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October 28, 2013 - November 1, 2013
Welcome to Financial Buzz Market Weekly, reporting from the New York Stock Exchange, bringing you a review of this week's stock market.
With news of tame inflation and a mediocre job market, the Federal Reserve opted to leave in place its $85 billion bond purchasing program. Stocks declined modestly on the news, while bonds rallied and gold dropped slightly. However, analysts started quickly debating on when the program will be scaled back. Some analysts don’t see anything happening until well into 2014, while others see a December possibility.
Let’s take a look at some stocks.
Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) announced third quarter earnings with ad revenue up 66% with 49% of total ad revenue due to mobile advertisement. But during a press conference, Facebook said they do not plan on increasing the amount of ads and that younger teens are beginning to use the product less. The news sent shareholders selling.
DreamWorks (NASDAQ: DWA) reported earnings for its third quarter. DreamWorks’s feature film segment continues to be the primary driver for the company’s growth. After financials were released, DreamWorks proceeded to hit a new 52-week high during Thursday’s regular trading.
LifeLock Inc. (NYSE: LOCK), providing identify theft protection services, announced third quarter company results . LifeLock reported that the company now has 2.9 million clients, an increase of 21%, year-over-year and they also reported a 33% percent increase in revenue. LifeLock hit a new 52-week high shortly after the results were announced
And finally, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM(NASDAQ: FLWS) reported its first quarter Fiscal 14 results and revealed their smallest year-over-year gain, 2.9%, primarily due to the lack of gift orders during the summer season. The approaching holiday season in the upcoming quarter should help the
company rebound a bit.


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Anti-aging brands put best faces forward
As expected, the facial anti-aging segment continues to experience overall growth as women continue their quest for the fountain of youth in a bottle.
Such brands as Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting and Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift enjoyed strong growth as beauty mavens sought to banish fine lines and wrinkles.
Among such brands as Olay, L’Oréal and Neutrogena, Bio-Oil held its ground and saw an 18% sales boost for the 12 weeks ended Jan. 23, according to SymphonyIRI Group.
The article above is part of the DSN Category Review Series. For the complete Anti-aging Sell-Through Report, including extensive charts, data and more analysis, click here.
ReportersNotebook — Beauty Care, 3/14/11
SUPPLIER NEWS — OPI is launching a new
limited-edition nail lacquer collection based on the
“Pirates of the Caribbean” film franchise. In line with the premiere of the franchise’s latest film, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” OPI has developed six new nail lacquers, including a new Shatter polish, which leaves behind a crackled, two-texture silver finish when painted over any dry OPI hue. The collection will be available in May at professional salons and at such retailers as Ulta for $8.50 each.
Allegro has unveiled its Modella 2011 spring/summer collection, which offers the hottest styles of cosmetic and travel accessories in various shapes and sizes. The collection, priced at less than $20 each, features on-trend colors and designs, ranging from pops of bubble gum pink and vibrant plaid to floral motifs.
Tongue cleaner Orabrush has closed a $2.5 million investment round with True Ventures of Palo Alto, Calif., and returning investor 2x Consumer Products Growth Partners of Chicago. The funds will be used to help accelerate the company’s retail growth strategy, according to the manufacturer.
EXECUTIVE NEWS — French beauty company L’Oréal Paris has announced the departure of Lindsay Owen-Jones, the company’s longtime chairman. The company stated that Owen-Jones wished to complete the transfer of responsibilities to his successor, Jean-Paul Agon, before the former’s 65th birthday on March 17, as announced at the 2005 annual general meeting.
Oral care brushes up by touting value, ease
It is no secret that oral care is a mature market, yet consumers have shown a willingness to pay for products that make oral health easier. In light of this, some industry observers predicted that growth will be in the form of those products that are “value-added,” “improved benefit” and “simplified.”
In fact, one could conclude that consumers’ desire for products that make oral health easier was the catalyst behind the surge of the portable oral care segment, which experienced strong double-digit growth for the 52 weeks ended Jan. 23, according to data from SymphonyIRI Group.
Oragenics’ EvoraPlus, a probiotic mint that promises to support gum and tooth health and naturally freshen breath, while whitening teeth, experienced impressive growth in the 52-week period, and came in at No. 4 on SymphonyIRI’s list of top 10 brands in portable oral care.
Such portable dry mouth treatments as Biotene and Quantum OraMoist also experienced significant sales growth. As Americans age and take more medications, oral health conditions also rise. Studies have shown that up to 400 medications — prescriptions and OTCs — can contribute to dry mouth.
As Americans become increasingly strapped for time and desire convenient, value-added solutions — not to mention perhaps encounter more oral care issues as they age — it is likely that the solid growth of such products will continue.
The article above is part of the DSN Category Review Series. For the complete Oral Care Buy-In Report, including extensive charts, data and more analysis, click here.

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- Nifty is the first USD-based Non-Fungible Token (NFT) exchange
The Nifty exchange, which was purchased by the Gemini exchange last year, has become the first USD-based Non-Fungible Token (NFT) exchange. This means that users will be able to deposit and withdraw USD from the exchange. Previously NFT exchanges had crypto deposits and withdrawals only.
An NFT is essentially a digital collectible that is secured with the blockchain. The benefit of this token is that its holders have sole ownership over their digital collectibles, and have the ability to buy and sell them via the blockchain. This paves the way for a blockchain-based digital collectibles marketplace.
Nifty is partnering with celebrities and the sporting industry to create NFTs. Essentially, there will be one for each player on a sports team, or for each celebrity, kind of like digital trading cards. Nifty plans on launching new tokens every few weeks.
Overall, it appears the NFT industry is just beginning, and there is vast potential for Nifty and other NFT exchanges to turn into major marketplaces.
Image Courtesy: Pixabay


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African American Concept (AFAM), a US-based hair product giant, has held yet another successful trade show at the Trade Fair Centre, La, in Accra.
This year’s edition succeeded in drawing 2,500 hair stylists, and for the first time 400 barbers joined the fast-growing show.
Among the high-profile dignitaries who graced the event that showcased seven brands of AFAM were Second Lady Samira Bawumia, H.E Robert Jackson, US Ambassador to Ghana, Philippa Baafi, among others.
The Vice President of AFAM, Korkor Akoto, pointed out in a post event interview that his outfit will fly on the successes of last Tuesday’s edition to add one more pavilion to next year’s event.
Korkor Akoto, who is also the International Sales Manager of AFAM, indicated that next year’s edition will include fashion, make-up and competing brands, saying, “We have the numbers and we believe in sharing, we have 10 skeletal staff in Ghana, and l must admit, they are doing okay as far as distribution is concerned.”
Mrs Bawumia lauded the efforts of the hairdressers and barbers in enhancing looks.
She mentioned that “this is a noble profession, and it is our prayer that you succeed. Government is providing platforms to ensure that you succeed; when that happens, it places you in a position to employ people, that is job creation.
“I will do all l could to support you in your respective fields of endeavour.”
H.E Jackson praised AFAM profusely for their track record, having been in business for 30 years. He revealed that job creation in Ghana and his native country remains his top most priority.
The US ambassador also commended AFAM for being a trusted supplier to the Ghanaian market.
There was a reduction on AFAM’s products to the professionals for their clientele for Christmas.
The annual event will be replicated in Kumasi, Cape Coast and Takoradi next year.
This year’s saw an all expense-paid trip to the US (Chicago) plus a $1,000 spending money special raffle draw opportunity for one of the hair stylists.
Some AFAM products include Vital Olive, Shea Butter and Soy Organics.


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Apple’s perfectionism is slowly dying, according to a number of crooked employees who decided to step forward and confess to the atrocities that occur in the storage rooms, closets and service bars at some of the world’s most iconic retail locations.
Interviewed via email and Skype, the corrupt employees were from the Southeast, Tennessee, California, Massachusetts, Canada, Maryland, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Texas, and the UK.
Not all of their stories were shared by Gizmodo, but a good part of them was. And it’s not looking pretty for the company headquartered at 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California.
For example, the tech site learned that store staffers like to destroy iPads and iPhones in the back of the store just for fun.
Many of them do drugs and some of the managers harass employees, especially female staffers.
The techies at Apple’s retail outlets are not to be trusted, says one person who decided to reveal some of the bad stuff that happens behind the shiny Genius counter.
Girls bringing in their damaged iPhones or iPads should seriously consider erasing their camera roll before handing the device over to a technician, according to an ex staffer.
Discrimination is also something that happens on a regular basis at some stores, according to a Texan tipster.
“When an attractive Customer comes in the store with a ‘non-working’ iPhone [the] majority of our managers would step up to the plate and help out. Doing anything possible to change the face of the customer. Even a 3-4 year old iPhone out of warranty would be a ‘free’ replacement repair,” this person said.
“Most of the time the manager/genius would grab the customers [sic] phone, grab the model (even upgrade if they were feeling frisky) and then replace it without any paper work [sic].”
And some Geniuses are actually growing small fortunes by charging as much as $500 to replace iPhones outside the store.


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Fans are registering huge interest in “The Mandalorian” around the world, despite the fact that only those in a handful of markets can watch the Disney Plus series. Parrot Analytics measures demand for TV shows across social media, blogs, and elsewhere to produce a demand rating, and said the “Star Wars” spinoff was the most in-demand show in the world last week.
That follows its becoming the most in-demand show in the U.S., where the high-profile original has been available on Disney Plus since the service launched there Nov. 12, according to Parrot. Outside of the U.S., only consumers in the Australia, Netherlands and Puerto Rico can watch “The Mandalorian” legitimately, although there are widespread reports of its being pirated. Disney will launch its streamer in the major European markets next March.
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“’The Mandalorian’ has risen to the top globally to overtake such formidable rivals as ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘The Crown,’ ‘The Flash’ and ‘Game of Thrones,'” Parrot said. “For the prior seven days ending Dec. 1, ‘The Mandalorian’ was 31.9 times more in-demand than the average title on a global basis.”
By way of comparison, “The Crown” was 15 times more in demand than the average show, “Stranger Things” about 19 times and “Game of Thrones” 28.3 times.
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KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 13): My EG Services Bhd (MyEG) announced today that its Indonesian associate PT Cartenz Inti Utama has secured additional government mandates to roll out its tax monitoring system to 30 more cities, marking an expansion to the programme that is already actively underway in Jakarta.
It did not disclose the value of the contract.
Since unveiling the joint venture in 2018, the group has started the implementation of real-time monitoring of business transactions for tax computation purposes, with installations in retail merchant premises presently ongoing in Jakarta under a pilot programme offered at no charge.
In a statement today, MyEG said following the successful commencement of the implementation in Jakarta, the group has recently been contracted by the governments of seven other provinces in Indonesia to deploy, on a chargeable basis, the tax monitoring system to cover a total of 30 cities.
Pilot installations have since commenced across these seven provinces.
"This has exceeded our initial targets. We now believe that our Indonesian roll-out will be faster and require lower capital expenditure than our previous expectations," said MyEG managing director TS Wong.
"The expansion of the tax monitoring system to more regions in Indonesia represents an important milestone for MyEG, not only in the strengthening of its position as the leading e-government services provider in Indonesia, but also in the widening of its footprint in the country's retail sector," he added.
MyEG shares closed unchanged at RM1.12 today, bringing a market capitalisation of RM4.04 billion.


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(PRWEB) June 13, 2008
Water Coolers Direct (WCD) have launched a Bottled V's Plumbed in Water Cooler Calculator. The calculator is to be made available on the WCD website and allows the companies customers and other members of the web going public to find out the potential savings when they switch over to Plumbed in Water Coolers.
Plumbed in Water Coolers are connected to the mains water supply and as such are a cheaper and greener solution to the bottled water cooler equivalents which require a constant supply of expensive 19 Litre bottles. It is often difficult to quantify these savings given the variables involved, so WCD has decided to develop the calculator in order to help customers too understand the real impact on a case by case basis.
Surrounded by competitors who push lucrative rental contracts WCD prides itself is leading what it calls "the Water Coolers Direct drinking revolution" where customers of the company have effectively said NO to onerous drinking water contracts by purchasing their machines outright. Since staring business in 2004 with 3 employees in a loft in Dursley Gloucester, the dotcom business has grown into a business that employs over 15 local people. The business has recently reached an important landmark by selling to its 5,000th UK based customer and relocating to larger premises on the prestigious Gloucester Business Park.
WCD has always encouraged customers down the Plumbed in route where possible because of the potential cost savings and the positive effect on the environment.
"We are proud of our green credentials…" says Martin Booth Sales Director of Water Coolers Direct "…we already commit to donate a sum of money to Pure the Clean Planet Trust in order to offset our carbon footprint which is an important first step in demonstrating our commitment to environmental responsibility and helps to raise awareness of these issues with our customers."
Additional benefits for customers considering the switch over to Plumbed in Water Coolers that are not covered by the calculator include:
No bottle deposits to resolve and keep track of and no fluctuating costs dependant on the amount of water used
Opting for Plumbed in reduces the potential Health & Safety issues relating to staff members lifting heavy 19 Litre Bottles
Going bottle free helps to release the storage space required by the bottles
Prevents customers becoming reliant on bottled water deliveries which can cause issues especially in the hot summer months
Fred Cairns Palmer the Managing Director of Water Coolers Direct said "Focusing on the purchase only option means that we aren't driven to supply bottles to make a profit… he goes on to explain that …Purchase only means that we have to offer a broad range of products not just the low end machines that help make the rental companies their money, we are also free from a reliance on bottle delivery which allows us to push plumbed in coolers that are better for the environment and the customer's pocket."


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Judge freezes Apple and Nokia case
A Delaware judge has told Apple and Nokia to hold fire until other related cases are concluded.
A judge in Delaware has stopped a patent infringement case in his court between Apple and Nokia, in order to let a host of other cases conclude.
Nokia and Apple also have a case before the American International Trade Commission (ITC), which is also looking at Apple's suit against HTC over mobile phone tech - including that found in Google Android phones.
Nokia first kicked off the battle in October, saying Apple needed to pay up for using its patented technology. Apple and Nokia have since filed suits against each other with the ITC, accusing each other for stealing tech.
Last week, Apple turned around and sued HTC for allegedly infringing 20 patents, including the tech in phones running Google's Android.
"We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. We've decided to do something about it," Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said at the time. "We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours."
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Forrester report highlights why marketers should be using Google Plus
Google Plus isn't as deserted a destination as you might at first think. According to new research from Forrester the social network is actually a more effective marketing environment than Twitter and is a must for marketers.
While Facebook remains the dominant social network with 72% of the 61,000 US adults surveyed by Forrester visiting the site at least monthly, the second-biggest and beyond should not be ignored.
Did you know, for instance, that Google Plus has as many adults using it in the U.S. as Twitter? Almost a quarter (22%) of respondents to Forrester's survey said they visit Google Plus at least once a month - the same number that visits Twitter monthly.
"That means you can build a real follower base on Google Plus: On average, top brands have collected 90% as many fans on Plus as on Twitter," says Nate Elliott, Forrester analyst and author of the report.
The good news for Google Plus continues with the finding that its followers are twice as engaged as Twitter followers.
So why does Twitter get all the attention? According to Elliot, Forrester analyst and author of the report, the media has altered perceptions in favor of Twitter.
"Put simply, Google Plus isn't the Facebook killer some hoped it would be," Elliott wrote in a blog post discussing the report 'The Case for Google Plus'. "But that doesn't mean marketers should ignore Plus. Far from it: I believe every marketer should use Google Plus."
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text: This week was one for the unexpected. Would you ever have guessed that Gianni Versace's iconic mansion would head to the auction block or that Dolce & Gabbana would go on strike (our apologies to anybody in Milan hoping to buy a handbag at the store's flagship), let alone in the same week? Not to be outdone, Behati Prinsloo and Adam Levine announced their engagement, Tim Gunn revealed the one show he would never make it work on, and the queen of England got a special surprise — and no, it wasn't a new heir. We're still waiting on that one. See all this — plus a special tribute to our favorite movie's 18th birthday — in this week's fashion recap.


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At the forefront of luxury travel trends, International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Asia Pacific released its latest research identifying three consumer archetypes that travel brands should be on the lookout for to capitalise on the escalating wellness and luxury travel sector.
Tourism New Zealand announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tencent Holdings, a leading provider of Internet value-added services in China.
Hyatt Place Liuzhou has officially opened, marking the debut of the brand in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Southwest China.
The GCC must deliver unique and tech-enabled experiences designed for free independent travellers (FITs) if it is to grow its market share among China’s outbound tourists, according to experts speaking at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019.
Aoft Hotels, Marriott International’s innovation incubator brand for global travellers, opened the brand new 191-room Aloft Shanghai Zhangjiang Hotel, bringing high-tech, modern style and a vibrant new social scene to Shanghai as the first Aloft hotel in the city.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation and BTG Hotels announced affiliates of Hyatt and Homeinns Hotel Group, have entered a strategic joint venture to create a new hospitality brand.
JW Marriott, part of Marriott International, announced the opening of JW Marriott Hotel Harbin River North.
In the recent report by Lodging Econometrics (LE), in the third quarter of 2018, China’s total construction pipeline stands at 2,642 projects/569,690 rooms and is up nine percent by projects and six percent by rooms year-over-year (YOY).
Qatar Airways has announced that as part of its strategy to invest in the strongest airlines around the world and continue enhancing operations and network connectivity, on December, 28, 2018, it had completed an on-market purchase of certain A shares and H shares of China Southern Airlines Company Limited (China Southern Airlines). This resulted in an aggregate holding of approximately 5.00 percent of the total issued share capital of China Southern Airlines.
Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province in China, is offering a 144-hours Transit Visa Free to the holders of 53 foreign countries from January 01, 2019, as part of the city’s plan to boost its development as an international destination for tourists.


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Fixed-abode workplaces are so last decade. These days out-of-office spaces are all about networking hubs such as Apartment 58. Launched last year as a global members’ club for the creative industries, the concept is to provide an intimate and super-stylish venue where people can hold meetings, host private dinners or simply mingle with other like-minded, hyper-mobile working folk.
The first Apartment, in London’s Poland Street, was such a success that founders Alan Gerald Grant and Ronald Ndoro plan to launch a further three in the city this year. The first of these, located beneath the iconic 1960s Centre Point tower on New Oxford Street, will open on Friday February 15, coinciding with London Fashion Week. Designed by Michael Sodeau Partnership together with Design Junction (bywords for all that is cutting edge), this 750sq m, four-storey club promises to be a high-tech home from home (or, more appropriately, office from office) offering all the services its high-flying clientele expects, including the latest Apple gadgets and ultra-high-speed WiFi.
But, while the business services are certainly exemplary, Apartment 58 is also meant to be a social space. So, alongside the private meeting rooms (housed in Centre Point’s striking vaults), there is a creative lounge furnished with midcentury classics, a night club, a design showroom helmed by the edgy fashion gurus of The Convenience Store that showcases 58 unique pieces chosen by Design Junction and art director Andrew Ibi, a bar with resident mixologist and a late-licence restaurant. With distractions like these, members may spend more time out of the club’s office facilities than in them.


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Apollo Tyres is planning to be the first Indian tyremaker to enter China, the world’s largest tyre producer and exporter as well as a major consumer.
Over capacity and lack of regulatory transparency in regulations have kept others out but Apollo is likely to use local expertise.
“We aim to be a global tyre producer with footprints in all corners of the world,” chairman Onkar Kanwar told the Hindustan Times at the launch of the Apollo brand in Europe. “With our entry here, we are now present in Asia, the Pacific region, Europe, Africa (through Dunlop), and America (Vredestein). Only China is out of bounds right now but we will chart a strategy to be present there as well, through either a joint venture or a contract man- ufacturing arrangement.”
China, which has a production capacity of over 600m tyres but has always been dogged by allegations of dumping. Last September, the US government imposed punitive safeguard duties for three years against Chinese tyre imports.
India, too, imposed anti-dumping duty on Chinese truck and bus radials in February.
“China is a difficult market to operate in as the procedures are not clear and the capacity there is huge,” said Apollo’s CFO Sunam Sarkar. “But a market this big and growing so strongly cannot be left untouched.”
Apollo’s presence in the US through Vredestein is also minuscule, but the company said it would rather focus on growth markets like Latin America and Africa.
“We will grow organically (through capacity addition) as well as inorganically (acquisitions) and are looking for targets in Africa and Latin America,” Kanwar said. “The US market itself is in a downturn and margins are wafer thin. It is also one of the most challenging markets due to its product liability clauses.”


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CB Insights’ latest Global Fintech Report highlights top fintech trends. Learn about the trends our team has its eyes on.
BBVA Open Platform and Catch announced today that they are working together to deliver banking and payments services for the contingent workforce, which represents nearly 40 percent of the US workforce, or 57 million workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Banking-as-a-Service also has the power to transform the lives of consumers for the better. A powerful example of this is within the student loan industry. While the first generation of fintechs connected consumers with better student loans, a new wave of companies are helping consumers alleviate the burden of student loan debt.
Companies that are partnering with Visa on this program represent a different service offering for the ecosystem, including BBVA Open Platform
“BBVA Open Platform is proud to be an enabler of fintech companies across the U.S., using our intuitive API platform to empower leading innovative companies to offer banking and payments services under their own brand,” said Abhishek Gupta, Head of BBVA Open Platform. “We’re thrilled to work with Visa to expand our mission of helping companies drive exponential growth and create more opportunities for consumers on top of better banking and payments services.”
Uber is tapping the power of Open Banking to provide unbanked drivers with access to a digital account from BBVA within its mobile app in Mexico.
Techies, venture capitalists and forward thinking bankers gathered in the Big Apple to talk about everything from future unicorns to the future of money at CB Insights’ annual Future of Fintech conference. The Open Platform team shares highlights from the event!
We have always enabled digital bill pay to companies in our comprehensive electronic biller directory, but we recently expanded our Move Money service so that you and your customers can now settle bills with any US company or individual.


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TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. Read our ethics statement.
Folks questioning the future of H.264 can rest easy. MPEG LA announced today that it has no plans to charge royalties for videos shared freely online – ever. The codec has been free to use for years under certain conditions, and MPEG LA's agreed not to charge free videos until December 31, 2015, after which it was unclear what the situation would be.
Naturally, with services like YouTube using the format, many wondered whether they'd eventually have to shell out massive royalties to MPEG LA, a consortium of 26 industry titans, including Apple, Microsoft, LG, Sony and others. Mozilla CEO John Lilly was among the skeptics, saying the previous terms were "like 5 more years of free to lock you in [forever]."
Given those concerns – and the growing support for Google's open alternative, WebM – MPEG LA has permitted the royalty-free distribution of non-paid streams using H.264 for eternity. Or so they say.


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Pragmatic Play & BetVictor Ink New Bingo Deal
Pragmatic Play, the online casino giant, has made quite a big move to enhance its collaboration with BetVictor, the online gambling operator. The main focus of the collaboration has been on Bingo games, and these have very recently gone live.
Following a brief period of integration, BetVictor customers are in for a treat as they now have access to the firm’s suit of fresh content and games, which includes the likes of Bingo Blast and the yet-to-be-released Reels Room.
Built On A Partnership
The agreement between BetVictor and Pragmatic Play was finalised in March of this year. The firms agreed that new Bingo content would be created. However, this is not the first time that the two brands have worked together. Just last year, the supplier recruited the operator to help build a live casino portfolio that would run alongside its entire suite of online slot-based content.
Bhotesh Maheshwari, the Vice President of Commercial Strategy and Operations at Pragmatic Play, said that it marked a fantastic occasion when the Bingo offering with BetVictor went live. He said it was particularly special having happened so quickly after the two’s initial agreement to achieve commercial expansion. The Vice President has put this down to the sheer capabilities of the firm’s single API integration. With the use of the convenient single API integration from Pragmatic Play, BetVictor has been able to swiftly access additional verticals from its supplier.
Maheshwari added that Pragmatic Play’s multi-product approach allows the firm to enjoy deeper partnerships with brands located all over the world. He also said that he cannot wait to see just how BetVictor players will enjoy the Bingo solution that it has to offer.
Celebrating Landmark Moments
Just a few weeks ago, Pragmatic Play announced that it had celebrated yet another landmark moment following the launch of its dedicated live casino environment. This launch allowed players to gain access to several live gaming tables that included the likes of roulette and blackjack, all set within a beautiful environment that displayed the operator’s design and branding.
The Director of e-Gaming at BetVictor, Turlough Lally, said that this Bingo offering has impressed their firm from the outset. Lally added that BetVictor is pleased to be able to present this to its clients and that the company is looking forward to taking another positive step in its fruitful collaboration with Pragmatic Play.


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DOWNERS GROVE, ILL. — Sara Lee is dismissing as "offensive" and "uninformed" allegations the company is misrepresenting the healthfulness of its Soft & Smooth Made with Whole Grain White.
Following accusations from the Center for Science in the Public Interest that Sara Lee falsely has claimed the top-selling bread is as nutritious as whole wheat bread, Sara Lee responded the name accurately reflects the transitional nature of the product. The bread is made from a blend of 30% whole wheat flour and 70% enriched wheat flour.
"That name (Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Made with Whole Grain White Bread) was chosen while we were working with the federal Food and Drug Administration," Sara Lee said. "We believe that it clearly describes the product. Since 2005, this product has contributed to the whole grain nutrition needs of many white bread lovers who might not otherwise have consumed that much whole grain."
Also since 2005, the product has been hailed as a highly successful launch. Earlier this year, Sara Lee said Soft & Smooth Made with Whole Grain White Bread has risen to the rank of the nation’s best selling single bread stock keeping unit.
By pointing to the "whole grain goodness" of its products Sara Lee "is attempting to put a whole grain halo on a bread that is not whole wheat," said Michael Jacobson, executive director of the C.S.P.I. "I call that a whole grain whitewash."
Notwithstanding these criticisms, the introduction of Soft & Smooth followed calls from prominent nutritionists for baking companies to pursue creative ways to raise the public’s intake of whole grains.
One such call was from Jane Brody, nutrition columnist at The New York Times, who addressed the 1999 annual meeting of the American Association of Cereal Chemists, now known as AACC International.
Ms. Brody urged food manufacturers to consider "evolutionary" change that would be acceptable to the public. She likened her proposal to a person shifting from whole milk to skim milk but eases the transition by consuming first 2%- and then 1%-fat milk before changing to non-fat milk. Just such an approach appears to have been followed by Sara Lee and other baking companies introducing "made with whole grains" bread varieties.
Steve Gardner, C.S.P.I. litigation director, accusing Sara Lee of fraud, found fault in the Sara Lee bread not only for its enriched wheat flour but also for its water content.
"It would be more accurate to say that this Sara Lee product is brimming with the wholesome goodness of white flour and water," Mr. Gardner said. "The intent is to confuse consumers, who are denied the nutrition they think they are paying for. It’s hard to see how a judge or jury would let a company get away with such an obvious fraud."
In fact, a U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional database estimates the water content of white bread, at 36%, slightly beneath whole wheat bread, at 37%.
Speaking with Milling & Baking News, Mr. Gardner said Sara Lee should follow the lead of other companies that do not incorporate the term whole grains into the brand name but place wording on the package such as "now made with 5 grams of whole grains."
The C.S.P.I. said it wants Sara Lee to "stop the misleading whole grain claims" and to donate to charity the profits it has received from Soft & Smooth Made with Whole Grain White Bread since the product’s introduction in 2005."
Sara Lee was firm in its stance.
"If C.S.P.I. had contacted us before they issued their press release and demand letter, they would have seen that we have similar goals," Sara Lee said. "We offer a wide range of 100% whole grain breads, enriched white breads and nutritionally transitional products made with a blend of whole wheat and enriched wheat flour that are designed to help consumers increase their consumption of whole grain blends without a radical change in taste and consistency, similar to how consumers transition from whole milk to skim milk using 2%."
The C.S.P.I. has given Sara Lee 30 days to respond to its settlement offer before pursuing possible litigation.


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The latest in Rockstar’s ongoing series of Max Payne 3 videos gives us our first look at the multiplayer. For an atmospheric story-driven game like Max Payne, creating a solid multiplayer component was always going to be a challenge; and that’s without even taking into account just how tough the proper implementation of bullet-time must be. Either way, it looks like Rockstar’s putting some effort into this, so hopefully it won’t be just some tacked-on, half-assed feature that was only included for the sake of an extra bullet-point on the box.
In related news, Dan Houser (co-founder of Rockstar) spoke to IGN recently about the differences between designing Rockstar’s traditional open-world sandbox games as compared to more linear experiences, such as Max Payne. He also talks about ‘Crews’, Max Payne 3’s equivalent of online clans, how they work and – most interestingly – how they’ll carry over to Grand Theft Auto V when it releases this…well, whenever it releases.


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Mix 94.1 is excited to announce they’re kicking off the holiday season this year by bringing an all-star lineup to The Joint. Mark & Mercedes’ Not So Silent Night will feature Train with special guests Better Than Ezra, The Script and Ryan Star.
In true holiday spirit, a portion of the proceeds from Not So Silent Night will benefit Three Square.
Events in Las Vegas get canceled every now and then. It doesn’t hurt checking with the venue to confirm the listing.
Event posted: Nov. 12, 2012
Last updated: Nov. 12, 2012


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from the who-owns-your-stuff dept.
“Referencing a decision outlined in the Federal Register, Tech News Daily has published an article noting that the window to unlock your new mobile phone in the U.S. is closing. ‘In October 2012, the Librarian of Congress, who determines exemptions to a strict anti-hacking law called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), decided that unlocking mobile phones would no longer be allowed. But the library provided a 90-day window during which people could still buy a phone and unlock it. That window closes on January 26.’ While this doesn’t apply to phones purchased before the window closes, this means that after 1/26/13, for any new mobile phone you purchase, you’ll have to fulfill your contract, or break the law to unlock it.” It will still be perfectly legal to purchase an unlocked phone, which many carriers offer. This change removes the exemption for buying a new phone under contract (and thus, at a discount) and then unlocking it.


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The company is dedicated to making strong combination, utilizing the advantages of each shareholder .
Recently, Great Wall Motor ("GWM")'s TANK 500 off-road SUV officially landed in its fourth destination in the Middle East market – Bahrain, according to a post on GWM's WeChat account.
Since May of this year, the TANK 500 successively went on sale in various countries in the Middle East, with launch events held within three weeks in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
According to GWM’s statement, this strategic approach has effectively amplified regional awareness and garnered positive feedback from local media and consumers.
In 2019, GWM established a partnership with Tasheelat Automotive Company (TAC), a subsidiary of Bahrain Commercial Facilities Company (BCFC), to serve as its distributor in Bahrain. TAC has consistently upheld exceptional standards in sales, service, spare parts, customer relationship management, and customer satisfaction, aligning perfectly with GWM' comitment to enhancing overseas services, improving service quality, and optimizing the overall customer experience.
GWM is actively driving the accelerated international expansion of its new energy products, contributing to the profound development of overseas markets. The company's overseas sales for the first half of this year reached an impressive volume of 123,930 units, soaring 97.27% year on year.
The rapid introduction of intelligent new energy vehicles into overseas markets has been witnessed in the first half of this year as well. Models such as the Haval H6 HEV, the ORA Good Cat, the TANK 300, and the TANK 500 have successfully entered markets in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines, Chile, Australia, Madagascar, and more.


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The announcement by O2 that Palm Pre is coming to the UK was supposed to be met with bewildering celebration accompanied by much enthusiasm on both side of the English Channel - or La Manche for the French.
Instead, the day was miserable in London and there were already some very dark clouds threatening to make the Pre not only Palm's best smartphone ever but also its worst nightmare.
A quick look at today's fluctuations of the share price of Palm tells the whole story. As soon as the news of Pre being officially launched on O2 broke, the company's share price dropped like a stone and finished the day down 2.67 percent. It is still dropping slightly in after hours transactions.
So what's next? Well, the Pre has been around since January and started to sell in June in the US and will be on sale, hopefully before Christmas (let's stick to November) in Europe and England. So there might be up to 10 months lag between the announcement at CES 2009 and the launch by O2 UK.
(Why not read out related article 5 Reasons Why Pre Won't Replace The iPhone For O2 for further insight?)
Compare that with Apple's iPhone 3GS. The device was announced on the 8th of June and released on the 19th of the same month. If Apple can do it, why can't the Pre? Why wait for so long before releasing the smartphone?
An interesting factoid is that Palm is confident that it will be able to sell one million Pre a month worldwide, which by the looks of it, now means next year. In comparison, 300,000 Pres have been sold in June in the US according to Palm, that's 10,000 a day.
In comparison, more than 1 million iPhone 3GS were sold within the first 72 hours. That's an astonishing 14,000 mobiles per hour or thirty three times faster than Palm.
If that's wasn't enough of a handicap, a late release means that the phone will be competing against a number of announced and yet to be announced smartphones that will make it look aged and quasi-obsolete.
By the end of the year, talks of a second generation Pre might already be surfacing which might convince some to wait and postpone their purchases, which might have some catastrophic effect on sales.
Then there's the fact that Pre will be available on O2. Amongst the like of the Toshiba TG01, the iPhone 3GS and the Samsung i7500 and many others soon to come, the Palm Pre might have might have a mighty hard time to shine.
With so many great models, will Palm have all the attention and (financial and marketing) dedication that it should receive? We're not so sure.


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Apple Said to Lobby for India Incentives as It Plans iPad Assembly
Mac is calculating to take an interest in another plan to help India’s fares of PC items, part of what government and industry sources say are plans to bring iPad tablet assembling toward the South Asian country.
India dispatched a $6.7 billion (generally Rs. 48,690 crores) plan to help cell phone trades a year ago, as Leader Narendra Modi increased determination to advance gadgets producing and make occupations.
Apple, which has consistently raised creation of iPhone gadgets in India to decrease its reliance on Chinese assembling, participated in that conspire through its agreement producers.
Presently the public authority is planning to reveal another motivation to drive nearby assembling of IT items including tablets, PCs, and workers, three sources firmly associated with the drafting of the arrangement told Reuters.
The new presentation connected motivator (PLI) plot, which offers money back to producers for sends out, will have a financial plan of up to Rs. 7,000 crores more than five years, the sources said. It’s required to be dispatched before the finish of February.
Apple, alongside others, is campaigning for a greater budgetary cost of Rs. 20,000 crores before that arrangement is finished, as India doesn’t yet have the scale or the store network for making IT items and contends with obligation free imports of tech items, two of the sources said.
Apple’s push comes all at once its iPhone provider Wistron is simply restarting activities at a southern Indian plant after furious laborers went out of control a year ago. Apple is yet to remove the Taiwan maker from probation.
Apple declined to remark for this story.
New Delhi is likewise arranging another PLI, at a financial plan of generally Rs. 50,000 crores more than five years, to support homegrown assembling of wearable gadgets, for example, smartwatches, the sources said, adding the arrangement could be reported inside two months.
All the sources declined to be named as the plans are not public.
Macintosh amasses a main part of its iPad devices in China, however is quick broadening creation to business sectors, for example, India and Vietnam to limit the effect of the US-China exchange war and the Covid emergency.
Its top provider Foxconn is fabricating sequential construction systems for iPad models and MacBook workstations in Vietnam, Reuters revealed toward the end of last year. Other iPad constructing agents incorporate Taiwan’s Compal Hardware and China’s BYD Electronic Worldwide.
In India, Mac will probably have iPad’s amassed by one of its current providers in the country as right on time as this year, two of the sources said, however its arrangements could get postponed as India makes the passage of BYD troublesome in the midst of its watchfulness to give new tech business to Chinese organizations.
“The public authority is requesting that Mac get iPads amassed by its agreement producers here, the non-Chinese organizations” one of the sources, an administration official said.
It was not quickly clear which of Macintosh’s three project workers in India – Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron – would amass iPad models.
Pegatron and Wistron didn’t react to demands for input while Foxconn said it doesn’t remark on explicit activities or work for a client.
India’s IT service additionally didn’t react to a solicitation for input.
India a year ago restricted in excess of 200 Chinese-source versatile applications, saying they compromised the security of the country. It additionally declared new controls on telecoms gear buys.
Cupertino, California-based Apple started the get together of iPhone gadgets in India in 2017 and has since sloped up assembling activities through the nearby units of Foxconn and Wistron. Pegatron additionally set up a base in India a year ago.
Foxconn will contribute up to $1 billion (generally Rs. 7,270 crores) to extend an industrial facility in southern India where the Taiwanese agreement maker amasses iPhone gadgets, Reuters detailed beforehand.


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Nowadays, most smartphone manufacturers are coming up with fast charging technologies, ensuring that the device gets charged up in as little time as possible. There are several such technologies available, including Qualcomm Quick Charge, OnePlus Dash Charge, among others. Now, Huawei’s next-generation fast charging technology, Huawei Super Charge, has surfaced online which seems to be ahead of its competitors.
According to the reports, Huawei‘s new power adapter with model number HW-100400C00 has received 3C certification. The adapter, which is manufactured by Yada Electronics Co. Ltd. has highest output specification of 10V/4A. This means that the maximum charging power of this new power adopter will be 40W, much faster than the 22W fast charing on the Huawei P20-series smartphones.
Earlier, in 2016, the company had launched Honor Magic, which supports 5V/8A fast charging, enabling users to charge the phone in just 45 minutes. However, this next-generation Huawei Super Charge 40W fast charging technology will charge the smartphone to 90 percent in just 30 minutes.
In comparision, Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 takes 30 minutes or less to charge 50 percent. On the other hand, OnePlus‘ Dash Charging can get to 60 percent charge in just 30 minutes.
While it is not yet known which smartphones from the company will come equipped with this next-gen fast charging technology, we expect that this will be used in the company’s upcoming Mate 20-series smartphones that will be launched in October this year.


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Rihanna's new lingerie line, Savage X Fenty (Savage by Fenty), will be marketed through an annual membership that will offer subscribers discounted prices, a source in a position to know told BuzzFeed News.
TechStyle Fashion Group — the subscription retailer that also owns Kate Hudson's Fabletics, ShoeDazzle (cofounded with Kim Kardashian West), JustFab (once led by Kimora Lee Simmons) and FabKids brands — expects Rihanna's Savage X Fenty lingerie line "to grow into the biggest brand" in the company's portfolio, according to the source.
Rihanna teased the May 11 launch of Savage X Fenty line in an Instagram post on Thursday.
Savage X Fenty members will be able to access discounts and promotions through an annual membership that includes free shipping. BuzzFeed News also has learned that the line aims to be "inclusive" of sizes ranging up to 3X.
TechStyle has caught ire in the past with shoppers who accused the company of misleading them into a monthly subscription and making it difficult to unsubscribe from the service.
Despite customer complaints, the company's revenues have grown from $505 million in 2015 to $700 million in 2017, according to figures shared by TechStyle Fashion Group CEO Adam Goldberg in a presentation at Shoptalk last month.
Partnering with Rihanna, whose Fenty Beauty brand at Sephora has been hugely successful, may put TechStyle Fashion Group in a better position to IPO. Kate Hudson, who owns Fabletics and is an investor in the company, said at a Recode event in December 2016 that "the goal" is to go public.
Fenty Beauty has repeatedly declined to share sales with BuzzFeed News but online research firm Slice Intelligence estimated sales in the first month of operation were five times that of Kylie Cosmetics and 34% higher the following month.


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Will EU's new trade rules be fair and transparent?
Updated: 2016-11-11 07:52
British Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the EU summit in Brussels, Belgium, October 20, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]
It is unreasonable and regretful that the European Union, China's largest trade partner, is proposing to modify its anti-dumping and anti-subsidy regulations rather than granting China market economy status next month as it should.
Without market economy status, China risks being targeted repeatedly by other World Trade Organization members in anti-dumping cases because its export costs can be calculated using prices in a third country as a benchmark.
So far, China, as the world's largest trading nation, has been duly granted market economy status by about 150 economies, of which nearly 100 are WTO members.
But despite China having the right to market economy status 15 years after it joined the WTO, the EU seems intent on not granting China that status in mid-December as it ought to. Instead, in a sort of halfway house to fulfill its obligation to international trade rules, it is proposing to modify its anti-dumping and anti-subsidy regulations.
The proposal put forward by the European Commission says that in general the normal reference value in dumping cases involving WTO members would be the domestic prices. But if there are "significant distortions" affecting domestic prices as well, investigators can instead use international benchmark prices.
The commission says it will issue reports identifying such distortions in certain countries or certain sectors.
The commission insists the new measures are country-neutral. But as they come just one month before the Dec 11 expiration of provisions in the protocol on China's accession to the WTO that would require its members to end the "surrogate country system", under which the cost data of production in a third country are used to calculate the value of products from China, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that they are intended to target Chinese products.
Beijing is interpreting the proposal as meaning the EU plans to cancel China's non-market economy status, but without completely nullifying China's surrogate country status.
From the EU's perspective, building higher trade barriers against competitive Chinese products may seem necessary. Economic recovery is slow across the EU, and many of its members are still deep in debt.
But protectionism is not the solution.
Beijing remains steadfast in opposing the use of trade remedy measures, preferring to pursue a stable and fair trade environment through talks and negotiations. That is the way to ensure healthy trade between China and the EU in the long run.
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The attacks come after state and local ransomware attacks in New York, Louisiana, Maryland and Florida resulted in the loss of significant sums.Technologyread more
Twitter and Facebook have suspended accounts believed to be tied to a state-backed disinformation campaign originating from inside China.Technologyread more
United States Steel Corp will temporarily lay off hundreds of workers at its Great Lakes facility in Michigan in coming weeks, according to a filing the steelmaker made with...US Marketsread more
Beijing will lower borrowing costs for companies, but that may not boost the economy as much as some hope.China Economyread more
Stocks are bouncing higher but could be trapped in a range longer term, until there's a resolution of the trade wars.Market Insiderread more
Stocks in Asia edged higher Tuesday morning as investors await the release of minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia's July meeting. The People's Bank of China is also set...Asia Marketsread more
Powell will have the opportunity if not to walk back the "midcycle" assessment then to at least provide some further explanation about what it means.Economyread more
The report comes as Trump in recent days has lashed out over media reports about growing recession fears.Politicsread more
Apple has spent more than $6 billion on original TV shows and movies for its forthcoming Apple TV+ service, according to a Financial Times report on Monday.Technologyread more
The Business Roundtable, led by Jamie Dimon, gives a new definition of the "purpose of a corporation."Marketsread more
"These days, the consumer is addicted to convenience ... If it doesn't have a great digital presence or incredible bargains, take a pass," Jim Cramer says.Mad Money with Jim Cramerread more
Big box retailers are often criticized for carrying the same old product across the same old stores.
According to a new report from digital think tank L2, that conventional thinking appears to have crossed over into the digital world.
After evaluating 64 big box stores on four categories—website and e-commerce, digital marketing, mobile and social media—L2 concluded that 39 percent of the companies' digital IQs are just "average," "demonstrating gross conformity across a variety of brands and distinct business models."
PetSmart, Trader Joe's, Bed Bath & Beyond, Costco and Belk declined to comment on their digital strategies. RadioShack spokeswoman Andrea McCauley said the electronics retailer has invested in and changed much on its website, creating a "clean, uncluttered design that is organized more by interest, category, theme or seasonal topics, which lead the consumer deeper into the site to the product pages." She added that its mobile design has also been enhanced.
None of the other stores immediately returned a request for comment.
"There's this myth that digital levels the playing field ... I don't think that could be more incorrect," said Scott Galloway, founder of L2. "A lot of these guys who are struggling to meet earnings just don't have the dry powder to throw at technology."
Many of the retailers who rounded out the bottom of the list are at a natural disadvantage because of their business models.
The grocery industry, in particular, operates on traditionally low margins, which can make it difficult to pour money into building out a comprehensive online strategy. Grocery sales are also underpenetrated on the Web compared to other areas, such as apparel, making it less of a priority, Galloway said.
Off-price stores such as T.J. Maxx face their own set of challenges, because their products are priced so low that shipping costs are more prohibitive. On Ross Stores' most recent earnings call, the company's president reiterated that it has no plans to operate an e-commerce business, because it doesn't seem economical for a retailer whose average unit price is $10.
On the flip side, struggling department stores J.C. Penney, Sears and Kmart all earned "gifted" rankings. L2 called out Sears' early adoption of the ship-from-store capability, which many other retailers are just now adopting. Kmart led the index for the most YouTube channel views, while Penney's earned kudos for its mobile-optimized site and customer service-oriented tweets.
Despite these companies' high rankings, Galloway emphasized that they can't rely on a digital strategy alone to boost their business.
"Digital is a fantastic tool but it's not a strategy in and among itself," he said.
Note: This story has been updated to include comments from RadioShack


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On Monday, Nintendo reduced the price of the original Nintendo Switch by £20, down to £259 in the UK and €269 in mainland Europe.
In a statement to Eurogamer at the time, Nintendo UK said the change was "due to currency exchange rates" as well as the impending 8th October arrival of the Switch's new OLED model.
Now, a Nintendo of America spokesperson has confirmed the company has "no plans" to adjust the price of the original Nintendo Switch in the US, and Axios Gaming's Stephen Totilo stated the price drop was "just for Europe".
This isn't completely unexpected - currency conversions had seen the relative UK and European prices for the original Nintendo Switch among the higher end of those offered globally, so this week's price cut was something of a normalisation.
What this does mean is the $350 OLED will arrive with a $50 price difference in the US, compared to the original Switch model's $300 and the Lite at $200.


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Apple on Friday released a minor update that promises to fix issues surrounding SSL connection verification. The latest software push brings Apple users up to iOS 7.0.6, a small step toward a much larger update to iOS 7.1, which is expected to launch in March. Apple hasn’t said exactly what was going wrong with SSL verifications, though the issue has seemingly been fixed.
While the latest software update is relatively small, hopefully it just means users will have even less issues to complain about when iOS 7.1 becomes available. Apple’s next big software update will supposedly bring some design improvements, and hopefully address the problem that caused some devices to restart for no reason.
You can wait for your device to ping you with a notification, or head into your settings to pull the update down manually.


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Duck Duck Jeep®: Brand Hosts World’s Largest Duck at Detroit Auto Show
Duck Duck Jeep®: Brand Hosts World’s Largest Duck at Detroit Auto ShowThe six-story, 69-foot wide, 79-foot long world’s largest duck, weighing in at more than 8,000 pounds, will be on display in Huntington Place Square during the Detroit Auto Show. Fans can post photos across social media channels with the hashtag #duckduckJeep to get in on the fun, potentially win prizes and enter a national sweepstakes.
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SDLP Rural Communities Spokesperson Patsy McGlone has said that an All-Island Agri-Food sector has huge potential.
He was speaking at the SDLP Conference in Derry.
Mid Ulster MLA Mr McGlone said, “The North’s agri-food sector makes a huge contribution to this place and has gained a reputation around the world for our first-class produce. This industry contributes billions to the North’s economy every year, it’s our largest manufacturer and employs a huge number of people in a variety of roles from farmers to scientists.
“The continued success of this sector depends on our access to the EU single market and we welcome the guarantee of dual market access in the Windsor Framework which brings unbridled opportunities for our economy, including the agri-food sector and all who work within it. The best way to make the most of this situation is with a restored Assembly and Executive that listens to the needs of the sector and works with them to realise the potential we now have.
“Given the success of the agri-food sector on both sides of the border I believe that we could achieve so much more by pooling our resources and working together to get the best results of businesses and consumers. As we move towards a New Ireland we need to realise the capability of this island to become an agri-food powerhouse distributing products all over the world and attracting new investment and opportunities for people here.”


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The year 2021 was an exciting time for businesses. The world is becoming more globalized, and it’s important to prepare their company for the changes that are happening in society. Here are some of the biggest business moments that happened in 2021:
1.SPACs hit the big time:
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) have existed for a longer period and reached a new milestone in 2021 compared to previous years alongside prominent companies in taking over companies. In 2021, SPACs made a $10 billion deal with Apple. The deal was made possible by SPACs’ ability to raise money from investors. SPACs are publicly traded blank-check companies created to acquire a target company for a predetermined price.
2.NFTs grow in value.
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have grown in value thanks to the growth of blockchain technology. NFTs are unique and are not interchangeable with other tokens, which means that each token is different from the other. This makes it possible for individuals to sell their tokens on exchanges. In 2021, NFTs increased in value, making them a profitable investment option for investors.
3.The Reddit crowd fights back in the public markets.
In 2021, Reddit was able to raise $300 million in their IPO, which was a significant increase from the $200 million they were hoping to get. However, the company’s shares fell by more than 50% after the public offering. Reddit had expected that there would be a lot of interest in its stock since the site has more than 330 million active users. The company’s shares fell due to concerns that it would be unable to grow its revenue and its ability to resist competition from other social media giants such as Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat.
4.Facebook/Meta goes under the microscope.
The Facebook/Meta merger was the focus of many regulators in 2021. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has highly scrutinized the deal because it involves two companies that are dominant players in their respective industries, namely social media and virtual reality. The FTC is concerned that the deal will lead to Facebook having too much control over people’s online activities, which may be detrimental to consumers.
In conclusion, there is a lot of potential in the year 2021 due to the advancements that have been made in blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. These technologies will significantly impact how individuals live, work, and play.


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Bruker Announces Acquisition of SkyScan
News Apr 09, 2012
Bruker Corporation has announced that it has acquired all of the shares of SkyScan N.V., a scientific instruments company located near Antwerp, Belgium. Financial details were not disclosed.
For the remainder for 2012, the acquisition of SkyScan is expected to add approximately $13 million to Bruker's revenue and to be accretive to EPS by about $0.01.
SkyScan's revenue is derived approximately 50% from materials science and 50% from life science and preclinical imaging applications.
SkyScan develops, manufactures and distributes worldwide advanced, high-resolution micro computed tomography (CT) systems for three-dimensional (3D) X-ray imaging.
SkyScan's micro-CT instruments can be configured for numerous applications in materials research and in the life sciences, including in vivo preclinical animal imaging, in vitro bone and soft tissue imaging, 3D imaging of electronic components, synthetic materials, new devices such as microsensors and cardio-stimulators, geological samples, fuel cell components, ceramics, and more.
Following the acquisition, the company has been renamed Bruker microCT N.V., and will continue to operate from the company-owned premises in Belgium under its previous management.
The new Bruker microCT business will continue to produce all micro-CT instruments under the SkyScan brand, and will provide enhanced global support for the installed worldwide base of SkyScan.
With global Bruker distribution and customer service capabilities for materials research, preclinical imaging, and SEM accessories, the Bruker microCT business is now well positioned to drive the further profitable growth of the SkyScan 3D micro-CT imaging products.
In addition, most successful SkyScan distributors will be able to continue to distribute SkyScan products in their countries or market segments.
Bruker intends to invest in additional micro-CT applications and demo centers to further enhance customer collaborations and support worldwide.
Dr. Alexander Sasov, founder and CEO of the former SkyScan company, and now Managing Director and CEO of Bruker microCT, commented: "We have been looking for a strong and competent strategic partner to continue the rapid growth that SkyScan has enjoyed over many years. I am very glad that with the strong Bruker brand and the additional worldwide Bruker distribution channels and support network, we have found exactly what we were looking for to drive our micro-CT business to the next level of success."
Frank Laukien, PhD, President and CEO of Bruker Corporation, added: "We are excited to have Alexander Sasov and his capable SkyScan team join us, adding in-depth 3D X-ray micro-CT imaging experience to Bruker. We are impressed by the portfolio of high-performance SkyScan products which fit nicely into our global materials research and preclinical imaging distribution channels, and which complement our other X-ray analysis and preclinical MRI products. The Bruker microCT team shares our philosophy of innovation, quality and customer support excellence."
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Hyperlens Crystal Capable of Viewing Living Cells in Unprecedented DetailNews
Just imagine: An optical lens so powerful that it lets you view features the size of a small virus on the surface of a living cell in its natural environment. Fundamental advances in the quality of an optical material used in hyperlensing, a method of creating lenses that can resolve objects much smaller than the wavelength of light, now makes this possible.READ MORE
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How India's buffalo trade has been battered by vigilantismThursday, April 13, 2017
New Delhi, April 12 -- On 24 March, Mohammed Nayeem, 28, a livestock trader, woke up before sunrise and rode to the animal market in Pinjri, about 20km from his home on the outskirts of Aligarh city in Uttar Pradesh. He claims he bought six buffaloes-spent, unproductive animals no longer in milk-to supply to a slaughterhouse which would process the meat for exports. Nayeem says he loaded the animals in a hired light truck and left for Aligarh around noon, riding alongside on his bike. According to Nayeem, a few kilometres down the highway, a mob of about 20 men stopped the truck, pulled him off his bike, dragged him to a nearby field and began punching and kicking him. He says they hit him with iron rods and hockey sticks, and discussed aloud whether to burn him alive. Fortunately, claims Nayeem, a police van reached after a while-although it was only to arrest him. By then, he says, the mob had stolen his buffaloes, taken away Rs1.5 lakh in cash and two mobile phones. After two days in jail, Nayeem was granted bail by the local court. A supplier in the meat trade, Nayeem had broken no law. Trade and slaughter of buffaloes is legal in India, unlike cows which cannot be slaughtered in 21 of India's 29 states. But it's not just traders like Nayeem who are affected by vigilantism. After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the rising tide of vigilantism has disrupted the entire animal trade in India's most populous state. Cutting across religion, farmers, dairy owners, export units and local meat sellers have been badly hit. Restrictions on slaughter of unproductive animals is likely to show up in higher prices of milk and milk products, besides hurting employment, export revenues and farmer incomes India's meat industry is a by-product of a thriving dairy sector. India does not rear cattle for slaughter, instead opting to only put to the knife only old and unproductive animals. Restrictions on slaughter of unproductive animals is likely to show up in higher prices of milk and milk products, besides hurting employment, export revenues and farmer incomes, say experts, affecting the entire bovine economy. It is an economy where the buffalo plays a central role. Why farmers prefer buffaloes to cows Uday Ram, 52, is a marginal farmer who owns five buffaloes and just about an acre of land. While the land helps him grow enough food for sustenance, it is sales from buffalo milk that pays for household expenses. He does not keep a cow for two reasons. First, cows give less milk-three to six litres a day for indigenous varieties compared to buffaloes which yield eight to 12 litres. Rich in fat and solids, buffalo milk also sells for more, about Rs50 per litre compared to Rs35 for cow milk. Secondly, after five-six lactation cycles (each lasting about nine months), Uday Ram can sell the buffalo for slaughter, fetching him anything between Rs25,000 and Rs 35,000 depending on the health and weight of the animal. Most farmers plough this amount back into purchasing another milch animal. In comparison, an unproductive cow is a liability and farmers often let them loose-one reason stray cattle foraging on garbage is such a common sight in India. Data from government reports point to the changing pattern of livestock ownership in India. According to the Livestock Census, between 1992 and 2012, buffalo numbers rose 29% from 84 million to 109 million, while the overall cattle population fell 6.7% from 205 million to 191 million. India is the world's largest producer of milk, with an annual output of 155 million tonnes (in 2015-16), and buffaloes contribute 55% to total production. The rising importance of buffaloes to the Indian dairy industry is also due to the fact that unlike cows, India has the best of high-yielding milch buffaloes in the world-precious local breeds such as the Murrah, Neeli Ravi and Jaffarabadi. Since the 1960s, Murrah bulls have been taken from India to Bulgaria, Brazil, China and several East Asian countries to help improve their native breeds and increase milk yields. With growing vigilantism in Uttar Pradesh, Uday Ram says he is now stuck with his spent Murrah buffalo, which gives barely a litre of milk per day; that's an earning of Rs50 while feed alone costs at least Rs150 per day. On 4 April, Uday Ram made his way to the animal market of Khair, about 30km from Aligarh. The weekly market had reopened that day after being shut since the new government took over, but there were few takers for his buffalo. Traders who deal in spent animals offered Uday Ram about Rs15,000 for the animal-less than half what it would have fetched in normal times. Traders say they are offering less because transporting animals has become risky. "Rs15,000 is too low a price and I will have to walk back to my village. I also have to postpone buying an in-milk buffalo (priced between Rs60,000 and Rs80,000)," said Uday Ram. A month's delay means spending at least Rs3,000 on feeding the animal. The loss for a marginal farmer like Uday Ram gets magnified many times over for a large dairy owner like Fazlur Rehman. The 55-year old owns 108 buffaloes and 30 cows. To keep his business going, he has to regularly recycle his herd. He wants to purchase about a dozen buffaloes but doesn't want to take the risk of buying and transporting the animals. "High yielding buffaloes which I get from Punjab or Haryana cost over Rs1 lakh each. Will a mob listen if I try to explain that the animals are for dairy and not slaughter?" said Rehman, perched in a chair outside his Pahalwan Dairy Farm on the outskirts of Aligarh city. "High yielding buffaloes which I get from Punjab or Haryana cost over Rs1 lakh each. Will a mob listen if I try to explain that the animals are for dairy and not slaughter?"- Fazlur Rehman, owner of Pahalwan Dairy Farm on the outskirts of Aligarh How it began How did the situation take this sudden turn? One of the reasons is that the crackdown on unlicensed slaughterhouses by the state's new government also seems to have extended to the transport of animals. On 24 March, less than a week after Yogi Adityanath was sworn in as Uttar Pradesh's new chief minister, Rahul Bhatnagar, the state's chief secretary, wrote a letter to all district magistrates and senior police officials telling them to take strict action against any unauthorized transport of milch (in-milk) animals. "For the state government a ban on illegal slaughter and unauthorised transport of milch animals is a top priority," the letter said. "Slaughter of milch animals at times disturb law and order and communal harmony." Mint has seen a copy of the letter. Almost at once, it became dangerous to transport spent animals for slaughter, or milch ones for dairy farming. According to trade lobby All India Meat and Livestock Exporters Association (AIMLEA), the circular created a confusion. Milch buffaloes are used by the dairy industry and not by export units (it is too costly to purchase and cull a productive buffalo). In a letter to the chief minister on 29 March, AIMLEA wrote that "there is a fear amongst traders that their vehicles would be stopped and livestock confiscated", urging it to allow transport of spent buffaloes with usual checks carried out by veterinary officials. Police and district officials were not the only ones keeping a vigil. Mint spoke to members of a local vigilante group, the Gau Rakshak Sena (cow protection army), which claims to have units across the state. "On the Mathura Hathras road in the past few days we have assisted the police in seizing over 100 buffaloes," said one member, Rahul Bansal, on the phone from Mathura. According to Bansal, the suppliers were charged under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, similar to what Nayeem in Aligarh was charged with. "We keep a constant watch on animal movements. It is due to us that 98% of transport has stopped now. One look at them (transporters) and we know if the animals are stolen and for katai (slaughter)."- Rahul Bansal, Gau Rakshak Sena "We keep a constant watch on animal movements. It is due to us that 98% of transport has stopped now," Bansal bragged. Asked how they can be sure whether the animals being ferried are for dairy or slaughter, he replied, "One look at them (transporters) and we know if the animals are stolen and for katai (slaughter)." Rs26,000 crore trade at stake One important reason buffalo owners like Uday Ram and Fazlur Rehman, and traders like Nayeem have done well is the boom in exports of buffalo meat where India is a global leader. India's buffalo meat exports grew at a compound annual rate of 29% between 2007-08 and 2015-16, from Rs3,533 crore to Rs26,685 crore. There are 78 exports units in India, and over half of them (41) are in Uttar Pradesh. Together these 78 units directly employ over 150,000 people. Indirectly, industries such as leather and those which depend on utilization of its by-products employ more than two million people. One of the largest export units is run by Frigerio Conserva Allana Pvt. Ltd in Aligarh. The state-of-the-art plant employs more than 2,000 people, about a third of them Muslims. On a normal day, the unit processes between 1,500 and 1,800 animals to export to countries in West Asia, Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Russia. India is a global leader in buffalo meat trade. Exports grew at a compound annual rate of 29% between 2007-08 and 2015-16-from Rs3,533 crore to Rs26,685 crore. The change of guard in Uttar Pradesh was followed by a spate of inspections by state government agencies. Nine export units have been temporarily shut down on what industry lobby AIMLEA alleges are flimsy grounds-non-functional CCTV cameras or a lapsed groundwater use licence. Still, rules are rules. A bigger problem is choked supply lines. Spent buffaloes come to these units from across Uttar Pradesh and from states such as Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. In Aligarh, five of the seven export units have had to shut down because supplies have dwindled. At the Allana processing unit, after a week of no work, supplies have trickled to about 400 animals per day. "About 40 government officers from 15 departments visited our plant but found everything was in order," said Ayaz Siddiqi, general manager (operations) at Allana. "But due to lack of supplies we had to lay off 500 casual workers. Our contractual workers are now working on rotation (a day's work followed by a day's rest)." On the shop floor, workers are a worried lot. "The government should give export units incentives for generating employment and income for farmers than turn a blind eye to those who are stopping transport of animals," said Pramod Sharma, head of the packaging unit, a Hindu and vegetarian who has been working at Allana for almost nine years. "It is worrying to see so many of us sitting idle. Where else can illiterate people like us earn Rs8,000 per month?" asked Savita Hembram, a tribal woman from Bihar who has been working at Allana for more than a decade. "The government should give export units incentives for generating employment and income for farmers than turn a blind eye to those who are stopping transport of animals"- Pramod Sharma, head of the packaging unit at Frigerio Conserva Allana, a exportr unit in Aligarh Allana is a state-of-the-art unit-far from the blood and stench commonly associated with slaughterhouses. The assembly line, from the animal resting yard to the packaging unit, is neat and clean. From a raised steel platform that runs around the shop floor, one can see hundreds of men and women in protective masks debone skinned buffaloes. The abundance of white (workers in white coats and boots working against spotless white walls) is interspersed with the pink of the flesh, lending the shop floor the look of a giant laboratory. Allana's is a zero waste integrated unit where every bit of the buffalo is put to use. Leftovers are processed and supplied as chicken and fish feed; the fat is used by cosmetics and soap manufacturers; the gelatine extracted from bones goes to pharmaceutical companies; the hides are sold to the leather industry and makers of cricket balls . "We hope the centre and state governments will get their priorities right," said Fauzan Alavi, a director at Allana, and spokesperson of AIMLEA, the exporter's association. "If India can be made free of the foot and mouth disease, our exports can grow at least threefold by opening up markets in the US, EU and China. This will earn more value for farmers, as close to 80% of our export revenues go directly to them. Some 'ease of doing business' for the industry will also aid the centre's goal of doubling farm incomes," Alavi said during a meeting in Delhi. Why small-time butchers are angry Legal units such as Allana have largely escaped the wrath of government officials. That's because these establishments tend to be meticulous about government clearances (about 21 approvals are required from state and central agencies) and follow the stringent quality standards required by their foreign clients. The "illegal units" that the new government has been shutting down and those that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered shut across the state in a May 2015 judgement are either small local establishments or larger ones run by the government itself. "We appealed to the NGT in 2013, fed up with certain communities stealing animals for culling and polluting the environment-rivers and water bodies-by open slaughter and dumping of untreated waste," said Kuldeep Nagar, a petitioner in that case. "But neither the (previous) government nor officials enforced the judgement. We are happy that the new government is on the job." In Uttar Pradesh, most of the municipal slaughterhouses-where butchers can go to cull an animal for a fee-are shut because they don't have effluent treatment facilities The problems of the local butcher, however, are more complex. For instance, there are around 350 licensed meat shops in Aligarh, and another 150 who don't have any papers. "Sometimes they operate by the roadside on a plank of wood," said Tariq Anwar, president of the local butchers association. "Since an individual butcher cannot afford a slaughterhouse, it is the government's responsibility to run one. In Aligarh, the municipal slaughterhouse downed shutters three years back and people took to slaughtering in godowns and closed spaces," he said. Anwar agrees this creates pollution and inconveniences to ordinary residents. "We want to comply with the law but how can the government shirk its responsibility?" he asked. According to the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1959, "construction and maintenance of public markets and slaughterhouses" is the responsibility of the local administration. But going by a "list of seriously polluting industries which have not installed anti-pollution devices" drawn up by the state pollution control board in 2015, of 129 establishments surveyed, 40 were government-owned municipal slaughterhouses that did not have effluent treatment and solid waste management facilities. Data shows that more than 10 million Hindus and 60 million Muslims in the country consume beef and buffalo meat In Uttar Pradesh, most of the municipal slaughterhouses-where butchers can go to cull an animal for a fee-are shut because they don't have effluent treatment facilities. Currently, of the 86 municipal slaughterhouses in the state, just two are functional. "This means (many of) the so-called illegal slaughterhouses are actually the government-owned ones," said Anwar. Anwar is angry with the previous Samajwadi Party government and its urban development minister Azam Khan. "It is they who forced us to do our businesses 'illegally' all the while ensuring we vote for them," he said. In Aligarh, facing an acute shortage of meat for local consumption, exports units are now selling limited quantities to local butchers and to the Aligarh Muslim University mess, following requests from district authorities. "But what about other cities and towns in the state?" asked Anwar. ALSO READ: Going overboard with cow protection Data shows that more than 10 million Hindus and 60 million Muslims in the country consume beef and buffalo meat. State-wise, beef consumption varies from more than 80% (of total inhabitants) in Meghalaya, to over a fifth of the population in states like Assam and Kerala, and more than 9% in Uttar Pradesh. Last week, hearing the plea of a meat vendor from Lakhimpur Kheri municipality whose licence had not been renewed, the Allahabad high court directed the state government to ensure adequate supply of meat, reminding it that "an immediate check on unlawful activity should be simultaneous with facilitating the carrying of lawful activity, particularly that relating to food, food habits and vending thereof that is undisputedly connected with the right to life and livelihood". The judgement is small comfort for Mohammed Nayeem. The trader who faced the mob's ire in Aligarh is barely able to walk due to a fracture in his right leg. The injuries on his skin need to heal before doctors can make a cast. "I am lucky to be alive," Nayeem said. He is unsure if he wants to go back to work. "Himmat toot gayi meri (I have lost my confidence)." Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from MINT.
Provided by MINT
Provided by MINT


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Judge Upholds Claims Affecting Thousands of Vehicles in Chevy Cruze “Clean Diesel” Lawsuit
DETROIT – In a ruling issued today, U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington, overseeing the General Motors (NYSE: GM) “Clean Diesel” litigation, upheld claims brought by owners of GM-branded Chevy Cruze diesel vehicles related to GM’s use of a defeat device to evade emissions regulations, according to Hagens Berman. The decision upholds claims affecting thousands of vehicles.
“We are very pleased that Judge Ludington has sustained the claims for thousands of consumers who unknowingly bought or leased polluting vehicles, and we look forward to continuing our vigorous efforts to recover benefit-of-the-bargain damages for these injured consumers,” said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman and counsel representing Cruze owners in the suit.
“Diesel emissions fraud didn’t stop with Volkswagen or Mercedes – GM has proven that it too placed greed and profits ahead of thousands of owners who paid premium prices for what they thought were clean diesel cars,” Berman added.
Hagens Berman’s automotive litigation team represents consumers as a member of the court-appointed Executive Committee in the Dieselgate case against Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche as well and as lead counsel in a similar case brought against Mercedes for using “defeat device” software to cheat emissions tests.
According to consumers, the defeat device installed in Chevy Cruze models results in significantly higher emissions when the vehicle is in use compared to when it is being tested in laboratory conditions. The lawsuit states that GM marketed the Cruze diesel as “a Clean Diesel” that had emissions below U.S. environmental standards and charged an additional $2,000 or more compared to the gasoline model, but misled the public and sought to evade emissions testing.
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About Hagens Berman
Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is a consumer-rights class-action law firm with offices in 10 cities. The firm has been named to the National Law Journal’s Plaintiffs’ Hot List eight times. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at www.hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.


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The federal government in Germany has approved an ’emergency brake’ system forged to combat rising case numbers of infection. The decision as to what measures apply to what state were first decided by the heads of federal state but shall now be legally enforced by the government. The change must now be passed by parliament.
This replace the patchwork system that in place that had states ‘open’ up despite rising cases of infection and death. An example would be the the Federal state of Saarland which became the first to declare an end to the lockdown on the 6th of April 2021. This is despite an increase in the number of infections. This decision came in addition to the approval of outdoor catering, cinema, theatres and fitness studios being allowed to open too. <<WE WROTE ABOUT IT HERE.>>
The changes to the German Infection Protection Act must now be passed in the parliament, the Bundestag.
The new ‘federal emergency break’ means that any region in any state with a high incidence of covid-19 cases would be legally required to implement uniform set of rules set out by the Federal government.
However, the timeline for enacting the new regulations remains unclear.
“Let’s finish it this week,” Ralph Brinkhaus, CDU parliamentary leader, said in the German media on Monday.
Merkel’s say on the new directive?
Merkel again brought to light that Germany is suffering through a third wave that is spreading more rapidly than expected. She pointed out recently that the EU might have to start producing it’s own vaccine to be able to counter attack the virus. << we wrote it here>>
READ RELATED ARTICLES: Germany COVID-19, End of lockdown in one federal state despite rising infections
She also added that the Health care system has taken quite a few blows due to the pandemic and that their cries must not be ignored. A better system to avoid new infections must be put in place.
What rules will be applied in the new restriction?
- Gatherings of people from different households will be limited. Contact with one person outside of the household is permitted, with a maximum of five people being allowed together.
- Retail stores, including hardware stores, must close. Supermarkets and drug stores may remain open.
- Theatres, museums, zoos, public pools and gyms must remain closed.
- Restaurants are limited to takeout, and touristic travel in hotels is not allowed.
- Overnight curfews to be enforced between 9P.M and 5A.M in cites and districts that cross the 100-cases threshold with only essential services retaining ‘freedom’ of movement.


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A US federal appeals court has ruled against a Chinese company that was accused of running an illegal seo website.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in San Francisco rejected a lawsuit filed by the Chinese company, Tencent Holdings Inc., alleging the company’s practices violated the federal Wiretap Act, according to court records.
The company’s chief executive officer and a senior vice president of China were charged with wire fraud.
The other two executives were charged in the case.
A ruling against the company is expected later this month.
In October, the 4U.
S., 3C and 2A circuits sided with the Chinese government, finding that Chinese authorities have broad authority to monitor the online activities of companies based in China.


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Our latest news from Hong Kong.
June, 12-14, 2018 – Retail Asia Expo
From the 12th June 2018, DDS Logistics will be on the VISEO stand, at the Retail Asia Expo 10th edition, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, in Hong Kong. This event is an exhibition that gathers the industry’s most influential retailers and buyers. You will found three focus areas : Retail Technology, Retail Design & In-Store Marketing and Internet Retailing.
March 15, 2018 – Made In Asia
For the Made In Asia 8th edition, DDS Logistics will be present in Hong Kong for the Sourcing Synposium about Industry 4.0 : transparency and innovation vs cost pressure.
Indigo Software, a leading warehouse management software (WMS) specialist and DDS Logistics, a leading transport management software (TMS) provider have joined forces to help Chinese companies looking to benefit from the countries US $700 billion e-commerce opportunity to get a head start.
June 10, 2016 – New regulations on container weight: DDS Logistics solutions are ready to comply!
In anticipation of the new regulations effective from July 1, 2016 requiring containers’ Verified Gross Mass (VGM) to be declared, TMS leader DDS Logistics has developed and added new functionalities to the DDS Shipper and DDS Freight solutions so as to comply with the new regulatory constraints.
March 21, 2016 – DDS Logistics teams up with Port Cities to boost its growth in Asia
French TMS (Transport Management System) leader DDS Logistics signed a distribution deal with Hong Kong IT solutions and business services company Port Cities to win new customers in Asia.
The French TMS (Transport Management Software) leader struck its first « forwarder » deal in China. Its DDS Freight Entreprise solution is being deployed at Celtic China Group, a subsidiary of French company Celtic Global Services and of Legendre group, which is going through a period of significant growth.


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Bank One Corp. said Monday that it has named R. Michael Welborn as its new head of retail banking.
Mr. Welborn succeeds Kenneth T. Stevens, who resigned unexpectedly.
Bank One, the nations fourth-largest banking company, is in the midst of a companywide restructuring designed to clear up its balance sheet and bring more financial discipline to its business units.
Mr. Welborn, 49, was head of $280 billion-asset Bank Ones middle-market lending operations. David P. Bolger, who oversees treasury management, international banking, and other corporate banking functions, has assumed responsibility for the middle-market segment at the Chicago company.
The company also said that James S. Boshart, head of capital markets, will take on banking for large U.S. corporate customers.
Mr. Stevens will remain at Bank One for a few weeks to assist Mr. Welborn in transition, the company said.
In an interview Monday, Mr. Welborn said he intends to spend some time with the retail banks 30,000 employees before making changes, but added that there will be change.
Mr. Welborn will remain in Chicago. Mr. Stevens had run the consumer business out of Columbus, Ohio.
This is the latest in a series of executive shuffles started when James Dimon, BankOnes chairman and chief executive officer, joined in April. Mr. Welborn was promoted to the middle-market assignment in May after having run the business for Bank Ones Southwest region. Mr. Bolger, 42, was promoted at the same time; he had been running merger integration.
Mr. Boshart, 55, joined the company in September. He was previously co-CEO of Citigroups European investment bank, Schroder Salomon Smith Barney.
Were more closely aligning capital markets with the appropriate large corporate functions to more effectively serve our customers, Mr. Dimon said in a statement released Monday.
Mr. Stevens was one of the survivors of Bank Ones old order, having joined the company in 1996 to run the retail unit under then-chairman John B. McCoy. Before joining Bank One, Mr. Stevens held several positions in the food industry, in assignments at General Mills, PepsiCo, and Taco Bell Corp. He also worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Co.
He joined Bank One as it was undergoing a radical centralization of its management structure. Bank Ones retail group has eight million individual customers, 450,000 small-business customers, and 1,800 branches in 14 states. The retail unit is responsible for about one-third of Bank Ones profits.
In recent months Mr. Stevens oversaw the installation of new technology in the banking centers and the standardization of the retail banks systems and products. We in the retail group have prided ourselves on being very disciplined from a financial standpoint, and our results have been very good year over year in the last three years, he said in a recent interview with American Banker.
Mr. Dimon has replaced many of the managers from the old Bank One with those he knows from his previous job as president of Citigroup Inc. or people inside the company whose management style is similar to his own. Hes making the right changes, said Susan Roth, an analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston. The company wasnt functioning at or even near optimal performance levels before Jamie arrived.
In an interview Monday, Mr. Stevens said he told Mr. Dimon two weeks ago of his decision to leave. He said he would disclose details of his next job in a couple of weeks, adding only that he will work in Columbus and outside the banking industry.
Jennifer A. Kingson contributed to this report.