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PopCap Games, developer of highly-acclaimed games including Plants vs. Zombies and Bejeweled 2, has revealed in an e-mail that it “soon” plans to release an iPad-native version of its award-winning Peggle. Following its release on PC and Mac platforms, Peggle was released as a Click Wheel iPod Game where it truly took off, receiving our iPod Game of the Year Award before making its way to the iOS platform as an iPhone and iPod touch version, then adding the semi-sequel Peggle Nights as additional downloadable content. The iPad version would likely follow Plants vs. Zombies in being a standalone “HD” version, using touch-optimized content from the Mac game that was released years ago.
According to a pair of reports out of Europe, Apple has changed its rules regarding how print publishers are allowed to let users access their content from within iOS applications. de Volkskrant reports (Translated Link) that Apple has told publishers it will no longer allow periodicals to bundle free access to the iPad version of the publication with print or online subscriptions. NRC adds (Translated Link) that Apple has given publishers until March 31 to comply with the new rules or risk having their apps removed from the App Store. Both reports note that Apple wants its 30 percent cut of the subscription price, which it does not receive when all payments are handled outside the App Store. Notably, Apple is reportedly working on a new subscription platform for the iPad (and likely other iOS devices as well) which will allow users to sign up for a subscription to a magazine or newspaper and have new content automatically delivered to their device. Apple CEO Steve Jobs is expected to appear on stage with News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch in the coming weeks to announce the new subscription offering alongside News Corp.‘s upcoming iPad-based newspaper The Daily. [via AppleInsider]
Amazon has released an update to its Kindle app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad adding the ability to open and import supported e-book formats. Kindle 2.5 now allows users to open e-book files from sites such as Project Gutenberg and the Internet Archive directly from the Safari browser or Mail app using the “Open in” feature in iOS 4. Supported ebook formats can also be transferred to a user’s device via USB using the File Sharing feature in iTunes. The new version also adds the ability to continue downloading books while the app is in the background, improves the image zoom feature and provides a new book indicator and miscellaneous bug fixes. Kindle for iOS is a universal app and is available from the App Store as a free download.
Task Ave has released an iPhone application aimed at providing task reminders based on a users’ location. Task Ave allows users to easily create reminders that are triggered when the user is within a set proximity of a specific location where something needs to be done. Locations can be added manually or via search and tasks can be added and edited directly on a map view or by using a more traditional list view. The application allows users to choose the proximity at which they wish to be notified from 500m and 13km and users can opt for either GPS tracking or simplified cell tower tracking to conserve battery. Task reminders can be disabled by location and users can configure the app to remove completed tasks automatically. Task Ave is available from the App Store for $3.
Speaking in an interview with BusinessWeek, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg made several comments relating to Apple, the iPhone, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Asked whether he thought Apple made unreasonable demands when it was shopping the first iPhone, Seidenberg replied, “No. That was all part of the sort of mating dance they were going through. But most of that [was] used not against us, but used against the carriers they ended up signing with, all right? So no, I didn’t think the terms were all that serious because we were never in the running.” Seidenberg also revealed that he personally called Steve Jobs and went to visit him about the possibility of bringing the iPhone to Verizon; Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless’ president and COO, also made calls and visits to Apple COO Tim Cook in hopes of securing a relationship with the company.
“In terms of Steve Jobs, I think this is just another arrow in his quiver,” Seidenberg said of Apple’s CEO. “He’s done a great job at innovating, and he’s got a product that people feel like they want to carry. And we did want to carry the iPhone. I would also make this point: We’re further along in 4G than others are. So I think this decision, from Apple’s standpoint, is also very strategic because they get to establish a relationship with us early in their cycles to take advantage of the 4G stuff that’s going to come out over the next 12 months.”
Apple has launched a new 10 Billion App Countdown promotion to celebrate the downloading of the ten billionth app from the App Store. “As of today, nearly 10 billion apps have been downloaded from the App Store worldwide,” reads the promotion’s web page. “Which is almost as amazing as the apps themselves. So we want to say thanks. Download the 10 billionth app, and you could win a US $10,000 iTunes Gift Card. Just visit the App Store, and download what could be your best app yet.” Customers are limited to 25 entries per day, and Apple is providing a free entry form for those who would like to enter without making a purchase or performing a download. The promotion will end after the download of the 10 billionth app; for more information, see Apple’s official rules.
News Corp. and Apple have delayed the debut of the former’s new iPad newspaper, The Daily, in order to polish the new subscription platform that will be used to deliver the paper. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reports that the digital newspaper was supposed to be unveiled next Wednesday by News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch and Apple CEO Steve Jobs at a special event at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the launch has been delayed by weeks, and not months, according to the report. “The app and the service work, it’s just getting them to talk to each other that needs more time,” said a person familiar with the matter. News Corp. confirmed the delay but declined to comment beyond that. Once released, Apple’s new subscription platform will allow customers to sign up for a subscription to a periodical via the App Store and get the publication delivered automatically to their iPad each time a new issue is published, instead of needing to purchase each issue individually either as a separate app or through in-app purchases.
Shure has introduced a new pair of earphones and two new pairs of headphones at the 2011 NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA. The SE215 Sound Isolating Earphone features a single Dynamic MicroDriver, a detachable cable, and includes three pairs of black sleeves, three pairs of soft flex sleeves, and a carrying case. It will be available in clear or translucent black and is expected to sell for around $100. The SRH550DJ Professional DJ Headphones feature 50mm drivers for extended bass, a super-aural design for better isolation, an adjustable, collapsible headband, an included 6.3mm adapter and an included carrying bag. Finally, the SRH940 Professional Reference Headphones promise accurate frequency response, a collapsible, lightweight design, a padded headband, and include a 6.3mm adapter, two detachable cables—straight and coiled—a replacement set of velour ear pads, and a zippered hard carrying case. Shure’s SRH550DJ and SRH940 headphones are expected to sell for $100 and $300, respectively; all three new models will be available this Spring. [via Engadget]
Akai has debuted its new SynthStation49 keyboard with built-in iPad dock. Designed specifically for use with the iPad, the SynthStation49 features a 49 full-size velocity-sensitive keys, pitch and modulation wheels, an adjustable-angle charging iPad dock, a USB port for connecting to a Mac or PC, the ability to function as a traditional MIDI controller, professional 0.25-inch outputs, nine backlit MPC-style drum pads, and full transport buttons. In addition, it works with the company’s SynthStation software for iOS, offering direct in-app MIDI recording, and is also iOS CoreMIDI compatible, allowing it to be used with a wide variety of other iOS music apps. Pricing and Availability have yet to be announced. [via MusicRadar]
Four new image files found within the first iOS 4.3 beta support the idea that the iPad 2 will have at least one camera capable of both still photo and video capture, while also suggesting that the second-generation device’s screen will sport the same resolution as its predecessor’s. 9 to 5 Mac reports that two images depicting the same shutter screen as found on iPhone and iPod touch—in landscape and portrait orientation—have been found; the new images are labeled as being for the iPad, and not for any other product. Two additional images are used to indicate an empty still photo or video camera roll, and are likewise labeled for iPad. Notably, the camera shutter images are 1024x768 in size, suggesting that Apple plans to keep the same screen resolution in the second-generation iPad as it used in the first.
New changes found in the Apple TV Software 4.3 beta suggest Apple is finally synchronizing the device’s Software and iOS Build numbers, while also tweaking the design of its on-screen keyboards. In the new beta, both the Apple TV Software and iOS Build Versions are listed as 4.3; previously, these two numbers were not the same, leading to confusion as to whether the update should be referred to by its Software or iOS Build version number. In addition, the beta of Software 4.3 features a new on-screen keyboard design, dividing the prior options into three six-by-seven grids—one for lower case letters and numbers, one for upper case letters and numbers, and one for symbols—and users can toggle between the new keyboards using the remote’s play/pause button. The new design should cut down on the number of button presses required to enter information on the device. Apple released the first beta version of Apple TV Software 4.3 to paid developers yesterday; it is unknown when the software and the companion iOS 4.3 update for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch will be released.
Unlike prior releases of Apple’s iOS operating system for iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad devices, the iPhone 3G and second-generation iPod touch were notably absent from the list of devices for the beta version of iOS 4.3. While no official announcement has been made on the subject, it is likely that Apple has decided not to release further OS updates for the two devices, which previously missed out on key features added to iOS 4. The iPhone 3G and iPod touch 2G were left out on new iOS 4.0 features like multitasking and Home screen backgrounds, then didn’t receive support for AirPrint; the iPhone 3G was snubbed with the launch of Game Center and AirPlay, and exhibited crippling slowdowns in performance with iOS 4.
Verizon Wireless is ending its “New Every Two” and early upgrade programs ahead of the iPhone 4’s launch. Smart Money, citing confirmation from Verizon officials, reports that the New Every Two program, which offered Verizon customers a credit of $30 to $100 toward a new phone every two years, will end on January 16. Existing customers will be able to use any existing credit after that time period, but will not be re-enrolled in the program. The end of the early upgrade program, which allowed some customers to upgrade their phones at discounted rates as early as 13 months into a two-year contract, will see those same customers waiting 20 months to get the new-customer price on handsets.
Further digging into the code of the newly released iOS 4.3 beta has revealed a new MobileMe feature, as well as device keys for unannounced products. Mac Rumors reports that settings for a new feature called “Find My Friends” has been found. The strings appear to be associated with the Settings app and are related to MobileMe, suggesting Apple is planning to launch a MobileMe-based competitor to location-based services like Loopt and Google Latitude. Engadget, meanwhile, has discovered device keys for two next-generation iPhones—labeled iPhone4,1 and iPhone 4,2—as well as three next-generation iPads, labeled iPad2,1, iPad2,2, and iPad2,3. The article speculates that the new iPhone keys are for CDMA and GSM variants of the fifth-generation iPhone, while the iPad keys include CDMA and GSM variants of the iPad 3G, along with a Wi-Fi-only second-generation unit.
Apple has released iOS 4.3 beta 1, the first beta version of its next major point release for iOS, to its paid developers. According to notes accompanying the release, the beta includes a pre-release version of future Apple TV Software so that developers can test AirPlay functionality with their 4.3 apps, meaning that users should be able to send video from apps or websites to the Apple TV under the new software. A prior report also indicated that the Personal Hotspot Internet sharing feature debuting on the Verizon iPhone 4 will make its way to other models under iOS 4.3, although it is unclear whether the functionality is included in this update. Separate beta versions of iOS 4.3 for the iPad, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, third-, and fourth-generation iPod touch are available as downloads for paid iOS developers from Apple’s iOS Dev Center.
Update: TUAW reports that the new beta also includes support for new four- and five-finger gestures on the iPad. “This beta release contains a preview of new Multi-Touch gestures for iPad,” reads Apple’s developer page for iOS 4.3. “You can use four or five fingers to pinch to the Home Screen; swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar; and swipe left or right between apps. We are providing this preview before releasing them to the public to understand how these gestures work with your apps. Test them and give us your feedback on the Apple Developer Forums.”
Update x2: Mac Rumors notes that the new beta also offers an option in the Settings app to choose whether the iPad’s side switch acts as a screen rotation lock or as a mute switch. The iPad originally shipped with the switch acting as a screen rotation lock, but Apple changed its behavior in iOS 4.2.
H2O Audio is now shipping its new Amphibix Fit Universal Waterproof Armband for the iPhone, iPod touch, and other large media devices. The Fit is 100% waterproof, sweatproof and weatherproof, using the company’s patented LatchTight locking closure and SealTight headphone connector to provide a secure seal up to 12 feet underwater. Other features include an adjustable, breathable, and removable Velcro armband, a StableFit buoy to allow for air circulation between the case and device and to ensure the case will float, and a ClearTouch pouch that allows for operation of the device both in and out of the water. The Amphibix Fit Waterproof Armband is available now and sells for $60.
Lenntek has introduced its new VintageVinyl case for the iPhone 4. Made from hard polycarbonate, the case features finely machined record grooves on the rear of the case to make it look and feel like an actual vinyl record, four built-in “ScreenStilts” that keep the iPhone 4’s screen protected when placed face-down, and two included customizable record label stickers. Notably, the company claims the case’s port, control, and camera cutouts are compatible with the small variations in the ring/silent switch and volume button placement present in the CDMA version of the iPhone 4, while remaining compatible with existing GSM models. Lenntek’s VintageVinyl case for the iPhone 4 is available now and sells for $35.
Microsoft has confirmed that it is attempting to block Apple’s trademark application for the phrase “App Store.” BBC News reports that Microsoft has asked the US Patent and Trademark Office to reject the application on the basis that it is too broad. “An ‘app store’ is an ‘app store’,” said Russell Pangborn, Microsoft’s associate general counsel. “Like ‘shoe store’ or ‘toy store’, it is a generic term that is commonly used by companies, governments and individuals that offer apps. The term ‘app store’ should continue to be available for use by all without fear of reprisal by Apple.” Apple first filed for the trademark in 2008, and this week launched its second application store—the Mac App Store—alongside the release of Mac OS X 10.6.6.
Speaking with AllThingsD at yesterday’s Verizon iPhone press event, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing Phil Schiller made several comments about the development of the CDMA iPhone. “It was a lot of work,” Schiller said of the two-year process, which involved months of testing and more than 1,000 prototypes. Schiller also commented on the new model’s Personal Hotspot feature, saying, “A big part of it is the software, I’d say the biggest part. It uses the hardware in different ways.” Schiller also admitted that the feature would be a boon to Wi-Fi only iPad owners looking for a way to access the Internet away from traditional Wi-Fi, saying, “It’s a good way to do it.” Verizon will launch the CDMA iPhone on its network February 10.
Flickr has released an update to its official application for the iPhone and iPod touch adding support for preserving EXIF data when uploading photos as well as a number of other improvements. Flickr 1.3 now allows users to include all EXIF data from photos uploaded via the app, including date, time and the original geo-location of the photo. The update also includes a new photo picker that allows users to select up to five photos for batch uploading and improvements to background uploading on 3G connections. Users can also now adjust a photos geo location prior to uploading using a custom map view and display a map to display the location where photos were taken. The new version also improves Twitter sharing using a flic.kr short URL, removes the 42 set limit within the app and provides support for the Retina Display on the iPhone 4 and fourth-generation iPod touch. Flickr is available from the App Store as a free download.


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Couples participate in an Alibaba mass wedding in 2017. Photo: VCG
Alibaba has been accused again of sexism after founder Jack Ma told newlywed couples last week to have sex six days per week.
"At work, we emphasize the spirit of 996. In life, we should follow 669,” Ma told 102 couples at an annual company mass wedding on May 10, referring to the “996” work week, where employees are expected to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days per week. The second number, “669,” refers to sex six times in six days — with an emphasis on duration (nine sounds like “long time” in Chinese).
Ma’s comments prompted a backlash after a video of his speech was posted to Alibaba’s official Weibo account. China Women’s News asked in a Weibo post if the Alibaba founder should be discussing employees’ private lives. Another Weibo user wrote, “Everyone is working 996, who is in the mood for 669?”
Ma’s comments were also clearly aimed at men and reinforced harmful ideas of male sexual dominance, Liu Xingyu, a member of the Suzhou-based non-governmental organization Queer Workers’ Service Center, wrote in an online essay.
Ma came under fire just last month for defending the “996” work week amid an online protest by workers in China’s tech industry against grueling working hours and the danger the culture poses to workers’ health.
Alibaba also attracted criticism last year for publishing recruitment advertisements featuring women in suggestive poses. The tech giant has pledged to adhere to stricter reviews of its job ads to ensure that they are compliant with principles of workplace equality.

domain: news


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SMM News: Fiat Chrysler (FCA) released its second quarter financial report. The results showed that the company had withstood the slowdown in the industry thanks to record results in North America and modest profits in Europe, so it would continue to stick to its previous full-year profit forecast.
Specifically, FCA posted a net profit of 793 million euros in the second quarter; revenue fell 3 per cent to 26.7 billion euros as sales fell across the region, and adjusted earnings before interest and tax totaled 1.52 billion euros, up from analysts' expectations of 1.43 billion euros.
Regionally, FCA's adjusted earnings before interest and tax in North America rose 12 per cent from a year earlier to 1.56 billion euros, with revenue of 17.64 billion euros, roughly the same as the same period last year. Delivery fell 12 per cent to 596000 vehicles, but FCA's profit margin climbed to 8.9 per cent in the market, thanks to an improved portfolio of pickup-based products.
In Europe, FCA's adjusted earnings before interest and tax fell 88 per cent from a year earlier to 22 million euros, while profit margins before interest and taxes were 0.4 per cent and revenue fell 12 per cent to 5.56 billion euros from a year earlier. In Latin America, the company's performance has also improved, but it remains flat in other markets.
The widespread decline in sales unnerved the auto industry, forcing FCA competitors, including Renault, Daimler and Aston Martin, to lower their sales forecasts after reporting second-quarter results, and Ford expects a weaker-than-expected profit outlook for 2019. Renault's longtime partner Nissan also said it would cut 12500 jobs by 2023 after reporting a sharp drop in profits.
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It’s how financial institutions refer to consumers who have no checking or savings account. Those who have an account and interact with payday lenders and other alternative financial services are called “underbanked.”
There’s lots of research connecting unbanked and underbanked to poverty. In other words, consumers with stronger financial institution relationships are generally more financially secure. This because they have access to affordable credit, savings products and resources.
At least a quarter of American households are unbanked or underbanked, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. And nearly half of African American households are unbanked or underbanked.
Why the disparity? According to CEB Iconoculture research, the primary factors are access, assets and attitudes.
Access, assets and attitudes.
Bank branches are generally less convenient to African American consumers (MagnifyMoney Research on Bank Branch Presentation, February 2016). There are 40.6 bank branches for every 100,000 people who live in majority white counties in the U.S., compared to 32 branches located in majority African American counties.
Then there’s the issue of wealth. African American families on average have less household income with which to work. A study released this year by Demos found that African American two-parent families have half the wealth of white single parents. Specifically,
- The median two-parent black family had $16,000 in wealth.
- The median single-parent white family had $35,800 in wealth (two-parent white families had $161,300).
These factors and more prompt African American consumers to be more likely to manage their personal finances with little or no outside help, according to CEB Iconoculture research. When asked why they prefer a DIY approach, African American respondents were more likely to point to the following reasons than the total survey audience:
- My finances are simple (41 percent of African American respondents agreed versus 34 percent of all respondents.)
- I don’t have much money to manage (35 percent of African American respondents versus 25 percent of all respondents.)
- I can’t afford personal financial services (24 percent of African American respondents versus 19 percent of all respondents
Three ways banks and credit unions can help the unbanked and underbanked.
How can banks and credit unions connect to the underserved market? Flip the challenges and follow consumer values.
Promote mobile banking. Mobile banking can help underserved consumers gain more access to financial services, according to an FDIC study. In addition to added convenience, mobile banking can give consumers greater control over finances. Alerts and tracking tools make it easier to avoid fees and track finances. First banks and credit unions must convince consumers that it’s safe to open an account online, which has thus far proven challenging.
Become a trusted advisor. Trust is the foundation of every healthy relationship and imperative when money is involved. When it comes to financial services, African Americans consumers have practical expectations, according to CEB Iconoculture research. They are: do a good job managing my money, provide transparency, security and stick to the products and services that I need. Finally, demonstrate success.
- Accentuate the positive. The values most positively differentiated for African Americans compared to all U.S. consumers can provide important insights. They are belief, individuality, ambition and growth—ostensibly individual achievement and growth. African American Millennials tend to be more optimistic than their peers, according to a study by Richards/Lema and the University of Texas, Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations.
Sign up for the free Brogan Marketing Statement for quarterly news and insights about financial services marketing.


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Claims of Selling Bitcoin Users' Data "Are Overblown," Says Coinbase
Is the end of Coinbase's reign near?
- Coinbase employee says the company isn't selling user data to law enforcement agencies
- All the data in Coinbase's analytics tool is public information that can be recreated by anyone else
- Frequent outages and mounting privacy concerns are forcing users to seek alternatives
Share this article
Crypto exchange Coinbase is, once again, in hot water over its relationship with regulators. While the exchange is not selling personal user data, there are mounting concerns from customers and the broader community alike.
Coinbase Under Fire, Again
Coinbase is selling a blockchain tool that provides law enforcement agencies with superior analytical capabilities that other products lack, reported The Block.
The news of Coinbase selling the IRA and DEA access to this tool has not gone down well with the crypto community. But the claims of “selling user data” are overblown.
Justin Mart, a corporate development executive at Coinbase, rubbished comments of the exchange selling user data on Twitter:
“Data in our Analytics tool is fully sourced from publicly available data, and does not include any personally identifiable information.”
However, this isn’t Coinbase’s first encounter with United States authorities. The exchange was forced into giving the IRS information on its customers that traded more than $20,000 in value – totaling over 14,000 of the exchange’s clients.
Either way, Coinbase’s warm relationship with government agencies has not sat well with cryptocurrency enthusiasts. Several notable influencers have spoken out against Coinbase.
Delete your @coinbase account.
There are so many better alternatives. https://t.co/qA1PeZqdkv
— Stephan Livera (@stephanlivera) June 6, 2020
This, along with hard-hitting criticism against the exchange’s acquisition of Neutrino, could push customers away from the exchange.
Lagging Trade Engine
On Jun. 1, 2020, Coinbase’s trading engine was taken offline after just a smidge of volatility in the market. This is has happened all too often in the last few months, but the exchange addressed the problem head-on this time.
Platform issues and Coinbase’ regulatory ties have resulted in the “DeleteCoinbase” hashtag making a comeback on Twitter.
Poor customer support prompted Black Swan author Nassim Taleb to close his Coinbase account, much to the delight of others.
Too late. Closing account.
— Nassim Nicholas Taleb (@nntaleb) June 4, 2020
As the premier exchange for retail and institutional investors in the United States, many users unwillingly use the exchange for their cryptocurrency needs.
Millions of dollars seem to be leaving Coinbase as we speak
Investors & Traders are no longer limited to Coinbase or Bitmex
If you screw over customers, take part in shady deals or don't improve product, customers can now go elsewhere to trade/invest https://t.co/18AHTC7NNC
— Rager 📈 (@Rager) June 5, 2020
With competition brewing from the likes of Binance U.S., Voyager, and LedgerX, Coinbase’s recent actions have jeopardized its dominance in the North American market.


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GM (Glisten Motors) today recalled all models of their popular Dual Module In-System Hauler today after journalists discovered that it was a pile of crap. A new model is being rushed into production that actually includes usable airlocks and docking spines for modules.
The new model is expected to be available this week in limited numbers. Meanwhile, users of the old model are being advised to keep their speeds down or it may tear itself apart.
3 thoughts on “GM Recalls Dual Module Haulers due to defects.”
LoL! This is delicious.
I am continually amazed a t the quality of your designs and deckiplans. Thanks so much for sharing them with us. — Brook
I got my inspiration from you amongst others.


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Soybean self-sufficiency could be raised, says expert
Updated: 2011-03-16 13:56
By Zhou Siyu (China Daily)
BEIJING - With enormous potential and a growing market, China will be able to raise its self-sufficiency rate in soybeans to 30 percent within three years, said Liu Denggao, vice-president of the China Soybean Industry Association.
China imported 54.8 million tons of soybeans in 2010, the largest in its history, compared with 15.2 million tons of domestic production, General Administration of Customs data showed. The country's self-sufficiency rate currently stands at 22 percent.
"To raise the self-sufficiency rate to 30 percent in soybeans is achievable with greater policy supports from the government and increasing production capabilities," Liu said.
"Having a self-sufficiency rate lower than 30 percent, in the soybean trade, we are literally putting ourselves at the mercy of others," he added. There is additional 2 million hectares of farmland that could be used for close proximity planting of soybeans, which will help boost the country's production levels.
"To develop our full potential, the government should come up with a plan for industry development, focusing on better organizing soybean farmers, improving infrastructure in rural areas and upgrading agricultural machinery and storage facilities," he said.
Wang Yunkun, deputy director at the Agriculture and Village Committee of the National People's Congress, said China's high volume of soybean imports would remain stable for next three to five years.
"During this period, we should make efforts to boost production and develop other oil plants so that we can improve our soybean self-sufficiency and reduce the impact from the international markets," Wang told China Daily at the National People's Congress
China emerged as the largest soybean importer from the US in 2010, with the country's import volume standing at 22.8 million tons, accounting for more than half of US soybean exports. In January, China signed a $6.68-billion soybean deal for about 11.7 million tons, with an average price 12 percent higher on every ton than the March-delivery soybean futures price at the Chicago Board of Trade on Jan 21.
The US Department of Agriculture released an outlook report for US agricultural trade on Feb 24, saying China is forecast to be the top market for US exports at $20 billion in the fiscal year 2011, and "record exports to China for the first quarter of the fiscal year were dominated by soybeans, which made up 77 percents of exports".
He also said China now has 6 million tons in stockpiles, and 40 percent of those in the major growing regions have yet to sell out, because of the excessive imports.
A large influx of genetically modified (GM) soybeans, more suitable for producing soy oil, soon became a favorite with the country's oil-processing industry, which had further dampened farmer's enthusiasm in planting soybeans.
However, more and more companies in the food and catering industries started establishing production bases for non-GM beans.
The Hong Kong-based Vitasoy International Holdings Ltd has set up a production base of 1,333 hectares in Heilongjiang province, a major soybean producing region in September.
China's non-GM soybeans have attracted increasing attention from all over the world, Liu said.. Companies from more than 50 countries are buying non-GM soybean protein, an ingredient used in food processing, from China.
"China is home to 97 percent of global soybean varieties. This is to our advantage. We will produce more non-GM soybeans and sell them at a good price," Liu said.
In January, China's export volume of soybeans dropped by 11.8 percent year-on-year to 14,520 tons, compared with a 40.3 percent year-on-year decline for the same period last year, official figures showed.
A massive 8.8 magnitude quake hit the northeast coast of Japan on March 11,2011.
Lawmakers and political advisers gather in Beijing to discuss major issues.
A massive earthquake hit Japan hard, leaving thousands dead.


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adidas Skateboarding and Daewon Song have linked up to drop an edition of the 3MC. The design is fitted in a patterned canvas base with suede overlays in a collegiate navy colorway. Made for skate, the sneaker boasts a vulc sole and EVA cushion. Find the sneaker now at shops like Flatspot. via hypebeast
This month, adidas Skateboarding has joined forces with skate label Hardies Hardware. The collaboration includes this edition of the Sabalo, which is dressed in white with purple accents. Vulc soled, adiprene cushioned, leather built and mesh ventilated, the sneaker is now live at shops like Flatspot.


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Naked Wines invests $150k in Randall Grahm
Online retailer Naked Wines has invested $150,000 to launch two wines with Randall Grahm.
The capital was raised by the company’s customers - or angels. Angels pay a monthly subscription for their wines, which is invested in winemakers, in return for discounts on the website.
Grahm is the man behind Bonny Doon winery in California, where he champions Rhone varieties.
Since Grahm‘s new wines are crowdfunded by his customers, there are no marketing or sales costs, according to Naked Wines.
The company said in a statement that the “cost of selling is so high that it can often double or triple the price of a bottle”.
Grahm added: “I honestly don’t understand the implications. I don’t know if I’m competing against myself, but the wine world is changing. There has been an enormous proliferation of brands and the consolidation of distribution. There is a finite limit to how much we can produce under Bonny Doon. With Nakedwines.com I have the freedom to experiment, the flexibility to blend, and the fact that they pay for the grapes helps me big time.”
Wines include Close But No Cigare and Syrah/Viognier which are available exclusively through NakedWines.com from this month.


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During the year 2020, despite the health context causing the closure of the Tunisian-Algerian borders and dropping demand on the local market, SOTUVER showed an appreciable resilience. That resilience is already making the main indicators of one of the Bayahi group’s flagship companies rebound.
The Bayahi company seems to be export-oriented, its export turnover (69.6 MTD) being double the one achieved on the local market (35.3 MTD). Revenues amounted to 104 902 769 TND during the fiscal year 2021 against 90 914 649 TND a year earlier (2020).
An export-oriented company
That year, the turnover stood at 90.9 MTD, and the profit at 16.296 MTD. A year later, in 2021, turnover jumped to 107.8 MTD, up 15%, and profit to just over 20 MTD, up 3.747 MTD. By mid-2022, revenues were approaching 80 MTD, and profits were just over 17 MTD.
Over the entire 2022 fiscal year, SOTUVER will have achieved, under the leadership of Hamdane Ben Othmane, a record turnover of 159.9 million dinars against 107.6 million dinars in 2021, thus posting a significant increase of 49%. This commercial performance has affected all markets and sectors.
Regarding the local market, the turnover has seen a significant rise of 40% from 45.9 in 2021 to 64.4 million dinars in 2022. The sales have been boosted by the recovery of the activity of the Cafés-Hotels-Restaurants during the summer period, but also by the strong progression of the turnover of the olive oil sector which for the first time ranked first in terms of sales, translating the importance that SOTUVER grants to this strategic sector.
On the export side, sales have continued to grow to reach 95.6 million dinars against 61.7 million dinars, that is to say an increase of 55% compared to the year 2021. Thanks to this commercial prowess, SOTUVER confirms its status as a predominantly exporting company with 60% of sales abroad (not counting indirect exports which represent 11% of overall turnover).
The Bayahis investing more and more
The Group has already started the construction of a new factory SGI “Sotuver Glass Industries”, a fully exporting unit with a capacity of 300 tons per day, that is to say as much as the current capacity of the bottler. Itis a large investment project of TND 150 million.
This investment would make it possible to take advantage of the growing world demand for glass and to reconcile the demand on the local market. The plant is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2022. The year 2021 is marked by the release of the participation subscribed by the company “SOTUVER S.A” in 2020 in the capital of the new company “SOTUVER Glass industries” for an amount of 1 525 650 TND. In addition, the implementation of the photovoltaic plant, costing 20M TND, which should reduce the Group’s energy bill, has been delayed.
A worrying debt?
This investment would probably explain the 40.5 MTD of indebtedness, even if it was, as of June 30, down by 4.9 MTD compared to the same period of the year 2021. It is nevertheless true that these 40.5 MTD represented in mid-22 some 50.8% of the total operating income of the period.
Already in 2021, the company took out two new loans. A loan from Attijari Bank for 10 million dinars repayable within 7 years at MMR+1.6%, and another loan from Amen Bank for 10 million dinars repayable within 7 years at MMR+1.75%.
However, its financial statements for the year 2021 showed positive equity of TND 91 293 957, including the profit for the year of TND 20 044 010.
Net financial expenses will be TND 5,920,513 in FY2021 compared to TND 5,140,826 in FY2020, and were TND 3.3 million at mid-year.
A tax adjustment paid
A small downside to this good financial picture, despite the weight of debt, is this comment by the auditors on the 2021 balance sheet: “In 2020, the company SOTUVER was subject to a thorough tax audit covering the years 2015 and 2016. The results of the audit were communicated on December 23, 2020. The administration demanded additional taxes of TND 306 709. On February 8, 2021, the company refuted the results of the in-depth tax audit notice. At the same time, the tax authorities responded to SOTUVER’s appeal on 15 March 2021 by changing the amount claimed to TD 305,173. This amount was paid in full in 2021.


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LAST UPDATED : Apr 22, 2020, 03:34 PM IST
- John Oliver blasts Hotstar for not streaming PM Narendra Modi episode of his show
"Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver has slammed Disney-owned streaming service Hotstar for "self censoring" an episode critical of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government over the Citizenship Amendment Act and his handling of the protests against it. In the latest episode that aired in the US on Sunday, the satirist also took on an Indian TV news anchor who said Oliver had "embarrassed" himself with the Modi episode.
- ‘Fake news has to be stopped jointly’
However, he said the government would not take any step to curb media freedom and suggested there should be self-regulation of over-the-top platforms (OTT), like there was for print, electronic media and films. OTT platforms include news portals and also ‘streamers’ such as Hotstar, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, which are accessible over the internet.
- Hotstar leads entertainment app installations, Jio in live TV: Study
New Delhi, Jul 18 () Video streaming platform Hotstar leads the over-the-top entertainment app segment with 49 per cent share in terms of smartphone installations, while Jio's Live Tv leads the live channel category with 30 per cent share, a study said Thursday.
- Hotstar leads OTT market with focus on cricket and content partnerships, survey finds
Young Indians are driving the OTT (over-the-top) video content market with 89% of the users within the 16-35 years of age group, finds Counterpoint Research’s India OTT Video Content Market Consumer Survey, released on Wednesday.
- Hotstar gets Rs 516 crore, valued at Rs 1,850 crore
Hotstar has been valued at about Rs 1,850 crore, according to latest regulatory filings. Run by Novi Digital Entertainment, Hotstar has about 100 million app downloads — ahead of Amazon Prime and Netflix, which have 50 million and 5 million app downloads respectively.
- TikTok and the need for the right framework
The virality has had its pitfalls, with many criticising the failure of Bytedance, parent company of TikTok, to curb vulgarity and even grooming of unsuspecting children dancing to sexualised songs gain a lot of likes, thus encouraging them to go further. But some argue that instead of a blanket ban India should enact laws to set a specific framework to deal with such cases.
- PVR Cinemas lines up fresh investment of up to Rs 3,000 crore
At a time when Netflix and Amazon Prime are becoming the buzz words for TV and film content in India, PVR remains unfazed and is rather preparing for an investment and expansion onslaught. The Ajay Bijli-run company is planning to go full throttle and is gearing to add as many as 800-1,000 new screens over the next 3-4 years.


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Prominent Hong Kong-based e-gaming player – Boyaa Interactive International Limited – announced that its board of directors has approved a budget of $5 million to purchase cryptocurrencies.
Informing the company’s shareholders and future potential investors, Boyaa said it will buy mainly Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) on regulated and licensed trading platforms in the coming year.
- The purchases will be financed using cash reserves derived from the Group activities both in Hong Kong and internationally and will be executed at its discretion, taking into account the current market conditions. The Group essentially consists of Boyaa Interactive Limited and its subsidiaries.
- According to the official press release, the move aligns with the intention of shaping Boyaa’s future business strategy within the Web3 space.
- Despite earmarking the $5 million budget for cryptocurrency purchases, the company reminded its investors and shareholders that the digital asset market is volatile in the near term.
- Boyaa also advised them to exercise caution while dealing with its shares.
“The Company will strictly comply with the relevant management and control policies on cryptocurrencies in relevant jurisdictions with regard to the purchases of cryptocurrencies.”
- Boyaa Interactive is an established developer and operator of chess and card games in Hong Kong.
- The latest allocation depicted the increasing inclination to venture into Web3 in the city-state owing to favorable policies fostering the digital asset sector.
- Hong Kong has demonstrated a serious commitment to advancing Web3 prompting more than 150 such firms to establish operations in Cyberport – a digital hub launched by the government to promote innovation.


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Nothing sparks mass gadget-nerd hysteria like a new iPhone launch, inspiring snaking queues and overnight camping sessions from those hoping to be among the first to pick up Apple’s latest wares. As a result, it’s a hectic day in mobile shops across the world on iPhone launch day, with stores expected to be fully manned to meet feverish demand.
Which has led to this latest iPhone 5S release date rumour. According to sources speaking to TmoNews, T-Mobile employees have been forbidden from going on holiday between 20 and 22 September. It suggests the Friday 20 September date as the iPhone launch day, with T-Mobile anticipating a busy weekend necessitating a full roster of employees.
With the iPhone 5S and its rumoured cheaper counterpart the iPhone 5C both expected to be revealed on 10 September, that would put the release date one week following the grand unveiling. That’s a pattern that fits with previous iPhone launches, with last year’s iPhone 5 instore sales date coming a week after its initial reveal too.
Of course, until official confirmation comes in from the notoriously tight-lipped Apple teams themselves, treat this with a pinch of salt. But it’s a legitimate sounding date to our ears.
We’ll have full, blow-by-blow coverage of the iPhone 5 launch come the handset’s launch, so keep checking back to Tech Digest for all the latest details.


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Con Phung handicraft village in the Mekong Delta Province of Ben Tre, well-known for products made from coconut, is struggling to remain afloat with demand for its products falling relentlessly.
|Visitors who visit Con Phung handicraft village to watch artisans and buy the products too are no longer coming in such large number as before.|
Tourists who visited the village to watch the artisans and buy the products too are no longer coming in such large numbers as before.
Mr.Hieu, owner of coconut handicraft firm Chin Hieu, who has been in the business for more than 13 years, admitted the golden period for these goods has passed.
Ms. Phuong, the owner of another workshop, said since raw material prices have increased across the board, cost cutting and price increases are required to remain in business.
Though there are 12 handicraft firms operating on the Con Phung Island, the place seems deserted with many dusty machines lying idle under the canopy of coconut trees in the late-evening breeze.
|Some handicraft products are made of coconut.|
To make handicrafts from coconuts, like a tea set, bicycle, spoon, bowl, chopsticks and decorated furniture, workers must have skill, sharp eyes, creative mind, and a passion for their craft. But typically, a product sells for just VND5,000 to 30,000.
The beleaguered firms are looking for new markets for their products and waiting for support from local authorities, who have held many seminars to discuss the issue.
Most manufacturers and workers remain in the business out of love for their craft.
Ms. Ngoc Vi, a young worker at Ms. Phuong’s workshop, typifies this love: “I am charmed by the beauty of coconut handicrafts. I wish I can earn enough money to enter a fine arts university.”
Minh Cuong, who works for Minh Quang, said: “I love my work and am proud of the traditional craft of my homeland. Although we face many difficulties now, we will try to preserve this craft.”
|A coconut festival is slated to be held in Ben Tre in January to mark the anniversary of the Dong Khoi (mass uprising) of 1960.|
The festival will feature cultural activities and a charity auction. The event offers a chance to promote the province’s tourism and economy.
Coconut trees are a symbol of Ben Tre, which has nearly 46,000 hectares of coconut groves. There are more than 100 coconut candy making units that employ thousands of local people.
Ben Tre’s coconut candy is sold throughout the country and exported to China, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia, Europe, and America.
The province is also famous for many other fruits.
The opening ceremony of the festival is scheduled for Jan. 17 to coincide with the opening of the Rach Mieu Bridge between Ben Tre and Tien Giang Provinces.


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NYNE Comes to World Wide Stereo
NYNE announced this week that its entire product line will now be available at World Wide Stereo. The deal includes products from the Alarm Series, Bluetooth Speaker Series and Home Audio Series.
“NYNE is excited to be working with World Wide Stereo as our next retail partner,” Daniel Roe, Executive Director of Sales and Marketing at NYNE, said in a statement.
“For 40 years and from humble beginnings they’ve built their business on integrity, stellar customer service and overall award-winning excellence. This ProGroup Member company is also known for ‘giving back to the community’. NYNE is proud to be associated with World Wide Stereo and we look forward to a long and profitable business relationship.”


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Tag - UHD
Acer announced today that it is expanding offerings in its line of gaming and professional graphics notebooks. The Aspire V Nitro series gets another high-end Black Edition, this time with a 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) 15.6-inch screen. Where the previous models offered topped out at Full HD (1080p) options with resolutions up to 1920x1080, the new UHD model bumps the screen up to 3840x2160.
Seiki is bringing a new low-priced 55-inch Ultra HD television to the United States, being sold exclusively through Sears. The television, capable of showing 4K-resolution video, will be sold through the retailer for $1,500, and will be appearing in more than 500 Sears retail stores, just in time for the holiday shopping period.
Samsung will be showcasing a pair of high-resolution monitors at the IFA 2013 tradeshow in Germany next month. A video wall measuring 98 inches and a 31.5-inch monitor from the company will appear at the event, with both sporting an Ultra HD resolution, the same as the display panels used in its flagship 85-inch S9 television.
Broadcasters in South Korea are attempting to provide owners of Ultra HD televisions with suitable content for the high-resolution televisions. Five members of the Korean Cable Television and Telecommunications Association have started broadcasting a small group of channels with the 4K content, six months ahead of its original plan, and a year earlier than similar proposals in Japan.
Samsung's Ultra High-Definition (UHD) TV family is expanding in the United States. The company announced its next wave of UHD TV models with the introduction of the F9000 line. The new 55- and 65-inch models will be available for pre-order starting July 21.
Asus has opened up pre-orders for its first UHD-resolution consumer-level monitor, one the company announced in May alongside a possible 39-inch version. The PQ321Q IGZO LED-backlit display measures 31.5-inch diagonally, is capable of displaying 4K images at a resolution of 3840x2160 at 60Hz with 10-bit RGB color.
Toshiba has revealed that it will be releasing three 4K televisions in the United States, shortly after similar Ultra HD televisions go on sale in Japan. Starting in August, the L9300U series of UHDTVs will go on sale with a choice of three screen sizes, all of which will use the company's CEVO 4K Quad+Dual Core processor and CQ Engine for image processing and upscaling HD content to 4K resolution.
Sharp will launch its first THX-certified 4K-resolution television in the United States in August. The 70-inch Aquos Ultra HD LED TV, the larger of two models announced for sale in Japan last month, will also be the first television of its type to have the visual certification, thanks to it passing through four hundred performance tests.
Television producer Seiki is planning to release a new UHD TV measuring 39 inches before the end of this month for $699. The Ultra-HD television, relatively cheap compared to some other UHDTV offerings, comes after the company released a 50-inch version in April that was also capable of displaying video at the 3840x2160 resolution typically associated with 4K images.
Asus has announced it will be producing two 4K-resolution monitors, and revealed details of one of them ahead of Computex 2013. The PQ321 True 4K UHD monitor measures 31.5 inches diagonally and has a native resolution of 3840x2160, and the company will be showing off an even bigger 39-inch version at the event.


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Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based payments grew 9% sequentially, clocking 1.34 billion transactions in June. Such transactions not only bounced back to pre-covid-19 levels but also hit an all-time high, data released by National Payments Corp of India (NPCI) showed. The value of these payments was worth 2.62 trillion.
Transaction volumes improved significantly from April, when it nosedived to 999 million, due to the imposition of a nationwide lockdown that halted all services, barring essentials. Online payments and spending gradually picked up from May, with the phase-wise opening up of the economy. As many as 1.32 billion transactions, worth ₹2.22 trillion were clocked in February.
Experts said digital payments got a renewed push due to the outbreak of the global pandemic that prompted people to switch to contactless payments and a rise in e-payments is expected to continue.
The fact that the UPI transactions recorded in June showcase an all-time high, clearly indicates that there has been a metamorphosis in digital payments adoption, with the lockdown being the catalyst, Mandar Agashe, Founder & Vice Chairman, Sarvatra Technologies told Mint.
“There are multiple reasons why we have seen such a spurt in digital payments one of them being merchants across the country to have now opened doors to digital besides opening up of e-commerce for non-essential goods. Customers have shifted to e-payments for daily necessities and payments such as utility, mobile and grocery bills giving major push towards digital payments. With the lockdown extended across various parts of India, we see this trend to move upwards and more people doing digital payments,” Agashe said.
Aadhaar Enable Payment System (AePS) witnessed a slight dip in June at 397 million transactions from 405 million a month ago. Such transactions were worth ₹19,981 crores in June. AePS allows online interoperable financial inclusion transactions at Micro ATMs through the business correspondents of any bank using the Aadhaar authentication.
Anand Kumar Bajaj, managing director, and chief executive officer of fintech company PayNearby said the pandemic-mandated lockdown has disrupted the lives of millions in the country, hitting migrants and workers in the informal sector the hardest. In such a scenario, the government’s direct benefit transfer schemes, aimed at helping them tide over trying times are their lifelines. “Banking correspondents and AePS terminals are the key cash disbursal points in areas plagued with a scarcity of financial infrastructure,” he said.
“The monthly spike in AePS numbers is indicative that this trend will continue throughout the lockdown, and will pave the way for branchless banking alternative modes of cash transactions,” he added.
(With inputs from livemint


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Novartis: 1Q Net Income Falls Slightly
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis AG said on Tuesday that net income for the first quarter fell slightly because of its investment in rival Swiss drug company Roche.
For the quarter net profit fell to $1.063 billion from $1.064 billion a year earlier.
Revenues rose 21 percent to $5.7 billion, a company statement said.
Novartis owns 32.7 percent of Roche making it the biggest shareholder after Roche family members. Roche didn't disclose first quarter earnings but said sales increased 3 percent in the first quarter. Last Year Roche lost $2.9 billion.
The results were at the upper end of projections by analysts, and Novartis shares on the Zurich stock market rose 1.3 percent to 53.75 Swiss francs ($38.64) by late afternoon Tuesday
Novartis said it was reporting its quarterly results for the first time in U.S. dollars instead of Swiss francs, reflecting the continuing strategic importance of the business in the United States, where the group generates 43 percent of its revenues.
The company said it expects sales to grow around 10 percent in local currencies this year.
Daniel Vasella, chairman and CEO, said the results were encouraging in view of global problems.
"With world events weighing heavily on the business and financial environment and our society as a whole I am pleased that Novartis has maintained strong operating growth," Vasella said.


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A new Apple (AAPL) product (a real fruit) called “Cosmic Crisp,” which took over 20 years of expensive development and boasts an ultra-long shelf life—up to a year when kept in the fridge—hit the market in the U.S. on Sunday, selling for $1.99 a pound at a supermarket in Washington State.
The new variety is a cross-breed of Honeycrisp and Enterprise, intended to combine the juicy texture and the late-ripening characteristics of both breeds. Research began in 1997 by a team of scientists at Washington State University, and the first Cosmic Crisp apple tree was planted in 2017.
Kate Evans, a horticulture professor at Washington State University who co-led the Cosmic Crisp program, said the new apple’s trademarked brand was inspired by the scattering white spots on its red skin, which resemble stars in the night sky. “When you release an apple, you have to get the name out there because consumers are purchasing apples by name,” she said in an interview with NPR.
“Cosmic Crisp is a extremely crisp and juicy apple, and that’s really what hits you when you first bite into it—a good combination of sweetness and tartness,” Evans added.
Washington State University owns the new apple breed’s patent. And planting is exclusively licensed to farmers in the state of Washington for the next decade.
It’s an expensive bet, too. It’s estimated that farmers have invested over $40 million in planting the first batch of 12 Cosmic Crisp trees.
“We think it’s going to change the apple category,” West Mathison, a fifth-generation apple farmer in Wenatchee, Wash. and a licensed grower of the new breed, told local news station KIRO 7. “We’ve been growing apples for a long time. Having been partnered with WSU, we were basically testing lots of varieties and this one really rose to the surface after a lot of years of testing.”
Mathison said the new breed will only be available for about two months this year because it’s the first harvest. When the volume goes up next year, it should be around for a longer time.


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Cambodia commences an ambitious CBDC development project called Bakong. The aim is to boost the adoption of digital currency and eventually phase out the US dollar. In the first half of 2021, Bakong users were recorded to have made approximately 1.4 million transactions valued at $500 million, the Nikkei Asia reports.
Cambodia has a population of about 17 million. Despite its small size, the country is currently leading the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) race. Bakong is the new backbone of Cambodia’s payment and settlements infrastructure. It supports transactions in riel or US dollars. The currency is already accepted at 18 financial institutions.
The Southeast Asian country introduced its digital currency in October 2020. The main purpose was to explore digital payments, stimulate the economy using a national currency and improve the financial situation of low-income citizens.
The Bakong system relies on the Hyperledger Iroha blockchain, developed by a Japanese technology company Soramitsu. Unlike most other central bank digital currencies, Bakong does not use digital money — the system runs on fiat currency, specifically on the Cambodian riel. This currency allows Cambodians to be able to pay in shops or transfer money through a mobile app without using cash. Users can register their national ID at a bank branch or via SMS verification.
Nowadays, the US dollar is still a much-used currency in Cambodia, and the riel gives out as change for anything worth less than $1 (~£0.7). Its use is restricted to rural areas only. NBC Bank CEO Chea Serey said the dollar had benefited the country during the recovery phase, but now it seemed time to “get rid of that dependency” as Cambodia’s economy continues to grow. Increasing the use of the national currency will also help the central bank to uphold an independent monetary policy, including control of the money supply and its circulation.
Anyhow, the CBDC gives the Cambodian authorities a second chance to rehabilitate the riel, transform it and decrease dependence on foreign currencies. Through Bakong, the country joins the top tier of economic development, where China leads the ranks. The country has already launched digital money through pilot projects. This indicates that China is heading for a major pivot in the coming years.
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
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Best Buy hosting late-night opening for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Best Buy will be going all out for the launch of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate this week. The retailer intends to be open late, meaning you can purchase a copy as soon as it releases.
Best Buy says it will have over 600 stores open at 12:01 AM ET on Friday. That’s December 6 at 11:01 PM CT, 10:01 PM MT, and 9:01 PM PT. Find a participating store here.
In related news, we’ll just take a moment to mention that the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Special Edition is back up on Amazon (as of this moment).


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Just one year after cutting 240 jobs due to Covid and market uncertainties, the UK builder is on a hiring spree
Builder begins three-year new model launch programme…
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HIGH food prices pushed up retail commodity prices in Metro Manila in August, according to the latest General Retail Price Index (GPRI) in the National Capital Region released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Wednesday.
The GPRI posted a 3.7-percent growth in August. This was higher than the 3.1-percent year-on-year growth posted in July 2014 and 1.7 percent posted in August 2013.
Retail food prices posted a growth of 7.6 percent in August. This is the highest GPRI growth posted by the food index since the PSA rebased its GPRI index to 2000 in 2009.
Including data that were computed using a 1978 base, the August growth in retail food prices was the highest since April 2008 when the growth recorded was at 9.4 percent.
Other commodities that pushed up retail prices in Metro Manila in August included the beverages and tobacco index which posted a growth of 3.2 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 2.5 percent; and machinery and transport equipment index, 1.1 percent.
The PSA said, however, that annual declines were observed in the indices of crude materials, inedible except fuels at -0.2 percent and in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, -1.3 percent.
On a monthly basis, the GRPI in National Capital Region increased 0.8 percent in August from its July level on the back of higher food prices which recorded a monthly growth of 2.5 percent.
“This was due to price hikes in chicken, eggs, dairy products, selected fish species, rice, corn, fruits, vegetables and animal feeds,” PSA said.
Other commodities that contributed to the uptick were the 0.3-percent growth in manufactured goods classified by materials index; the 0.1-percent increase in the beverages and tobacco index; and 0.1-percent growth in the machinery and equipment index.
The uptick in the materials index was caused by higher prices for construction materials such as lumber, plywood, sand paper, nails and steel bars.
The increase in beverage prices were due to more expensive selected liquors, wines and softdrinks, while the increase in the machinery and equipment index was due to higher prices of electrical lamps and selected wiring devices.


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Senior Professor of Crop Science at the University of Ruhuna – Aruna Kumara says that the current stocks of rice in the country will be sufficient only until the end of August or early September this year.
Therefore, if the Yala season cultivation fails, there will be a shortage of rice in the country by September, he points out.
Although people had turned to bread as an alternative, the steeply increasing wheat flour prices in the global markets as well as the rising rising prices of eggs, chicken and vegetables in the country would also contribute to a shortage of alternative food means as well.
India has currently stopped wheat exports while the market is also severely impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is known as the bread basket of Europe due to its large wheat exports.
Noting that experts have already warned of an impending global food shortage, this could further worsen the situation in Sri Lanka, Prof. Anura Kumara says.


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Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner did cartwheels of joy down the corridor — he claims — when Apple’s legal people called him a few weeks ago demanding he stop the “Laptop Hunter” ads, where penny-pinching punters opt for cheaper PC machines over more costly Macs.
While you may not have heard of GetJar — especially if you’re in the U.S. — the London-based outfit announced its own milestone Wednesday, as it passed the half-billion app download mark. Yes, GetJar is an app store, albeit one a bit less famous than Apple’s, which yesterday announced 1.5 billion app downloads in its first year of operation.
(Updated to reflect that Apple was referring to application downloads, not application sales. Many iPhone apps are free.)
Apple Inc impressed the tech world with the rapid take off of its applications store, announcing on April 24th that it had sold 1 billion apps downloads in just 9 months to users of its iPhone and its iPod Touch.
Some analysts worry that T-Mobile USA may have missed a trick by opting for a new Android device, myTouch 3G, which is mostly the same as HTC’s first one, the G, except for its slimmer shape and lack of a physical keyboard.
Haven’t got your hands on Apple’s new iPhone 3GS yet? In certain parts of the U.S., you may have to wait just a bit longer. Apple says retail stores in some states (such as Utah, Oregon, Alabama) and certain cities are sold out of the new device, which went on sale on June 19.
A good day for Apple — or a bad one? Judging from the early reaction in the stock market, investors seem to have already gotten used to the idea that Steve Jobs underwent a liver transplant two months ago, as reported by the Wall Street Journal on Saturday. Shares of the company opened a touch higher.
Braving a downpour at Apple’s New York flagship store in midtown, three college students were already lined up waiting to be first to nab the new iPhone 3GS when it goes on sale on Friday.******Oddly enough, none of the trio planned to buy an IPhone: two already had the iPhone 3G, and the other was saving up for a Palm Pre. Hunkered under broad umbrellas graciously supplied by Apple, they were holding a place for another buddy, Sidney Sanmartine — who was still at work. He owned the original iPhone from 2007, and is eligible for the lower priced upgrade.******”It’s more evolutionary than revolutionary,” said Matt Dodd, 18. “But for the kid who’s getting it, it’s a big deal — he’s going from 2G to 3G.”******Perhaps by 7 a.m. Friday, the line will look as long (and dry) as it did about a year ago when the iPhone 3G debuted. Until then, Keith Hobin, the lone rain-soaked student/shopper left when his two buddies took a break, seems pretty upbeat. (Only 15 hours to go…)******


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IN the race for a simpler and faster way to connect to the Internet over existing phone lines, a new player has emerged. Northern Telecom, the Ottawa-based company best known for large telephone network equipment, has introduced the 1-Meg Modem.
As the name implies, the 1-Meg Modem is a technological step backward, the digital version of ''lite'' beer. The modem, which started shipping this spring, offers always-connected Internet access at 1 megabit per second -- roughly half the speed of current A.D.S.L. (Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line) service -- but at a fraction of the cost. And at 1 megabit per second, the modem is still 17 times as fast as conventional 56-kilobits-per-second units. John Bourne, vice president for broadband network access at Nortel, as the company is commonly known, predicts that the new modem can provide service for as little as $20 a month. The typical cost of A.D.S.L. is $40 to $80 a month, after installation.
The price difference is due to the cost of hooking up the systems. Other systems require special wiring, new equipment and expensive service calls. With Northern Telecom's system, by contrast, customers need to buy only a special modem, which the company says will sell for about $200, and a relatively inexpensive network card. The 1-Meg Modem piggybacks onto existing voice lines, eliminating the need for costly rewiring.
Back at the central office, the job is even easier. The phone company replaces the line card linking the customer to its switch with a new model that keeps the old voice traffic flowing while diverting the computer data to a separate network.
Nortel began testing the new modem at Northern Illinois University in De Kalb, Ill., in 1996. Michael Oswald, an electrical engineering student, was taken aback by the difference between the 1-Meg and his old, conventional dial-up modem: ''I was expecting it to be fast but not this quick. Search engines come up immediately.''Continue reading the main story
Using a lower speed also seems to help the 1-Meg Modem overcome problems from aging wires that sometimes defeat A.D.S.L. ''We've been able to use it in dorm rooms where the wiring is a patch panel under the sink in the women's washroom,'' said Walter Czerniak, Northern Illinois University's director of computing and telecommunications.
So far, Nortel has signed up two customers for the system, Transwire Communications in New York and Megsinet in Chicago. ''We believe that this is the only seamless high-speed network that's ready today,'' said Debra Niewald, a spokeswoman for Transwire, which began offering 1-Meg service on a trial basis in a small section of Manhattan in late March. ''There's incredible pent-up demand for something like this.''
Transwire, which declines to reveal its number of subscribers, has initially priced 1-Meg service well above Nortel's projected price. It charges $100 a month for simple access, including modem rental, but expects that prices will fall.
But the battle for fast and cheap Internet access is going to get even more confusing. Rockwell has also agreed to make 1-Meg Modems. And several other contenders have emerged.
Lucent Technologies has announced a system it calls Wild Wire that will feature 1.5-mbps downloads and not require users to have a network card. Testing begins later this year, but no availability date has been set.Continue reading the main story


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DHL’s global trade logistics barometer to offer future global trade outlook
January 20, 2018: DHL has recently introduced a new and unique early indicator for the current state and future development of global trade. The DHL Global Trade Barometer is based on large amounts of logistics data that are evaluated with the help of artificial intelligence. Since global trade fuels the world economy, the DHL Global […]
January 20, 2018: DHL has recently introduced a new and unique early indicator for the current state and future development of global trade.
The DHL Global Trade Barometer is based on large amounts of logistics data that are evaluated with the help of artificial intelligence.
Since global trade fuels the world economy, the DHL Global Trade Barometer not only provides an outlook on future trade, but also on the prospects for the global economy. The indicator has been developed in cooperation between DHL and Accenture and will be published quarterly.
"As the world's leading logistics provider, DHL has both, a deep understanding of the driving forces behind global trade volumes and the industry expertise to analyse and interpret market data. Our network, knowledge and experience uniquely position us to understand global supply chains in order to derive a global trade outlook," said Tim Scharwath, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding.
"The DHL Global Trade Barometer shows impressively how digitalization%u2014with the use of big data and predictive analytics%u2014opens up entirely new opportunities that we can use for the benefit of our customers," said Scharwath.
According to reports, Accenture will provide data modelling and predictive analytics to forecast future trade trends for DHL. DHL will receive one unified view of the insights which will give them a stronger understanding of current and future state of global trade logistics for its customers.
DETAILED BOTTOM-UP DATA MODELLING
The DHL Global Trade Barometer is based on import and export data for a number of intermediate and early-cycle commodities that serve as the basis for further industrial production, including brand labels for clothes, bumpers for cars or touch screens for mobile devices.
Sources for the index are aggregated market data from air and containerized ocean freight in seven countries, which account for more than 75 percent of world trade. Using artificial intelligence and various statistical methods this data is compressed to a single index value, which is published on a global level and individually for the seven countries evaluated.
The DHL Global Trade Barometer index represents the weighted average of the current growth and the upcoming two months of global trade. An index value above 50 indicates a positive development; values below 50 point to a decline in world trade.
Tests with historical data have revealed a high correlation between the DHL Global Trade Barometer and real containerized trade, providing a three-month forward-looking estimate.
The DHL Global Trade Barometer for January 2018 indicates that global trade will continue to grow within the next three months. On its initial release, the index scored 64, which is slightly below the values calculated for previous months. That means that world trade is still considered to be in an expansive mode, but growth loses momentum.
The decline is due to weakening prospects for Chinese and Japanese trade, which is only partially offset by improved prospects for India, South Korea and Great Britain.


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Waymo enters a partnership with Geely to create electric AVs for the ride-hailing business in the United States of America.
Waymo Enters Partnership with Geely to Create Electric AVs
Waymo, Alphabet’s independent driving innovation arm, is cooperating with Chinese automaker Geely to assemble an all-electric, self-driving ride-hailing vehicle. The organizations will coordinate Waymo Driver, Waymo’s AV framework, into Geely’s Zeekr vehicles for use in U.S. markets “in the years to come.”
When Will the Electric AVs Be Available
While Waymo isn’t giving a particular time period to either the beginning of creation or when these vehicles are relied upon to hit the roads, the association flags that Waymo is seeking a multi-stage way to deal with OEM organizations. Waymo’s present ride-hail armada is comprised of Jaguar I-Paces and Chrysler Pacifica half and halves, which give independent rides in Phoenix, Arizona.
The organization has additionally extended its association with Stellantis, which claims Fiat Chrysler vehicles, to incorporate nearby conveyance administrations. Waymo’s arrangements with Geely ought not to affect the organization’s current associations, as per a Waymo representative.
Zeekr Luxury EV Brand of Geely
Zeekr, an extravagance EV brand that Geely settled in March, sent off its first top-notch model, a smooth hybrid, last month in China. The Waymo rendition, which renderings portray with to a greater extent a minivan look, are being handcrafted and designed in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Whenever they are delivered to the U.S., Waymo will incorporate its Driver, which incorporates equipment like lidar, sensors, and cameras, just as programming, into the vehicles and send them inside its ride-hailing armada, says the organization.
Waymo’s Blog Post on the Vehicles
According to a blog post by Waymo, it is reported that the Zeekr vehicles are created to be “rider-first,” with “a flat floor for more accessible entry, easy ingress and egress thanks to a B-pillarless design, low step-in height, generous head and legroom and fully adjustable seats.”
The interior of the planned vehicles will not have a steering wheel or pedals as planned and will instead have lots of legroom and headspace to relax and also stretch out, with a screen, reclining seats, and chargers within passengers’ reach.
Other Companies with Similar Plans
Lots of other AV companies such as Argo AI and Cruise have reported their plans for purpose-built ride-hailing EVs. Cruise unveiled its Origin that is designed for ridesharing last year and Argo and Volkswagen back in September revealed their plans to develop autonomous vans jointly which will be called the Buzz AD. It is expected to commercially launch in Hamburg, Germany as part of its autonomous ride-pool system in the year 2025.


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Verizon-owned Seen, a finances mobile service owned by Verizon, has confirmed that hackers accessed and charged person accounts.
The incident, first reported by The Verge, got here to gentle earlier this week after Seen clients took to social media to report that their account had been hijacked. Some reported that their e-mail handle and password had been modified, and plenty of stated that undesirable fees had been made by their Seen accounts.
One buyer wrote within the Seen subreddit that their account was hacked and an iPhone purchased with that person’s linked PayPal account. One other stated that they had three iPhones ordered inside 24 hours of their title. “Every time a unique delivery/billing handle,” they stated.
Whereas Seen initially remained silent on the problem, the corporate on Wednesday confirmed on Twitter that “risk actors had been capable of entry username/passwords from outdoors sources, and exploit that info to log in to Seen accounts.” This, together with a follow-up tweet advising customers to not re-use passwords throughout a number of accounts, suggests these affected had been probably victims of a large-scale credential stuffing assault, whereby stolen account credentials, usually consisting of lists of usernames and/or e-mail addresses and corresponding passwords, are used to realize unauthorized entry to accounts utilizing automated login requests.
Nevertheless, though this implies that Seen itself wasn’t breached, many purchasers have highlighted the service’s lack of two-factor authentication (2FA) assist, which can have prevented the hijacking of accounts.
NFH has requested Seen whether or not it has plans to allow 2FA, however the firm has but to reply. The service has not but stated what number of customers are affected.
In a press release given to The Verge, the corporate stated: “Seen is conscious of a difficulty by which some member accounts had been accessed and/or charged with out their authorization. As quickly as we had been made conscious of the problem, we instantly initiated a assessment and began deploying instruments to mitigate the problem and allow extra controls to additional shield our clients.
“Defending buyer info — together with securing buyer accounts — is critically essential to our firm and our clients. As a reminder, our firm won’t ever name and ask in your password, secret questions or account PINs. When you really feel your account has been compromised, please attain out to us by way of chat at seen.com.”
Per the Seen subreddit, the corporate has additionally advised clients that, shifting ahead, “any purchases would require you to re-validate your fee info as an added safety measure.” The corporate can be advising customers to reset their passwords, significantly if it’s one which’s used for a number of providers.


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Horizon Zero Dawn Headlines New Lineup for PlayStation Now in December
Horizon Zero Dawn, The Surge 2, and Darksiders III are among the biggest new games being added to PS Now for this month.
It’s now the start of December (somehow) which means that Sony has today announced the new slate of games joining its PlayStation Now service for the month, with the standout title being one of the PS4’s best-sellers.
Over on the PlayStation Blog, Sony unveiled the list of six new games that are joining PS Now in December and Guerrilla Game’s Horizon Zero Dawn is definitely the most eye-catching of the bunch. The open-world action RPG which first launched back in 2017 joins the service in a time where its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, is set to come to PS4 and PS5 in 2021. If you haven’t played the game before, now is perhaps the perfect time if you’re subscribed to the service.
In total, here are all six games landing on PS Now this month:
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- Stranded Deep
- The Surge 2
- Darksiders III
- Wreckfest: Drive Hard. Die Last.
All in all, it’s a pretty solid slate of new additions for December with each game being of a pretty different genre. It’s also worth noting that in the case of Horizon Zero Dawn, the game’s Frozen Wilds DLC is also available to play for free via PS Now, too. Basically, you’ll be getting the full experience, which is great to see.
If you’re still not subscribed to PS Now but would like to dive in, the service retails for $10 per month. Assuming you hop aboard right now though, you can get a full year of PlayStation Now for $45 over on Amazon.