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Indoor exercise classes back at Northumberland leisure centres from May 17
Active Northumberland is gearing up to welcome customers back to indoor group exercise classes from May 17.
The date marks another milestone in the easing of lockdown restrictions and fitness instructors are preparing to welcome customers old and new back into the centres to pick up their exercise routines.
Customers are now being invited to book online, via the Active Northumberland website or app, to secure a place.
Members can book 14 days in advance and non-members can make bookings up to seven days in advance.
Booking is essential as numbers will be reduced to ensure social distancing.
As a result, the exercise classes will only be resuming in the nine key sports centres – Ashington, Blyth, Concordia, Ponteland, Prudhoe, Riverside in Morpeth, The Swan Centre in Berwick, Wentworth in Hexham and Willowburn in Alnwick.
Classes include dancercise, Pilates, spinning, yoga, HIIT, Circuits, Body Pump, Body Balance and more.
Timetables for each centre can be found on the Active Northumberland website www.activenorthumberland.org.uk
Mark Warnes, Chief Executive of Active Northumberland, said: “While the doors to our sports and leisure centres re-opened in April, under the new government regulations, re-opening has been phased, with initially only gym and swimming sessions permitted.
“From May 17, once again our customers will be able to enjoy the fantastic range of exercise classes that we lay on for all ages and abilities.
"We have a great team of experienced fitness instructors who are excited to get back to their job of helping people to get fit and enjoy the many benefits that exercise brings.”
For those who are unable to get back to their local sports centre, Active Northumberland has launched a new online fitness experience which brings professional group exercise classes to your home.
The new Active at Home sessions allow people to join the fitness team at Active Northumberland for their favourite exercise classes either live or on-demand.
The monthly subscription is £7.99, launching with more than 20 live classes a week and access to workouts people can do at a time convenient to them.
For further information on timetables and how to join go to https://www.activenorthumberland.org.uk/Active-at-Home-Online.aspx


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Gloucester residents have been encouraged to participate in Plastic Free July, an initiative to cease using single use plastic items for a month.
Plastic Free July is an award-winning campaign developed to encourage individuals, organisations, businesses and communities to reduce the single-use plastic they use in July.
As well as the 31 day Plastic Free July challenge (although if that sounds too hard, you can choose to accept the challenge for a week or even just a day), the campaign works to create conversations and provide education around the issues of plastic pollution and more importantly, promote the solutions.
Created by the Western Metropolitan Regional Council, the Plastic Free July challenge began in Western Australia in 2011 with less than 40 participants.
From its humble beginnings, the challenge has grown into now international campaign which in 2016 had more than one million people worldwide accepting the challenge.
Whether you choose to refuse a handful of items for a single day, choose to refuse all plastic for the entire month, or anything in between, the Plastic Free July challenge is all about taking positive action and being part of a movement creating lasting change.
Businesses are getting on board too, encouraging customers to bring reusable coffee cups for takeaways, saying no to plastic straws in restaurants and bars, and removing plastic bags from their stores.
If you’d like to do something in support of Plastic Free July but don’t know where to start, the Plastic Free July website has a toolbox full of tips to get you started.
Consider the Plastic Free July Top 4 challenge, where you can nominate to stop using one of single use plastic water bottle, shopping bags, straws or takeaway coffee cups.
You choose what actions you want to take.
Simple local ways to start are to recycle soft plastics in the bin at Coles, and use reusable shopping bags when shopping in town.
For more information about Plastic Free July, to signup and to access the free resources available, visit the website at www.plasticfreejuly.org.

domain: news


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Stripe is announcing a series of investments in the Japanese market, led by what it calls an industry first partnership with JCB.
The online payments processor said the agreement will provide several important benefits for businesses and other users, and expands on an existing relationship that began in 2018, according to a press release. Benefits include:
- Stripe will have automated onboarding, allowing businesses to accept online payments with JCB in a matter of days rather than weeks. This applies whether they are a marketplace using Stripe Connect, a SaaS platform using Stripe Billing or an online seller using Stripe Checkout.
- Stripe will offer the fastest payout cycle in Japan, meaning eligible Stripe-powered businesses can get money in their accounts in days, rather than the industry standard of one month.
- Stripe will provide global acceptance for JCB, meaning millions of businesses in the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Australia and additional countries that will be announced, will be able to accept payment from JCB cardholders.
Stripe also announced the opening of an engineering office in Tokyo, where it will focus on expanding capabilities in the Japanese market. This will include the ability to make domestic bank transfers and Konbini payments, which allow consumers to order goods online from convenient stores and pay the store directly in cash.
“Stripe has long been the best payments platform for fast growing Japanese businesses and for international companies wanting to operate in Japan,” Daniel Heffernan, representative director and head of engineering at Stripe said in the release. “It’s the most robust, secured and fastest innovating payments infrastructure in the world.”
Lastly, Stripe announced the hiring of veteran Apple executive Daisuke Aranami for the role of representative director of revenue and head of growth for Stripe in Japan.


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Edward-Elmhurst Health (EEH) has introduced Zocdoc, a new service that helps patients more seamlessly make appointments with EEH physicians via online scheduling.
Zocdoc will enable digital access to care with participating providers, including primary care physicians who specialize in family medicine and internal medicine, and specialists in endocrinology, neuroradiology, gastroenterology, midwifery, OB/GYN, family medicine, internal medicine, otolaryngology, pediatrics, podiatric surgery, pulmonary disease, rheumatology and bariatric surgery. Additional physicians, specialties and appointment availability will be added in the coming months.
To use this free service, patients can visit Zocdoc.com or download the Zocdoc mobile app, where they can see doctors’ schedules in real time, along with insurances accepted, qualifications, verified patient reviews, photos and additional information for selecting providers who best fit their needs. Patients can then choose an open time slot and schedule their own appointment with a few clicks. Zocdoc eases the traditional patient experience by eliminating time-consuming phone calls, helping patients book with EEH doctors 24/7 (even when offices are closed), and sending e-mail and text reminders about upcoming wellness appointments to help reduce no-shows and keep preventive care top-of-mind.
This partnership with Zocdoc expands and bolsters EEH’s investment in its Consumer Driven Health initiative focused on offering consumers more convenient ways to connect with EEH physicians and services. Earlier this year, EEH became one of the first health systems in the country to provide real-time online scheduling for physician’s office appointments and other healthcare services (e.g. mammograms, lab services) through the system’s web site, www.eehealth.org/make-an-appointment
. EEH also offers online scheduling for physician visits through its MyChart patient portal. Patients have scheduled nearly 20,000 physician appointments, mammograms and lab visits through EEH’s online services.
“The need for improved access is clear – consumers want convenience and don’t want to fight to get an appointment,” says Bobbie Byrne, MD, MBA, FAAP, Executive Vice President, Consumer Driven Health, Edward-Elmhurst Health. “Similar to booking a hotel, consumers can choose to make an appointment directly through Edward-Elmhurst’s web site or via another online marketplace, like Zocdoc.”
EEH’s other convenient and easy-access healthcare services include:
• Walk-In Clinics
and Immediate Care Centers
: Nearly 20 locations throughout the west and southwest suburbs (including Clinics in Jewel-Osco stores) with evening and weekend hours, no appointment necessary
• Real-time Wait Times
: Available for ER, Immediate Care and Walk-In Clinics
assessments: Free, online questionnaires measure a person’s risk for addiction, anxiety, breast cancer, colon cancer, depression, diabetes, heart disease, lung cancer, sleep disorders and stroke
About Edward-Elmhurst Health
Edward-Elmhurst Health, a three-hospital system that includes Edward Hospital, Elmhurst Hospital and Linden Oaks Behavioral Health, has combined revenues of more than $1 billion, more than 50 outpatient locations across a service area of 1.7 million residents in the west and southwest suburbs of Chicago, nearly 8,400 employees, including 1,900 nurses, with 2,000 physicians on staff, plus 1,300 volunteers. For more information, visit EEHealth.org.
Zocdoc is the tech company at the beginning of a better healthcare experience. Each month, millions of patients use Zocdoc to find in-network neighborhood doctors, instantly book appointments online, see what other real patients have to say, get reminders for upcoming appointments and preventive checkups, fill out their paperwork online, and more. With a mission to give power to the patient, Zocdoc’s online marketplace delivers the accessible and simple experience patients expect and deserve. Zocdoc is free for patients and available across the United States via Zocdoc.com or the Zocdoc app for iPhone and Android.


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Online Upskilling Academy ‘BeyondSkool’ Raises $2 Million In Seed Funding
BeyondSkool, a live online upskilling academy for kids, has raised $2 million in a seed funding round from Tomorrow Capital.
Tomorrow Capital is an early-stage strategic investment fund focussed on helping early-stage businesses with capital, industry networks, access to blue-chip talent, and other resources.
As per the startup, it plans to use the funds for expanding its product offering, maximising technology integration for enhanced learning, and scaling up business operations.
BeyondSkool will also look to create high impact marketing, expand its team across verticals, and build a state-of-the-art ‘LIVE Online Learning’ platform.
Started by Payal Gaba and Atul Chugh in August 2020, BeyondSkool is India’s first UpSkilling academy for kids. The startup aims to bridge the gap in the present education system that only offers subject knowledge.
Talking about the funding round, Payal Gaba, Founder and CEO of BeyondSkool, said,
“We are thrilled to have Tomorrow Capital as a partner in building BeyondSkool. Their experience of working with entrepreneurs to build strong organisations and brands with rapid scale-up is a very apt fit for us at this stage in our growth journey.”
Need legal assistance for your startup? Just contact us.


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Need a snack or cup of coffee while visiting the downtown Dayton Metro Library? A new café has opened! Coffee Hub at the Library’s Third Street entrance is now open Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Coffee Hub features coffee, soda, snacks, pastries, and sandwiches, and box lunches with more options planned in the coming weeks. The location is convenient not only for Library visitors, but downtown residents and employees as well.
Coffee Hub is a Xenia-based business that recently expanded to Beavercreek as well as the Library location in Dayton.
For more information, visit Coffee Hub’s website at https://www.coffeehubxenia.com/ or contact them at 937.554.3770.


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As telecom companies roll out new plans to counter Reliance Jio’s aggressive tariffs, analysts are wary due to the strain on the sector’s financials.
Credit Suisse, citing Bharti Airtel
’s counter offers, felt that it may put pressure on company’s average revenue per user (ARPU), revenues, margins and capex further. A media report on Monday also informed of the company’s plans to do away with roaming charges as well.
Bharti Airtel came up with plans costing Rs145/349 dole out 14 GB data over a month along with unlimited calls. The brokerage feels although they do not match Jio’s offer of Rs 303 per month, they still offer a 70-80 percent discount to what these high-ARPU customers got a week ago. The likelihood of high-ARPU subscribers opting for such plans is high, it added.
On strategic front, Bharti is making all efforts to make sure that such tariffs catch the eyes of high-ARPU customers. Users are being targeted through the app or at the retail store and these plans also offer higher commissions to retailers as an incentive to push these to subscribers, the brokerage observed.
“This tit-for-tat’ aggression from Bharti is a departure from its historical passive response to competition,” analysts at the firm wrote in a report.
Meanwhile, the telecom sector is abuzz with consolidation newsflow, with Idea Cellular
and Vodafone India may announce a merger soon. Late last week, Bharti Airtel announced the acquisition of Telenor India, which gave it access to seven circles.
The analyst firm maintained its cautious stance on the sector. It sees the recent strength in stocks as an opportunity to trim positions.
More from my site


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The compatibility of AFT’s Finebar refiner plates with the actual refiner is a key advantage of our product innovation. We now have a refiner and a compatible refiner plate solution that we trust and believe in,” says AFT’s Timo Koivisto.
According to Koivisto, while all suppliers have double disc refiners, AFT’s refiner stands out from the others thanks to its compact size.
“Use of the refiner is hydraulically very economical. The refiner is also perfectly suited to IoT integration with our new AFTLinx™ platform. This provides comprehensive service for maintenance and process optimization,” he explains.
Koivisto says the development of the new refiner was possible thanks to the new Service Center in Varkaus that was completed a couple of years ago. The Service Center supports all global customers. Since last year, the Service Center has also been delivering POMp degasser technology, a centrifugal pump for air removal in the short circulation. At the same time, the Service Center has adopted new technologies that increase the product’s customer value while also reducing the impact on the environment. In addition, the Service Center is revamping its working methods by integrating capital business and aftersales in order to provide a better customer experience.
“The Service Center operates with quality awareness at the core. With all POMp deliveries going through a one-stop-shop process, the entire manufacturing process is in our hands. Of course, the components come from elsewhere as well, but it is important that we manage this flow in one and the same place,” says Koivisto.
“We are continuously recruiting both employees and salaried personnel in Varkaus, as the mill there is also being developed and invested in, with a focus on energy savings. The mill’s carbon footprint will be reduced,” he adds.
Difficult Covid times
The Covid period affected AFT’s capital business, with deliveries slowing down for a while. The situation has turned around, and customer cooperation is said to have returned nearly to the pre-pandemic level. The company has also received a good amount of delivery enquiries. The spare parts business has not taken a hit due to Covid.
“At AFT’s Group level, our European unit is one of the cornerstones at AFT globally. We are trusted, which is also why we have been getting investments. Strong investments have also been made in Finebar production at our Canadian plant, and sales have grown. Screening products are a significant business for us, which is why we are increasing our investments in them also in Finland,” says Risto Weckroth, AFT’s Director of European Operations.
In the beginning of April, Kalle Lahti started as AFT Europe’s sales manager for capital equipment and systems. He has a long career working on screening, refining and in the short circulation, most recently at AFT.
“This work is so interesting and rewarding that I did not hesitate to seize this new challenge. AFT is agile and large enough company to take on even major projects,” says Lahti.
Text Leif Lindberg


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The funding is being structured as a “Series X” convertible note from Guggenheim Partners. The size and nature of the raise, as a convertible note, is a strong indicator that this is a round being raised ahead of a liquidity event for Philadelphia-based Gopuff, most likely an IPO that could happen as soon as mid-2022.
Chase is now giving most cardholders a $10 credit each month for Gopuff, which is a grocery delivery service. Here's what you need to know.
VC-backed delivery operators like Gopuff are opening dark stores for rapid delivery throughout NYC. One official has expressed concern for bodegas.


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The two Powerball jackpot winners in New Jersey haven’t yet come forward, and a lottery official said they have one year to come forward.
“We’re waiting to give [it] away,” said Carole Hedinger, executive director of the New Jersey Lottery, at the Super Stop n Shop where one of the winning tickets was sold.
The other winning ticket sold in New Jersey was at an Acme story in Little Egg Harbor.
The winners each get $86 million before taxes or $64 million after taxes, said Hedinger. If taken through annual payments, the winnings would be around $150 million overall.
The third jackpot winner, of Minnesota, came forward earlier in the day to claim his winnings.
The Super Stop n Shop in South Brunswick received $30,000 for selling the winning ticket.
A store official said that they would be giving back some of the money to the community through a donation.
Hedinger said that the two winning tickets sold in the state prove people should buy tickets there.
“I think it’s a good time for everybody to come to New Jersey and buy a lottery ticket,” she said.
A winner can go to any lottery retailer to claim their winnings with a winning ticket.
The winning numbers were: 58-5-25-59-30 and powerball 32.


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Abarth will be working its magic on the upcoming Fiat 124 Spider.
In an interview with Auto Express, Fiat Chrysler Group’s chief operating officer Alfredo Altavilla said about the upcoming 124 Spider, “You like performance? There will be an Abarth version.”
The standard Fiat variant will be the “comfortable” version of the car while the Abarth model will be more “extreme,” according to Altavilla. Although the powerplant hasn’t been confirmed, Fiat will likely use a detuned version of the Alfa Romeo 4C’s engine, producing around 200 hp in a lightweight roadster. Along with more aggressive styling, larger brakes and lowered suspension, the Fiat 124 Spider will have an impressive power-to-weight ratio to rival luxury sports cars like the Porsche Boxster GTS.
That also means that Fiat is willing to go where Mazda isn’t with the new MX-5 Miata. Earlier this month, the Japanese automaker confirmed that a more hardcore variant of the Miata isn’t currently being considered, but Fiat isn’t shying away from taking advantage of the shared platform to inject more power into the roadster. Expect the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth to become the halo car for the brand, as Abarth continues to expand its lineup.
[Source: Auto Express]
Discuss this story on our Fiat 124 Spider Forum


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Dubai, 04 April 2016: Visa, a global payments technology company, and Jumeirah Group, the global luxury hotel company, today signed a multi-year partnership agreement. As part of the partnership, Visa cardholders across the Middle East and North Africa will have access to a series of value-added cardholder benefits at Jumeirah properties which will be rolled out throughout the course of the agreement.
To celebrate the launch of the deal and the start of the summer season, all Visa cardholders globally will be able to receive a 25% discount on any hotel stay taking place between the 1st May to 30th September 2016 at Jumeirah properties in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and the Maldives*. More information will be available at www.jumeirah.com/visaoffers and Visa’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/VisaMiddleEast/.
Alison Broadhead, Chief Commercial Officer, Jumeirah Group commented: “The partnership with Visa provides significant potential for Jumeirah Group to reach key customer segments with targeted communications. With the scale of Visa’s network and its extensive analytical capabilities providing an accurate picture of the performance of specific customer groups, the partnership allows for better-informed decisions in our marketing and promotions. In short, we will be able to provide Visa customers with the offer they want, at the time they want it. The first such promotion offers Visa cardholders the opportunity to experience our 11 hotels in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and the Maldives at truly exceptional prices. Future offers will include our hotels in London, Mallorca, Frankfurt, Turkey, Shanghai and Baku, and our restaurants around the world.”
Kamran Siddiqi, Visa Group Executive for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “We have seen from spend on our network that consumers in the region want luxury experiences, and are subsequently spending more on their vacations compared to other travelers around the world. We also know that travelers value the convenience, security and reliability that electronic payments offer, which makes a Visa card, whether carried in a wallet or loaded into a mobile device, the ideal companion for the modern, connected traveler. And now they have an added incentive to use their Visa cards at Jumeirah Group locations for a truly unique, high-end experience.”
Supporting the UAE’s economy
Tourism is a central pillar for the UAE’s economic growth and diversification, and this partnership will support the UAE’s tourism strategy by broadening Jumeirah Group offerings, while encouraging more use of electronic payments. A recent report by Moody’s found that a six percentage point increase in electronic payments usage in the UAE between 2011 and 2015 resulted in a 0.23% increase in GDP, adding some US$3,700,000,000 to the UAE’s GDP. In addition the study found that increased electronic payment usage created the equivalent to 14,170 jobs in the UAE each year of the period studied.
Visa data for 2015 show that the top corridors for inbound visitors to the UAE (based on Visa card spend) were the United Kingdom, United States, China, Russia, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman. Nigeria saw an incredible 440% increase in visitors using their Visa cards in the UAE in 2015. The data also show that one in two travelers from the Middle East prefer to use payments cards when they travel, and 29 percent of travelers globally said they would spend more if they are able to use cards more frequently and at more merchants.
According to Visa data, travelers have tended to use electronic payments for luxury or big-ticket items, making fine dining and accommodation at hotels a logical choice. However, in a sophisticated market like the UAE, cardholders are increasingly able to use electronic payments for everyday spend items. Lodging, fashion retail and luxury retail accounted for around 56% of total in-bound tourist spend on Visa cards in 2015. Meanwhile leisure goods (115%), appliance retail (78%) and entertainment (31%) showed the largest growth in 2015, which means that Visa cardholders were maintaining spend at top end merchants, while broadening out card usage into other non-luxury merchant categories.
In regards to overall spend at hotels, international visitors accounted for 56% of spend whilst local residents accounted for 44%, indicating that the UAE’s hotels enjoy strong domestic support as well as international patronage.
“It is insights such as this, as well as Visa’s global reach and network that makes us an ideal partner for a world-class luxury hotel group like Jumeirah looking to grow its business both in the UAE and around the world. We are looking forward to offering unique benefits to Jumeirah Group customers and, with Jumeirah, supporting the UAE’s economic aims” said Mr. Siddiqi.
About Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable electronic payments. We operate one of the world's most advanced processing networks — VisaNet — that is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second, with fraud protection for consumers and assured payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa's innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: pay now with debit, pay ahead of time with prepaid or pay later with credit products.
For more information, visit www.visamiddleast.com, visanewsmena.tumblr.com or follow us on Twitter @Visamiddleeast
About Jumeirah Group:
Jumeirah Group, the global luxury hotel company and a member of Dubai Holding, operates a world-class portfolio of hotels and resorts including the flagship Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts manages properties in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Kuwait in the Middle East; Baku, Bodrum, Frankfurt, Istanbul, London and Mallorca (Spain) in Europe; the Maldives and Shanghai in Asia. Jumeirah Group also runs the luxury serviced residences brand Jumeirah LivingTM with properties in London and Dubai; the new contemporary lifestyle hotel brand VenuTM; the wellness brand TaliseTM; Jumeirah Restaurant Group DubaiTM; Wild Wadi WaterparkTM; The Emirates Academy of Hospitality ManagementTM; and Jumeirah SiriusTM, its global loyalty programme. Future openings include luxury and lifestyle hotels in China, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Oman, Russia and the UAE. www.jumeirah.com
For further information, please contact:
Director of Corporate Communications for Middle East
Tel: +971 56 656 6357
Director of External Communications
PO Box 73137, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Visit us at: www.jumeirah.com
*Book a minimum of three nights before 30 June 2016 and receive 25% off the Best Available Rate with your Visa for stays between 1 May until 30 September 2016. Further conditions apply. Please visit http://www.jumeirah.com/visaoffers for further information.


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An engineer at Georgia Institute of Technology will demonstrate how nanogenerators can be used to power an iPod or charge a cell phone cell phone at this week’s meeting of the American Chemical Society .
Zhong Lin Wang, a Regent’s professor at Georgia Tech, will show how the nanogenerators scavenge energy from subtle body motions and then provide small amounts of usable electrical current. As explained in Design News in 2009 , Wang’s nanogenerators are made from millions of tiny zinc oxide wires encapsulated in a flexible polymer substrate that forms a sheet. When the sheet bends, it uses a piezoelectric effect to produce miniscule amounts of current.
In 2009, Wang grabbed headlines when he fitted a hamster with the nanogenerator sheets, scavenging about 0.5 nA of current from the hamster’s motions.
At the time, Wang told Design News that some electronic products might one day “be run exclusively by his nanogenerators, although it could take thousands or even millions of the nano-devices” to run a cell phone.
This week, he will reportedly prove that. Time’s Techland website quotes Wang as saying, “Additional nanowires and more nanogenerators, stacked together, could produce enough energy for powering larger electronics, such as an iPod or charging a cell phone.”
Wang and his team from Georgia Tech will present their findings at the American Chemical Society meeting, where they will demonstrate real-world applications, such as powering LCD displays and transmitting radio signals.


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The Times-Gazette is hosting a free 90-minute breakfast and workshop Thursday devoted to growing local business through effective multimedia marketing, hosted by acclaimed author and multimedia marketing expert Mike Blinder.
The workshop will be held from 8:30-10 a.m. Thursday, April 7, at the Ponderosa Banquet Center in Hillsboro.
Blinder has helped more than 60,000 businesses find local customers, cost effectively using online marketing. His program, “Multimedia Marketing Secrets (for SMBs)” shows how advertising can be used properly in both traditional and digital media, applying some basic marketing approaches. He also presents these “high tech” concepts in a way that are “brought down to earth” so everyone can understand them.
“Multimedia Marketing Secrets (for SMBs)” includes:
• What Small Businesses Invest in Marketing – The latest metrics and methods, and why this is so necessary in a challenging economy.
• The Secrets to Effective Marketing – What it takes to ensure success in advertising, regardless of the media used.
• Making Marketing Messages Work – What you need to say to turn readers into customers, cost-effectively.
• The Digital Marketing Revolution – Using the Web, social media, mobile marketing and search engines for increased results.
Plus, all attendees will have access to valuable, proprietary reports and research that will assist them in planning an effective multimedia marketing campaign.
After building a career as a well-known 1980s radio and television talent in New England, Mike Blinder moved out from behind the microphone and camera to excel in media sales.
Blinder was quick to realize the importance of the newly emerging Internet phenomenon, and soon launched the Internet Sales Division of a leading media group. His career has grown exponentially since then, and he is now in high demand as a sales consultant for some of the world’s most respected media companies and corporations.
His unique approach to sales has been adopted by 60,000 businesses worldwide, and the Blinder Group has helped them bring their products – both traditional and Web based – to countless clients, established and new.
In the past decade alone, Blinder and his team have provided “on-the-street training” to thousands of sales reps, producing millions of dollars in sales. His “tried and true” sales methods continue to provide winning results, even with rapid changes in technologies, and even in the most difficult economic conditions.
Blinder currently resides in Florida, with his wife Robin, 11-year-old daughter Haven and “Golden Doodle” named Ginger. He is an avid boater living on the Gulf of Mexico.
To learn more or to register for the workshop, call 937-393-3456 or simply register online at www.localmediaworkshops.com.


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BIRMINGHAM – Standard Furniture Co., a Birmingham-based fourth generation, family chain furniture company, was honored today by the Alabama Retail Association as an Alabama Centennial Retailer, a retailer with 100 or more years in business in Alabama.
“For businesses to survive despite the dramatic changes of the past century is a remarkable achievement,” said ARA President Rick Brown. “It is fitting to celebrate the enduring first-century contributions Standard Furniture has made to the 13 communities where it has stores.”
Standard Furniture Co., an Alabama Retail member since 1989, was honored at the 2012 Retail Day Luncheon at The Club in Birmingham. The business received a bronze plaque to place outside its flagship Birmingham store and a certificate suitable for display inside.
Standard Furniture Co. was founded as Standard Furnishing Co. in 1912 by Felix Shevinsky, great-grandfather of the current president. It later became known as Standard Clothing Co. and sold installment clothing and house furnishings. In 1935, the company bought the furniture store next door and became Standard Clothing and Furniture Co. The clothing operation was discontinued in 1957, and the business has been known as Standard Furniture Co. ever since. Over the course of 100 years, the business has seen dozens of mergers, acquisitions, relocations and new store openings. Today, Standard employs 100 at 13 stores, 12 in Alabama and one Tennessee. Its stores can be found in Bessemer, Birmingham, Center Point, Cullman, Fayette, Gardendale, Graysville, Hartselle, Leeds, Moulton, Pelham and Talladega in Alabama; and in Fayetteville, Tenn.
Until April of this year, the head of the family company for 34 years had been Stuart Shevin, grandson of the company’s founder and an Alabama Retail board member (2009-2012). Shevin died April 18 following a three-year battle with lung cancer. Shevin’s son, Jacob, succeeded his father as company president. Completing the management team are Mark Crayne, executive vice president of sales, and Greg Troncale, vice president of operations. Stuart Shevin and the other members of Standard’s management team were the 2011 Silver Alabama Retailers of the Year in the Annual Sales $5 Million to $20 Million Category.
“One trait my Dad left with me was this: He felt a responsibility to take care of the customers and treat the employees like family,” Jacob Shevin told The Birmingham News in an interview earlier this year. “That’s how we’ve been in business for 100 years.”
The Alabama Retail Association presents awards annually to Centennial Retailers. To notify ARA of a retail business that has been in operation for 100 years or more, please contact Nancy Dennis at (800) 239-5423 or email@example.com.
ABOUT ALABAMA RETAIL
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Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc has reported 33.2 per cent growth in profit to N29.78billion in its audited results for year ended December 31, 2020 as against N22.36billion reported in December 31, 2019.
The company has proposed a dividend of N1.50k per Ordinary Share as against N1.10k paid in 2019. But the dividend is subject to shareholders’ approval at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM).
A 53 per cent increase in profit before tax to N45.6billion in 2020 was recorded compared with the N29.82billion posted in 2019.
The company generated N214.3 billion revenue in 2020, 33.03per cent increase compared to N161.09billion earned in 2019.
Its total assets jumped by 43.5 per cent to N278.03billion in 2020 from N193.71billion in the corresponding year.
Dangote Sugar Refinery was established in 1999 and commenced sugar business in 2000 as a division within the Dangote Group.
Following strategic decision of DIL to unbundle its various operations, DSR was incorporated as a public limited liability company in 2005.
The principal business activity of DSR is the refining of raw sugar to produce fortified and non-fortified granulated white sugar. The Company distributes refined white sugar to consumers and industrial customers in Nigeria and exports its products to other West African countries, benefitting from the strategic location of its refinery in Apapa near the largest port in Nigeria.


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Here is the list of recalls that were sent out globally in the month of September 2020.
With the recently launched Kia Seltos and the large Telluride making waves in different parts of the world, Kia is continuing its strong expansion in the crossover arena. The fourth-generation 2021 Kia Sorento was already revealed for Asian markets, but more details have been released with the debut of the U.S. version.
From the time Hyundai slipped the tiny Venue crossover “SUV” under the Creta in their lineup, it was only a matter of time before an equivalent Kia was on the way. Even while the Soul still exists globally, Kia has launched the 2021 Kia Sonet in India to be yet another installment to the ever-growing compact crossover segment. The Sonet packs the Seltos’ design features into a smaller footprint.
SUVs are so popular nowadays that they have all but eliminated market share for almost all other types of passenger vehicles, not least of them minivans. So to update their 2021 Kia Carnival, Kia took inspiration from the very popular “Improvise, Adapt, Overcome” meme. The new Carnival minivan has been infused with SUV styling elements to keep its head high in this raging sea of SUVs.
The third-generation Kia Optima was a design revelation for the boring sedan segment when it was launched in 2011. The fourth-gen followed in 2016, bringing some edgy styling to the table and the once ugly duckling turned into a darn good-looking swan. For its fifth gen, Kia has dropped the Optima name altogether and has launched it as the 2021 Kia K5, which has been its Korean-market name for the past decade.
A week ago, Kia had uncovered the facelifted version of their smallest hatchback, the 2021 Kia Picanto. This time the manufacturer has gone for a segment above and refreshed the next hatchback in their lineup, the Kia Rio. The 2021 Kia Rio brings in a mild yet adequate facelift and a bit more tech inside the car and under the hood.
Superminis never made a wave in our market despite having a decent number of good contenders. However, the segment is big when it comes to fleets, with Kia’s Picanto going up against the Chevy Spark, Mazda 2 and Peugeot 208. A facelift for the 2021 Kia Picanto has been rolled out in its home market.
Kia Motors Corporation has revealed the first official images of the new Kia Sorento, ahead of its first public appearance at the 2020 Geneva International Motor Show in March, which will be followed by a regional launch in the Middle East soon.
Kia is in the process of expanding its SUV lineup. With the Telluride pegged at the top, they have now globally launched a new quasi-SUV, the Kia Seltos, as their entry-level offering. It was first unveiled in India a few months ago and we hear an influencer-filled media launch event was quietly conducted in the UAE, which is probably why local reviews are sparse.
Safety is at the forefront of car development right now. Hyundai Motor Group has chipped into this transformation by developing an airbag that will deploy into the space between the driver and front passenger to prevent them from colliding into each other.
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Missed port calls a headache for feeder operators as stranded containers pile up
The decision by Maersk and other carriers to skip UK port calls due to berthing ...
India’s 21-day coronavirus lockdown has caused severe cargo congestion at key ports and container freight stations.
As a result, Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd and Cosco have all reportedly omitted calls at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Mundra Port, where uncollected import cargo is causing the backlog.
According to the Container Freight Stations Association of India (CFSAI), only a fraction of containers are being picked-up by importers.
“With only a fraction of imports being gated-out by the trade, the container freight stations are facing an unprecedented challenge; we believe that in the next three to four days, most of them will reach their holding capacity and evacuation from terminals will come to a halt.”
Ankur Kumar, CEO and founder of Nuo Logistics Service, said the congestion at JNPT could last well beyond the lockdown period, due to end on 14 April.
“We will see cargo moving to ports directly and the available containers will be utilised at port-linked freight stations only,” he added. “This will impact direct port delivery numbers, as shipping lines are likely to encourage early release of containers nearer to port only.
“These measures will increase logistics costs for businesses. Road freight charges, from inland to port and vice-versa, are expected to rise as the industry grapples with lack of manpower.”
Indeed, hundreds of thousands of drivers were reported to have left cities to sit out the crisis in their home towns, while others were left stranded as they lacked the correct paperwork to cross state borders.
Naveen Prakash, director of Global Logistics Solutions India, said there were unintended consequences of the government’s lockdown regulations.
“The Disaster Management Act ensures salaries and wages are to be paid without having to show up for work,” he told The Loadstar. “But core operational jobs in manufacturing and logistics cannot be achieved by ‘working from home’.
“Authorities have made it compulsory for ports, terminals and shipping lines not to charge detention and demurrage during the lockdown, so this doesn’t push any importer to clear the goods, as the major consumption is domestic and there is a major drop on the demand side for non-essentials,” he explained.
Fuethermore, Mr Prakash said, there were “literally no exports”, due to manufacturing grinding to a halt.
In its latest customer advisory, Maersk blames a “significant reduction in demand” for its decision to blank sailings from the Indian Subcontinent to Europe, including its ME1, ME2 and ME3.
SeaIntelligence Consulting partner Lars Jensen said if the port congestion continued, carriers would have “little choice but to discharge cargo destined for India in transhipment hubs such as Jebel Ali, Salalah and Colombo, as well as stop taking bookings to main ports of India – something that will affect all cargo, including essential supplies.”


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The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) revealed that crypto exchanges operating in the United Kingdom pose low money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF) risks.
The global standard setter for ML/TF published a report to evaluate the overall efforts that the UK has put in combating the money-related illegal activities. As the study touched on various topics, including corporate transparency and economic sanctions, it also explored how the country was faring in a relatively new crypto space.
FATF observed that the UK authorities were aware of the risks associated with the growth of new payment technologies like bitcoin, and confirmed that they were taking proper measures to mitigate its use among launderers and terrorists. Excerpts:
“The UK acknowledges the inherent vulnerabilities associated with the anonymity of VCs, and while the risk of ML/TF in this area is assessed as low, the UK acknowledges that there are intelligence gaps and VCs are being used in illicit activity (particularly in online marketplaces for the sale and purchase of illicit goods and services). As a result, the UK intends to regulate virtual currency exchange providers under its implementation of the EU’s fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive.”
The global watchdog awarded its highest rating to the UK for effectively managing the ML/TF standards, both inside and outside the crypto space. However, it also cautioned the country about how the financial institutions (FI) still need to work on their policies, controls, and procedures to minimize potential ML/TF risks in the booming crypto sector.
“However,” FATF asserted, “there is no requirement on FIs to assess the risks of new products and business products and delivery mechanisms, although this is covered in non-binding guidance.”
The FATF report arrives ahead of the introduction of its global crypto regulatory framework, scheduled by June 2019. The initiative is likely to assist G20 nations to construct a uniform law for the crypto space, especially to govern crypto exchanges, initial coin offerings (ICO) and digital wallet services. It would also enable a frictionless coordination between financial regulators across the G20 nations.
“We will regulate crypto-assets for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism in line with FATF standards and we will consider other responses as needed,” the nations pledged.
Overall, the FATF report proves that cryptocurrencies are still not very popular among financial offenders and terrorists, mirroring what has been found by Europol this year. The European law enforcement agency had found that terrorists didn’t use bitcoin or any other crypto asset to fund any of their attacks in Europe.
Featured image from Shutterstock.


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This article contains all the information related to the release date of Super Mario Odyssey 2. It also includes details about whether it will release on PS4, PS5, Xbox, and PC and how and when it will release on Nintendo devices.
Introduction to Super Mario Odyssey 2
Is there a release date for Super Mario Odyssey 2 already? It has been approximately five years since the launch of Super Mario Odyssey on Nintendo Switch and it is still one of the most amazing games ever made, so Nintendo must be quite into the making of the upcoming Super Mario 3D game.
Will Super Mario Odyssey 2 be released on Nintendo Switch at all? Could there be a Super Mario Odyssey 2 PS4 or PS5 release, or even Xbox and PC too? Let’s see what we have.
What Is the Super Mario Odyssey 2 Release Date on Nintendo Switch?
Super Mario Odyssey 2 will presumably release in 2023 on Nintendo Switch with the declaration by Nintendo Direct later this year, possibly during the E3 showcase during June.
There were gaps of five years between Super Mario 3D World on Wii U, the last 3D Mario game, and Super Mario Odyssey, so the new Mario game has to be near completion, but since it has not been declared yet it may not be for a year more.
The gamers are still eagerly waiting on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, Bayonetta 3, and Metroid Prime 4. So Mario will perhaps be released after at least one of those. The next chief Mario game will almost surely not release besides the Super Mario movie this holiday 2022, although there may be some type of Mario game re-release scheduled to coincide with that.
What Is the Super Mario Odyssey 2 Ps5, Ps4, Xbox, and Pc Release Date?
Super Mario Odyssey 2 will be entirely on Nintendo Switch or other Nintendo devices and will not come on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, or PC.
Nintendo games always remain particular to Nintendo’s own platforms and unlike its chief contenders Microsoft and Sony, it does not launch its games on PC officially. Anyone wanting to play the latest Super Mario game will have to buy the latest Nintendo device.


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Major internet companies still generate significant revenues from advertising models. As the softening macroeconomic environment continues to affect overall ad budget sentiment, internet companies are embracing opportunities and challenges by adapting to changing dynamics.
Specifically, 2016 has been challenging for search advertising post the Zexi Wei incident in April and stepped-up regulatory policy on search keyword ads. Baidu’s management reassured that it expects to complete its account review clean-up by 4Q16, we believe search ad growth will recover into 2017 from the impact in 2H16.
A more interesting development in 2016 has been the accelerated shift of ad budgets from brand ad inventory / demand to performance-based ads, driven by an increase in promoted news feed ad inventory (supplied by a broader number of new entrants and existing news portal players) and more ROI-driven ad spending awareness or demand by brand advertisers in light of the macro slowdown and big data analysis that enable better targeting of ads.
Major players are investing aggressively in mobile news applications. For example, Baidu launched news feed on Mobile Baidu in May this year. Since the launch, its daily active user numbers have grown 5x to 70m and time spent has tripled, per management remarks during the latest earnings call. For Tencent, in Mar16 it announced the launch of QQ Online Media Platform that allows a connection of channels among Tian Tian Kuai Bao, Tencent News, WeChat News and Mobile QQ News.
Alibaba’s marketing services revenues line continued to show strong acceleration, growing 47% y/y in the Sept quarter, compared with a year ago’s 39%. Tencent reported total ad rev growth of 51% y/y, driven by 83% growth in performance-based ads mainly thanks to the rev contribution of Weixin Moments. For Baidu, its online market revenues dropped 7% y/y due to the customer validation process for the medical and financial services sectors.


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Google's "unusual traffic" notification
phil at philkern.de
Wed Jul 24 10:27:20 CEST 2013
On 2013-07-24 10:05, gall at switch.ch wrote:
> A customer reported to us that many of his users have been getting the
> "Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network"
> message from Google since last week. Apparently, this is only
> happening for IPv6, which makes me suspect that there is some kind of
> glitch with Google's technique for detecting what they believe is
> automated traffic.
I presume it's per IP block, so it's not at all surprising that it
"happens only for IPv6". So are you sure that there's no automated
traffic happening? (Netflow should/might tell you that.)
More information about the ipv6-ops


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Binani Cement Ltd (BCL), a Braj Binani group company, plans to double its capacity to 12Mta by FY11 and expand the capacity of its Chinese facility, a top company official said.
"As a part of our expansion plans, the company plans to double the cement manufacturing capacity from 6Mta to 12Mta by FY11 at an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore, which will be financed through debt and equity," Binani Group of Industries’ Deputy Managing Director Vinod Juneja told reporters here today.
"We have also received necessary approvals from the local Chinese authority to expand the capacity from 0.3Mt to 2.2Mt in the next two years at our facility in Shandong province in North China," Juneja said.
BCL is one of the leading cement manufacturers in India. It is focused on the key markets of states in northern India and Gujarat in western India. It also has a significant presence in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi markets. It has facilities for the manufacture of 2.25Mta of cement along with 25MW coal/lignite-based captive power plant at Sirohi, Rajasthan.
"In order to reduce freight costs, we are setting up the second grinding mill at Neem Ka Thana near Haryana and the adjoining NCR region. BCL’s second clinker unit commenced commercial operations from October 2007.
Trial runs are underway on the cement grinding unit at Binanigram in Rajasthan and the capacity will increase to 6Mta in the Q4 of FY08 " Juneja said.
Binani Cement has become the first Indian company to set up its cement production facility in China, in Shandong province. "Our Chinese plant has a clinker capacity of 0.5tpa and cement of 0.3Mta, which will be scaled up to 2.2Mta in the next two years. The limestone reserves in the leased mines would be sufficient to cater to the needs of over 50 years at extended capacities," Juneja said.
The cement produced in the Chinese plant will be sold in the booming domestic markets and also exported to the Middle East and East Africa, he said.


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Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.
The Chevy Volt's lithium-ion battery may be great for a lot of things -- like low gasoline-dependency, for instance -- but when it comes to government regulated crash tests, it's proving to be a fiery problem. As the story goes, back in May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration put a Volt through standard side-impact crash testing, and in doing so, "the vehicle's battery was damaged and the coolant line was ruptured." The big issue? The car went up in flames multiple weeks later, seemingly as direct result. That event prompted the NHTSA to further study the safety of the batts in the period after a crash, which culminated in more tests performed just over a week ago to find out if they would prove volatile again -- simply put, they did. The group recently explained that it's "concerned that damage to the Volt's batteries as part of three tests that are explicitly designed to replicate real-world crash scenarios have resulted in fire."
Because of this development, the NHTSA (with assistance from the Department of Defense, Department of Energy and General Motors itself) has officially launched a formal investigation into the Volt to ensure that its current battery implementation isn't a safety defect. Despite the announcement, the agency notes that of all the Volts currently zipping along the streets, there has yet to be a to be a similar incident out on the open road. The NHTSA further clarified that there's not yet any reason for current owners to worry, so long as they haven't been in an accident with their vehicle. Overall, GM describes the whole investigation as "procedural" at this point, stating that both GM has been working with the NHTSA for over six months on a "broader program designed to induce battery failure after extreme situations." Seems a bit late at this point, but in any event, you'll find full details in the press releases from both parties just past the break.
Show full PR text
Statement of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration On Formal Safety Defect Investigation of Post-Crash Fire Risk in Chevy Volts
WASHINGTON, DC - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the following statement today announcing the agency will be opening a formal safety defect investigation to assess the risk of fire in Chevy Volts that have been involved in a serious crash:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is deeply committed to improving safety on our nation's roadways. As part of our core mission to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities, NHTSA is continually working to ensure automakers are in compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards, culling information to identify safety defects, and ensuring manufacturers conduct any necessary safety recalls. The agency has also developed a robust New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) to test the majority of the vehicle models introduced to consumers each year.
This past May, NHTSA crashed a Chevy Volt in an NCAP test designed to measure the vehicle's ability to protect occupants from injury in a side collision. During that test, the vehicle's battery was damaged and the coolant line was ruptured. When a fire involving the test vehicle occurred more than three weeks after it was crashed, the agency concluded that the damage to the vehicle's lithium-ion battery during the crash test led to the fire. Since that fire incident, NHTSA has taken a number of steps to gather additional information about the potential for fire in electric vehicles involved in a crash, including working with the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense - in close coordination with experts from General Motors - to complete rigorous tests of the Volt's lithium-ion batteries.
In an effort to recreate the May test, NHTSA conducted three tests last week on the Volt's lithium-ion battery packs that intentionally damaged the battery compartment and ruptured the vehicle's coolant line. Following a test on November 16 that did not result in a fire, a temporary increase in temperature was recorded in a test on November 17. During the test conducted on November 18 using similar protocols, the battery pack was rotated within hours after it was impacted and began to smoke and emit sparks shortly after rotation to 180 degrees. NHTSA's forensic analysis of the November 18 fire incident is continuing this week. Yesterday, the battery pack that was tested on November 17 and that had been continually monitored since the test caught fire at the testing facility. The agency is currently working with DOE, DOD, and GM to assess the cause and implications of yesterday's fire. In each of the battery tests conducted in the past two weeks, the Volt's battery was impacted and rotated to simulate a real-world, side-impact collision into a narrow object such as a tree or a pole followed by a rollover.
NHTSA is not aware of any roadway crashes that have resulted in battery-related fires in Chevy Volts or other vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries. However, the agency is concerned that damage to the Volt's batteries as part of three tests that are explicitly designed to replicate real-world crash scenarios have resulted in fire. NHTSA is therefore opening a safety defect investigation of Chevy Volts, which could experience a battery-related fire following a crash. Chevy Volt owners whose vehicles have not been in a serious crash do not have reason for concern.
While it is too soon to tell whether the investigation will lead to a recall of any vehicles or parts, if NHTSA identifies an unreasonable risk to safety, the agency will take immediate action to notify consumers and ensure that GM communicates with current vehicle owners.
In the meantime, the agency is continuing to work with all vehicle manufacturers to ensure they have appropriate post-crash protocols; asking automakers who currently have electric vehicles on the market or plan to introduce electric vehicles in the near future to provide guidance for discharging and handling their batteries along with any information they have for managing fire risks; and engaging the Department of Energy and the National Fire Protection Association to help inform the emergency response community of the potential for post-crash fires in electric vehicles.
NHTSA continues to believe that electric vehicles have incredible potential to save consumers money at the pump, help protect the environment, create jobs, and strengthen national security by reducing our dependence on oil. In fact, NHTSA testing on electric vehicles to date has not raised safety concerns about vehicles other than the Chevy Volt.
NHTSA's current guidance for responding to electric vehicles that have been in a crash remains the same. The agency continues to urge consumers, emergency responders, and the operators of tow trucks and storage facilities to take the following precautions in the event of a crash involving any electric vehicle:
Consumers are advised to take the same actions they would in a crash involving a gasoline-powered vehicle - exit the vehicle safely or await the assistance of an emergency responder if they are unable to get out on their own, move a safe distance away from the vehicle, and notify the authorities of the crash.
Emergency responders should check a vehicle for markings or other indications that it is electric-powered. If it is, they should exercise caution, per published guidelines, to avoid any possible electrical shock and should disconnect the battery from the vehicle circuits if possible.
Emergency responders should also use copious amounts of water if fire is present or suspected and, keeping in mind that fire can occur for a considerable period after a crash, should proceed accordingly.
Operators of tow trucks and vehicle storage facilities should ensure the damaged vehicle is kept in an open area instead of inside a garage or other enclosed building.
Rather than attempt to discharge a propulsion battery, an emergency responder, tow truck operator, or storage facility manager should contact experts at the vehicle's manufacturer on that subject.
Vehicle owners should not store a severely damaged vehicle in a garage or near other vehicles.
Consumers with questions about their electric vehicles should contact their local dealers.
For future updates, visit www.SaferCar.gov.
Show full PR text
GM Supports Ongoing Testing With NHTSA
Statement attributable to Jim Federico, General Motors chief engineer for electric vehicles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) informed GM today that it will begin a preliminary evaluation of Chevrolet Volt battery assemblies. The move to take this formal, procedural step is not unexpected as GM has worked closely and cooperatively with NHTSA over the last six months on a part of a broader program designed to induce battery failure after extreme situations.
The Volt is safe and does not present undue risk as part of normal operation or immediately after a severe crash. GM and the agency's focus and research continues to be on battery performance, handling, storage and disposal after a crash or other significant event, like a fire, to better serve first and secondary responders. There have been no reports of comparable incidents in the field.
With Onstar, GM knows real time about any crash significant enough to potentially compromise battery integrity. Since July, GM has implemented a post crash protocol that includes the depowering of the battery after a severe crash, returning the battery to a safe and low-powered state. That is why the ongoing collaboration between GM and NHTSA is so important and stands to benefit the industry.
As leaders in bringing electric vehicles and advanced technology to market, GM's aggressive testing with NHTSA to determine the operating limits of this technology under extreme conditions can help set battery performance standards for the industry going forward.


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Plenty of computers makers have tried and failed to bring Windows and Android together, but that’s not stopping Intel from trying.
Intel is planning to announce a new push next week at CES for computers that run both Windows and Android, sources tell the Verge.
The initiative, internally dubbed “Dual OS,” would see Android running inside of a Windows PC in a virtualized environment, allowing you to run Android apps right alongside your Windows program. That’s similar to what companies like Bluestacks have been offering for the past few years. (We were the first to report that Intel had invested in Bluestacks earlier this year.)
Multiple sources have also confirmed to VentureBeat that Intel is working on a hybrid Windows/Android scheme. Intel will likely call the new initiative “PC Plus” once it launches, our sources said.
The news resembles Intel’s push for thin and light “Ultrabooks” a few years ago (on the heels of Apple’s successful MacBook Air). The Verge points out that Microsoft may be attempting to muscle PC makers out of Intel’s initiative, according to Patrick Moorhead, the lead analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy.
The big problem for Intel? It’s unclear if anybody actually wants a Windows PC that runs Android apps — so this likely won’t do much to fix the slowdown in overall PC sales. Bluestacks has seen its Android app player downloaded more than 10 million times as of last May, which is a sign that some consumers are intrigued by the idea of Android inside Windows, but certainly isn’t proof that that would be a selling point for a new PC.
Last June, Samsung debuted the Ativ Q, a convertible Windows 8 tablet that runs Android apps similar to Intel’s Dual OS concept. Samsung has yet to release that device, however, so we can’t tell if the feature was intriguing enough to generate sales.
The Dual OS solutions sounds like it fixes plenty of problems for Intel, but not many for consumers. Intel completely missed the boat on mobile processors, allowing ARM-based designs to take over the mobile market. An initiative to combine Windows and Android would be a simple way to sell its new Baytrail processor, which is notable for its optimized ability to run both operating systems.
But would the addition of Android apps do much to sway consumers who are considering Android tablets instead of a new Intel-based PC? I don’t think so.
It could be that Intel has more up its sleeves that could make the “Dual OS” concept more enticing. We recently ran a guest post that hypothesized what a Microsoft Android fork could look like — an idea which seems a bit ludicrous at first, but got a surprisingly positive reaction from our readers. That makes me think Intel’s plan isn’t entirely bonkers.
Next week, we’ll see if it’s more than just an interesting thought experiment.
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Supermarkets seeking profitable new revenue streams are gazing beyond their traditional shopper bases at other supermarket, foodservice and big-box channels as potential customers.
By selling their private-label products, delivery services, nutrition research, marketing expertise or other proprietary consumer intelligence to both competitors and non-competitors, public chains can better appease the growth demands of Wall Street, and private operators can benefit financially and expand their sphere of industry influence.
While retailers have diverted deal merchandise out the back door for seemingly forever, that differs from today's new kinds of inter-chain commerce, which are largely measured components of strategic growth plans.
The industry effect of this rising trend could be far-reaching in time, suggested Bill Bishop, chairman, Willard Bishop Consulting, Barrington, Ill. “There's potential going out five years to scramble the tight vertical orientation of the retail food business. If you're a CPG company counting on vertical distribution, and then those in the vertical system start to cooperate with each other, that strengthens large retailers and medium-to-large regionals that become more independent.”
In the highest-profile example, industry titans and rivals Kroger and Safeway have an agreement to distribute nearly 300 different third-party gift cards from the latter's Blackhawk Network division through Kroger's 2,491 grocery, multi-department and convenience stores in 31 states. Blackhawk also has deals to sell the cards in stores operated by Ahold, Food Lion, Ukrop's and Stater Bros.
Moreover, Sysco, the largest foodservice supplier in the United States, has begun marketing 25 foods from Safeway's 300-item O Organics line in Northern California — precisely the same versions as the recognized brand in Safeway stores there. And Carrefour, the second-largest retailer in the world, is selling organic foods in Taiwan that are supplied by Safeway.
Perhaps more intriguing, chief executive officer Steve Burd has twice noted possible plans for Safeway to monetize what the company has learned from reducing its health insurance costs by 13% annually. Components of its savings program include: incentivizing employees who agree to lose weight or stop smoking; promoting exercise; and advising employees and their families regarding treatment selections.
Said Burd, on the company's Investors' Day in December and at FMI Midwinter in January: “We think that we should capitalize on the knowledge, experience and credibility that we have established. We will be forming a new health care services venture that will leverage our knowledge and relationships, and, of course, it requires virtually no capital.”
At the other end of the size spectrum, one-store operator Green Hills Farms, in Syracuse, N.Y., sells its loyalty expertise to retailers “on specific projects, some educational in nature … [or] engagements over years of time,” said CEO Gary Hawkins.
“We refuse to be a ‘commodity’ service provider,” he said. “Instead, the area continues to evolve, and we use Green Hills to stay on the leading edge of that evolution. Today that means putting the technologies and business practices in place to shift away from mass marketing to personalized marketing.”
There are other signs of the trend.
Wakefern Food Corp., Edison, N.J., the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States, with sales of over $9.5 billion in 200 member-owner stores, has recently expanded its wholesale division and named Dave Baer its director. Calling sales beyond its members “a viable growth opportunity for Wakefern, because it allows us to utilize the capacity we have to service other customers,” he said, “we provide a value proposition that's a win for the smaller and larger operator.”
Wakefern is “accustomed to serving independent customers, because our members own between one and 30 stores. Helping independent grocers compete in a marketplace generally dominated by large retailers and multinationals is something we do to give them competitive advantage,” added Karen Meleta, director of corporate communications and media relations.
For example, since last spring, Wakefern has made 3,000 ShopRite food stockkeeping units available as a private label to 17-store Heinens in Ohio. And since autumn, Gristedes' 40 stores in metropolitan New York have brought ShopRite items into their stores, along with branded nonfood and health and beauty items.
“Not only can we provide wholesaling services that include private label, we can also sell our advertising support and other marketing programs,” said Meleta. “Capacity is there to offer those sorts of insights. We're making a concerted effort. Wholesale sales are an important part of our overall growth plan.”
Topco Associates, Skokie, Ill., the grocery distribution and services cooperative for about 13,000 stores, has announced a new at-a-glance system for rating nutritional quality in foods. A panel of 12 health and nutrition experts under lead scientist Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University-Griffin Hospital Prevention Research Center, developed the Overall Nutritional Quality Index. This proprietary comparison tool will likely roll out nationally through grocers, food manufacturers, restaurants and online in the second half of 2008.
“Topco knows their power is in their network of stores, not in being a vertical seller of products,” observed Bishop.
In some older examples, Byerly's, Minneapolis, distributed its wild rice soup nationally back in the 1980s, and Bashas', Chandler, Ariz., committed in 2003 to supply groceries to 32 IGA supermarkets in Arizona and New Mexico that had previously been supplied by Fleming Cos. Though Bashas' did not return phone calls requesting comment for this story, at the time, company president Wayne C. Manning appeared to have territorial protection against big-chain encroachment in mind when he said, “We are very glad to step up to this opportunity to maintain a consistent supply to these stores in our area. By meeting supply needs within our own area, we strengthen the regional food retailing network. It's a winning resolution for vendors and suppliers, as well as customers in each neighborhood served by an IGA store.”
The walls of traditional competitiveness aren't barriers to today's inter-chain selling.
“It hugely changes relations between operators — it makes them more fluid,” said Bishop. “How many operators thought they'd ever buy gift cards from Safeway, enhancing their profitability even while competing against them? Idiosyncratic notions fall by the wayside when retailers realize they need gift cards, and Safeway may be the best provider.
“Because a lot of professional managers are interested in maximizing EBITDA rather than traditional market share or market dominance measures, the innate competitiveness gets moderated back,” he added. “In some respects, it is evolution from primal entrepreneurial competition to financial competition.”
If a retail company “is able to create value or monetize its assets — physical goods, assets or intellectual property — then it should almost be expected that a company do so,” said Hawkins. “The value proposition must stand on its own. In the case of Blackhawk, there would be huge expense for another retailer to try and build the technology and solution that Safeway has created. More relative to intellectual property of strategic importance, this is up to each retailer to decide.”
On his own selling of intellectual property, Hawkins said, “as Green Hills is a single store, I do not have, nor do my clients have, any issue with possible competition. While I believe Green Hills' competitors keep track of what we are doing at Green Hills, I think they also seek to learn, which I have no issue with. While other retailers have adopted loyalty marketing, it is much more difficult to duplicate the culture of loyalty marketing.”
Regarding the gift card arrangement between Kroger and Safeway, Brian Dowling, corporate vice president, public affairs, at Safeway, told SN, “there was no issue [of competitiveness] with Kroger and our arrangement with Blackhawk.”
Similarly, Kroger spokesperson Meghan Glynn expressed to SN in December that “we are seeing a growing interest in gift cards, and this agreement allows us to present a wider array of choices for our customers.”
It remains unclear how significant to Safeway's fiscal performance the three alternative growth initiatives — gift cards, organics and health care — will be cumulatively, because, Dowling said, “we have not provided any guidance on these various current and potential revenue streams. We have made investors aware of them, but we have not quantified them.”
Burd did, however, pro-ject on Investors' Day that Blackhawk would account for 25% to 30% of Safeway's earnings over the next five years. An Argus Research report dated Dec. 28, 2007, noted that distribution points for Blackhawk cards are expected to exceed 100,000 by 2011, about double what that number was at the start of 2007.
Deborah Weinswig, an analyst with Citigroup Global Markets, New York, told SN recently that “many CEOs of Fortune 500 companies have contacted Safeway to learn how to implement health care programs to reduce overall expenditures, and Safeway is likely to be generating some consulting fees in sharing its knowledge and experience in lowering costs.”
What's the next big thing in chain-to-chain selling? Retailers will develop shared short-shelf-life refrigerated prepared foods, predicted Bishop. “They have the systems, the motivation and the distribution,” he said. “Once they develop commissaries that others will buy into, this will grow.”
Reacting to the idea, Hawkins noted: “It certainly makes sense to pursue an opportunity around decreasing shrink by selling short-shelf-life prepared foods to other retailers, providing the branding isn't a problem. This type of activity can help all parties.”


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In November, consumer prices added 0.3% over the previous month, which came in a notch below last month's price increase. As in October, the most important driver behind the monthly price hike was higher food prices (+1.1% month-on-month). As a result of the monthly reading, annual inflation remained unchanged at 4.2%, which matched market expectations. Seasonally adjusted annual core inflation, which does not consider volatile items such as food and fuel, inched up from 1.8% in October to 1.9%. In contrast, harmonised inflation dropped from 4.3% in October to 4.0%. Currently, the Central Bank anticipates inflation will continue above its medium-term target of 3.0% in the coming years. In fact, in its latest inflation report from November, the Central Bank raised its inflation expectations for this year from 3.6% to 4.9%, while for 2011 the Bank sees inflation ending the year at 4.0%.
Inflation remains strong amid higher food prices
December 10, 2010
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Hungary Economic News
October 11, 2016
In September, consumer prices rose 0.2% from the previous month, contrasting August’s 0.4% decrease.
October 7, 2016
According to preliminary data released by the Statistical Institute (KSH) on 7 October, industrial output in August rose a working-day adjusted 3.5% from the same month last year, rebounding from July’s 0.1% decrease and marking a four-month high. On a monthly basis, industrial production increased a seasonally- and working-day adjusted 1.6% in August, which followed July’s 0.3% decrease.
September 26, 2016
The GKI economic sentiment indicator advanced slightly from August’s minus 3.9 points, which was the lowest reading in over two years, to the still-low level of minus 3.6 points in September.
Hungary: Central Bank leaves base rate at 0.90%, continues easing monetary conditions by capping main deposit facility
September 20, 2016
The Central Bank of Hungary (NBH) held all rates constant at its 20 September monetary policy meeting, but continued easing monetary policy conditions by using unconventional monetary policy instruments.
September 9, 2016
In August, consumer prices fell 0.4% over the previous month, coming in below July’s softer 0.2% decrease.


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ANAHEIM, Calif.—Silcotech Group and Dow Corning Corp. have unveiled what they claim is a step-change in liquid silicone rubber processing made possible, in part, by Dow Corning's LSR technology.
The companies showcased the breakthrough at the MD&M West Show, Feb. 10-12 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Gary Lord, global strategic marketing director, health care, said that Dow Corning, a company with 50 years experience in the medical device industry, tries to answer this question: How do we challenge the way we can serve our customers better?
“One of the things that has become clear to us over the past few years is getting the information back from the customers from the marketplace is becoming more difficult,” he said.
The information the company is receiving is not the type that helps with making real innovation, he added.
One of the goals with the Silcotech collaboration is to have these two key links in the supply chain serve the original equipment manufacturers, hospitals and the patients, and find ways to “actually pool our knowledge to be able to do things differently, better, faster, more cost effectively so that actually more people can get more benefits in a more timely manner,” Lord said.
Working together leverages each other's strengths, said Michael Maloney, president of Silcotech North America Inc. “This is really about the integration of our unique corporate strengths,” he said.
Silcotech is working on the manufacturing of the conversion of LSR to physical devices on a global level, while Dow Corning has had a strong position in the silicone market for years, Maloney said.
Both companies fight the same type of conversion issue battles each day. The common goal is to improve productivity and reduce lead time to market.
“We found it a very good fit to work with a leader in the silicone industry,” Maloney said.
This collaboration will put these two strengths together to yield something ultimately better for the end customer. The collaboration involves both parties “working out in advance. We're running through some problem-solving that we perceived as variables to create a unique product,” he said.
Creating unique products, such as cost competitive or quicker to market products, or ever leveraging the touch, feel, color, contrast or other chemical attributes, is where this collaboration will be important “with the hopes that their synergy yields a new path forward for the development of future products,” Maloney said. “We're both in the business of growing markets.”


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In the fast-paced world of American commerce, businesses in Florida must continually compete and search for new ways to get ahead and, ideally, stay ahead, of the competition. There can be many positive sides to this but it can also give rise to additional headaches and problems that companies have to deal with. Competition can grow a market but it can also move into the realm of unfair. When this happens, legal battles between competitors may ensue.
Such is the case in the world of the nation’s leading battery manufacturers today. In early 2016, Duracell battery packages began featuring a pink bunny on them. Competitor Energerizer Brands promptly launched a lawsuit against Duracell, alleging a trademark infringement on its well-known Energizer bunny. Now, Energerizer is facing another threat from yet a different competitor. This time the company who is allegedly infringing on Energerizer’s brand is Spectrum Brands Holdings, the parent company of Rayovac batteries.
Rayovac updated its packaging and Energizer says the new designs and colors are too similar to its own. Energizer insinuates that the new packaging is misleading to consumers and unfairly leverages the Energizer brand to obtain sales for Rayovac. Rayovac holds the number three position in the battery market, behind Energizer and Duracell.
Companies who find their brands under seige unfairly by competitors may find it beneficial to talk with an experienced business law attorney. Learning how the law protects trademarks can provide insight into the best course of action at these times.
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Energizer sues Rayovac, alleges trademark infringement,” Lisa Brown, Dec. 20, 2016


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Mercedes-Benz is in the midst of launching its redesigned 2014 S-Class, and it's calling it the best car in the world. For decades it's been one of the benchmarks in the car world, and the new car is mounting some fresh hardware to back up the automaker's claims.
We are told the three engineering priorities for the new S-Class were: "Intelligent Drive, Efficient Technology and Essence of Luxury." These elements are what supposedly raise the bar for the automotive universe, and set the S-Class as the standard.
The first S-Class coming to the U.S. is the S550, powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.6-liter V-8 engine connected to a seven-speed automatic transmission. There's a choice of rear or all-wheel drive, and adaptive air suspension is standard.
Following the S550 into Mercedes-Benz showrooms will be the 2014 S63 AMG with 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. A plug-in hybrid model is being announced at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show in September.
We drove the 2014 S-Class
We drove the 2014 S-Classand found it to be an effortless performer. It's a tour de force when it comes to technology, and in a way it puts the competition on notice.
The bottom line is simple: Mercedes-Benz has put in the hours, and sweated the details. This is all evident when you see, feel, and drive the new 2014 S-Class.


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Given that the flagship smartphones from Samsung for this year are already official, it is time for us to wait for the next-generation models in the Samsung Galaxy S22 series. It is believed that there will be three models as usual - the Samsung Galaxy S22, Samsung Galaxy S22 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. Already, we have been coming across speculations from several sources hinting at the design of these upcoming smartphones. Now, fresh reports regarding the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra have surfaced online suggesting an interesting development.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra S Pen Support
Recently, we saw the renders of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra suggesting its design. Now, a tipster Ice Universe has taken to Twitter to claim that the high-end variant of the flagship S series smartphones arriving in 2022 will have an S Pen slot. The tipster cites a Dutch publication GalaxyClub, which claims that the S Pen support will be in-built in the upcoming model.
Already, multiple sources hinted at the support for the S Pen in the Galaxy S21 Ultra that went official earlier this year. Moreover, the leaked renders of the Galaxy S22 Ultra also showcased the S Pen slot at the smartphone’s bottom. This is something that we have seen with the Galaxy Note series smartphones that have an S Pen support and a slot to house the stylus.
If this turns out to be true, then it will become clear that the company might consider discontinuing the Note devices. Already, Samsung skipped launching a new Note model this year and the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold3 came with the S Pen support. However, these models come with a specialised case to house the stylus and there is no dedicated stylus slot.
For the Galaxy Note gans, this could be good news as the high-end model of the Samsung Galaxy S22 series will arrive with the S Pen support out-of-the-box. It will offer several functions that we can expect from Note smartphones. Also, this inclusion will mark a significant shift in the design of the Galaxy S smartphones. This report adds fuel to a previous report hinting that Samsung is considering to overhaul its Galaxy S series smartphones into the Note series devices.


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Bharti Airtel has partnered with smartphone maker Lenovo, under which the country’s largest telecom operator will offer a cashback of Rs 2,000 on two 4G smartphone variants of Motorola Mobility, which is part of the Lenovo group, and the K8 Note. Under the new offer on 4G smartphones, Bharti’s sixth so far, the company is offering a cashback of Rs 2,000 on the Moto C, Moto E4 and Lenovo K8 Note, Bharti said in an announcement on Friday. With the cashback, the effective price of the Moto C will be Rs 3,999, Moto E4 (Rs 6,499) and K8 Note (Rs 10,999). To be eligible for the cashback, customers need to make prepaid recharges worth Rs 3,500 within 18 months for the first installment of Rs 500. Similarly, another set of recharges worth Rs 3,500 over the next 18 months will make the customer eligible for the second installment of Rs 1,500.
Bharti Airtel chief marketing officer Vani Venkatesh said, “We are delighted to collaborate with Lenovo under the ‘Mera Pehla Smartphone’ initiative. It marks a major milestone in our journey towards building a large open ecosystem of affordable smartphone options for our valued customers.” This is Bharti’s third such partnership with a foreign handset maker. The company has already tied-up with Samsung and Nokia on a select range of 4G smartphones.
Source by:- financialexpressShare:


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[box type="note" size="medium" align="right"]
- View photo gallery from the September tours
- Learn more about Cooking Matters at the Store
- Email Elizabeth (MobileNutrition@FoodShuttle.org) about taking a tour, or volunteering at upcoming tours
It’s a struggle everyone can relate to. The grocery store is intimidating. Rows upon rows of products, each clamoring for your attention – and your precious dollars.
With prices ever rising, it can be challenging enough to feed a household without breaking the bank. Taking nutrition content into consideration while filling a cart can make grocery shopping even more daunting.
That’s where Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s Nutrition Educators step in. They work with Share our Strength’s Cooking Matters at the Store curriculum to provide hundreds of people each year with the skills and know-how to confidently walk the aisles of a grocery store and fill their carts without emptying their wallets.
“A huge challenge our participants face is that the easily accessible foods – the ones that are cheapest – are high calorie foods, such as junk foods and processed foods. And you find those in the center aisles of the grocery store,” said IFFS Mobile Nutrition Programs Coordinator Elizabeth Weeks. “We teach to shop around the perimeter of the store for produce and proteins, and how to identify nutrient dense foods instead of energy dense, high calorie foods.”
This September, the IFFS Nutrition Education team partnered with several volunteers to run grocery store tours each Thursday of the month, over two-dozen tours in total, at a Raleigh Food Lion. Together they were able to teach 220 participants new tips for shopping healthy on a limited budget.
“We run tours at Food Lion because they are one of the most accessible and affordable grocery store chains in the Southeast Raleigh region,” said Weeks. “It’s where many of our participants shop anyway, so touring at Food Lion makes it more applicable to their everyday life.”
The 90-minute tour covers food groups, comparing fresh vs. canned vs. frozen produce, reading food labels and ingredients, and using unit prices to find the best buy.
“Unit pricing is a huge thing,” said Weeks. “Once participants realize they can compare using pounds instead of the retail prices, they’re able to see what they are getting for the money.”
For example green beans (like many products) are sold in a variety of different sizes and styles, which are not easily comparable. Comparing cost per pound reveals that fresh green beans are typically listed as 1.99 per pound, the frozen green beans are listed as $1.02 per pound, and the canned are less than $0.74 per pound.
“Looking at the cost per pound instead of the cost on the sticker helps us find the best buy,” said Weeks. “It makes a real difference.
“Many of our participants come into the tour thinking fresh is always the way to go. Really there are many pros to canned and frozen produce, since they are packaged during their nutrient peak. Fresh produce could be shipped from far away or exposed to chemicals during travel. Then you end up paying for transportation and other costs.”
Each tour finishes up with the ‘$10 Challenge.’
“The $10 challenge is an opportunity to use the tools our participants learned on the tour, such as eating from every food group but also choosing healthy options, which is what we like to encourage,” explained Weeks.
Participants receive a Food Lion gift card to buy one healthy item from each My Plate food group – for example, a whole grain, a low-fat dairy, a fruit, a vegetable, and a lean protein – all for under $10.
“They price it all out on their own and can get it under $10 pretty easy, said Weeks. “Some even complete the challenge for under $7 or $8!”
Food Lion generously donates the gift cards, as part of their corporate focus on hunger relief through the #FoodLionFeeds campaign.
“Food Lion supports the programming through access to the store locations and gift cards,” said IFFS Director of Nutrition Education Jill Brown. “It ties in well with their corporate focus.”
At the end of their tour, participants leave with a new set of smart shopping skills, a workbook filled with tips and recipes, their groceries from the $10 challenge, and a reusable grocery bag.
"I learned that frozen vegetables are in some cases more nutritional than fresh ones," said one tour participant who "really liked this tour."
"I learned about shopping in bulk and actually paying attention to the back label," said a second participant.
Other participants reported learning that "store brands are cheaper and just as healthy" and that "buying in bulk and in season is really important."
“These tours empower our participants with the tools to shop healthy on a budget on their own by comparing unit prices, reading ingredient labels, and reading nutrition facts to identify what is in the food they are buying,” said Weeks.
The IFFS Nutrition Division will be running more grocery store tours on October 24 to celebrate Food Day, a nationwide celebration and a movement for healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. Volunteers are needed to lead tours, assist with tours, or assist with registration at four Wake County Food Lion locations. If you are interested, please contact Elizabeth Weeks (MobileNutrition@FoodShuttle.org or 919-561-7188).
By Lindsay Humbert, IFFS Digital Media Specialist. Contact: Lindsay@foodshuttle.org


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Asus Zenfone Live smartphone was unveiled earleir this year in February. The smartphone was launched in India in May this year with a price tag of Rs. 9,999. Later, the price was reduced to Rs. 8,999. Now, the phone has received a permanent price-cut of Rs. 1,000 in the country, bringing down the smartphone’s price to Rs. 7,999.
The Zenfone Live smartphone was touted as the world’s first smartphone that features hardware-optimised, real-time beautification technology. As per the company’s claims, it can capture ‘beautiful’ selfies as well as remove blemishes in real-time. There’s a BeautyLive application on the handset that lets you stream live to Facebook, Instagram and YouTube while applying a beautification filter.
To remind you of the specifications, the smartphone comes with a 5-inch Bluelight filter and Asus TruVivid HD display with a screen resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. Under the hood, the phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, along with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. It also supports expanding storage up to 128GB using a microSD card.
It comes with a 13-megapixel primary camera with an LED flash and f/2.0 aperture. It also has a 5-megapixel front-facingcamera with soft LED and 82-degree wide-angle lens. The front-facing camera also comes with a low light mode and a manual mode.
The smartphone is running Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system out-of-the-box. Connectivity options on the device include 4G LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. The phone, which comes with DTS Headphone: X technology that delivers 7.1 surround sound on compatible headphones, is fueled by a 2,650mAh battery.
The Asus Zenfone Live is available in three colour options — Gold, Pink and Navy Black. It will now be available at the reduced price in India across all major e-commerce stores and retailers in India. The smartphone will also be available at ASUS Exclusive Stores across the country.


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WorldCom offers $30B for MCI
NEW YORK - WorldCom Inc., the nation's fourth-largest
long-distance company, says it is offering to buy MCI Communications
Corp. for $30 billion. The offer tops a deal MCI was on the verge of
closing with British Telecommunications PLC. WorldCom's bold
attempt takes advantage of the recent troubles between BT and MCI
over projected losses in MCI's local telephone business.