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It is one of the more exciting models proposed by Harley-Davidson in recent years, but there are now suggestions the Bronx Streetfighter may no longer be in line for a series production debut in 2021.
When it comes to Harley-Davidson there are a lot of unknown factors surrounding the American manufacturers future, many of which are the result of new CEO Jochen Zeitz’s ReWire business plan.
Chief among these unknowns are which of Harley-Davidson’s highly anticipated new models will make it into production in the future. While we’ve previously covered the Motor Co.’s delay on its new 1250cc and 950cc water-cooled models – previously due out this year – which have now been delayed until 2021, it appears that the ReWire plan may have claimed its first high-profile scalp in the form of the Bronx Streetfighter model.
While Harley-Davidson has not confirmed the model’s demise, the company’s official website harley-davidson.com no longer lists the Bronx alongside the upcoming Pan America Adventure Tourer as a future model.
We got in touch with Harley-Davidson's official Public Relations firm in Australasia to ask whether the model has been axed, with a representative offering the following statement:
"Regarding the Bronx - At this stage we can confirm Bronx and Pan America have been pushed back to 2021. We can update you with more accurate timings as they come in."
That doesn't sound like the model has seen the axe just yet, but with the internet rife with rumours we won't be surprised if there is some truth to the model's potential demise.
If true, it's a blow for those riders who were hoping to see a sort-of revival of the properly sporty Harley-Davidson models in a similar vein to the Buell sub-brand of old, but it does make sense in line with the ReWire strategy.
Under ReWire, Harley-Davidson is pulling back from certain global markets and re-prioritising its range of motorcycle offerings to focus on its “core” business – essentially the opposite to what sacked CEO Matthew Levitich had planned for the company.
While it appears the Pan America is still due to make full production as a likely result of the popularity of the adventure segment worldwide and the model slotting in well with Harley’s other touring motorcycles, the streetfighter, the Bronx, hasn’t been as lucky.
As a streetfighter, much of the bike’s potential success would have been reliant upon the performance of the Bronx in comparison to the already potent European offerings such as the Triumph Street/Speed Triple and KTM’s 890 Duke R.
While the Bronx was a radical departure from Harley-Davidson’s core if its performance wasn’t up to the task of taking on the cutting edge European competition Harley could have seen the venture as too high a risk for the company to take in its current financial situation which has seen the company report repeated losses in recent years.


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The wholesale price-based inflation shot up to over 8-year high of 7.39 per cent in March on rising crude oil and metal prices.
Also, the low base of March last year, when the data was computed with a low response rate due to the nationwide lockdown, contributed to a spike in inflation in March 2021.
The WPI inflation was 4.17 per cent in February and 0.42 per cent in March 2020.
This is the third straight month of up-tick seen in the wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation.
"The annual rate of inflation stood at 7.39 per cent (provisional) for the month of March 2021 over March 2020," the Commerce and Industry Ministry said.
Such a high level of WPI was last recorded in October 2012, when inflation was 7.4 per cent.
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Inflation in food articles in March was 3.24 per cent as prices of pulses, fruits and paddy hardened.
In vegetables, the rate of price rise was (-) 5.19 per cent, compared to (-) 2.90 per cent in the previous month.
Inflation in pulses was 13.14 per cent in March, while in fruits it was 16.33 per cent.
Inflation in the fuel and power basket was 10.25 per cent in March, against 0.58 per cent in February, mainly on account of rising prices of petrol and diesel.
"The prices of crude oil, petroleum products and basic metal substantially increased in March 2021 as compared to the corresponding month of last year. Also, due to nationwide lockdown, the WPI index for the month of March 2020 was computed with a relatively low response rate," the commerce ministry said while releasing the data.
Retail inflation, as per data released earlier this week, rose to a 4-month high of 5.52 per cent in March.
The RBI in its monetary policy earlier this month kept policy rates unchanged and said it will maintain an accommodative monetary policy stance to support growth and keep inflation at the targeted level.
It projected retail inflation at 5.2 per cent in the June quarter.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

domain: news


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This decision was taken against the background of zero growth in sales of iPhones from year to year.
During the conference call for the fourth financial quarter, Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri announced that the company would no longer give device sales figures, including iPhones, MacBooks and iPads. The company believes that they “no longer have the same meaning as before.”
Apple made an announcement immediately after the publication of the report for the quarter, according to which sales of iPhones did not change compared with the same quarter of 2017. Maestri noted that the number of smartphones sold “does not reflect the strength of the business,” but an increase in the figure is still the company’s goal.
Financial Director supported by Apple CEO Tim Cook. He compared the situation with the purchase of products in the store: according to him, the seller will not ask how many products are in the cart, because it will not affect the cost of the contents.
As noted in The Verge, sales may indeed not show the success of Apple’s business, but according to them, journalists and analysts calculate the average price of devices and draw conclusions about how profitable they are for sale. However, now it will become more difficult to measure the success of Apple products on the market: the company will decide for itself when and what data to disclose to investors and the general public.
Apple applied a similar rule from the very beginning to some of its other devices, for example, Apple Watch and AirPods. The exact number of watches and headphones sold is still unknown, although Tim Cook has stated several times that they are the most popular in the world.
November 1, Apple published a financial report for the fourth quarter of the fiscal year. According to the document, the company sold as many iPhones as a year earlier, but received 30% more revenue due to the increased average price of the device. After the MacBook Pro announcement, sales of MacBooks increased by 42%, sales of iPad dropped, and Apple’s “services” division brought a record $ 10 billion.


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Cotton prices are on the rise and will affect everyone that uses or manufactures goods made of cotton. According to the Dallas Morning News, the price of cotton has reached the highest levels since the disruptions of the Civil War. Currently China is number one in cotton production followed by India, Pakistan and the United States. Cotton prices are going up because of floods in Pakistan and India, and China's decision not to export cotton. This may be good for United States' cotton farmers but, not so good for quilters.
Although the Chinese are the biggest producers, processors and importers of cotton, they don't export cotton because they consume more than they can produce.
Don't expect the prices to come down anytime soon. Many of the fabric manufacturers have already started raising their prices. We at Two Bees Fabric will do everything we can to hold our prices.


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If Cambridge’s Stahlbaum family ever feels like they’re being watched, they couldn’t be more right.
Not only are Marg Stahlbaum and her three daughters, Stacey, Jocelyn and Jennifer, being watched over by a team of health experts as part of The Marilyn Denis Show’s Great Canadian Weight Loss Challenge, they’re physically plugged into their wellness coaches.
Even during their home-based workouts, developed by Toronto fitness guru Brent Bishop, the Stahlbaum women are hooked up to heart monitors to ensure they’re working at optimum fat-burning and muscle-building levels. They have to upload their workout readings to a computer to be evaluated by Bishop.
Some days produce good results, some days, not so much. But that’s very typical with many people, according to Bishop, as human nature lulls people into staying within their comfort zones.
“One of the biggest mistakes I see is that people don’t push themselves hard enough,” explained Bishop.
Monitoring and tracking heart rates during workouts is key to improving fitness levels, he added.
“It prevents you from under-challenging yourself.”
With each physical challenge, Marg is realizing just how far she can push herself, he said.
“When she was done she was amazed at what she had accomplished.”
The fitness challenges aren’t limited to home treadmills or video-facilitated exercises. To keep their interest and motivation levels up, Bishop has a series of surprise challenges in store that will be revealed a little at a time. Without giving too much away, one of the upcoming events will involve snowshoeing.
“I want to make it fun,” said Bishop. “If they’re not inspired by it, they’re not going to be motivated to keep up that momentum.”
The Cambridge family is proving to be a dynamic group, especially since they are united, yet competitive. That’s especially true with two of the daughters. That will serve them well, said Bishop.
“I don’t even think they realize how great that is and how they can use that to their advantage.”
Bishop, an author and owner of a Toronto fitness studio that offers personalized fitness programs, was elated to work with the Cambridge family. He believes they’re ready for change.
“I think this has come at the right time for them.”


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Technical difficulties have forced Japan Tobacco Inc. to cancel the launch of online sales of Ploom vaporizers, which, according to a Nov. 28 press note, were scheduled to start yesterday.
Sales through the Ploom Online Shop, operated by JT Creative Services, are now due to go ahead once the Internet site’s technical difficulties have been overcome.
The new launch date will be announced on the JT’s corporate website.
The Ploom vaporizer is a pocket-sized smoking alternative device that heats tobacco contained in pods to a constant temperature, vaporizing nicotine and flavors without burning the materials or producing smoke.
In December 2011, Japan Tobacco International and the San Francisco-based Ploom announced that they had entered into an exclusive, long-term cooperation agreement under which JTI would commercialize Ploom’s new generation of ‘smoking alternative products’ outside the U.S.
Ploom was launched—outside the U.S.—in Austria in May, since when JT International has introduced it also in Korea and Italy.
The product is being made available in Japan in two colors, slate (black) and pearl (white), while pods, which are categorized as pipe tobacco by Japan’s Ministry of Finance, will be available in six blends: Gold, Orchard, Cooler, Lugano, Mevius and Pianissimo. Also available will be the multipack with a 12-piece assortment of two pods of each blend.
Each pod can be used for about 10 to 15 minutes.
The prevalence of smoking in New Zealand has fallen by more than a quarter in six years, according to a story by Martin Johnston for the New Zealand Herald.
Data from this year’s census showed that 15.1 percent of people aged 15 or older smoked daily, down from 20.7 percent in the previous (2006) census.
The Quitline called this a monumental reduction and Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia said it was a huge decline.
Statistics NZ data indicates that the smoking prevalence among Maori declined to 32.7 percent last year, from 42.2 percent in the previous census.
Among non-Maori, it fell to 12.6 percent this year, from 17.8 percent in 2006.
Otago University public health expert, associate professor Nick Wilson, said the overall reduction in the number of smokers seemed credible given the decline in national tobacco sales. Sales fell by 20 percent, to 2.07 million kg between 2006 and 2012.
The government’s official target is that New Zealand will be substantially smoke-free by 2025: subsequently smoke-free being defined as a prevalence of less than 5 percent.
The mid-term target is 10 percent by 2018.
Imperial Tobacco says that it has signed a new agreement with the customs authorities in Belgium to help combat illicit trade.
“Belgium is an important country for the movement of illicit tobacco products by criminals due to its location and communication links,” the company said in a note posted on its website.
“The signing of this memorandum of understanding (MoU) builds on existing joint efforts taking place to tackle the problem.
“It renews an existing MoU and also reflects the mutual co-operation set out in the EU-wide agreement signed between Imperial and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in 2010.”
Kris De Baets, legal and CORA manager for Belgium and Luxembourg, said the illicit trade and especially transit through Belgium was of great concern.
“This agreement enables the authorities to work with us to further tackle the problem,” he said.
Researchers say that an annual study overestimates illicit cigarette levels in some European countries and suggests that Philip Morris International’s supply chain control is inadequate, according to a paper published online by Tobacco Control (TC).
Following a legal agreement with the EU, PMI has commissioned from the global accountancy firm KPMG a yearly report, known as Project Star (PS), on what TC described as the European illicit cigarette trade.
The researchers say that PS “overestimates illicit cigarette levels in some European countries and suggests PMI’s supply chain control is inadequate.”
“Its publication serves the interests of PMI over those of the EU and its member states,” they say.
“PS requires greater transparency, external scrutiny and use of independent data.”
The researchers were Anna B. Gilmore, Andy Rowell and Michelle Sims of the Department for Health and U.K. Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, University of Bath, U.K.; Silvano Gallus and Alessandra Lugo of the Department of Epidemiology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy; and Luk Joossens of the Association of the European Cancer Leagues and Foundation Against Cancer, Brussels, Belgium.
The open access paper can be accessed at http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2013/12/11/tobaccocontrol-2013-051240.full.
Paris, France, is set to launch a sustainable alternative to the environment unfriendly café heaters currently used to keep smokers warm outside, according to a story by Elisabeth Braw for Guardian Professional.
And as well as providing heat, the solar-powered parasols will apparently absorb cigarette smoke.
The parasols are being supplied by the U.S. company, Amorphica, whose spokeswoman, Leemor Chandally, said they had been designed to provide comfortable and interactive urban spaces year-round.
“For example, it can be easily affixed to existing urban fixtures, such as bus stops, to improve the experience of waiting for a bus during the winter by providing a warm semi-enclosed space,” Chandally said.
Braw’s story is at http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/solar-power-parasol-paris-smokers.
Japan Tobacco Inc. has said that it intends to launch Pianissimo Icene Spike, a product that will offer the strongest menthol sensation of the Pianissimo brand.
The new product will go on sale across Japan from the middle of next month.
The Pianissimo Icene range is said to offer a smooth taste and a refreshingly ice-like menthol sensation.
To achieve the strong menthol sensation and a satisfying smoking experience, Pianissimo Icene Spike will have a regular diameter format, so it will be larger than the other slim-sized Icene products.


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The biggest antitrust case against a major tech company in over two decades got underway on Tuesday, and it could have major ramifications for advertisers.
The U.S. Department of Justice, joined by several states, alleges that Google stymied competition — and maintained a monopoly over internet search and search advertising — by engaging in conduct that includes paying companies like Apple to make the Google search engine the default option for their web browsers. The trial is scheduled to last 10 weeks.
If Google loses, it could diminish the company’s influence in the search market and open more avenues for competitors. That could potentially provide more choices for advertisers.
“For years, Google has entered into exclusionary agreements, including tying arrangements, and engaged in anticompetitive conduct to lock up distribution channels and block rivals,” the DOJ alleged in its lawsuit that was first brought in 2020.
In response to the DOJ’s claims, Google’s President of Global Affairs, Kent Walker, argued in a recent blog post that there are “more ways than ever” to search on the internet, and that consumers prefer Google.
“Our promotion and distribution of Google Search hasn’t harmed competition or reduced consumer choice,“ he wrote. “To the contrary, there are more ways than ever to find information today. Just think about how you use the internet — you may look for recommendations on TikTok, Reddit, or Instagram, find music and podcasts on Spotify, ask ChatGPT a question, or shop on Amazon. In fact, it’s reported that over 60 percent of Americans start product searches on Amazon.”
The company also plans to make the case that browser makers choose Google Search as the default because of its quality.
In a report for the non-profit organization American Economic Liberties Project, authors Matt Stoller and Sahaj Sharda wrote in part that the trial could be “critical for the future of search, open or closed,” suggesting that it could affect the next generation of tech and how the internet itself evolves, particularly as it relates to artificial intelligence (AI).
“If the court rules poorly, it will be to uphold the most important monopoly in the world, entrenching its power into the next technological paradigm,” they wrote.
What the trial means for advertisers
Google’s advertising business was already under the microscope heading into the trial. Earlier this year, a class action lawsuit was filed, alleging that the company misled advertisers by inflating video metrics. It’s also facing a separate suit from the DOJ and eight states, filed in January, that alleges Google engaged in anticompetitive and exclusionary conduct to entrench its dominance over digital advertising technologies. And in late 2020, a Texas-led group of states also filed a lawsuit against Google alleging anticompetitive practices in the digital advertising market. That action is pending.
Regarding the current trial, in addition to joining arguments made by the DOJ, the states also assert that Google “favors advertising on its own platform and steers advertiser spending towards itself by artificially denying advertisers the opportunity to evaluate the options that would serve those advertisers best.”
In a recent edition of his own newsletter, "Big," Stoller — the director of research at the American Economic Liberties Project — argued that the recent demise of another search competitor underscores the U.S. government’s case.
“To understand why this case makes sense, look no further than the experience of Neeva, a search engine whose quality was as high or higher than that of Google, but died a few months ago because it just couldn’t get access to customers,” Stoller wrote.
He posited that the default settings for browser-makers “are what’s on trial, because that’s what killed Neeva, and prevents anyone from investing in the next search competitor.”
Potential long-term ramifications
Neeva was powered by AI, an evolving technology that adds another layer of complexity to this trial.
Google has already started incorporating generative AI tools into its search functions (as has Microsoft with Bing). The outcome of the trial could impact competition in the space, Stoller and Sharda suggested in their American Economic Liberties Project report.
“As with technologies of the past, artificial intelligence has the potential to be transformative, but the terms of its commercialization will depend on the legal frameworks underpinning market structure,” Stoller and Sharda wrote.
They added: “If firms can compete on a level playing field for customers, small rivals can create innovative products and take market share. If not, then such a technological inflection point will only entrench the incumbent’s dominance.”


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All Pre-Ordered 2008 DCE DVDs Shipped
All DVDs of the DCE Championships 2008 that were preorderd, have been shipped. The delivery time depends on the shipping time, which is usually 4-6 business days for European addresses.
Drum Corps Europe would like to thank Peter Franken, Drum Corps Media, Show & Marching Music, Friedo TV Productions, and the DCE staff who worked hard to make the DVDs ready for their dedication. Thanks to these people, the European drum corps fans can enjoy the great performances of last year’s Championships.
Read the rest of the article here.


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India is negotiating Free Trade Agreement with 6 Gulf countries
New Delhi: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) consists of six (06) countries - Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain & Qatar. So far two rounds of negotiations have been held. The first round was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 21st – 22nd March, 2006 and the second was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 9th – 10th September, 2008. The third round of negotiations was to be held in India during 2009, as per the decision taken during the 2nd round of negotiations. However, GCC Secretariat informed that the negotiations with all countries and economic groups, have been deferred until GCC States completely reviews the issue of negotiations. It was further informed that the Secretariat General would inform India, the appropriate date to resume negotiations, as soon as GCC countries decide in the matter.
During the course of negotiations, the views of concerned Departments are obtained in taking a decision regarding tariff concessions, if any, to be granted. This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
The foreign trade (export+import) has increased from 42 billion US $, in 1990-91 to 765 billion US$ in the year 2013-14 with an annual average growth rate of 13.42% and has increased 18 folds during the period.
The gap, between value of import and export, which is Trade deficit, has also increased during the said period. The trade deficit has increased from 6 billion US $ in 1990-91 to 136 billion US $ in 2013-14. Foreign trade i.e. exports and imports are influenced by a number of macroeconomic factors of the country and the world, like demand and supply, exchange rates, economic conditions of different countries.
Top 10 countries, which have imported more from India than exported to India during 2013-14 are USA, Singapore, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, U.K., Kenya, Nepal, Vietnam etc. whereas during 1990-91 such countries were USSR, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Mauritius, Spain, Afghanistan, Nigeria etc.
The details of country wise Exports and Imports and quantity are available in the DGCI&S publication in CD form namely ‘Monthly Statistics of Foreign Trade of India’ Vol. I (Exports) & Vol.II (Imports). Such CD’s are regularly sent to Parliament Library by DGCI&S, Kolkata.
This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has made salaried class and stock market unhappy. He …


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Everyone knows that the Chevrolet Colorado is a serious off-road beast. And everyone knows that Chevrolet is all about supporting American consumers and the American military. So, it should come as no surprise that GM is basing a brand new Infantry Squad Vehicle on the Chevrolet Colorado, and this impressive ride has specs that will get every off-road enthusiast excited.
The new infantry squad vehicle from GM Defense is based on the Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickup, specifically the ZR2 Bison trim. The new vehicle will be an exceptionally capable off-road truck able to take on the toughest conditions imaginable, thanks to a combination of commercially available and entirely custom parts, such as jounce shocks, Multimatic DSSV dampers, and custom underbody skid plates.
Under the hood, the new military-grade Chevy will boast an advanced 2.8-liter diesel engine. This will be much more than just a high-powered off-road vehicle, though. The new infantry squad vehicle will be spacious enough to carry nine soldiers and plenty of military gear while cruising at high speeds. The vehicle will also need to fit into a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, be sling-loaded by a Blackhawk helicopter, and tough enough to withstand some seriously rugged terrain.
While we won’t see such an incredible vehicle on normal roads anytime soon, the US Army hopes to get about 650 of these impressive squad vehicles sometime in 2020.
You can find your off-road dream machine at Fuller Chevrolet GMC Truck.


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Like their well-heeled clientele, luxury companies lately appear to be in more of a shopping mood.
Emboldened by improved holiday sales, big luxury firms are not only ramping up growth plans in China and other fast-growing markets, but also mulling acquisitions as the aftershocks of the Wall Street crisis subside.
Yesterday, European media reported that Richemont, the Swiss conglomerate that owns upscale brands like Cartier, Montblanc and Chloe, is in talks to buy a stake in Rodenstock, a debt-ridden German eyeglass maker that’s owned by British buyout firm Bridgepoint.
Earlier this month, The Post reported that Richemont has been in talks to buy a passive minority stake in Prada. While Prada has denied the report, Richemont has declined to comment.
Elsewhere, fashion-conscious investors are openly in the hunt.
Yesterday, Italian department store Borletti Group said it is interested in acquiring Itierre, which produces collections including Just Cavalli and Galliano. Confirming an Oct. 17 report in The Post, bankrupt Itierre owner IT Holdings said it would soon auction off its Malo brand, which is famous for its $600 sweaters.
The revived interest in deals is being fueled by a recent improvement in demand for pricey clothing and handbags, industry sources said.
“We have seen a big turnaround in trends with numbers that give us a sense of optimism,” Gianluca Brozzetti, CEO of Roberto Cavalli, told Bloomberg News yesterday. “In the final two quarters of 2009 we experienced a significant pick-up relative to the previous 12 to 18 months.”
Separately yesterday, Richemont reported a stronger-than-expected 2 percent sales increase for its fiscal third quarter, prompting some analysts to raise their profit outlooks.


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The release of the updated Nissan Qashqai postponed due to coronavirusSeptember 7, 2020
Nissan decided to postpone the production of the popular third generation Qashqai cross-country at a later date. This information was shared by the Financial Times on Monday, September 7, based on several sources.
As they emphasized, the serial production of the car will begin only in April 2021 at a car factory in Sunderland, UK. This plant will assemble the machine for the European market. At the same time, according to sources, initially the Japanese concern was going to start mass production of the model in October this year. There is no official confirmation of this information yet.
According to the interlocutors of the publication, the postponement of the production of Qashqai is due to the coronavirus pandemic and the financial difficulties that have arisen because of it. In addition, the sources believe that the new production start date will provide the Japanese company with an opportunity to adjust its own plans if the UK does not strike a deal with the EU after Brexit.
It is assumed that the novelty of the Japanese corporation will be offered not only with classic, but also with hybrid power units. At the same time, in the latter, the 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbo engine will be used only as a generator to recharge the batteries.
In addition, it was recently noted that the Japanese company Nissan announced new models for the Beijing Auto Show. It should be emphasized that there will be two high-profile novelties at the stand of the Japanese car manufacturer.
- Forgotten 70s Aston Martin supercar to be restored
- Classic Bentley Blower was assembled from Lego parts
- Nissan starts production of the updated crossover Qashqai
- Acura RDX crossover will be available in an exclusive PMC Edition
- Photos of the Genesis GV70 cross-country salon appeared on the network


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Virgin in premium rate row
Virgin Media is to start charging customers 25p a minute to ring a helpline for its broadband internet service. Industry experts say switching to an 0906 phone number - a code normally used by sex chatlines - could cost the average customer more than £30 a year for a service that is currently free.
Karen Darby, founder of advice group SimplySwitch, said: 'They must think that customers just don't notice. But with headline prices for all telecoms services coming down, firms are increasingly trying to hide charges in the small print.'
When Financial Mail rang the current help number, it took four minutes and two different push-button menus before being connected to a human operator.
When we did get through, the help desk warned that at peak times - between 4pm and 9pm on weekdays - the wait could be much longer.
Under the new regime, which starts on July 1, that call would cost £1.10, including a 'connection fee', before even starting to ask a question. The company said the switch to premium rate charges was to 'deter' customers from calling the line unnecessarily.
'Lots of people ring to inquire about using the internet or about using another company's software,' a spokesman said.
The move, which is being seen as a PR disaster, follows the announcement by regulator Ofcom that it is probing 'hidden charges' on bills in the telecoms industry.
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Four new ships on the way for Norwegian Cruise Line
It's expansion time again at Norwegian Cruise Line.
The parent company of the Miami-based cruise operator on Thursday announced it had ordered a new series of 140,000-ton ships for the line to begin arriving in 2022.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) said it had reached an agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for four vessels in the series to be delivered in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively. The company said it had options for two more of the ships for delivery in 2026 and 2027.
The vessels, notably, will be smaller than those in Norwegian's latest classes of new ships. The line is in the midst of rolling out three "Breakaway-Plus" vessels that measure around 165,000 tons. They include the recently unveiled Norwegian Escape, currently the world's seventh largest cruise ship. Three other Norwegian vessels that have debuted since 2010 range in size from around 146,000 to 156,000 tons.
Norwegian said the new ships would hold about 3,300 passengers. That's around 1,000 fewer than Norwegian Escape.
Norwegian didn't reveal details about the design of the newly ordered vessels but promised innovation. The company said the ships would cost about 800 million euro — $851 million at today's exchange rates.
“This new class of ships will continue Norwegian Cruise Line brand’s legacy of introducing meaningful innovation to the cruise industry,” Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “This order continues to highlight our disciplined new-build program, extends our growth trajectory well into the future, enhances our already attractive earnings profile, and drives expected long-term returns for our shareholders.”
Norwegian currently operates 14 vessels. Before Thursday's announcement, the line had just two ships on order, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Bliss. Norwegian Joy is scheduled to debut in May and be devoted to the Chinese market. Norwegian Bliss is scheduled to arrive in 2018 and sail in the Caribbean and Alaska. Both vessels are part of the Breakaway-Plus class.


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Growing subscriber numbers will propel the industry's expansion
London, United Kingdom (PRWEB) October 19, 2012
The UK Internet Service Providers industry has displayed only modest growth over the past five years, but this is a strong performance against a telecommunications sector in decline. According to IBISWorld industry analyst Angela Kidson, “this reflects the growing importance and influence that the internet has on the day-to-day lives of consumers and businesses”. Value added services are also allowing the industry to outperform the sector. Industry revenue is expected to rise by 2.5% per annum growth in the five years through 2012-13.
The ability for internet service providers to unbundle their service from an incumbent's local exchange has provided for some aggressive pricing strategies in internet services. Local loop unbundling is also a means of uncoupling internet provision from traditional fixed line services, which are losing out to the mobile alternative. Kidson adds, “this is boosting usage by facilitating access to various data-intensive applications such as online gaming, online commerce, video sharing and content downloads”. In 2012-13, the industry is expected to generate £14.0 billion in revenue, a 6.1% increase from the previous year.
In the coming five years to 2017-18, the industry is projected to grow at a much stronger rate. Larger gains made by the industry will result in a short-term influx of new operators trying for a quick market grab. Market share will be made available with the roll-out of the fibre-optic network and the expanding number of service offerings that come with it. However, as experienced in the past five years, economies of scale rule this game and will again shake out smaller operators that cannot find a niche market.
In 2012-13, across the entire internet service provider industry, the top four players will hold a combined 33% market share, giving the industry a low level of market share concentration. BT remains the largest provider, followed by Virgin Media, TalkTalk and BSkyB.
For more information on the Internet Service Providers industry, including latest industry trends, statistics, analysis and market share information, purchase the full report from IBISWorld, the nation’s largest publisher of industry research.
IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics
Companies in this industry provide internet access via fixed lines to businesses, households and government. Internet services are provided via dial-up and fixed broadband connections. Internet service providers may also offer support services including web page hosting, web development, domain services, intranets development and administration, and e-commerce based services.
Key External Drivers
Industry Life Cycle
Products & Markets
Products & Services
Globalisation & Trade
Market Share Concentration
Key Success Factors
Cost Structure Benchmarks
Barriers to Entry
Recognised as the nation’s most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on many UK industries. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in London, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organisations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.co.uk or call (020) 3008 6568.


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Visual artist, Dr Esther Mahlangu turned 85 today and many sent her well wishes on social media.
She’ll also be launching her largest solo exhibition titled, Esther Mahlangu 85 on November 19 to commemorate her birth month. exhibition is curated by Ruzy Rusike and will be launched online and at The Melrose Gallery in Johannesburg until December 20.
She will showcase her artworks created over the past three years, including the bold, geometric paintings for which she has become so globally acclaimed, and an exciting new series of sculptures. However, Mahlangu won’t stop there. After the opening of the exhibition, she will unveil two 16m paintings at Southgate Mall and launch a range of handbags with collaborator, Carol Bouwer. She’s also working on the touring retrospective of her work set for 2023.
“We expect strong interest in this exhibition from global collectors based on positive increases in prices fetched by leading auction houses both locally and internationally, several sales to important collectors over the last 2 years and in the run up to Dr Mahlangu’s Retrospective Exhibition which is scheduled to tour global museums from 2023,” read the Melrose Gallery statement.
VIEW SOME OF THE BIRTHDAY TWEETS:


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LG G8 ThinQ Could be the Audiohile’s Ultimate Smartphone
LG’s upcoming G8 ThinQ smartphone is shaping up to be the ultimate handset for audiophiles, with the company this week revealing a truckload of intriguing sonic-related features – including a vibrating OLED screen.
The G8 ThinQ will be the first phone to come with LG’s Crystal Sound OLED (CSO for short) technology, which transforms the screen into a vibrating speaker. With the entire surface acting as a diaphragm, CSO reportedly delivers both impressive volume and enhanced clarity; it can even act in tandem with the phone’s dedicated bottom-firing speaker to produce proper stereo sound.
This dual-purpose display isn’t the only audio aspect of the G8 ThinQ worth noting, however.
It will also come with a Hi-Fi Quad DAC and 3.5mm headphone jack allowing it to output high-quality sound; a Boombox Speaker function that produces a more bass-heavy sound when the phone is placed on a hard flat surface; MQA lossless streaming support (that’ll reportedly be available even to those who don’t have unlimited data plans); and DTS:X 3D Surround Sound, which aims to create a 7.1-channel effect with or without headphones.
The LG G8 ThinQ will be officially launched on 24th February at an event preceding Mobile World Congress, where the company will reveal details about other features and specifications. But in terms of audio, at least, it looks set to stand out even among high-end rival flagship models from Apple, Samsung, Huawei and Sony.
Stay tuned for updates.
Having been covering consumer tech since phones were dumb and TVs weren’t flat, few things in the gadget world still have the power to surprise Sam – which is why he loves writing about those few things that do. Originally a Londoner transplanted to New York, he’s now returned to the English coast.
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Mumbai: Federal Bank has launched Malayalam and Hindi language versions for its mobile banking application (FedMobile).
The bank has become first bank in India to enable multi-lingual capability for mobile banking.
Malayalam language version of FedMobile was launched today by renowned writer MT Vasudevan Nair.
The multi-lingual version is currently available for Android devices and will soon be extended to iOS users.
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U.S. Consulate General Mumbai honors 27 Indian shipping companies
ICRA: Asymmetry in traffic between the larger incumbents and RJio is expected to reduce in the long run
Honda riders Sarath Kumar and Rajiv Sethu all set to represent India in Round-5 of Asia Road Racing Championship
Tanishq is the exclusive jewellery partner for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati
Honda Cars India introduces DIGIPAD AVN system in BR-V
2014 The Global Indian New Network (TGINN)


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More than 4,000 people came to Flemington on Saturday, July 19 for dancing, music, vendors and food at Salsa Night 2014.
“We expected large crowds,” Hunterdon Helpline Executive Director and event organizer Susan Lax said, “but this was phenomenal. People began strolling in at 3:30, even before the event was to begin at 4 and by 5 p.m., Main Street between Mine and Capner were full. She said vendors and the Flemington stores that stayed open were asked if it was successful and everyone was extremely happy with the event. “We have already been told by the vendors that they will be back next year,” she added.
Vendors’ products ranged from jewelry to novelties to cosmetics to religious items to instant portraits. Food vendors brought an eclectic array of foods, from hotdogs, Philly cheesesteaks and hamburgers to fajitas and enchiladas, to Asian BBQ and po’boy sandwiches to ice cream and baked goods. Main Street restaurants that were open included Jack's Pizzeria, Sophie’s, 55 Main, Garden State Salad and Cocos.
The event, a fundraiser for Hunterdon Helpline, was the second year the nonprofit has organized the event. According to Lax, the event will be a regular Helpline fundraiser going forward and plans are already in the making for Salsa Night 2015, scheduled for Saturday, July 18, 2015.
According to Lax, the event costs almost $10,000 to put on but businesses rallied with sponsorship money. ShopRite has been a Salsa Night supporter for years and was the signature sponsor. Jakes Restaurant and Bar has been Helpline’s Beer, Wine and Sangria host for two years. The other sponsors were the Law Office of Sharon B. Ransavage, CenturyLink, UnityBank, PSI and Shout!
While she does not yet know what the event raised for Helpline, Lax said being able to bring this sense of community among residents is a wonderful reward. She said the exposure for Helpline, Hunterdon County businesses and other nonprofits who participated also is worth putting on the event. She said people came from beyond the county and were introduced to the local business community, some for the first time. “I had several people stop me and tell me that they had come from out-of-town and would come back,” she added.
The Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce’s had its Internet Radio Station broadcasting live from the event and morning radio show host Chris Bianco interviewed business owners and people as they walked by. He said “they were extremely excited about seeing happy, smiling faces and the thousands of people enjoying Flemington.”
Helpline’s Volunteer Programs Coordinator Mariden May said that people were interested in the nonprofits at the event and were signing on to volunteer. “The event brought such an excitement and sense of comradery and connection,” she added.
Hunterdon Helpline is celebrating its 45th year as an organization that provides free programs and services to residents who are struggling with financial issues, mental or physical health problems, homelessness, employment, senior and disability issues and other life challenges. Its First Assist Helpline operates 24 days a week, 365 days a year. The organization connects its clients to its own programs and services as well as that of other organizations that provide social services, making sure the individual receives the needed assistance.
To learn more about Hunterdon Helpline, make a donation, or volunteer, visit helplinehc.org or call 800-272-4630 or 908-782- HELP.


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Chance took issue with the "sometimes lighter is better” message.
Heineken offers a variety of light beers. They have established themselves as one of the world's leading beers, with their product offered all over the world. Much like Pepsi was under fire for a questionable advertisement campaign with Kendall Jenner last year, Heineken may be the next major brand to deal with the consequences of publishing sensitive and risky material. While the brand's intentions were likely to promote their brand of light beers, sliding a bottle by several people of color and ending with the message "sometimes lighter is better" can absolutely be misconstrued and should have been avoided. Chance the Rapper took to his social media to bring the issue to light.
Sharing the video with his over seven million followers, Chance clearly took issue with the racial undertones taking place in the advertisement, writing, "I think some companies are purposely putting out noticably [sic] racist ads so they can get more views." The Chicagoan continued, "And that shit racist/bogus so I guess I shouldn’t help by posting about it. But ð I gotta just say tho. The “sometimes lighter is better” Hienekin [sic] commercial is terribly racist omg." Included below, the video shows a bartender noticing a woman and sliding a beer to her, strategically past three people of color before the message "sometimes lighter is better" appears. While it is unclear how this advertisement made it past Heineken's PR department, people have begun to take notice and it could spell trouble for the company.
Watch the video and judge for yourself. Do you think Chance is overreacting or is the commercial as "terribly racist" as he says?


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Hamburg Süd Group is a global shipping and logistics company based in Germany. Formed in 1871, Hamburg Süd ranks among the world's 20 largest container shipping lines and is one of the leading carriers in the North-South trades.
01 Aug 2014
The G6 Alliance is performing abysmally compared with its competitors when it comes to schedule reliability, according to a new SeaIntel report.
26 Jul 2014
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association met for three days this past week without concluding negotiations; at the weekend, the parties announced a week-long recess in the talks. German carrier Hamburg Süd announced plans to acquire the container operations of Chile’s CCNI, in a move resembling the deal between larger competitor Hapag-Lloyd and Chile’s CSAV, and Crowley is reported to be in talks to acquire Horizon Lines’ Puerto Rico assets. Earnings reports by U.S. truckload carriers are pointing to a stronger freight recovery in the United States, though rail service continues to be held back. And on Friday, Anne S. Ferro announced her departure from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration after five years leading the agency.
25 Jul 2014
Hamburg Süd has signed a preliminary agreement to acquire the container operations of the Valparaiso, Chile-based Compañía Chilena de Navegación Interoceánica, or CCNI, by Dec. 31, 2014.
18 Jul 2014
Multiple carriers have announced general rate increases on several trade routes to take effect in August.
04 Jul 2014
Several container lines have planned general rate increases in multiple trade routes to take effect Aug. 1...
20 Jun 2014
Several container lines have planned general rate increases in multiple trade routes to take effect in July...
18 Jun 2014
Hamburg Süd said it will focus on further cost cuts and expansion of its core routes to and from South America through 2014.
06 Jun 2014
Despite recent improvements, global container lines’ schedule reliability and on-time container delivery have been worse every month so far this year versus last year.
06 Jun 2014
Numerous container lines have planned general rate increases in various trade routes to take effect July 1, although any gains achieved could be fleeting as overcapacity and sluggish global demand continue.
23 May 2014
Several carriers have planned general rate increases in multiple trade routes in June and July, although any gains achieved could be fleeting as overcapacity and sluggish global demand continue.
05 May 2014
London Gateway has landed its first east-west liner service after the G6 Alliance announced it would call at the United Kingdom’s newest container port.


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As appetite for antitrust litigation continues, clients’ competition strategies must increasingly cater to coordinating proceedings in multiple jurisdictions.
The EU antitrust damages directive is changing the status quo
The EU antitrust damages directive—which seeks to facilitate claims for competition law breaches and remove some of the obstacles created by individual national legal systems—has now been implemented by 25 EU member states. The directive promises to change the European competition landscape, despite experiencing some growing pains.
The EU antitrust damages directive will change the way law firms do business, because actions can now be brought either in the jurisdiction in which the defendant is domiciled or in the jurisdiction where the harmful event occurred. As a result, law firms that may previously have been limited to operating where they have expertise may henceforth implement a global strategy to bring actions in multiple jurisdictions on behalf of their clients.
The directive hasn’t yet succeeded in leveling the playing field, but it nevertheless lays the groundwork for significant changes across the region. In 2019, we expect EU legislators to pave the way for further large-scale antitrust litigation, and we anticipate legal finance playing a key role in the resulting mass damage claims.
Separately, although the collective actions regime in the UK is still in its early days, and neither of the first claims continued past the class certification stage, Pride and Mastercard have clarified crucial information about the Competition Appeal Tribunal process. Notably, in the £14 billion claim against Mastercard, the Tribunal did not disagree that third-party funders could be paid from any unclaimed damages. Thus, despite the Tribunal’s slow start, the door remains open for funded antitrust class actions.
Antitrust claims are on the rise in Asia
A growing number of Asian jurisdictions now provide a forum for antitrust claims, and China and Hong Kong in particular are poised to see increased activity in the coming months and years.
China has established dedicated antitrust courts across each of its major administrative regions—making it an increasingly important battlefield for companies or individuals seeking antitrust damages. In addition, following the Hong Kong Competition Ordinance in 2015, there is an expectation that follow-on damages litigation could lead Hong Kong to become an important venue in Asia for antitrust damages claims.
For the time being, the size of Asian antitrust claims remains generally small, but this is expected to change. As antitrust damages claims continue to rise in Asia, companies doing business in the region will need to be prepared to manage the increasing antitrust litigation risks.
Increased activity anticipated in the US
In 2018, the number of antitrust class actions with settlement damages was consistent with 2016 and 2015 levels—but notably the total dollar value of damages is on the rise. Although antitrust activity has remained relatively flat, there is an overarching sense that that may soon change.
At the state level, following the midterm elections, Democrats now hold a 27-24 majority of the nation’s attorneys general offices. As a result, there is a potential for increased activity, as state attorneys general have expanded their roles in recent years to fill a void left by the US Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to enforce against companies engaged in unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices. At the federal level, there is a less immediate but no less palpable potential for increased activity given both an overarching “new populism” on both the left and right, as well as an uncertain political climate. Since the 1980s, the prevailing approach to antitrust thought has been the consumer welfare standard, which emphasizes economic benefits over structural presumptions. However, in the wake of the Great Recession, an emerging antitrust populist movement has criticized that approach as having resulted in under-enforcement, industry concentration, and greater wealth inequality.
Although it is unclear how quickly—and to what extent—these changes will impact the volume of antitrust cases, companies should nevertheless be prepared for increased enforcement activity.
Preparing for further changes in 2019
The antitrust space has evolved rapidly in recent years. As new opportunities arise related to the EU antitrust damages directive and as a result of increased antitrust activity in emerging and established markets, we anticipate legal finance being an important tool for law firms and claimants alike.
Working with the right financing partner can help law firms implement an ambitious global competition strategy. In addition to providing capital that can be used across jurisdictions, the right finance provider can offer even more value to law firms. A strategic partner like Burford has extensive experience reviewing legal matters all over the world and can offer deep insights for firms embarking on matters in new jurisdictions.
Meanwhile, businesses looking to defend themselves against global anti-competitive behavior—matters that are almost always expert-intensive and extraordinarily expensive—will increasingly utilize legal finance as a better path to recovery. Burford has the capacity to commit for the long-term—ensuring that clients have the resources they need to see a matter through to conclusion.
There is no question that antitrust law remains a growing area of need and opportunity that is still largely underserved by the funding industry. But as more law firms and businesses embrace external finance as a tool, they will be better positioned to navigate a quickly changing global antitrust landscape.
 Dorothy Gibson v Pride Mobility Products Ltd  CAT 9.
 Walter Hugh Merricks CBE v MasterCard Incorporated and Others  CAT 16.
 2018 End-of-Year Practice Area Report. LEX MACHINA. http://pages.lexmachina.com/Email_Year-End-Practice-Area-Report-2018_LP-Banner.html.


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Jinyu Tire Group hosted the groundbreaking ceremony of Jinyu (Vietnam) Tire Company Ltd’s 2 million tyre a year factory in Phuoc Dong Industrial Park, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam on 18 June 2020. Local industrial park leaders as well as customer, supplier and construction representatives attended on the behalf of Jinyu Tire Group partners in light of the Covid pandemic
In the USA the United Steelworkers (USW) union has filed antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions on dumped and subsidized passenger vehicle and light truck (PVLT) tyres with the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission
In February, the organisers of Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City decided to reschedule the 2020 show edition due to the coronavirus. The new date is 20 to 22 August at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC).
Guizhou Tire recently broke ground on two new tyre production facilities near the firm’s headquarters in Guizhou, Guiyang province. According to Asian Rubber Journal reports, when operational, the first – a $307 million plant – is expected to generate nearly $426 million annually. Capacity is salted to be 3 million truck tyres a year.
It’s almost two years since we first heard of Guizhou Tyre Co. Ltd’s intention to establish a plant in Vietnam, and plans have been taking shape since then. On 4 March, the Chinese tyre maker’s Board of Directors approved the establishment of a new wholly-owned subsidiary.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is to form a joint venture with Sailun Vietnam Co, Ltd to build a 2 million capacity truck and bus radial manufacturing plant. Subject to closing and government approvals, the facility will be located near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, at the site of Sailun Vietnam’s existing operations, which early in 2018 signed an offtake agreement to produce Roadmaster, Dean and Starfire brand tyres for Cooper. The new announcement represents the latest move in a series of cooperative moves between the two firms – Sailun Jinyu invested in joining Cooper in its GRT JV in September.
Visiting CITExpo in 2018 had the potential to be a gloomy affair. A trade show that has specifically targeted medium-sized tyre Chinese manufacturers as a gateway for raising global interest, the trading environment in major export markets in Europe and North America have not been the most hospitable, with tariffs or anti-dumping duties affecting various product segments. In the UK, we heard from a major Chinese truck tyre importer that business had effectively been put on hold with the announcement that the EU was imposing tariffs in May. Pressure had also been mounting domestically, as the Chinese government moved to bring a halt to production at factories it considered to be too polluting, which led to upstream supply chain problems, as raw materials suppliers to the tyre industry were among those affected.
Singapore-based Firenza’s truck and bus tyres are manufactured manufacturing facilities in both Vietnam and Thailand which incorporate “the very latest technological advancements in tyre building technology and design”, according to the company.
All Firenza commercial tyre patterns include a solid shoulder construction complete with a zero angled steel band that is designed to significantly reduce irregular wear whilst a unique tread groove arrangement effectively safeguards against casing damage and stone retention.
Vietnamese tyre exports were worth US$920 million in 2017, up 44.2 per cent from 2016. Meanwhile, local tyre production enjoyed a trade surplus of $564 million in 2017, doubling the amount gained in the previous year.
Under a new multi-year manufacturing offtake agreement, the Sailun tyre plant in Vietnam will produce truck and bus radial (TBR) tyres for Cooper Tire & Rubber. Tyres produced for Cooper in the Sailun Vietnam Co., Ltd. plant will be manufactured under the Roadmaster, Dean and Starfire brand names and be sold in global markets. Cooper says the offtake agreement gives it a “third global source of TBR tyre production to meet growing customer needs.”
Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG), a state-owned business and country’s largest rubber producer/exporter, is scheduled to launch an initial public offering (IPO) on 2 February 2018 with shares being listed on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange in June or July.


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- Apple will pay $113 million in a settlement for an investigation into its past practice of intentionally slowing down people’s iPhones.
- The payout is the latest Apple has made in regard to the matter — the company paid $500 million to settle a class-action lawsuit in May.
- Apple admitted to slowing phones down in 2017 and said it was to prevent old batteries from randomly shutting devices off, not to force customers to buy newer smartphone models, as some believed.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Apple will pay a $113 million settlement in an investigation into the company’s practice of intentionally slowing old iPhones down, a move that some customers perceived as a tactic to force them into purchasing new, more expensive models. The Washington Post first reported the news.
Apple declined Business Insider’s request for comment and pointed to a part of the filing that stated Apple’s settlement does not imply admittance of wrongdoing.
The so-called “batterygate” scandal dates back to 2017 when customers began noticing that their devices were slowing down after downloading new versions of Apple’s software. Apple at the time did admit that the updates indeed slowed down the phones to prevent their aging batteries from causing the devices to randomly shut down. Some customers and critics questioned if the move was instead designed to prompt more sales of new iPhone models, which Apple pushed back on.
This new investigation was launched by more than 30 states, including Arizona, Arkansas, and Indiana, according to a press release. The investigators alleged that Apple was aware that its updates were slowing devices down but failed to inform customers of the practice. In addition to the fine, Apple also legally committed to greater transparency.
“Big Tech companies must stop manipulating consumers and tell them the whole truth about their practices and products,” Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said in the press release. “I’m committed to holding these goliath technology companies accountable when they conceal…


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The Huawei P60 series is likely to be unveiled at the 2023 MWC in Barcelona
Huawei is preparing for the unveiling of the P60 phone and its launch in the market. According to reports, the brand will launch the FreeBuds Pro 2+ wireless headphones alongside the P60 series. These devices will undergo many changes and will have upgraded hardware specifications and features. Now a rumor has been published on the Internet that claims that Huawei may show these phones at the MWC event in Barcelona.
to report GizmochinaIn the Chinese social network (Weibo), there were several posts from different whistleblowers that pointed to the next Huawei P60 series. The manufacturer seems to have updated the camera module and maybe the back cover is made of leather.
Huawei is known for producing high-quality cameras, and the P60 series is no exception. According to rumors, these phones will have three cameras, including the main camera, wide camera and telephoto camera. This arrangement is ideal for people who enjoy taking photos and videos; Because it seems that the quality of photography and filming is unmatched.
Anyway, everything that has been said so far is all speculation and rumor and the official unveiling time of these phones has not been announced yet. The 2023 Mobile World Congress (MWC) event will be held from February 27 to March 2, 2023 (March 8-11, 1401) and we have to see if Huawei will showcase the P60 family at the event.


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Next year, Disney Cruise Line is bringing back Pixar Day at Sea and Marvel Day at Sea for even more opportunities to embark on extraordinary adventures during these one-of-a-kind experiences. Setting sail January through early March from Florida home ports, these exclusive events combine the fun and relaxation of a Disney cruise vacation with one… Continue reading Pixar Day at Sea and Marvel Day at Sea Return to Disney Cruise Line in 2024
New Fireworks Show, A Special Castaway Club Gift Announced for Disney Cruise Line’s ‘Silver Anniversary at Sea’
Disney Cruise Line is turning 25 this summer! From dazzling new entertainment offerings and family activities to inspired menu items and a themed merchandise collection, there is so much to look forward to on board all five ships from May through September of 2023. With the official celebration beginning in just a few months, we’re… Continue reading New Fireworks Show, A Special Castaway Club Gift Announced for Disney Cruise Line’s ‘Silver Anniversary at Sea’
Watch this! Disney Cruise Line Debuts Pixar Day at Sea
It’s not just the start of a new year – it’s also the beginning of an all-new themed sailing for Disney Cruise Line! This weekend, Pixar Day at Sea will make its debut on the Disney Fantasy, bringing to life the ever-unfolding stories of our favorite Pixar toys, monsters and heroes during one incredible day… Continue reading Watch this! Disney Cruise Line Debuts Pixar Day at Sea
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Managing Devices, Apps, Android and M2M Hot Themes
Boston, MA - November 1, 2011 – Enterprise mobility dominated the CTIA Enterprise and Applications 2011 October show in San Diego, according to the latest Strategy Analytics Wireless Enterprise Strategies report, “From MDM to M2M: Key Enterprise Mobility Trends at CTIA Enterprise and Applications 2011
.” There was a real buzz around the topics of mobile device management (MDM), applications, Android, M2M (machine-to-machine) and unified communications.
“The CTIA Enterprise and Applications Show is an excellent bellwether for the direction of the wireless enterprise market,” said Andrew Brown, Director of Wireless Enterprise Strategies and author of the report for Strategy Analytics. “The October 2011 show was no different, highlighting:
- Concerted efforts to make the Android platform “enterprise ready;”
- How the entire ecosystem needs to manage devices and apps; and
- Massive M2M market growth.”
Gina Luk, Senior Analyst, Wireless Enterprise Strategies, added, “The growth in consumerization and BYOD (bring your own device) has been particularly evident in the US. The need to manage personal-liable devices, especially iOS and Android, has never been greater. What emerged from CTIA is how carriers and OEMs are working in close association to make their products enterprise-ready in order to tackle this growing trend.”
As highlighted by Strategy Analytics at the beginning of 2011, the ability for companies to securely enable vital applications like unified communications, on smart devices, whether company procured or personal-liable, will be essential for driving down costs and gaining competitive advantage. M2M will also be critical in order to meaningfully connect devices and processes.


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DAX Shows 2.4% Loss, Falling to 2-Year Low
European stocks fell sharply on Thursday. The German DAX stock index fell by 2.4% to trade at 10.932 level. The DAX dropped below the 11.000 level for the first time since December 2016. Overall this week, the DAX has lost 5.25%.
The DAX was pressured by bank and automaker shares fall. Deutsche Bank has dropped 3.55%, Daimler is down 3.28% and Volkswagen has declined 2.73%.
The global stocks fall amid growing doubts about the ability of the United States and China to reach an agreement on trade. Experts point out that the arrest of the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co. may complicate negotiations between the US and China on trade issues.
Germany has posted some positive data after few disappointing reports. Factory orders in Germany rose in October for the third month in a row, not meeting expectations of a decline. Preliminary data from the Federal Statistical Office showed, that factory orders rose 0.3% in October after rising 0.1% in September (revised from 0.3%). Economists had forecast a decline of -0.4%. On annual terms, production orders decreased by -2.7% in October. Economists had predicted -3.1% fall.


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The search engine giant has ventured into a whole new field- Finance. This is Google's way of assisting their clients-through a credit card. Yes, there is a Google Credit Card now. And here is the brief about it:
What is it called- AdWords Business Credit Card
Who can use it- US based advertisers.
What can you get with it- Only one thing- Google AdWords
That is the gist of it, with this credit card, you can buy search advertising on the Search Giant. The launch of this AdWords Credit Card is for online advertisers, who want to make the most of Google AdWords, but don't have the ready cash. Google is offering its clients a credit line to work on their businesses without worrying about any immediate payments.
Like all credit cards, the Google one also comes with certain credit details. It is a MasterCard, whichthe World Financial Capital Bank will issue. The annual interest rate on the Credit is matching the market rate of 8.99% , and the user will not be charged with any annual fee.
The vice president of global online sales at Google, Claire Johnson, explained to Reuters that the credit card is "designed to help small and medium-sized businesses that advertise on Google but who often don't have the funds to support a heavy ad campaign ahead of a big sales season, such as Valentine's Day or Halloween."
- Who will get the credit card?
- How many will get the card?
- How will Google determine the creditworthiness of a client?
- Will they sign up with a financial partner?
- What will be the minimum and maximum credit lines available?
On these questions, Brent Callinicos, Google's Treasurer, elaborated that the credit card will be offered to a "statistically significant" number of people. Then the company will analyse how availability of the card affects customer spending behavior. Brent said, "Even though (availability) will skew toward the smaller businesses, obviously we want to cast a wide enough net so we can see what resonates depending on your historical monthly spend,".
Now, some light on why is Google bringing out a credit card now:
To get ahead of competition: The search engine is losing its advertisers to competition sites like Yahoo. The social platform Facebook is even a bigger threat to Google' business, as more and more advertisers are turning to Facebook. So, providing the users with a AdWords Credit Card will inspire consumer loyalty.
Google has cash to spare: The search engine giant makes money through advertising. Infact 96% of its income is from search based advertising. At present Google is sitting on a cash pile of $39.1 billion (marketable securities included, figures estimated on June 30)
This new venture from Google has already made news. Let's see how is the advertisers' response to this. Will Facebook or Yahoo follow suit, that also remains to be seen.


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MWC 2014 | Sony announces its new flagship smartphone - the Xperia Z2
Sony's latest smartphone is an upgrade to last year's Z1, and it really does look to be much improved across the board.
The Xperia Z2 runs the latest version of Android (4.4 KitKat), and is one of the first handsets to incorporate Qualcomm's latest quad-core 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 801 processor. Combined with 3 GB of RAM, performance should not be an issue with this handset, particularly given Sony's generally minimal OS overlay.
As with Sony's previous flagship, the focus here is on the camera. The Z2 has the same excellent 20.7 MP camera we saw in the Z1, but adds 4K recording at 30 fps to the long list of still shot and video features. Battery life has also been significantly improved with the promise of up to 830 hours of talk time or 880 hours of standby.
Other specs include a 5.2-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) Triluminos display, a 2.2 MP front-facing camera, 16 GB of internal storage, a microSD slot, and a 3000 mAh battery, all in a frame that is only 8.2 mm (0.32 inches) thick and weighs just 158 grams (5.57 ounces).
The Xperia Z2 is expected to launch worldwide in March. Prices have not yet been announced.


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If we could design without the packaging, we would have a major impact on waste reduction. To save our planet we must firstly radically reduce the amount of packaging we create and consume.
Under certain circumstances, e-commerce could be better for the environment than driving to the store. But if e-commerce encourages unnecessary consumption, then it will be worse. Research compiled by Shopify in 2019 from eMarketer, Star Business Journal, and Forrester, estimated that while brick-and-mortar goods returns are in the range of 8%–10%, e-commerce returns average out at 20%. David Sobie, co-founder of Happy Returns, a network of physical return locations, estimated that apparel returns can be as high as 30%, and that at holiday times online returns can reach 40%.
Transporting returned products in the US creates over 15 million metric tons of CO2 pollution every year, according to Optoro, a logistics optimization firm. We’d need to plant 1.5 billion trees to deal with that amount of pollution. Not just that, about 2.5 million tons of these returned goods are then dumped, creating even more pollution.
E-commerce packaging accounts for 30% of solid waste generated in the US, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. About 165 billion packages are shipped in the US each year. That’s a billion trees’ worth of cardboard, according to data from USPS, FedEx, and UPS analyzed by LimeLoop. If 20% of e-commerce purchases are returned, then there are 200 million trees being cut down every year to deal with the passing whims of US consumers alone.
Packaging is everywhere. So much content is packaging. I recently read a blog post by a senior executive about a new initiative his organization had launched. About 80% of it was packaging. He talked about how the industry was changing, how customers were so busy these days, how they were listening to their customers, how he was delighted to announce the launch of this initiative. Only in the last couple of paragraphs did he actually explain what the initiative was about.
When you come to a website and see a huge useless image of a fake smiling face, that’s packaging. You have to unwrap that packaging to try and get to the actual services the website offers. Often, there are layers and layers of useless packaging in your way.
Has Web content got better in the last twenty years? I still come across huge quantities of useless content packaging. I meet an increasing number of content professionals who lament that things are actually going backwards in their organizations. With all these advances in communications technology, are we seeing advances in the quality of communication?
What about Slack? Wasn’t it supposed to make things better? “We’re just moving email to another place and it’s less searchable,” Sarah Peck, founder of Startup Pregnant, has stated about Slack.
Digital is a massive cauldron of waste and unnecessary packaging. Every year the techies give us shinier, cooler diggers so that we can shovel crap even faster. The Web is becoming a heavier, wider and deeper rubbish dump every year. It’s time to clean up the mess we’ve made because it’s costing the Earth.


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Bauer Media’s Future of Luxury breakfast yesterday told a tale of the luxury consumer, and how securing their interest is a sure-fire way of securing brand success.
Partnering with The Future Laboratory co-founder Chris Sanderson, Bauer rallied its luxury titles to prove that customer engagement is not dead, in fact it’s one of the most important things for a brand to nail. It’s also a bloody exciting future too.
Sanderson introduced the topic by saying that the traditional markets, while once easy to understand, have “become confused”.
“We’re at the front of a trader generation,” Sanderson told the audience of elite luxury brands and media. “We’re no longer just readers, we are brokers. “We’ve become buyers and sellers ourselves.”
To produce the Luxury Index, Future Labs spoke to 2000 luxury consumers in the US and UK, who Australia no doubt takes inspiration and direction from in its own markets, to enquire about their attitude towards society, culture and luxury goods.
From their answers, they realised there are five stages on the luxury consumer journey, and these are:
- Acquisition & Value
- Discernment & Worth
- Emotion & Experience
- Responsible & Aware
- Intellectual & Poetic
The biggest pools of these five are stage three at 41 per cent, followed by Stage 2 at 17 per cent, with the remaining hovering around 14 per cent of the market.
While stage one entails what Sanderson calls the “I’ve arrived, I can buy, I can spend, look at me” market, he added “the luxury consumer now devotes more spend to experiential luxury rather than traditional luxury”.
These consumers love how products make them feel.
And with this market, the access economy, including Uber, Airbnb, and even the ability to rent clothes and accessories, is growing in popularity, while having more money remains a top priority for almost a third of these luxe consumers.
“The growth of brands allows me to rent a watch for the weekend or even a private jet for that special occasion,” Sanderson said, but noted while this was once the dominant aspect of the luxury consumer, it now only snags 14 per cent of the market.
Stage two, he explained, is defined by “knowledge” and focuses on “storytelling”, whether that’s a scientific story or a romantic one.
“They want to be able to tell their friends and families these stories,” Sanderson said. “[So that] luxury has a longer lifespan.”
Men outnumber women in this stage 58 to 42 per cent, with self-improvement the biggest concern, something Sanderson suggested could come down to a man’s penchant for “bragging rights”, and being able to articulate a higher level of taste and discernment.
“Men do still like to brag, they like the ability to show off a little, and the ability to say, ‘oh yes my suit is bespoke’ or to spot that another gentleman’s suit is not bespoke.”
Stage three, emotion and experience, is “less concerned with emotion and value but more interested in experience, what lies beneath the brand,” Sanderson said, explaining that boomers dominate this stage (46 per cent) versus millennials (25 per cent).
“There is a much deeper relationship with this consumer because that’s what they want. The question for brands is are we delivering that?
Most of us do not know our customer [but] we need to be able to relate to the customer better and touch them in new and different ways.
Sanderson added that brands are still “deeply entrenched in thinking our consumers are men”, but that this is entirely the wrong approach.
“Women are smarter, brighter, better equipped and, let’s face it, often more ambitious than her male counterparts,” Sanderson said, adding that it was worth asking what a woman might like to “spend her bonus on” when it comes to marketing a brand or product.
Stage four is “moving into the future”, Sanderson explained, where we “start to see behaviour that pre-empts what is to come”.
This luxury consumer is searching for experiential value and sustainability, and an “aesthetic that makes us feel responsible and sustainable”.
Aesop is a perfect example of how luxury intersects with accountability, adding a sprinkle of sexiness to this sense of duty.
And moving into stage five, an arena Sanderson said is dominated by millennials, the “relationship with luxury moves towards a notion of self”.
Their relationship with luxury is changing very, very quickly towards the sense of self, and journey, and community, and engagement, and experience, towards this notion of it being quite poetic and also being very intellectual.
“This is where experience becomes very important, it’s about the ability to invest in experience, in trips, and to stay in places that are meaningful,” Sanderson added.
“We have so many more luxury consumers coming into market, that as a brand we may not notice that tendency, that shift, that mental shift with many of our customers because we’re simply going to have more customers in the years to come.
“The future of luxury is digital without a doubt, but it’s also meaningful.”


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ALBANY -- While the current economic climate is referred to as the Great Recession by economists, at least one building supply company sees an opportunity to expand during the down economy.
The years since the construction boom tanked in 2007 haven't been easy, but through good management practices Short & Paulk Supply Co. positioned itself to expand to an Albany location.
"There are a lot of challenges and opportunities in this economy," said Jay Short, the company's president and CEO. "We have to work smart, more efficient. We didn't go overboard during the good times, so we are able to expand in the bad times."
The new store location at the corner of Pine Avenue and Cleveland Street was the long-time location of another building supply company, Giles Builders Supply Co. Inc.
That company may have been a victim of the harsh economy, said Kevin Gates, general manager of the Short & Paulk Albany location.
The 9,000-square-foot building was gutted by Short's company and is in for a total upgrade to its interior and exterior, Gates said. A grand opening is planned for mid-April.
Construction on the project includes a new roof, exterior wall refurbishing, new interior walls, new electrical wiring throughout and new plumbing, Gates said. Neither Gates nor Short would say how much money the renovations cost.
"We'll have a 6,000-square-foot hardware area," Gates said. "There is a new wall going in over there for our upscale millwork area."
The Albany location will join the company's three other lumberyard and building-supply stores in Cordele, Sylvester and the main office in Tifton. The company also runs a roof and floor truss plant in Tifton.
Operating in a competitive chain-store atmosphere doesn't bother
Short. He said he answers the Home Depot and Lowe's attractions with his own.
Short & Paulk can compete on pricing because as a member of Lumberman's Merchandising Corp., the largest building materials buying group in the country, the company has purchasing power, Short said.
There is also always something to be said for the more personal touch a local company offers.
"We are here if a problem arises," Short said. "One phone call away.
You don't have to go through five vice presidents 500 miles away to get an answer."
The company plans to hire about 10-12 full-time and part-time staff to work at the Albany location. In this economy, there are probably plenty of qualified people, Short said.
"Another advantage we have is that our company is a lot like the television show 'Cheers,'" he said. "Our knowledgeable staff will know our customers and their needs."
The downtown Albany location suits the company because it is just off Slappey Boulevard, convenient to the entire area, Short said. Lowe's and Home Depot sit in the northwest section of the city near the Albany Mall.
Short & Paulk has been delivering builders supplies to large and small local building companies, apartment complex maintenance personnel and the do-it-yourself homeowner since 1941.
"We think that Albany is a very good market in the long-term," Short
said. "We already supply builders in Albany from our Sylvester location. This will be more convenient for them. We can also be more convenient to Lee County."


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"Dear Zenfone 5 Owners, Remember how we were to release the Zenfone 4, Zenfone 5, Zenfone 6 and Padfone S Android update with a delay after the expected mid-May? Well, we're sorry for the inconvenience, but your device, i.e. the Zenfone 5, will receive its Lollipop 3 or 4 month later than what we already said." This is NOT an official announcement but it is probably what Asus would say to the Zenfone 5 owners now. But this one was the actual official announcement on its official ZenTalk forum a couple of days ago:
"Asus was scheduled to provide ZenFone 4, ZenFone 5, ZenFone 6, and PadFone S with Android L upgrade in the mid of May. However, Asus team has found some issues during verification. We decided to delay the Android L upgrade schedule in order to provide better user experience. We are currently working on the related issues and will release the upgrade as soon as possible."
Now Asus India has informed people via its Facebook page that Zenfone 5 will get Android 5.0 update 3-4 months later than expected. It's not the first time that Zenfone owners have to move the pin from their expected date to a further place on the calendar. But there is probably a reason why Asus did not have an official announcement with the exact wording above. Maybe, and it's an educated guess not a blind one, it is just a local delay and only India is to be influenced. And maybe that is why the announcement was made on Asus India's Facebook page. It seems pretty reasonable for it to be a local delay since Indian carriers have to sign off on the update and that takes some time. Still, some customers will be unhappy.
Now if Lollipop for Zenfone 5 is to be delayed further in India, it is likely that the other members of the Zenfone family, Zenfone 4 and Zenfone 6, experience a longer delay too. They are still in India and the carriers still have to "sign off on the update".
Also, the Padfone S update may be affected as well since it was scheduled to get the update alongside the Zenfones. But this is just a guess. Nothing was said regarding this product so no worries. It may get the update sooner than all the Zenfones (it's still a guess!)


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Coinbase, the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States, has formally announced intentions to integrate the Bitcoin Lightning Network (LN) onto its platform.
The aforementioned announcement surfaced following the CEO of the exchange, Brian Armstrong, responding to a tweet from Bitcoin supporter Wicked that questioned the company’s lack of public commentary on the scaling solution.
Armstrong explained that the lack of Lightning Network responses is due to his tweets’ automatic deletion after a few months. The CEO then gave the community his word that Coinbase would eventually include the Lightning Network since it is a “great” option.
The move will bring Coinbase into step with rivals like Kraken, Bitfinex, Bitstamp, and OKEx that currently support L2 solutions, though no precise timeframe has been given. It’s also important to note that the Lightning Network, is a Layer 2 network constructed on top of Bitcoin with the goal of addressing the scalability issues with the cryptocurrency. Due to its low costs and quick transaction times, LN is the most widely used L2 solution for Bitcoin.
Many of the company’s stakeholders, including MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor, appeared to be pleased with Armstrong’s statement. Derek Ross, a well-known Bitcoin fan, has stated that the adoption of Lightning support for deposits and withdrawals will be “phenomenal.” Some stakeholders, on the other hand, remain suspicious, believing that the crypto exchange may take too long to implement the technology.
More Details About the Lightning Network
LN is intended to make Bitcoin transactions faster and cheaper, allowing the cryptocurrency’s blockchain to scale. It operates by dumping certain transaction “traffic” to LN’s Layer 2 network, allowing the primary Bitcoin blockchain (Layer 1) to move more quickly.
Twitter, one of the well-known businesses using the Lightning Network, now enables users to send and receive Bitcoin tips. Similar to what was said, this functionality was made available through the Lightning Network-compatible payment software Strike, which enables Twitter’s 360 million monthly active users to transfer Bitcoin payments immediately and without charge.
Additionally, since late August, various sites have made it possible to accept Bitcoin payments. One such platform is Substack. Additionally, El Salvador recently legalized Bitcoin, and the government’s Chivo wallet is Lightning-compatible, allowing for simple cross-border transactions.
A peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange called Paxful, which has 1.5 million members just in Africa, announced that it would accept Lightning payments. This might allow millions of users to send bitcoins more quickly and cheaply.


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Frain Technologies raises $473,000 pre-seed funding round.
Subomi Oluwalana, co-founder and CEO of the Nigerian developer-tooling business, launched it in February 2021 after quitting his job as a backend developer at Nigerian fintech Tangerine Life.
For several months, the team tried to offer APIs to businesses with co-founder and COO Emmanuel Aina, but with little success.
While refining their solution to make it more economically feasible, the team discovered that webhooks were a common issue among startups looking to establish APIs.
Webhooks are simply the glue that holds APIs together. They are a crucial infrastructure component for most API firms (like Stripe, Twillo, or Paystack).
In essence, a failed webhooks event has a direct impact on customers, hence Frain created Convoy, a cloud-native webhook service that allows developers to transmit webhook events to their users in minutes.
Engineers had to create and maintain this infrastructure component in-house prior to the creation of Convoy when developing APIs.
The service has been well accepted since its inception, with a number of companies, including Buycoins, Termii, GetWallets, and Dojah, adopting it in production.
Rally Cap Ventures led the $473,000 pre-seed funding round. Musha Ventures, Future Africa, Eric Idiah, Tomiwa Lasebikan, Prosper Otemuyiwa, Odunayo Eweniyi, Timi Ajiboye, Opeyemi Awoyemi, and several other angels are among the investors.
Frain Technologies will use the funds to bring Convoy to maturity both locally and globally, as well as develop additional products.
“We are ecstatic to have gained these investors’ support and endorsement, and we plan to increase and expand our product offerings in the next months, as well as the number of clients we serve.”
We feel Frain Technologies is in an exciting period. We’re big fans of open-source and developer tools, and we’re supporting a new wave of global dev tool entrepreneurs.
“Out of Lagos, Nigeria, we’re constructing the next HashiCorp, GitLab, and GitHub,” Oluwalana added.
Rally Cap Ventures CEO Hayden Simmons said his business invests in key infrastructural API firms that help fintech solutions scale across emerging economies.
“It was evident from the moment I met Subomi and Emmanuel that they are deeply dedicated experts working in an important field.”
“It was evident after sharing with our portfolio companies that their product is in high demand not only within Africa, but also globally,” he said.


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When Butlin’s opened the doors to its £40 million swimming pool at the Bognor Regis resort, it heralded a new era for the celebrated British hospitality brand. As the first major step in the company’s five year transformation plan, the pool’s launch was central to taking the Butlin’s experience to a whole new level.
The iconic family break provider partnered with MSL to engage with media and influencers to launch the opening of the seaside themed swimming pool, Splash. Featuring seaside inspired attractions including the world’s first water Helter Skelter and family-friendly changing rooms designed with the help of parents on Mumsnet.
Guests, media and the local community were treated to a stunning themed light show where the pool’s exhilarating indoor features were brought to life on the outside of the Art Deco building. Over 30,000 fans tuned in to watch the projection show which was streamed on Facebook Live.
MSL defined the communications strategy and brought together consumer, corporate and creative talent from across the agency to drive awareness and excitement among travel, business and consumer lifestyle media. From inviting lead influencer Stacey Solomon to elevating Butlin’s CEO Jon Hendry-Pickup’s profile with business media. MSL secured visits and social media coverage from Romesh Ranganathan and Alison Hammond plus interviews with Jacquie Butlin, Sir Billy Butlin’s daughter.
The launch of Splash has far surpassed our expectations.Andrew French, Head of PR, Butlin’s
- pieces of coverage - largely across tier one national titles
- broadcast interviews – including Ian King Live, Sky News and This Morning
- People reached via Facebook Live broadcast of light show
- increase in engagement rates with launch content on Facebook
- ROI from @TheUnmumsyMum influencer partnership via online bookings
- of bookings via @TheUnmumsyMum were from new guests
- impressions of paid social content
- increase in YoY visits to the Butlin’s website from social channels throughout launch campaign
Making a splash for the great British holiday
As the first major step in the company’s five year transformation plan, we helped Butlins launch their £40million pool, central to raising awareness of the all-new Butlin’s experience, while also forcing reconsideration of the brand for those seeking British family holidays.


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Trading knows no age! Some days ago, on February 20th, our dearest and eldest trader of all times celebrates her 75th Birthday. p2pb2b team sends our best wishes!
P2PB2B news Posts
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Hello, p2pb2b traders! One more coin joined p2pb2b exchange! You can start trading MPG on p2pb2b
Dear p2pb2b users! We are happy to announce that one more coin has recently joined our platform! KICK is available for trading now on p2pb2b.
Most crypto startups follow the idea of spreading the awarenesses of cryptocurrencies and their use worldwide. ARAW token strives to do so within the e-commerce market. ARAW infrastructure offers e-commerce and service-providing companies to introduce crypto economy and a new economic standard to people all over the world.
In the era of the Internet, it’s getting more complicated for creators to protect their intellectual property. In order to solve the following problem, IMPERIVM LLC has launched a unique platform for talents and its token is now available on p2pb2b.
There are more companies willing to widen the use of a cryptocurrency in the global marketplace. Garuda has introduced own token for making online purchases worldwide. The currency is now available for purchase on p2pb2b exchange.


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“Raising the standard of living for low-skill, low-wage workers is a valid goal. But there is clear evidence that mandated wage hikes undermine the job prospects for less skilled and part-time workers,” so said NRF Senior VP David French, in a letter to the Senate in response to proposed legislation aiming to increase the federal minimum wage by 40 percent.
NRF labeled such legislation an “anti-job tax,” which would lead to higher labor costs for employers and fewer opportunities for young and entry-level workers. NRF further noted that this is the “least opportune moment” to mandate a federal wage increase on employers with small and large businesses alike already confronting workforce challenges associated with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
Instead of focusing on “sound-bite politics,” the organization said, NRF urged Congress to focus on advancing long-term economic policies that would provide employers with the certainty they need to make strategic investment decisions and improve hiring opportunities for all workers.
“Policymakers have other tools, such as increasing the earned income tax credit, fixing the tax code, education improvements, immigration reform, transportation funding, and strong trade alliances that will aid in achieving that goal without creating more unemployment,” French wrote. “Finding more opportunities for those trying to start out is a better economic approach than restricting the amount of jobs for those seeking employment.”
NRF will include votes on the minimum wage as “Key Retail Votes” in its annual voting scorecard used to measure legislative support for the retail industry’s public policy priorities.
Washington, D.C.-based NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries.