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America's Federal Reserve Banks are moving ahead with plans to improve the country's payment infrastructure, promising to publish a roadmap in the coming months that could eventually lead to a faster payments system.
The Reserve Banks released a consultation paper in September 2013 soliciting comments on gaps and opportunities in the payment system. By the close of the exercise in December, the Fed had received over 200 responses, with more than half coming from non-banks.
Meanwhile, the central bank has also been carrying out research into three specific areas: faster retail payments and the different approaches that could be taken to this, gaps and opportunities related to security, and the business case for adopting the ISO 20022 international payment standard.
Without giving away details, the Fed say that it will now gather all the research and stakeholder feedback and put together a roadmap for payment system improvements over the next few months.
Narayana Kocherlakota, president, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, says: "The Federal Reserve remains committed to its mission of payment system integrity, efficiency and accessibility, and we look forward to ongoing collaboration with stakeholders this year and beyond to improve the ability of the US payment system to meet evolving end-user needs for speed, efficiency and security."


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Bimbo Profit Cuts Undermine Rally as Top Breadmaker Nears RecordAdam Williams
Grupo Bimbo SAB’s profit outlook is dimming the most among global food-maker peers as competition grows in the U.S., signaling the end of its stock-market out-performance.
Analysts lowered their quarterly earnings estimates for Mexico City-based Bimbo by 23 percent, on average, in the past three months, the biggest decrease among 15 peers tracked by Bloomberg. Shares in the world’s top bread maker reached a two-year high last week and are approaching record levels after acquisitions fueled a 22 percent rally in the past year.
As a result, Bimbo is now pricier than global competitors on an estimated earnings basis for the first time in at least 10 months. More competition from companies such as Hostess Brands LLC in the U.S. and Canada, the company’s largest market, has damped optimism that the shares will continue to climb this year, Mauricio Martinez, an equity analyst at GBM Corporativa, said in a phone interview from Mexico City.
“The competitive landscape in the U.S. isn’t allowing Bimbo to be able to improve their margins as hoped,” Martinez said. “It continues to look more difficult that the company will be able to report important improvements in the U.S.”
Bimbo didn’t respond to phone calls or e-mailed messages seeking comment. The company “was not satisfied” with its U.S. results in 2014’s fourth quarter, Chief Executive Officer Daniel Servitje said on a Feb. 27 earnings call. Bimbo rose 0.3 percent to 43.26 pesos at the close in Mexico City.
Bimbo reported a 231-million peso ($17 million) fourth-quarter loss on Feb. 26, which prompted GBM to lower its stock recommendation to the equivalent of sell from the equivalent of hold. The stock has climbed 6 percent this year and touched 44.49 pesos on March 24, approaching its record high of 47.50 pesos from August 2013.
Bimbo’s quarterly loss stemmed partly from last year’s restructuring of U.S. operations, Servitje said on the call. Bimbo has streamlined its two U.S. businesses into one, redesigned almost 1,500 delivery routes and closed 19 bakeries, he said.
“The focus for 2014 in the U.S. was to complete that process and then in 2015 begin to truly unlock the potential of the new entity,” Servitje said. “There will be ongoing efforts and some investment to continue to improve our U.S. business.”
Bimbo’s enterprise value is 11.2 times estimated Ebitda, compared with the Bloomberg World Food Index’s ratio of 10.8, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. In June, Bimbo was trading at 8.8 with the index little changed.
Eleven of 13 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg have a target price for Bimbo of 44 pesos or lower. The stock rose 1.2 percent Monday to 43.13 pesos.
Bimbo is one of only eight Mexico companies on the 35-member benchmark IPC index with an average target price differential less than 4 pesos from the actual price, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Thirty-one of the companies have prices lower than analyst target prices, which average 14 pesos above current prices.
Bimbo has “little space for attractive returns” after debt rose from last year’s acquisitions of Maple Leaf Foods Inc.’s Canada Bread Co. and Saputo Inc.’s bakery line, Montserrat Anton, an analyst at Invex Casa de Bolsa, said in a phone interview from Mexico City.
Bimbo had a debt-to-Ebitda ratio of 3.2 at the end of the fourth quarter, up from 2.3 ratio a year ago, Chief Financial Officer Guillermo Quiroz said on the company’s earnings call.
“The level of debt is undoubtedly high,” said Anton, who last week lowered her rating on Bimbo to sell from hold. “Though the company should be able to slowly lower its level of leverage due to the positive cash flows it generates.”
Bimbo should see as much as a 10 percent increase in sales as the acquisitions of Canada Bread and Saputo take effect, according to Raul Ochoa, an analyst at Interacciones Casa de Bolsa SA, who has a buy rating on the stock. The company should benefit from improved operations in North America and Brazil, he said.
“The company is very healthy, both operationally and financially,” Ochoa said in a phone interview from Mexico City. “The company continues to grow. It might be a bit slower, but growth opportunities remain.”

domain: news


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Basking in a growing number of reports indicating the U.S. economy is now firing on all cylinders, author and economist Stephen Moore tells Newsmax in an exclusive interview President Donald Trump is the most pro-business president since Reagan, and possibly "since Calvin Coolidge."
Moore, who served as a Trump economics adviser during the 2016 campaign, lauds a U.S. economy that, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, now officially leads the industrialized world with 2.9 percent growth.
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WhatsApp has come a long way from its early days, when creators Jan Koum and Brian Acton were inspired to create a cross-platform messenger app by Apple’s addition of push notifications to iOS 3.0.
Having been snapped up by Facebook for a cer-azy $19 billion almost a year ago, the popular app has now announced a personal record-breaking 700 million monthly active users — a whole 100 million more than were using the service back in August.
According to WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum, these 700 million users send an average of 30 billion messages per day.
“We’re grateful that so many of you are using WhatsApp to stay in touch with your friends and family, business colleagues and classmates,” Koum noted.
The tool’s popularity has only increased as smartphones have become increasingly popular in new markets around the world, and companies like Apple and Facebook have tried to take advantage. For instance, WhatsApp claims more than 70 million users in India alone: a very lucrative developing market for tech companies to focus on.
WhatsApp hasn’t revealed how many of its 700 million active users are paying the $0.99 annual subscription rate, but the 700 million figure is still an impressive one, that doesn’t appear to show any signs of going anywhere other than upwards for the near future.
Until the next great app comes along, of course.
Read more at http://www.cultofmac.com/308221/whatsapp-now-700-million-active-users/#HfVhJETCqMKB64Ib.99


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1 Min Read
SINGAPORE, May 15 (Reuters) - Sales in Singapore of private homes by developers more than doubled in April from a year earlier, government data showed on Monday.
Developers sold 1,555 units in April, a 12.6 percent fall from the 1,780 units in March, but doubled from the 750 units sold in April 2016, the Urban Redevelopment Authority said.
Singapore private home sales in March had hit the highest in nearly four years.
For more details, click on (www.ura.gov.sg) (Reporting by Fathin Ungku; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)


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It’s automotive royalty now
Ever since the McLaren P1 LM set a new record on the Goodwood hill climb course in June 2016, people have been wondering what sort of lap time the road-legal hypercar could set on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Let's not forget that Lanzante, the builder of the car, has fueled speculation about a Nordschleife lap record attempt last year when it said it would take the P1 LM to the "Green Hell" for development testing.
Fast forward to May 2017 and the mystery is gone, because Lanzante has announced the XP1LM prototype (identical to the P1 LM production car) has posted a lap time of 6 minutes 43.2 seconds on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
After setting the new lap record, the car then drove directly from the German track to the UK, highlighting its road-legal status. For reference, the previous "King of the Ring," the NIO EP9 electric supercar, posted a 6min45.9s lap on May 12, while the Lamborghini Huracán Performante lapped the track in 6min52.01s earlier this year. The McLaren P1 LM was driven by racing driver Kenny Brack, a 1999 Indianapolis 500 winner, and 1998 IndyCar champion.
The project received support from McLaren and Pirelli, who developed a particular size and compound road-legal Trofeo tire for the P1 LM. It's not the first time Lanzante worked with McLaren, as the UK company ran the McLaren F1 GTR that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995.
The McLaren P1 LM aims to be the quickest, rarest, and last of the P1 variants. Only five units have been built, and all of them have already been sold to customers in the United States, Japan, UAE, and the UK — despite a base price of £3 million ($3.84 million).
Compared to the standard McLaren P1, the LM version gets a bigger (4.0-liter) version of the twin-turbo V8 engine with additional boost and hybrid power producing a total of 1,000 hp and 1,050 Nm (774 lb-ft) of torque (using 99-octane fuel).
The gasoline engine alone unleashes 800 hp at 7,250 rpm, with the electric motor delivering 200 hp. Top speed is 345 km/h (214 mph), no doubt helped by the fact that the P1 LM is 60 kg (132 lb) lighter than even the track-exclusive P1 GTR. The P1 LM uses the aero kit and styling of the P1 GTR but with a modified rear wing and larger front splitter and dive planes. Now forget all the technical details and enjoy the dramatic onboard footage of the record lap.


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Succeeding as a small business in the legal weed market is challenging. From government regulations to technological advancements, small businesses find themselves facing more competition and growing expenses.
Here’s a look at some of the hurdles facing cannabis entrepreneurs in a growing but fiercely competitive weed market.
Weed has been popular a lot longer than it has been legal. The shift from black market to a regulated legal market only started a few years ago. Adult use weed is only legal in 10 states and medical cannabis is still illegal in 17. Each state writes its own laws independent of every other state. Cannabis containing THC is federally illegal but the feds aren't enforcing against state-legal businesses, but strictly speaking they could decide to start. Hemp with just a trace of THC was made federally legal last December but is subject to regulations that the Department of Agriculture hasn't written yet. The biggest cannabis derived product on the market right now is CBD, which is legal but subject to regulations the FDA has said might take years to write.
In other words, the legalization process is far from complete and the market is turbulent, which takes a toll when you’re trying to survive as a small business. Small growers and retailers are the most affected by market instability.


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Games The Shop, the leading games specialist retailer in India announces today the Midnight launch for the upcoming first person shooter video game-Call of Duty Black Ops III which is developed by Treyarch and published by Activision. The Midnight Launch will be held on 5th November 2015 & will take
To celebrate the first anniversary of Xbox One, Microsoft India today announced three new exciting Xbox one Console Bundles launching on October 2nd, 2015 with Pre Orders on Amazon.in going live on September 25th, 2015. Featuring a racing-inspired design with iconic sports car styling and custom automotive sound effects, the
Are you one of the luckiest lovers on this planet, who have a geek boyfriend or girlfriend ? And if you think I am overstating this, then you must read on – Why geeks are exceptional mates? Getting back to my point – I know most of you reading this haven’t yet
Xbox Live accounts are highly susceptible to hacking and malicious attacks. DoS attacks have been reported in large numbers over the past few years. The instances increase as more users access the Internet from their gaming machines. Before working to protect an Xbox Live account from an attack, a user
Recently Microsoft released an advanced companion app for Xbox 360 users called as Xbox Smartglass for Windows as well as Android smartphone users. The app is expected to be released for iOS soon, but lets deal with the issues i recently faced with Smartglass connection on my home wireless network.
Smart TV is one of the hottest buzzword phrases in the tech world right now because companies realize the potential of consolidating smartphone and Internet capabilities into the standard television. Imagine the possibilities of consumers sitting at home able to simultaneously watch their favorite cable shows while intermixing programming from
As we are aware, Windows Phone 7 is a spanking new member of smartphone OS community with refreshing look & fluid UI. Microsoft has gone way to ahead of its predeceasing cellphone OS like windows 6.5 with the launch of this one &we are now seeing some really great devices


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IIHS-Virginia Tech news release • June 26, 2018
New tests show some bike helmets protect heads better than others
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Bicycle helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injuries in cycling, but, until now, consumers who want to buy one that offers the best protection have had little information to go on. A new ratings program, based on collaborative research by Virginia Tech and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, fixes that.
The first 30 helmets to be tested — all popular adult-size models — show a range of performance, with four earning the highest rating of 5 stars, two earning 2 stars, and the rest in the 3-4-star range. Cost wasn’t a good predictor of performance. Both the $200 Bontrager Ballista MIPS and the $75 Specialized Chamonix MIPS earn 5 stars.
Full release at
For more information from the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, go to
View Our Website:


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Instead, they suggested compromise legislation that will link Oklahoma's electronic tracking system for pseudoephedrine sales with other states and use real-time data to stop people from purchasing more than a limited amount of the drug. Similar high-tech tracking systems are in place in 17 other states. Those bills also reduce the amount pseudoephedrine a person can legally purchase from 9 grams per month to 7.2 grams per month, which Funderburk said will be the lowest gram amount in the nation. Similar bills in the House and Senate both have cleared committees.
"My proposal is a way to arm law enforcement with resources while allowing law-abiding citizens the ability to get the medicines they need," Sen. Rick Brinkley, R-Owasso, said in a statement. "Under this bill, consumers will still be able to do that without the burden and expense of a doctor's visit."
Sean Murphy can be reached at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Improbable, the London-based games startup, has raised a $150m round led by Andreessen Horowitz and SoftBank.
Why? To dive into the metaverse, of course.
The funding will go towards creating M² — “a network of interoperable metaverses powered by its Morpheus technology”.
Improbable has been developing a technology that allows very large numbers of people — more than 10k — to be in the same online world at the same time. At the moment, even multiplayer games such as Fortnite struggle to get more than 100 players on the same server at the same time. A metaverse where thousands of people could attend an online concert or sports event will need a different architecture — and this is what Improbable is trying to make.
The idea is that companies and brands could establish their own metaverses within the Improbable megaverse, if you will. That means they could organise “large-scale experiences” — like concerts or sporting events — which their communities could take part in.
Revenue opportunities from the metaverse are expected to be worth $800bn by 2024 — and Improbable is not the only startup looking to take a slice of the pie. There are a number of companies wanting to build he underpinning platforms of the metaverse. US games company Epic, which makes Fortnite, is one of those pushing for its Unreal Engine to be the foundation on which other companies build metaverse experiences.
Improbable, which was founded in 2012 by Herman Narula, has had its fair set of ups and downs. In 2017, it raised $500m from SoftBank — then the largest-ever investment into a UK startup — and swiftly became a star of the local tech scene.
Over the following years however, not much happened: several games built on its first platform, SpatialOS, were scrapped.
Morpheus is being described as an “evolution” of SpatialOS.
The dirty secret of the metaverse is that you can’t do big games at scale
“The dirty secret of the metaverse is that you can’t do big games at scale,” Narula told Sifted last September.
Improbable now provides multiplayer services to over 60 global companies, and also works with the UK government on large-scale defence simulations.
Improbable has now raised over $750m. Investing alongside SoftBank and Andreessen Horowitz in this round is the investment vehicle of Checkout.com founder Guillaume Pousaz.


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EVN works to safeguard electricity for dry season
Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) has prepared a array of measures to safeguard electricity for a dry season, generally in a north, as feverishness is distracted through.
According to a group, a sum commissioned ability of a inhabitant appetite complement is 38,300 MW, while a limit bucket ability is tighten to 26,600 MW. This means a complement has around 20-30 percent of standby electricity to accommodate a approaching surging demand.
The appetite expenditure in Jun is estimated during 16.2 billion kWh. However, as of May 9, a sum volume of H2O in hydropower reservoirs could beget usually 4.76 billion kWh of electricity, a shortfall from a normal rising H2O turn of 9.75 billion kWh. The low H2O turn in reservoirs of executive and southern regions could beget a tiny 2.21 billion kWh, or 86 percent of a turn of a prior year’s same period.
EVN Deputy General Director Ngo Son Hai attributed a conditions to a effects of El Nino, observant that many of a reservoirs enclose usually 80 percent of their designed capacity.
Given this, EVN skeleton to boost a bucket ability by 11 percent as authorized by a Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and presumably even aloft during 13-14 percent, he said.
He lifted a fact that in a initial 4 months of 2016, a inhabitant appetite complement generated over 56 billion kWh, a year-on-year boost of 13.91 percent. The EVN had to take full use of gas turbines and coal-fired thermal appetite plants in a southern shred to support for internal demand.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development asked EVN to coordinate with drought-hit localities to umpire a upsurge of H2O from reservoirs to safeguard sufficient H2O for prolongation and daily activities, quite in a revoke partial of rivers, he added.
Deputy control of a MoIT’s Electricity Regulatory Authority Dinh The Phuc pronounced EVN has had to utilize oil – an costly healthy apparatus to beget 650 million kWh of electricity given late 2015.
EVN has concurrent with a Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) and Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited (Vinacomin) to safeguard adequate sustenance of spark and gas for a well-spoken and fast operation of a dual groups’ appetite stations, he added.
EVN’s National Power Transmission Corporation (NPT) transmitted a immeasurable volume of electricity from a north to a executive and southern regions over a new enlarged drought.
It also put into operation a array of comforts to accommodate a appetite approach in a south, including a 220kV Vung Ang – Ba Don – Dong Hoi appetite line and a 500kV Pleiku 2-Cau Bong appetite lines.
Deputy Director of EVN NPT Nguyen Tuan Tung pronounced a operation of a 220kV Xekaman 1- Pleiku 2 appetite line between Vietnam and Laos is approaching to serve 300 MW of electricity for a southern partial of Vietnam.
The residence is accelerating a doing of other projects, generally a 500kV Duyen Hai – My Tho appetite line, he added.
As a dry deteriorate is peaking in a north, EVN is scheming to boost a bucket ability by 20 percent – a top posssible turn – in box of a worsening situation.
The organization pronounced it has upgraded coal-fired thermal appetite and gas turbine plants to supply electricity for locals in a entrance months, as good as closely coordinating with PetroVietnam to map out skeleton to correct a PM3 Ca Mau and Nam Con Son gas pipelines to yield gas for appetite era in a south.
According to a group, during May and June, a republic could beget scarcely 13.8 billion kWh of electricity from coal-fueled thermal plants, 9.39 billion kWh from hydropower, 8.6 billion kWh from gas turbines, and 481 million kWh from oil.
The appetite delivery from a north to a executive shred could strech over 2.2 billion kWh while that from a executive shred to a south could be scarcely 2 billion kWh.
This means a inhabitant appetite complement have sufficient appetite sources to prove internal demand, EVN Deputy General Director Hai confirmed.
Vietnam-US trade links demeanour to expand
Vietnam-US trade turnover is approaching to grow stronger interjection to a array of measures to inspire mercantile team-work discussed and concluded by leaders of a dual countries, a Vietnamese economist has said.
According Nguyen Duy Khien, Director of a America Market Department underneath a Ministry of Industry and Trade, a dual countries committed to work closely to solve outset issues in mercantile cooperation, in a suggestion of formulating optimal conditions for their enterprises and particularly abiding by ubiquitous regulations and commitments, so furthering a compelling of shared economic-trade links.
It is realiable to attest that Vietnam-US trade turnover will sojourn in clever enlargement over a subsequent 10 years, he said.
With a advantages, Vietnam is focusing on 7 pivotal groups of products to trade to a US market, including textiles and garment, footwear, joist and joist products, computers, wiring and gangling parts, plantation and nautical products, telephones and gangling parts.
In a new accepting for US Trade Representative Michael Froman, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh highlighted a clever enlargement in a Vietnam-US family in many fields, generally in economics and trade.
According to a America Market Department, a US was Vietnam’s second largest trade partner in a initial 4 months of this year, with export-import turnover attack 13.92 billion USD, representing a 13.5 percent year-on-year increase.
Vietnam posted a trade over-abundance of 8.98 billion USD with a US in a period, adult 1.48 billion USD compared to a same duration final year.
Vietnam’s appearance in new a era giveaway trade agreements (FTAs), generally a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement, will pierce good advantages to a country’s exports, generally plantation produce.
The US side is committed to giving compulsory support to Vietnam, enabling a Southeast Asian republic to make a multilateral FTA, Khien said.
TPP will be a substructure to offer inspire trade enlargement among a member nations, Khien said, observant that Vietnam should adjust a trade structure and join tellurian supply bondage early, towards augmenting value for a goods.
Vietnam’s trade value to a US is foresee to swell 20 percent when a TPP particularly takes effect.
The US Chamber of Commerce predicts that mantle exports from Vietnam to a US can strech 22 billion USD by 2020.
To inspire exports to a US market, Vietnamese enterprises have been suggested to digest and take specific business strategies formed on accurately analysing and evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, and holding advantage of opportunities.
Lam Dong serves adult hi-tech tillage model
With a advantages in land and meridian conditions, a Central Highlands operation of Lam Dong is heading a republic in building hi-tech tillage prolongation in a context of augmenting approach for peculiarity agri-products.
Among 21 recognized hi-tech tillage companies in a country, 5 are formed in Lam Dong.
Vice Chairman of a provincial People’s Committee Pham S pronounced a operation has combined Vietnam’s largest dedicated areas for flourishing vegetables, flower, tea and a second largest dedicated area for coffee.
The operation has some-more than 43,000 hectares of prolongation regulating high technology, equal to 16.4 percent of cultivable land. Of which, 11,900 hectares are underneath vegetables, 2,400 ha underneath flowers, 11,300 ha underneath coffee, 2,500 hectares underneath tea and 300 hectares for specialty trees.
The province’s high-tech tillage exports make adult 30 percent of a sector’s sum prolongation value and 80 percent of a province’s sum trade value.
Pham S pronounced a province’s idea is to turn a heading operation in terms of high-tech cultivation in Southeast Asia.
Besides Lam Dong, hi-tech tillage prolongation has widespread to many provinces and cities.
However, Nguyen The Nhuan, Director of a Research Centre for Potatoes, Vegetables and Flowers underneath a Southern Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, remarkable a need to control investigate into a specific conditions of any shred in sequence to arise hi-tech tillage prolongation models effectively.
“In sequence to ask high record in agriculture, there needs coexisting alleviation in technological factors opposite a supply chain, prolongation and marketing,” pronounced Nhuan.
According to Nguyen Van Bo, former executive of a Vietnam Agriculture Science Institute, a enlargement of tillage prolongation will generally count on a routine on building enterprises and technologies.
It is compulsory to have inducement policies for investors in agriculture, he said, suggesting those associated to land-leasing, land acquisition, tax, capital, risk insurance, and tellurian apparatus training.
Nghe An serves over 1 million tourists in 5 months
The executive operation of Nghe An has welcomed some-more than 1 million tourists given a commencement of this year, earning over 675.6 billion VND (30.7 million USD) in revenue.
The internal tourism section is operative tough to marketplace tours and bond with partners during home and abroad, creation consummate preparations to launch Vinh-Bangkok approach flights on Jun 8, thereby facilitating trade and ride between a dual places.
The provincial authorities asked a section and coastal localities to safeguard food safety, sourroundings hygiene and confidence for visitors.
Life guards work on change during a beach to keep travellers during palliate when they try a sea while a H2O turn is monitored frequently to check a reserve level.
Cua Lo beach municipality – a renouned traveller destination, has launched new services such as canoeing and roving e-bicycles around landmark sites.
In early June, visitors flocked to Cua Lo that is infrequently overcrowded.-
BIDV executive chairs VDB
An executive from a Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV) has insincere bureau as supervision of a Viet Nam Development Bank (VDB).
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue postulated a preference to designate BIDV Deputy General Director Pham Quang Tung to a new position on Monday.
The preference was sealed by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucc on May 30.
Tùng replaces Nguyen Quang Dung, a late behaving supervision of VDB.
VDB, with VND30 trillion (US$1.33 billion) in equity, focuses on lending in areas such as socio-economic infrastructure, support industries, cultivation and tillage areas, as good as education, healthcare, environmental insurance and immature technology, along with purify and recycled energy.
It also finances critical exports, distributes executive enlargement assistance (ODA) collateral to specific projects, and guarantees loans borrowed by tiny and medium-sized enterprises.
BIDV was among a 3 domestic banks listed in Forbes Global 2000, an annual ranking of a world's largest open companies, this year.
It ranked 1691 with US$2.6 billion in revenue, $287 million in profits, $34.7 billion in resources and $2.8 billion in marketplace value.
Credit for SOEs accounts for 15-17% of superb loans
Credit for State-owned enterprises (SOEs) now accounts for roughly 15-17 per cent of sum superb loans, emissary administrator of a State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV) Nguyen Thi Hong said.
Previously, credit for SOEs was comparatively high, though now, credit for private enterprises has augmenting significantly, Hong said, adding that a executive bank has always targeted credit for prolongation and business operations, generally in a Government's prioritised industries such as tillage and tillage development, exports, support industries, small- and medium-sized firms and high-tech enterprises.
However, she authorized that a collateral marketplace is underneath enlargement to assistance enterprises with their long-term collateral mobilisation mandate as a marketplace was lunatic due to a coherence on bank credit.
Hong pronounced a Government was really meddlesome in a enlargement of a financial market, including a financial market, to emanate countless channels to beget collateral for enterprises.
Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue recently also prepared a SBV and applicable ministries to arise a financial marketplace to a healthy turn and variegate enterprises' collateral mobilisation channels, she said.
Hong finished a pierce as member from a private section during a new forum to support a section pronounced it was confronting many difficulties, where a biggest plea was entrance to capital.
According to a representatives, while a private section needs collateral from many investors and countless collateral mobilisation channels, Viet Nam's financial marketplace is lunatic as many of a collateral for enterprises comes from blurb banks. The collateral source, with typically brief tenures and flighty seductiveness rates, in serve to item debt requirements, mostly has a poignant outcome on a enterprises' long-term business and enlargement strategies as good as their collateral mobilisation costs.
Meanwhile, collateral appropriation from a holds marketplace accounts for some 30 per cent of altogether appropriation sources.
According to a representatives, a sum superb loans are value some-more than VND200 billion (US$8.88 million), and a capitalisation value of a holds marketplace is value roughly $60 billion. However, a corporate holds marketplace is usually value roughly $1.3 billion due to a necessity of immeasurable investors and a introduction of bad financial products.
E-payments sepulchral in Viet Nam
Increased use of electronic remuneration products combined US$880 million to Viet Nam's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 2011 to 2015, according to a new news expelled by Moody's Analytics.
The news entitled "The Impact of Electronic Payments on Economic Growth" pronounced that some-more products including credit, withdraw and prepaid cards were increasingly being used, aiding to emanate an normal 75,000 jobs annually during a five-year period.
Conducted in 70 countries over 4 years, a news looked during how electronic payments influenced economies.
Globally, it pronounced that augmenting use of electronic payments combined on normal 2.6 million new jobs per year and combined $298 billion to GDP, while lifting domicile expenditure of products and use by an normal of 0.18 per cent per year.
Of a countries in ASEAN featured in Moody's report, Viet Nam gifted a second top rate of GDP enlargement due to augmenting use of electronic payments. Singapore was third and Thailand first.
The investigate news found that a electronification of payments benefited governments and contributed to a some-more fast and open business environment.
"Electronic payments assistance minimise what is ordinarily referred to as a grey economy — mercantile activity that is mostly cash-based and goes unreported," a news said.
Vietnamese businesses boost lychee exports
Việt Nam’s enterprises are prepared to inspire lychee exports this year, a Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said.
This year, lychee outlay was approaching to strech 130,000 tonnes in Bắc Giang Province and 50,000 tonnes in Hải Dương Province.
The lychee outlay in Bắc Giang was estimated to revoke by 10 per cent opposite 2015. But a outlay of high peculiarity lychees underneath VietGap and GlobalGap, inhabitant and ubiquitous peculiarity standards for tillage products, have been increased, Bắc Giang Province reported.
Hoàng Trung, control of MARD’s Plant Protection Department, pronounced a dialect has postulated 29 codes for 300ha for flourishing lychees, mostly located in Bắc Giang for exports to high approach markets.
Many enterprises have come to a lychee flourishing regions with codes to sequence lychees for exports, he said. They would concentration on exporting to Australian markets while also profitable courtesy to a United States, European Union and a Association of South East Asian Nations markets.
The Hà Nội Irradiation Centre is prepared to exercise irradiation services for fruit exports this year to revoke spending for lychee trade activities. The dialect has complemented procedures to get capitulation from Australia for certificates of a centre, he said.
Dương Văn Thái, emissary supervision of a People’s Committee of Bắc Giang Province, pronounced a operation approaching to sell 78,000 tonnes of lychee on a domestic marketplace and trade 52,000 tonnes this year.
For trade markets of Vietnamese lychees, final year, China was a largest trade marketplace with an trade volume during 100,000 tonnes, accounting for 50 per cent to 60 per cent of sum trade volume.
This year, Trung pronounced a dialect has asked phytosanitary agencies in Lào Cai and Lạng Sơn provinces to emanate enlightened conditions for arising trade licences to lychees as shortly as possible.
The emissary control of etiquette dialect of Lạng Sơn Province, Vy Công Tường pronounced his dialect would emanate conditions for lychee exports, including transport, warehousing and executive procedures.
At present, Việt Nam has negotiated with China to settle top priority to trade lychee to China and afterwards other fruits, reported chinhphu.vn.
Meanwhile, a People’s Committees of Lào Cai, Bắc Giang, Hải Dương and Hưng Yên provinces that comment for a immeasurable lychee-growing area in a republic met in late May to inspire a exports of Vietnamese uninformed lychees to China around a Lào Cai limit gate.
Authorities affianced to promote executive procedures, safeguard ride safety, and raise marketplace supervision to revoke frauds in a trade of a fruit, reported vietnamplus.vn.
Deputy Director of a Lào Cai Department of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Trường Giang pronounced a provincial supervision residence of mercantile zones has asked farmers to investigate a marketplace to have a correct trade routine in place.
The operation also suggested farmers and businesses to trade around trade contracts to equivocate a risk of mercantile losses.
It affianced to emanate a best conditions for firms to trade uninformed lychees by Lào Cai limit gate, he added.
Yang Peng, emissary arch of a Hekou district in China’s southern Yunnan province, pronounced that a Chinese side will make it easier for shared trade and easier etiquette procedures.
The district’s authorities asked Vietnamese firms to particularly follow a etiquette procedures of a dual countries, he added.
More than 26,000 tonnes of uninformed lychees value US$11.6 billion were exported to China around Lào Cai ubiquitous limit embankment in 2015.
In 2016, a volume of uninformed lychees exported around a embankment is approaching to equal a prior year’s amount, or about 420 tonnes per day.
FPT inaugurates dual information centres with Uptime Tier III certification
FPT Telecom on Jun 6-7 inaugurated a enlargement of dual information centres with Uptime Tier III acceptance in Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone (EPZ), Ho Chi Minh City, and
The Data Centre EPZ is built on an area of scarcely 6,000 sq.m in Tan Thuan EPZ, that can residence a sum of 800 shelve cabinets and is deliberate a largest information centre in a south.
Data Centre EPZ has achieved a initial Uptime Tier III acceptance for a initial time given 2013, creation Vietnam to turn a third republic in South East Asia to possess a prestigious certificate, after Malaysia and Indonesia.
At a coronation ceremony, FPT Telecom denounced a devise to concur with Internet Initiative Japan Inc (IIJ) in building and providing cloud services in Vietnam given May this year.
FPT’s Data Centre complement was put into operation given 2009, aiming to offer a augmenting approach for repository of thousands of businesses, organizations and consumers opposite a country.
Uptime Tier is a many prestigious analysis criteria complement in a world, authorized by a Uptime Institute of a US, that specializing in evaluating and extenuation certifications for Data Centres. The Uptime Institute has so distant awarded certifications for Data Centres in 72 nations around a globe.
HCMC Party Chief prompts agencies to promote genuine estate procedures
Secretary of a Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Dinh La Thang this morning urged obliged open agencies to solve problems for genuine estate businesses, examination and promote executive procedures during a limit turn and cruise this as a breakthrough resolution to retrieve businesses’ belief.
After listening to reports about a genuine estate marketplace by supervision of a HCMC Real Estate Association (Horea) Le Hoang Chau, he urged a city to solve problems for genuine estate businesses.
The genuine estate marketplace is one of poignant factors in boosting a city’s mercantile enlargement and contributing in a country’s enlargement aim of 6.7 percent this year, he said.
At a meeting, Mr. Chau reported to a secretary that a genuine estate marketplace is still underneath liberation and enlargement phase.
Compared to 2015 when a marketplace saw a clever enlargement in all segments, though it showed signs of slack in a initial 5 months this year with substantial inconstant factors. For instance, exchange have slowed down and leaned toward high class shred while there is a necessity of tiny and center apartments carrying one to dual bedrooms, affordable for a lot of citizens.
In addition, there is a clever boost in a array of delegate transactions.
The marketplace has also seen some devise investors not reside by regulations on investment and construction. Many unit blocks have been non-stop for dwellers while nonetheless to accommodate applicable conditions. Some businesses have not complied with regulations on debt and residence sale causing repairs to consumers and inspiring amicable welfare. Conflicts have turn formidable in a array of unit buildings.
Forecasting a genuine estate marketplace in a final 7 months this year, Mr. Chau pronounced that a marketplace would be softened than a initial 5 months. However, it would be still in a state of slack for a whole year.
According to Mr. Chau, nonetheless a Government and a city’s leaders have affianced to change and emanate some mechanisms and solve existent problems for businesses, a genuine estate marketplace has compartment faced many problems including land use fee.
The land use cost is a immeasurable bill income source of a city though many investors have to reserve watchful for profitable a fee. This is given a routine to establish a cost is undiscerning for being undertaken by a Department of Finance and a Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
The after dialect organizes online behest to select consultant companies to establish land cost and deliver a land use cost of projects. Afterwards, it will send a offer to a Department of Finance to consider a cost level.
If similar with a due fee, a Finance Department will contention a offer to a city People’s Committee to get a final decision. If disagreeing, it will send papers behind to a Environment Department to do procedures again. This routine has been undiscerning and time consuming.
Before a Land Law 2013 took effect, usually a Department of Finance was in allot of assessing a land use fee, so it was faster than now.
Therefore, Horea due a city to allot possibly of a departments to take shortcoming for a routine to save time, pure backlogged papers for investors to exercise their projects and not to skip their opportunities.
Mr. Chau pronounced a stream land use cost comment proviso is a remunerative land for crime and other distinction seekers and due a city’s leaders to compensate courtesy to manipulate this and generally cadre management.
In response to Mr. Chau’s opinion, executive of a Department of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Toan Thang pronounced that a city has built a routine to establish land prices for remuneration or other financial obligations within 30 days. The routine is permitted on a department’s website, he added.
Meantime, a emissary of a Department of Finance pronounced that they have conducted comment works within 5 days after receiving papers from a Environment Department. However he also authorized that a land cost integrity of some projects has been delayed given of cadres’ faults nonetheless that plays a really critical purpose to control following stairs of projects.
Hanoi issues infrastructure ascent wishlist
Hanoi is job for investment of USD15.4bn for a constructions of 4 new railway lines and dozens other public–private partnership projects.
Hanoi’s authorities have pronounced they designed 52 projects for 2016-2020 valued during USD15.4bn. Of that 4 flyovers projects alone will cost USD7bn.
The projects embody a 47km towering railway from a city centre to Noi Bai Airport that could cost USD650m. Other projects are an 18km-long railway from Lien Ha Commune to Vinh Tuy Ward, 8km railway line from Hanoi Train Station to Hoang Mai District and another 38.4km civic railway.
The authorities have also called for investment for 5 medical projects, 12 uninformed H2O projects, 15 industrial and trade zones, 5 parking lots, 11 parks and 10 amicable housing projects.
The authorities have earmarked USD15bn to ascent and reconstruct existent housing. There are 10 buildings are severely run-down and need to be renovated or rebuilt fast to safeguard a residents' safety.
Most of these projects were finished with ODA or BOT models in a past.
While public-private partnership models are 0 new in many countries, Vietnam is usually now removing to grips with this form of investment. Hanoi’s authorities wish to palliate vigour on a state bill with this indication and wish that gifted investors will be interested.
Thua Thien-Hue establishes new tourism department
The executive operation of Thua Thien-Hue on Jun 6 announced a Decision No. 35/2016/QĐ-UBND on a investiture of a Department of Culture and Sport and Department of Tourism.
Accordingly, a Thua Thien-Hue provincial Department of Tourism is a specialised organisation underneath a supervision of a provincial People's Committee, determined following a subdivision of a State supervision on tourism from a Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thua Thien-Hue.
The tourism dialect has a apart certified status, pointer and comment underneath a supervision on organisation, staffing and operation by a Thua Thien-Hue People's Committee, while concurrently underneath a direction, guidance, and investigation of a Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
Similar to a Department of Culture and Sport, a Department of Tourism has a duty of advising and aiding a provincial People's Committee to perform a State supervision duty over tourism in a locality, while behaving a array of tasks reserved or certified by a provincial People's Committee and a Chairman on tourism.
According to Vice Chairman of Thua Thien-Hue People's Committee Nguyen Dung, a locality has a abounding birthright with scarcely 1,000 historical, informative and insubordinate relics, as good as eremite architectural monuments. In particular, a Complex of Hue Monuments has been recognized as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tourism attention in a operation has endorsed a purpose and position as a vital mercantile section with plain enlargement and an augmenting scale of operation.
During a 2010-2015 period, a array of tourists to Thua Thien-Hue available an normal annual boost of 13%, reaching over 3.1 million visitors in 2015. The investiture of a dialect is compulsory amidst tourism’s clever growth, and is unchanging with mandate for internal development.
Thua Thien-Hue set a aim to welcomed 5.7 million visitors by 2020, including 2 million ubiquitous visitors, with tourism income reaching VND6 trillion and an normal enlargement of 12-15% during a 2016-2020 period.
Trade over-abundance reaches US$1.3 bln in 5 months
Viet Nam gained US$14.6 billion from exporting in May, adult 1.74% compared to a prior month, lifting a sum trade value in 5 months of a year to US$67.7 billion, a year-on-year boost of 6.6%, according to a statistics a Ministry of Industry and Trade expelled on Jun 6.
Of a figure, a State section contributed US$19.44 billion, adult 3.9% while a foreign-invested section finished adult US$48.3 billion, adult 7.7%.
Some pivotal trade apparatus of a foreign-invested sectors witnessed pointy increases in turnover such as phones and gangling tools US$14.4 billion, adult 20.6%, mantle US$8.6 billion, adult 6.1%, electronics, computers and accessories US$6.3 billion, adult 5.4%.
Viet Nam’s import turnover in May reached US$15 billion, adult 6.6% opposite a prior month, that contributed to a sum import value in 5 months to US$66.3 billion, a year-on-year boost of 0.9%.
The State and foreign-invested sectors finished adult US$27.2 billion and US$39.1 billion (including wanton oil), adult 0.7% and down 1.9%, respectively.
Viet Nam bought a largest volume of products from China in 5 months with US$19.2 billion, down 2.9%, afterwards ASEAN US$9.4 billion, down 4.2%, Japan US$5.7 billion down 6.4%, a EU US$3.8 billion, down 3.7% and a U.S. US$3.2 billion, adult 4.4%.
May witnessed an estimated trade necessity during US$400 million, however, a trade over-abundance of US$1.36 billion was available for 5 months.
Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh asked organic agencies to examination executive procedures in exports and imports to assistance businesses revoke expenditures and urge competitiveness.
He also compulsory communicating giveaway trade agreements for businesses to entirely daub advantages brought by them.
E5 due as emissary of RON92 gasoline
The Vietnam Biofuel Association has petitioned a Government to reinstate RON92 gasoline with E5 bio-fuel in 8 provinces and cities in a roadmap towards regulating a bio-fuel nationwide.
These localities are Hanoi, HCMC, Haiphong, Danang, Can Tho, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Earlier, vital fuel wholesalers in HCMC finished a same proposal.
The media recently reported RON92 competence be transposed by E5. However, a emissary of a Ministry of Industry and Trade reliable that E5 petrol and RON92 gasoline would co-exist for a time being. The State now encourages some-more sales of E5 gasoline, observant a finish change to this bio-fuel would occur when fast supply is guaranteed.
Quang Ngai, Quang Nam and Danang are a nation’s 3 provinces that have totally shifted to regulating E5, while other provinces and cities have had problem convincing private fuel dealers into offered E5 due to low demand.
The organisation pronounced offered both forms of gasoline is causing problems for retailers given they have to build apart pumping and storage systems for E5 during their stream gas stations.
Fuel trade firms pronounced consumers still cite hoary fuels including RON92 given they are not used to regulating E5 and moreover, a E5 cost is not most revoke than RON92. Private pumping stations have shown hostility to sell E5 for fear that their sales income would be affected.
Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has reserved a Ministry of Industry and Trade to ready a roadmap to reinstate RON92 with E5 during a ask of a organisation and news to a Prime Minister in June.
In 2015, 8 provinces and cities consumed some-more than 278,000 cubic meters of E5 petrol, about 15.72% of sum gasoline sales.
E-payments supplement US$880 million to Vietnam’s 2011-2015 GDP
The rising use of electronic remuneration products including credit, withdraw and prepaid withdraw cards contributed US$880 million to Vietnam’s sum domestic product (GDP) between 2011 and 2015, according to investigate conducted by Moody’s Analytics for Visa.
Although a sum value of exchange by electronic payments remained low, a Moody’s report, called “The impact of electronic payments on mercantile growth,” ranked Vietnam second among a countries in a shred in terms of GDP enlargement upheld by softened use of e-payments.
The use of electronic payments combined an annual normal of 75,000 jobs during a period, Moody’s economists estimated.
The investigate also found that this remuneration routine benefited a governments and helped emanate a some-more fast and open business environment. E-payments helped minimize “the grey economy” in that activities are cash-based and mostly not transparent, so ensuing in aloft intensity taxation revenues, it noted, adding they would revoke money doing costs, pledge safer businessman payments and softened rivet payers in financial transactions.
Sean Preston, Visa’s republic manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, said: “Moody’s commentary strengthen a many certain advantages that electronic payments pierce to internal economies all over a universe including here in Vietnam.”
E-payments continued to uncover clever enlargement in Vietnam in 2015 with a sum array of exchange around Visa-branded cards flourishing by 34% and an enlargement of Visa’s transaction network, he said. Online offered regulating Visa cards final year gifted a 47% jump in Vietnam with an internet race of over 45 million.
Authorities to collect send taxation from Big C merger deal
Tax authorities are available executive information from a Big C supermarket sequence merger understanding between Casino Group and Central Group to calculate a send tax.
According to a General Department of Taxation, a dual groups have sensitive a taxman of a understanding in suitability with Vietnamese laws and ubiquitous practices.
Thailand’s Central Group and a internal partner Nguyen Kim Trading Company have jointly acquired Big C Vietnam for 920 million euro (US$1.05 billion) from France’s Casino Group. Nguyen Kim is now 49% owned by Central Group.
The taxation supervision has a plain certified basement to collect a send taxation from a understanding nonetheless it was conducted outward Vietnam’s territory. However, lawyers pronounced it would be tough to taxation a transaction.
Earlier, a General Department of Taxation collected VND1.91 trillion (US$85.2 million) in send taxation from a understanding that Metro Group solitary a indiscriminate organisation Metro Cash Carry Vietnam to Thailand’s TCC Holding for 655 million euros.
The taxation supervision is boosting taxation collections from MA deals as they have contributed significantly to State bill revenues.
Business owners credit grassroots authorities of harassment
Young business owners attending a assembly in Hanoi final week with Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue indicted grassroots authorities of harassment.
Do Huy Hieu, executive of DVH-Bransons Co Ltd that provides training for enterprises, pronounced that to entice unfamiliar experts to join training programs durability dual to 3 days, his association is compulsory to contention an focus to authorities one month in advance.
“If a focus comes dual days after than required, it would be rejected,” he told a assembly that was attended by 100 immature entrepreneurs.
Hieu pronounced he had been asked to compensate VND15 million for a permit from a third party. “No spontaneous fee, no license,” he said, adding tiny enterprises could not means to compensate all sorts of spontaneous fees.
Song Long Khanh Hoa Co., that specializes in aquaculture veterinary medicines, has been struggling with revisit checks by mercantile military and marketplace monitors, pronounced executive Vo Thi Tuyet Ha.
Tran Quoc Bao, supervision of Martin Corp., pronounced his company’s website hoangsa.edu.vn is no longer permitted as a domain name reminds people of Hoang Sa (Paracel) islands. Therefore, a firm’s email complement is down also, disrupting communication with customers.
Another businessman during a assembly complained about a 2% labor kinship cost is high.
Other business owners pronounced they were carrying difficulty with difficult business mandate and executive procedures, and tiny taxation incentive, so they can't contest with unfamiliar rivals.
Speaking during a meeting, Hue pronounced insane officials and polite servants contingency be sanctioned.
Hue pronounced a Government is perplexing to behind enterprises by improving institutions and policies about investment, business incubation, tellurian resources enlargement and creation for a advantage of startups.
The Government has expelled resolutions designed to urge a investment and business sourroundings and fostering a enlargement of private enterprises. A breeze law on support for tiny and center enterprises will be presented to a National Assembly.
Hue pronounced enterprises of opposite sizes in a private and open sectors would get equal diagnosis from a Government in line with marketplace rules.
Ways to arise tiny and medium-sized enterprises underneath spotlight
A far-reaching operation of measures involving a change of certified papers alongside unsentimental support to offer promote a enlargement of tiny and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been endorsed during a new discussion in Hanoi.
Vietnam now has around 400,000 SMEs, creation adult 97 percent of a sum array of enterprises handling in a country, contributing 40 percent of a sum domestic product and formulating jobs for 52 percent of a domestic workforce.
Despite those considerable proportions, SMEs still have many problems in accessing resources and business opportunities like loans, marketplace and information, in serve to their possess weaknesses including tiny scale and bad business supervision capacity.
Le Hong Son, former control of a Bureau of Legal Normative Documents Post-Review underneath a Ministry of Justice, pronounced SMEs still face bias in terms of business conditions in a really certified papers themselves.
Son cited as an instance Circular 23/2015/TT-BKHCN expelled by a Ministry of Science and Technology that forbids a send of alien used machine between enterprises solely in a box enterprises go broke or finish their operation. He pronounced this violates a tenure and giveaway business rights as good as causes good wastefulness.
Another round he mentioned was Circular 56/2014/TT-BTC of a Ministry of Finance that requires price-declaring procedures that are not concordant with a law.
According to mercantile consultant Le Duy Binh, a supervision should play a purpose of formulating enlightened for a enlargement of enterprises instead of safeguarding them. Support programmes and services for SMEs are also compulsory though should be singular to equivocate violating marketplace beliefs and ubiquitous treaties, he said.
Agreeing with Binh, Le Van Khuong, Head of a Division for Development of SMEs, during a Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Department for Enterprise Development, pronounced a government’s assistance should be selective, specific, pure and equal.
Over 10,000 Mazda cars removed for engine warning light issue
Vina Mazda Automobile Manufacturing Co.Ltd, a auxiliary of Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO) has expelled a remember notice for 10,100 Mazda 3 cars for a “Check-Engine” warning light problem.
All a removed cars were done given Dec 9, 2014, regulating a 1.5 littre Skyactive engine of a cars7,740 are sedan units and 2,360 are hatchback cars.
The remember will run from Jun 16, 2016 to Dec 2017 in all Mazda vehicle certified agents nationwide. The interrelated investigation and amendment for any vehicle is approaching to take 4 and a half hours.
Experts found that slag in a fuel injector was a means of a engine warning light.
The engine warning light invariably appears on a dashboard, a problem causing nuisance for vehicle drivers. The emanate has been reported by Vietnamese clients given a center of 2015.
Mazda was a best-selling indication in a Vietnam marketplace with an amassed 20,359 cars solitary in 2015, induction a 116 percent enlargement compared to 2014.
Thaco, a largest vehicle builder in Vietnam has constructed and already distributed vehicles for 3 manufacturers including Kia from a Republic of Korea, Mazda from Japan and French hulk Peugeot.-
Thua Thien-Hue to take measures to boost tourism
The executive operation of Thua Thien-Hue will continue implementing a array of measures this month in a bid to attract some-more holiday-makers.
The operation will urge state supervision in tourism as good as boost tourism graduation campaigns and deliver new tours of rivers, lagoons and normal qualification villages.
Recently, Thua Thien-Hue has focused on compelling eco-tourism sites in Phu Loc, Nam Dong and A Luoi districts with a aim to redeem a slip in sea tourism that was badly influenced by a new mass fish genocide incident.
According to a provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, a locality welcomed over 1.42 million tourists , including scarcely 500,000 foreigners, in a initial 5 months of this year,.
The section generated 1.31 trillion VND (57 million USD) in income from Jan to May, adult 8.34 percent opposite a same duration final year.
During a Hue Festival hold from Apr 29 to May 4 alone, a operation greeted over 250,000 visitors, 68,200 of whom were from abroad, representing year-on-year increases of 23 percent and 5 percent, respectively.
This year, Thua Thien-Hue set a aim of welcoming 3.2-3.5 million tourists who are approaching to pierce 3.3-3.5 trillion VND (143-152 million USD) to a province.
Vietnam’s economy sees liberation movement in Q2: HSBC
Despite a dejection in a Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) in a region, Vietnam’s PMI continued to expand, reaching a ten-month high of 52.7 in May from 52.3 in a prior month.
According to a latest news on a prospects of Vietnam's marketplace expelled by t he Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), mercantile indicators in a second entertain of this year showed a clever liberation of a inhabitant economy.
The array of new orders rose sharply, indicating that prolongation operations are approaching to grow in June. The index of industrial prolongation and exports also available consistant enlargement in a period.
The slow El Nino will approaching continue to impact tillage output, a news said, however, it also forecasts that a clever enlargement of prolongation industries and services will lift a GDP enlargement in this entertain to 6.1 percent.
HSBC also kept a GDP foresee in a whole year of 2016 unvaried during 6.3 percent.
The bank put brazen medium-term solutions on financial remodel in Vietnam, including broadening a bottom of profit, and adjusting accounting methods in line with ubiquitous standards.
Administrative measures to curb taxation evasion, a proclamation of taxation rascal cases and a simplification of a VAT reinstate routine will be useful solutions, a news stated.
Vietnam’s exports to China arise by 16.5 percent
Vietnam’s exports to China strike 5.8 billion USD in a initial 5 months of 2016, an boost of 16.5 percent year on year, while imports from China fell 3.67 percent to 14.73 billion USD, according to a General Department of Vietnam Customs.
Vietnam generally alien machines, equipment, mobile phones, computers, fabrics, iron and steel from China.
Vietnam expects to boat about 20 billion USD value of line to China and spend 48 billion USD on imports from a partner this year. Its trade necessity with China would sum 28 billion USD, 13.6 percent revoke than final year’s 32.4 billion USD.
The contraction could be a good pointer for Vietnam that has prolonged been contingent on exported products from China.
However, a Ministry of Industry and Trade warned that a total competence not simulate a genuine trade opening between a dual nations. It did not take into comment cross-border trade in that China still enjoys a immeasurable surplus.
Vietnam reported 134 billion USD in trade income with unfamiliar partners during a period, with trade turnover of 67.7 billion USD, adult 6.6 percent year on year, and import value of 66.3 billion USD, down 0.9 percent.
The United States continued to be Vietnam’s biggest buyer, importing 14.6 billion USD value of line from Vietnam, adult 14.9 percent compared to a same duration final year. It was followed by a European Union with 13.3 billion USD in imports, adult 11 percent.
Deputy PM urges HCMC to equitise SOEs
Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ has urged HCM City to accelerate a equitisation of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) to safeguard that an SOE devise authorized by a Prime Minister is finished by 2018.
In his news after a operative revisit to HCM City in late May, Huệ pronounced a city should continue to rectify a SOE restructuring devise in suitability with a Decision No 37/2014/QĐ-TTg in Jun 2014 that gives sum about criteria for classifying SOEs.
The categorical purpose of Decision 37 was to revoke a array of sectors where a State is compulsory to be a infancy or solitary shareholder and to inspire private investment.
In particular, all SOEs in a city contingency be restructured so that a Government’s interest will be reduced to a low turn or 0 when they are equitised.
Huệ also asked a city to finish a master devise on a restructuring of tillage and forestry companies underneath a metropolitan administration and contention a devise to a Government for approval.
He urged a city to brand a open use agencies that could validate for equitisation.
Eligible units would afterwards be submitted to a Prime Minister for capitulation and equitised in suitability with a Government’s Decision No 22/2015/QĐ-TTg on mutation of open non-business units.
Huệ stressed a need for a city to severely exercise financial liberty policies during internal open use units.
In addition, a Deputy Prime Minister told a city supervision to outline a extensive devise for doing of Resolution No 35/NQ-CP.
This new routine expelled on May 16 concerns a support and enlargement of enterprises by 2020. It emphasises a city’s purpose in sensitive and compelling business development.
In his news on a new operative revisit to a Cửu Long (Mekong) operation of Kiên Giang, Huệ asked a provincial leaders to arise projects that would store uninformed H2O and forestall saltwater intrusion.
This would safeguard purify H2O reserve for prolongation activities and people’s daily demand.
Huệ pronounced a province’s residents contingency be prepared about a inauspicious effects of saltwater penetration and a need to save uninformed water.
They also contingency be finished wakeful of a significance of bettering to meridian change by restructuring a tact and lifting of animals and plants.
The emissary PM also asked Kiên Giang authorities to brand saltwater penetration supervision projects that should be given investment priorities, putting them on a list to call for collateral support from a Government.
He suggested Kiên Giang to adjust a province’s existent land-use plans, construction projects and tourism products in suitability with meridian change.
Huệ also destined a Ministry of Planning and Investment to work with a ministries of Finance and Agriculture and Rural Development to accumulate proposals from Kiên Giang and other localities to news to a Prime Minister.
Ninh Binh fertilizer plant faces closure
The Ninh Binh nitrogenous fertilizer plant could shortly close down due to a outrageous losses, according to a Viet Nam Chemical Group (Vinachem).
In Jun 1, Chu Van Tuan, Vinachem emissary ubiquitous director, pronounced a organization could stop operations of a Ninh Binh nitrogenous fertilizer plant given difficult continue conditions have influenced tillage prolongation that led to revoke approach for fertilisers, including nitrogenous fertilisers.
In addition, farmers in a north generally use phosphate fertilisers so nitrogenous fertilizer expenditure has faced countless difficulties, he said. In 2015, dual Ninh Binh and Bac Giang nitrogenous fertilizer plants had an register of 180,000 tonnes and 70,000 tonnes of fertiliser, respectively, reported tienphong.vn.
To understanding with that situation, Vinachem destined a dual plants to restructure prolongation and business to fit a approach of a internal marketplace and prolongation ability in them, so that a dual plants could any have an register of 20,000 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes of fertiliser, Tuan said.
The plant's construction was kicked off in May 2008 in Ninh Binh's Khanh Phu industrial section and came into operation in 2012, 42 months after construction began.
In a scarcely 4 years given then, a plant has been invariably handling during a deficit, accumulating altogether over VND2 trillion (US$89.9 million) in losses. Notably, in 2012, a company's waste amounted to VND75 billion ($3.37 million), that augmenting to VND759 billion ($34.12 million) in 2013, VND500 billion ($22.48 million) in 2014, and VND370 billion ($16.63 million) in 2015.
Vu Van Nhan, ubiquitous executive of Ninh Binh nitrogenous fertilizer plant, pronounced a plant was forced to call a proxy hindrance to a operations in late March, though Vinachem motionless opposite opening a plant's gates again. The association temporarily laid off 400 of a 1,100 workers, profitable a monthly stagnation stipend of VND3.1 million to any worker.
By May 25, a plant had 19,200 tonnes of fertilizer in stock, he said. In Jun 1, a supervision met workers to plead resumption of operations. The plant was approaching to resume operations a week later.
However, Nhan pronounced after restarting, a plant still faced many difficulties, including miss of workers, as some of them had changed to other businesses, and aloft amassed losses. According to a plant's report, a amassed waste reached VND1.99 trillion in 2015.
The plant suffered outrageous waste given nitrogenous fertilizer cost forsaken on a universe marketplace when faced with a conditions of additional supply, Tuan said. Also, given a plant was a new business it did not have knowledge in offered activities and solitary fertilisers during prices revoke than those of Chinese fertilizer products. That offered cost was revoke than a prolongation cost.
Thereafter, Vinachem due 11 skeleton for a plant to a supervision and a Ministry of Industry and Trade, including one of closure. If a Ninh Binh fertilizer plant closes, it would have to spend VND1 trillion per year towards repaying a debts.
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Unexpected demand for consumer, business and professional services has led to strong employment growth in these sectors, according to a survey by employers body CBI.
The CBI found the number of jobs in professional services, such as accountancy, law and property, was growing at the fastest rate since the survey began nine years ago. Numbers employed in consumer services, such as hospitality, travel and leisure, increased at the strongest rate for two years.
Richard Lambert, CBI director-general, said: “The importance of the service sector to the UK economy cannot be overstated. Today, it is the largest employer and a source of national competitive advantage.”
Demands for business services have continued to grow slowly, with firms’ expectations less certain for the coming quarter than in the consumer sector.
Business services companies fear this is due to the low availability of professional staff with the right qualities and skills, which is likely to limit their ability to grow over the coming year.


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The company poured resources into expanding its presence across the U.S., Europe and Asia. In all three continents, particularly in the first two, Tesla has a rather impressive coverage map.
For those unfamiliar with the Supercharger network, it's like a gas station for Tesla vehicles. Only instead of getting gasoline or diesel (obviously), customers can recharge their car. A typically full charge takes about half an hour, which better or for worse allows the driver to catch a nap, grab a coffee or get something to eat.
However, there's talk that Tesla may be joining a new charging network, one that already includes BMW, Mercedes-Benz (Daimler), Ford Motor Co (F - Get Report) and Volkswagen. Other interested parties also include Volvo, Jaguar and Fiat Automobiles (FCAU - Get Report) .
The new network, called Ionity, has its sights set on opening up thousands of chargers throughout Europe. According to Electrek, it's "considered the most ambitious electric vehicle charging infrastructure project since Tesla's Supercharger network."
For the record, Tesla's network also has thousands of chargers among its roughly 400 European stations, the latter of which the automaker plans to double over the next few years. The goal for Ionity is to open 100 locations by year-end and 400 by the end of 2020.
Ionity isn't just shooting for a high number of locations, but also for an "ultra fast" charge as well, with capacity of 350 kW. For prospective electric car buyers as well as current electric car owners, the faster the charge and the greater number of locations is a very attractive proposition.
Impact on Tesla
The impact on Tesla is still unclear. According to Ionity, its current partners include BMW, Daimler (Mercedes), Ford and Volkswagen. However, the group is open to bringing in more automakers.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been open about his feelings for the electric vehicle (EV) market: The more the merrier.
While initial reactions to his thoughts provoke worries about competition, the argument here is that increasing participation in the EV market increases awareness for the segment. The more popular EVs become, the higher demand goes. That bodes well for Tesla, the leader in EV right now.
At this year's Detroit Auto Show, there was no shortage of EV concepts and plenty of hybrid offers. Ferrari (RACE - Get Report) is working a potentially silent hybrid, while Mercedes has a number of hybrid options and 10 planned EVs by 2022. Heck, even Bentley is getting in on the hybrid action, as explained by CEO Mark Del Rosso.
So clearly the electrification trend is moving forward and not many in the industry (at least among those I have spoken with) see it slowing down anytime soon.
But again, where does this leave Tesla? As it almost always is, it's complicated.
Tesla has a massive head start in the EV market, given that it manufactures today's premier electric vehicles. Others like BMW and General Motors Co (GM - Get Report) haven't been able to do much when it comes to denting demand for Tesla with its own EVs.
For a long time, the Supercharger network was Tesla's way of dangling yet another advantage over its foes. Where would the driver of another electric car charge up on a long road trip? Put simply, Tesla had the best product and the best charging infrastructure.
In the case of current circumstances, it still does.
But if by 2020 we can charge our all-electric Mercedes or our BMW EV at an Ionity station, bountifully scattered throughout Europe, Tesla has one less advantage. That's probably why the company is weighing joining the group, so that Tesla cars will be welcome at Ionity and still have its Supercharger network, even if the latter is twice the size of the former.
By then, though, maybe Tesla figures it won't matter. With the other automakers getting in on the EV trend, it confirms it's not a short-term gimmick or silly motive. It shows there's serious money to be made and tangible customer demand. By gaining such a big lead, perhaps Tesla is banking on figuring out its production issues (which there is no lack of) and leading the EV revolution. At that point, perhaps, the Supercharger network advantage may not matter.
I wouldn't say a charging network for other electric cars is a nail in the coffin for Tesla. However, the automaker needs to move quick and learn how to scale its production without producing too many errors and spending too much money.
BMW, Mercedes, Ford, GM and others have decades of experience and deep pockets. They won't get into the same "production hell" that's plagued Tesla, however justified its hang-ups may be. In order to survive, Tesla will have stay ahead of the pack and if Ionity's development is any suggestion, the pack is gunning for the leader.


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A rather alarming recent study has been conducted by Greenpeace as part of its detox campaign which revealed several hazardous residues on textile and leather products as a result of the process of their manufacturing. A range of Children wear products purchased from 25 different countries and manufactured in 12 different regions of the world were all sent to Greenpeace's research laboratory. Among other brands included in the study are labels like Disney, American Apparel, GAP, H&M, and Nike.
The clothes were tested for several hazardous materials such as nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), phthalates, organotins, and per/poly-fluorinated chemicals (PFCs). Scandalous enough the previously mentioned toxic materials were detected in many products. Those results are rather shocking keeping in mind that the items tested were manufactured for children and infants.


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After discontinuing the series last year, Apple seems set to revive the 12 inch MacBook this year, with a twist. The news comes from China Times, which claims that a supply chain report has unveiled the company’s plans to announce a 12 inch MacBook later this year with Apple’s own ARM processors.
The 12 inch Retina display MAC is supposed to be powered with the A14X processor, which will also see a debut in this year’s iPad Pro variant. The processor, codenamed Tonga, will support a USB C type interface, and last anywhere from 15 to 20 hours per charge due to ARM’s power saving approach.
The industry had been preparing for Apple to make the move from Intel to in house processors from a long time now. At WWDC, the company finally announced its plan to start production of its own ARM chips using TSMC’s 5nm process, adding that the company will launch its first devices powered by the technology later this year. Moreover, Apple added that it will become Intel independent in just 2 years which means that any Apple device you own right now will have an ARM variant by 2022.
The company had also promised better performance and better power saving thanks to ARM’s low power consumption.
It was being speculated that the first Mac with ARM processor would be the 13 inch or a newer 24 inch version. However, this new report suggests a different strategy, and one that no one had expected.
The report also states that Apple is making progress on in house GPUs as well, and will probably seek to get rid of AMD after Intel. The company has already ended support for AMD GPUs in the macOS Arm 64-bit operating system-a testament to Apple’s aim of becoming independent from the industry. The report claims that the new GPU, which is supposed to launch next year, has been named Lifuka, and uses the same 5nm production process as the A14X. It has tile-based deferred rendering technology that allows application developers to extract more from the chip.


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AndroGel Competitors Enter US After Perrigo’s Exclusivity Expires
Following the expiry of Perrigo’s 180-day exclusivity for its generic version of AndroGel, firms including Lupin and Teva have launched their own generic testosterone 1.62% gels in the US.
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Perrigo Persists On Pepcid As Prescription Profit Plummets
Perrigo has won a US appeals court ruling on its generic version of Pepcid Complete. However, the company’s Prescription generics business saw a 15% drop in sales and a 28% decline in operating profit as the firm reported its 2018 results, ahead of plans to separate the Prescription unit from the company as it transitions to become a ‘self-care’ company.
Perrigo’s new leader backs generics plans
Perrigo’s newly-appointed president and chief executive officer, Murray Kessler, has backed the planned ‘separation’of the firm’s ‘Rx’ Prescription US generics operation, but has also praised the business’ potential, albeit in the face of a disappointing financial third quarter.
AAM Departures Lead To Change Of Chair For IGBA
The AAM has confirmed the departure of three executives, one of whom had also been serving as chair of the IGBA. As a result, the global generics industry association has brought in a new interim chair, at the same time as the head of one of the industry’s largest players has joined its CEO Advisory Committee.


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If you are a fan of President Donald Trump and wish to show your support, you might consider buying a Trump coin. Despite the fact that the president has actually not yet minted a new coin, the US Mint is currently releasing $1 gold coins to honor the president.
It’s possible that you’re not familiar with this truth, so let’s take a look at some of the realities about Trump’s presidential dollar coins.
The former first lady of the United States, Melania Trump, has actually announced the launch of a brand-new non-fungible token (NFT) venture. This NFT platform will consist of a series of digital collectibles. It will also include physical artwork and an one-of-a-kind accessory.
According to a declaration provided by her workplace, the collection is created to highlight “renowned minutes” from the administration of President Donald Trump. In addition to the collection of NFTs, the former first lady stated the proceeds will be utilized to assist kids aging out of foster care. She will contribute an unspecified amount to the initiative.
The NFT will be sold through a payment platform called MoonPay. Credit card payments will be accepted. Payments utilizing the SOL cryptocurrency will likewise be accepted.
The collection will be sold for a price of $50 per token. Each NFT will include an image of the former first lady’s blue eyes. An audio recording of her voice will accompany the images. They will be readily available for purchase between Dec. 16 and Dec. 31.
In December, the previous first lady revealed that she would be offering NFTs on her brand-new platform. While the sale went efficiently, the project has faced criticism. Some have called it a rip-off while others questioned her motives.
Melania Trump started her modeling career at age sixteen. She has actually appeared in lots of high-profile advertising campaign. Her latest NFT endeavor is her very first openly announced venture since leaving the White House.
She has actually specified that she was “inspired” by the American spirit. She thinks that the NFT is a method to return to children aging out of foster care. However, her press contact has actually not responded to concerns about contributions.
In addition to launching NFTs on her site, the previous first lady is also developing a series of ad campaigns. She mentions the Be Best effort as the factor for developing her NFTs. As part of the project, she will be donating a portion of the profits to the National Foster Care Association.
Aside from her new NFT venture, the previous first lady has actually launched a line of handcrafted Christmas accessories.
The LGBcoin has remained in the news for a while now, but one of its most noteworthy champs is its magnate creator, Madison Cawthorn.
For all of his defects, Cawthorn has actually shown to be a gentleman of the greatest order. He’s been a good sport in the media and has apparently even chanced on the chore in the past.
Among his more significant accomplishments is the fact that he’s been called to the House of Representatives as one of the most eligible guys in the land. That suggests, as the old stating goes, there’s no informing what he’ll be doing in the next 4 years.
If he’s lucky, Cawthorn could be relegated to the minors for the remainder of the years. Not a bad deal for a man with a studful of prizes to his name. Besides, a little hyphy is never ever a bad thing.
As for the rest people, we’re a little concerned with the prospect of a lil ditty like Cawthorn in our midst. Fortunately for us, he’s not the only dubious congressional alumno on the loose.
Presidential Gold Coins
The US Mint started issuing Presidential $1 coins in 2007. This series honors previous United States presidents. They are golden colored and feature a portrait of the previous president on the obverse and an image of the Statue of Liberty on the reverse. A motto, “IN GOD WE TRUST”, is engraved on the edge of these coins.
These coins are meant to be used in vending devices, parking meters, and other areas where they can be acquired. The Federal Reserve Banks distribute the coins to their members, banks, and cooperative credit union.
A group of officials met with the United States Mint to talk about production, product packaging, distribution, and other issues. Based upon this feedback, the Federal Reserve developed strategies for future issuance and management of the coins. In the past, commemorative distributing coin programs have actually experienced challenges. To avoid similar issues, the Federal Reserve has conducted marketing research and has actually consulted with the Mint to develop a program.
The Federal Reserve has included feedback from other commemorative flowing coin programs into its strategy for the Presidential $1 Coin Program. It has likewise executed modifications to its distribution practices, that include automated messages for depository institutions. Ultimately, the Federal Reserve will identify the level of demand for the coins prior to figuring out how to handle them.
The very first coin to be issued under the Presidential $1 Coin Act was the George Washington coin. It was launched 2 weeks before the John Adams coin was issued.
This was the very first in a series of 4 one dollar coins to be provided each year. The designs on these coins have actually altered with time. Some of the previous coins have included the slogan, “IN GOD WE TRUST,” on the obverse. Because 2009, the slogan has been transferred to the obverse of all presidential dollar coins.
The Presidential $1 Coin Program has introduced a number of promotional products. It has performed outreach to regional businesses, schools, and consumer groups. There are free educational products offered for anybody interested in the coins.
Nevertheless, it will depend on the Mint to work with these companies and schools to make sure that these new coins receive the public attention and media protection that they should have.


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Safety and the Future of Travel with COVID-19
As states begin to ease restrictions on travel and businesses begin to re-open, questions begin to rise in the minds of consumers and business owners alike. Hoteliers wonder who may be first to return, or how quickly they can expect the demand to rise for hotel rooms. For consumers and guests, they are left wondering what it means to be safe when they travel. Data from Guesty, a property management company for short-term rentals, indicates that travelers have begun booking trips again for later in the year. In the last few weeks, more reservations have been made than cancellations. Bookings for New Years, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are up 23%, 38%, and 40% respectively compared to this time in 2019. It’s clear that travelers are getting antsy to travel, and there are a few reasons hoteliers should keep in mind that have travelers feeling ready to get back on the road again.
Making Up for Cancelled Summer Plans
Unfortunately, many people had to cancel their exciting summer vacation plans due to COVID-19 restrictions – whether from beach closures, park closures, or event cancellations, plans were thrown into disarray nationwide. Separated from their families and having to miss significant life events like birthdays and graduations have left many travelers anxious to see their loved ones and celebrate lifelong milestones together. As a result, most of the tourism that can be expected to bounce back first is squarely among leisure travelers. People miss their friends and families, and as more guests test the waters with nearby hotel visits, more people will begin to plan and book safe stays. These mindful travelers are doing what they can to check each hotel to be positive the property is safe and practicing the guidelines proposed by the CDC for cleanliness and social distancing.
Drive-To Destinations are Safer than Flying
Guests feel more secure driving to a location nearby than flying to one farther away, as data from Longwoods International supports. Well over half of the population that intends to travel – precisely, 74% – plan to do so by car, most planning to do so within 200 miles of their home. These destinations are aptly named “drive-to” locations, and guests make plans to visit them because the risk is greatly lowered when driving in a car rather than occupying close quarters with strangers in an airplane. Should any emergencies arise during the trip, such as someone getting sick or needing to return home to tend to another family member, it will be easier for the travelers to return home via car. Additionally, guests will be looking for hotels that have amenities that allow guests to spread out – for example, a pool deck with chairs sitting at least 6 feet apart. Health experts have also been advocating for room service as the safest way to eat on property, which alludes that guests will be seeking hotels that have on-site food delivery options. If your hotel is preparing outdoor areas for guests to safely relax, or if your property has access to special deals involving food delivery, now would be an ideal time to promote them on social media.
Low Rates and Flexible Cancellation Policies
The economic devastation that has followed behind the coronavirus has impacted hundreds of thousands of businesses and families worldwide is also raising questions for hoteliers about when they can expect guests to return. Despite this, many potential travelers have been taking advantage of lower-than-usual hotel rates with flexible cancellation policies. Similar to the reason drive-to destinations are so attractive, a flexible cancellation policy is an additional safety net for the unexpected. If a guest is planning to visit in September but starts to feel sick (whether it’s due to the coronavirus or otherwise), being able to cancel their reservation and stay home without penalty is an immense relief. At a time when uncertainty is causing stress for people everywhere, offering flexible policies can put travelers’ minds at ease. It allows travelers to make decisions that keep themselves and those around them safer, so hotels should be crystal clear about what their policies are throughout the booking process.
What to Expect from Travel
In the coming months, the summer holidays may see emptier beaches and resorts than usual – but there is a silver lining that will come during fall and winter. As people continue to stay safe and at home, more states will be able to confidently open up again, and travel will trickle back to a steady pace for the holidays later this year. There is no better time than right now to get a firm handle on your hotel’s reputation, and our experts at TravelMediaGroup are available to help you streamline your property and give you time to focus on making your guest experience the safest it can be. Look through our services page for more information about how we can provide comprehensive hotel marketing for your property.


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Update which features a new mini-game called 'Bug Control'.
COPENHAGEN - July 6, 2010
Tactile Entertainment, the indie developer behind recent iPhone hits Pocket Creatures and Crazy Test, announced its newest free update for their lovable pet simulator, bringing the count to three since its successful debut in May. The update features a new mini-game called “Bug Control”, taking inspiration from classic App Store line-drawing hits, and boasts a slew of new achievements and more to go along with it.
“Bug Control” is just the third in a series of ongoing updates planned by Tactile, and it features a suite of improvements, including compatibility with iOS 4, higher resolution for iPhone 4 retina displays, and a new pair of sunglasses to give your creature that cool Fonz look.
“Previous updates have given players the ability to foster stealthy ninjas, create ghosts, and have introduced new mini-games but we’re not stopping here, we’re committed to expanding the world of Pocket Creatures and giving users more game for their buck,” said Asbjoern Soendergaard, Founder and CEO of Tactile Entertainment. “Pocket Creatures gives players the choice to raise their creature however they like, along with tons of mystery, intrigue – and comedy! – across the creature’s island home. Besides, now that Lost is over, don’t you need a new mysterious island?”
About Tactile Entertainment
Founded in 2009 by individuals from all across the gaming industry, Tactile Entertainment is focused on creating new gaming experiences for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch platforms. Tactile Entertainment is based in Denmark, Copenhagen. For more information please visit: http://www.tactileentertainment.com/


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Upgrade your sales funnel with expert insight at Commerceweek, Feb. 28-29. Broaden your audience with improved data technology and a seamless purchase experience. Register now at 50% off.
In two weeks, a big global wireless carrier is partnering with an unnamed credit card company as part of a Black Friday campaign that merges its CRM data with transactional stats about what people buy. The pool of data will then be matched up with a marketing cloud’s database of 400 million people to find folks who are in the market for a new phone. It’s not until after terabytes of data have been analyzed that the wireless carrier’s campaign will earnestly kick in and the brand will begin pushing its ads to consumers, hoping that a super-specific group of people are more likely to buy phones than a mass group of people.
“We’re going to be marketing directly to those people starting at 7 a.m.


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The Logan by Noon Solar. In The Matrix, solar-powered machines take over the world and use humans to store the harnessed energy like lithium-ion batteries. If that is any sign of where our future is heading, we sure should be considering solar power.
Clothes that could literally light up your life have been unveiled by Japanese researchers who said their solar-cell fabric would eventually let wearers harvest energy on the go. The new fabric is made of wafer-thin solar cells woven together that could


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Confident partnership with MasterCard will achieve this.
China Banking Corporation President and CEO Peter Dee said the bank plans to launch China Bank MasterCard Platinum and Classic in 2014 to further expand its credit card business.
It will also be making the most of the distribution capability of its 300-plus branch network, initially targeting its existing client base.
He said the bank’s move into the credit card business is motivated by its goal of providing quality banking products and services to meet its clients’ financial needs.
Dee noted that China Bank MasterCard cards complete the bank’s range of product offerings and deepen its relationship with customers. China Bank’s credit card division was set up in 2012.
China Bank posted a first quarter net income of US$41 million, 63% higher year-on-year. Gross revenues improved 25% driven by trading and securities gains and higher fee-based revenues. Customer loan portfolio rose by 16% to US$4.2 billion year-on-year.
Do you know more about this story? Contact us anonymously through this link.


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Google files complaint in Ohio to declare search engine to be of public utility
Google is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Ohio attorney general to declare the search giant to be of public utility, according to a petition filed Friday.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) filed a lawsuit in June, arguing that the Silicon Valley giant has used its dominance to prioritize its own products in a way that “intentionally puts its competition at a disadvantage. “.
Google’s lawyers argue in the petition that the search giant does not meet the state’s requirements to be considered a common carrier.
“The Ohio complaint incorrectly assumes that Google Search is a public operator or a utility because Ohio residents choose to use Google Search. Under Ohio law, carriers Utilities charge a fee to provide a standardized service, and utilities are regulated by a set of state regulations. Google has none of these attributes, and there is no legal basis for concluding otherwise, ”says the motion.
“The interest of Google search is to provide results tailored to a specific query. Google search doesn’t send a commodity, but is constantly working to provide useful information in response to people’s unique queries, ”he added.
Yost’s lawsuit is the first of its kind to declare Google a public utility. This would subject the tech giant to further regulation.
“Google is using its dominance of Internet search to direct Ohioans to Google’s own products – it’s discriminatory and anti-competitive,” Yost said in a statement when he filed the complaint. “When you own the railroad, the power company, or the cell phone tower, you have to treat everyone the same and give everyone access. “
But Google’s lawyers argue that designating Google as a public service would be tantamount to doing it for big news outlets or retailers.
Even assuming all of the Attorney General’s allegations are true, as it must be done here, Ohio’s claim has no more legal validity than a claim to declare Fox News, the New York Times or Walmart for “public utility” because most people in a city would rather get their news or their groceries from them than from someone else, “the motion reads.
The Ohio case is one of many legal challenges to Google’s market power.
Google faces two state-led antitrust lawsuits, one related to its power in the online search market and another related to competition in the ad technology market, as well as a case brought by the Department of Justice regarding Google’s search policies.
The company rebuffed allegations of anti-competitive behavior.


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Aday, a NYC, and London, UK-based direct-to-consumer fashion startup, secured $2m in its latest funding round.
Backers included H&M Co:Lab, H&M’s venture capital arm, ADG, and SoGal Ventures. In conjunction with the funding, Nanna Andersen of H&M Co:Lab, will join Aday’s board.
The company, which has raised $3.1m in funding, intends to use the capital to expand its direct-to-consumer strategy plans and open a permanent store in 2018.
Founded in 2015 by Nina Faulhaber, Aday makes a line of durable, technical and chic womenswear with garments using recycled polyesters and polyamides.
The company, which currently ships to the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong and Germany, plans to expand to Sweden, France and Singapore in 2018.


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Indoor gun range, firearm store Shoot Point Blank under construction in Round Rock
Shoot Point Blank, an indoor gun range and retail business that sells firearms and ammunition is under construction at 1775 Warner Ranch Drive, Round Rock. Shoot Point Blank is a chain business with locations in Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Texas, according to its website. www.shootpointblank.com


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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27 (Bernama) — ASEAN has truly gained traction as an potentially dynamic economic entity with huge prospects for trade and investment.
This will undoubtedly take on greater prominence with the realisation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by the end of this year.
Undoubtedly, the AEC has created a conducive environment for local companies to increase sales, open operations outside their domestic market and enable sourcing on a region-wide basis.
Its significance by being the seventh largest economy in the world with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$2.5 trillion, has attracted more non-ASEAN countries to be dialogue partners with it including Bangladesh and Timor Leste.
Realising its potential back then, Australia was the first to come on board as a dialogue partner, quickly followed by China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, India, the United States, Russia, Canada and the European Union.
To take this significantly further, ASEAN is in... Read More