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Will the outpouring of financial support to social gaming companies ever slow?
Kabam, a developer of massively multiplayer social games, announced Thursday that it has raised a $30 million Series C funding round led by Redpoint Ventures and Intel Capital with additional funding from original investor Canaan Partners, which incubated Kabam in its seed stage.
Founded in 2006, Kabam has raised $39.5 million to date.
Don't expect to see a bunch of clones like FarmKabam or FrontierKabam cropping up any time soon, however, because this isn’t you’re typical social gaming startup. While most of the most popular, like Zynga, CrowdStar and Playdom, cater to the masses with their dead simple your-grandma-could-play-this games, Kabam is going after the more hardcore gamer.
“Kabam has pursued a distinctly different strategy than other social game companies,” said CEO Kevin Chou. “Rather than target ‘casual’ players, we are focused on creating a new segment of games that appeal to a more core gamer demographic.”
You don’t even have to play Kabam’s games to believe Chou; just read the names: Dragons of Atlantis (screenshot below). Glory of Rome. Kingdoms of Camelot. Though Zynga may have acquired one game studio founded by a team that actually worked on the original Age of Empires franchise in the 1990s, Kabam’s games have magnitudes more of that empire-building flavor than any Zynga game ever released.
Of course, bringing the epicness of those classic games to Facebook doesn’t mean Kabam is ignoring social features. On the contrary, users can chat with each other, as well as form alliances or compete with each other in real-time.
In October 2010, Kabam acquired Wonderhill, a developer of the more classic style of casual social games, like Tattoo City and Furry Farm. The company will use its latest round of funding to continue making acquisitions like these in 2011, as well as expanding its team through new hires.
Despite already having blown up from just 20 employees at the beginning of 2010 to over 200 today, the startup is still aggressively hiring at three studio locations: at its headquarters in Redwood Shores, Calif. and at new studios in San Francisco and in Beijing, China. There are currently over 50 open positions, predominantly in art and engineering categories, but also in game production, human resources, marketing, quality assurance and more.
Kabam says it has several new games scheduled for an early 2011 launch.


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Volvo hails next-gen excavator as it unveils 50 tonne prototype
15 March 2023
Volvo CE has unveiled the EC500 crawler excavator – a 50 tonne prototype machine designed for heavy applications such as building and road construction, quarrying and utilities.
The company said the new machine – which will be made available in regulated markets including Europe and North America – heralds its next generation of large machines, being faster, safer and more productive than predecessor models.
The EC500 – successor to the EC480E – boasts a completely new cab layout, with features including a high-definition co-pilot screen, keyless engine start, wired and wireless smart phone charging and a new work mode switch.
The technology on board the new excavator includes Volvo Smart View with Obstacle Detection. With a combination of enhanced cameras and radar detection, the system gives operators a 360-degree view, as well as delivering alerts when objects are detected, also identifying and classifying them as human.
Volvo says the addition of electric joysticks gives the operator greater control over the hydraulic system.
The excavator’s hydraulic pumps can be operated together as well as virtually disconnected, allowing the operator to control the boom without affecting track speed. This, says Volvo, increases controllability, shortens cycle times and improves fuel efficiency, which has the potential to deliver higher productivity and performance.
Lower costs, greater uptime
The EC500 is designed to cope with extreme weather conditions, featuring greater cooling capacity than its predecessor model. Volvo says service intervals for the hydraulic oil and filter have also been extended, from 2,000 to 3,000 hours, increasing uptime and reducing costs.
Stephen Roy, president of Volvo CE North America, said, “We’re excited to share the first look at our next generation excavator. A pre-production model, there will be some differences to the appearance of the EC500 that will be available to our customers, but it gives an insight into the future, with enhanced safety, operability and productivity.”
Production of the EC500 is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2023.

domain: news


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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- As 2015 becomes the year of video with companies like Spotify, YouTube, Facebook (FB) and others entering or increasing their positions, Twitter (TWTR) wants you to remember it, too, is in the game.
Speaking at a J.P. Morgan tech, media and telecom conference in Boston, CFO Anthony Noto stated the San Francisco-based Twitter is already a major video platform for users, with more to come.
"Seventy percent of Twitter users are consuming video on the platform, with 90% of that on mobile." Noto said. "We feel really great about our position, but there's still a lot of work ahead of us, especially as we leverage our broader video assets."
The company owns Vine, which lets users record 15-second short loops, which Noto said is key to the younger demographic, as well as Periscope, which it purchased earlier this year.
Twitter also has Niche, which it purchased in February, which helps content creators and Vine stars match up with marketing and advertising partners.
Periscope, for those not familiar, allows users to broadcast video streams in real-time of whatever they're watching, be it a game, conference, event, etc. The live-streaming app gained significant notoriety during the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight, as users streamed the fight, much to the dismay of Time Warner's (TWX) HBO and CBS's (CBS) Showtime, who broadcast the pay-per-view event live.
Following the fight, Twitter CEO Dick Cosotlo tweeted that Periscope was the winner of the fight.
And the winner is... @periscopeco— dick costolo (@dickc) May 3, 2015
"If you think about being real-time, the epitome of it is live," Noto said at the conference. "The epitome of public is broadcast and what's what Periscope is -- it's live broadcast."
So far, Twitter has generated little if any revenue from its Vine and Periscope properties, as it struggles to grow in both monthly active users (304 million as of the end of the first quarter) and revenue, as opposed to Facebook, which has more than 1.4 billion users around the world and generated more than $12 billion in annual revenue in 2014.
Shares of Twitter have had an up-and-down start to 2015, most recently falling victim to an earnings release snafu that led to the shares losing more than 20% of their value in one day.
The push to video comes at a time when all eyes (pun intended) and advertising dollars are being thrust upon it.
At an event earlier on Thursday, Spotfiy, the Swedish-based music streaming company, announced it, too, was getting into the video business. Facebook recently announced it surpassed 4 billion daily video views and Google-owned (GOOG) (GOOGL) YouTube is increasingly looking to alternative ways to get eyeballs, including launching a subscription business.
On a recent earnings call, Google disclosed that YouTube sees more than 1 billion viewers per month.
Digital video ad spending totaled $5.81 billion in 2014, according to research firm eMarketer and is set to rise by nearly a third to $7.77 billion in 2015 as more people watch video on a number of devices. Including PCs, tablets, smartphones and other devices, eMarketer estimated that U.S. adults spend 76 minutes a day watching TV shows on these devices, with more than 150 million people in the country watching TV shows on digital devices once a month.
As the state of online video continues to shift and twist throughout the year (Noto also noted that video autoplay is in the works for later this year, which would presumably help boost views), Twitter wants users (and investors) to remember it too is in this space, even if it's dwarfed in size by the competition.


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With no buyers in sight, and a massive inventory of unsold phones, BlackBerry Ltd. will cut 4,500 jobs worldwide as executives seek to keep their company alive as it teeters on the brink of disaster.
[np_storybar title=”Latest announcements track downward trend for BlackBerry” link=””]BlackBerry announced Friday it would be laying off nearly 40% of its global workforce, marking a new nadir for a company that’s seen its share of ups and downs.
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Here is a look at some of the numerical milestones for BlackBerry, previously known as Research In Motion:
• Entertainment industry awards: 2 (1994 Emmy for technical innovation, 1999 Academy Award for Technical Achievement)
• Lowest stock price: $6.10 (Sept. 24, 2012)
• Years the BlackBerry has been in existence: 14 (first BlackBerry wireless handheld device in 1999, first BlackBerry smartphone in 2003)
• Years as a publicly traded company: 16
• Years in business: 29 (founded in 1984)
• Countries in which the company has offices: 36
• Highest stock price: $149.90 (June 8, 2008)
• Countries in which BlackBerrys are sold: 175
• Number of employees cut in most recent layoff: 4,500
• Number of remaining Employees: 8,200
• All-time high number of employees: more than 20,000
• Current subscribers: 72 million
• All-time high number of subscribers: 80 million
• Projected loss for second quarter of current fiscal year: between US$950 million and $995 million
The Canadian Press
The struggling Canadian smartphone maker also announced Friday afternoon that it expects to post a loss of nearly US$1-billion dollars when the company reports its second quarter earnings next week, citing “the increasingly competitive business environment impacting BlackBerry smartphone volumes.”
The move confirms an earlier report that the company had plans to reduce its workforce by up to 40% by year’s end, as part of ongoing restructuring efforts.
For many Canadian investors, it is an eerie reminder of Nortel Networks’ last days, when plummeting sales, heavy write downs and widespread layoffs sent the country’s last reigning tech giant into a free-fall from which it was unable to recover.
“The company has sailed off a cliff. What do you expect when you announce you’re up for sale. Who wants to commit to a platform that could possibly be shut down?” said BCG Partners analyst Colin Gillis.
BlackBerry has slashed more than 7,000 jobs since 2011, and hundreds more in recent months, as it struggles to compete with competitors such as Apple Inc., Google Inc. and even Microsoft Corp., whose smartphones and app ecosystems have proven more attractive to consumers — and even enterprise customers — than BlackBerry’s own.
“They’re trying to arrest their slide by cutting head count. I think that’s going to make it really difficult,” said Pacific Crest Securities analyst James Faucette. “There’s also some hope that by taking these steps right now, it helps cleans things up for any type of potential deal or acquisition that they’ve been very forthright about seeking.”
The Waterloo, Ont.-based company is also expected to write down as much as US$960-million in unsold inventory — based mostly on the severely diminished value of its Z10 touch-screen phone. It’s last three write downs — a pretax expense of US$485-million in December 2011, a second charge of $267-million the following March and a third write down of US$335-million in June 2012 — were attributed, in part, to the company’s similarly ill-fated PlayBook tablet.
BlackBerry’s fate is inextricably tied to the success or failure of BlackBerry 10, the smartphone maker’s revamped mobile operating system, launched in January to much fanfare by chief executive officer Thorsten Heins.
Mr. Heins is planning to reduce his company’s total headcount to 7,000 full-time employees worldwide as part of ongoing cuts. The company had 12,700 employees as of the end of March, the last time it has reported the size of its workforce.
Shares in the company plummeted as low as 24% as investors reacted to the news and could have been much worse, had the company not already been trading below what many feel is the value of its cash and assets, assuming the company is broken up and sold off. BlackBerry stock closed down $1.79, or $17%, at $8.73 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
In August, chief executive Thorsten Heins announced the formation of a special committee to examine the company’s “strategic alternatives.” Such alternatives could include a joint venture, a move to go private or an outright sale. The committee is still evaluating its options, according to a statement from the company.
In a surprise move, the company announced a restructuring of its smartphone portfolio from six devices to four, with two high end and two-entry level phones. BlackBerry’s flagship Z10 device – which was used to launch its revamped BlackBerry 10 platform – will be “re-tiered” as an entry-level device, alongside the company’s recently announced Q5. The BlackBerry Z30 – a new, 5″ smartphone announced this week – and the Q10 with QWERTY physical keyboard, released in April, in will be considered the company’s high-end phones.
BlackBerry sold about 5.9 million smartphones in the second quarter, it said, down from 6.8 million in the quarter previous. It also anticipates $1.6-billion in revenue – with service revenue, generated primarily by 3.7 million legacy BlackBerry 7 devices, accounting for about half of that figure.
“The revenue and device shipment numbers are pretty surprising given how weak it is. I think many of us were expecting a pretty difficult quarter, but this much worse than we anticipated,” said UBS Research analyst Amitabh Passi.
BlackBerry also announced plans to reduce operating expenses by approximately 50% by the end of Q1 FY2015. The company is expected to report $2.6-billion in cash, and no debt.
The adjusted second-quarter net loss will be as much as US$265-million, more than triple the loss expected by analysts.
But amid all of the company’s early financial disclosures, an update on its ongoing pursuit for a saviour was nowhere to be seen.
BlackBerry is due to report second-quarter earnings on Friday, Sept. 27.
With files from Bloomberg


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Soon after Google announced they would shut down their RSS platform Reader this July, Feedly confirmed they would build an API clone – codenamed Normandy – to ease the transition from Reader to Feedly for users and third-party developers. Essentially, this meant Feedly had been working on its own RSS syncing service with support for third-party clients to complement its own set of native apps.
In a blog post published today, Feedly has announced that they have been working with developer partners over the past two months to ensure the feedly API, based on the Normandy project, could launch with an ecosystem of native third-party apps. And among the apps that will support Feedly before July 1 (when Google will shut down Reader) there’s Silvio Rizzi’s Reeder, one of my favorite RSS apps for the iPhone and iPad.
We are also hearing from users that saving their feeds is not enough: One of the key features of Google Reader was that they had an ecosystem of apps – apps that people love and depend upon.
We have been working behind the curtains with the developers of Reeder,Press, Nextgen Reader, Newsify and gReader as design partners for our Normandy project. Today we are excited to announce that you will be able to access your feedly from all these apps before Google Reader retires and that the access to feedly API will be free. More details soon.
I have reached out to Rizzi, who confirmed Feedly support will indeed be added to the next versions of Reeder. His client, which was updated last April on the iPhone to support Feedbin sync and local RSS feeds, will also be updated for Feedly integration. While a precise release timeframe isn’t clear yet, it’s safe to assume Feedly integration will first come to the iPhone and then to Reeder for Mac and iPad (Rizzi made Reeder for iPad and Mac free while he’s working on a major 2.0 update).
In the next “few weeks”, an official API will be released to let third-party developers create Feed Wrangler clients, and I think that will be a key aspect for scaling the service’s adoption rate to accommodate different kinds of users and applications. While the platform is solid and reliable, it lacks the beautiful interface polish of Google Reader apps like Reeder, or the power-user functionality of Mr. Reader’s services menu. The official website and apps should serve as an example of what Feed Wrangler can do, but it’ll be up to third-party clients to prove Feed Wrangler’s flexibility.
Again, as with Feedly integration, Rizzi can’t provide a specific release date today. Feed Wrangler, which has become my favorite Google Reader replacement, comes with a series of unique implementations of the decade-old concept of syncing and reading feeds, and it’ll be interesting to see how Reeder will take advantage of it in its custom interface.


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Mercer & Hole will be providing a Q&A on the tax benefits of company cars
Corporate and Business Tax expert, David Hadley, will be speaking at the Three Rivers Chamber of Commerce event on Thursday 25 October, at The Grove Hotel, Watford. David will be holding a Q&A session regarding the tax benefits of owning an electric company car. The Q&A session will take place once the car manufactures, Tesla, Jaguar, Nissan and Electric Blue, have spoken about the future of personal transportation.
Speaking on the subject of electric vehicles, David Hadley said: “The Government has made a strong commitment to cutting the UK’s carbon emissions and has created legislation which supports ownership of electric vehicles. As well as lower running costs, such vehicles also provide a number of tax efficiencies. I am looking forward to the opportunity to discuss these at the Three Rivers Chambers of Commerce event.”
More information about the event can be found on the Three Rivers Chamber of Trade & Commerce website here.
Date: 4th October, 2018
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The American Transportation Research Institute has updated the compendium of sustainable freight practices on its website.
The compendium identifies a number of sustainable practices being used by the trucking industry, ranging from driver training, idle reduction, and speed management, to vehicle aerodynamics, tires, and engine systems. The compendium also provides research findings on the costs and benefits associated with the practices.
The update adds the some of the latest research on practices being used by trucking companies to save fuel and reduce emissions.
‘”Sustainability is often viewed as managing the triple bottom line – profits, people, and planet,” said Mike Tunnell, ATRI director of environmental research. “The practices identified in the compendium can not only save companies money but also improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions.”
ATRI says the compendium was designed to be a one-stop shop for information on motor carrier sustainable practices. It also identifies ways that public sector practices such as congestion mitigation, research and testing, and the use of standards can advance sustainable freight practices.


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Sony San Diego has announced that MLB 14 will release on April 1st on PS3 and Vita and see a PS4 release a month later in May. The real kicker here is the new screenshots that were shown from the PS4 version which should be met with proper use of profanity to show just how impressive the first next-gen baseball title looks.
The studio is promising over 50 new features and improvements including “quick counts” which will speed up game completion time by 50%.
Sony San Diego is promising even more looks at the game in the coming weeks but until then stare at these beautiful shots with your eye holes, starting with a comparison of Boston Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli between the PS3 and PS4. The PS3 has always looked beautiful visually, but when put next to the next-gen version, the gap is clear.


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Burger King in $500 Million IPO
May 23, 2006
May 23, 2006 - Cleary Gottlieb advised the underwriters, led by JP Morgan, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley in Burger King Holdings, Inc.’s initial public offering of 25 million shares of common stock. The transaction, the largest restaurant IPO in history, priced on May 17 and closed on May 23. The underwriters exercised their “green shoe” option to purchase an additional 3.75 million shares from Burger King’s financial sponsors on May 19.
Burger King is the world’s second largest fast food hamburger restaurant chain, with 11,109 restaurants in 65 countries. Burger King’s common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange.


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The NPD Group has released the highly anticipated December 2017 and year in full 2017 reports, which show the growth of software and hardware video games sales in the US.
Microsoft recently announced that the Nintendo Switch outsold both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in the US in December.
US Charts, August 2017:
1. Madden NFL 18 – EA
2. Grand Theft Auto – Take-Two
3. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy – Sony
According to the NPD Group, a company that track US sales, the Playstation 4 was the best-selling console in the United States in January 2017.
According to data released by the ESA and the NPD Group, the U.S. computer and video game industry generated a whopping $30.4 billion of revenue in 2016.
Reports indicate that a large spike in sales has made Xbox One the big hitting console of this summer so far, while sale of boxed games hit record low.
According to Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and the NPD Group joint report, the U.S. computer and video game industry by 5% in 2015.
The Entertainment Software Association has criticized the accuracy of the market analyst NPD’s research.


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An American car dealership giant has clinched a deal to buy Jardine Motors, one of Britain’s largest automotive retail groups, for more than £300m.
Sky News has learnt that Lithia Motors, which has a market capitalisation on the New York Stock Exchange of more than $6bn, hopes to announce the acquisition of Jardine as soon as Thursday.
One source said the price would be between £300m and £400m.
The deal will see Jardine Motors being sold by Jardine Matheson Holdings, the venerable Hong Kong-headquartered conglomerate.
Jardine Matheson owns assets including the Mandarin Oriental hotel chain and Hong Kong Land.
The takeover will give Lithia a substantial foothold in the UK, with access to luxury car brands including Ferrari and Maserati.
Lithia is committed to using the Jardine Motors business as a platform for growth, insiders told Sky News in January.
It would be the latest in a string of attempted deals in the sector, with Pendragon recently having ended talks about a takeover by its largest shareholder.
Lithia itself also tried to buy Pendragon last year.
Other big players in the sector include the likes of Lookers, while major online competitors such as Cazoo have suffered from the global sell-off in technology stocks.
Jardine Motors was acquired as a single East Anglia dealership by Jardine Matheson in the early 1990s.
It employs roughly 2,700 people at 50 sites across the UK, according to its website.
Jeremy Hunt is set to deliver his first budget – here are the things to look out for
Brands sold at its dealerships include Ferrari, Jaguar, McLaren and Porsche.
Lithia declined to expand on a statement issued to Sky News in January, which said: “Lithia has a stated desire to expand into the UK market and has held discussions with Jardine Matheson with a view to investing in Jardine Motors Group UK.
“Lithia views the potential acquisition of Jardine Motors as a platform for future growth in the UK and plans to invest in the business, working with Jardine Motors’ market-leading management team to build on the strong momentum the Group has generated in recent years.
“Discussions around a potential transaction are ongoing and a further update will be issued in due course.”
A Jardine Motors spokesman declined to comment.
Rothschild is advising Jardine on the talks, while Deloitte is advising Lithia.


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WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — Brazil is considering granting an import quota of 750,000 tonnes of U.S. wheat per year without tariffs in exchange for other trade concessions, Reuters reported.
That amounts to about 10% of Brazilian annual wheat imports and is part of a two-decades-old commitment to import 750,000 tonnes of wheat a year free of tariffs that Brazil made during the World Trade Organization Uruguay Round of talks on agriculture but never adopted.
Farm state senators have asked that wheat sales be on the agenda, in a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump seen by Reuters. They estimate such a quota would increase U.S. wheat sales by between $75 million and $120 million a year.
Brazil buys most of its imported wheat from Argentina, and some for Uruguay and Paraguay, without paying tariffs because they are all members of the Mercosur South American customs' union. Imports from other countries pay a 10% tariff.
A Brazilian official, who asked not to be named so he could speak freely, told Reuters the wheat quota could be sealed during a meeting between Brazil's Agriculture Minister Teresa Cristina Dias and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on March 19.
In return, the Brazilian government is hoping to see movement toward the reopening of the U.S. market to fresh beef imports from Brazil that were shut down after a meat-packing industry scandal involving bribed inspectors, according to Reuters.


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Producers of cannabidiol (CBD) are now one step closer to a clear pathway for marketing their hemp-derived cannabinoid in dietary supplements through various sales channels.
After seven months of clinical research, a team of principal investigators from Validcare presented preliminary findings March 15 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Cannabis Product Council. The findings showed no evidence of liver disease and no increase in the prevalence of elevated liver function tests (which would indicate inflammation or damage to cells in the liver, according to Mayo Clinic) in 839 participants when compared to a population with a similar incidence of medical conditions, according to Validcare’s March 23 press release. Validcare is a leading provider of digital decentralized patient-centric clinical trials for the life science and health care supplement industry.
The CBD liver safety study was commissioned and designed in response to the FDA’s request for science-based data so the administration could explore viable and appropriate regulatory pathways for hemp-derived CBD products outside the drug context. Only a pharmaceutical version of CBD, Epidiolex, is currently approved and regulated by the FDA.
“Our primary endpoint in this study is to observe potential liver effects in adults ingesting oral forms of hemp-derived CBD for a minimum of 60 days,” co-investigator Jeff Lombardo, PharmD., a board-certified oncology pharmacist (BCOP), said in the release.
“What we observed to date is no clinical evidence of liver disease in any participants,” he said. “We observed slight, clinically insignificant elevations of liver function tests in less than 10 percent of consumers irrespective of age, product composition and form, and the amount consumed.”
Three of the 839 participants had three times normal levels of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT). These three consumers were taking prescription medications that are known to elevate liver enzymes, which “we are investigating whether prescribed medications or other factors contribute to these outliers,” Lombardo said.
Overall, 70% of the study’s participants reported having a medical condition and taking medications for those conditions without an increase in reporting of adverse events, according Validcare.
“We are encouraged by these findings and hopeful this study provides FDA with sufficient science-based data to determine and take action on a safe regulatory path forward,” said Dr. Keith Aqua, M.D., co-principal investigator of the study. “We will continue to analyze these real-world data and are adding a second cohort to this study to increase statistical certainty for liver safety and secondary measures across diverse populations and consumers with various medical conditions.”
Principal investigators reviewed the preliminary liver safety study results in the form of an abstract with the FDA. The parties also discussed establishing a direct communication feed to the FDA so it can receive raw, blinded, aggregate data for its analysis.
The following 12 product companies led the industry in the initial study cohort: Asterra Labs, Care by Design, CBDistillery, CBD American Shaman, Charlotte’s Web, Columbia Care, Global Widget, HempFusion, Infinite CBD, Kannaway, Medterra CBD and SunMed CBD. Each brand provided funding, product, certificates of authenticity and assisted with recruitment of U.S.-based adult consumers, according to Validcare.
“Congressional leadership asked Validcare almost 18 months ago to engage industry help [to] collect safety data for FDA. We understand the significance, importance and immediate need for CBD safety research for the FDA, industry and the U.S. consumer,” Validcare CEO Patrick McCarthy said. “We are excited for our principal investigators to continue, expand and report out on this foundational work in the next few months. Once completed, safety results of this study will be shared with participating brands and FDA. The investigators also plan to publish [the results] in a peer-reviewed journal.”
Balanced Health Botanicals, a family of hemp-derived CBD brands, including its flagship brand CBDistillery, released a statement March 23 that said the study is the first step in increasing science-backed research and opening a direct line of communication with the FDA.
“There continues to be an increased need for science-backed data to aid in supporting very welcomed FDA regulation of this compound that has been used in medicine for thousands of years, but until recently, not allowed to be sold in the United States,” said Chase Terwilliger, CEO of Balanced Health Botanicals, in the news release. “We’re excited and honored to be a part of this ongoing research, specifically with Validcare’s recent findings. This is a major step for the hemp industry as a whole, and CBDistillery will continue to provide products, insight and resources where needed to ensure additional research can be done.”
Charlotte’s Web also released a statement March 23 that says the preliminary findings from the clinical study reaffirm the safety of its hemp-derived CBD extract, and that the methodology of a decentralized, observational approach with adult consumers of full and broad-spectrum hemp extracts and CBD isolates answered the FDA’s letter to Congress last March.
“We support using clinical science to inform our nation’s health regulators, lawmakers, state and federal regulators but most importantly, we believe in using clinical science to build long-term consumer trust,” said Deanie Elsner, Charlotte’s Web CEO. “Relevant science and regulatory oversight should work hand-in-hand for the benefit of all Americans.”


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Smart speaker adoption rate outpaces smartphones and tablets
New research claims adoption hit 16 percent in three years in US households
Smart speakers are the hot new toys in homes — with people buying Amazon Echo and Google Home more quickly than smartphones and tablets. The eagerness to swoop these smart home devices up is higher than initial interest in handheld devices when they first entered the market, according to research published by Edison Research for National Public Media.
One-in-six adults in the U.S. — or approximately 39 million people — now own a smart speaker, the research claims. Smart speaker ownership has jumped to 16 percent in just three years — an increase of 128 percent since January 2017.
According to the research, 42 percent of U.S. adults questioned said they deem their smart speaker "essential" to everyday life — and 65 percent say they would not go back to life without one, despite the threat to privacy that artificial intelligence can potentially pose.
Three-quarters of U.S. households will have at least one smart speaker by 2020, predicts research firm Gartner.
Edison Research surveyed 1,816 U.S. adults, finding 39 percent use their smart speaker instead of a traditional radio. Further, 35 percent use the speakers to replace some tasks previously performed on a smartphone. Two-thirds even use the gadget to entertain friends and family by playing music, asking general knowledge questions and checking the weather.
Just over one-fifth (22 percent) said they used their smart speaker to purchase goods online — something the Amazon Echo and its integration with the Amazon website is capable of with voice commands. Over half (58 percent) of these purchases were for household supplies — another Amazon stronghold.
When asked where they would like to see AI like Alexa and Google Assistant appear next, 39 percent said they would be "very interested" in having the technology in their cars, 24 percent were very interested in having AI in their televisions, and 17 percent opted for 'very interested' when asked if they wanted AI at their workplace.
We expect the momentum to continue in 2018, as both Apple and Samsung are preparing to release smart speakers of their own, and AI like Alexa is appearing everywhere from televisions to fridges and even light switches.
You can visit GearBrain's What Works with Amazon Alexa to see the connected devices that work with Amazon Echo and Alexa enabled devices. And if you own a Google Home or Home Mini, visit What Works with Google Home or Home Mini page.


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A business district plan for the old O’Fallon Lumber and Material Company grounds on West U.S. 50 at Cambridge Boulevard, which includes two small commercial strip centers and a standalone drive-thru restaurant on three acres, is now making its way through city channels.
TO-JB LLC is in the process of redeveloping this property, located at 531 W. Highway 50, where deteriorating, vacant buildings are overgrown with weeds and brush, into a multi-tenant commercial development.
A planned-use application has been submitted. The three buildings would total 16,600 square feet of retail space and the project could cost $6.6 million overall.
The developer is seeking creation of a business district, which will allow collection up to an additional 1 % sales tax within the development. This is not a sales tax rebate but rather an additional tax on retail goods above and beyond what is currently collected in the city.
Preliminary estimates indicate the site could produce $60,000 to $70,000 worth of sales tax revenue annually to the city.
The O’Fallon City Council is expected to approve Dec. 2 as the public hearing date at its Nov. 4 meeting after moving it forward Monday. Illinois law states that prior to creating a business district, an ordinance must first be passed setting the public hearing date.
Community Development Director Ted Shekell said the Planning Commission will review the proposal Nov. 12 and also conduct a public hearing.
The project could be approved Dec. 16 — and that includes the planned use zoning, creation of the 1 percent business district and approval of the redevelopment agreement for the business district. Not all the details are ready for release, Shekell said.
Hi-Pointe Drive-In of St. Louis is interested in expanding to Illinois but has not released details yet.
The drive-in specializes in burgers. Besides its original Hi-Pointe neighborhood spot, the restaurant added a downtown St. Louis location earlier this year. It is one of the restaurants owned by chef Mike Johnson, who started Sugarfire Smokehouse. Sugarfire expanded to O’Fallon in spring 2018 for its first site in the metro-east.
Jackie Roach, who is the wife of Alderman Todd Roach and the daughter-in-law of Mayor Herb Roach, is a 10 percent, non-voting member of the restaurant development group. Because of that, Todd Roach recused himself from the vote on establishing the public hearing and left the dais, saying he would not comment nor participate in any discussion.
Mayor Roach asked that Alderman Jerry Albrecht be appointed mayor pro tem and conduct the vote, which he did.
“We want to be transparent. There is no special treatment. We do not want anyone thinking there is. We want to be completely open about this,” the mayor said.
Todd Roach also recused himself at the earlier Community Development Committee meeting, leaving after he made a statement.
At the Oct. 21 council meeting, aldermen approved the public hearing date 12-0 on first reading, with Alderman Nathan Parchman absent and Roach abstaining.
After the meeting, Jackie Roach said the restaurant group would not announce before they followed the procedures to get the plan in place.
In other action, the council approved increasing the number of video gaming terminals to a maximum of six at licensed establishments.
They authorized the mayor to execute quit claim deeds for 117 Main St. and 217 W. First St. in two resolutions passed after an executive session.
A Town Hall Meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at City Hall.
The mayor will have Saturday hours from 1 to 3 p.m. on Oct. 26.


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Artisan bakery The Welbeck Bakehouse fired up its wood-burning oven for the first time last week, making a range of organic handmade sourdough breads and offering bakery courses.
The new bakehouse is situated on the Welbeck Estate in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, which has a farm shop, café and gallery. It is currently staffed with two bakers and one baker’s assistant, although the bakehouse has the capacity to expand production, said a spokesperson for the estate, who added that the possibility of the bakehouse having its own shop in the future had been discussed.
The products, baked in wood-fired brick ovens, will be sold at the bakery and the Welbeck Estate farm shop as well as local farmers’ markets. Bakery courses will also be run from the estate at The School of Artisan Food, which is due to open in September.
The range of breads will include its flagship loaf the Welbeck sourdough, a traditional British granary loaf, Polish rye and an Italian ciabatta, and will be made with flour, water, salt and sometimes a small amount of yeast; no improvers, additives or processing aids will be used.
Author and Real Bread Cam-paign founder Andrew Whitley has been a founding consultant for the project. "He will run his Baking for a Living courses at The School of Artisan Food, which will offer degree courses in areas such as cheese making, brewery and sourdough production," said the spokesperson.
The bakehouse will also be used by the students on the bakery courses.


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Feeding has and will have an increasingly strategic role in the construction of the countries and their economic development. Economy where communication and public relations are a key instrument. That’s the message coming from the international conference “Expo & Food: the role of communication in food promotion worldwide” organized by Global Alliance and FERPI on Saturday, June 27th at Expo2015 in the Cluster Bio Mediterranean. “Food crosses many dimensions of human actions and society “- said Patrizia Rutigliano, President FERPI- “Integrating all these dimensions requires a specific action that allows to capitalize on different sensitivities and existing projects, turning them into a unified strategy of institutional profile”. The event, with a large international participation, has served to create an opportunity for exchange of views to compare different cultures and develop relations with the countries of the Mediterranean area in the Pavilion. The Cluster, in fact, ‘cause of its structure, is similar to a square where alternate people, sounds, noises, typical of Mediterranean markets and as such lends itself to dialogue, as the ancient ‘agora’. The meeting was opened by the Manager of Cluster, Dario Cartabellotta, which introduced the discussion by highlighting the importance of food and in particular the Mediterranean diet, recognized by UNESCO in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as symbol of a real nutritional style. “The food belongs to everyone and the spread of culture for a healthy. Genuine and tasty diet is one objective of Cluster, where Sicily does to welcome the countries bordering the Mediterranean, that over the centuries have brought to our land their traditions, including through the food, “said Cartabellotta.
The debate developed with the contribution of Rp professionals from around the world showed the importance of communication in the promotion of food, but also other aspects related to it, such as “table”, meaning “fundamental social aggregation”, that must not be lost, because it’s a moment of union for families and peoples.
“Lunch is viewed as the most important meal” – said Gregor Halff, Chair of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management – “Have you had your lunch?” Is the most frequently asked question in Singapore, where there are the best foods from India, China, Malaysia, Indonesia. According to Jane Gitau, Chair of Public Relations PRSK of Kenya, the food has an absolutely central role, and at weddings and funerals they prepare various dishes from the different cultures that coexist in Kenya. But the time of greatest aggregation, almost like a magical similarity with Italy, we have over a good coffee, produced in different fragrances and tastes from more than 70,000 factories located throughout the area, real cultural, economic and social phenomenon.
“In the last decades, is happening a recovery of the importance of good food in the UK” – said Anne Gregory, Immediate Past Chair of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, United Kingdom, where production of beer, roast beef and fish & chips has become the main industry of the country. “Before we were eating to live, now we live to eat”. Mrs. Gregory continued “There’s a great attention about the very timely issue of genetic modification. It must not be only demonized but rather seen as the solution to continue to maintain a good quality of food and at the same time the best way to feed people. “Indonesia, according to the Immediate Past Chairperson PERHUMAS Public Relations Association of Indonesia and President of ASEAN Public Relations Network, Prita Kemal Gani, engages a lot on promotion of food. “In Indonesia there are more than 300 ethnic groups and around 18.307 islands. The food of each ethnic group is different and we use communication to make sure that Indonesian food is figured as an integral part of the culture of the country. Governors, ambassadors and public figures play an important role in the spread of cultural traditions through food “.
Even Lebanon, represented by Joelle Elias, Communication Manager at EXPO, for its location in the Mediterranean has been conquered by various peoples who have helped to create a fusion flavors, music and lifestyle. Different religions have played a key role in the spread of typical foods, like the hommos, the kebbe, tabouleh, sweet beklava, but also the alcoholic drink arak and wine falafel, all fresh products that over time have reached international markets.
And like real Spanish “cousins”, Jose Manuel Velasco Guardado, Board Member of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and Immediate Past President Dircom Spanish Association of Communication Directors, having praised the food culture in his country, citing their famous dishes like paella, jamon serrano and patanegra, which are a driving force for the economy and tourism in Spain, concluded his remarks jokingly admitting that he “prefers to eat the food instead of talking about food.”
A concrete example of action to the spread of culture of food arrived from Governor Rotary Malta-Sicily, Giovanni Vaccaro, who has published in collaboration with the Regional Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Mediterranean Fishing, the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Sicily and the Oral Medical Institute at University of Palermo, a bilingual book (Italian-English) entitled “Taste and Health“, which lists over 90 typical products of the Mediterranean diet, full of advices for a healthy nutrition and which made a gift to foreign speakers. “One way – said Vaccaro
– to help spread awareness of healthy eating”.
At the end, Dario Cartabellotta from perfect ‘host’ offered to foreign guests the classic “bread with oil”, simple food, healthy, nutrient and excellent symbol of the Mediterranean diet.
The conference at EXPO represented a synthesis of the great attention that is having the communication of food & beverage. From the meeting it emerged an awareness on the role of ‘containers’ as EXPO that can create new synergies because they put in direct contact people.
And that’s perhaps the real legacy of EXPO 2015 : international events, by their nature, can not lead decisively to the resolution of complex problems or issues, however, they can and should aim to build relationships and make that they become fruitful.


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Magic Leap, a startup focused on augmented reality technology, wants to create "an operating system for reality," according to CEO Rony Abovitz, who said the firm is developing an eyeglasses-like device, which will project virtual images over a real-life setting.
Qualcomm said it will sell its Vuforia augmented reality business to software firm PTC for $65 million. The terms of the transaction were confirmed by a Qualcomm spokesperson, and Qualcomm said it expects the deal to close by the end of 2015.
According to a report from Re/code citing unnamed sources, Qualcomm has put its augmented reality business, Vuforia, up for sale. The reported move comes just a few months after the company agreed to cut $1.4 billion in costs, slash up to 15 percent of its workforce, change some of its corporate practices and review whether to split up its chipset and licensing units.
Intel wants the world to know it is excited about what developers can do to bring its chipsets and technologies into more devices than just PCs, as the company expands into the Internet of Things and partners with other major technology companies.
Set aside those ideas about an antiquanted U.S. Postal Service. The USPS Office of Inspector General is eyeing augmented reality to drive down costs and improve efficiencies.
Magic Leap, a startup focused on augmented reality technology, said it raised $542 million in funding from Google, Qualcomm and other venture capital investors. The company plans to use the funds to speed up the development of its products, develop software and content elements and commercialize its wearable computing system.
Los Angeles-based startup Daqri is touting a high-tech helmet for blue-collar workers that combines augmented reality and 4D. The helmet, which will begin shipping next month, includes cameras, a sensor package, native augmented reality software and Daqri's Intellitrack system that leverages precise display and tracking features.
Google plans to produce about 4,000 prototype tablets with advanced computer vision capabilities as part of its Project Tango initiative, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Google aims to have the first smartphone designed as part of its Project Ara modular smartphone program on sale in January 2015. The so-called "gray phone" will cost around $50 to make and will be an entry-level phone, with prices determined by commerce partners.
Broadband subscribers may be able to find Wi-Fi hotspots with an "augmented reality" application that combines images captured from mobile devices with data detailing the strength of Wi-Fi access points, 4G networks and other wireless signals, according to a recent CableLabs patent application.


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One of my first economics lessons contrasted perfect competition, which was judged to be a good thing, with monopoly, which was not. There are worse places to begin than by being shown the difference between championing the miracle of the free market and favouring the depredations of dominant businesses.
But monopoly power has often seemed like yesterday’s issue. Standard Oil was broken up in 1911; AT&T in 1984. To the extent that we economists worried about companies being too big, we were thinking about the systemic risks from banks that were too big to fail. But we are starting to notice again the risks not of corporate failure but of corporate success.
The most obvious examples are the big digital players: Google dominates search; Facebook is the Goliath of social media; Amazon rules online retail. But, as documented in a new working paper by five economists, American business is in general becoming more concentrated.
David Autor and his colleagues looked at 676 industries in the US — from cigarettes to greeting cards, musical instruments to payday lenders. They found that for the typical industry in each of six sectors — manufacturing, retail, finance, services, wholesale and utilities/transportation — the biggest companies are producing a larger share of output.See also June 5's "Crazy in ETF love? New Study Imagines Bottling Star Quality" (returns to capital, predatory pricing etc., not the Tony awards).
For example, in the early 1980s the largest four players in any given US manufacturing industry averaged 38 per cent of sales; three decades later the figure was 43 per cent. In utilities and transportation the typical market share of the biggest four companies rose from 29 per cent to 37 per cent. In retail, overshadowed by Walmart and Amazon, the rise was dramatic: 14 per cent to 30 per cent.
This is surprising. As the world economy grows, one might expect markets to become more like the perfectly competitive textbook model, not less. Deregulation should allow more competition; globalisation should expose established players to pressure from overseas; transparent prices should make it harder for fat cats to maintain their position. Why hasn’t competition chipped away at the market position of the leading companies? The simplest explanation: they are very good at what they do. Competition isn’t a threat to them. It’s an opportunity.
What Professor Autor and his colleagues call “superstar firms” tend to be more efficient. They sell more at a lower cost, so they enjoy a larger profit margin. Google is the purest example: its search algorithm won market share on merit. Alternatives are easily available, but most people do not use them. But the pattern holds more broadly: superstar firms have grown not by avoiding competitors but by defeating them.
This is not entirely bad news. But it’s not entirely good news, either. The superstar firm phenomenon is the best explanation we have of a little-noticed but worrisome trend: since 1980, in the US and many other advanced economies, workers have been getting a steadily smaller slice of the economic pie (the distribution of this labour income also became much more unequal during the 1980s and 1990s)....MORE


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Adobe Systems has bought the technology assets of Yellow Dragon Software to bolster Extensible Markup Language support in its document management offerings.
Vancouver-based Yellow Dragon makes XML registry and messaging software to help companies take advantage of XML, an increasingly popular format for data exchange.
Adobe intends to integrate the registry technology into its server software next year, but has yet to find a home for XML messenger.
Yellow Dragon has specific expertise in ebXML, or electronic business XML. This XML dialect is designed to help companies transact business across borders and languages. Both Yellow Dragon products are based on ebXML.
The XML registry will become part of Adobe's Intelligent Document Platform, the company's enterprise product line, of which a new release is planned for next year, said Chris Ethier, senior product manager at Adobe. The registry will allow users to index and track their XML components as well as other components.
Adobe expected governments and businesses will require XML functionality over the next few years.
Terms of the deal with Yellow Dragon were not disclosed.
Joris Evers writes for IDG News Service


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// Travis Perkins shrugs off “challenging market conditions” to deliver better-than-expected sales
// Its Wickes retail chain swung back into profit in 2019
// Travis Perkins says it is closing in on its planned demerger for Wickes
Travis Perkins has shrugged off “challenging market conditions” to deliver better-than-expected sales for the past year.
The FTSE 250 company said it benefited from growth in its Wickes retail chain as it swung back into profit in 2019.
The “strong recovery” for Wickes comes as Travis Perkins closes in on its planned demerger for the retail arm.
- Wickes Christmas sales rise as owner Travis Perkins preps demerger
- Travis Perkins names Christopher Rogers as Wickes chair designate
It said plans to spin off Wickes are “proceeding smoothly”, with the company set to be a standalone listed business in the second quarter of this year.
Travis Perkins chief executive Nick Roberts said he is happy with the position of the business and believes it is well-placed to weather the impact of tough market conditions and the recent coronavirus outbreak.
“We are watching the situation with coronavirus very closely,” he said. “We have 30 staff in Shanghai who deal with our Asian operations, so our priority is their well-being.
“We are happy with our position as we built up our stock levels for Brexit and that is helping now.
“We had a few supplier factories close but they are all back apart from one. Our confidence is high looking forward but we are obviously watching it carefully.”
Travis Perkins swung to a £123 million pre-tax profit in the year to December 2019, from an £84 million loss in the previous year.
Meanwhile, total revenue increased by 3.2% to £6.9 billion for the year as it was buoyed by 3.8% like-for-like growth.
Mr Roberts said the business has “not yet seen” a bounce in confidence from customers, but added that it can hit targets for the year even if market confidence does not improve.
Wickes saw growth, while Travis Perkins was also significantly boosted by rapid growth in its ToolStation arm, which recently opened its 400th site.
After the demerger, Travis Perkins will primarily cater for building trade professionals, ranging from sole traders to major house-builders.
with PA Wires


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A painting by Mexican artist Alfredo Ramos Martinez sold for $1.8 million (Ђ1.4 million), a world auction record for the artist, and more than double the estimated price at a sale for Latin American art, Christie's auction house said.
"Mujeres con Flores" was estimated at $450,000, (Ђ351,200) officials said Tuesday. The buyer was not named. The oil painting measures 56.5 inches by 36 inches (143 centimeters by 91 centimeters) and depicts women with brightly colored flowers. The previous recordholder was "Casamiento Indio," auctioned for $405,000 (Ђ316,000) at Sotheby's in 2002.
A self-portrait of the Colombian artist Fernando Botero, known for painting his subjects fatter than they really are, went for $1.06 million (Ђ830,000), more than double the $500,000 (Ђ390,200) estimate.
"Oir Las Agues," by Cuban painter Tomas Sanchez, fetched $620,000, (Ђ483,800) a world auction record for the artist. The previous record was $363,200 (Ђ283,440) for "Gracia en La Cascada," at Sotheby's in May 2006.
Tuesday's auction totaled $17.3 million (Ђ13.5 million), one of the highest totals in the field, Christie's said. The sale continues Wednesday, reports AP.
Tuesday's auction prices include commissions of 20 percent of the first $200,000 (Ђ156,000) and 12 percent thereafter.
Europe has recognised the need for negotiations with Russia to discuss the security system on the continent. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is going to Macedonia for meetings with colleagues within the OSCE


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The latest data emerging from China, the world’s second largest economy with regards to its economic growth rate has been received with enthusiasm by macro-economic managers in Ghana. China is one of the country’s biggest trading partners, importing huge quantities of Ghana’s major commodity exports, while also serving as arguably the most cost competitive source of consumer goods imports. Besides this China’s strong demand for commodities from all around the world has been significantly responsible for the firming up of gold, crude oil and coca prices on global commodity markets which contributed greatly to Ghana’s consistent merchandise trade surpluses since the last quarter of 2016.
China has reported year on year economic growth of 4.9 percent for the third quarter of 2020. Although this is below the 5.2 percent widely expected it is still high enough lead a rebound of the global economy and a return to customary economic growth for Ghana itself.
During the first quarter of 2020 the Chinese economy contracted by 6.8 percent when it saw nationwide shutdowns of factories and manufacturing plants. Instructively Ghana’s own economy contracted by 3.4 percent during the second quarter of this year. Although this has been attributed almost entirely to the restrictions on socio-economic activity imposed by government between April and July in an effort to curb the spread of COVID 19, economists point out that the subdued trade volume between Ghana and China during the first half of the year also played a significant part in Ghana’s economic slump.
In 2019, prior to the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, which indeed originated from China, trade between the two countries reached US$7.46 billion. China is also currently the largest investor in Ghana as measured by the number of registered projects.
However, even as Ghana’s economic managers are now looking up to China’s economic rebound to raise the prices of Ghana’s major export commodities in international markets, and increase export volumes as well, they are keeping a close eye on the cedi’s exchange rate against the United States dollar. During the first nine months of this year the cedi depreciated by a record low 2.5 percent against the dollar even though this is an election year; usually, election years see abnormally high cedi depreciation.
However even though government’s fiscal policies and the Bank of Ghana’s monetary policies have correctly been hailed as being behind this unusual performance, trade economists also point out that the sharp reduction in Ghana – China trade, occasioned by the COVID 19 outbreak has also played a significant role. Indeed, it is instructive that immediately after Ghana closed its borders at the turn of the second quarter of 2020 the cedi appreciated sharply, as Ghanaian importers were unable to fly to China to arrange import orders. Ghana’s trade surplus has narrowed this year in the face of reductions in both imports and exports.
But with China’s economy rebounding strongly and Ghana’s economy expected to follow suit, albeit somewhat more slowly, there are worries that demand for forex with which to pay for increased imports from China will put renewed pressure on the cedi’s exchange rate again.
However government economists are hoping that the import substitution used to navigate supply chain disruptions with regards to Ghana’s imports will be permanent, this leading to a sustainable reduction in imports from China.
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The Eid al-Adha festival should be the busiest time of the year for Mahmoud Abu Holy, a livestock merchant in the Gaza Strip.
But soaring prices have driven away many of the people who would usually buy a sheep or goat to sacrifice on the Muslim holiday.
Just a few days before Eid al-Adha begins on Saturday, Abu Holy says he cannot afford to cut prices because of the sky-rocketing cost of animal feed - a side effect of the Ukraine war which has jolted global agricultural markets.
“We stand here the whole day without selling any of our animals,” said Abu Holy, struggling to find buyers at Khan Younis market in southern Gaza.
Mohammad Issa, 24, decided against buying once he discovered how much a sheep would cost. “Last year I bought a sacrifice for $300, today I found out it would cost $500 or $600 so I decided I wouldn’t do it,” he said.
For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Eid al-Adha, one of Islam’s two main festivals, marks the climax of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, when Muslims slaughter animals to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim, or Abraham, to sacrifice his son on God’s command, often distributing meat to the poor.
But this year people in many Arab countries say higher prices mean they cannot afford the important tradition, reflecting the impact of the Ukraine war which has piled more pressure on already high global food prices.
“I came to check the prices and whether we will be able to buy or not. But the prices are unbelievably very high compared to the last year,” said Hamoud al-Asri at a market in Sanaa, Yemen, where a ceasefire earlier this year has brought respite from seven years of war but millions still face hunger.
“I am leaving, I can’t afford it.”
At a market in Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country, one merchant said sheep prices had gone up by 50 percent to 90 Egyptian pounds ($4.77) per one kilogram. “We are not able to find buyers. I can sell the kilogram for 70 pounds but I need to find someone to buy from me, what else shall I do?” he said.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February in what it calls a “special operation.” With the two countries accounting for one-third of global cereal exports, the war has fueled surging prices for grains, fuel and fertilizer, of which Russia is a major exporter.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned last month the world faced an “unprecedented hunger crisis,” saying the war had compounded long-brewing problems, including climate disruption and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mahami Chikh, who sells livestock in Algeria, said costs had driven up prices: “It's barley, it’s food, it’s maintenance.”
In Lebanon, where a three-year-long economic crisis has caused soaring poverty, butcher Makhaber Hassan said sheep prices were rising by the day, now standing at $250 - roughly 7.5 million Lebanese pounds.
“It’s a very big number for an employee getting paid 1.5 million or 2 million (a month),” he said.
In Baghdad, a customer who gave his name as Hussein said he couldn’t pay the 500,000 dinars - roughly $350 - that one trader was asking for a sheep. “I asked him ‘Why 500?’. He responded that the feed is expensive,” he said.
Ali Farhan, 23, said he had postponed buying a washing machine to get a sheep instead.
“I spent all morning searching for an affordable price to buy a sheep to sacrifice for my dead mother, and eventually found a small, skinny one that cost me 350,000 Iraqi dinars, which used to cost around 200,000 dinars.”
UAE announces Eid al-Adha holiday dates for employees in private sectorPrivate sector employees in the United Arab Emirates will get a four day holiday ... Gulf
UAE experts urge COVID-19 caution, remind people to ‘celebrate safely’ on Eid al-AdhaHealth experts in the United Arab Emirates are urging the public to exercise ... Coronavirus
Dubai’s ruler pardons 505 prisoners ahead of Eid al-AdhaDubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has ordered the release of ... Gulf


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Bengaluru, August 23, 2019: The fourth edition of India’s largest confluence of digital-technology stakeholders, the IoT India Congress 2019 concluded its two-day event in Bangalore with a footfall of 1600+ participants and 70+ speakers. The IoT India Congress is the platform of platforms for the Internet of Things. This year’s theme was ‘Mainstreaming the Internet of Things’.
The two-day session focussed on ten tracks, namely: Energy, Healthcare, Defence, Standards and Regulatory, Retail, Digital Communication, Skills and Development, Agriculture, Manufacturing and Smart Cities. Each of the tracks included panel discussion, use cases and a Future Tech Spotlight segment, where discussions on the past, present and future of IoT applications were conducted.
Smt Aruna Sundararajan (Secretary of IT and Electronics, Department of Telecom), Arvind Tiwary, (Chair IoT Forum, TiE) and Dr Dhananjaya Dendukuri, (CEO and Co-founder, Achira Labs) were recognised for their excellence and leadership in the IoT space. They received the Thought Leadership Awards from Sir Robin Saxby, Technology Entrepreneur, Ex-Founding CEO and Chairman, ARM Holdings plc.
The PoP 91 Innovation Challenge awards were instituted to acknowledge teams that created the best working IoT solution to address existing industry challenges across 7 of our tracks. Kill A Watt from Smart City track, Ayati from Healthcare track, Megalodata from Manufacturing track and BackPropG from Agriculture track were announced the winners.
In this edition, the IoT India Congress focussed on application-based sessions like use cases and Future Tech Spotlight, which delved into the practical application of IoT to better business outcomes. There were business-case led panel discussions on current industry problems in each track at the event. Live problem-solving session were a highlight of this edition. The two-day event was inaugurated by Shri Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, who addressed the gathering on August 22, 2019.
Speakers from renowned companies and universities both international and national, like DRDO, ARM Holdings plc, Quadrant AI, University of Oxford, Samsung R&D Institute India, Tohoku University Hospitals, Unlimit, Aeris Communications, Manipal Hospital, Wells Fargo, Bata India Ltd, MG Motor, Cognizant and Nissan among others took part in the conference.
The Congress also witnessed the launch of eight whitepapers in the Smart Cities, Healthcare, Digital Communications, Manufacturing and Skills and Development tracks over the two days of the event. Speaking on the success of the Congress, Mr Shekhar Sanyal, Director and Country Head, IET India said, “This edition was a proof that the internet of things has changed the way we interact and do business. It’s great to see the innovative ways in which IoT is being used to enhance business outcomes. We are happy that the IoT India Congress has been an enabling platform for the industry, academia and the Government to break from their silos and work together.”
“The fourth edition of the Congress was a great success that witnessed participation from over 6 countries. It was wonderful to see the excitement over the two days. We are happy that the IoT India Congress is able to see through the transitions from discussing what the future of IoT should be to what it is today.” said, Dr Rishi Bhatanagar, Chairman of IET IoT Panel and IoT India Congress.


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Shattered Horizon¬ô - "Moonrise" Content Pack Announced
Free content pack will double the number of levels in the game
Helsinki, Finland - November 16th, 2009 - Futuremark¬ģ Games Studio today revealed plans for the first content pack for Shattered Horizon¬ô, their PC exclusive multiplayer first-person shooter. The "Moonrise" pack, which will be free to all players, includes four new levels effectively doubling the number of levels in the game. http://www.shatteredhorizon.com
In Shattered Horizon, a catastrophic explosion on the Moon has filled near-Earth space with billions of tons of rocky debris. Teams of players fight in zero gravity to control the limited supplies that mean the difference between survival and death in the cold of space. The Moonrise content pack includes four new levels set around the shattered Moon, taking the fight deeper into space and showing a new side to the conflict.
Although a release date for the Moonrise pack has not been announced, players who pre-ordered Shattered Horizon will be invited to start play-testing the new levels this week.
"Selected players will help us test the new Moonrise levels from a very early stage," said Antti Summala, lead designer. "Level design for zero gravity combat is a big challenge and we are looking forward to having real players help us create new experiences that cannot be found in other FPS games."
About Shattered Horizon
Shattered Horizon is the innovative first game from Futuremark Games Studio that immerses you in the cold reality of zero gravity combat in space.
¬ē Multiplayer first-person shooter set in near-Earth space 40 years from now.
¬ē Experience intense zero gravity combat and complete freedom of movement. Use your rocket pack to fly freely through space then land on any surface.
¬ē Join your friends in action-packed 32 player battles fighting to control hollowed-out asteroids, huge fragments of Moon rock and the ruined remains of the International Space Station.
¬ē Dedicated servers hosted by Futuremark Games Studio with server code for the community coming soon.
Shattered Horizon requires DirectX 10, a DirectX 10 compatible video card, and Windows Vista or Windows 7. There is no support for Windows XP or DirectX 9. Suggested retail price: ¬Ä19.95 / $19.95 / ¬£14.95 Available now from Steam and the official website: http://www.shatteredhorizon.com/buynow
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Tracking the latest consumer technology | Latest Post: EV batteries market driven by global demand
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
BMW launches smartphone Digital Key for latest luxury cars
BMW drivers can now turn their smartphone into their car key if they’re driving the latest X5 SUV or 8 Series Coupe.
These luxury BMW drivers will be able to unlock their car and start the engine with Digital Key using the “Near Field Communication” technology, also known as NFC. They’ll also be able to share their Digital Key access with up to five family members or friends, who'll use a four-digit code for access.
The process and verifications might seem a little intimidating at the beginning, as you’ll need several levels of authorization, the BMW Connected app, a Connected Drive account, and a compatible smart phone with NFC capability. At present, Android devices have been given the nod, such as the Samsung Galaxy family and the latest Note devices. Unfortunately, iPhone owners will not be able to play with the Bimmer’s Digital key system. But I’m sure Apple has something in the works. Read more...
This website follows the latest technology and gadgets while also delivering a dose of national and world news from across the U.S. and around the world. Earnest Hart is a technology enthusiast and all-around news tracker.
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- Baidu’s metaverse chief has left the company.
- Ma Jie’s name has disappeared from the Chinese internet giant’s internal computer database.
- This comes after Baidu shifted its focus to generative AI in the ChatGPT story.
Ma Jie, head of Baidu’s metaverse, said: reportedly A person close to the Chinese internet giant said he had left the company. The South China Morning Post reported Friday that a person familiar with the matter said searches did not find Ma’s name in the company’s computer database.
The report comes after Baidu’s decision to shift its focus to generative AI, a technology that has recently gained popularity among tech giants. Generative AI allows companies to create automated conversational bots that can generate content based on user queries.
Ma, who joined Baidu in 2015, said on Friday that Chinese media outlet The Paper said he had “already left Baidu.” However, the internet giant could neither confirm nor deny the report.
Another source, who first reported the personnel changes, said Baidu has pulled out of the Metaverse business to focus on AI. Generative AI appears to be emerging as the new shiny toy for tech giants, replacing the Metaverse.
Facebook, which rebranded to Meta in October 2021, has also been accused of going in the same direction. But co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has refuted these claims, affirming his own up-and-coming Metaverse community that Meta is fully committed to the course. .
But Baidu and Meta aren’t the only notable tech giants to exit the metaverse. In February 2023, Baidu’s local rival Tencent disbanded its 100-staff augmented reality (XR) team just months after its creation. The move was interpreted as a step back from the metaverse race. The company cited the decision as a result of lower profits following its 2022 results.
According to Chinese sources who have spoken to local media, Baidu is pulling out of the Metaverse business for similar reasons.
In the US, Microsoft laid off staff from its industrial metaverse, opting instead to focus on products with near-term profit potential.
In our recent feature on the metaverse, we asked industry experts what the future holds for the metaverse in light of recent developments. Clearly, tech giants are suddenly less confident about the future of 3D virtual spaces than they were a few months ago.
What we’ve learned is that while the consensus is that the Metaverse will live on, it’s probably not the time for big tech companies to show their shareholders progress every three months.
Ma knew the Metaverse had a long way to go before it could establish a strong foothold in the technology space. Commenting on the Metaverse right around the time Facebook rebranded it to Meta, Ma said, “The Metaverse is still in the very early stages of development,” and said that online communities could work together to build and improve the industry. He added that patience is required.
According to reports today, Baidu’s XiRang metaverse “Land of Hope” lasted only 18 months. Both Tencent’s XR division and Microsoft’s industrial metaverse division lasted four months.
However, native Metaverse and Web3 companies such as The Sandbox, Windfall, Somnium Space and Decentraland are holding their own despite the prolonged bear market.
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American Supercar Maker is Teasing a New 650-HP Model
Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus (SCG) is teasing a second model with around 650 horsepower.
The American automaker and motorsports team has impressed with its SCG003, which is now actually in production. So it’s no surprise SCG is already looking towards the development of a second model, which it has already begun teasing on the company’s Facebook page. Two images have been shared, and SCG has been asking its fans a few questions that suggest what the new supercar might be like.
Should SCG’s second model be a very lightweight sports car? Should it have a carbon body and chassis? How about a 650-hp high-revving engine paired to a manual-gated six-speed transmission with a clutch pedal option? Should it be a three seater? What if all of the above was answered with a firm yes and the price tag was around $400,000?
It sounds more like these are hypothetical questions and SCG has already begun development on a new supercar that will have racing in mind. Like the SCG003, expect to see both street-going and track-only versions.
No timeline on when we will learn more about the second car has been announced, but don’t be surprised if something appears by next year’s Nurburgring race.
Discuss this story on our Luxury Lifestyle Forum


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We are excited to announce that Saudi citizens can now apply for a Turkey visa online through our website. This new service will help paper-based travel agents and tour operators with the online process, long term storage and archival, regulatory and compliance management for their country-specific needs. We believe that this will greatly improve the efficiency and accuracy of the visa application process, and provide a more convenient experience for our customers.
Turkey visa online is pleased to announce that citizens of East Timor are now eligible to apply for a Turkish visa online. This is great news for those who are looking to travel to Turkey, as it makes the process much simpler and more convenient.Previously, East Timor citizens had to apply for a Turkish visa in person at a Turkish embassy or consulate. However, with the new online system, applicants can complete the entire process from the comfort of their own homes.To apply, simply visit www.turkeyvisaonline.com and fill out the online application form. Once your application has been processed and approved, you will receive your e-Visa via email within 5 business days.We are delighted to offer this new service to our East Timor customers and we look forward to welcoming you to Turkey soon!
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There is no question about it, cannabis is a big threat to the pharmaceutical industry, and has been for years. Many people believe that this is why, despite the enormous potential cannabis has shown in the lab as well as for people all over the world who have used it, and are using it for medicinal purposes, a severe lack of research and resources are put into medicinal cannabis. But again, this hasn’t stopped people from using it. When it comes to cancer specifically, multiple components of cannabis, like THC and CBD, for example, have destroyed cancer cells in a lab. You would think with these kind of findings that clinical trials would start, but they haven’t. All we have to rely on is the experience and testimony of what seems to be hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people around the globe.
The latest example comes from, Olivia Netwon John, who recently announced publicly her third cancer diagnosis. This time, it’s stage four breast cancer that’s metastasized to her bones. Ever since her recent diagnosis, she’s been quite open about using cannabis to treat her pain and other symptoms.
As Goodhousekeeping writes:
Olivia admits to being hesitant to use cannabis for her pain at first (especially considering the stigma that still exists around marijuana) but her husband of 11 years, John Easterling, convinced her to take the leap. John has been a long-time advocate for plant-based medicine: In 1990, he founded Amazon Herb Company, an herbal wellness company that has since merged with TriVita.
The article goes on to explain:
“I’d heard a lot from my husband about how [cannabis] could help me,” Olivia tells GoodHousekeeping.com. “I was a little nervous because I don’t like the feeling of any kind of mind-altering thing … but I started out very slowly, and I adjusted to it, and it’s really helped me greatly.”
For the past couple of years, John has been growing herbal remedies “pretty specifically” for Olivia, he says. Today, he grows 21 different cultivars (or strains) of cannabis, which he uses to create a product for Olivia that’s made up of 47% THC, 26% CBD, and a whole slew of other cannabinoids, including CBG, CBC, and CBN. (Cannabinoids are the naturally occurring chemical compounds found in cannabis plants.) Rather than isolate a cannabinoid like THC or CBD, as is popular now, John personally believes in the power of something called the “entourage effect.”
The latest comments from her come from peaking to The Sunday Telegraph this week, the 71-year-old said that using medicinal cannabis has improved her health. She said it has been ‘so incredible,’ Olivia told the publication: ‘My tumours are receding or they’re going away or they’re staying the same, on a Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer — that’s pretty amazing.’


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ENNISKILLEN is expected to benefit from a quarter of a million pounds package from the Department of Communities to support town centres in their economic recovery from the effects of Covid-19.
This week Enniskillen Business Partnership responded to the announcement saying that the money should be spent in a rejuvenation scheme for Enniskillen town centre.
A spokesman for the Partnership, detailed their concept, said there were several empty shops appearing across the town.
“If a grant was offered to someone who starts a new business in the town it could entail either a rent or rates rebate. They may have to sign a lease for three to five years to avail of this,” he explained.
“That would be the concept to bring new businesses into the town because old businesses have had to close over the pandemic. It would be for the Enniskillen town centre, but not just between the bridges and it would be important to include places like the Irvinestown Road and the Sligo Road,” he added.
The spokesman proposed that it should be a rejuvenation grant to help small businesses open up in vacant premises.
To read more on this story see this week’s Fermanagh Herald. Can’t get to the shop to collect your copy? No problem! You can download a copy straight to your device by following this link https://bit.ly/3gOl8G0
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Posted: 2:03 pm August 6, 2020


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Ground work has begun on a new shopping complex for Halifax with buidings including a 220-year-old pub being demolished .
Plans for the £25m Pennine Shopping Centre were passed in 2012 and would feature a 500 space car park.
The Pump Room, on the junction of Church Street and New Road, Halifax, has been demolished making way for car parking and access to the new development.
The exisiting Pennine Shopping Centre would be demolished and re-built under plans by The Harris Partnership. The land is owned by The Royal London Property Fund.
The 123,000 sq ft re-development, which also includes land adjacent to the existing centre, would double the size of the existing retail space.
Michael Schorah, managing director of The Harris Partnership, based in Wakefield, said when the plans were submiited: “The key thing in planning terms is that the south of Halifax is becoming rather run down and, with this anchor, our principle entrance to the new retail development fronts out on the access route that goes to the Piece Hall and links to the Woolshop Shopping Centre, and the new leisure development – Broad Street Plaza – at the other side of town.
“The design is striking, utilising quality materials throughout and will be a welcome addition to the town centre. We are delighted to be playing such a key role in the regeneration of the town which is becoming a great retail destination.”
Colliers International, acting as planning agents, said new plans are in the process of being submitted due to the time expiry date of the original plans being passed.


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WhatsApp is rolling out a limited public beta of its app that includes improved multi-device capability.
This will allow the app to be used on other devices without an actively connected smartphone.
As it stands, WhatsApp offers web, macOS, Windows, and Portal apps, but these have to be connected to a smartphone with the app that is connected to the Internet.
The phone acts as the primary device or “source of truth” for all user data and is the only device in the system capable of encrypting messages end-to-end, initiating calls, and more.
“Companion devices maintain a persistent secure connection with the phone and simply mirror its contents on their own UI,” WhatsApp explains.
WhatsApp acknowledged that while this architecture made it easy to deliver a synchronised experience between a phone and companion device without compromising security, it comes with significant reliability trade-offs.
“By requiring the phone to perform all operations, companion devices are slower and frequently get disconnected — especially when the phone has a poor connection, its battery is running low, or the application process gets killed by the phone’s OS,” the company stated.
“It also allows for only a single companion device to be operative at a time, meaning people can’t be on a call in Portal while checking their messages on their PC, for example.”
The image below illustrates what the current multi-device architecture looks like in the latest official version of the app.
The new WhatsApp multi-device architecture removes the need for the smartphone app to act as the central hub to use the service.
“With this new capability, you can now use WhatsApp on your phone and up to four other non-phone devices simultaneously — even if your phone battery is dead,” WhatsApp said.
“Each companion device will connect to your WhatsApp independently while maintaining the same level of privacy and security through end-to-end encryption.”
Any easy way to achieve multi-device support while syncing data like contact names, chat archives and starred messages across devices would have been to store people’s private messages on its servers.
However, WhatsApp said it wanted to enable multi-device capability while ensuring that privacy and end-to-end encryption remains.
“To achieve this, we had to rethink WhatsApp’s architecture and design new systems to enable a standalone multi-device experience while preserving privacy and end-to-end encryption,” WhatsApp said.
Before the multi-device support, everyone on WhatsApp was identified by a single identity key from which all encrypted communication keys were derived. With multi-device, each device now has its own identity key.
“The WhatsApp server maintains a mapping between each person’s account and all their device identities. When someone wants to send a message, they get their device list keys from the server,” the company said.
“Each message is individually encrypted using the established pairwise encryption session with each device. Messages are not stored on the server after they are delivered,” the company said.
The image below shows how the new architecture functions.
WhatsApp said it is also using a combination of technologies to prevent malicious or compromised servers from eavesdropping on someone’s communication by adding devices to someone’s account.
- Extended security codes — These unique identifiers now represent the combination of all of someone’s device identities so that contacts can verify all the devices they are sending messages to.
- Automatic Device Verification — Devices can automatically establish trust between each other in a way that someone needs to compare another user’s security code only if that user reregisters their entire account, rather than each time they link a new device to their account.
- Biometric authentication for linking devices — Compatible devices will now require you to scan your fingerprint or face to link them to the WhatsApp account.
- Device list — Users can see all companion devices linked to their account and when they were last used and can log out of them remotely if needed.
WhatsApp said it plans to initially test the experience with a small group of users from its existing beta program, so it will be a while before it reaches general release.
“We will continue optimising performance and adding a few additional features before slowly rolling it out more broadly,” WhatsApp stated. Users of the official app will be able to opt out of the feature once it is available on their device.
For more information about the beta and to sign up, you can visit the WhatsApp Help Centre.


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In its short lifespan, the Honda CR-Z has taken quite a beating. Not only has it never sold very well, but it also received less-than-stellar reviews because it hasn’t been a great sport compact or hybrid. To help set the model straight, Honda is set to reveal a completely redesigned CR-Z in 2018, but until then, a significant facelift will have to do.
Thanks to the folks over at CarNewsChina.com, we now have our first look at the updated CR-Z.
On the outside, the changes are dramatic for a refresh. The front end features new headlights that are wider, a shapelier chin, and enlarged air inlets. Down the sides, you’ll notice more pronounced ground effects, while the rear end has revamped bumper that adds a little sportiness.
The interior of the CR-Z will also undergo some changes, but they are less significant than those on the outside. These changes include a new gearshift knob on the manual gearbox, a new center armrest, hew chrome handles, an electric parking brake, and a larger infotainment screen.
Unfortunately, the under-hood changes will have to wait until the new-generation model rolls out in 2018. Most reports indicate that this facelifted model will arrive with the same powertrain as the 2015 model, which is a 1.5-liter gasoline-fueled engine and an electric motor that team up to produce 130 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque.
According to reports, this new look will debut in 2016, which would make it a 2017 model year. Oddly enough, this only leaves two years between this refresh and the complete redesign in 2018.
We’ll bring you more details on the 2017 CR-Z as they become available, so keep it locked here.


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Starbucks Canada Is Prepared To Switch To Drive-Thru Only If COVID-19 Gets Worse
There could also be a switch to mobile order-only scenarios.
It might get more difficult to go in and buy coffee at one popular chain soon. Starbucks Canada's coronavirus response could mean a switch to drive-thrus only across the country. There are also so many other things the coffee giant is prepared to do.
As the COVID-19 situation continues around the world, Starbucks sent out an email to customers saying they are already prepared to make changes in Canada if it gets worse.
Any possible moves made to ensure the health and safety of workers and customers will be looked at on a store by store basis.
"While we are currently maintaining regular operations across the U.S. and Canada, our stores are prepared to modify operations with options that still allow us to serve you your favourite beverage and food," said Kevin Johnson, CEO of Starbucks, in a letter.
That could mean only having the drive-thru be open instead of people going into the store and ordering there.
Starbucks is also prepared to do mobile order-only scenarios for pick up through the app or delivery through Uber Eats.
So you'd order ahead of time on the app and only go into a store to pick it up or have it delivered to you.
There could be changes inside by limiting the amount of seating so that there is more distance between people.
As a last resort, Starbucks will close a store if there's a government order to do so or if it's best for customers and employees.
Johnson said that in any situation related to changes because of COVID-19, "we expect store disruption to be temporary."
Starbucks has already taken precautions against the virus, likeand "for here" plates and cups.
Stores have also increased cleaning and are prepared to respond quickly to any emerging situation related to COVID-19.
Canada currently has more than 1,400 Starbucks locations that could be affected by any of these changes.


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An anonymous reader shares a report: Every once in a while, we see Netflix test new plans in certain markets, and most of them involve price hikes. The same goes for the latest test that was spotted over in Italy, where the streaming giant is toying with a couple of different scenarios. First spotted by Italian-language blog SmartWorld, the tests suggest that Netflix is toying with the idea of either raising Standard and Premium subscription, or increasing all of its prices across the board.
Right now the default monthly Netflix streaming prices for Italy and other countries in the European Union are at Euro 7.99, or ~$9.1 (Base), Euro 10.99, or ~$12.5 (Standard), and Euro 13.99, or $16 (Premium). One of the tests that Netflix is currently conducting proposes that the Base subscription stays the same, but the Standard and Premium plans go up to Euro 12.99, or ~$14.8 and Euro 17.99, or ~$20.5 respectively.
of this story at Slashdot.