano Ltd. and serves as its Scientific Advisor. Prof. Shoseyov is the Scientific Founder of CBD Technologies., FuturaGene, Melodea, and Bondex.
Dr. Raymond Urbanski
Dr. Raymond W. Urbanski, M.D., Ph.D. has been Chief Medical Officer at GT Biopharma, Inc. since September 2017. Dr. Urbanski oversees the development of key products in GT Biopharma’s product pipeline, including its platform targeted immunotherapy BiKE and TriKE technologies.
So it seems, Bob Marley’s son and a former medical officer at Pfizer apparently have plenty in common. Who knew?
But we digress, small-cap stocks can in fact often be a gamble. However, from what we have seen thus far, Stony Hill Corp (OTCQB: STNY) is on another level entirely.
A positive PR pipeline may ensue and bring further awareness of the company’s shares. With thinly traded stocks like this, explosive moves are not uncommon.
Seriously Speaking, if they can capture even a fraction of the market for treating serious diseases etc through the use of their product, the shares should catapult and leave investors knowing that “Everything little thing, it’s gonna be alright.”
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Investments in private financial technology companies in Asia-Pacific grew 9.1% to $1.4 billion in the second quarter, though deal activity remained flat, with 107 transactions in both quarters. Payment companies continued to draw in the most venture capital out of the six industry segments tracked by S&P Global Market Intelligence and, geographically speaking, investors cast their sights on Southeast Asia and Australia.
In the first quarter, India accounted for 42.9% of fintech investments in APAC but in the second, investors shifted their bets to other regions. Southeast Asian and Australian fintechs attracted $455 million and $371 million, roughly thrice and twice the amount raised in the previous quarter, respectively.
Meanwhile, fintech investments in India declined 38% to $339 million as the government continues to scrutinize and clamp down on foreign investments. India's recent ban on China-owned apps may further contribute to withering investments from prominent Chinese venture capitalists.
While investor sentiment in Chinese fintechs showed signs of recovery in the first quarter, fresh outbreaks of COVID-19 cases may have spooked investors. In the second quarter, aggregate fintech funding in China fell from $205 million to $41 million with the number of deals halved to 10. That said, funding levels can vary significantly from period to period.
Payment gateways, e-wallets big draw for investors
In the second quarter, payment companies maintained their lead in aggregate investments, with a total of $623 million raised. In particular, payment gateways supporting online transactions and e-wallets, which are likely to be more resilient in the current pandemic, saw larger funding rounds.
The payment platform, which counts Chinese internet titans like JD.com Inc. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. among its clients, provides businesses with cross-border payment solutions, including payment collection, foreign exchange and payment distribution. Airwallex saw revenue growth of more than 500% in 2019, though it has yet to break even, The Australian Financial Review reported March 2.
Airwallex allows clients to receive payments from overseas in their preferred currency, with an eye to eliminating conversion costs. Recently, it added a WeChat Pay acceptance service in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore, providing merchants with access to over 800 million WeChat Pay users.
With the fresh capital, Airwallex is eyeing new markets like the Middle East and plans to expand growth in Europe and the U.S. It also intends to explore acquisitions in the payment space and further build out its product range to include payment acceptance capabilities.
Thai payment gateway Omise Co. Ltd., which provides payment solutions to online merchants across Japan, Singapore and Thailand, raised $80.3 million in June. Beyond processing internationally-accepted card payments, Omise also provides localized payment methods. In Japan, for instance, it supports convenience store payments, which allows consumers without a credit card to pay for online purchases at neighboring convenience stores. Omise also supports payments from e-wallets TrueMoney and Alipay in Thailand.
Omise is also tapping into the development of instant payment schemes, offering PromptPay and PayNow options in Thailand and Singapore, respectively. These schemes enable consumers to make payments via their bank account, simplifying transactions and eliminating the need to key in card details at checkout. Users scan a quick response code with their mobile banking app and confirm the purchase to complete the transaction.
Southeast Asia-based e-wallets were a big draw for investors in the second quarter. The top two e-wallet fund raises were from Voyager Innovations Holdings Pte. Ltd., which operates PayMaya, and Digital Money Myanmar Ltd., which does business as Wave Money; together they accounted for 31% of investments in the payments sector.
Voyager Innovations raised $120 million from existing investors to facilitate the expansion of PayMaya into adjacent services. Besides QR code payments for in-store purchases, the e-wallet also offers virtual and physical prepaid Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc. cards to facilitate online payments, as well as unsecured loans in partnership with local lender Cash Ni Juan.
Zhejiang Ant Financial Services Group Co. Ltd. injected $73.5 million in Wave Money, adding yet another digital wallet into its portfolio. The Chinese fintech behemoth has been actively expanding its global reach by acquiring stakes in e-wallets and payment companies outside of China. Across APAC, e-wallets backed by Ant Financial include Vietnam's eMonkey, Philippines' GCash, Thailand-based TrueMoney, India's Paytm, Malaysia's Touch 'n Go and Indonesia's Dana.
Use cases for WavePay, the mobile wallet operated by Wave Money, include remittances, utility payments, airtime top-ups and digital payments. The e-wallet has over 21 million users and has been profitable since September 2018, two years after its launch.
Another noteworthy deal involving an e-wallet is Facebook Inc. and PayPal Holdings Inc.'s undisclosed investment in PT Go-Jek Indonesia, which operates GoPay, one of Indonesia's leading e-wallets. The deal will see the integration of PayPal's payment platform with Gojek, which will allow GoPay users to access PayPal's global network of over 25 million merchants.
With WhatsApp's payment push in emerging markets, Facebook's investment may also pave the way for the integration of the GoPay wallet into its messaging app in Indonesia. This transaction has not been included in the fintech deal count as Gojek is a ride-hailing app and therefore does not fall under our fintech industry segments.
Investments in Australian digital banks continue as nation kicks off open banking journey
Fintech investments into Australia were once again led by digital banks. Small and medium enterprise-focused Judo Bank Pty. Ltd. closed a $148.7 million series C round in May. The bank has raised A$770 million over three funding rounds with the latest transaction lifting its valuation to A$1 billion, earning the bank the coveted unicorn status.
Judo Bank, which received its banking license in April 2019, is among the 44 approved lenders to participate in the Coronavirus SME Guarantee Scheme and received A$500 million from the government to lend out to SMEs. As of June 2020, the bank has amassed A$1.4 billion in deposits and has a loan book of A$1.8 billion.
Australia went live with open banking in July, which was part of a broader piece of consumer data rights legislation. In the initial phase, the four major banks — National Australia Bank Ltd., Commonwealth Bank of Australia , Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. and Westpac Banking Corp. — will be subjected to product and consumer data sharing obligations with accredited data recipients, upon customer's request. Other authorized deposit-taking institutions are expected to participate in the directive next year.
Open banking may be beneficial to digital banks, as having access to users' deposit and transaction data, with their approval, could enable the virtual banks to develop more innovative and tailored offerings. Further, data portability could reduce friction in switching banking providers, which may promote user acquisition for digital banks, enhancing competition in the banking sector. The four large incumbents are already facing below-average deposit growth; between June 2019 and June 2020, the four banks saw an average growth rate of 5% in household deposits, half the banking industry's growth rate of 10%.
Despite securing investors' commitment to funding, cash disbursements may not be timely. Xinja Bank, which topped the list of fintech investments last quarter, had to raise another A$10 million in May after facing delays in receiving capital from World Investments.
Xinja had initially indicated in the deal announcement in March that A$160 million out of the committed A$433 million was invested immediately but subsequently revealed in its community forum that the funds have not been received, citing slowdown in regulatory approval caused by COVID-19.
Xinja's funding delay also has us wondering if this may be a prelude to more deferred investments, which may be a worrying sign of limited partners defaulting on capital calls from venture capitalists amid looming uncertainties.
Read the full article on the Market Intelligence platform.
This article was published by S&P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.
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Realme X2 to have 4,000 mAh battery; launch on Sept 24
Beijing, Sep 21 (IANS) Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme has confirmed that ‘X2', powered by a 4,000mAh battery with 30W VOOC fast-charging technology would be launched in China on September 24.
It also shared a poster of X2's rear design on Chinese social network Weibo.
The post confirms the device will have 64MP main camera as seen on the Realme XT, with a 32MP front-facing camera, GizmoChina reported.
The device is expected to come in two different RAM and storage options with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.
Realme Chief Marketing Officer Xu Qi Chase also posted an image on his Weibo account revealing that the phone will be available in at least two colour variants.
In terms of specifications, the smartphone is likely to feature a 6.4-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with the in-display fingerprint sensor.
The phone would run on Android 9.0 Pie with ColorOS 6.0 custom skin on top. Connectivity features could include 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, and USB Type-C.
Disclaimer:- The source of this news is IANS and has not been edited by TwistArticle staff.


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BMW INDIA GROUP
GroupM brings Essence digital to India
GroupM already has four agencies — MediaCom, Mindshare, Maxus and MEC — and is bullish on digital advertising. It estimates digital advertising expenditure will grow 40%
Challenges for India are lot more domestic than external: Vallabh Bhanshali, Chairman, Enam Group
"Our external parameters are all fairly sta...
India Ratings suspends Shah Group Builders’ ratings
The agency has also migrated the ‘IND BB’ rating on Shah Group Builders Ltd’s Rs 135 crore term loans to ‘IND BB(suspended)’.
Hot wheels for Sindhu! Tendulkar to gift BMW to champ
The BMW car is being sponsored by Tendulkar's close friend and president of Hyderabad Badminton Association of India V Chamundeswaranath.
Xiaomi plans to setup two more manufacturing facilities in India through Foxconn group
Manu Jain, Xiaomi's India Chief, said they are in talks with various state governments for finalising the land and other issues for the plants.
Tata Group sells Urea business to Pune-based Yara Fertilizers India
Pune-based Yara India is the Indian arm of Norway’s Yara lnternational ASA. Yara India imports, sells and distributes plant nutrition products in lndia.
Pakistan based terror groups target India's interests in Afghanistan: Envoy
Saikal had accused "elements within the state structure of Pakistan" of facilitating most of the terrorist groups active in the region.
Launch of Bennett University “a historic milestone” for the Times of India Group: Vineet Jain
Jain said the group has a great history that extends beyond the 175 years of its existence. “Education will help great leaders build skills, determination and imagination.
India's coal mining ambition hurts indigenous group: Amnesty
Laws to protect vulnerable communities such as indigenous groups are poorly implemented and regularly flouted, Amnesty said.
Probe use of lethal force in Kashmir: Rights group to India
HRW said Indian authorities should credibly and impartially investigate police use of lethal force during the violent protests in Jammu and Kashmir.
Online booking tools are non-negotiable: Rakshit Desai, Flight Centre Travel Group India
No matter how well you plan, travelling comes with its fair share of uncertainties. Getting travel insurance mitigates risk & protects travelers.
Policy decisions to unlock Rs 2.5 lakh crore investment in oil and gas: Sashi Mukundan, Regional President and Country Head, India, BP Group
Investment in exploration, development of discovered reserves, enhanced oil recovery schemes and tech will be Rs 2.5 lakh crore to Rs 3 lakh crore by 2022.
BMW to recall over 156,000 cars in China
Welding problems were found in lower anchors of child seats which may prevent seats from being secured properly and raise possibility of injuries during accidents.
Watch: BMW car bursts into flames in seconds
A BMW car carrying three persons accidentally caught fire in Uttarakhand’s capital city of Dehradun. All three passengers were rescued from the accident spot in Clement Town.
BMW profits rise on sales of 7-Series, SUVs
The key profit margin figure came in at 9.5 per cent, an improvement on last year's 8.4 per cent and in the upper end of the company's target range of 8-10 per cent.
Frank Schloeder appointed acting President of BMW India
During the tenure of von Sahr as President, BMW Group India successfully stood ground in a fiercely competitive environment and maintained its momentum.
Sachin Tendulkar gifts BMW cars to PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik, Dipa Karmakar, coach Pullela Gopichand
Tendulkar, who was the Goodwill Ambassador of the Indian team at Rio Olympics, handed over the keys at a function at Gopichand Badminton Academy here.
Priyanka Chopra is a 'worldwide treasure', US comedy group thanks India
Brian Q Quinn of the comedy troupe The Tenderloins said that no one can ever 'pay back India for gifting' her to the globe.
US backs India's bid for nuclear group membership
Rhodes remarks on India came in response to a question about why some countries like China are opposing India's membership in the 48-member NSG.
Godrej Group looking at more acquisitions
The group, however, has not set aside funds for acquisitions. "We are looking at right opportunities, synergies, advantages and strategies."
VICE Media forms JV with Times Group for India foray
VICE Media and The Times Group announced a partnership that will see the New York-based brand's launch in India.
VICE Media forms JV with Times Group for India foray
Vice Media and The Times Group announced a partnership that will see the New York-based brand's launch in India.
Vice Media ties up with Times Group for India foray
The tie-up will see Vice opening a news bureau and production hub that will create content to be distributed across TV, mobile and digital platforms.
SFC group to invest Rs 100 crore to expand restaurant network in South India
K Muraleedharan, chairman & managing director, SFC Group said: "The QSR segment represents a terrific opportunity for us with an emergent young population."
Mercedes to challenge BMW, Tesla with four-car electric lineup
Christoph Sedlmayr, a spokesman for Daimler, declined to comment on the number and model type of electric cars planned, while adding there will be more than one.
BMW says group sales in February rise 7.9 percent
BMW said 163,965 BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles were delivered to customers in February, an increase of 7.9 percent on the same month last year.
Rolta India bondholders band form group to negotiate restructuring after default
Rolta, whose biggest customer is the Indian government, failed to make a coupon payment on its $126 million bonds due 2018.
India's inclusion in NSG group could be supported if it 'played by rules': Chinese media
"Becoming a member of the NSG, a bloc that governs civilian nuclear trade worldwide, will grant India global acceptance as a legitimate nuclear power," the article said.
US urges Nuclear Suppliers Group members to support India's membership
The US support has come a day after China's official media expressed concern about India's entry, saying it will "shake" the strategic balance in South Asia.
Adecco Group launches recruitment brand Spring Professional in India
In view of the steady progress in sectors such as IT and engineering, life sciences and finance, many Indian companies are now focusing on domestic and international growth.
India's cotton planting may fall to 7-yr low: Industry group
Good monsoon could push farmers in Maharashtra, the second-biggest cotton producer, to instead plant sugarcane, which needs more water, said Chirag Patel.
Adecco Group India announces ‘CEO for one month’ internship experience
The India selected candidate – Bani Sodhi will spend a month under the mentorship of India Country Manager & MD Angelo Lo Vecchio and fellow members of the executive team.
Mexico backs India's bid to become member of Nuclear Suppliers Group
Prime Minister thanked the Mexican President for his country's support and called Mexico an important partner for India's energy security.
Piramal Group, Nirma and JSW Cement among five final contenders to buy Lafarge India
Mexico’s Cemex and China’s Anhui Conch Cement have emerged the dark horses, as the final five get ready to submit binding bids today.
NRI tycoon Yusuffali M A's Lulu group to invest Rs 7,000 crore in India
Complimenting NDA government for raising FDI cap, Ali estimated that investment to the tune of $150 billion will flow into India fromGulf countries.
India clears final hurdle to join missile control group, say diplomats
Under this so-called 'silent procedure', India's admission follows automatically, diplomats from four MTCR member nations told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
US based Reinsurance Group gets initial nod to set up India branch
The company will now apply for final approval R-2, which is likely to be cleared by Irdai during its next board meeting, the official added.
Singapore detains two men wanting to join IS group
The alleged leader of the group is accused of planning the attack with a leading Indonesian militant, who is believed to be fighting with the IS group in Syria.
India remains a stellar market for WPP group: CEO Sir Martin Sorrell
Ironically, sterling falling means our reported revenues and profits rise because 90% of our business is in markets outside the UK, says Sorrell.
BMW India launches petrol powered 320i sedan at Rs 36.9 lakh
The petrol-powered 320i Prestige variant of the car is priced at Rs 36.9 lakh while the BMW 320i Luxury Line is priced at Rs 42.7 lakh.
Heavy rains may hurt tea production in parts of northeast India: Goodricke Group
Incessant rains coupled with no sunshine in the tea gardens has become a major concern for the tea industry.
Future Group teams up with Paytm
Leading retail company Future group has tied up with mobile payments and commerce platform Paytm to enable users to shop for Big Bazaar merchandise on Paytm marketplace and get delivery at their homes.
In India, the bullish trend will resume in a few days: Nirmal Jain, IIFL Group
"If the monsoon is good, if the government reforms continue, if the infrastructure investment continues, there is no reason why bull market should not come back."
Women's group led by Trupti Desai to visit Haji Ali Dargah today
In a valuable judgment, the Bombay High Court had on Friday lifted the ban imposed on women from entering the sanctum sanctorum of the dargah.
India looks the most interesting emerging market: Nikhil Srinivasan, Group CIO, Generali
"India is outperforming on growth and if govt comes up with more sensible reforms that could be an extra reason to up rating on India," said Srinivasan.


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SOUTH AFRICA – McCain Foods Limited, world’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products and a global leader in appetizers and snacks, plans to open three Farms of the Future in different growing regions around the world by 2025.
Establishment of the farms is part of its global commitment to implement regenerative agriculture across 100 per cent of its potato acreage by 2030 as part of its drive to cut carbon emissions and tackle the impacts of climate change.
To this end it has unveiled plans for a second farm in South Africa, following its announcement last year of setting up its first farm in Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada.
McCain has identified two South African locations totalling 465 ha irrigation and 90 ha dryland on which it will grow 125 ha potatoes for use across the country, per year.
The farm will focus on enhancing productivity, while prioritising soil health, water efficiency, the reduction of agro-chemical impacts and the introduction and preservation of biodiversity by using cutting-edge technology.
McCain CEO Max Koeune has highlighted that the Farms of the Future project is vital in trying to make the global food system more sustainable.
He warned that the global food system is ‘under threat’ and says overhauling agriculture is central to cutting carbon emissions and ensuring supply chains are resilient and sustainable.
“This is a critical moment. The strain that global supply chains are under right now is shining a stark light on how exposed we are, with a food system that requires a radical transformation to address the challenges of our century.
“If we don’t change the way we farm, feeding the world in 30 years will require an 87 per cent increase in carbon emissions. The implications of that are bleak – and we cannot allow it to happen,” Max said.
At Farm of the Future Africa, the potential to grow multiple crops per year, innovate with irrigation technology in a water-scarce region as well as the challenges arising from the presence of soil-borne pests and diseases make it the ideal location for transferring learning to other parts of the world, including China, India, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia.
All of the potatoes grown on Farm of the Future Africa will be made into French fries and other frozen potato products, servicing consumers across Africa.
Farm of the Future Canada in Florenceville, New Brunswick has already seen strong yields after just one year in operation, and fertilizer application at the site is already down by more than 16 per cent compared to typical McCain growers in the area.
The reduction is mainly in nitrogen and phosphorous, a cut that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2 per cent compared to grower historical average.
Charlie Angelakos, Vice President, Global External Affairs and Sustainability at McCain Foods, said, “The potential of the Farms of the Future project is enormous. It allows us to test and learn in different climates and geographies and to discover how best to leverage rapidly developing technology and agricultural practices – all in close collaboration with farmers to ensure it is economically viable and scalable for them.”
PepsiCo and Nestle are some of the other multinational food manufacturing companies utilizing the regenerative agriculture concept in Africa to protect and restore the environment, improve the livelihoods of farmers and enhance the well-being of farming communities.
Liked this article? Subscribe to Food Business Africa News, our regular email newsletters with the latest news insights from Africa and the World’s food and agro industry. SUBSCRIBE HERE


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Link shop tenants threaten to strike over rising rents
Stores will be closed and a sit-in staged with residents
More than 40 shop tenants in Siu Sai Wan Estate, Chai Wan, are threatening a city-wide strike as part of growing dissatisfaction with Link Management's rent rises since it took over government shopping malls and car parks in November
Shopkeepers and pressure groups say the new owner has forced people out of business by imposing rent rises and removal orders.
The tenants in Siu Sai Wan Estate are in the process of joining forces with other shopkeepers at public estates.
Link Management insists the increases are in line with market practice and that bringing in new tenants will attract more shoppers.
The tenants are fighting to save one shop in particular - Kam Pak Hop Kee noodle store, near the market entrance, which has been ordered to move by the end of next month. This is the deadline they have set Link to reply to their demands for a halt to rent rises and terminations of tenancies.
The noodle shop owner, Chan Wun-chun, who has been operating for four years, said the removal order would not only end his livelihood but that of his nine workers.
The strike organisers, who include fish shop vendor Tsoi Chung-keung, want to launch a city-wide action, but so far their action is limited to their estate.
'If Link refuses to meet our demands before that day, we will start our first action by closing our shops. We will try to lobby other shop owners in other estates to close their businesses altogether to step up our action.'
Mr Tsoi said that after closing their stores, owners would stage a sit-in with residents near the market entrance. The date of the action has still to be decided, he said.
'Our next action will be a rent strike. If all shop owners in public estates don't pay rent, this can force their chairman to step down.'
Mr Tsoi said that when tenancies expired, Link either asked them to move or raised rents.
So far 10 out of 50 Siu Sai Wan market vendors - including two meat shops, one sewing shop, and several vegetables stores - have had rent rises of between 10 and 15 per cent. One shop has shut and four others are planning to close.
Link refused to comment on whether they would back down if faced with strike action, or what they would do to solve the problem.
The company said its handling of tenancy matters and rent adjustments was in line with the market.
'Our principle in setting rents is 'value for rent'. Rents are set or adjusted with reference to circumstances of individual shops,' a spokeswoman said.
While refusing to reveal the number of shops asked to move, Link said such moves to attract new tenants could benefit existing tenants by attracting more shoppers.


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The proposed establishment of the Shanghai free trade zone (FTZ) has moved a step closer and attracted global attention after winning support from China's top legislature this week.
Establishing the flagship Shanghai FTZ in response to new circumstances is an important step forward in reform and opening up, said a statement issued after a meeting of the political bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Tuesday, which threw its weight behind the planned establishment of the free trade zone.
The Economist magazine describes the plan as a "top-level design," predicting the project "would help boost China's efforts to become a pan-Asian supply chain hub," and "could allow Shanghai to develop world-leading commodities exchanges."
The Shanghai FTZ will be the first free trade zone on the Chinese mainland. Within the experimental free trade zone, goods can be imported, processed and re-exported without the intervention of customs authorities.
Covering 28.78 square kilometers, the new zone will adjoin existing bonded zones in Shanghai -- Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Logistics Park, Yangshan Free Trade Port Area and Pudong Airport Comprehensive Free Trade Zone.
The State Council approved the pilot FTZ on July 3. It will take about three years to establish the FTZ to international standards.
The zone is expected to help Shanghai cut trade costs, improve efficiency, and promote financial services.
Some foreign media noted the FTZ will bring a huge financial bonus.
The New York Times said it signalled reform in the finance sector and Shanghai could become a bridgehead which enjoyed easy capital control and free Chinese yuan exchange.
Other observers commented the initiative could be repeated and extended on a larger scale and its development could not only bring benefit to China, but to the world.
The Indian Economic Times said the establishment of the FTZ was to explore new paths and models for China to open up, to push the pace of transformation of government functions and reforms of the administrative system.
The zone was an innovation, according to Zheng Yongnian, director of the National University of Singapore's East Asian Institute, that would cultivate new interest and new systems that could contribute to reforming old interests and systems.


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This week, American gaming designer and manufacturer International Game Technology (IGT) issued an announcement that its Reno-based Global Technology and Interoperability Center has received ISO 9001:2008 recertification from SGS International Certification Services.
In addition, the testing facility, which is open to original equipment manufacturers, strategic partners and system integrators, has additionally been granted ISO 17025 re-accreditation from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation.
The company also specified that ISO 9001:2008 certification represents ‘an expanded scope from the company's previous re-certification in 2010’ and now includes its European quality management systems as well as its systems organizations, including its offices in Bozeman, Montana, and Hoofddorp, The Netherlands.
Also, the ISO 17025 re-accreditation through the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation enables IGT to certify its products according to Gaming Standards Association protocol standards, the company stated, adding that products meeting these requirements are certified for consistency in G2S, S2S, GDS and transport protocol implementation, which is ‘critical to success in a system-linked environment’.
It was added by Matt LaBranch, Manufacturing Operations Vice-President for IGT that “IGT's ISO recertification is central to the company's global production and sales efforts because it signifies our commitment to manufacturing excellence, demonstrating efficiency in processes, product design and development efforts as well as customer satisfaction levels.
“Our dedication to our quality management system ensures that our customers receive top-of-the-line products.”
Another comment arrived from Allen Liu, Global Technology and Interoperability Center Manager (GTIC) for IGT, who said: “The gaming industry realised we must work together to achieve interoperability to meet our customers' demands.
“We welcome all gaming manufacturers to test their products that use Gaming Standards Association protocols with IGT systems such as sbX and Advantage at the GTIC.”


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Why Weetabix’s marketing head took on a ‘fresh challenge’ with a move to HR
While HR isn’t the obvious career change for a marketer, it’s a move that’s proving to be rewarding for Weetabix’s former head of marketing Claire Canty, the brand’s new head of HR.
Picture this: you’re a young marketer stepping out into the world of work, eager to climb the rungs from marketing executive to brand manager to marketing director to maybe, one day, CMO, or even CEO.
Sound familiar? This is the career journey many marketers believe they must traverse. Some are successful in achieving it, many are not. However, there are other options available, hidden in plain sight.


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Threads launches with 10 million signups in 7 hours, looks like Twitter
Threads is now live everywhere (except Europe). Initial reactions from users speak of a rather Twitter-like experience.
"Threads by Meta," the full name of the new platform, has the same setup as Twitter. Users see a feed they can scroll that is already equipped with several automatic subscripti... Read more
Meta comes with generative AI in WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram
Meta is going to add generative AI to WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently showed off the features during an internal meeting.
During the meeting, Zuckerberg showed off new generative AI functionality for WhatsApp and Messenger. For example, the messaging services will... Read more
Meta introduces Twitter competitor internally
Meta introduces its Twitter competitor during an internal meeting. It is a completely new app, which developers are working on since January.
Meta will launch a Twitter competitor "as soon as possible." The company demonstrated a first draft of the app to its employees, during an internal meeti... Read more
Instagram’s text-based app could arrive by June
In case you missed it, Instagram is on the verge of launching a new text-based app, and rumors suggest it could be here as early as June.
The project, known by the codenames P92, Project 92, or Barcelona, is Instagram's endeavor to create a decentralized social network explicitly tailored for "c... Read more
Meta will allow European users to opt-out of targeted ad tracking
The US tech giant is yielding to EU pressure to comply with privacy laws, because the alternative is to pay a hefty fine.
This week Meta announced that it will allow Facebook and Instagram users in Europe to request an exemption from the platforms' data collection system, which Meta uses to targ... Read more
France warns against TikTok but also goes after US social apps
French lawmakers want to stop not just TikTok, but also its American cousins.
This week POLITICO reports that "top members of France's National Assembly" have strongly encouraged fellow MPs to "limit" their use of social media apps and messaging services. The urging message was sent in what POLI... Read more
Facebook and Instagram get paid subscription option
Meta will soon introduce a paid subscription for officially verifying user accounts and accessing additional services. In doing so, the company behind Facebook and Instagram is following the policy Twitter previously announced for its blue checkmarks.
In a statement, CEO Mark Zuckerberg indicate... Read more
Meta to centralize user settings across all apps
The Accounts Center will hold all relative user settings across all Meta platforms.
This week Facebook parent Meta announced that it’s centralizing various user settings across its apps, including Facebook, Instagram and Messenger. Various account settings will be moved to Meta’s 'Accounts C... Read more
Irish regulator slaps Meta with €405 million fine
The Irish data protection authority fined Meta with €405 million for GDPR violations on Instagram.
The fine is the result of an investigation launched by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) in 2020. According to the regulator, Instagram breached the privacy of children.
Meta alleged... Read more
Facebook and Instagram remain available in Europe for now
Facebook and Instagram are staying online for the foreseeable future. The Irish Data Protection Authority (DPA) wants to tighten the reins on Meta, but not every member state supports its case.
Ireland's DPA proposed a ban on intercontinental data transfers from Meta in July, threatening to remo... Read more


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The 2023 Subaru Solterra The brands first widespread offering of an all-electric vehicle; also related to Toyotas bZ4X. This time, Toyotas bZ4X, the brands first fully electric crossover, made its US debut at the LA Auto Show. The next 2023 Subaru Solterra is set to become Subarus first all-electric car when it goes on sale in 2022 as the 2023 model year. The 2023 Subaru Solterra, named after combining Latin words for sun and earth, is built on Subarus new Global Platform for Electric Vehicles, an all-electric car architecture.
No new electric 2023 Subaru Solterra compact SUVs were delivered to customers in the United States, with the majority of 2,600 vehicles being reserved for Subaru dealers, intended for test driving and demonstration purposes. Subaru plans to offer vehicles with the new hybrid and all-electric drivetrain technologies in the U.S. first, before other regions, so Subaru could introduce the Subaru Solterra to the U.S. market first.
Subaru plans for 40% of global sales to come from electric or hybrid vehicles by 2030. Around the middle of the decade, Subaru also is set to launch new-generation hybrid models, powered by gasoline-electric drivetrains supplied by Toyota.
Unlike the Solterra, electric cars produced during the later part of the decade will be made by Subaru directly. Subaru will start making its own electric vehicles at the Yajima Plant in Japan, mixed production with internal combustion vehicles, starting in mid-2020. These models, which could include Subarus Solterra, will feature enhanced driver assistance systems to help ensure safety, connectivity vehicle tech, and AI-enabled technologies, according to recent Subaru announcements.
Other key features on The Subaru Solterra include 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, digital keys, a heat-pump-type air conditioning, an AWD control system with X-Mode, and traction control. The Subaru Solterra features the Subaru Models dual-function X-Mode system, which allows the driver to adjust vehicle components to certain driving conditions such as snow/dirt and deep snow/mud. Along with being powered solely by electric energy, the next Subaru Solterra from 2023 has an all-wheel-drive system using two electric motors generating 215 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. Its first fully-electric crossover is yet another collaborative effort Subaru has undertaken alongside Toyota, meaning some of the design, particularly in terms of interior bits, looks very much Toyota, whereas the exterior, chassis, and all-wheel-drive system are all Subaru.
Subaru has used a unique faux-hexagonal radiator grille, as well as a signature bumper, to differentiate the Subaru Solterra from Toyotas bZ4X. Subaru While Subarus go for the rugged, outdoor feel, Toyotas newly introduced 2023 bZ4X skews toward the city-oriented.
Subarus 2023 Solterra crossover has less horsepower than many rivals, but it is likely that Subaru buyers will find themselves more likely to find themselves in that sort of outdoor paradise rather than on a drag strip. We cannot testify to 2023 Solterras reliability–it rides on a brand-new, electric-only platform (Subaru calls the brand-new E-Subaru Global Platform, Toyota calls it e-TNGA) without any record–but there seems to be some robustness. Subaru needs to make strides on the next few electric cars if it hopes to remain competitive, but Subarus 2023 Solterra crossover has the best off-road qualifications among the all-wheel-drive EV crossovers in the class. Both Japanese companies are generally more reserved and deliberate about pushing into new territories, but its first fully electric crossover offers an intriguing glimpse at what Subaru believes the future may hold for off-road-capable EV crossovers.
Its first fully electric car, according to Subaru, will be capable of up to 228 miles on the highway, and it can recharge 80% of the battery pack in less than an hour. Subaru reports its first battery pack for all-electric cars will carry an aggregate of 72.8 kilowatt-hours, giving the electric vehicle a claimed 222-228 miles range per charge. While Subaru has not disclosed just how large the Solterras battery pack is, nor what amount of usable capacity it has, Subaru is estimating driving range in excess of 220 miles on a single charge. The company is touting the first fully electric car as having “go-anywhere” capabilities, but my preferred camping location is 108 miles away from my home, and there is a Level Two, single-port charger available at any point on that roughly two-hour drive.
While Subaru does not offer any EVs at this point, Subie enthusiasts do not have too much of a wait: The manufacturer is preparing to launch its first fully electric car, the 2023 Solterra, at the end of the year. Many other carmakers have already made the leap into electric vehicles, but Subaru has a fairly modest goal: only 40% of sales will be electric cars and hybrids that run on gasoline worldwide by 2030, and 90% of all CO2 emissions will come from Subaru vehicles by 2050. While Subaru has had a hybrid-powered car available since 2013, Subaru has not released a full-electric car.
We would expect Subaru to build less than 7,000 Solterras through the 2022 calendar year. All Solterras will be AWD, and Subaru plans to roll them out midyear to all 50 states, and then let the market decide which dealerships deserve to receive a higher allocation.
It will utilize Toyotas technologies, but will integrate Subaru values like all-weather capabilities, AWD, off-road adventure, a low center of gravity, and fun behind the wheel. Subarus Electronic All-Wheel Drive System, the electronic version of Subarus famous Symmetrical AWD, is called StarDrive for the Subaru Solterra crossover in 2023.


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Mobile and Internet technology are playing a vital role in selling pleasure products in today’s changing market. Recent innovations have bred scores of new marketing tools — and experts who have mastered them — that purveyors are using to strategically target the modern shopper.
Sportsheets Vice President Julie Stewart attributes society’s embrace of social media and smartphone technology to the sense of safety it offers. “Particularly after September 11, people feel safer at home,” she said, “people are having less face-to-face communication and are communicating through devices more often. There’s no part of our lives that won’t be touched by technology.”
With S&M we softened bondage with images that are mainstream and appeal to many people. —Julie Stewart, Sportsheets Vice President
With technological advances moving at a fast pace, sex toy manufacturers are turning to a younger generation for guidance.
“New technology and new tools in marketing are coming so much quicker,” Stewart said. “We’re evolving with it. We’re paying more attention to the trends and different technologies that the younger people on staff are utilizing. We want to make sure we’re giving as many consumers as we can what they’re looking for.”
With the release of the Sex & Mischief collection, Sportsheets recently made its foray into QR coding. The back of every product package features an excerpt of a sensual tale along with QR code teasing the consumer with the full story and additional product information and video.
According to Sportsheets’ Julie Stewart, S&M’s packaging caters to different demographics and results in widespread appeal.
“With S&M we softened bondage with images that are mainstream and appeal to many people,” she said. “Shoppers under 25 years old are attracted to the QR code and the older demographic likes the stories.”
Each S&M QR code directs consumers to individual product landing pages featuring a slide show of images, video and the sensual story in its entirety. According to Stewart, Sportsheets’ created its QR codes inhouse and will continue to incorporate them on the packaging of other products.
Several major adult product manufacturers, such as Topco Sales, also are finding creative methods to use QR codes for marketing.
During the summer’s ANME Show, Topco Sales unveiled the Wildfire Celebrity Series Jayden Jaymes Cyber-Skin Pussy and Ass Stroker, which feature QR codes on the outside and inside of its packaging. Additionally, Topco rolled out a Jayden Jaymes standee for retailers that — through the creation of a custom QR code — will deliver a sexy message from the adult star tailored for the store.
“We’re very excited to get our feet wet with this emerging technology,” said John Ferrel, Topco Sales’ web developer, in a press release. “For those customers who are tech savvy we think it will add value to the Topco sales experience.”
E-tique.org was launched by Donovan Green, president and CEO of Santa Barbara Book, Inc., who operates a chain of retail locations in Southern California and Arizona. The company offers a computer with a QR code reader that can be installed inside any retail location for customers to view its content without the need of a smartphone.
E-tique also creates QR codes for manufacturers. Green told XBIZ that E-tique partnered with CalExotics, creating hundreds of QR codes for the company’s products.
According to Green, E-tique is expanding with a QR code scanner app now available on the Android App market and an iPhone app in the works.
In addition to embracing QR code technology, CalExotics is growing its online marketing efforts to serve retailers.
“On the agenda for the near future is a SEO marketing campaigns that will help drive traffic to our distribution and retail partners,” CalExotics President and CEO Susan Colvin. “We’re also going to launch a content-focused marketing platform that will surely benefit everyone who carries and stocks CalExotics products — I can’t tell you too much about it right now as it is still in development, but it will be unveiled in the next few months!”
The Internet has enabled instant interaction that’s crucial for business. On the business-to-business front, last month CalExotics held the Power Sales Webinar (See ) that connected the manufacturer to its retail partners with a presentation guided by the company’s marketing execs and chat functions that encouraged conversation.
To connect with consumers, adult retailer Castle Megastore recently launched Castle TV, a live webcast show hosted by Keith Flynn, aka Keith Kielbasa, Castle’s social media specialist and Eva Licious, the company’s content specialist.
“Castle TV provides the opportunity to build a following with fans using social media to see what we’re doing here at Castle besides announcing the release of new products and featured products,” Flynn said. “It helps our customers build a reportire with us and learn best practices that we may have to share.”
Castle TV’s 45-minute online show is dictated by customer feedback and its hosts keep it fresh and engaging with humor that’s sometimes “borderline immaturity,” Flynn said.
“We sway to the side of professionalism but we still entertain,” he said. “The teachers I’ve learned the most from were very entertaining. The show’s format is pretty loose. We try to stay on topic and answer everyone’s questions. It keeps it fun and interactive — like viewers are building a relationship with us. It makes it more personable for the viewer. We have cue cards that structure what we’re going to talk about, which products we’re going to discuss and then it’s a nice volley between Eva and I — she’ll take a toy, I’ll take a toy and we’ll ad lib a lot and have fun. We also use a teleprompter to see viewers’ questions and responses in the chat box.”
For the company that proclaimed itself to be “low technology, high-intercourse” on the Selling Pleasure Products panel during February’s XBIZ Retail, Sportsheets has long been recognized for its product demo videos whose in-store delivery technique most recently underwent its third iteration.
“First it was a TV with a separate DVD player, then we tried a TV with an attached DVD player, and now we’re using digital video frames with content on memory drives,” Stewart said.
The rise of mainstream tube sites has allowed certain product demo videos to go viral — thus progressively amassing page views from potential customers.
Pipedream Products launched pdTV so people have a more reliable source to embed and share the company’s product demo videos, Pipedream Products public relations manager Kevin Johnson said.
“The public tube sharing sites have time and again suspended us or removed videos due to content,” Johnson said. “It never ceases to amaze me at what gets removed and what is left on a site like YouTube. Recently, we received notice some of our videos have been ‘age restricted,’ which is totally understandable. For instance, the Fuck Me Silly mega masturbators, which are molds of actual body parts are left up where they can be viewed by anyone over 18, but the Bootylicious vinyl blow up doll video was removed altogether. With pdTV retailers and bloggers can know the video will always be available when they need them.”
pdTV is designed like a tube site with videos readily available to share and download.
“pdTV houses all of the short-form commercially produced product demonstration videos,” Johnson said. “We also have many of them available on our YouTube and Vimeo pages. Our YouTube page also has videos created on a more personal, informal basis to answer real questions we get from consumers. Sometimes it is just easier to make a video and show how to operate something, insert the batteries or such instead of trying to write out instructions.”
CalExotics rolled out an online hub for its product demo videos as well with the launch of CalExotics TV, a server-based video solution to offer online stores, bloggers and social media professionals the ability to stream or download California Exotic videos.
“Technology is shaping California Exotic Novelties’ marketing in new and exciting ways,” said Desiree Duffie, CalExotics’ director of marketing and public relations. “We have several key strategies currently in place. First of all, because we believe ‘content is king,’ we recently launched CalExotics. TV, which provides product videos to our customers. Since we understand how important it is to educate consumers on the retail level we provide QR code product category signs for brick and mortar retailers. Additionally, to help arm our customers with the marketing collateral and tools they need, we recently did the highly successful Power Sales Webinar.”


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FAQ: Melamine in U.S. Baby Formula
Questions and Answers About Trace Amounts of Melamine in U.S. Infant Formula
Nov. 26, 2008 -- Tiny "trace" amounts of potentially toxic melamine reportedly detected in U.S.-made infant formula pose little if any risk to kids, experts tell WebMD.
Just before Thanksgiving, the Associated Press reported that the FDA had been testing U.S.-made baby formula for melamine.
On the Friday after Thanksgiving, the FDA admitted that one brand of formula contained very small amounts of melamine. Another brand contained similarly tiny amounts of cyanuric acid, a related chemical. And a third maker of infant formula told the AP that its own tests detected small amounts of melamine in its product.
As recently as last October, the FDA said it did not know of any safe level of melamine in baby formula. Last Friday, the agency said that melamine and cyanuric acid are safe in baby formula at levels up to 1 part per million.
All of the baby formula that tested positive for melamine or cyanuric acid had levels of the toxins well below 1 part per million.
In China, melamine was deliberately added to infant formula to make it appear to have a higher protein content. This resulted in melamine levels vastly higher than those found in U.S. formula. More than 52,000 children developed kidney stones. There were more than 13,000 hospitalizations and at least two deaths.
The FDA has not found any Chinese infant formula in the U.S., and has warned all manufacturers not to use milk products imported from China unless they have been tested for melamine contamination.
American-made infant formula is not made with milk products from China. The trace amounts of melamine detected in U.S. infant formula apparently came from routine contact with melamine-containing substances during the manufacturing process. There is no reason to suspect the melamine was added deliberately.
Should parents worry? WebMD consulted with experts who answered your questions.


text: After launching AmazonFresh to deliver fresh produce to your door and after making a big splash with drone delivery via Octocopter. Amazon is announcing the launch of a new business called Pantry that is aimed at taking share from Costco and Sam’s Club. You might argue that this is old news and was generally predictable, but the real point is that Amazon is disrupting retail and constantly innovating beyond their “traditional” core business. Amazon is re-imagining delivery, technology, and shopping as we know it. What is Amazon’s grand strategy behind all this exploration and experimentation? While I have not figured that out yet, I can foresee Amazon’s intent to revolutionize retail across all dimensions (technology, supply chain, operational excellence, marketing analytics, dynamic pricing, etc.). In the end, the real question for traditional retailers is: how much innovation are you doing in your business? Are you truly paying attention to the mega trends of the future and developing the roadmaps to capture opportunities and avert threats?


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- Senate passes Drug Quality and Security Act
- GPhA: FDA’s proposed rule on prescription drug labeling adds $4 billion to healthcare costs
- Novartis Consumer Health's return to shelf on track, Theraflu relaunching next
- Study from NCPA sheds new light on med synchronization programs
- ROUNDTABLE: Pharmacy’s future in sync with technology
PARSIPPANY, N.J. — A federal court has stopped an injunction that would have prevented drug maker Watson Pharmaceuticals and partner company Amphastar Pharmaceuticals from marketing or selling a generic version of a blood-thinning drug.
The companies announced Thursday that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has granted them a stay of the preliminary injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in October, which Sandoz had sought to prevent Watson and Amphastar from launching a generic version of Sanofi's Lovenox (enoxaparin sodium). Watson and Amphastar said they plan to launch the drug immediately.
Sandoz, the generics arm of Swiss drug maker Novartis, already markets a generic version of the drug, for which it received Food and Drug Administration approval in July 2010.


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Nintendo DS (DS)Japanese classrooms using Nintendo DS to teach English
Joystiq - June 28, 2008
Submitted by afsplat (130)
at 5:21PM PST on June 28, 2008
We've had many Game Boy Pockets, GBA SPs and other portable devices snatched up by certain agitated educators during our formative years, which is why the recent news of a new program to teach English to Japanese students using the Nintendo DS fills us with unbridled, elderly bitterness.


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Just got back from painful experience at the dentist. Guess I shouldn't have put it off so long. My least favorite of things to do. Gotta go back next week for digging on the other side. Got home...stepped on a little glass bowl we had been using to give our now adopted cats their daily milk...it tipped over and shattered into a gillion pieces. Trying to get in the door after my Sam's Club stop on the way home from the dentist and ripped my leather cell phone carrier smack in two pieces. It's probably so old now they won't have accessories for it any more.
That's enough for now. Ahh...the little things.
Here's some news for you hotmail users.
Hava good day all!!
Hotmail security breach spreads as 30,000 Gmail and Yahoo! passwords are posted online.
The massive security breach that led to millions of Hotmail customers being advised to change their passwords has now spread to users of email services including Gmail and Yahoo! Mail.
Up to 21million people and businesses who use the Hotmail service in the UK were warned they are potentially at risk of being defrauded after passwords were acquired illegally.
Around 10,000 passwords were obtained by hackers who created a fake website identical to Hotmail's to fool users into entering their email address and password in a 'phishing' scam.


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With Charli AI, a new SaaS technology, businesses can optimize workflows and maximize efficiency with just a few clicks. This innovative SaaS technology automates tedious tasks across digital platforms to save time otherwise spent on laborious administrative jobs – making life simpler for everyday users.
Pace Creative partnered with Charli to produce a product launch video designed to effectively market the new technology using story telling. The all-encompassing B2B marketing video displays efficiently the business problem the technology solves in a way that is easy for potential investors, business-to-business (B2B), and business-to consumer customers (B2C) alike, to understand. In addition, it seamlessly integrates with other digital content initiatives as part of the product launch campaign across web platforms.


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Ubisoft have confirmed several of their biggest franchises will debut over the coming fiscal year which runs until March 31, 2018.
Sega has announced another title in its back catalogue will be coming to PC, this time it’s Platinum Games’ third-person shooter Vanquish.
An apparent Assassin’s Creed ‘Empire’ screenshot has leaked via Reddit and seems to confirm the game’s Ancient Egyptian setting.
Deadline reports that Microsoft and Universal Studio’s Gears of War movie has tapped a writer to work on the screenplay which won’t focus on the games.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s first DLC has been revealed including new equipment and features. The DLC is coming summer 2017.
CD Projekt Red announces a Gwent beta coming exclusively to PlayStation 4 this weekend to test the game when played simultaneously by many users.
CEO of Psyonix, Dave Hagewood has addressed the recent server and matchmaking problems in Rocket League and what the developer will do to fix the problems.
Blizzard Entertainment have announced StarCraft: Remastered is coming this summer with a range of improvements including improved graphics.
Spider-Man characters Black Cat and Silver Sable are getting their own spinoff film from Sony who is currently on the lookout for a director.
Pokémon Go is receiving its new event today, the Water Festival. The event will increase your chance of encountering water-type Pokémon.


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This week Apple TV+ made news for signing HBO’s former CEO and his new production company in a five-year exclusive deal. As Apple’s star begins to ascend in streaming video content, a former Apple Music exec sees scalability limits in its future.
Apple TV+ had its weakest week of new content since its launch. It’s a pretty weird time for Apple to go easy on Apple TV+, given the number of new Apple devices activated over the holidays – all of them eligible for free Apple TV+, and presumably with a lot of new eyes on the service.
Either Apple figures the content they’ve already posted is still sufficient for all these new eyes or the company knows that they still have time to ramp up the value of the free year of service before bills end up in customers’ hands.
Another big win for Apple TV+
Apple TV+ isn’t just coasting into 2020, this momentary blip aside. In fact, Apple signed for HBO CEO Richard Plepler to an exclusive five-year deal, according to a report in the New York Times. News that Plepler and Apple were talking first emerged in November.
Under Plepler’s leadership, HBO produced series including Game of Thrones, True Blood, and The Newsroom. He left HBO in early 2019 after nearly 28 years – shortly after AT&T bought the network. Plepler and his company Eden Productions will be producing new documentaries, dramas, and feature films for Apple TV+. It’s the latest win for Apple, which has struck content deals with major players like Oprah Winfrey and Alfonso Cuarón.
Tonight we’ll see if the Apple TV+’s drama The Morning Show can win a Golden Globe award – Apple has aggressively courted Hollywood critics to get some acclaim for its new efforts.
Flipping music revenue on its head
It’s an interesting contrast to recent comments from Jimmy Iovine. The music mogul worked for Apple until 2018. In a recent interview with the New York Times Iovine talked about the problem with music streaming services, including Apple Music. Iovine sees music services as undifferentiated utilities selling a commodity. Iovine also cites limited scalability as an issue that music services have to content with.
That limited scalability isn’t stopping Apple and others from making money in 2019 and 2020. Steve Jobs once said that consumers wanted to own their music, but his time passed the better part of a decade ago. And in that decade we’ve seen the personal ownership of music flip on its head. 80% of the recorded music revenue in the United States last year came from streaming services like Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and others, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
That’s compared to 7% just a decade ago, long before the inception of Apple Music and before Spotify was even available for U.S. customers. By the time Apple finally entered the streaming music market in 2015, revenue from digital music and single downloads from services like iTunes was already on the wane.
As a long time consumer of music who still has his original audio CDs in basement crates, I still have a strong place in my heart for the ownership of content I like. I still buy the occasional Blu-ray disc of a movie I want, too. But for the most part, I’m content to rent my content, just like most folks.
There’s just so much these days to stay on top of, it’s almost impossible to connect with the material in the way I used to, when I’d watch a movie over and over again or I’d listen to an audio CD from the first to the last track.
So in the scheme of things, perhaps it’s not so bad that Apple TV+ only had 74 minutes of new content last week. There have been some interesting new releases on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and the other services we catch our content from these days – with lots more planned from everyone throughout 2020 and beyond.


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Chicken and waffles, anyone? Burger and fries? How’s about a slice of pepperoni pizza? No, that’s not the food selection at the mini mall, it’s what’s being served in the school lunch line, paid with our tax dollars. It’s a fast-food junkie’s paradise, and it turns out the coronavirus thinks it’s awesome too.
We already know those who are obese are at greater risk of illness and death from COVID-19, and now we’re learning they may not even reap the benefit of a coronavirus vaccine. While it’s easy to scold folks to lose weight, why not prevent obesity from the start?
Thirty million school children in the United States gorge on reheated, processed food riddled with addictive, fatty, fiber-less fare leading to obesity, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, the same preexisting conditions largely to blame for the staggering death toll from COVID-19. Despite living in a country with an abundance of fresh produce, a mere 9% of high school students meet the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for fruit, and only 2% eat enough vegetables.
Thanks to poor eating habits, 25% of children ages 5 to 10 years have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or other early warning signs of heart disease, with obese children showing signs of heart disease as young as 8 years old.
Children in Chicago have it particularly tough with a higher obesity rate than other U.S. children in the same age groups. In Chicago Public Schools, even the students themselves revolted against the unhealthy rotation of hamburgers, chicken patties and pizza, comparing it to Cook County “prison food.” Despite a student boycott of school food, improvements remain minimal, at best.
Sadly, when cafeteria managers order food, they often choose animal products because, thanks to the United States’ Farm Bill, they’re cheap. Our government hands out about $20 billion a year in farm subsidies, with most of the money going to help farmers grow food for chickens, pigs and cows, whose byproducts become cheeseburgers, pizzas, hot dogs and bacon. The government ensures meat, eggs, and dairy are affordable, while those who grow food such as organic kale, tomatoes or berries are comparatively left out in the cold.
While plant-based milk sales have soared, dairy milk sales have soured, and the massive surplus is turned into fatty cheese and stored. In fact, there’s a 1.4-billion-pound stockpile of cheese right now, just sitting, paid for with our tax dollars. The government buys it up, and schleps it out, often landing in the school lunch line.
The effort to get kids hooked on surplus dairy products is purposeful and strategic, complete with dairy industry-created curriculum, fundraisers and contests. Even the American Medical Association has taken note and is urging the USDA to stop pushing meat and dairy in dietary guidelines, citing the blatant bias in that these products are “promoted in federal nutrition policies even though they are not nutritionally required.”
The good news is it doesn’t have to be this way; we just need to even the playing field and incentivize buying healthy plant-based foods. By offering plant-based options, kids can enjoy tasty meals that nurture their health, and there is an abundance of studies to back this up.
It all comes down to choice, and with a captive audience of children, there should only be one choice: healthy and delicious food.
You know, it wasn’t too long ago that ads featured babies suckling soda bottles, and doctors recommended cigarettes on TV. Magazine ads urged women to douche with Lysol, and insecticide “DDT is Good For Me” promos claimed the now-banned toxin made homes “healthier.” We’ve gotten things wrong before, and it’s time to get this one right. Let’s improve the National School Lunch Program, so the next time a pandemic sweeps in, our healthy bodies can focus on fighting the virus, rather than paying the deadly price of a lifetime of eating unhealthy food.
Jackie Day is the author of “The Vegan Way: 21 Days to a Happier, Healthier, Plant-Based Lifestyle That Will Transform Your Home, Your Diet and You.”


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Retail card expert Craig Padley joins Thames Technology
Thames Technology expands team with appointment of new Retail Sales Director
Joining the company at a time of exciting growth, Craig is tasked with developing the company sales strategy and help broaden the range of products for the retail sector.
Craig brings with him more than 30 years of experience selling gift and loyalty solutions to the retail and other sectors. Most recently he spend over 10 years in various roles heading up retail sales at card manufacturer Incodia International (formerly part of CPI Card Group) where he was leading the new business and development teams to shape a road map of new products and services.
Prior to his time at CPI Card Group, Craig worked for BemroseBooth heading up retail, finance and government sales of their card, voucher and secure document products.
“I am thrilled to be accepting this fantastic new role at Thames Technology. The company has an unparalleled reputation in producing gift, loyalty and membership cards for the retail sector alongside their successful financial card products. Their focus on quality, customer satisfaction and fast turn-around has provided incredible long-standing customer relationships over the past few years.“I am particularly excited about joining some former colleagues from my time at Incodia and working with innovative products to help Thames drive forward the implementation of their digital gift card and loyalty solutions.”
Che Colford, General Manager at Thames said:
“We are proud to have Craig Padley join our growing team. With his exceptional experience of the industry paired with his creative flair he is ideally placed to help our many retail clients engage with their customers and drive the success of their card schemes.On a personal level, having myself worked together with Craig in a previous role, I am very much looking forward to having him on the team and am confident he will take the company’s success in the retail market to a completely new level.”


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Unusual tourist destinations
Thailand's anti-government protests, now in their third month, have taken a heavy toll on tourism in the bustling capital Bangkok, but sparked an upturn in arrivals at beach and mountain resorts, officials say. Ten people have been killed in sporadic outbursts of violence since late November. Thailand attracted a record 26 million-plus visitors last year, up 19.63 percent from a year earlier, but arrivals fell by half to about one million in January from December. The tourist high season runs from November to January, but the hotel occupancy in the capital is hovering at about 50 percent, according to the Thai Hotel Association, well below the usual 80 percent occupancy rate. "Some hotels in the capital and near Bangkok are less than 50 percent full," Tourism Minister Somsak Phurisisak told Reuters. "This is highly unusual." China and the United States have warned their nationals to avoid protest areas in the city, which are near some of the top five-star hotels and raunchy … [Read more...] about Life’s a beach: Protests drive tourists from Thai capital
It has karaoke and fresh coffee, but the bathrooms on the lower decks are out of water and some guests sleep on the floor. Welcome aboard North Korea's first cruise ship. Keen to boost tourism and earn much-needed cash, authorities in the impoverished nation have decided to launch a cruise tour from the rundown northeastern port city of Rajin to the scenic resort of Mount Kumgang. In a highly unusual move, the reclusive regime invited more than 120 journalists and Chinese tour operators on board the newly-renovated, 39-year-old Man Gyong Bong ship for a trial run of the 21-hour journey. The vessel left one of Rajin's ageing piers on Tuesday to the sound of rousing music, as hundreds of students and workers holding colourful flowers stood in line and clapped in unison. "The boat was only renovated one week ago," said Hwang Chol Nam, vice mayor of the Rason special economic zone, as he sat on the top deck at a table filled with bottles of North Korean beer, a large plate of fruit, and … [Read more...] about North Korea seeks adventurous tourists for cruise
The Christmas season might be famous for carols and colored lights where you're from, but it's also the perfect time to experience new destinations and check out their holiday customs as well. From the jazz music and Nativity parades of New Orleans, to the Santa hats and sandy beaches of Australia, there's no better opportunity than Christmas to try seeing the holiday season in a brand new light. Online travel adviser Hotwire.com (www.hotwire.com) has compiled a list of its Top 10 most festive destinations for this year's holiday season. Reuters has not endorsed this list: … [Read more...] about Top ten Christmas destinations
VietNamNet Bridge - A Wednesday article by Live Science magazine reporting that Vietnam recorded unusually high numbers of shark attacks in 2010 is unreliable, said a local expert. It said that unprovoked assaults by sharks last year include six in Vietnam, 14 in Australia, eight in South Africa and six in Egypt. … [Read more...] about VN had unusually high numbers of shark attacks?


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The Kenyan government through the Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife has renewed its partnership with marathoner Eliud Kipchoge as the Magical Kenya destination Ambassador.
Gov't renews partnership with Eliud Kipchoge
CS Najib Balala said the runner's patriotism and passion make him the ideal Ambassador
The renewal of Kipchonge's ambassadorial deal was announced by Tourism CS Najib Balala who said the runner's patriotism and passion make him the ideal Ambassador.
"This morning, we are at Karura forest, Nairobi, to renew our partnership with World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge, as our #MagicalKenya destination Ambassador.
"Eliud Kipchoge's global profile, patriotism, passion for the #MagicalKenya 🇰🇪 destination and conservation makes him the ideal Ambassador," Balala said.
Addressing the press during the renewal of his partnership, Kipchoge said that he is honoured to be working with Magical Kenya again as their ambassador.
“I am very delighted to renew this partnership with Magical Kenya which has now become my family. It is such a great honour to be given the responsibility to represent my country as its Tourism Ambassador. I have enjoyed this role which has also made me learn a lot about Kenya," Kipchoge noted.
In July 2020, the award-winning sportsman was unveiled by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), as the Magical Kenya destination ambassador.
Since then, the Marathoner has been marketing Kenya as the preferred tourism destination locally, regionally and even globally.
CS Balala also narrated that Kipchoge's partnership with Magical Kenya has been very instrumental in marketing Kenya to the world.
"Our journey with Kipchoge as destination ambassador commenced in 2020 after the Covid-19 pandemic was recorded in the country...His role as destination ambassador has been important, especially during the period when there was less travel. He helped in creating awareness about the destination as well as marketing and showcasing Magical Kenya to the world,” CS Najib Balala stated.
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“Power of the Cloud” has been a buzzword since the beginning of this console generation, ever since Microsoft took to stage at E3 a few years ago and touted its revolutionary cloud system. Unfortunately, “power of the cloud” has delivered nothing from Microsoft. But things are changing, infrastructure is changing, and more companies are investing in Cloud Gaming. Cloud Gaming takes many forms; sometimes it is used to help developers take the load off of physical hardware to deliver more complex gameplay experiences on consoles, other times entire code is run from a remote location so no physical hardware is involved. Google Stadia, Project xCloud, and Sony’s reported revamp of PS Now shows companies now have more faith in the “power of the cloud.” Google and Microsoft have already shared their plans for the future with Cloud gaming, but what has Sony been up to? Sony is reportedly working on, among other things, its own cloud streaming via revamped PS Now. In recent weeks Sony has filed multiple patents for various types of cloud functionality. Network Connected Controller for Direct to Cloud Gaming Utility Patent Application (A1) September 5, 2019Applicants: Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC Inventors: Victor Octav Suba Miura,… Read full this story
Report: Cloud Functionality is an Integral Part of PlayStation 5 have 228 words, post on segmentnext.com at September 11, 2019. This is cached page on GameMax. If you want remove this page, please contact us.


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The Pokemon Go update which adds trading has been released, and a wild Alolan Rattata has started appearing in various regions.
Gifting and trading in Pokemon Go was made available in the latest update. The new friendship system has also been introduced with this update.
Players can trade Pokemon with a “Good Friend”, and a “Best Friend” with the latter providing extra Premiere Balls on raids.
The new friends system is available to all Pokemon Go players at level 10, and levels...


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US digital bank Cogni has launched a non-custodial wallet as it seeks to enter the Web3 space. It will be directly integrated into the banking services instead of using a third-party solution.
The startup, founded in 2018 as part of the Barclays accelerator program, initially aimed to provide banking services to Gen Z and millennial users.
More recently, the company pivoted to web 3.0, just like competing neobanks, such as Revolut, N26, and Step. Still, Cogni focused on decentralization and user control, showed by the firm’s decision to provide a non-custodial solution.
According to a Dec. 21 report, Cogni’s wallet will act as a shell that enables users to hold, send, and receive cryptocurrency. A forthcoming partnership with an unnamed exchange will allow users to purchase cryptocurrency in-app.
Per Cogni founder Archie Ravishankar, the wallet integrated with a bank account will connect directly to the exchange, allowing the startup to offer institutional rates to regular customers.
Other fintech companies typically use external providers to connect to exchanges when providing cryptocurrency services, which can result in extra transaction fees for consumers. In contrast, Cogni’s wallet seems to be integrated with its existing banking services in the app, allowing users to view everyday transactions and bills alongside on-chain transactions in a single interface.
The startup is also looking to expand into non-fungible tokens (NFTs), with an integration set to be rolled out after the wallet’s launch. There are also plans to enable NFT-based profile pictures.
What is a self-custody wallet?
Self-custody refers to individuals or organizations holding their private keys and storing their digital assets. It means they control their financial affairs and have exclusive access to cryptocurrencies.
Self-custody can help improve security by allowing individuals to take greater responsibility for protecting their assets. It reduces the risk of loss or theft when a custodian is compromised. Finally, self-custody ensures total control over owned assets and reduces reliance on intermediary traditional financial institutions.
Despite those advantages, only some in crypto believe that self-custody is how most users should treat their assets. Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of major crypto exchange Binance, recently claimed that more cryptocurrency was lost to self-custody than centralized service providers. He suggested that self-custody is not right for 99% of the users.


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Courtesy of low gas prices, U.S. consumers continue to plunk down cash for trucks and utility vehicles in increasing numbers over more fuel efficient small cars, and in the process, drive down the average fuel economy of vehicles in this country.
The gas mileage rating of new vehicles purchased by American consumers slipped last month, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). The average fuel economy printed on the window stickers of cars, light trucks, vans and SUVs purchased in June was 25.4 mpg, down from 25.5 mpg in May, the U-M researchers said.
“The decline likely reflects the increased sales of light trucks and SUVs in June,” according to Michael Sivak, a research professor at UMTRI.
Overall, fuel economy is up 5.3 mpg from October 2007, the first full month of monitoring by Sivak and colleague Brandon Schoettle. But the gains have become a lot slower in the past year.
(GM takes on Ford F-150 in new web campaign. For more, Click Here.)
In addition to average fuel economy, Sivak and Schoettle issued a monthly update of their national Eco-Driving Index, which estimates the average monthly emissions generated by an individual U.S. driver. The EDI takes into account both the fuel used per distance driven and the amount of driving — the latter relying on data that are published with a two-month lag.
(Click Here for details about how Mercedes turns shoppers into buyers better than anyone.)
During April, the EDI rose to 0.85 – the lower the value, the better – its worst mark since December 2011. However, the index currently shows emissions of greenhouse gases per driver of newly purchased vehicles are still down 15% overall, since October 2007.
(To see more about Honda’s turnaround plan, Click Here.)
But the gain reflects the shift to larger and heavier vehicles that burn slightly more fuel than passenger cars. Through the first six months of the year, passenger car sales have dropped 1.7%, while sales of trucks and utility vehicles have increased by 10.3%, according to AutoData.


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Ambiente 2015 sees record number of exhibitors
Ambiente extends its lead with further growth in numbers and internationality: 4,811 exhibitors from 94 countries
Ambiente, the world’s foremost trade fair for the consumer-goods sector, continues to extend its lead. Altogether, 4,811 exhibitors from 94 countries (2014: 4,749 exhibitors, 89 countries*) are making presentations in Frankfurt am Main from the coming Friday, 13 February 2015, and, as at the previous edition of the fair, the 328,500 square meters of exhibition space (gross) at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre are fully booked up.
“Ambiente has never been more international. With this record and even more exhibitors than last year, it has more than underscored its position as the global market leader”, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt. Turning to the current economic situation, Braun says, “The high propensity to consume in Germany and the anticipated recovery of the world economy are positive omens for the coming fair and a successful business year, 2015.”
This year, one of Germany’s most important commercial partners, the United States of America, is the Ambiente Partner Country. More than 100 US exhibitors are showing their latest products on the five days of the fair. In addition to the ‘Seashore Galore’ special show by Brooklyn-based designer Scott Henderson, ‘USA Day’ spotlights exhibitors from the United States on 16 February.
The Partner Country programme has been an important feature of the exhibitor and visitor programme since Ambiente 2012. The official opening of Ambiente on Friday will be attended by James Melville Jr., Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of the United States of America in Germany, Lucia Puttrich, Minister of State for Federal and European Affairs of the State of Hesse, and Uwe Becker, Treasurer of the City of Frankfurt am Main.
Ambiente 2015 is set to do more than justice to its claim, ‘The Show’ – and not just thanks to this year’s Partner Country! A broad spectrum of awards, design and trend presentations, as well as Talents, the international promotional programme for young designers, not only ensures that the fair is a fascinating place to be but also generates essential impulses for the trade for 2015 and beyond. With a series of informative studies on subjects of importance for the section, Messe Frankfurt also offers a supplementary source of information for exhibitors and visitors at its consumer-goods fairs. Thus, at the start of Ambiente 2015, it is publishing a Management Report entitled ‘Contract business – a growth market.
A study of contract business in Horeca supplies and furnishings’ prepared by Ifo Institute, Munich. According to the study, this section of the market is currently worth around two billion euros for the product segments represented at Ambiente. And the trend is upwards. The complete Management Report can be downloaded as a pdf from the Ambiente website:
Ambiente, the leading international trade fair
Ambiente is the leading international trade fair for products for the table, kitchen and household, gift articles, jewellery, wellness and fashion requisites, as well as decorative products, interior design concepts and furnishing accessories. Ambiente is ‘The Show’ for the entire sector and, thanks to its unique horizontal and vertical range of products, unrivalled worldwide. For five days at the beginning of the business year, 2014, more than 4,700 exhibitors showed their new products and innovations for the coming season to 144,000 trade visitors from over 160 countries. The world’s leading consumer-goods fair is also distinguished by a wide variety of events, promotional programmes for young people, trend presentations and awards ceremonies.


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A Pennsylvania man accused of stealing $58.95 worth of merchandise from a TJ Maxx will face felony charges, That’s because police say John Dee Smith, Jr. is a repeat offender. Carlisle Police were called to 100 Noble Blvd around 6:30 PM on October 1.
Officers met with loss prevention and store management, who told them Smith had been observed concealing 5 items totaling $58.95 and then leaving the store without paying for any of the items. Smith was arrested and transported to Cumberland County Prison for processing and arraignment. As Smith has several prior retail theft convictions, the charge for this event in graded as a Felony. Smith will be scheduled for a preliminary hearing at MDJ Birbeck’s office at a later date… Fox43 News


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As Smiley continues to grow its presence at tradeshows worldwide, this week Smiley showcases this season’s major happiness trends and some of the brand’s show-stopping collaborations at Hong Kong Licensing Show. The event taking place from the 11-13th January at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Smiley will present a new, stylish booth that showcases this seasons major brand stories and highlights the unique product offerings that Smiley continues to launch into market.
Hosting a variety of newly launched products and collaborations from some of the biggest licensees in Asia, including Hong Kong based brands such as B.Duck, Octopus and Airland, as well as the prestigious collaboration with Black Martine Sitbon and Japan’s largest condom brand Okamoto, Liberation eyewear China and the largest gifting partner in India, Archies.
2016 is set to be was another hugely successful year for Smiley’s developing business in Asia Pacific. Smiley and SmileyWorld’s businesses have grown their presence to over 20 key licenses and 30 major retail partnerships that represent over 5,000 doors and turnover in excess of $30 million USD.
The Smiley team is set for back-to-back meetings with some of the biggest licensing partners across all the brand’s growth categories including apparel, FMCG, footwear, personal care, home décor and accessories.


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Stan Miller Yachts is now MJM Yachts’ exclusive West Coast dealer for the United States and British Columbia.
MJM Yachts models include the 29z, 36z, 40z and the new 50z. Two of the 40z models are now being built for West Coast owners in the company’s new 35,000-square-foot plant in Boston.
Stan Miller Yachts will display an MJM 40z in September at the Lido Boat Show in Newport Beach, Calif.
All MJMs are built in America, and sea-trialed for turn-key delivery. MJM’s epoxy composite construction seeks to create a more fuel-efficient, faster boat that is also easier to dock. The Down East-style 40z and 50z are certified ISO CE Mark Category A Offshore, the highest possible safety rating.
The new 50z incorporates a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer as standard equipment.
“With demographic trends, there’s a growing market for high-quality Down East-style express cruisers in both California and the Pacific Northwest,” Stan Miller Yachts president John Buettner said in a statement.
“The potential for MJM here is huge,” Buettner said. “We have successfully represented the Grand Banks Eastbay line for over 25 years. Now, with the addition of the innovative MJM brand, SMY is sure to be the first stop for anyone interested in owning a quality express cruiser. We look forward to sharing with them the unique benefits and joys of owning an MJM.”


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Innokas has again participated in MedTec Europe fair that was arranged in Stuttgart, Germany in April 2015. Innokas joined the stand of BusinessOulu together with our partner HotSwap.
HotSwap is a contract design company with mostly medical device providers as customers, and with offices in Sweden, Germany and Norway. HotSwap does not offer mass manufacturing services, and Innokas and HotSwap have therefore agreed on a strategic partnership in the Nordic countries and Germany. According to the agreement, Innokas acts as HotSwap’s manufacturing services partner, and offers manufacturability engineering and mass manufacturing services to HotSwap’s design customers, in order to facilitate the transfer of the new medical devices from design to manufacturing. Innokas has already collaborated with HotSwap’s Stockholm team for one year, and at Medtec Europe Innokas sales team had the opportunity to meet the team at HotSwap’s Lübeck office.
“We participated in the exhibition at BusinessOulu’s joint stand for companies from the Oulu region. It was a very traditional German trade fair, with many component suppliers and competitors, and there were only a few potential customers as exhibitors. On the other hand, a big part of the actual visitors were representatives of different medical device manufacturers, and we managed to book meetings with them via the complimentary matchmaking service of MedTec Europe. We were at the exhibition together with our partner HotSwap, and over the days at the exhibition, we learned to know better the people from their German office”, tells Innokas’ Executive Vice President Tommi Kaasalainen.
Antti Tolvanen, who works in Innokas Medical’s sales as Key Account Manager, participated in MedTec Europe for the first time. His impressions were that the event was a bit smaller than the Compamed fair at the medical technology industry’s main event Medica, and one clear benefit of Medtec Europe was the matchmaking service.
”In my opinion, the exhibition was a bit quieter compared to Medica which is arranged in Düsseldorf, but a big advantage was the complimentary matchmaking service. Via the service, we had the opportunity to meet with several potential new customers. I think that Innokas could continue participating in MedTec Europe through a similar joint stand”, Tolvanen states.
Kaasalainen considers that the exhibition participation was beneficial, and he also endorses the matchmaking service at MedTec Europe. Some discussions initiated at MedTec Europe have already progressed into the offer creation phase.
”I feel that standing at the booth created no value, but actively booking meetings in advance made exhibition participation fruitful. Via the matchmaking service we had meetings with a number of very interesting potential customers, and some of these discussions have already progressed into the offer creation phase”, Kaasalainen tells.
The MedTec Europe exhibition is one of Europe’s most important trade fairs for medical device manufacturers. This year, the exhibition had 690 exhibitors from 32 different countries. The next MedTec Europe will be arranged April 12-14th 2016 at Messe Stuttgart.


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US market launch of Mercedes EQC delayed till 2021
Mercedes has postponed the US launch of its EQC by at least one year to 2021. The German carmaking giant says that this “strategic decision” is because it “first wants to meet the growing customer demand for the EQC in Europe”. Meanwhile, BAIC wants to double its stake in Daimler.
US Americans must continue to wait for the market launch of Mercedes’ first representative of the EQ family. In an email to potential US customers who have already expressed interest in the EQC, the German manufacturer writes that a strategic decision had to be made given the great interest in the electric car worldwide. This means that Europe has the lead and the US market has to wait.
The EQC was initially supposed to arrive at US traders in the first quarter of 2020 and be available there for 68,895 US dollars. It is likely that the stricter EU limits, combined with the general battery shortage, will mean that Mercedes will not be able to produce enough vehicles for several markets in the short term, but will first have to concentrate on the European market. For Mercedes, this means that it is lagging behind competitors already present in the American electric car market such as Tesla, BMW, Audi and Jaguar. Nevertheless, Mercedes is no exception in this regard: Volkswagen also wants to concentrate on Europe with the ID.3, and even the US carmaker Ford is likely to focus on the European market with its recently presented Mustang Mach-E.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that the state-owned Chinese carmaker BAIC intends to double its stake in Daimler to around ten per cent, thus replacing its competitor Geely as the largest shareholder of the German group. The news agency cites two unnamed sources, who have information that BAIC – which has held a five per cent stake in Daimler since this summer and is thus currently the third-largest shareholder – is said to have started to buy further shares in the group on the open market.
autonews.com (EQC), reuters.com (BAIC)
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In a move sure to annoy some users but potentially please investors, Facebook is planning to introduce video ads in the first half of next year, according to report.
Citing "several industry executives," Advertising Age reports that "by April at the latest," advertisers will be able to target video ads in users' News Feeds on desktop and mobile. The length of such videos would cap at 15 seconds as opposed to the standard 30-second TV ad, according to the report.
Facebook reps could not be reached for comment.
The report adds that the video ads will be on "autoplay," meaning they will start running automatically, a potentially controversial move. IN addition, on desktop, the ads will expand out of the News Feed and into the left- and right-hand columns.
The move comes as Facebook is facing a backlash for its new Terms of Service for its Instagram unit. The TOS states that pics that users upload on Instagram after Jan. 16 can be used in ads on the social network.


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Aldi sales soar as shoppers fill their baskets at the discounters
Aldi has had a storming quarter, recording the greatest year-on-year gain in market share by any retailer in almost four years.
Figures from Kantar Worldpanel show the discounter’s market share grew by almost 0.9 percentage points to 7.6 per cent in the 12 weeks to November 4. Its sales increased by 15.5 per cent during the period.
The rise in Aldi’s market share and sales reveals how more British shoppers continue to turn to the discount retailers. Lidl also recorded a 10.2 per cent rise in sales, compared with the same time a year ago, with its market share rising by 0.4 percentage points to 5.5 per cent.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar Worldpanel, said shoppers had made an additional