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Honda sees its future in air taxis, rockets and moon robots
Car and motorbike maker Honda Motor Co. is positioning itself for a vertical takeoff.
The Tokyo-based company is embarking on efforts to field a new electric-hybrid air taxi, a robot with human-like hands that may one day toil on the moon and a reusable rocket to carry small satellites into space more economically.
Honda's vision of how people will work, travel and spend leisure time in the future will help expand its business beyond cars, lawn mowers and motorcycles. The efforts are a key component of Honda's "2030 Vision" to broaden the definition of mobility and to improve peoples' daily lives.
The automaker, which also has a niche business in small planes, is a newcomer to the space industry, dominated today by established defense contractors such as Boeing and well-funded upstarts such as Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin. Its seven- or eight-passenger HondaJet has gained limited traction and accounts for a tiny fraction of the company's revenue.
Honda also has struggled to keep up with the latest technology in its mainstay automotive business, partnering with General Motors to develop electric vehicles using that larger company's next-generation battery-pack technology.
The carmaker says all three areas of the expansive research and development road map overlap with Honda's expertise, including propulsion, electrification, robotics, artificial intelligence and renewable energy, the company said Thursday.
"There is no other company that has all of these core technologies," spokesman Marcos Frommer said on a video briefing with reporters.
Honda says current flying-shuttle designs that rely 100% on battery power will be too limited in range to meet market demand for travel as far as 250 miles (402 kilometers) and not just across large, congested cities, according to its research.
The company plans to begin flight tests in 2023 on a hybrid design that will couple a lithium battery with a gas-turbine generator to serve as a charger and extend the aircraft's range. If management decides to proceed with development, Honda plans to have its craft certified by 2030.
In the 2040s, when Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) craft progress to a fully autonomous stage -- without a pilot on board -- Honda forecasts a market worth $269 billion annually. This would include emergency medical transport and logistics.
This market will need to function within a larger ecosystem of eVTOL ports, ground-based autonomous vehicles and computers that can adjust both passengers' schedules and flight plans seamlessly to transport people, Frommer said.
Honda Robotics will continue refinements of its Asimo humanoid robot to reduce its size and increase capabilities.
The company expects that avatar robots will be used primarily as a remote surrogate to perform tasks, such as a paramedic controlling the robot to attend to an injured person, which Honda calls "4D, transcending time and space." In another scenario from the company, schoolchildren remotely occupy a fleet of robotic rover avatars on the moon's surface, touring craters and other geographic features.
These human-controlled avatars will need sophisticated, multifingered hands powered by artificial intelligence to help provide more delicate and forceful grasping, Honda said. The Honda Avatar Robot will begin technology demonstrations by March 2024 and see "practical use" in the 2030s, the company said.
Honda began work in late 2019 on the engineering requirements for a reusable rocket, the industry's new paradigm given the success of SpaceX's Falcon 9. Honda plans to develop a rocket to launch small satellites into low-earth orbit, another evolution that has energized the commercial space economy.
This, in turn, could lead to more connected machines -- everything from autos to appliances to utilities that are online -- and create new service and revenue opportunities.
Further out in space, Honda sees commercial promise in helping lunar explorers unlock the potential of frozen water on the moon. The company is working with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to build a renewable energy system on the moon. This would break down water into its hydrogen and oxygen components, with Honda's fuel-cell technology generating electricity. The oxygen also could used in living quarters and to provide hydrogen for fueling rockets, Honda said.
Honda isn't the only Japanese carmaker imagining a presence on the moon. Toyota Motor Corp. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency are working on a six-wheeled driverless lunar rover with the goal of putting it on the surface in 2029.
Honda also sees a role on the moon for robots to "minimize the risks astronauts will be exposed to and enable people to virtually enjoy the experience of being on the moon from Earth."


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The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are rumored to be pricier than previous models, according to Hong Kong-based tech analyst Jeff Pu. This isn't the first time we've heard that the upper-tier models will get a price hike.
On Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, an unverified source claimed that Apple plans to jack up the price tag for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Keep in mind that the iPhone 14 Pro models already have an eye-watering starting price of $1,000! (h/t MacRumors)
Will the iPhone 15 Pro models be more expensive?
Pu predicts that the iPhone 15 Pro models will cost an arm and a leg — even more than usual — due to pricey hardware upgrades. The next-gen upper-tier phones will reportedly be packed with the new A17 Bionic chip, more RAM, a periscope-like lens for better optical zoom (on the Pro Max), a titanium frame, haptic feedback for solid-state buttons, and more. Apple will be spending more, so the Cupertino-based giant will want more.
In the U.S., the Pro model's price tag started at $1,000 since the iPhone X's launch in 2017. In the same vein, the Pro Max's price tag has started at $1,100 since the iPhone XS Max debuted in 2018. In other words, if Apple decides to increase the price for the Pro models later this year, it will be the first price hike since the iPhone X.
It's worth noting, however, that outside of the U.S., Apple hasn't been shy about increasing prices to adjust for foreign currency vacillations. For example, U.K. customers experienced a price hike to £1,100 for the iPhone 14 Pro (up from £950 for the iPhone 13 Pro.)
That being said, with U.S. inflation rates concerning economic pundits, Pu's prediction that Apple is set to increase the Pro models' pricing is highly probable. As MacRumors pointed out, the Cupertino-based tech giant managed to keep the Pro models' pricing stable for six years, but it's only a matter of time before the company hikes up the prices to secure its profit margins. And this year may be the year Apple does it.
Fortunately, pricing chitchat about the lower-tier models, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, has been quiet.
The next-gen iPhone 15 is expected to debut this September. Check out our iPhone 15 rumor hub for more gossip on the highly anticipated series.
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Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!

domain: news


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Look: Slithering assailant steals hair
HOUSTON — A creeping burglar snake crawls through Tiffani Chanel Luxury Hair collecting wigs and other merchandise from the shelves. It is estimated that he stole over $3,000 worth of wigs.
Some of stolen wigs were going to be donated to a cancer makeover event specifically for cancer patients.
"He's a snake. That's what they do," said manager Chanie Speller.
Watch the assailant snatch the wigs in the video.


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Sweetgreen, the organic salad retail chain launched in 2007 that has expanded across the District and five states, just received a $22 million investment from Washington, D.C., firm Revolution Growth, known for investing in tech firms, theWashington Business Journalreports.
The investment will go toward national growth in key markets, the Business Journal says, as well as building the company’s “team and corporate culture, and growing community programs and marketing initiatives.”
Sweetgreen is a farm-to-table salad restaurant whose founders were students hoping to solve a problem that they had, which was how to find healthy and organic fast food near the Georgetown University campus, says TechCrunch.com. With few options around, the students decided to create their own healthy food hangout.
Most of the salad chain’s food comes from local farms and suppliers, TechCrunch says, which means a regularly changing menu of options for customers.
Meanwhile, its shops have been designed to have an open, clean feel, while also having minimal environmental impact. Sweetgreen incorporates reclaimed materials and uses eco-conscious packaging, the website reports.


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Today, during a presentation for ministers Charles Cooper (Traffic, Transport, and Urban Planning) and Ornelio Martina (Management, Planning and Services) and their staff, Autbobusbedrijf Curaçao launched the iOS version of their bus app.
On July 29 & 30, 2021 ITS Caribbean & Latin America will host their ITS Congress in Curaçao. The first of what will be an annual event takes place online in a virtual congress hall and features many amazing speakers.
With the internet at our finger tips it's easy to stay up to date on everything that's happening in the world of Smart Cities. From the latest AI efforts in Singapore to the nitty-gritty of yet another company-run smart neighborhood in the US, it's all there. Staying up to date on what's happening in Curaçao is rather more of a challenge though. We hope to change this with this website, but below you'll find some of the resources we look at to stay informed ourselves.
The Ministry of Economic Development (MEO) has just finished their Curaçao Export Week 2021. Over the course of 5 days they hosted over 30 webinars and online events which were eagerly attended by many local and international professionals and students.
Curaçao has been in a bind lately, financially speaking. Over the last few years the island has had to suffer multiple harsh blows to its economy; the refinery has been either non-functional or closed entirely while the government was looking for a company to manage it, Venezuela closed its borders with Aruba and Curaçao, the building of a new hospital didn't go according to plan (or budget), and then a pandemic hit the world freezing almost all tourism-related travel. All this piled on top of an economy that was already in a slump. Enter the NES, the National Export Strategy 2020-2025.
Today Autobusbedrijf Curaçao N.V. launched their brand new mobile app, available now for Android phones on the Google Play Store. The app, together with the other new initiatives they launched today, is the latest of a series of steps ABC is taking towards a Smarter future. The ABC Curaçao app was built in Curaçao in collaboration with local foundation Smart Mobility Caribbean (SMCF).


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Wolseley Canada has opened a consolidated plumbing and HVAC/R branch in Oshawa, Ontario.
“We believe a combined plumbing and HVAC/R branch is beneficial for our customers because, quite simply, it’s more convenient for them to have all of the products in one place,” said Kevin Fullan, general manager, Wolseley Canada. “We decided the best thing to do was move our standalone HVAC/R branch to a much larger facility so we could add our plumbing line of products.”
Paul Duncan is the branch manager of the newly consolidated branch. For the last 32 years, Duncan had been the only manager of Oshawa’s original HVAC/R branch.
The Oshawa branch consolidation is part of a broader initiative to open new Wolseley branches in communities across Canada. Wolseley has recently opened new locations in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Lachine and Laval, Quebec, and Concord, Ontario.


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A simple household sponge appears to be an effective weapon against hospital superbug MRSA - but experts are baffled as to exactly why.
The sponge could prove vital in eradicating MRSA, experts say
Tests on new anti-MRSA antibiotics show the microbes thrived on one kitchen scourer, but not others.
Researchers at Heriot Watt University want to know why the sponge is so effective at producing antibiotics.
The sponge is sold only at supermarket chain Morrisons, which said it was investigating who made the sponge.
Brian Austin, a professor of microbiology at the university, discovered the bacteria earlier this year growing on fucus seaweed in the Firth of Forth.
His research team were surprised to find it produced a powerful chemical that attacked and ate the superbug.
Prof Austin said: "We want to speak to the manufacturers to find out what's special about these sponges.
"Why won't the bacteria produce these antibiotics on any other supermarket sponges?
"It could be something very subtle like how shiny the surface is. We're keen to take the study further as an antibiotic powerful enough to kill MRSA clearly has lots of potential."
The researchers' trials showed the protein could even kill deadly food poisoning infection Listeria.
They began cultivating the bacteria in glass containers of meat broth in the university laboratory.
But the microbes would only yield the special antibiotic when grown on discs of the Morrisons kitchen sponge, as no other brand placed in the broth would work.
Now experts want to speak to the makers of the polyurethane scouring pads.
Prof Austin, who is the university's dean of science and engineering, added: "Although we're still about 10 years away from putting this antibiotic through clinical trials, it could have a major impact on infection control in hospitals."
Morrisons said it was investigating who had manufactured the sponge.


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peerTransfer, a provider of payment solutions for the education industry, has relocated and expanded its US and European offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Valencia, Spain.
The company said that the move was necessitated by the doubling of its payment volume and revenue in the last 12 months.
"The new state-of-the-art locations will facilitate continued innovation and make room for critical growth in engineering, sales, marketing and operations capacity," the company said in its press statement.
Also, peerTransfer rebranded itself as Flywire. Effective immediately the Flywire and peerTransfer logos are appearing on the peerTransfer website.
The company added that it will phase-out the peerTransfer name entirely over time.
Flywire chief customer officer Rob Rosenblatt said: "The Flywire name is rooted in our desire and vision to serve as the trusted provider for high-ticket payments that cross international borders.
"In today’s world consumers are global, with opportunities to study, live, travel and explore around the world. Flywire will become the brand they trust for reliable, transparent payments in a world without borders."
The company processed $1bn in cross-border payments in the 2014-15 academic year and currently serves more than 750 educational institutions in the US, Europe and Asia.


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WASHINGTON: It was a full day of gathering information about legalizing marijuana.
In a whirlwind tour, a group from the Virgin Islands visited various marijuana industry facilities – including recreational pot shops and a medicinal marijuana processing facility – and attended a “high” tea with a cannabis industry trade group in Washington on Tuesday.
There was also a lecture by a neurologist during a standing-room only meeting of a small marijuana growers alliance on a rural island off Seattle.
Sen. Terrence Nelson is on a fact-finding tour, visiting Washington and Colorado to look at their experiences in legalizing marijuana. Nelson invited residents from the territory to come along, and a small group is with him.
He has said he plans to offer legislation that would legalize medical marijuana in the territory and wants to avoid the pitfalls experienced by other states.
A marijuana collective
Tuesday’s cannabis tour began at Green Lion Farms, a medical marijuana collective. In addition to medical marijuana plants, Green Lion Farms also processes medical marijuana from other collectives, including making oils.
It is in the process of converting a portion of its facility to recreational marijuana processing, said Michael West, the facility’s director of biotechnology.


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Washington, DC – Anticompetitive barriers to eCommerce will cost consumers $32.6 billion this year and more that $200 billion over the next five years according to a report released by NetChoice today. Entitled “The State of eCommerce 2002: Beyond the Bubble, Beware the Barriers,” the report finds that these barriers and persistent efforts to create new ones threaten the future of e-Commerce.
eCommerce barriers include any law, regulation, rule, or business practice that significantly impedes more cost-effective, more efficient, and more direct delivery of goods and services to the consumer. With online retail sales are growing ten times faster than overall retail sales, many traditional middlemen (car dealers, alcohol distributors, real estate agents, etc.) are trying to preserve existing barriers and create new ones as a way to prevent online competition. These barriers already prevent automobile manufacturers and wineries from selling directly to consumers and severely limit the ability of consumers to buy things like contact lenses and homes online.
The report analyzes costs specifically in the airline travel, automotive sales, residential real estate, and contact lens markets. According to the report, barriers to direct sales of automotives will cost consumers nearly $25 billion this year and more than $150 billion over the next five years. In the residential realty market, anticompetitive efforts by offline realtors and laws preventing commission rebates will cost consumers $7 billion this year and nearly $46 billion over the next five. Efforts to prevent patients from buying contact lenses online and laws prohibiting multi-channel sales will cost consumers $470 million this year and $3 billion over the next five. The anticompetitive tactics of travel agents and green-screen computer reservation systems have slowed the implementation of newer, faster and less expensive technologies that would save consumers more than $1 billion over the next five years.
“We found that the greatest threats to eCommerce are old-economy middlemen and their lobbyists,” said Steve DelBianco, executive director of NetChoice. “In just four markets, the anticompetitive efforts of these middlemen could cost consumers $200 billion over the next five years. It’s time for governments and consumers to start fighting back.”
In the report, NetChoice suggests several ways to remove these barriers and ensure the growth of eCommerce in the future. It calls on state governments to dismantle vertical restrictions and re-examine rules that prevent direct sales. Congress can preempt state restrictions and help businesses and consumers avoid the costs of a patchwork of state laws. Consumers can band together to let companies and governments know that they won’t tolerate artificial barriers that limit choice and raise prices. Finally, industry and professional associations should work to apply the promise of eCommerce, not to block it.


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Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned the US economy risks suffering "permanent damage" the longer the lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic drags on
New York (AFP) - European and US stocks retreated Tuesday, partly reversing the previous session’s rally, as traders banked profits and digested grim indicators about the depth of the economic slowdown.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned the US economy risks suffering “permanent damage” the longer the lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic drags on.
The White House has urged states to reopen their economies as quickly as is safely possible and has not embraced the need to approve additional fiscal support right now – a stance taken by congressional Democrats.
It is not unusual to see a pullback in stocks after a big rally, but a high-profile Capitol Hill hearing highlighted lingering concerns on how to safely revive the economy, analysts said.
And FHN Financial’s Chris Low said the partisan divide suggested there will not be a fast agreement to provide more funds to cash-strapped states, “an essential part of laying groundwork for a quick recovery,” he said.
“You’re not going to get that aid if the two parties can’t work together,” Low said.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down 1.6 percent at 24,206.86, pulling back from the 3.9 percent surge Monday.
- British unemployment spikes -
London stocks lost 0.8 percent after official data showed a record surge in UK jobless claims during April, as businesses ravaged by fallout from the deadly COVID-19 outbreak laid off workers.
The number of Britons claiming jobless benefit soared nearly 70 percent in April to 2.1 million, as the coronavirus devastated the labor market, according to a government report.
In the eurozone, Paris shed 0.9 percent on news European auto sales collapsed by a record 76.3 percent year-on-year in April, while Frankfurt squeaked into positive territory just before the closing bell.
Shares across Europe had received a shot in the arm Monday from news of a 500-billion-euro ($542-billion) French-German fund to help the European Union economy combat COVID-19 fallout.
New York stocks then soared after US biotech firm Moderna reported “positive interim” results in early testing of a vaccine candidate, with some analysts suggesting that if all goes well it could be in use by the end of the year.
But an article Tuesday in Stat News, which focuses on health and medicine, expressed skepticism over Moderna’s announcement, which was a major catalyst in Monday’s rally, saying the company “revealed very little information” and no data about the vaccine.
Shares of Moderna tumbled 10.4 percent after surged 20 percent following the Monday announcement.
Retail giant Walmart finished 2.1 percent lower after giving up early gains. The company reported higher profits on a surge in demand for groceries and other essential items, but said it suffered $900 million in COVID-19 related expenses in the first quarter.
- Key figures around 2110 GMT -
New York - Dow: DOWN 1.6 percent at 24,206.86 (close)
New York - S&P 500: DOWN 1.1 percent at 2,922.94 (close)
New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.5 percent at 9,185.10 (close)
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.8 percent at 6,002.23 points (close)
Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.2 percent at 11,075.29 (close)
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.9 percent at 4,458.16 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.3 percent at 2,902.58 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.5 percent at 20,433.45 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 1.9 percent at 24,388.13 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.8 percent at 2,898.58 (close)
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.5 percent at $34.65 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 2.1 percent at $32.50 per barrel
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0927 from $1.0913 at 2100 GMT
Dollar/yen: UP at 107.66 yen from 107.34
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2242 from $1.2194
Euro/pound: DOWN at 89.15 pence from 89.50 pence


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Cars In New York State Will Be Sluggish This Week
The summer is officially here and it is time to hit the road and enjoy all that New York has to offer! If you own a car in New York, how has the wildfire smoke affected the air in the vehicle? There are some who are suggesting you change the air filter in the cabin portion of the car.
The smoke still seems to be drifting south to the New York State are from the historic wildfires that continue to burn in portions of Canada. The National Weather Service has been very good at updating the air quality maps and letting us know about the potential dangers of the smoke.
For most drivers, they may not even know where to locate the cabin air filter in their vehicle. Does the smoke have an impact on the air you breath when you are in a car or truck? Some reports indicate that the smoke can lessen the life span of a filter.
According to a blog from boisetunetech:
However, most cars have a cabin air filter, which is designed to clean the air blown out your cabin air vents. This filter will remove the small particles that bother people and smoky air will shorten its life.
The smoke was especially an issue to start this week in portions of New York State as the smoke and particles from the fires were expected to reach the surface.


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On-demand ride provider Uber is working on an update to its app in order to cater specifically to “deaf and hard-of-hearing” drivers. The update is “now being tested in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.,” Uber told us.
The timing for today’s announcement is interesting. Uber has recently faced lawsuits for not complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act — a law that Uber has claimed to be exempt from.
At the heart of this issue rests a familiar debate: Is Uber a transportation company or a technology company? Although an Uber spokesperson stated that its app “was built to expand access to safe, reliable transportation options for all,” the company argues that it can’t be held responsible for enforcing compliance in the same ways a traditional taxi company does.
Uber said that a “broader rollout” of the new driver features “will be coming soon.” The company told us it hopes the updates “help extend the earning opportunity that Uber presents to deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.”
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Learn more about membership.


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Maruti to go ahead with expansion of Manesar facility with third plant coming next year
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The country’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India Limited has said that it will be going ahead with the plan of setting-up a new factory at Manesar by mid next year. After the deadly clashes of Wednesday that caused the death of their HR Manager, it was widely speculated that the company may shell the plans of establishing a new plant in Manesar.
Speaking to ET, Mr. Shinzo Nakanishi, Maruti Suzuki Managing Director, said, "It's a big trauma for my people (referring to his managerial staff.) We will not take it anymore." "I will personally ask Haryana Chief Minister BS Hooda for a thorough investigation and would like to know if there are any shadows that are sabotaging our operations in India," he added.
The company has said that the new plant in Gujarat will be an expansion of their operations in the Indian market, and it won’t be an alternative to their existing plants in Manesar and Gurgaon. Mr. Nakanishi also said that this not the first of its kind incident in the company’s global operations which is spread across a number of countries including Hungary, Indonesia, Spain, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, China and the Philippines
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I had already mentioned in my comments on the article in Car Trade , "Maruti gives the go ahead for its Gujarat plant" that no company worth its salt can stay away from Gujarat. There is lot of meaning to that comment even without taking into account the recent unforgivable violence by workmen in Maruti's Manesar plant. Sir, Gujarat is almost similar to Japan when it comes to dedication to the workplace and the interest of the employer is concerned. Each and every worker will do his utmost to give his highest output and will never destabilize operations and give competitors an upper hand by lost production and unhealthy working atmosphere. Maruti should spare no ammunition in its hunt for unwanted elements among the workers who create such chaotic scenes. .Having worked in a multinational company in Mumbai where we faced the ire of a militant trade union leader of our times I am fully aware of the psychological pressure on the management by a handful of disgruntled and misguided minority of the workforce. It is truly a disturbing experience for Maruti and the company should move forward in the right direction like Tatas after a bitter experience similar to one in Maruti but fortunately much before the full investment in such chaotic places.July 21, 2012 by K A Atmacharan
- Demand for DZire outpaces Swift in April for the first time in April 2013
- Auto sector should be out of India-EU FTA, as per Maruti
- Chilean auto market receives the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800
- Maruti Suzuki to roll out a new diesel LCV in India
- Maruti Suzuki to breathe new life into its Indian fleet with a new models
- Maruti Suzuki to introduce YL1 hatch and YL7 sedan in India
- Indian Army to make a switch to Mahindra Scorpio or Tata Safari from Maruti Gypsy
- Hyundai BA could challenge Maruti Suzuki Swift soon in India
- Maruti Suzuki to replace low selling cars with new ones soon
- Maruti Suzuki Ertiga Feliz special edition to launch soon
- Suzuki introduces Ertiga with automatic gearbox in Indonesia
- Maruti Suzuki reports a 3.1 per cent drop in sales for April 2013
- Swift DZire diesel records a mileage of 45.8 kmpl at DZirable Mileage Rally
- Work on Maruti Suzukiís new Gujarat facility on schedule
- Maruti Suzuki to focus on rural market to increase sales volume


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As promised, Koenigsegg released the uncut onboard footage of the Regera’s recent 0-400-0 km/h record run.
Koenigsegg beat its own world record with the Regera, after setting a 0-400-0 km/h in 31.49 seconds, 1.8 seconds faster than what the Agera RS achieved back in 2017. The Agera also managed a 0-250-0 mph in 32.48 seconds.
The record run took place at the Rada airfield in Sweden on September 23, with Koenigsegg test driver Sonny Persson sitting behind the wheel. The onboard footage provides real-time acceleration and deceleration data but unfortunately the camera over-exposed the exterior environment.
The Koenigsegg Regera is powered by a twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8 engine, alongside three electric motors for a combined output of 1,500 HP that go straight to the rear axle via the brand’s innovative Direct Drive transmission. What this means is that the Regera has just a single gear, with Koenigsegg claiming that this transmission reduces energy losses by up to 50 percent in comparison with a traditional gearbox.
“This was a good opportunity to showcase the true capability of the Regera’s one-of-a-kind Direct Drive transmission,” said Christian von Koenigsegg. “As the Regera only has one gear we had to make use of it from standstill to the record top speed of 403 km/h (or 250 mph) limited by rpm.”
After celebrating the new world record, Koenigsegg teased their upcoming top speed record effort, with Sonny Persson playfully saying to Christian ‘Hold my beer’. Time for Koenigsegg to unleash the Jesko? Only time will tell.


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ARB PIO: (916) 322-2990
Smog Check restructuring promises lower costs, faster tests and cleaner air
Program update allows technicians to use new technology
EL MONTE, CALIF - Today the Air Resources Board, Department of Consumer Affairs/Bureau of Automotive Repair and Assemblymember Mike Eng marked the adoption of AB 2289, a new law restructuring California’s Smog Check Program, streamlining and strengthening inspections, increasing penalties for misconduct, and reducing costs to motorists.
The new law, sponsored by the Air Resources Board and the Bureau of Automotive Repair, promises faster and less expensive Smog Checks by taking advantage of diagnostic software installed on all vehicles since 2000. The new law also directs vehicles without this equipment to high-performing stations – rewarding these stations – helping ensure that these cars comply with current emission standards. As a result, this legislation could reduce up to an additional 70 tons per day of smog-forming emissions from vehicles statewide.
"This is definitely not your father's old-fashioned smog test,” said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “Smog Check version 2.0 is plugged-in, wired and a winner. It's all about faster, cleaner and cheaper tests that will catch and clean up far more dirty cars than now. Your car's on-board computer has been enlisted in the battle for cleaner air."
“AB 2289 revamps the current smog check program by using the latest technology to ensure air quality improvement and lower consumer costs,” said Assemblymember Eng (D-Monterey Park). “Cleaner air saves lives, reduces adverse effects on children and the elderly as well as Native American, African American, Latino, and Asian populations who are more likely to be affected by asthma.”
“The Smog Check Program is a key element in California’s fight for clean air,” said BAR Chief Sherry Mehl. “AB 2289 provides BAR with new tools in its clean air efforts by holding stations and technicians accountable and by improving consumer convenience while reducing costs.”
The program will reduce consumer costs by having stations take advantage of diagnostic software that monitors pollution-reduction components and tailpipe emissions. This technology, known as On-Board Diagnostics, has been required on all new vehicles since 1996. Under the new law, testing of passenger vehicles using OBD will begin mid-2013 on all vehicles model years 2000 or newer. This should result in reduced consumer costs by up to $180 million annually.
Vehicles manufactured without these diagnostic systems will continue to be subject to a tailpipe inspection. Only Smog Check stations with a demonstrated history of high performance will be authorized to inspect these older vehicles. This change will improve testing, diagnosis and repair of these vehicles.
An independent review of the Smog Check Program in 2009 revealed that within a short period of time after passing a Smog Check inspection, 19 percent of vehicles failed a subsequent emissions audit conducted by state officials. The same study also found that 49 percent of vehicles that had failed an audit conducted by BAR staff had failed and then subsequently passed an inspection at a licensed Smog Check station.
California’s Smog Check Program, administered by the Bureau of Automotive Repair, was established in 1984 to identify high emitting vehicles in need of repair. Currently, the Smog Check Program removes approximately 400 tons of smog-forming emissions from California’s air each day.
ARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards.


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The Innovative Startups and SMEs Fund (ISSF), the leading investment fund of its kind in Jordan, has announced a direct investment of $120K in Mrayti, the Middle Eastern cosmetics startup and beauty platform.
Mrayti is a middle east startup specializing in clean cosmetics and personal care products free of health-compromising chemicals or compounds. Founded By Romouz Sadeq in Amman, Mrayti has become a prominent player in the beauty and personal care industry offering 500+ carefully selected products on the platform. In 2021, Mrayti launched its first line of locally manufactured cosmetics under the brand name.
As recorded in our State of Startup Funding- 2022 Emerging Venture Markets Free Report, the Jordanian VC ecosystem was able to take part in MENA’s 130% + YoY VC funding growth over 2021. Though the market is rather nascent compared to its peer ecosystems in MENA, it climbed 1 rank in 2021 to become the 4th-most funded geography in MENA crossing the $100M for the first time since 2015. Looking at the top 5 funding rounds in Jordan over 2021, the startups involved did not only raise sizable investments over the past year, but a lot of them also showed impressive maturity in the market. Of the most funded startups in Jordan 2021, dentist cosmetics manufacturer Eon Dental and online classifieds platform OpenSooq, both raising $20M+ rounds, as well as EdTech platform Abwaab which also acquired its Pakistan-based counterpart Edmatrix last year, and POS solutions provider POSRocket which was acquired by the MENA leading food platform aggregator Foodics in early 2022.
Access our suite of Full Year 2021 Reports covering MENA, Africa, Pakistan & Turkey. Browse our latest and pick your data focus
The investment aligns with the Innovative Future Initiative, which the ISSF launched to support startups and SMEs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan. Organized in coordination with the World Bank, the initiative has allocated USD 7.5 million to empower these companies to overcome the challenges imposed by the global health crisis. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Jordanian companies experienced significant challenges, that made it difficult for them to continue or impeded the growth of their business, and here comes the ISSF's role in enabling startups and SMEs to not only endure but also prosper. ISSF investment in “Mrayti” comes from our belief in Jordanian entrepreneurs and their ability to turn challenges into new opportunities for development and expansion, thereby contributing to supporting local entrepreneurial activity and positively impacting the national economy as a whole,” commented ISSF CEO, Laith Al Qasem.
The ISSF is registered as a Jordanian private shareholding company. The objective of the ISSF is to support and elevate Jordan’s entrepreneurial and innovation landscape by facilitating the establishment of new investment funds that serve the ecosystem; making direct investments in innovative, export-oriented and scalable local startups; as well as implementing initiatives that improve the capabilities of Jordanian entrepreneurs and startup teams through training, capacity building and targeted incubation and acceleration programs.
The Jordan-based beauty & cosmetics startup Mrayti will be able to use its newly acquired funds to further ground its position in the market and expand its regional footprint. In turn, Founder of Mrayti, Romouz Sadeq, elaborated, “The team and I are excited to make Mrayti a regional favorite for savvy consumers by the end of this year. ISSF’s investment comes at such a pivotal moment as we’ve just launched our own products and sends a strong signal that Jordanian startup ecosystem continues to lead with innovation and confidence.”
Looking for leads in this startup landscape? Access real-time data on 500+ Jordan-based Startups


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A MAGHERAFELT councillor has expressed regret at the closure of two businesses in the town.
DUP Councillor Paul McLean said the closures were regrettable and were “a sign of the harsh times” on the high street.
Dreams store at Rainey Street car park and nearby Chinese Mandarin Buffet closed last week.
“Magherafelt Council along with the town’s Business Forum have been working to keep businesses in the town and to attract new traders,” he said.
“Every town in the country is experiencing shop closures and it’s just an indication of the times we are living in.”
He expressed the hope that the New Year would be better.


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Bloomberg confirms the rumors that Apple will launch the new iPhone 5 in September of this year. Besides this, the rumor says that Apple will also launch a new version of the iPad with a higher resolution.
As far as we know the new iPhone will have an even faster processor than the iPhone 4 and also a more advanced camera. The processor will most likely be the A5 processor which is the chip that Apple added to the iPad 2. About the camera, rumors say that it will probably be an eight megapixel camera. The design of the iPhone 5 will be very similar to the iPhone 4 and of course the new device will run on iOS 5.
As for the new features that this phone will have, we’ll just have to wait for more information to surface as we get closer and closer to the launching date of this new device from Apple.
[via Mac Rumors]


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Find out more about the combinations in which you can purchase the latest generation of Apple Watch!
November 23, 2021, 12:30 pm
Microsoft will bring the much anticipated Fluent-style emojis to Windows 11 this week, and it will also release an optional update that will focus on existing bugs
November 23, 2021, 11:00 am
The competition from Apple, Samsung, and other companies seem to have caught up to Tile, who now managed to sell the company for a deal valued at $205 million.
November 23, 2021, 9:30 am
Got yourself an iPhone 13 mini? Read this article to learn about the best MagSafe Cases available for it to maximize the ways in which you can use your phone!
November 23, 2021, 8:30 am
Hisense, the official sponsor of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 announced a massive “One Year to Go” prize giveaway that will run from November 18 until December 18.
November 23, 2021, 7:15 am
According to a new report, Samsung is catching up with Apple in smartwatch sales thanks to the launch of the new Galaxy Watch 4 series.
November 23, 2021, 6:00 am
Ahead of the launch of the HONOR 60 series, the design of the smartphone has been leaked thanks to a teaser shared by the company.
November 23, 2021, 5:00 am
Did you recently receive your iPhone 13 Pro Max and need a MagSafe-compatible case to ensure it’s protected and wish to have the added convenience of magnets? Read this article to learn about the best MagSafe case options on the market.
November 23, 2021, 4:30 am
Google has published the Android adoption report for Android version 11 and before, and it reveals some interesting insights.
November 23, 2021, 4:00 am
According to a report, the deal between Qualcomm and Microsoft for Windows on ARM is about to expire which means we could see Windows on ARM devices with chipsets from other manufacturers.
November 23, 2021, 3:30 am


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The news that Whatsapp will stop working on numerous smartphones has spread panic among innumerable smartphone users across the globe. As per the report, the affected percentage of smartphones is mere one per cent while the messaging app – WhatsApp will function absolutely normal on rest of the 99 per cent phones across the globe.
If you have one of the above-mentioned phones, or in layman’s language if you possess a mobile phone that has any of the above-mentioned operating systems the best way to overcome this situation is to consider upgrading to a newer phone.
These next platforms will not let users create new accounts or re-verify existing accounts, but they can still use the app:
BlackBerry 10, Windows Phone 8.0 and older – until December 31, 2017, Nokia S40 until December 31, 2018, Android versions 2.3.7 and older – until February 1, 2020.
WhatsApp notes that “these platforms don’t offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app’s features in the future”.
‘However, we provide the option to send your chat history attached to an email’.
Furthermore, if you want to use WhatsApp from now on, here is the list of operating systems that are no longer supported. The company in an official blog post said, “It will end support for operating systems from BlackBerry, Microsoft Windows and Nokia”.
Owners of these devices will have to get new phones to enjoy the new updates and features of the chat app. And, at the end of 2017, BlackBerry and Windows Phones are at the door, on their way out.
Only devices which still operate Windows Phone 8.0 or earlier will be affected.
Statistics released last January by Google, which develops Android, indicated that less than 0.1% of all Android devices still ran Froyo.
WhatsApp said the decision to phase out some support was to reflect the changing landscape of the mobile industry.


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With a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 89.3 out of 100 and a rating of AAA brand strength, Taj has emerged as the strongest hotel brand in the world.
Taj made it to the top spot following an evaluation from Brand Finance, an independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy, based on factors such as marketing investment, customer familiarity, staff satisfaction, and corporate reputation. The hotel brand is making a re-entry into the ranking for the first time since 2016, where it featured on the 38th spot.
Renowned for its world-class customer service, the luxury hotel chain scores very well in Brand Finance’s Global Brand Equity Monitor for consideration, familiarity, recommendation, and reputation especially across its home market of India.
Brand Finance in a statement mentions, “Taj’s successful implementation of its 5-year plan - which focuses on selling non-core assets, becoming less ownership driven and reducing dependence on the luxury space – followed by the speedy adoption of its new R.E.S.E.T 2020 strategy, which provides a transformative framework to help the brand overcome the challenge of the pandemic, has contributed to the brand’s re-entrance.”
As holidays are cancelled and people are instructed to work from home, the hospitality sector has reached an almost complete standstill both from tourism, as well as corporate travel. As a result, the total value of the top 50 most valuable hotel brands has decreased 33 per cent year-on-year, down from US$ 70.2 billion in 2020 to US$ 47.4 billion in 2021.
Hilton has retained its top spot as the world’s most valuable hotel brands, despite recording a 30 per cent drop in brand value to US$ 7.6 billion. While Hilton’s revenue has taken a significant hit since the outbreak of the pandemic, the brand is showing confidence in its growth strategy, announcing a further 17,400 rooms to its pipeline, bringing the total to over 400,000 new rooms planned – an uplift of 8 per cent on the previous year. Hilton also boasts of the most valuable hotel portfolio, with its seven brands that feature in the ranking reaching a total brand value of US$ 13.8 billion.


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Google Assistant is about to get a lot more fun with new tools being added to the Actions on Google Developer platform to assist in making them more fun.
Actions on Google is the developer platform introduced by Google that allows third party developers to use an API to integrate into Google Assistant.
Google noticed developers using the Actions on Google platform to create games, such as Akinator and SongPop and obviously liked the idea. Now new tools and libraries are being added, including a new sound effect library, and a handy guide on how to bring text based games to Google Assistant.
The Sound Library will include a number of sound effects including airplanes,
slide whistles, and bowling, cats purring, thunder and many more, allowing developers to spice up games or even just plain old interactions on Google Assistant.
The guide for creating text based games is extremely interesting to an early computer gamer, as Google reminds us many of these old-school text based games/interactive fictions are now ‘open source or in the public domain’ so they’re essentially open slather.
Google Assistant is fun, but it’s about to get a lot more fun with these new tools. Imagine a ‘Choose your own Adventure’ or a game of Zork in your Assistant, I`m game for it.


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Sarum College featured in the Guardian travel supplement over the weekend (19 January 2013).
Described as an “ecumenical centre that doubles as a jolly B&B”, the writer recommends guests rise early to have the cathedral grounds all to themselves.
We couldn’t agree more!
Contact our hospitality team to make a booking. Telephone 01722 424800 or email email@example.com.


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Top Glove hopes for more stable foreign worker policy
SHAH ALAM: Top Glove Corp Bhd hopes for a more stable foreign worker policy in the upcoming Budget 2017 as it is deemed necessary, said its chairman Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai.
He said foreign workers intake should not be frozen as the government did in 2001 as it had led to manufacturers seeking business ventures in neighbouring countries.
“Without workers, the factory cannot operate as we need a certain number of (foreign) workers to expand.
“I think we need to manage foreign workers with better and stable system so that we can continue to set up factories and produce rubber products for exports,” he told reporters during a working visit by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong to Top Glove’s factory here, yesterday.
“It is important to continue to encourage manufacturing in the country as without the support from the government, it is difficult for the industry to continue to grow,” Lim said, adding that the public and private partnership was essential. – Bernama


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Nation’s Restaurant News 4/19
A return to the Joy Silk doctrine would ask employers to voluntarily recognize worker-formed unions and the NLRB also wants to ban captive audience meetings.
New York Times 4/19
Automated payment and the spread of tipping to every corner of the food-service business have helped workers weather the pandemic. But some consumers feel overwhelmed.
Food Industry Policy
Los Angeles Times 4/19
Los Angeles County on Tuesday became the largest government entity to restrict single-use plastic food ware items from restaurants, stores, hospital cafeterias and food trucks.
LA Weekly 4/19
Los Angeles County is taking steps toward making temporary outdoor dining ordinances more permanent in unincorporated county areas.
On the Side
QSR Magazine 4/20
The chief marketing officer’s role at a quick-service brand is always shifting. But the pandemic hastened evolution up and down the C-suite of concepts nationwide.
Marketing Dive 4/18
Jack in the Box, Wingstop, TGI Fridays and Another Wing are among the restaurant brands running promotions tied to 4/20, a holiday celebrating weed culture.


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Drinking a large amount of coffee can benefit many truck drivers over the short term. However, one study argues that drinking it excessively for the long term can raise the risk of a crash. Truckers in New Mexico should know that this study focused on two groups of truckers: those who consume one cup of coffee a day, and those who drink more than five.
A total of 3,007 drivers from eight states were analyzed by a U.K. transport safety analyst along with researchers at the Virginia Tech Transport Institute. They filled out a questionnaire and had their medical reports included as data. It turns out that 21.6% of the low coffee consumers were in a crash in the previous three years. Yet among the high coffee consumers, 27.8% admitted to being in a crash in the prior three years.
The high coffee consumers also reported that their overall health left something to be desired. Many said they smoke or drink more alcohol, get poor sleep and have an unhealthy diet. Now, the study only points out an association; researchers cannot say for certain that there is a cause-effect relationship. Still, further research could start to show, for example, just how many cups of coffee a day will start to tip truck drivers over into risky behavior.
Drowsy and inattentive driving are forms of negligence that could provide the reason for a claim on the part of an injured victim. A victim who needs to see if their case holds up under this state’s pure comparative negligence law may want to see a lawyer. If retained, the lawyer could handle every step of the filing and negotiating process. If a settlement cannot be reached, then the lawyer may advise the client to litigate.


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New York Federal Reserve President John Williams expects inflation to remain elevated in 2024, signaling that interest rates may remain high for "some time."
This week will see Cyber Monday as well as retailers earnings reports. It will also see Fed discussions as the country continues to worry about inflation.
The U.S. government has awarded Chevron Corp. an expanded license to import oil from Venezuela following talks between the socialist Maduro regime and opposition leaders.
Gas prices are sitting around $3.60 per gallon, the highest ever recorded price for Thanksgiving since AAA starting tracking this data for over two decades.
Sheetz is reducing the price of gas to $1.99 a gallon ahead of Thanksgiving from Nov. 21-28 at 368 stores that offer the Unleaded 88.
Mortgage rates fell for the second week in a row, despite the Fed Reserve's hawkishness with the 30-year fixed rate averaging 6.58%, down from 6.61% last week
The White House failed to mention key details about inflation and gas prices on a document it issued listing President Biden's top accomplishments.
The price cap on Russian oil is set to begin in early December. Will replace a plan to completely ban the financing and insurance of Russian oil shipments
The Texas gas price average fell below $3 for the first time since mid-January, according to AAA Texas gas price data.
Another factor driving discussion around raising output: Two big OPEC members, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, want to pump more oil, OPEC delegates said.
A top energy industry group issued a report for House Republicans to use as a roadmap for energy policy when they take control of the House next year.
The Conference Board's Leading Economic Indicators index fell for the eighth consecutive month, signaling that a recession is looming on the horizon in the U.S.
The 30-year fixed rate mortgage declined to 6.61%, the most since 1981, after nearly 10 weeks of increases.
A majority of Americans are pushing off financial milestones such as getting married, furthering their education or having children because of the current state of the economy.
Red-hot inflation has begun to peak in the United States, but Jeremy Hunt and the Bank of England face the United Kingdom's highest inflation since 1981.
Diesel used in trucks, in homes, and to fuel powerplants has skyrocketed in price as the Jones Act, the pandemic, and Russia's War in Ukraine all disrupt supply.
The Commerce Department released new retail data on Wednesday, revealing how consumers have responded to rapid and stubbornly high inflation in October.
Even with inflation, which rose 7.7% in October from a year earlier, an increasing number of Americans who plan to celebrate Christmas plan to buy a real Christmas tree.
Nearly 48,000 unionized academic workers at University of California campuses went on strike Monday, calling for pay increases and various additional benefits.
Airbnb co-founder Nate Blecharczyk expressed confidence in the home-share platform despite economic headwinds like high inflation squeezing household budgets.


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It is not necessary for e-commerce vendors to establish a brick-and-mortar presence to compete with offline stores, as customers shop with "retailers who serve them well, regardless of the channel", says an industry analyst. But retailers note that physical presence can boost sales and customer confidence.
In an e-mail interview with ZDNet Asia, Patti Freeman Evans, vice president and research director at Forrester Research, said e-commerce businesses--whether they have offline stores or not--have a good shot at success as long as they keep a clear focus on customer service, maintain a strong and differentiated product mix and pricing value, and are easily accessible.
"From a business standpoint, the benefits [of having offline stores] depend on the overall cost and organizational structure of the company," Evans said. However, she acknowledged that e-commerce vendors with multiple delivery channels can benefit from being better able to serve the immediate needs of customers that want their products immediately.
According to a recent report by the U.K. Times, Amazon was looking to set up offline stores in the United Kingdom in a bid to enable customers to click-and-collect their purchases. The e-commerce pioneer later denied having plans to do so but declined to comment on future plans, Reuters reported.
Two retailers say offline stores can help boost sales as well as bolster the company's visibility.
ZDNet Asia spoke to global book retail chain Borders, which offers its U.S. customers ship-to-store and ship-to-home services.
In an e-mail interview, the company's spokesperson in the U.S. said the different shipping options offer its customers convenience and has "no real advantages for Borders". However, she said, the ship-to-store service provides further sales opportunities when the customers visit the store to pick up their orders and at the same time, may browse and purchase additional items at the outlet.
She added that customers benefit with the ship-to-store option as they do not need to pay for shipping charges, but noted that home deliveries are also free if the order is above US$25.
The Borders spokesperson noted that customers living in cities like the ship-to-store option because they "know their orders will be safely housed at the store…ready [in good condition] and waiting for them to pick up the next time they come into the shop".
Bricks enhance corporate brand
, combining an e-commerce model with offline stores can boost visibility, customer trust and confidence for the company. The Singapore-based florist launched its online presence in 2000.
Ryan Chioh, FarEastFlora.com's executive director, said in an e-mail interview that the company faced challenges when it expanded its business to Hong Kong.
"We started out in Hong Kong selling only through [our Web site] and catalogs, but we had a fair number of enquiries that asked where our store was or where they can see the products. This was not possible because we did not have a physical store," said Chioh, adding the company had to work harder to convince customers to trust the florist.
However, responses were "much better" after FarEastFlora.com launched its retail store in Hong Kong in July last year. Chioh explained: "The physical store became a new channel for us to interact with our customers. [For the customers,] seeing is believing. We even saw growth in the number of customers ordering from us online after the launch of our physical store."
In fact, he believes more e-commerce businesses will move into the brick-and-mortar space. "Eventually, to be positioned top in the mind of the customer, one must be seen in more places than just online. With that, you have a better chance to win the game," he said.
After building its business as an online PC distributor, Dell Computer in 2007 tweaked its sales strategy to include offline stores, partnering major retail chains and setting up its own physical outlets.


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Photo Mr. Inamori appointed as CEO of JAL (February 2010)
Nissan "March" also ends domestic sales, 40 years of history [newspaper watch]
If you write the contents roughly
However, in addition to continuing to sell the March as the Micra in some parts of the world, in Europe there are plans to jointly develop and launch an EV positioned as the successor to the Micra with Renault of France. ) and electric vehicles (EVs).
Kazuo Inamori, one of Japan's leading post-war entrepreneurs and a charismatic business owner alongside Konosuke Matsushita and Soichiro Honda, has passed away. → Continue reading
Wikipedia related words
If there is no explanation, there is no corresponding item on Wikipedia.
[rdp-wiki-embed url=”https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid Vehicle (HV)”][rdp-wiki-embed url=”https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electricity Automobile (EV)”]


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In Dushanbe for 17 thousand somoni. Prices for flights from Russia to Tajikistan jumped several times
3 months ago Web Desk Comments Off on In Dushanbe for 17 thousand somoni. Prices for flights from Russia to Tajikistan jumped several times
After the announcement of the mobilization
After the announcement of partial mobilization in Russia, the prices for air tickets to the so-called safe countries, including Tajikistan, reached astronomical values.
In particular, on the online service aviasales.tj, one of the Ural Airlines flights on the Moscow-Dushanbe route costs today 101,755 Russian rubles (more than 17 thousand somoni).
The cheapest ticket from Moscow to Dushanbe on September 22 for Ural Airlines and NordStar on this service costs 39,722 Russian rubles.
Somon Air said that the prices for air tickets for their flights from Russia have not changed.
«Our prices for flights from Russian cities have not changed. Probably the prices of Russian airlines have changed. For what reason, we don’t know», – said in Somon Air.


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US jewelry sales further down, while overall retail market improvesAugust 06, 19
(IDEX Online) - In May 2019, like during the four previous months of this calendar year, jewelry sales continued to suffer. Watch sales, on the other hand, have been improving though the first five months of the year, albeit in low, single digit increments.
In May, the fall in sales of jewelry registered at 8.7 percent, compared to May 2018, the sharpest fall for the year. As the various graphs show, in May 2018, jewelry sales peaked positively, showing a growth of more than 10 percent.
Currently, the jewelry sector's performance stands in shrill contrast with the overall performance of the US retail sector. During the first half of this year, US retail sales maintained their upward trajectory. In June retail sales were up 0.6 percent and 2.3 percent for the first two quarters compared to 2018.
One explanation for the retail jewelry sector's negative performance is that, while consumers are spending more on cars, gas, restaurants, and are also spending significantly more on online and non-store sales (a 11.6 percent rise year-over year), the American consumer remains hesitant in spending her or his discretionary dollars on luxury. Watches, apparently, are not necessarily regarded as a luxury item any longer.
Both independents and chains see steep drop
In May, specialty jewelers - those retail jewelers that are often family-owned and therefore called mom-and-pop jewelry stores - saw sales drop with 7.6 percent. Total retail jewelry sales dropped 7.7. percent. While during the first quarter of the year US retail sales had been negative across the board, they began picking up in May.
The Jewelers Board of Trade (JBT) said in a recent report that in the second quarter of the year, 185 jewelry businesses had ceased operations, constituting a 21 percent drop compared to the second quarter of 2018.
Among those 185 closures, 135 were retailers and 36 wholesalers and 14 jewelry manufacturers. In general, the rate of companies closing is slowing down. JBT noted that at the end of June 2019, 26,252 stores were open for business, compared to 26,909 in June 2018.
The JBT, as did various analysts, didn't seem overly concerned with the contraction of the brick-and-mortar jewelry market. As shown in the data above, consumers are changing their buying habits and lower footfall in retail businesses is one of the results.
US jewelers will continue to see market contracting
As can be seen in the relevant chart, May wasn't kind neither to the independent retail jewelers, those jewelers that are part and parcel of the communities they live and work in, nor to the national retail jewelry chains. But they were not the only sector to feel the pressure in retail. The apparel sector, as well as the sporting goods branch, also suffered declining sales, albeit in lower percentages. In general, retail store closures are on the rise.
Watch sales, as noted above, have been spared the downfall of jewelry over the course of the first five months.
There is no doubt that American jewelers are experiencing a down-turn, across the board. It is however important to look at the bigger picture. The US Commerce Department released data earlier this month, saying that retail sales had risen 0.4 percent in June. Sales made by online retailers, grocery stores, home and garden stores and restaurants and bars all grewe. The numbers published by the National Retail Federation (NRF) were even better. The NRF said retail sales had gone up 0.6 percent in June, seasonally adjusted from May, and 2.3 percent up year-over year. The numbers are consistent with elevated consumer sentiment, healthy household balance sheets, low inflation, and job gains. Retail sales account for about one-third of Americans' spending, while the other two-thirds are in services.


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"If retailers want to extend their supply chains into China, then they have to be willing to spend more money to ensure that their products are safe"
The scale of the financial and reputational risks associated with breaching environmental standards governing the use of potential harmful materials was underlined this week, when it was announced that...
BEIS and Treasury officials warn they will be prepared to act if voluntary take-up of TCFD guidelines don't meet expectations
Bosch CEO Volkmar Denner tells conference 'connectivity is fundamentally changing how we get from A to B'
Energy supplier says plan to pay customers to use electricity when supply is abundant and demand low is a world first
The government has once again lost a court battle over its air quality plans, how it responds will tell us a lot about how serious its Green Brexit vision should be taken


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The stock market faces another major financial crisis that will crush stocks and boost gold prices, says Robert Wiedemer, who foresaw the 2008 meltdown. He and the co-authors of New York Times best-seller "Aftershock" have released a sequel published by Wiley in September.
In "The Aftershock Investor," Wiedemer explains why he sees a "multiasset bubble collapse" looming and which ETFs investors must buy now to protect their money from the coming "chaos."
Wiedemer serves as managing director of Absolute Investment Management in Bethesda, Md., with $300 million in assets under management.
IBD: What leads you to believe that the world is on the brink of a multiasset bubble collapse?
Wiedemer: Actually, we already saw the first big multibubble burst in 2008 and 2009, when the stock, real estate, consumer spending and private-debt bubbles all popped.
The markets and the economy in general have stabilized somewhat since then, but it's only because two additional bubbles — government-debt bubble (massive borrowing) and the dollar bubble (massive money printing) — have been inflated to keep the other bubbles inflated.
Once those two bubbles pop, which they inevitably will, there are no options left. And we have no choice but to suffer the consequences of a massive multiasset bubble collapse.
The government can keep printing money and borrowing money for a while to keep those bubbles inflated, but eventually inflation sets in, and inflation is Kryptonite for a bubble economy. At that point, printing more money only makes the situation worse.
Many are quick to point out that we have yet to see significant inflation. But even if we ignore the fact that official measures of inflation can be misleading, there is a natural lag time between money printing and inflation.
That lag-time might be short in a country like Argentina, which has a long history of inflation, but it will be longer in a country like the U.S., which does not have the same long history of inflation.
Timing the onset of inflation can be difficult, but the recent announcement of quantitative easing or QE3 — a limitless round of money printing — is a turning point. I think expectations are beginning to change.
I estimate that in 2014 or 2015, we will begin to see significant inflation over 5% and eventually much higher. In the precarious multibubble economy that we currently have, inflation nearing 10% will be enough to trigger major corrections in the markets and send investors running.


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Significant The Last of Us Part 2 story spoilers have been published online.
The story elements have leaked via several gameplay videos showing new areas, cut-scenes and menus. The videos in question have been pulled from YouTube but are being actively circulated on social media sites.
They show key scenes from the unreleased PS4 sequel and contain significant story spoilers. It’s the second time this month unauthorised videos of The Last of Us Part 2 have appeared online, following the game’s most recent delay.
On April 2, The Last of Us Part 2’s release date was postponed indefinitely due to disruption caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (the game’s release had previously been delayed from February to May 2020).
UPDATE: Sony has announced new release dates for The Last of Us Part 2 and Ghost of Tsushima.
In a statement, the developer said it wanted to make sure that all players were able to play The Last of Us 2 around the same time so that it could “preserve the best experience for everyone.”
COVID-19 has significantly disrupted goods distribution and created a challenging environment for publishers attempting to coordinate boxed and digital game releases.
One recent example is Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Many fans received their physical versions of the RPG a full week ahead of those waiting for the digital release, as publisher Square Enix shipped early in an attempt to ensure that all players received the game by its official release.
Following The Last of Us 2’s delay, creative director Neil Druckmann suggested PlayStation could yet decide to release the game early digitally. And with story spoilers now openly circulating, it could potentially have the incentive to do so.
However, the writer and designer suggested that if possible he wanted to avoid a similar situation to FFVII Remake where “a small fraction of people” get the game early.
Asked if Naughty Dog could still release the game digitally in time for its previously targeted May release date, Druckmann told the Official PlaySation Blogcast:
“There hasn’t been a final decision yet. Right now we’re just reacting to… it’s a different retail chain, whether we could get physical copies to people, is the internet infrastructure there to support all countries…
“This is a worldwide game that people in every country are waiting for and we want to make sure that we’re fair. If we just get [the game] to a small fraction of people, what does it do to all the people who don’t get it?
“We’re right now looking at all sorts of different options. What’s the best way to get it to all our fans as soon as possible? That’s going to take time for things to shift and to figure things out and also see where the world’s at: things are changing from day-to-day.”
Asked if Naughty Dog could appease fans with the release of a demo similar to one shown to press last year, Druckmann said he’d rather focus on finishing the final game.


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U.S. stocks traded higher Wednesday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 34 points to 10486, the S&P 500 gained 7 points to 1114 and the Nasdaq Composite increased 15 points to 2216. Among the companies whose shares are actively trading in the session are Citigroup Inc. (C), Intel Corp. (INTC) and Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE).
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the Middle East's largest sovereign wealth fund, is demanding that Citigroup ($3.49, -$0.07, -1.97%) scrap a deal that would see the fund make a heavy loss on a $7.5 billion investment in the bank. Meanwhile, Citi is expected to price $22 billion worth of shares Wednesday, some of which belong to the U.S. Treasury, in a public offering to help it pay off its TARP funds.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission sued Intel ($19.47, -$0.33, -1.67%) Wednesday, alleging the chipmaker has illegally used its dominant market position to stifle competition. The FTC alleged in its lawsuit that Intel has waged a systematic campaign to shut out rivals' competing microchips by cutting off their access to the marketplace. The news quickly triggered a rally in shares of Nvidia Corp. (NVDA, $16.79, +$1.14, +7.28%), which "applauds" actions by the FTC against Intel. Rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD, $9.26, +$0.44, +4.99%) and smaller peer Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (LSCC, $2.84, +$0.18, +6.77%) also gained.
Adobe Systems ($37.84, +$1.48, +4.07%) swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter loss amid a tax charge relating to its acquisition of Omniture Inc. and lower-than-expected margins, although creative software sales beat expectations.
Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo SAB (GPMCY, $56.60, -$0.10, -0.18%) said Tuesday it is suing partner Constellation Beers Ltd. in a U.S. court in a dispute over marketing expenses. In a filing with the Mexican Stock Exchange, Modelo said the lawsuit against the unit of Constellation Brands Inc. (STZ, $15.40, -$0.77, -4.76%), filed in a federal court in Manhattan, alleges Constellation and certain of its affiliates violated terms of its contract.
Shares of Achillion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ACHN, $3.30, +$1.15, +53.48%) surged a day after the company announced positive preliminary trial results for its treatment of hepatitis C. The news was the latest batch of early stage data for the liver disease treatment, which has helped Achillion's shares more than triple in 2009 through Tuesday.
France's Opthalmic lens maker Essilor International SA (EI.FR) is acquiring U.S.-based FGX International Holdings Ltd. (FGXI, $19.45, +$1.54, +8.60%), a specialist in nonprescription reading glasses, in a deal valued at around $565 million.
Other Stocks In Focus
AAR Corp.'s (AIR, $23.11, +$2.08, +9.89%) fiscal second-quarter profit grew 28% from a year earlier, when a charge weighed on earnings, but tough economic conditions continued to keep revenue from gaining altitude.
Acme Packet Inc. (APKT, $10.98, -$0.93, -7.81%) shares dropped on very heavy volume with no apparent news. Analysts said shares of the maker of secure interactive communications equipment could be pressured by a large investor selling out of the stock. "With volume generally being so low, someone getting out of a position could have this impact on shares," Cowen & Co. analyst John Marchetti said.
Boston Beer Co. (SAM, $44.22, +$1.57, +3.68%) raised its 2009 earnings guidance for the second time in two months on improved brewery operations and lower energy and commodity costs. Chief Executive Martin Roper said those factors are likely to continue for the rest of the year.
Broadcom Corp. (BRCM, $31.71, +$1.36, +4.48%) raised its fourth-quarter revenue guidance on stronger-than-expected sales in its broadband and enterprise networking markets.
CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF, $92.30, +$4.01, +4.54%) said it won't seek to extend financing commitments beyond the end of the year for its proposed $3.9 billion acquisition of Terra Industries Inc. (TRA, $33.64, +$0.31, +0.93%). The fertilizer company said its ability to obtain financing after that would depend on the credit markets and other factors.
Deutsche Bank analysts upgraded Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW, $18.05, +$0.70, +4.03%) to buy from hold and raised its price target to $25 from $18. "Schwab has maneuvered well during the downturn, and while the stock has underperformed due to significant rate pressures, the firm is well-positioned to benefit on multiple fronts (flows, rates, and margins) as conditions improve," Deutsche Bank said in a research note.
The Obama administration said a preliminary agreement signed Tuesday moves the U.S. and European Union closer to resolving a long-running dispute over the E.U.'s tariffs on banana imports. The move helped boost shares of Chiquita Brands International Inc. (CQB, $19.54, +$1.34, +7.36%) and Dole Food Co. (DOLE, $12.18, +$0.19, +1.58%), which have long complained the tariffs violate international trade rules.
Computer Programs & Systems Inc. (CPSI, $44.10, -$2.73, -5.83%) fell after Auriga cut the stock to sell from hold, saying it thinks there will be an elongated adoption curve to implement computerized physician order entry in its market for hospitals and other facilities with less than 100 beds. Also, since small hospitals can get the CPOE systems installed quicker, the firm believes that market will wait until vendor certifications and meaningful use definitions are finalized before making the investment.
Credit Acceptance Corp. (CACC, $39.37, +$3.37, +9.36%) extended recent gains from Monday's initiation of coverage at overweight by Stephens analyst David Burtzlaff. Burtzlaff said Credit Acceptance, which provides automobile financing to car dealers, operates a business model with significant growth potential if the right amount of financing is available. He said shares could be gaining Wednesday as the stock is pretty illiquid so if any investors are making sizable purchases, it would push up the stock.
UBS raised its rating on Darden Restaurants Inc. (DRI, $33.29, +$0.73, +2.24%) to buy from neutral, saying a low stock valuation and improving industry trends are making shares seem appetizing. The upgrade comes ahead of Darden's fiscal second-quarter earnings this week, which have some investors wary as a calendar shift will weigh on sales. UBS thinks casual dining trends have improved in recent weeks, "something that could prove heartening to [Darden] and its investors," and third quarter could turn out to be "particularly strong" due to easier comparisons and improving trends.
E*Trade Financial Corp. (ETFC, $1.66, +$0.05, +3.11%) said its daily average revenue trades declined 13% in November from the previous month as the online broker reported that loan delinquencies declined the past two months. The bank and online broker also said it will restructure its international operations, planning to get out of local-market trading, in which customers residing outside the U.S. trade in non-U.S. securities. It has reached deals to sell such operations in Germany and the Nordic region.
EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. (EZCH, $11.68, -$0.93, -7.38%) said it will offer 3.9 million ordinary shares. Jefferies & Co. is the exclusive underwriter for the offering.
First California Financial Group Inc. (FCAL, $2.81, +$0.24, +9.34%) postponed the highly dilutive stock sale it unveiled last week, citing current market conditions, including its current trading price.
G-III Apparel Group Ltd. (GIII, $19.73, -$1.52, -7.15%) gave details of its planned stock offering, saying it will sell at least 1.7 million shares at an 8.2% discount to Tuesday's closing price.
GigaMedia Ltd. (GIGM, $4.11, +$0.32, +8.44%) said it will sell at least 60% of its online-gambling software business, including the popular Everest Poker site, to European online gambling company Mangas Gaming for more than $100 million.
Joy Global Inc.'s (JOYG, $54.22, -$1.15, -2.08%) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 5.1%, aided by a $6 million gain related to its prior reorganization efforts, while the company saw more signs of improving demand for mined commodities overseas. Results topped analysts' expectations.
Homebuilders' shares rose Wednesday after U.S. housing starts rebounded in November, rising more than expected as builders - particularly multi-family - work through a choppy recovery. KB Home (KBH, $13.35, +$0.53, +4.13%) rose, as did Lennar Corp. (LEN, $12.62, +$0.57, +4.73%), Pulte Homes Inc. (PHM, $9.24, +$0.35, +3.94%) and D.R. Horton Inc. (DHI, $10.21, +$0.40, +4.08%). Smaller peer Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. (HOV, $4.22, +$0.42, +11.05%) soared.
Mattson Technology Inc. (MTSN, $3.24, +$0.33, +11.34%), which makes process equipment used in semiconductor making, said a major chip foundry has placed multiple orders for its Suprema photoresist strip systems. The company said the tool shipments will start in the current quarter and continue into the first half of next year.
Global banking regulators were reported to agree to relaxing a proposal for stricter banking capital requirements, sending shares in major Japanese banks sharply higher, on speculation that the banks will face less pressure to raise funds through issuing new shares. Market players had expected that Japanese banks would have to move fast to raise more capital than their western peers under the new Basel rules, because their so-called Tier 1 capital ratios tend to be lower than at western banks. Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (MFG, $4.14, +$0.64, +18.29%) was among the gainers.
Nexxus Lighting Inc. (NEXS, $3.33, -$0.12, -3.48%) priced its previously announced offering of at least 5 million shares at a 13% discount from Tuesday's closing price. The sale was priced at $3. Shares were around $5 when the lighting maker announced the follow-on offering in late October.
Shares of Playboy Enterprises Inc. (PLA, $3.37, -$0.48, -12.37%) fell on reports that Iconix Brand Group Inc. (ICON, $12.16, +$0.18, +1.50%) was walking away from discussions to buy the publisher. Playboy had last month outsourced the publication of its namesake magazine, and was expected to be talking with potential buyers for the company, with Iconix among those reportedly interested.
Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC, $25.93, +$0.27, +1.05%) disclosed Wednesday it will pay $4.5 billion in cash to Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU, $51.39, +$2.24, +4.56%) by year end to purchase Prudential's minority stake in a joint venture that includes retail brokerage Wells Fargo Advisors. Other insurers such as Lincoln National Corp. (LNC, $23.30, +$1.18, +5.33%) and Principal Financial Group Inc. (PFG, $24.27, +$0.96, +4.12%) also rose.
Morgan Stanley upgrades ReneSola Ltd. (SOL, $4.85, +$0.35, +7.78%) to overweight from equal-weight, predicting the company could shake up the solar-module business next year. ReneSola poses a challenge in this high-margin business to high-cost E.U. competitors, and could also limit market-shares gains by Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. (YGE, $15.54, +$0.22, +1.44%), Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL, $52.51, +$0.30, +0.57%) and Suntech Power Holdings Co. (STP, $17.82, -$0.08, -0.45%). An "unloved" stock, ReneSola has underperformed because of high inventory and a small market capitalization, firm writes. But strong growth is coming in the first half, Morgan Stanley predicted.
Roper Industries Inc. (ROP, $55.30, +$2.02, +3.79%), a maker of high-tech industrial equipment, is being moved into the Standard Poor's 500 Index to replace Ensco International Inc. (ESV, $42.96, -$0.36, -0.83%) as the offshore driller is moving its headquarters to the U.K. Meanwhile, tw telecom Inc. (TWTC, $16.93, +$1.18, +7.49%) will replace Roper in the S&P MidCap 400.
Steak N Shake Co. (SNS, $14.04, +$0.93, +7.09%) continued its gains from Tuesday, when the company swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter profit and same-store sales rose 10% as customer traffic jumped 20%. The board also approved a 1-for-20 reverse stock split Tuesday, which will take effect Friday.
Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. (BEE, $1.81, +$0.05, +2.84%) agreed to sell its Renaissance Paris Hotel Le Parc Trocadero to an investment group led by an affiliate of Westmont Hospitality for $51.5 million. "The sale, at a property where we were contractually bound by Marriott International to undertake a full renovation, substantially supplements our corporate liquidity, reduces corporate overhead related to our European operations, and is in line with the company's disciplined, strategic disposition strategy," the company said.
TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (AMTD, $18.75, +$0.50, +2.74%) said November daily client trades rose 5% from a year earlier but declined 12% from October. Typically, trading volumes fall to close out the year, but activity has declined earlier than expected this year.
Technitrol Inc. (TNL, $4.68, -$0.73, -13.49%) unveiled a $50 million convertible-note offering meant to help the electronics-components maker pay down debt under its credit facility. The notes could become 7.8 million shares if fullly converted. There are about 41 million shares outstanding.
T.Rowe Price Group Inc. (TROW, $52.02, +$1.99, +3.98%) was upgraded to buy from hold by Deutsche Bank. The firm said it expects industry trends to begin to favor the company, including improving 401k flows, a pickup in institutional flows, and a gradual shift into equities, which should drive its relative outperformance.
YRC Worldwide Inc. (YRCW, $0.94, +$0.11, +13.78%) again extended the deadline for its debt-for-equity swap offer, as the trucking company continues to solicit support for the plan, intended to help keep YRC out of bankruptcy.
-By Dow Jones Newswires; write to firstname.lastname@example.org


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CONTACT: Tara Moore Under Armour, Inc. 646.362.4100 ext.6657 [email protected]
UNDER ARMOUR CEMENTS MIDWEST BRAND PRESENCE WITH RETAIL SHOP OPENING
Global Performance Brand Reveals Latest Brand House Steps Away from University of Wisconsin
Baltimore, MD (September 1, 2016) — Under Armour (NYSE: UA, UA.C) today announces the upcoming opening of its first Brand House in Wisconsin at 610 State Street in Madison on Friday, Sept. 2. Located just steps away from the University of Wisconsin, this space will feature select product inspired by the brand’s newest collegiate partner. With a focus on cutting-edge products and design, the Madison Brand House will serve as the optimal example of the brand’s commitment to offering customers the ultimate shopping experience.
The Madison Brand House will feature men’s, women’s and youth apparel, footwear and equipment, and will be the region’s signature location to shop a full collection of Under Armour products, designed to make all athletes better. The assortment at this Brand House will be inspired by its proximity to the University with a full zone dedicated to Wisconsin apparel in addition to official NFL Combine Authentic Team Collection product and MLB fan gear for the region’s iconic professional teams.
The Madison Brand House features more than 15,000 square feet of retail space and delivers a fully immersive brand experience. Furthering the brand’s commitment to delivering best-in-class footwear to athletes everywhere, this is the first Under Armour Brand House to feature two levels of footwear offerings to consumers.
“Our new Brand House in Madison fortifies our connection to the city as evidenced by our existing partnerships with local athletic institutions throughout the region,” said Susie McCabe, Senior Vice President of Global Retail at Under Armour. “This Brand House, a complimentary location to our local retail account partners, will be a destination for customers to experience all of the brand’s latest innovations and localized offerings through an elevated and personalized shopping experience.”
To celebrate the new space and the start of football season, Under Armour will host a UA Home Opener Event from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 8, leading up to the Badgers’ home-opening game with music, food and giveaways. Students and faculty will also enjoy 10% of their purchases with valid ID.
The Madison Brand House will be open Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., on Sundays 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. For more information on Under Armour and the Under Armour Brand House, please visit UA.com.
About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour (NYSE: UA, UA.C), the originator of performance footwear, apparel and equipment, revolutionized how athletes across the world dress. Designed to make all athletes better, the brand’s innovative products are sold worldwide to athletes at all levels. The Under Armour Connected Fitness™ platform powers the world’s largest digital health and fitness community through a suite of applications: UA Record, MapMyFitness, Endomondo and MyFitnessPal. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Maryland. For further information, please visit the Company’s website at www.uabiz.com.


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French game developer Ubisoft is exploring a new way to increase business profitability with new projects based on the so-called play-to-earn concept, IBTimes has learned. The company plans to add support for the blockchain technology into its video games releasing in the future. However, no particular project has been revealed.
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During the recent earnings call Ubisoft Chief Executive, Yves Guillemot, said that the video games industry is changing regularly with "lots of new revolutions happening."
"So we have been working with lots of small companies going on the blockchain, and we are starting to have a good know-how on how we can impact the industry. We want to be one of the key players there," Guillemot added.
The move comes after Ubisoft invested in Animoca Brands, a blockchain gaming company. Earlier in October, Animoca Brands raised $65 million at a $2.2 billion valuation. Liberty City Ventures, Ubisoft Entertainment, Sequoia China, Dragonfly Capital and others also participated in the fundraising.
Meanwhile, Steam announced it will be banning all blockchain-related games as the service does not allow game items that could have real-world value. This is not the first time Steam battles with the cryptocurrency space. In 2018, the gaming platform known for housing an extensive range of computer games and developers came under fire after users found out a free game called Abstractism had been mining cryptocurrency without their knowledge.
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The prominent British luxury yacht manufacturer, Sunseeker, has unveiled their impressive line-up of luxury yachts to be displayed at upcoming London Boat Show. The event will take place at ExCeL London, running from January 9 to 18, 2015.
Over the course of the 9-day event, 8 stunning Sunseeker yachts will be on display in London – that’s around 566.39ft of GRP, carbon fibre, glass and stainless steel…
From the award-winning San Remo 485 IPS sports cruiser to the highly acclaimed 28 Metre Yacht (example is motor yacht Spontaneous), the Sunseeker collection will be showcased in its full glory, with models from the Performance Cruiser, Manhattan, Predator, Sports Yacht and Yacht ranges on display.
The full Sunseeker line up will be as follows (subject to change):
San Remo 485
Predator 57 (Debut)
68 Sport Yacht
28 Metre Yacht
Making her International debut at the show is the very hotly anticipated new Predator 57, which is set to dominate the 50-60ft cruiser market in 2015/6, with a number of orders already secured.
In addition to the exceptional range of yachts on display, a number of exciting events are planned throughout the London Boat Show, including a Late Night Opening Party (until 20.00) on Thursday 15th January, and a series of Luxury Brand Partner Initiatives together with the Sunseeker London Group.
For more information on the London Boat Show 2015, and to confirm your attendance between the 9th and 18th January, please contact your nearest Sunseeker Distributors.
Sunseeker look forward to seeing you there!
London Boat Show – 9th to 18th January 2015 – ExCeL London, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, E16 1XL.
Note: Article supplied by the official Sunseeker Blog Book


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LPL Financial Corp., the largest independent broker/dealer in the U.S., released Monday, April 26, the first one-year update on the performance of its Current Conditions Index (CCI). The CCI is designed to provide retail investors and their advisors with real-time insight into what LPL calls the “true underlying health” of the economy.
The indicators of the CCI for the second half of this year are not as pessimistic as the mass of data suggests, but as the Fed spread widens and the effects of government stimulus fade, the CCI will downshift from ‘growth’ to ‘slow growth.’
The index excludes the many indicators that lag or lead the economy. Instead, the weekly tracking tool includes 10 key indicators, frequently updated, that together provide a snapshot of where the economy is at any given moment.
The CCI uses initial claims filed or unemployment benefits, Fed spread, credit spreads, retail sales, shipping traffic, business lending, the Vix measure of volatility, money market asset growth, commodity prices, and mortgage applications.
The index then tallies these results and tracks how closely the economy is aligning to areas labeled as strong growth, growth, slow growth, contraction and crisis scenarios.
Jeffrey Kleintop, executive VP and chief market strategist for LPL, said in a statement, “Too many retail investors and their financial advisors are overly focused on lagging indicators, all of which are too infrequent and volatile to provide actionable insight that delivers results. By this same token, ardent stock market watchers are over-emphasizing something too heavily fueled by the often over-reactive emotions of its participants, as demonstrated by the first quarter 2009 investor panic that temporarily brought the major market indices to historic lows.”