text:
Following its acquisition of Viv, an artificial intelligence platform created by former Siri vets, Samsung has confirmed that its forthcoming flagship device is going to contain a digital assistant.
Though the company didn’t say what the Siri and Google Assistant competitor would offer in terms of features, it did confirm that it is arriving alongside the Galaxy S8 and is going to ‘seamlessly’ integrate with third-party services.
“Developers can attach and upload services to our agent,” said Samsung Executive Vice President Rhee Injong during a briefing with Reuters.
“Even if Samsung doesn’t do anything on its own, the more services that get attached the smarter this agent will get, learn more new services and provide them to end-users with ease.”
Additionally, according to anonymous sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, the latest internal prototypes of the S8 include a dedicated button on the edge of the smartphone that could be used to launch the assistant.
Samsung announced its acquisition of Viv Labs in early October 2016 as part of the company’s vision to develop an “AI-based open ecosystem across all of its devices and services.”
Viv Labs’ AI is purportedly capable of learning, connecting multiple ideas in one command and executing personal assistance tasks. It was first demonstrated at a TechCrunch Disrupt event in May 2016.
The announcement of the digital assistant — rumoured to be titled Bixby — helps to generate buzz for the Galaxy S8, the company’s next premium smartphone following the disastrous Note 7. The ill-fated Note device was well-reviewed but discontinued following battery combustion issues that left the company the butt of jokes and down an estimated $5.4 billion in profit over three quarters through Q1 2017.


text:
On Wednesday, January 25th we chose to celebrate all of our delivery drivers and distributors who continuously put up with the unfortunate weather this time of year to ensure they're providing us with the services and supplies we need to keep our business up and running. We chose to offer them a free lunch between 11am and 3pm as our way of thanking them for their hard work and dedication. We feel that the delivery personnel and distributors are the unsung heroes of the bar and restaurant industry, and we felt they deserved some recognition and reward for their hard work. We couldn't do it without them, thanks!
And thanks to Channel 8 News for the sweet coverage of the event! Check out the story here: http://www.wmtw.com/article/thirsty-pig-restaurant-hosts-delivery-driver-appreciation-lunch/8639999

domain: news


text:
The state of SA’s gold mining industry is worse than first thought, with fewer than 20% of gold mines making money at prevailing prices - while large job cuts are forecast in coming years, following decades of steeply falling employment.
Data from the Minerals Council SA (formerly the Chamber of Mines), released as wage talks in the sector have kicked off, show that 80% of SA’s gold mines, once the powerhouse of the country’s economy and global gold industry, are unprofitable at prevailing gold prices of about R520,000/kg.
"Looking at the ‘spot price of gold’ and the ‘spot all-in costs’ [cash costs, sustaining capital and new investment costs], we think that over 80% of companies are not covering their costs at today’s gold price," said Henk Langenhoven, the council’s chief economist, adding "very few companies sell [at] spot prices".
Gideon du Plessis, the general secretary of trade union Solidarity, pointed out that the Minerals Council had as usual opened wage talks by painting a gloomy picture of the industry to motivate for the lowest possible wage increase.
Have your say
More Business Headlines
- Fidelity Bank recognised as Best MTN Mobile Money partner
- Nigeria to shut bank accounts of firms which import FX restricted goods
- Ghana Business Standard Awards to reward outstanding products, services providers in August
- Finance minister confident of meeting 2019 ¢57.7b revenue target
- Global FinTech company partners local startup to digitise Okada operations
- Ghana tipped to be fastest growing mobile money market in Africa
- Job House recruitment agency marks 3 yrs of business partnership with Uber Ghana
- Closed season ends! Gov't opens sea for fishing activities
- Frimps Oil denies 'cheating' customers
- Leveraging technology for improved living – Jumia shows the way
- AfDB showcases impact of Korean drone technology on agricultural productivity
- Firmus Advisory holds stakeholder engagement for regulatory agencies
- VIDEO: Savings and Loans sector cleanup: To panic or not to panic
- We’re still in business – ECG boss
- Disease lowers Ghanaian cocoa output, processors must import – Sources


text:
@SHAQ and @GuyFieri serving tequila at the Amazon event. Nice. #ces2020 pic.twitter.com/HFbib2oQzw — Bret Kinsella @ CES (@bretkinsella) January 8,..
Google Assistant VP Scott Huffman Reveals Google’s Position on Voice App Discovery and Sundar Pichai’s View of Voice
Scott Huffman, vice president of engineering for Google Assistant, opened the Voice Live at CES conference this week by sharing..
Voice technology developer Speechmatics and navigation software platform what3words debuted a new API combining their technology at CES this week...
Nearly two-thirds of voice assistant users have mistakenly triggered their device over the course of a month, according to a..
Voice AI developer Aiqudo will power the native voice assistant in Byton vehicles, the company announced at CES this week...
Google Assistant has two new commands designed to improve user privacy and make people feel more comfortable with the voice..
Korean conglomerate KT wants to be a player in the voice and AI market in South Korea and is making..
Smart sensing technology licensor CEVA announced at CES this week that it will start integrating its speech recognition and voice..


text:
Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang on Monday shot back a letter in response to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s 3-week ultimatum for Yahoo to come to negotiations with a firm message that Yahoo has not changed their tune in regards to Microsoft taking over the search engine. Ballmer’s letter had spelled out plans for a proxy contest to unseat the exist Yahoo board of directors and that continued delays could reduce the $44.6 billion offer which would mean less for shareholders.
“Our board’s view of your proposal has not changed,” said Yang along with Chairman Roy Bostock. “We continue to believe that your proposal is not in the best interests of Yahoo and our shareholders.”
Instead of going through the negotiations Yahoo has chosen to beat their exclamation points into swords and fight back against Microsoft. Yang continued in the letter stating that the offer and proxy contest would not be in the best interest of Yahoo and certainly not part of a friendly transaction as Microsoft first proposed.
As Ballmer had also noted in his letter over the weekend, Yahoo continues to make changes to its services which Microsoft perceives as hindrances to a takeover. Yahoo however sees the changes as a new transformation strategy put into high gear due to the recent threats of takeover, showing stockholders that Yahoo still has some kick and will make a comeback on its own.


text:
Sanya’s car rental market deflated during 2013 National Day Holiday
During the 2013 National Day Holiday, car rentals in Sanya decreased significantly compared with the same period of previous years, according to reports.
According to industry insiders at Sanya car rental market, one of the main reasons for this is that a large number of private car owners, second-hand car dealers and automobile 4S stores have started to offer their own car rental services in recent years.
In order to attract more customers, Sanya’s many car rental companies did not increase the car rental fees above normal rates during the 2013 week-long National Day Holiday.
In addition, many car rental companies in Sanya have no limit on minimum rental days. Customers were allowed to rent the cars for as few as 3 days, or in some cases just 1 day, this year instead of the usual 7 during the same period in previous years.
SOURCE: WOS Team
News appearing here is the property of www.whatsonsanya.com, however, for those who wish to copy the contents in part or in full, please make reference and link the article copied to our site. Whatsonsanya.com does not necessarily endorse their views or the accuracy of their content. For copyright infringement issues please contact firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
From an uplifting tote bag and IKEA tarot cards to Le Creuset’s Marble casserole and mixed-media artworks partially created by bees, these are the VISI team’s top picks of the week.
1. Ava Roth’s Mixed-media Artworks
Artist Ava Roth creates works of art with the honeybees in her garden. She combines embroidery, fabric, bark and honeycomb to build mixed-media collages that the bees also contribute to.
Images via thisiscolossal.com
2. Le Creuset’s Marble Casserole
Le Creuset has released a new Marble Signature Round 24cm Casserole. The limited-edition casserole forms part of the brand’s cast-iron collection and comes with a complimentary gift of 4 mini cocottes.
Image courtesy of Le Creuset
3. Seriously Have a Good Day Tote by Skinny laMinx
Local textile and homeware brand Skinny laMinx has released a new tote bag to send positive vibes off into the universe. The Seriously, Have a Good Day tote aims to promote a message of happiness. “The #seriouslyhaveagoodday campaign is all about taking our daily actions seriously, as we help cultivate a climate of generosity, friendliness and optimism,” says the Skinny laMinx team. The tote is available online and in-store.
Images courtesy of skinnylaminx.com
4. Crocodile Log Collection by Mama Wata
It may look like a crocodile but no matter how long a log floats in a river it never will be a crocodile. This Congolese proverb inspired local surf brand Mami Wata’s new Crocodile Log range. The proverb aims to encourage people to be themselves.
Images courtesy of mamiwatasurf.com
5. IKEA Tarot Cards
Brooklyn-based software engineer Akiva Leffert has designed a quirky pack of tarot cards, replacing the original imagery using illustrations of IKEA’s flatpack instructions.
Images via designboom.com


text:
The usual: Lebanon blames widening trade deficit on Syrian crisis
Lebanon’s trade deficit widened by 2.525 percent in 2013 compared to 2012 as exports fell by more than $480 million, the Customs Department said Monday.
According to data released by the department, the trade deficit in 2013 reached $17.292 billion, compared to a deficit of $16.797 billion in 2012.The report did not explain the reasons behind the widening trade deficit or why exports fell by such a significant amount.
However, analysts attribute the fall in total exports to the ongoing Syrian crisis, which has blocked access to land routes for Lebanese exports.
Prior to the start of the conflict nearly three years ago, Lebanese industrialists and farmers shipped most of their goods through Syria.
Efforts to secure cheap and safe alternative routes for Lebanese exports have had little success.
Caretaker Industry Minister Vreij Sabounjian has been seeking new markets for Lebanese made goods and has urged industrialists not to count on the Cabinet alone to expand their businesses beyond Lebanese borders.
He and the Industrialists Association have succeeded in arranging transport for the bulk of Lebanese goods by sea, although this route is more expensive than the land routes.
Among the main imported items in 2013 were live animals, vegetables, fats and edible fats, oil, prepared foodstuff, mineral products, plastic and chemical products, cars, machinery and fuel oil.
Among the main exported items were machinery, minerals, textiles, jewelry and agricultural produce.
The customs said that 73 percent of the imports came through Beirut Port, followed by 18 percent through Beirut’s airport and 5 percent through the Tripoli port.
Lebanese exports also passed mainly through Beirut Port, followed by Beirut’s airport and the Masnaa crossing point.
China became the leading source of goods imported into Lebanon, followed by Italy, France, the United States and Germany.
As for exports, Syria became the leading importer of Lebanese-made goods, followed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Switzerland and Iraq.
The Lebanese state generated LL2.259 trillion ($1.5 billion) from Customs duties in 2013, the largest source of earning for the government, registering an increase of 3 percent compared to 2012.
Value added tax revenues generated from the Customs Department in 2013 reached LL2.120 trillion, a drop of 4 percent compared to 2012.
Total fees collected from all the airport and port routes in 2013 stood at LL364.891 billion, with Beirut Port grabbing the lion’s share of fees at LL162.379 billion.
- Oman’s Duqm tourist complex moves forward with government approval
- Kuwait fights budget deficit: Reexamining government salaries, expatriate labor
- Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts fights nationwide unemployment levels
- Construction costs fall in Dubai
- Western tourists flock to Iran, could generate $30B in new revenue


text:
By Brenda Steele:
I’ve been totting up the attacks from all sides on the FM and Jeanne Freeman over the Nike-Conference-Gate
Labour’s Ian Murray has been on the case:
Scottish Government should admit Covid Nike cover-up and move on – Ian Murray MP
We should all thank Nicola Sturgeon for her work during the Covid crisis, but she needs to own up to the mishandling of the Nike conference coronavirus outbreak in February, writes Ian Murray MP.
Cover-up: “An attempt to prevent people discovering the truth.”
That’s the dictionary definition of a cover-up, but it could alternatively state: “What happened when there was a coronavirus outbreak at a Nike conference in Edinburgh.”
People were prevented from discovering the truth about the February ground-zero outbreak in our city.
As have the UK press pack at this at daily briefing:
And not to forget Jackson Carlaw
In four repetitive questions, all patiently if at times wearily, answered by the First Minister, the Conservative leader, Jackson Carlaw, ignored the answers and tried desperately again and again to show that the SNP administration and not its advisers was responsible for the decision to protect the privacy of the those Scots attending the Nike conference in Edinburgh on 26th February. With no evidence, he doubted the officials had carried out enough contact tracing and tried to portray the decision as some kind of cover-up by the administration
But shouldn’t that apply equally to Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and Health England?
Why didn’t they tell the people of London the full truth about the closure of the Nike’s London headquarters in Soho?
Nike HQ leads big shutdown as coronavirus disruption grows in London. Nike’s London headquarters in Soho has been shut down until Thursday at the earliest as disruption from the coronavirus outbreak gathers pace.
About 150 employees of the US sportswear giant were told to stay at home after a colleague returned from an overseas trip to one of the worst-hit areas, the Standard understands.
The three floors at Film House are undergoing a “deep clean” but no members of staff have reported feeling unwell or tested positive for the illness.
Was it the same Nike employee who came to Edinburgh or was it someone else? How many lives in London would have been saved if they had “come clean” then?
Note: Boris has a get-out card – he was already ill and went into hospital on on 5th March.


text:
IMBOX Protection Named a CES 2023 Innovation Award Honoree
We are happy to share that IMBOX Flagship has been named CES® 2023 Innovation Awards Honoree.
IMBOX PROTECTION SUPPORTS “KNÆK CANCER 2022”
Imbox Protection A/S is supporting the campaign “Knæk Cancer” again this year
100 million IMBOX treatments
100 million IMBOXED shoes worldwide!
Imbox Protection launching in the U.S.
Imbox Protection is now available in North America with the new IMBOX Flagship. The new innovative IMBOX features groundbreakin...
IMBOX PROTECTION WINS INNOVATION AWARD AT EY ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
On Thursday, March 24th, Imbox Protection participated in the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 award show at Lokomotivværkstede...
Download our new whitepaper
In our newest white paper, we take a look at physical shopping in the digital era.
Imbox Protection wins regional EY Entrepreneur of the Year
On Tuesday, November 30th, Imbox Protection won the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year award in the Central Denmark Region. Imbox Prot...
IMBOX PROTECTION SUPPORTS “KNÆK CANCER 2021”
Imbox Protection A/S is supporting the campaign “Knæk Cancer” again this year. We are proud to be part of the campaign, that co...
Download our free whitepaper
Would you like to learn about the future of footwear?
IMBOX HAS BEEN AWARDED GAZELLE AWARD 2020
For the third year in a row, we at Imbox Protection A/S have been awarded the “Gazelle” from Børsen, the Danish financial newsp...
Imbox support Danish Cancer Society
We are at Imbox Protection A/S again this year supporting the campaign "Knæk Cancer 2020". The campaign is a collaboration betw...
IMBOX IN NEW FRENCH COLLABORATION
Imbox Protection A/S have entered the French market with a new, exciting collaboration with Chaussexpo. This means the Imbox no...
IMBOX PROTECTION A/S – FORMERLY IMBOX SHOECARE A/S
As a result of a greater rebranding strategy, we are changing our brand name and visual identity to Imbox Protection A/S. Our n...
IMBOX AWARDED FREMSTILLINGSGAZELLE 2019
The 5th of November 2019 Børsen, the Danish financial newspaper awarded us at IMBOX ShoeCare A/S the FremstillingsGazelle 2019....
IMBOX HAS BEEN AWARDED GAZELLE AWARD 2019
For the second year in a row, we have been awarded the “Gazelle” from Børsen, the Danish financial newspaper. To be selected, a...


text:
The episode, titled “White People Renovating Houses,” apparently drove Amazon Alexa and Google Home totally nuts, leaving many wondering if creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker did it on purpose. The likely answer given their history of tackling contemporary issues is ‘yes.’
“We have an Amazon Alexa and a Google Home and South Park repeatedly screwed with both of them tonight,” noted one Twitter user…
Contributed by The Daily Sheeple of www.TheDailySheeple.com.
Never miss another post due to social media censorship!!!


text:
Golden Globe winning actor Jeffrey Tambor is talking about a possible third installment in the Hellboy movie franchise. Also, if you do not pay extra for Amazon prime, now is your chance to see every episode of Tambor’s award winning and critically acclaimed made for Amazon TV show “Transparent.”
If you do not want to pay the extra $99 a year just to see Amazon’s original television programming the world’s largest on line retailer will give you a chance to see all 11 episodes free of charge for a 24 hour period on Saturday January 24th. Anyone can watch Transparent at no cost on Saturday using the Amazon Instant Video app for TVs, connected devices and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/Transparent.
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at email@example.com.
Also, to celebrate the show’s big win a few weeks ago at the 72nd Golden Globes awards, Amazon will be offering its Prime service at a discounted $72.
“We’re incredibly proud of everyone involved in the making of Transparent—the team took a risk and it paid off, ” said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com. “Big kudos and congrats to Jill, Jeffrey, and all the cast and crew.”
Hellboy, which starred Ron Perlman as the iconic comic character who was a demon raised from infancy after being conjured by and rescued from the Nazis and then grows up to become a defender against the forces of darkness, has had two films. The first, which was released in 2004, grossed almost $200 million worldwide and spawned a sequel in 2008 called “Hellboy II: The Golden Army.” Both movies were written and directed by Guillermo del Toro.
The director does not expect to do another saying, “It is a question that I myself ask of the world many times, but we have gone through basically every studio and asked for financing, and they are not interested. I think that the first movie made its budget back, and a little bit of profit, but then it was very very big on video and DVD. The story repeated itself with the second already, it made its money back at the box office, but a small margin of profit in the release of the theatrical print, but was very very big on DVD and video.”
But Tambor recently said, “There is actually talk of a ‘Hellboy 3, ‘ but they better hurry or I’m going to be in a walker.”


text:
Briefly: Here's the image Playdead posted appears to show a kid who had landed in a desert with a parachute. Last year, one of Playdead's co-founders split from the company with a $US7 ($9) million payout.
Tagged With playdead
A messy split between the two co-founders of the game studio Playdead left one partner departing with roughly $US7.2 ($10) million after being forced to exit, according to new details that emerged this week.
Having already charmed countless Xbox Live and PlayStation Network players, Playdead's starkly beautiful Limbo is now available for $US9.99 on Steam, boasting the only version of the game to run at 60 frames per second. Hopefully that'll fix the flickering.
Having had its PlayStation 3 outing spoiled by a Korean classification rating, Limbo is now also making its way to the personal computer as well.
Creepy indie platformer Limbo is one of the surprise hits of 2010, not just with critics, but with the game-buying public too.


text:
Most independents are still making up their minds on how to vote, according to ACS chief executive James Lowman.
In his speech to the ACS Summit 10 on the eve of the General Election, Lowman revealed exclusive polling by the organisation that showed that more than half of independent convenience retailers were yet to make up their mind on who to vote for.
Lowman said: "Even in the last weeks of campaigning, many local shops are still open to being convinced by the political parties that they deserve their support."
The poll, which revealed that 54% of retailers had not yet made up their mind who to vote for, compared to 24% of the general population convered by national opinion polling. Conservative support was at 24%, just short of the national figure of 23%. Meanwhile, both Labour (11%) and the Liberal Democrats (8%) polled lower than national opinion polls.
Lowman also set out what local shops wanted from the new government. He added: "For many it’s not about what colour the new government is, it’s about the specific actions they will take that will help or harm our ability to do business.
"What matters is what government will do and our polling gives a clear mandate for action to the next government. In the election campaign we have been delighted by the amount of support there is for the local shop, with candidates across the country taking the Local Shops Pledge. The challenge we will lay down is for the politicians to match the rhetoric with action.
In ACS polling, the five most important things that retailers wanted from the next Government were:
- Safeguards against bad practice by energy companies (76%)
- Restrict the power of supermarkets (69%)
- Reduce the burden of business rates (62%)
- Resist increases in business taxes (61%)
- Tougher action on retail crime (58%
This year’s ACS Summit took place at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole at the NEC on May 5. The themes for the day were vision, creativity, risk and determination.


text:
June 4, 2018
Atlas Real Estate Group has been named a top 5 finalist in the “medium/21-30 employees” category for the 2018 Small Business Awards by Denver Business Journal.
This year’s group of 113 nominees consist of a wide range of locally based small businesses with 100 or fewer employees. The Small Business Awards finalists were selected based on a number of factors, including financial performance, historical achievements, contributions to industry, contributions to the local economy and potential to shape metro Denver’s business community.
“This year more than ever, the companies involved in this competition were outstanding – truly a tremendous group of finalists,” said Atlas Co-Founder and Partner, Ryan Boykin. “I want to congratulate the award winner in our category, TRIO Environments, for their remarkable efforts to make Denver a more beautiful and equitable place to work and live,” acclaimed Boykin.
Read the full Press Release


text:
Medtronic Seeks Dismissal Of Shareholder Lawsuits
In 2012, after Medtronic was accused of improperly marketing a controversial bone-growth product called Infuse, some shareholders demanded that the company investigate whether its leaders breached their fiduciary duties.
The Fridley-based company in turn formed a “special litigation committee,” comprising a retired Minnesota judge and a corporate law professor from the University of Minnesota.
That team was charged with investigating allegations against Medtronic and its leaders. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002 approved Infuse for specific uses, but the company was subsequently accused of manipulating Infuse studies and marketing the product for “off-label” uses.
Shareholder lawsuits alleged that Medtronic's officers and directors, in order to boost the company’s sales, designed and executed a “scheme” to evade regulations that prohibit promotion of off-label uses, according to Medtronic’s regulatory filing. They demanded legal action against Medtronic leaders.
Now, after its two-person “special litigation committee” spent about 18 months conducting an “exhaustive independent investigation” of the claims, it found them without merit and has determined that demands for legal actions are not in the company’s best interest, Medtronic said. Furthermore, the committee is seeking dismissal of pending shareholder lawsuits.
The committee’s complete report, authored by John Matheson and George McGunnigle, can be accessed here. The committee said it “has not found support for and rejects the core proposition of the demand letters and derivative complaints—that Medtronic, with the knowledge and complicity of the defendants, designed and executed a scheme to evade the FDA’s prohibition against off-label promotion in order to increase the sales of Infuse.”
The committee gave its report to Medtronic’s board on May 30, concluding that the allegations against Medtronic’s leaders are “without merit,” and, as the company faces ongoing federal securities fraud and personal injury litigation involving similar accusations, “it would not be in the best interests of the company to pursue such claims.” On June 4, the committee filed a motion to have its findings approved in court, and for consolidated shareholder lawsuits pending in Hennepin County Court to be dismissed “with prejudice.” A hearing on the matter is scheduled for July 2, Medtronic said.
The committee also plans to file another motion later this week, seeking dismissal of a similar lawsuit pending in Minnesota’s U.S. District Court, Medtronic said.
Medtronic has already paid millions of dollars to settle Infuse-related lawsuits. And health insurance company Humana recently sued Medtronic over the Infuse product, according to media reports.


text:
apple today announced a $3 billion deal to buy Beats. As apple trading amount the biggest takeover in history, here are some important information not to be missed:
purchase price: $2.6 billion + $400 million cash payments.
object: post-acquisition Beats Electronics, Beats Music.
buy estimated finish time: in the fourth quarter of this year.
buy way: apple commitment, after the acquisition, Beats brand will continue to keep. In addition, streaming Music service Beats Music will maintain the independence of the operation, it is not and iTunes Sotre for fusion.
buy purpose: according to the cook, the purpose of buying Beats mainly include the following:
first, rare talent for music field. Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine future will join the company, directly to the apple apple senior vice President of Eddy Cue to report. Cook noted that Jimmy Iovine in the music industry has extensive contacts and rich experience. It can help apple get tricky music copyright problem.
second, get the brand Beats. Is the most direct benefits, Beats for apple in its young people have high brand image. Apple bought Beats, apparently let more young users “love me, love my dog.” In addition, the brand marketing of Beats is very good, a lot of stars are Beats products image spokesperson. This is apple’s most in need.
third, streaming music technology accumulation and first-mover advantages. According to the cook, apple is fully capable of creating your own a streaming music service, but apple didn’t want to do so. Using the Beats Music in software technology accumulation, apple can cut into the streaming Music industry with the quickest speed.
4, launch new products. Cook suggest that after the two companies cooperation, the future for the music lovers will launch “unimaginable quality products”. As for what is this product (or service), we still don’t know. May be a smart headphones? Or is it an apple style of music listening service…


text:
Turkey’s annual inflation is expected to rise to 17.25% in May, increasing for an eighth straight month contrary to central bank expectations, according to a Reuters poll on Monday that predicted it would drop to just below 15% by year-end.
A recent lira depreciation, sparked by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s sacking of a hawkish central bank governor, has raised both inflation and expectations for more.
The consumer price index (CPI) rose 17.14% in April. The currency’s decline of about 15% since mid-March has raised overall prices for import-dependent Turkey and pushed producer price inflation above 35% in April.
The median estimate of 15 economists in the Reuters poll for annual inflation in May was 17.25%, with forecasts ranging between 16.94% and 17.58%. [Reuters]


text:
As the three-row SUV segment becomes increasingly popular for growing families, which in many cases include four-legged friends, Subaru of America Inc., and the Center for Pet Safety have unveiled their recommendations for safe pet travel in SUVs and the dangers of improperly securing one’s furry family.
In a crash, a pet who is not properly secured can become a projectile, resulting in serious injury or worse for both them and the human passengers. That is why Subaru and CPS are working together again to raise awareness around vital safety measures for man’s best friend, so entire families can adventure together safely.
As larger, three-row SUVs have become more prominent in the market, Subaru and CPS analyzed the design and spacing in these larger vehicles and have identified the safest, and most dangerous, places for pets to travel based on the unique design of three-row SUVs. To ensure safety for all travelers in a three-row SUV with captain’s chairs, pets should ideally be secured in the second or third row, and follow this simple guide:
Pets weighing 20 lbs. or less can be harnessed or secured in carriers in the second-row captain’s chair
Larger pets, more than 20 lb., should be properly secured and travel in the third-row bench directly behind one of the captain’s chairs
Never place your pet on the floor between the captain’s chairs in three-row SUV models, as this could result in the pet becoming a projectile and cause serious injury to both the pet and vehicle passengers
When traveling with both children and pets in a three-row vehicle with captain’s chairs, secure the child in the second row and secure the pet in the third row, on the opposite side of the vehicle as the child
“Following these simple tips will help to minimize the risk of injury in the event of a crash and in all cases, pets should be properly secured to prevent distractions for the driver and prevent serious injury to both the pet and vehicle passengers,” said Lindsey Wolko, CPS founder and CEO. “Thanks to partners like Subaru, we can bring awareness to the safest ways for pets to come along on family adventures, while preventing potentially devastating accidents.”
“Given that a majority of Subaru drivers are also pet parents, education around pet travel safety is crucial,” said Thomas J. Doll, president and CEO of Subaru of America Inc. “As part of our continued support for pet safety, we are proud to once again team up with longstanding partner, Center for Pet Safety, and shine a light on proper practices for traveling with pets in three-row SUVs like the all-new Ascent.”
The partnership continues the work that began in 2013 with the testing of pet harnesses by CPS. The resulting Harness Crashworthiness Study uncovered major differences in performance of popular pet restraints, with many resulting in catastrophic failure that could cause serious injury to both the pet and vehicle passengers. The goal of the study was to highlight the importance of driving safely with pets and to complete the first formal test protocol and independent ratings guidelines for pet travel harnesses, published by CPS in 2014. In 2015, Subaru and CPS highlighted the top pet safety products in the 2015 Crate and Carrier Crashworthiness Studies, a collaborative initiative to examine the effectiveness and safety of pet crates and carriers in the event of a crash. Formal test protocols and independent ratings guidelines for pet travel carriers and crates were published by CPS in 2016.
For more information and resources, visit www.centerforpetsafety.org/ and www.subaru.com/pets.


text: The State Attorney General’s Office has released its list of consumer complaints. And, for the second year in a row, unauthorized charges to phone bills and switching long-distance prividers without the consumer’s consent topped the list. In all, Attorney Jay Nixon’s office received an estimated 88,000 consumer complaint calls, letters, and e-mails in 2004. The slamming and cramming complaints totaled 1,898. Following that were complaints regarding home repair and remodeling, travel scams and time shares, unsolicited faxes, financing, auto repair, credit, auto sales, debt collectors, and finally -sweepstakes and lotteries.


text:
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts has signed a deal with auction house Christie's to sell off its collection of the Pittsburgh native's artwork to boost its endowment.
The auction of Warhol's 20,000 works of art over the course of years could bring in as much as $100 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. It would, the newspaper said, "cash out" its collection of art work to increase its $225 million endowment. The New York-based foundation supports grants to what Warhol's will said were "advancement of the visual arts."
The foundation has given about $250 million in museums and nonprofits; it gave 4,000 pieces of art to the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.
"We have now chosen to mark the foundation's 25th anniversary year by expanding the scope of our art sales in order to increase our future grant-making capacity," said Michael Straus, chairman of the foundation's board, in a prepared statement. "Christie's enthusiasm for this endeavor, its deep experience with Warhol's work, and its spirit of innovation all combine to make it the ideal partner for this venture."
The first auction will happen Nov. 12 and online auctions will begin in February.


text:
October 29, 2008 5:05 PM
Can Japan Stop the Monster Rio Tinto-BHP Billiton Deal?
Posted by Zach Lowe
The Japanese government plans to ask the European Union's antitrust regulators to block the proposed merger between Anglo-Australian mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, citing the possibility of anticompetitive pricing should the world's first- and third-largest mining companies combine, according to Bloomberg and Reuters.
It is "extremely rare" for a government to request regulatory action from another country on behalf of its customers, says Steven Newborn, co-chair of the antitrust and competition group at Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
The deal consists of an unsolicited $165 billion offer from BHP which Rio has repeatedly turned down, as The Am Law Daily has covered before. The total value of the deal may now be as low as $70 billion after stock in both companies plunged in recent months, Reuters says.
Europe remains the biggest regulatory hurdle for the deal after U.S. antitrust authorities gave it the go-ahead in July.
Japan is taking the unusual step before the EU because its steel companies rely on Rio and BHP for about 60 percent of their iron ore, the raw material that goes into making steel, the Bloomberg report says.
Japan apparently believes it has no grounds to block the deal on its own, since neither company is headquartered there, Newborn says. Such considerations don't usually stop U.S. regulators, who will challenge any deal that may unfairly impact American consumers, regardless of whether the companies involved operate here, Newborn says.
"Their mandate is: whenever a deal might have an effect on commerce here, it's in their jurisdiction," Newborn says.
U.S. authorities also have a lower threshold to meet before they can challenge international deals, Newborn says; they must show only that one of the companies involved earns at least $63 million in sales from U.S. customers.
The EU will not be under any obligation to consider Japan's objections, but they likely will consider them--as they would for any concerned customer, Newborn says.
"But it's just one of many factors they will consider," he says.
Boardman and David Fox, a lead Skadden partner on the antitrust case, declined comment on Japan's apparent objection.
Make a comment


text:
“Here’s a killer application that fully realizes the possibilities of touch surfaces as specialized control interfaces: ProRemote converts the iPhone or the iPod touch in a wireless control for Pro Tools LE with realtime feedback. While this may seem limited to the audio world, it shows that having this kind of power in such a tiny package could solve the problems of many users,” jesus Diaz reports or Gizmodo.
Video of the ProRemote Pro Tools controller applicaton in action:
Direct link via YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGUGgcoQ09A
Diaz reports that while the beta will be here next week, the final software won’t ship until Apple releases their native iPhone SDK and the developer, Alex Lelievre, can obtain Apple’s iPhone software certification (whatever that may entail). Lelievre hopes to release version 1.0 of the app sometime in late February for around US$150.
More in the full article here.


text:
Creative Director Lucia Alexandra Roşca celebrated alongside a crowd of stylish ladies the 9th anniversary of Marie Claire Romania, the first fashion magazine to ever feature Lucia Roşca designs. From left to right, Şapte Seri editor-in-chief Ana-Maria Caia, Creative Director Lucia Alexandra Roşca, Linguriţe owner Alina Vătafu, Paravion.ro marketer Ioana Bucur and singer Alexandra Bădoi […]
The up-coming Spring/Summer ’17 collection benefited an exclusive viewing at the Theatrical Spring Brunch, a Stylish Mom event hosted by Rovena Andrei and Andrada Crânguş at the Apollo111 Theatre, on March 11th. Scroll through the photos and get a glimpse of the colorful collection that will soon be launched online. Photos by Ana Georgescu, courtesy […]
Film critic and jury member Ileana Bîrsan wore a custom made Lucia Roşca silk dress in navy blue and powder pink hues to the 11th edition of the Gopo Awards. Photo by Ionuţ Dobre, courtesy of Gopo Awards.


text:
Employees approved the sale of one of the largest U.S. craft breweries to a subsidiary of Japanese beverage company Kirin in a vote that ended Tuesday, clearing the way for the sale to close by the end of the year.
New Belgium Brewing Co. declined to release the number of employees who voted in favor of the sale to Lion Little World Beverages of Australia or a breakdown of how they voted, the Coloradoan reported.
“This result moves us one step closer towards New Belgium Brewing officially joining Lion Little World Beverages,” New Belgium CEO Steve Fechheimer said in a statement. “We’re excited about the next chapter for NBB and continuing to prove business can be a force for good.”
Fechheimer has said New Belgium does not anticipate any changes for employees or its beer product offerings because of the sale.
New Belgium has breweries in Fort Collins and Asheville, North Carolina, with about 700 employees. It is currently employee owned but will no longer be after the sale.
New Belgium co-founder Kim Jordan, who started the brewery in a basement with her then-husband, has said employees will receive $100,000 in retirement money “with some receiving significantly greater amounts.”
The mood at the Fort Collins brewery was upbeat shortly before the vote result was announced.
Lion Little employs about 4,000 people in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Asia and the United States. The purchase of New Belgium is its first venture into the U.S. craft beer market although Kirin owns 25% of Brooklyn Brewery in New York.
This reporting is made possible by our members. You can directly support independent watchdog journalism in Colorado for as little as $5 a month. Start here: coloradosun.com/join
The latest from The Sun
- Cory Gardner goes all-in with Donald Trump, says the results for Colorado “are simply astounding”
- A bill is coming that would change enrollment rules for Colorado charter schools. Could it also deter more from opening?
- Want cheaper electricity? Xcel Energy wants to help — if you’re willing to do your laundry at 2 a.m.
- Colorado lawmakers failed to pass a bill to improve immunization rates in 2019. Here’s what’s new this year.
- Opinion: Why we need to reach hard-to-count Coloradans. There’s a lot at stake.


text:
Paysafe, a leading payments platform, announced its expansion into the new Massachusetts mobile sports-betting market. Paysafe is live and powering play and payments safely for multiple mobile sportsbooks in New England’s most populated state, ensuring that players can seamlessly fund their accounts by debit card and other online payment solutions.
The Massachusetts sports-betting market, which Legal Sports Report projects will generate $295.25m+ in first-year revenue, becomes the 26th American iGaming jurisdiction in which Paysafe supports operators with online payments. Paysafe’s Massachusetts move also extends its longstanding payments relationships with the Boston-headquartered DraftKings Inc., a partnership that dates back to 2013 and today spans 21 states, and Caesars Entertainment, Inc., whose 21-state partnership with Paysafe began in 2012, among other operators.
Now, sports bettors in the Bay State wanting to wager with these operators’ iOS or Android mobile sports-betting apps on their smart phones or tablets can make frictionless and secure deposits into their player account using their debit card. All transactions are processed in a matter of seconds by Paysafe’s own best-in-class payment gateway.
The Paysafe platform will also allow sports-betting operators in Massachusetts to access a suite of the payment provider’s own alternative payment methods (APM) as well as third-party APM solutions.
Zak Cutler, President of Global Gaming at Paysafe, said: “We’re excited to expand into Massachusetts, my home state and an important milestone in the evolution of the U.S. iGaming industry, with its passionate sports culture and pivotal industry role in the development of daily fantasy sports and now sports betting. We’re also proud to extend our longstanding relationships with several major sports-betting partners into this new market, and we look forward to helping them maximize their player acquisition and retention in Massachusetts, just as we’ve done in multiple other U.S. states.”
Powered by WPeMatico


text:
Mexico. According to the most recent report of the Institute of Telecommunications Law, IDET, in little more than a decade, Mexican households have experienced a revolution in entertainment to which they have access. Cable television went from being a luxury to a daily presence in just over half of Mexican households. In just a decade the number of households with television doubled, from 26% in 2006 to 55% of the total according to figures from the Latin American Multichannel Advertising Council (LAMAC).
This growth, in addition to greater access to news and entertainment content, has brought a significant increase in the number of households with fixed internet access, since a large number of consumers of pay television are, at the same time, service providers. connectivity, which are offered in packages of two and up to three services simultaneously.
It is worth noting that pay television has been present in Mexico since the 1960 decade, but its growth was historically slow, both due to the limitations of the available analogue technology and the high costs of deploying its infrastructure to homes, as well as inputs such as equipment and audiovisual content, usually quoted in dollars. With the macroeconomic stability at the beginning of the 21st century, the number of suppliers of this service grew rapidly, reaching an amount of more than 2,100 companies dedicated to this area, according to Economic Censuses conducted by the National Institute of Geography and Statistics at 2009.
In this period, companies undertook modernization and investment processes to evolve to digital technologies with which they could offer additional fixed internet and telephony services. With this they were able to develop competitive advantages with respect to the country's telephone operator who can only offer telephony and internet. The evolution of the industry was so rapid that INEGI changed its North American Industrial Classification System 2013 (SCIAN 2013) so that the cable television companies were left in a new activity called Wired Telecommunications Service Operators.
In addition to the growth and sophistication of the fixed telecommunications industry, competition caused the prices of pay television and fixed internet services to remain below the prices of other goods and services. The National Consumer Price Index (INPC) of December of 2017, the most recent data, places the general price index in 130.8, while the price index for cable television remained in 111.8 and that of fixed internet services in 86.9.
Needless to say, all this has happened while the price of the dollar went from 12.3 pesos at the end of 2010 to 19.6 pesos in December of last year. That is, the competition has kept prices at reasonable levels despite a devaluation of the peso by almost 60% since the beginning of this decade. For comparison, the average price of the basic pay television package in 2014 was 322 monthly pesos and by the end of last year it was 366 pesos monthly according to the INEGI. However, of the 182 measurements made by the institute as part of the National Consumer Price Index in December of 2017, the 40% have prices below the average.
A positive side effect for users of telecommunications services has been the push to the fixed internet sector, which has substantially increased its speeds largely thanks to investments made by entrepreneurs in the sector in technologies such as fiber optics and data centers that allow to bring content to the devices of the users. The latest report published by Speedtest Intelligence in 2016 indicates that competing fixed telecommunications companies that the company of the Preponderant Economic Agent in Telecommunications (AEP-T) have access speeds much higher than those of said AEP-T
As can be seen, the competition in the pay television sector has allowed the growth in the number of households with this service, but it has also exerted an important traction effect in the fixed internet sector, all at extremely accessible costs. The work of dozens of fixed telecommunications entrepreneurs who offer their services in communities far from the regions of interest for the AEP-T and that struggle to maintain their infrastructure and service in the face of the complex security conditions that prevail in a large part of the country they deserve to be rewarded with a regulatory environment that assures their growth, not that limits their performance and their present and future growth.


text:
The Telegraph has launched a revamped mobile app offering readers greater customisation of news items.
The free app will provide users with personalised notifications and in-app messages highlighting items of interest based on “behavioural insights”.
Readers can also use a customisable menu to choose the news they want to see from across 18 channels including sport and entertainment.
The app also offers a “top stories” channel that is fixed in user’s newsfeeds and highlights key stories from the day, updated by a dedicated editorial and creative team, the Telegraph said.
The Telegraph’s previous mobile app averaged 17,000 to 19,000 daily active users who spent 14 to 18 minutes a day on it for between 8 and 11 minutes on average, a spokesperson told Press Gazette.
They said early statistics for the new version, available on iPhone and Android, were “very promising”.
Chris Evans, editor of The Daily Telegraph, added: “The launch of our new app is a central part of our mobile-first approach and will make The Telegraph’s trusted perspective even more accessible.
“The bold new design pairs eye-catching visuals with quality editorial and will provide users with convenient access to the news relevant to them.”
A Telegraph spokesperson said the app “strengthens our overall proposition to readers” and comes after a redesign of the newspaper, digital edition app and website over the past year.
Currently the only advertising seen by app users will be campaigns produced by in-house creative commercial team Spark.
Said a spokesperson: “We will be evaluating the ways in which users interact with the app and will be developing our advertising approach over time.
“Our priority is to ensure the app offers the high-quality experience our readers expect from the Telegraph.”
The Telegraph website attracts 97 million global unique browsers each month according to figures from ABCe and Adobe Analytics.
Of these, 55 million are on a mobile device, 20.3 million of which are based in the UK – the Telegraph said.


text:
South Africa has until March 15 to comply with US laws on import of poultry as well as other meat or risk losing duty-free access for its farming exports to the U.S.
This was after US President Barack Obama on Monday, January 11, ordered the suspension of duty-free access to all AGOA-eligible goods in the agricultural sector from the country, effective on that date.
“Suspending the application of duty-free treatment to certain goods would be more effective in promoting compliance by South Africa with such requirements than terminating the designation of South Africa as a beneficiary,” the U.S. said in a statement.
South Africa has been under pressure to open its market on US meat imports for it to continue benefiting under the trade organisation.
On January 7, South Africa’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies had announced that the two countries had resolved the issue and South Africa would continue to participate in AGOA without interruptions when a deal was sealed on the health standards of meat.
But the new 60-day deadline, puts added pressure on the country to comply or risk losing its benefits.
“I have determined that South Africa is not meeting the requirements described in section 506A(a)(1) of the 1974 Act and that suspending the application of duty-free treatment of certain goods would be more effective in promoting compliance by South Africa with such requirements than terminating the designation of South Africa as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country,” said Obama in the statement.
To remain beneficiaries of AGOA, member countries are expected to cut barriers with U.S. trade and investment, operate a market-based economy, protect workers’ rights and implement economic policies to reduce poverty.


text:
Understandably, it hasn’t been the best time for CPG food and beverage processors to unveil new products to retail customers or their consumers. Yet it doesn’t have to bring an end to strategic innovation—involving insights, ideation or product development.
Company to introduce artificial intelligence line of equipment; remote, live-streaming video services; and mail-in miniature plant trials
June 25, 2020
MicroThermics has been the global leader in small scale, UHT/HTST, and aseptic processing for more than 30 years. Its slogan, “Always Innovating,” is the secret behind its success. But besides its equipment, what does this mean to those in food and beverage new product development?
Farmer-owned cooperative joins the Silicon Valley based accelerator to strategically leverage a global open innovation ecosystem of entrepreneurial partners and startups
June 3, 2020
The partnership will focus on driving strategic and innovative growth for the cooperative by leveraging a global startup ecosystem to solve key business challenges with a creative, disruptive, and agile approach.
Report highlights breakout year for both food and beverage and nonfood launches
June 1, 2020
IRI®, a global leader in innovative solutions and services for consumer, retail and media companies, announced the release of its 2019 New Product Pacesetters,™ the 25th annual report highlfighting the most successful new product launches across food and beverage, nonfood and convenience store sectors.
Malt Products Corp. introduces innovation lab for ingredients testing, formulation trials and food property analysis
June 1, 2020
Malt Products Corporation (MPC), a Saddle Brook, N.J., manufacturer of malted barley extract and other natural, nutritious sweeteners, has opened an Innovations Lab in Minneapolis to help its food and beverage industry customers test ingredients, experiment with new formulations and gain insight into critical flavor and stability properties.
Orgain engages community to vote for their favorite health and wellness start-up brands
May 18, 2020
Orgain, creator of the first ready-to-drink organic protein shake and innovator of high-quality and convenient clean nutrition products, announced the six finalists that are in the running to receive a total of $150,000 provided by Orgain's Grants for Greater Good program.
By the time I finish writing this sentence, I imagine another industry trade show will have been cancelled. In my 20 years of covering the food and beverage industry, I have never witnessed such widespread disruption to business. I don’t believe any among us have been left unaffected by the current crisis.
Bakeries navigate two months or stay-at-home orders, while evaluating innovation strategies
May 15, 2020
Covid-19 has affected bakery players in different ways. With foodservice representing as much as 70% of their sales, frozen bakery players have seen reduced orders as food consumption changes from restaurants to home kitchens.
Unique products honored with 2020 Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards
May 15, 2020
The National Restaurant Association Show announced the recipients of the 2020 Food and Beverage (FABI) Awards, recognizing food and beverage products that are breaking new ground in taste, creativity, packaging, and profit potential.
Female-founded Stacy's Pita Chips commits to helping women rise across all industries
May 14, 2020
Stacy's Rise Project, the grant and mentorship program created by Stacy's Pita Chips to advance female founders, is back for 2020 and committed to helping even more women rise, in more ways than ever before.
Check out the June 2020 issue of Prepared Foods, featuring our cover story on creating functional flavors with stocks, bases & sauces, consumers’ appetite for beef and other animal proteins, new dairy and dairy alternative offerings, and much more.


text:
Volkswagen New Compact Coupe
* News from Detroit motor show * All the latest news and launches * Green technology unveiled...
For the second year running Volkswagen has rocked the Detroit motor show with a stunning concept car that fuses good looks, strong performance and spectacular economy.
Twelve months ago the Concept Bluesport, a mid-engined 2.0-litre diesel roadster, caught everyone on the hop. This year VW is back with the New Compact Coupe, a petrol-electric hybrid that delivers similar performance to a mid-range Scirocco with lower emissions than the super-frugal Golf Bluemotion.
175bhp full hybrid
The New Compact Coupe is powered by a 148bhp version of the company's 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged engine mated to a 27bhp electric motor, driving through a seven-speed semi-automatic DSG gearbox. The two power sources can work alone or together, making the car a full hybrid.
VW claims average fuel economy of more than 67mpg, with CO2 emissions of 98g/km 1g/km less than the Golf Bluemotion. A top speed of 141mph and a 0-62mph time of less than nine seconds are on par with the performance of the 158bhp 1.4-litre Scirocco.
Innovative energy regeneration
The engine and gearbox automatically de-couple from each other when the driver lifts off the accelerator in effect, making the car free-wheel to reduce frictional losses. VW calls it 'coast-down'. Energy that would otherwise go to waste is recovered by the electric motor and channelled back to the lithium-ion battery.
There is also a blanked-off grille section, similar to that on the latest Polo Bluemotion, to improve aerodynamic efficiency.
The car sits between a Golf and Passat in size and is based on the underpinnings of the next Jetta saloon, which will be made in Mexico for sale in the UK early next year.
The concept car seats four in individual white-leather bucket seats and has a 380-litre boot.
Long horizontal lines and a deep front aidam make it look longer and wider than its 4.5-metre by 1.8-metre footprint, while 19-inch alloys and bi-xenon front lamp units with LED daytime running lights ensure it meets VW's high quality standards.
Instant hit, say VW
The official line is that the coupe may be built if interest following Detroit is strong enough to make a business case, but it is believed VW has already decided to make it.
'This type of car will be an instant hit with our customers,' says VW head of design Waler de Silva. 'It is a combination of interior space in a compact size and an elegant and sporty coupe look.'


text:
Geek+, a developer of mobile robotic solutions for logistics, has implemented a multi-robot goods-to-person system at Singaporean pet supply distributor Asia PetWorld’s fulfilment centre to support order fulfilment as the company grows its customer base.
According to Geek+, system installation was achieved in 12 weeks and has reportedly enabled order fulfilment with more than a 99% order fulfilment accuracy rate.
According to research from Global Market Insights, the pet care market has grown to US$261bn (£216.8bn) in 2022, marking an increase from US$245bn (£203.5bn) in 2021. The research firm has predicted this will grow to US$350bn (£290.8bn) by 2027, with the Asia Pacific region expecting a growth of 9.3%.
Asia PetWorld claims to handle more than 8,000 SKUs of varying weights and sizes everyday.
The company provides a range of different stock, from small items such as dog collars, to larger items like sacks of dog food. As a result, Asia PetWorld needed a solution that could adapt to its different products’ needs.
Geek+’s solution was deployed to address these challenges, with the system using algorithms and robots capable of supporting maximum payloads of 1,000kg (2,204lbs).
Alvin Yap, head of south east Asia at Geek+, said: “We are delighted to see our smart picking solution increase Asia PetWorld’s competitiveness in the demanding pet industry.
“This digital transformation helps them offer improved service to their customers in terms of efficiency and accuracy.
“We expect several more businesses in the region to adopt our solutions due to the gains in efficiency and flexibility they represent.”
Sebastian Wiradharma, director of Asia PetWorld, said: “In Singapore, the labour availability is always a challenge for warehouse owners.
“The situation is even worse for the pet industry where workers often need to manage heavy, awkward items.
“After adopting the Geek+ robots, we are better able to handle our stocks and can offer a more comfortable workplace to our employees.”
The two companies hope the solution will improve order productivity and support the maintenance of a safe environment for employees.


text:
A CAR company has ceased operations Britain’s most popular engine as sales for the company’s new hybrid vehicle skyrocket.
The company’s recently released car was a hit among motorheads.
Ford’s Puma hybrid engine topped the best-selling car charts in August as sales of the SUV continued to rise.
The popular manufacturer has shifted its focus to supplying the hugely popular Puma, selling 3,570 Pumas in April.
The model is the third highest selling engine in 2023.
This comes after sales of the country’s most popular Ford Fiesta ended in July this year.
The Ford Fiesta was a fixture on British roads for almost half a century after rolling off the production line in 1976.
It topped the annual UK sales charts 16 times and was hailed as Britain’s most popular vehicle.
Over 4.8 million models were sold in the UK – 22 million were sold worldwide.
The sporty ST models in particular are likely to become classics as they will become increasingly rare in the coming years.
However, due to the engine’s huge popularity, it is unlikely to disappear from the roads any time soon, with one expert predicting fans will flock to used car dealers to secure a Fiesta wherever they can.
James Hind, CEO of Cinch, said: “Given people are still searching for it on our platform – and there is no sign of consumer demand waning – it will remain popular in the used car market for some time to come .” “
Alex Buttle, co-founder of website Motorway, said high demand for the Ford Fiesta was expected to continue.
He explained: “It is a testament to the popularity of this timeless model.”
“The end of production of new Ford Fiestas could mean the end of an era, but the used car market will continue to breathe life into this sought-after car for many years to come.”


text:
If the proposal is accepted, it will help the segment get credit at lower interest rates. Currently, these loans are given under the auto retail category, but lenders are wary about financing purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) as they are unsure about the risks in a segment which is still in a nascent stage.
Niti Aayog chief executive Amitabh Kant confirmed that the government’s policy think tank has given the proposal.
It considered the potential of EVs in reducing emission of greenhouse gases and helping India in its fight against climate change, said the Niti Aayog CEO.
“The inclusion of EVs under PSL would not only reduce cost of finance but also provide finance to more people, thus increasing penetration of EVs in India,” Kant told ET. “Our view is that there is a case for this in the context of the impending climate change crisis and India’s recent commitments at COP26 in Glasgow.”
At the Glasgow Climate Change Conference last month, India has set itself a target of lowering the total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes till 2030, reducing the carbon intensity of the economy by less than 45% and cutting emissions to net zero by 2070.
The process for inclusion of EVs under PSL requires extensive deliberations and consultations to have a targeted outcome of increased access and reduced cost of finance to this sector, Kant said.
Manufacturers of electric two- and three-wheelers have also made representations to the banking regulator for PSL status, people in the know said.
RBI did not respond to ET’s email seeking comment.
Under the PSL framework, 40% of lenders’ total credit must be compulsorily loaned to specific sectors. These sectors include agriculture, small businesses, export credit, education, housing, social infrastructure and renewable energy. PSL is used by the banking regulator to direct financing to credit-starved sectors.
In the first half of the current fiscal, EV sales more than tripled to 118,000 units, even as a shortage of semiconductors forced automakers to cut down on production of vehicles running on fossil fuels, hurting their sales.
Industry insiders attribute the increase in EV sales to both demand- and supply-side factors. Outreach by manufacturers, improved charging infrastructure, price parity with conventional vehicles due to federal incentives and falling battery prices are driving sales. The hinterlands too are seeing faster adoption amid a rise in the price of diesel and petrol, with consumers increasingly choosing cleaner and greener mobility.
Hiccups in Financing
Despite the growth in sales, problems remain. Currently, electric vehicles, including two- and three-wheelers, do not have a robust resale market, which makes it difficult for banks to ascertain their residual value. This has led to higher cost of financing for EVs compared with other vehicles.
As a result, despite the euphoria, banks have been slow in financing the purchase of EVs.
“Some banks have had bitter experiences with financing the earlier version of e-rickshaws, which were powered by lead-acid batteries and were not good-quality products. The financial institutions had to bear losses in cases of default, as their residual value was low,” said Kant.
Even as banks are taking a wait-and-watch approach, non-bank lenders are cautiously entering the market.
“There are still many unknowns as technology, infrastructure and total cost of ownership evolve, and the relative give-gets of financing clarify. We are taking the view that it is wise to take measured steps with a view to learning the dynamics,” said Rajiv Lochan, managing director at Sundaram Finance, one of the top NBFCs in vehicle financing.
For lenders, until the technical aspects around battery (technology, shelf life, cost, mode of operations, et al) are clarified and the implications on residual value of the asset are clear, assessing inherent risks will be tough, and financing could remain constrained.
“The government needs to extend support from the Centre through lower rates of interest for the EV technology to proliferate,” said Hemal Thakkar, director at rating and research firm Crisil Research. “Banks are aware of the cost economics, but there is no guarantee on resale value of such vehicles yet. The technology needs to stabilise, and financiers need to get comfortable on its commercial viability.”
To improve financing for EVs, Niti Aayog is working with the World Bank to set up a $300-million ‘first loss risk sharing instrument.’ State Bank of India is the programme manager for this facility, under which total financing is expected to be around $1.5 billion.
Also, private lender Axis Bank and Private Infrastructure Development Group guarantee arm, GuarantCo, recently announced a partnership to execute an umbrella guarantee framework of $200 million towards accelerating the e-mobility ecosystem in India.


text:
Apple unveiled its Siri-powered smart speaker called the HomePod last year. The company was supposed to launch it in December but it ended up delaying the release to “early 2018.” Apple is yet to confirm when it’s going to release this product but if a new report gives us any indication, the launch might take place sooner rather than later.
The HomePod is reportedly being assembled by two of Apple’s manufacturing partners, Foxconn and Inventec. The company is said to have prepared a relatively small initial shipment of one million units.
A report out of Taiwan claims that HomePod shipments will reach 10-12 million units this year and both Inventec and Foxconn are expected to account for half of that total figure each. It’s unclear if Foxconn has begun shipments of HomePod to Apple at this point in time. If Inventec has been able to do it then Foxconn shouldn’t be too far behind.


text:
Google has announced the development of a custom system-on-chip designed to drive Pixel 6 smartphones to be released in the autumn.
Google has been providing smartphones called Pixel since 2016 but has used Qualcomm application processors. Google has experience of designing processors having developed several generations of Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) to accelerate inference and training tasks in datacenters and Video Coding Unit to handle YouTube traffic.
Now it is entering the consumer space with what is reported to be a 5nm octacore ARM-architecture chip with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning.
As more and more features are powered by AI and ML it’s not simply about adding more computing resources. Instead, the Tensor processor uses machine learning to unlock specific experiences for Pixel users. Further, a new security core called the Titan M2 integrated into the Tensor SoC, enables the most layers of hardware security in any phone.
Google did not reveal the Tensor processor's specifications.


text:
New regulations from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are set to take effect on 31 July. These new rules are meant to ensure that financial firms provide “good outcomes” for customers, but some are worried about potential negative outcomes for the market.
For example, online-only savings accounts offered by major banks might face extinction, and popular 0% interest credit card deals could be in jeopardy as well.
The new regulatory framework, known as the "consumer duty," is being introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with the aim of ensuring that financial firms prioritize delivering positive outcomes for customers and prevent foreseeable harm. This encompasses fair pricing for all customers, addressing excessive charges, and facilitating easier cancellation or switching of products.
While some skeptics doubt the impact of this new regime, financial institutions are already taking steps to comply with the stricter rules. For instance, Santander recently rebranded its online savings accounts, previously accessible only via digital means, to Easy Access Saver and Easy Access Isa, allowing customers to administer them through various channels, including branches and telephone services.
To some extent, banks are left to interpret the rules for themselves, deciding what does or doesn't result in a "good outcome" for a customer. Some are taking the view that limiting account access exclusively to online channels may not qualify as a "good outcome" for customers, especially when alternative options like bank branches and call centers exist. As a result, some banks are doing away with online-only bank accounts, but this could ultimately result in higher costs or lower interest rates for customers if there's more demand on branches and telephone services, a potentially worse outcome in another way.
The new regulations could also spell trouble for credit cards offering interest-free deals on balance transfers and purchases. While these deals have been popular and beneficial for many, they rely on revenue generated from customers who fail to pay off the balance or miss payments. The FCA firmly asserts that firms should not depend on profits derived from unfavorable customer outcomes, posing a significant challenge for products like 0% credit cards with no fees.
James Daley, the Managing Director of Fairer Finance, a consumer group and ratings provider, says, "For some products, like 0% credit cards with no fees, these new rules pose an existential challenge." He notes that lenders are aware that some customers taking advantage of these credit card deals will ultimately miss payments or fail to pay off balances at the end of the promotional period. If the banks can predict which customers these will be, that certainly will go against the new customer duty. In addition, punishing customers who miss a payment by stripping them of their 0% deal may also not meet the new customer duty requirements.
As a result, it may be that banks pull these 0% offers, at least in their current state.


text:
Apple chief executive Tim Cook is enthusiastic about Apple Pay.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez/The Associated Press)
Apple Pay launched last week with typical Apple fanfare, allowing iPhone 6 and 6-Plus owners to pay for goods quickly and easily, with their fingerprints as the chief security measure. Sounds pretty cool, right? Sure, but does that mean it's destined to rule its category like Apple's iPhone? That's not at all clear.
Apple Pay registered some one million credit cards in just its first three days. Yet Rite Aid and CVS, for starters, are not accepting the payment option. They are part of the Merchant Customer Exchange, which includes Walmart and other retail heavy hitters. The Exchange is going to bring out its own digital payment system next year, writes Forbes. The Exchange's system is called CurrentC.
Google also has a mobile-payment option, Google Wallet, which has been available since 2012, but it hasn't become a powerhouse. (Google Wallet certainly has its fans, but the Wall Street Journal, for one, says it has "made shopping harder, not easier.") So it appears that the big fight is going to be between Apple Pay and CurrentC. Let's compare the three key elements all potential customers will weigh:
Which is easier to use?
Apple Pay. Of course. This is what Apple does: it makes things sleeker and more customer-friendly than anyone else. Tap your finger and you're done. CurrentC, on the other hand, sounds kind of clunky. (Slate puts it more baldly, saying that CurrentC "is a mess and much more difficult to use than Apple Pay.") The Merchant Customer Exchange system apparently involves the customer taking a photograph of the barcode and then clicking through a series of fields.
Which is better for retailers?
CurrentC. Apple Pay works through major credit cards, so retailers will continue to pay credit-card swipe fees. CurrentC, on the other hand, is expected to lift money "directly from a consumer's bank account instead of charging a credit card like Apple Pay does." Plus, CurrentC will provide retailers with data about customer shopping habits, something Apple Pay does not do. You might not want such data shared, but it's another feature that gives retailers a greater incentive to offer CurrentC and not Apple Pay as a payment option. The Wall Street Journal says Apple pay is "easy to use, but still hard to find." If the Merchant Customer Exchange's members as well as anti-swipe-fee retailers play hardball, that will continue to be the case.
Which is safer?
Um, good question. Scanning a barcode, as CurrentC does (at least in its current beta form), has "proved to not be as secure as near-field communication and other encrypted technology used by Apple Pay and Google Wallet," writes Slate. The online magazine also argues that Apple Pay is "more secure than a credit card because your credit-card number isn't actually stored on your phone." That is, your credit-card information goes out into the ether when you use it, whereas with Apple Pay a unique code stands in for your credit-card information and will be encrypted on a chip inside the phone. Slate continues: Apple Pay "also works only with the user's fingerprint, so unless a thief is able to get your phone and chop off your thumb, you don't have to worry." OK, sounds reasonably safe, even if it'll put our thumbs at higher risk. But DocuSign security chief Tom Pageler, talking to CNBC, said: "There are going to be smaller risks [with Apple Pay]. People will find ways to try and take over accounts, whether it's by stealing a phone or using social engineering to hack an account or by getting a legitimate login."
-- Douglas Perry


text:
For small businesses who need a website, there is a myriad of options, not all of them equal.
Squarespace sells the dream in this new long-form commercial. The dream is that a website opens the door to commerce.
Wake up, now! Thanks. Now, that you’re wide awake, let’s look at the pitch that Wix.com makes to small business owners.
The dream factory keeps pumpin’. Pump out a logo. Pump out a website. Pump out an email newsletter and keep up the hustle. The well won’t run dry. Dry wells are for losers and you’re about to be a winner. One day soon.
Here’s a thought: Automated rhymes with constipated.
Templates Are Us
Digital ushed in a new wave of Do-It-Yourselfers. Today, there’s a website to help you build your website, record your album, publish your book, teach or take classes, plus thousands of other things that may be interesting to pursue.
When it comes to websites that help you build your website, small and simple is in fashion today.
Linktree had 3 million users last November, reached 5 million in May 2020, and is now approaching 8 million. The team saw 80,000 sign-ups over the past three months linked to Black Lives Matter.
Carrd now runs 1 million sites. According to Verge:
“There was this huge gap for people who didn’t need all that complexity [of sites like Squarespace], they just needed that first 80-90 percent of the use case, which is: ‘I just need a site with links to all my crap,’” says AJ, the founder and CEO of Carrd, who prefers to go only by his initials.
Protest Sites, They’re In The Carrds
The evolution of these sites illustrates a fundamental change in how Gen Z consumes news and uses social media, says Amelia Gibson, an assistant professor in the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
“A lot of traditional news is in a format that young people don’t spend time on, like TV,” Gibson says. “Social-media news is driven to them by their existing networks. It’s about who they know and what they value.”
Basu points out that Carrds were initially used as personal pages and homepages for small businesses touting things like homemade wares or tutoring.
Bio.fm with the Hit Job
Bio.fm touts itself as a competitor to Carrd.
Bio.fm is not subtle in its delivery.
Make Custom Work
I use tools and out-of-the-box solutions to help me tell stories. WordPress, Canva, Pexels, and other services help me weave my narrative blankets. I also use auto-zoom on my camera and filters when the images need a boost.
But not everything can or should be made by machine. Sometimes, the humans must tell the machines what to do. Sometimes, the humans must make the things by hand. In digital terms, this means hard-coding a site from scratch instead of hacking a WordPress/Squarespace/Wix/Carrd template.
Custom work takes more time to make and it costs more money to make. Custom work is also fresh, and therefore worthy of attention.


text:
The skies are clear of Flameheart’s influence in Sea of Thieves, but that’s only because there’s an entirely new danger on the horizon. A very foggy one, actually. One that has overtaken the Golden Sands Outpost and made it afflicted by some mysterious malevolence according to the game’s latest patch notes.
Those who have been following along the game’s recent roadmap for 2022 will know this as part of the title’s first new limited-time adventure, Shrouded Islands, which will run between February 17th and March 3rd and bring players to the Golden Sands to find out what’s happening.
In the meantime, the latest patch has ended the Ghost Fleet world event, added some new items to the Pirate Emporium, and introduced a bevy of gameplay improvements like shop filters, easier to select sea shanties while holding an instrument, stormy seas that now affect steering, and a new accessibility feature that adds new sound effects that play when a ship’s wheel moves a quarter spin. The devs at Rare have also released a new bulletin video that outlines future events and collects community highlights; we’ve got that after the break.
Call your crew! It’s time to vote on your next Voyage, set off to collect Commendations or simply drop sails and see where the wind takes you because the Sea of Thieves servers are back online and ready for your aquatic antics, after an update download that is! pic.twitter.com/2u5dHrk7Zg
— Sea of Thieves (@SeaOfThieves) February 10, 2022


text:
The Business Roundtable, led by Jamie Dimon, gives a new definition of the "purpose of a corporation."Marketsread more
Stocks rose sharply on Monday as Treasury yields rebounded, quelling fears of a possible recessionUS Marketsread more
Powell will have the opportunity if not to walk back the "mid-cycle" assessment then to at least provide some further explanation about what it means.Economyread more
J.P. Morgan estimates the average annual tariff cost per household will be $1,000 with the new round of Trump's tariffs.Marketsread more
Since its IPO 15 years ago, Google has become more and more powerful. Today, that power is being highly scrutinized.Technologyread more
Sequoia's Michael Moritz says that direct listings worked for Spotify and Slack and will become more common for companies with "courage and intelligence."Technologyread more
Shares of embattled utility PG&E plummeted after a judge ruled that a jury can decided whether it should pay up to $18 billion in damages.Marketsread more
The attacks come after state and local ransomware attacks in New York, Louisiana, Maryland and Florida resulted in the loss of significant sums.Technologyread more
In a statement Monday, Barr named Kathleen Hawk Sawyer the new director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.Politicsread more
A strong jobs market and tax cuts are helping to bolster consumer spending at restaurants. The National Restaurant Association projects overall industry sales will hit a high...Restaurantsread more
Lobbying disclosure reports show that Maria Ressa, who founded news website Rappler Inc. in the Philippines, has tapped two partners out of Covington & Burling to help her...Politicsread more
Pharmacy reimbursement rates challenged Rite Aid earnings in the latest quarter, Chairman and CEO John Standley said, in a statement.
Rite Aid shares slipped more than 1 percent Thursday after releasing its first-quarter results. The stock ended the day slightly lower.
The drugstore chain reported adjusted quarterly earnings at 1 cent per share, below a Reuters estimate of 5 cents a share. Revenue rose 23 percent to $8.2 billion on a year-over-year basis, but came in below a forecast of $8.26 billion.
Standley said the chain wasn't able to offset the rate pressure through drug purchasing efficiencies.
"While drug cost reductions will continue to be short of our expectations in the near term, we anticipate improvements over the second half of the fiscal year. As we work to meet this challenge, we remain focused on executing our highly successful sales initiatives like wellness+ with Plenti and the Wellness store program while also making strategic investments for growth and delivering a consistently outstanding customer experience," he said in a statement.
Shares of Rite Aid jumped last week after a report said there are growing signs that the Federal Trade Commission will approve Walgreens' $17 billion acquisition of Rite Aid. The two drugstores agreed to merge in February 2015.
Rite Aid said it expects to close deal with Walgreens Boots Alliance in the second half of this year.
Rite Aid's stock is just slightly lower so far this year.
RAD 2016 Chart


text:
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
Hip-hop superstar Common has teamed up with Burlington Stores to give away coats during the holidays, Black Enterprise reports.
Every year for over a decade, Burlington has been accepting new and gently worn coat donations from customers at various store locations. Now Common has teamed up with the retail giant through his Common Ground Foundation to ensure those coats get into the right hands.
The Chicago native launched the initiative in his hometown, collecting coats at the North State Street location in downtown Chicago. Customers who donate coats receive 10% off their purchases through January 20, 2020, and the coats are distributed to those in need within the store’s community.
Michael O’Sullivan, CEO of Burlington Stores, issued a press release about the partnership. “As a caring company, our Coat Drive is part of our heritage and Burlington is pleased to give back to those in need within our local store communities. Over the past 12 years, we’ve collected more than 22 million coats to help our neighbors stay warm. To launch this year’s campaign, we are thankful to be joined by Common and students from his Foundation, as well as our long-standing partner Delivering Good. We look forward to continuing our tradition of keeping people warm,” Sullivan said.
In conjunction with Delivering Good, a national charity that helps to provide relief for underserved children and families, the annual coat drive has been helping to connect individuals, companies and other orgs to the cause, giving aways tens of thousands of coats each season.
Lisa Gurwitch, president and CEO of Delivering Good said, “Coats are one of, if not, the most important products we receive at Delivering Good. For many, getting a coat during the colder months is a matter of life and death. It is an honor to work with the Burlington team and this year, with Common Ground Foundation, to ensure that children and families receive the warmth they need, and a sense of hope during the holiday season, which can be a challenging time for so many.”
Common also shared how meaningful this cause is to him. “I am committed to supporting and uplifting the people of Chicago through any way possible. The Common Ground Foundation has been one of the greatest and most impactful ways to give back to my hometown. I am excited to team up with Burlington and Delivering Good and bring it home so that we can give Chicagoans a sense of hope, keep them warm and make a difference in their lives,” he said.
You can donate a coat and help to spread the warmth now through January 20, 2020. Visit Burlington.com to locate the store closest to you.


text:
Mars Wrigley Introduces Retailer Incubator for Merchandising
Mars Wrigley Confectionery U.S. is introducing its 2019 Innovative Merchandising Incubator, a program designed to provide retailers with the opportunity to receive new merchandising solutions to help drive sales. Up to two retailers will be chosen to work with Mars Wrigley Confectionery to develop a customized test-and-learn solution to tackle today’s unique shopping challenges.
"How consumers shop today is not how they will shop tomorrow. At Mars Wrigley Confectionery, understanding consumers now and in the future is at the core of our business. We believe that a long-term, impactful relationship is the catalyst to driving the future of shopping for both retailers and manufacturers. We are launching the Innovative Merchandising Incubator to help retailers connect with the consumer and provide mutual solutions for growth,"said Tiffany Menyhart, VP of U.S. category leadership at Mars Wrigley Confectionery.
Interested retailers can fill out the online subscription form before May 31, and all submissions will be evaluated for several factors, including national or strong regional presence, number of stores, and a progressive mindset, open to implementing Mars Wrigley Confectionery’s in-store recommendations in select locations. The retailer(s) will be selected in early summer to begin working on a customized solution that will be implemented in the second half of 2019.
“Today’s shoppers are leading more fluid lifestyles – always on the go and connected. But knowing the potential of chocolate, fruity confections, gum and mints to drive growth, Mars Wrigley Confectionery is committed to sharing its global insights to help retailers think differently about how to capture their attention during the in-store or online journey,” added Menyhart. “We’re looking forward to helping an agile retailer adapt to new demands and stay ahead of the rapid changes happening not only in the confectionery category, but also with treats and snacks products overall.”
Sweets & Snacks
At the upcoming Sweets & Snacks Expo, Mars Wrigley Confectionery will offer retailers new category leadership recommendations to address the seamless shopping evolution. To address the blurred lines between online and in-store shopping, the company will host a panel discussion on how retailers can adapt digital shopping experiences to drive impulse purchases.
The panel will be held Monday, May 22 at 11 a.m. and participants will include:
Andrew Capron, VP of New Transactions, Mars Wrigley Confectionery U.S.
Vince Hummel, Global Category Leadership Director – New Transaction Points, Mars Wrigley Confectionery
Piper Ortiz, Director of Category Leadership – New Transactions and Emerging Business, Mars Wrigley Confectionery


text:
Marquette Elite Eight Merchandise Now Available
MILWAUKEE --- The Marquette Golden Eagles are moving on to the Elite Eight. After Thursday night's win the Marquette Spirit Shop loaded up on Elite Eight gear, now on sale.
The Spirit Shop would normally be closed on Good Friday, but after high demand for the merchandise the shop kept its doors open.
"As soon as it opened, we got here because we know these shirts are going to go pretty quickly," Marquette senior Jim Isaacs told CBS 58's Elizabeth Fay.
Marquette's Director of Merchandise Jim Greabert gave the go ahead to print the shirts as soon as the buzzer sounded Thursday night.
"We're able to call and say go ahead, instead of kill it off!" Greabert exclaimed.
The victory over the Hurricanes generated a lot of excitement for basketball fans on the Marquette campus.
"It was a great game, Marquette definitely showed up," Golden Eagles fan Megan Foley said.
School pride isn't the only thing the victory is bringing to the university. Marquette Communications Director Brian Dorrington explains the benefits of the merchandise sales.
"In 2003 when we made our magical Final Four run with Dwayne Wade, right after that we were able to raise $4 million and build our Al McGuire Center," Dorrington explained.
Marquette will face Syracuse at 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon right here on CBS 58. Back in the Spirit Shop Greabert will be keeping his fingers crossed he'll be able to give the go ahead to print shirts for the Final Four.


text:
In 2016, Under Armour and Major League Baseball announced that the brand would be its official uniform supplier starting in 2020, with reports in 2017 suggesting the deal would happen a year earlier.
But today the organization stated that athleticwear giant Nike will be the one to outfit its players. The Beaverton, Ore.-based company will be the MLB’s official uniform and footwear supplier starting in 2020, the league announced today.
On the field, Nike will produce the uniforms, base layer, game day outerwear and training apparel for the league’s 30 teams, all boasting Swoosh branding. The company will also continue as a league sponsor and further support MLB initiatives, marketing and fan events, as well as partner with every team and promote its products across MLB media assets, such as the MLB Network, MLB.com and social media platforms, the league said.
The 10-year global partnership comes in association with Fanatics, who will manufacture and distribute Nike’s MLB fan gear and manage the Nike MLB Authentic Collection. The gear will be sold through MLBShop.com, MLB clubs and at affiliated brick-and-mortar stores.
“Nike’s global brand and reputation as a leader in marketing and driving innovation makes them an ideal partner,” MLB commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. said in a statement. “In addition, Fanatics is a valuable partner who has proven to serve our fans with speed, agility and quality service. We’re very excited about the possibilities this unique arrangement provides us over the next decade.”
Nike has a stacked roster of pro baseball ambassadors that includes Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels, Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees and Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals.
“We’re thrilled to bring more innovation and creativity to Major League Baseball and the incredible athletes who play the game,” VP and GM of Nike North America Tom Peddie said in a statement. “This is an exciting time for baseball, and we look forward to partnering with MLB to grow the sport both across America as well as around the globe.”
Serena Williams Goes for a Stroll With Adorable Daughter in Pint-Size Nikes
9 Analysts Upgraded Nike’s Stock This Year — Here’s Why
A Special Nike Kyrie 5 Will Be Released for the NBA All-Star Weekend


text:
CHICAGO (CBS.MW) -- J.C. Penney said Friday that it is shuttering all the Eckerd drug stores in Colorado as of May 31 and halting new development on stores there as well as in New Mexico. The company does not operate any stores in New Mexico. The Plano, Tex.-based retailer is selling the chain in two pieces to CVS and Canada's Jean Coutu pharmacy chains. Penney did not offer an explanation about the Colorado stores, but said it would notify customers of transferring their prescription files and that it does not expect any disruptions in service. Shares of Penney JCP, -3.95% were up 88 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $34.89.
Eckerd pulls out of Colorado, ends New Mexico plans


text:
Trump lawyer's press conference mistake goes viral
Donald Trump tweeted "Lawyers Press Conference at Four Seasons, Philadelphia,' but quickly deleted it and replaced the tweet with Four Season's Landscaping".
“Big press conference today in Philadelphia at Four Seasons Total Landscaping – 11.30am!” he tweeted.
Four Seasons Total Landscaping is a small business located between a crematorium and an adult book store called Fantasy Island.
People on Twitter were quick to make fun of the incident.
"I could write jokes for 800 years and I'd never think of something funnier than Trump booking the Four Seasons for his big presser and it turning out to be the Four Seasons Total Landscaping parking lot between a dildo store and a crematorium," one person wrote.
"I'm sorry, I can't let this go: The people who can't find the right Four Seasons want you to believe they uncovered 40,000 fraudulent ballots in Philadelphia?" another person pointed out.
According to The New York Times, Trump's team did intend to hold the press conference at the landscaping business but the president was a bit confused.
“In reality, the mistake was not in the booking, but in a garbled game of telephone,” the New York Times wrote.
“Mr. Giuliani and the Trump campaign adviser Corey Lewandowski told the president on Saturday morning their intended location for the news conference and he misunderstood, assuming it was an upscale hotel, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.”
According to insiders, they told the landscaping business as it was in a more Republican-friendly part of town.
PBS Senior Political Reporter Daniel Bush added a bit more info, tweeting: “An answer to the Four Seasons Total Landscaping mystery: the company told me the Trump campaign contacted them today out of the blue ahead of the Giuliani presser and said their location was close to an exit on I95, and was secure, and that’s why they wanted to use it.”
Join our community of over 40,000-plus members today and get the latest Over60 news, offers and articles.
Get all the latest Over60 news, offers and articles.


text:
Even as cannabis usage is increasingly legalized and destigmatized in the U.S., there’s still little knowledge of how the drug is used by or affects several population groups — including new parents.
To coincide with Mother’s Day, the online women’s cannabis lifestyle magazine Miss Grass released the results of a survey collected from over 700 mothers, with questions ranging from cannabis usage during and after pregnancy and the mothers’ reasons for using THC/CBD, to how public or private they keep their cannabis usage from family and friends. While the results are admittedly skewed — 98.2% of respondents say they consume cannabis, but nearly all are presumably readers of Miss Grass — they do provide insight into what expectant mothers view as their relationship to the drug.
“We launched the survey last Mother’s Day, just to test it,” says Anna Duckworth, one of the cofounders of Miss Grass. The survey coincided around the time of the site’s launch, and focused mainly on the shame and stigma surrounding mothers who use cannabis. It received over 200 responses, many of them very “impassioned,” according to Duckworth, and it inspired the new survey to dive deeper into the experience of using THC while pregnant and being a mother.
The new survey asks basic cannabis use questions such as, “Did you consume cannabis before being a mom?” and other questions such as methodology (vaping, smoking, topical creams, etc.) and use (treating nausea, treating insomnia, relaxing, etc.). It then dives into questions surrounding cannabis use during pregnancy: what kind of usage (smoking or ingesting THC, or using CBD-only supplements) and what symptoms the cannabis was used to treat, with nausea being the most common. THC usage also greatly surpassed CBD usage for pregnant mothers who chose to consume one or the other.
Continue reading this story at Rolling Stone


text:
US Senator Hatch looked into the report and said the report was "false and misleading," noting that of the 528 products listed, 34 did not exist, 25 were cited more than once, 3 were listed more than once for the same health claim, and 17 had been removed from the marketplace before the report was released. Hatch's staff also found that one of the products was not a dietary supplement but a paperback book(11 ).
the world is our doctor
A Rome base UN body called the Codex Alimentarius Commission has laid out the groundwork that would eventually phase out food based nutritional aids. Started in 1961 as a joint venture of to UN organizations Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). When it was first started this commission was powerless but with the WTO in place it now has the means to enforce its rulings through the use of trade sanctions. American Association of Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), believes codex will "treat nutrients as toxic chemicals,". "The model that the Codex Commission is using in developing 'upper limits' (maximum potencies) for each vitamin and mineral formulation is based on a risk assessment model used to assess the health risks of toxic chemicals and environmental hazards rather than a nutritional science model." (12 ).