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The US subprime problem will not be catastrophic because central banks andmonetary policy have become more sophisticated and anticipatory. Sources of USeconomic growth have also broadened due to the change in forces shaping the globaleconomic structure. One of the most important forces is the rise of China
CHINA is now the world's fourth largest economy and is projected to overtake Germany as the third largest soon. China contributed 17% to the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the last five years as opposed to 16% from the US. The emergence of China has a significant impact on the world economy.
First, commodity prices have surged due to a large extent to China’s strong growth. Commodity-producing countries have benefited tremendously from the persistently high commodity prices. Second, the world economy had been experiencing low inflation rate despite the sustained strong global economic growth and high commodity prices in the past seven to eight years.
This in turn enabled central banks to maintain a low interest rate environment, which facilitated economic expansion. China’s huge and cheap manufacturing capacity played an important role in creating this favourable condition.
Third, China’s rapid economic growth has lifted her purchasing power tremendously. China is now the world’s third largest importer. This has made her an important destination for many countries’ exports, hence lifting the growth rates of these countries. China's rise has made the world’s economic structure more balanced. The US has dominated the world economy since World War Two, giving rise to the phrase “when the US economy sneezes, the world catches a cold”.
With China becoming a major source of world economic growth, the world need not worry so much that the global economy will collapse should the subprime problem cause the US economy to slow down sharply.
Although China is still unable to take the place of the US completely, the impact of a US slowdown will be significantly reduced. The last time the US economy fell into a recession in 2001, China’s economy expanded by 8.3% and the world economy expanded 2.5%.
Some people may argue that exports are playing an increasingly important role in China’s economy, and a slowdown in the US economy will affect China’s growth significantly, hence limiting her ability to support the world economy.
Well, from 2002 to 2006 when the Chinese economy expanded above 9%, with the exception of 2005 and 2006, net exports contributed less than 10% to China’s real GDP growth. Consumption and investment were the main growth contributors, accounting for 80% to 90% of overall GDP growth.
In addition, US’ share in China’s exports has been rather constant in the last six years, hovering around 21%. Exports to the US account for about 7.7% of China’s GDP. Hence, a 10% fall in China’s exports to the US would shed only 0.77 percentage point off China’s GDP growth.
In 2001, China’s exports to the US still managed to grow 4.2% although the rate of growth was substantially slower than the 24.2% increase in 2000. Therefore, a substantial slowdown in the US economic growth is not expected to have a major impact on China’s economic growth.
While a number of Chinese banks have some exposure to the US subprime market, losses are expected to be small; hence, no material impact is expected on the economy. With China’s surging inflationary pressure, investors are also worried that the People’s Bank of China (PBC) will tighten monetary policy so aggressively that China’s economy will hard land.
i Capital thinks chances of this happening are almost zero. First, the inflationary pressure came mainly from food, whereby supply was affected by bad weather conditions and a disease outbreak.
In the first half of 2007, the core inflation rate, which excluded food and energy prices, stood at a mere 0.9%. Hence, the PBC is unlikely to raise interest rates aggressively in response to this temporary spike in inflationary pressure.
Second, while China’s stock market is still in a frothy state, the Chinese government is more likely to introduce direct measures to deal with the condition rather than implement indirect measures, such as an aggressive interest rate hike.
Third, 2007 and 2008 are very important years for China. The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will be held next month. This is a very important meeting as new leaders will be elected to lead the country for the next five years. Hence, party leaders cannot afford to let the economy tank.
China will host the Olympics in 2008, a highly important event to boost her international standing. It is unlikely the Chinese government will let her economy slow down so much that social stability will be undermined.
Hence, taking all factors into consideration, as the subprime problem continues to unfold, i Capital believes that China will be able to play the stabiliser role she had played so well during the Great Asian Crisis. The world economy will still be able to grow reasonably well in the face of a sharp US economic slowdown.


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Over a year after the UK referendum result came out in favour of Brexit, and some months after Article 50 was triggered, it has often seemed that little or no progress has been made to clarify what any settlement might actually look like.
If you’re a sucker for punishment, you can read, mark and inwardly digest the full paper from HM government here.
The government says of the proposal: “As we leave the European Union and therefore the EU Customs Union, the Government seeks a new customs arrangement that facilitates the freest and most frictionless trade possible in goods between the UK and the EU, and allows the UK to forge new trade relationships with its partners in Europe and around the world. This paper details the Government’s aspirations for the UK’s future customs arrangements.”
The word that troubles most is “aspiration”. And, indeed the proposal has been met with a fairly incredulous response from EU figures and some national governments. The idea is that post the Brexit deadline in March of 2019 that the UK can continue to enjoy free movement of goods for a subsequent two years, whilst also getting the right to pursue trade deals with other countries too (which is not currently permitted to EU nations). It’s a bit of a have cake and eat it suggestion but it does make sense from a business and ecommerce perspective.
A hard Brexit where free movement of goods has to stop post March 2019 would be obviously negative to any UK business trading within the EU bloc. And with the UK being a key consumer market, it’s not attractive to EU merchants either selling to the UK. The free movement of goods from an ecommerce perspective has to be a good thing, even if Brexit means Brexit. Two more years of certainty, part of this proposal, is a good thing.
Another aspect of the proposal which is of particular value and importance to merchants in the UK and Ireland is complete clarity that the UK wants a tariff free and fluid movement of people and goods across the only UK land border. That’s an idea to be welcomed too. The UK and Ireland are key trading partners and a closed border for goods and people would have a very real negative business impact.

domain: news


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Your smartphone is like a miniature computer, getting smarter and more powerful while enabling greater functionality with each new mobile device that is released. It's exciting to customize your cell phone with any type of application you want. Google and Apple, alone, offer more than 250,000 apps such as games, productivity and financial tools, and other apps. In fact, the apps craze is moving at such a fast pace, it might prove difficult to keep up with the malicious software that is sometimes a "bonus" in the app download. One thing is certain, your cell phone is not safe. Mobile phones are now targeted by malware writers and cell phones can even be lassoed into botnets.
"Mobile phones are a huge source of vulnerability," Gordon Snow, assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Cyber Division, told the Wall Street Journal. "We are definitely seeing an increase in criminal activity." Snow also told WSJ that the FBI's Cyber Division is working on cases based on tips about malicious apps that can compromise banking or be used for espionage. The FBI does not allow its employees to download apps on FBI-issued smartphones.
After the Schmoocon hacker conference last year, security researchers presented a vulnerability that was considered so dangerous to Google's mobile OS Android that owners were warned not to use the phone's web browser. And now the Android is being hit with its first SMS trojan in the wild. It seems Android owners are getting wise about protection at a rapid pace. DroidSecurity's free antivirus was clocked at 2.5 million downloads last week.
Last year at Black Hat security conference, researchers were able to attack an iPhone via SMS. "Consumers should be aware that iPhone security is far from perfect and that a piece of software downloaded from the App Store may still be harmful," wrote software engineer Nicolas Seriot in a research paper detailing iPhone security holes.
Apple, Blackberry, Android, Windows mobile, and Symbian smartphones all have been under siege; none are immune from attacks. Yet we can't quench our desire for apps. So what is a cell phone owner to do? Think of it sort of like safe sex. You can still engage in it, but you need to be wise and to take precautions in order to avoid complications.
Sex and "sexy malware" played a part in one of the first alerts of mobile botnets aimed at the Symbian. Sexy Space was a variant of another mobile malware called Sexy View. It was capable of downloading new SMS templates from a remote server in order to send out new SMS spam. "No malware for a mobile device has been known to do that before," said Rik Ferguson, senior security advisor for Trend Micro. Trend Analysts had "heated internal discussions" about whether Sexy Space qualified as botnet code. It took a little bit of social engineering to get users onto a malicious site where it was unknowingly downloaded. Part of its lure was that the vendor seemed to point to "Playboy." Many users were caught without protection and voila! Sexy mobile malware gave a whole new meaning to phone sex.
Speaking of sex and phones, the dating site OKCupid.com conducted research on nearly 10,000 smartphone users. iPhone owners are getting much more sex than Blackberry or Android owners. Women iPhone users get the most action of anyone. OkCupid's results are listed on the graphs below. (Click on the image for a larger view)
It may prove interesting to see if the heaviest hit mobile malware sectors will mirror this sex and cell phone study, with iPhone on top, followed by Blackberry and then Android. Take precautions; be wise before you take "home" an app that you don't know well enough to trust. And by all means, please use protection!
This story, "Sexy Malware Bound for Smartphones" was originally published by Computerworld.


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PLANTATION, FLA. (WSVN) - With the start of school weeks away, the next five days of tax free deals makes it the perfect time to gear up with school supplies.
This weekend, shoppers can get many items on their children’s back to school lists tax-free at all retailers until Tuesday.
Parents are taking advantage of the back-to-school deals at the store over at the Westfield Mall in Plantation, where uniform polo shirts and bottoms such as khaki and navy pants are buy one get one free.
Juniors and kids’ clothing items are also on clearance at the JCPenney inside of the mall, on top of being tax-free.
Tina Perez, a sales representative at JCPenney, compared the back to school tax-free holiday to Black Friday.
“We’re drumming up our start now. Our peak is in the afternoon, so in a little while we’re gonna be filled — it’s like Black Friday,” Perez said, “so, usually tax free Friday, Saturday and Sunday is Black Friday in August. Tax-free is always huge. Any item $60 or less, there won’t be tax.”
Debbie Knight is shopping with her grandchildren, and she’s ecstatic about the good deals JCPenney has to offer.
“The shirts are buy one get one free. They also have, you spend $25 you get $10 off, so you cannot beat this,” Knight said. “Very good deals. Very good deals.”
Susy Cohen, one of the parents shopping for school clothes for their kids at JCPenney, said the tax holiday is a great way to teach kids the value of getting ready to go back to school.
“We have to do what we can, and it’s important to get out there and show them the value of what we’re doing. It’s always a lesson,” Cohen said.
She is also very excited for the new school year to begin, even if her son isn’t.
“I’m very excited. I’m ready,” Cohen said.
Over at the Dolphin Mall in Sweetwater, shoppers could be seen taking advantage of the tax-free holiday.
“It’s a big help. It really helps, so we’re trying to see if we have the right size for him and the colors for the school,” Guillermo Garcia, a parent, said.
“I’m looking for uniform pants, sweaters, jackets for school,” a parent said.
“Super expensive right now, so every little bit counts,” Odalys Rodriguez, a parent, said.
“To go broke spending money on my kids — a parent gotta do what they gotta do,” a second parent said.
For a complete list of items that are eligible for a back-to-school discount, click here.
Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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MOSCOW, June 24 (Reuters) - Russian internet giant Yandex is very interested in taking full control of its Yandex.Taxi business and is in active dialogue with Uber which has a stake in the ride-hailing service, its chief financial officer said on Wednesday.
“We are in active dialogue, there is nothing imminent, but we are very interested in taking full control of that asset,” CFO Greg Abovsky said on a conference call.
Late on Tuesday, Yandex revealed plans to terminate its partnership in two joint ventures with Russia’s largest lender Sberbank and to raise $800 million to finance future growth. (Reporting by Alexander Marrow and Nadezhda Tsydenova; editing by Jason Neely)
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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BY MEHMET HANIFI GULEL
The dairy products manufacturer Teksut has added Palestine to its list of export countries, according to Arda Aksaray, Teksut Board Member. The company has also begun selling its products in Singapore and Japan. Teksut, which manufactures over 40 different dairy products in eight categories, currently exports to 22 countries on four continents, including the U.S., Germany, UAE, Kuwait, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Netherlands, and Nigeria. “We expect a 15% increase in turnover and aim to reach an export volume equal to 10% of our annual turnover this year,” said Aksaray. The company also plans to expand into e-commerce while also continuing to expand its market share. “We want to continue to grow by further improving our product reach and increasing exports in the medium and long term,” said Aksaray.
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TechCrunch reports that AppGratis has not spoken publicly about the issue, but other apps have been pulled from the App Store for violating a rule on displaying 'Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store'.
However, TechCrunch notes that there are other reasons why the App could have been removed from the store:
That’s why many other scenarios are still possible. Maybe AppGratis uses a private API or breaks an insignificant guideline and Apple won’t put the app back in the store until an updated version is submitted. As always, developers are at the mercy of Apple’s review team. The team often contacts developers to require some changes to an app in order to stay in the store.
Paris-based AppGratis has coincidentally raised $13.5 million in January. With 7 million users and the ability to lead to up to 500,000 downloads for a single app, the company is not a newcomer. If Apple wanted to stamp out AppGratis, it could have done it a few months ago.
Update: Apple has confirmed to All Things D that AppGratis was removed from the App Store for using push notifications to send marketing messages, and also:
But sources close to the company say it was more than a little troubled that AppGratis was pushing a business model that appeared to favor developers with the financial means to pay for exposure. "The App Store is intended as a meritocracy," a source familiar with Apple's thinking told AllThingsD.


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In a keynote speech at CeBit, the Dutchman said the firm's cloud computing service, EC3 "is a serious business for Amazon" and that the firm was committed to pushing forward with "the hard disk in the sky".
Vogels said Amazon's pay as you go, (or pay-as-you-grow) service helped companies slash their capital expenditure by removing infrastructure cost for expensive, manpower sucking server purchase and setup.
The bookseller's leasing service also does away with much of the uncertainty small startups may have when trying to decide whether or not to cough up for hundreds or thousands of servers they may not eventually need, said Vogels.
"You only pay for what you use" explained Vogels, adding that the flexibility aspect of the service was its key asset. "If you bought the infrastrcuture, you're stuck with it", he said.
So how exactly do you go from flogging second hand paperbacks to server space in the cloud?
"We needed to develop it for ourselves", said Vogel, adding it took 200-300 different services to pull together one Amazon page, meaning the company needed a virtual machine which could scale up and down in a matter of minutes.
According to Vogels, Amazon was estimating its technical staff spent 70 per cent of their time doing "undifferentiated heavy lifting" to set up servers and other necessary hardware, and decided that since it now had expertise in doing it, it may as well punt the services out for cash.
The move, which many originally saw as a gamble for the firm, seems to be paying off, but Amazon doesn't seem to be letting its cloud success fog its head.
"It is very important for cloud services that there is no lock in" noted Vogel, saying Amazon allowed its customers to use its tools alongside those from competition services like IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce.com, Sun and Red Hat.


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Werner Enterprises on Monday, Oct. 16, reported its operating revenues and earnings for the third quarter ended Sept. 30. Operating revenues increased 7 percent to $541.3 million compared to $504.5 million in third quarter 2005. Net income increased to $24.6 million compared to $24.5 million in third quarter 2005.
“Despite the significant challenges of a softer freight market compared to the normal pickup in freight demand that typically occurs during third quarter, and unusually high insurance and claims costs, Werner Enterprises produced good results,” says Clarence Werner, chairman and chief executive officer of the Omaha, Neb.-based company. “The strength and stability of our long-term customer partnerships, combined with the outstanding contributions of our employees, continue to be the keys to our success.”


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Rover directors quit over splits
Two non-executive directors of car maker MG Rover have resigned following speculation of boardroom splits over the future of the company. Brian Parker and Terry Whitmore tendered their resignations from the eight-man board of the firm which was bought earlier this year from German car giant BMW.
MG Rover has been striving for weeks to deny press speculation that the company could be sold. It was announced last night that MG Rover boss John Towers had accepted the resignations.
Towers said he was sad the two men had been 'forced' to resign and expressed his gratitude for their help in achieving the remarkable buyout from BMW.
The announcement came ahead of a supervisory board meeting today at which Rover's business plan and trading record was being discussed.
Parker and Whitmore said they were leaving because they had had to spend too much time knocking down 'rumours and speculation' surrounding their involvement in the company.
'I must now turn my focus back to my own business,' said Parker, an independent financier who has been involved in property developments in the Midlands.
Last Sunday, Parker, Whitmore and another non-executive MG Rover director, David Bowes, denied they had formed a consortium to take over the firm's MG sports car unit.
Bowes is managing director of sports car firm Lola Cars International, which is developing a sports model with MG Rover.
Some workers at the MG Rover plant at Longbridge in Birmingham staged a demonstration on Thursday to protest at newspaper reports suggesting the future of the company was in doubt.
Commenting on the resignations, Duncan Simpson, chief car industry negotiator for the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union, said: 'This is the last thing Rover needed, but it is better to get rid of a cancer rather than let it do permanent damage.
'This shows that John Towers is still committed to Rover and proves that he has the strong leadership needed to make Rover a success. Hopefully, this will put an end to the recent speculative press reports which have not been helpful.'
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Our first feature on Harper's Bazaar UK June issue came out on May 8th, 2017
- Miss U.S.A Alaska London in a Ying Cai dress for her press shoot in Los Angeles, March 12th, 2017
- Animal Kingdom actress Christina Ochoa in a Ying Cai dress at Oscar celebration party at Chateau Marmont hotel, west Hollywood. Feb 26th, 2017
- Dustin Quick wearing (Ying Cai dress) and actor Esai Morales attend 'The Man Who Saved The World' premiere during the Atomic Age Cinema Fest at Raleigh Studios on April 27, 2016 in Los Angeles, California (photo by Michael Boardman at gettyimages)
- Elise Luthman wearing Ying Cai dress at the 37th Young Artist Award, Broadcasted on PBS, March 20th, 2016
- Dustin Quick wearing Ying Cai dress at the Style Fashion week in Los Angeles, March 28th, 2016 (photo by Danny Go)
- Fox producer Heliya Alam wearing Ying Cai dress at the Oscar Red Carpet and viewing dinner. February 28th, 2016
We just presented our Fall 2016 RTW Collection at 2016 pre Oscar events in Beverly Hills' Luxe hotel on Feb 25th & 26th and launched our first fragrance "La Nature" which inspired by Nature and White Flowers...
- 2016 Oscar winner, Benjamin Cleary (Stutterer - Short Film) Feb 26th, 2016 (L)
- Celebrity stylist George Bloodwell meeting designer Ying Cai, February 25th, 2016 (R)
- The Fall Collection received great feedbacks from celebrities, Feb 25th, 26th, 2016 Beverly Hills
- Amy Yasbeck wearing Ying Cai earring in LA, Feb 26th, 2016
- British model wearing Ying Cai dress at Beverly Hills (L)
- Elise Luthman wearing Ying Cai dress at the Oscar gifting suite, February 25th, 2016 (R)
- Dustin Quick wearing Ying Cai dress at the Oscar suite event in Beverly Hills on February 26th, 2016 (photo by Bill Devlin)
Ying Cai debuted her second collection in February 2016, in Hollywood, CA. Pieces from the collection were worn by Fox producer Heliya Alam at the 2016 Oscar Red Carpet; model and actress Dustin Quick at 'The Man Who Saved The World' premiere during the Atomic Age Cinema Fest on April, 2016 in Los Angeles; actress Elise Luthman at the 37th Young Artist Award as nominee and presenter which broadcasted on PBS in March, 2016.


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12th March 2019
Happy customers result in SDL Auctions being shortlisted for prestigious industry award
SDL Auctions has been shortlisted for the Supplier of the Year Award at the 2019 ESTAS Estate & Letting Agent Awards alongside some of the biggest names in the property industry.
Representatives of the company will now attend a prestigious awards ceremony in London on Friday 10 May, where the coveted ESTAS trophies will be presented by TV property personality Phil Spencer.
Nominations for the awards are based on customer feedback, which enables organisers to recognise those companies providing the best customer service. SDL Auctions has “love our customers” at the heart of its business values and those customers have shown their appreciation in return by leaving 96.5% positive feedback, all independently verified by ESTAs.
Some of the feedback received by SDL Auctions includes:
“SDL are an exceptional company to work with. Outstanding in many ways and absolute pleasure to do business with!”
“SDL are an excellent company who understand their market backwards. Their full focus is on making the process compliant and simple.”
“Added a great deal of value to our business not just in monetary terms but also in training and developing staff to adapt in a changing market.”
Andrew Parker, managing director and auctioneer, said: “We are so grateful to all our clients who took the time to leave us feedback and help us achieve the honour of reaching the ESTAS shortlist.
“The fact that nominations are based on customer feedback makes these awards all the more special as it shows that our customers appreciate everything we do to make the buying and selling process transparent and straightforward for them. As one of our core values is to ‘love our customers’, we are delighted to discover that our efforts are appreciated and this is testament to the dedication of our team.”
Simon Brown, founder of The ESTAS says “At ESTAS we’re proud to say we believe in old fashioned values like customer service. We know how hard it is to deliver it – week in week out – that’s why we put the spotlight on property firms who are committed to providing excellent service. The ESTAS brand can help generate consumer trust for all property professionals involved in the home moving process.”
SDL Auctions is now the fifth largest property auctioneer in the UK, according to latest data from the Essential Information Group. Last year SDL Auctions sold more than 1,700 lots at 39 auctions across the UK, raising over £215 million in sales in the auction room and online. Last month alone, SDL Auctions raised £21.5 million for its sellers and auction partners around the country.
The company holds room auctions at six venues around the country and is one of only a few auctioneers to offer both conditional and unconditional sales, via room auctions and online auctions, providing more options to sellers and buyers.
For more information about SDL Auctions and if you’re interested in selling your property under the hammer, click here for a free auction appraisal.


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Honda has just revealed the updated and refreshed 2018 Fit. The Fit gets new styling and Honda Sensing, Honda's active safety suite, is now standard on CVT-equipped cars.
The body changes start up front. The Fit gets a new two-piece grille. It updates the look and matches the grille on the 2017 Honda Civic. The H badge is more prominent than before. The headlights get increased detailing in the housing, for a more aggressive look. The new bumper adds chrome accents and a full-width splitter. At the back, the new bumper gets an added character line and there are new taillights.
Honda Sensing is new to the Fit and will be standard on all CVT-equipped models. It includes adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, lane keeping assist with lane departure warning, and road departure mitigation. Honda calls it "the most robust suite" of active safety features in its class.
There will also be a Sport trim added to the Fit lineup. That model will slot in between LX and EX, and get more aggressive bodywork. It includes a black finish on the 16-inch alloys, a bigger splitter in the front, and a diffuser with chrome exhaust finisher in the rear.
The Fit is getting a new colour too. The bright one is the Orange Fury shade shown in the lead photo. The 2018 Honda Fit will be available later this summer, with more details closer to it going on sale.


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February 25, 2011 - On 22 February 2011, Thailand notified the Dispute Settlement Body of its decision to appeal the panel report in DS371. The following notification, dated 22 February 2011, from the Delegation of Thailand, is being circulated to Members.
“Thailand [on February 22] submitted a partial appeal of the Panel Report findings before the Appellate Body of the WTO,” said Ambassador Manuel Teehankee, who is the Philippines’ permanent representative to the WTO. Teehankee said Bangkok has the right to thwart the adoption of the panel report as it filed an appeal ahead of the scheduled WTO Dispute Settlement Body meeting today in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Philippines in 2008 lodged a complaint alleging that Thailand violated WTO rules when Bangkok designated higher customs values for Manila’s cigarette exports and jacked up the maximum retail prices on imported cigarettes to protect the Thai state-owned tobacco monopoly. (Philippines - Thai cigarette import rules..)
Previous news briefs on this subject:In a report issued on November 15 last year, the panel that looked into the dispute recommended that “the Dispute Settlement Body request Thailand to bring . . . inconsistent measures . . . into conformity with its obligations under the GATT 1994 and the WTO Agreement.”
November 17, 2010 - WTO panel order Thailand to set up uniform taxes on both foreign and locally made cigarettes..;
March 18, 2010 - WTO delays verdict on cigarette confrontation between Thailand and the Philippines..;
January 19, 2010 - Thailand - PMI likely breached the Foreign Business Act..;
November 9, 2009 - WTO - "DS 371" Philippines versus Thailand on cigarette customs valuation..;
September 3, 2009 - Thailand unit of Philip Morris International faces charges that it violated custom tax rules..;
November 11, 2008 - Philippines - Thai cigarette import rules.. .
Despite Thailand’s appeal, Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo expressed confidence “that the WTO Appellate Body will uphold the position of the Philippines and require Thailand to comply with its WTO obligations with respect to Philippine exports.
“The Philippines, being a major tobacco producer and a growing exporter of manufactured cigarettes to Thailand, will strongly defend the findings of the panel report,” he said.
References: Thailand appeals WTO ruling favoring RP tobacco by BEN ARNOLD O. DE VERA REPORTER, Manila Times, 2/23/2011; Bangkok appeals WTO tobacco ruling in favor of PHL, With Paterno Esmaquel II/VS, GMA News, 2/23/2011.


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Coinstar, which has more than 60,000 change-converting kiosks around the world, is offering an alternative to cash and gift cards by serving up Facebook Credits to spend on games and applications on the social networking site.
To get customers in a Facebook Credit-using mood, Coinstar is offering 10 free credits to those who opt for cash instead. The free credit promotion stars today and runs through Sept. 7.
The promotion also offers a bonus to those who choose to convert their change into Facebook funny money: After every 10th exchange customers will be told to buy a life. Just kidding.


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Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), who heads the House Committee on Oversight and Reform’s subcommittee on economic and consumer policy, said the federal government “has been slow to curb cryptocurrency scams and fraud” as losses to consumers remain on track to top $1 billion this year.
“Without clear definitions and guidance, agencies will continue their infighting and will be unable effectively to implement consumer and investor protections related to cryptocurrencies and the exchanges on which they are traded,” Krishnamoorthi wrote in letters sent Tuesday to Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen, Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, and Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair Rostin Behnam. Spokespeople for all four declined to comment.
Top crypto trading exchanges, meanwhile, have demonstrated an “apparent lack of action” to protect their customers, he wrote in another missive to the chief executives of Binance.US, Coinbase, FTX, Kraken and KuCoin. He pointed to platforms listing digital tokens with “little or no vetting,” inadequate security measures to guard deposits, and insufficient monitoring to prevent illicit activity.
“Consumers are often unaware of the current patchwork of resources available to inform their investing decisions, and insurance companies are wary to provide insurance to individual consumers given the lack of regulation of digital assets,” Krishnamoorthi wrote.
He is asking for detailed information from both the regulators and the industry leaders by Sept. 12 on what they are doing to prevent abuse.
It is unclear whether Krishnamoorthi’s push will lead to hearings or an effort to develop a bill, though he said in his letter to regulators that Congress “may need to pass legislation” to bring stability to the crypto market.


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More stores becoming automated puts millions of jobs at risk.
More than seven million retail jobs could be replaced by automated kiosks and checkouts over the next decade according to a study by Cornerstone Capital Group.
As early as 2024, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates 80,000 fast food jobs could disappear, in part, because of cost savings accomplished by switching to machines.
“Everybody needs to work, everybody needs to live,” said Wilbur Loadholt of Springfield. “So it’s pretty much like I said. It’s not fair to a lot of people. And there’s millions of cashier jobs everywhere, there are literally stores on every corner, so it kind of sucks for them.”
Retail giant amazon has begun pilot programs with completely cashier-less stores.


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FS1 host Joy Taylor has set social media abuzz with her recent Instagram post, featuring her lounging in a bikini at the opulent luxury resort, ‘The Boca Raton.’
The 36-year-old TV personality, boasting a massive online following of over 632,000 on Instagram and more than 460,000 on Twitter, shared a series of snapshots capturing her idyllic day at the upscale venue.
In the now-viral post, Taylor can be seen basking in the sun, clad in a stylish bikini, at the picturesque setting of ‘The Boca Raton.’
The resort is described as a Five-Star Beach Club and Spa Palmera, offering patrons an escape into luxury and leisure.
Taylor captioned her Instagram post with the words, “Was a proper Saturday. @thebocaraton,” allowing her followers to peek into her day of relaxation and enjoyment.
While her tropical escapade drew widespread attention, Joy Taylor’s journey extended beyond the luxury resort’s confines.
The FS1 star also explored the wonders of the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in South Africa, sharing her experiences with her devoted followers.
Taylor, who currently hosts the popular FS1 show ‘Speak’ alongside panelists LeSean McCoy and Emmanuel Acho, has been a whirlwind of activity.
Sharing her experiences with her followers, while wearing a tiny white bikini poolside, she posted mesmerizing pictures capturing the breathtaking beauty of the African wilderness.
While Taylor’s career continues to thrive, her recent Instagram post showcased her ability to find a harmonious balance between work and leisure.


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Elvis Presley bought the plane in 1976, a year before the King of Rock and Roll died. It was last sold at an auction for $430,000 in 2017.
Orders for the electric F-150 were so strong that Ford started building another factory next door to boost production
The head of Ford's EV division said the company was surprised that drivers were so keen for the electric version of its best-selling truck.
2 friends who are both almost 6 foot 4 inches tall launched an app to make train journeys more comfortable – without costing an arm and a leg
Iain Griffin and Dirk Stewart would haggle with train conductors for upgrades to empty first-class seats, then realized there had to be a better way.
I tested the coolest electric SUV you can buy. Take a full photo tour of the Rivian R1S, which has 3 rows and 316 miles of range.
The all-new Rivian R1S crushes school drop-offs and muddy adventures. Scroll through a tour of your new favorite electric SUV.
Aeroflot tells passengers to read a book or take a nap after sanctions end in-flight entertainment on some services
The Russian airline said foreign suppliers had refused to provide it with entertainment services, but said a "domestic solution" was coming.
I spent a year in outer space on the International Space Station. The experience still chokes me up — here's what my days looked like.
Mark T. Vande Hei did experiments, spacewalked, and even did house chores and worked out. He loved to meditate with Earth in full view.
A train passenger was ordered to pay $475 in damages for reclining his seat without notifying the person behind him
A student's laptop was damaged when the passenger reclined his seat without warning, ignoring warning signs, on a train bound for Wuhan.
Janice Gordon tried to collect her device from Heathrow's lost property on her return journey, but it was closed so she had to get it sent to Canada.
I drove Mercedes-Benz's $141,000 Tesla rival. I loved its luxurious interior and extra-long range, but it's not perfect.
The Mercedes-Benz EQS has massaging seats, up to 350 miles of range, and a 56-inch "Hyperscreen." See 8 pros and cons of the swanky EV.
American Airlines is closing its San Francisco crew base and asking 400 flight attendants to leave California or leave the airline
"This is home," said Marcia Brown, a flight attendant who has been based in San Francisco for 38 years.
In an industry first, Alaska Airlines delivered 1,287 pounds of farm-fresh Pacific Northwest hops to Maui and Anchorage so local breweries could make West Coast IPAs.
Russia assembles a 'shadow fleet' of more than 100 oil tankers as Putin tries to bust western sanctions, report said
Shipping brokers and analysts told the Financial Times that Moscow quietly added tankers this year, coming as Europe puts a price cap on Russian oil.
More than 100 Jewish passengers who were barred from flight in 'racial profiling' incident get $21,000 each from Germany's Lufthansa airline
The German airline has agreed to pay $21,000 to more than 100 Orthodox Jewish passengers who were barred from a Lufthansa flight in May, per Hamodia.
The best gas credit cards can help you earn cash back or points on fuel — and some cards earn a bonus at EV charging stations, too.
11 best airline credit cards of December 2022: Earn valuable airline miles or flexible points and get perks like free checked bags and airport lounge access
Airline credit cards come in flavors that suit every travel style — some of the best of which don't even have an airline name on the front.
Making good on corporate pledges to buy from Black-owned companies is easier said than done. One Black female founder is building a tool to help.
Two years before George Floyd was a household name, Tiffanie Stanard founded a startup to make it easier for big buyers to buy from diverse suppliers.
The best offers from Insider Coupons
Broken EV chargers are a huge turnoff for electric car drivers and prospective buyers. That signals a growing business opportunity for startups racing to keep those plugs up and running.
If a driver makes the switch to an electric car and finds themselves at a plug that doesn't work, it could confirm all their fears about EV ownership.
Fashion brands can't keep up with the latest trends because of supply-chain chaos — and it's one more reason everything's on sale
Because of supply-chain issues, retailers can't pursue trends the way they used to. Victoria's Secret execs said fashion may get fast again next year.
The electric Hummer isn't as great for the environment as you might think — and it proves not all EVs are created equal
The GMC Hummer EV creates more emissions than other electric vehicles and is, in many ways, a supersized gas guzzler for a new era.
25 new airlines have launched globally since the pandemic rocked the industry in 2020 — see the list
Airline entrepreneurs sensing industry fear and dread have seized on the opportunity to take advantage of the worst crisis in commercial aviation history.
5 things automakers and car shoppers are getting wrong about electric vehicles, according to GM's president
In a recent interview with Insider, Mark Reuss identified some common EV misconceptions among automakers and car shoppers.
Tesla just delivered its first all-electric Semi truck to PepsiCo and said it can cover up to 500 miles on a single charge
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, drove a Semi to the delivery event, held at a factory near Reno, Nevada.
Tesla is offering a rare $3,750 discount on Model 3 and Model Y cars for US customers who take delivery in December
Tesla is offering a $3,750 credit on certain cars until the end of the year, despite Elon Musk often saying that Tesla doesn't offer discounts.
Lucid is offering employees $18,000 discounts to buy its cars by the end of the year, tries to rack up orders
The program could help Lucid juice delivery numbers before the year's end as it ramps up production of its flagship Air sedan.
Hawaiian's new route will be the only airlink between the South Pacific nation and the US, giving American tourists an easier travel option.
American and British Airways are joining forces at New York's biggest airport to streamline their partnership — see inside the new Terminal 8
American and British Airways have invested $400 million into JFK's new Terminal 8, where the two will become "roommates" beginning on Thursday.
I traveled to every country in the world, including North Korea, in 558 days. These are my top 10 travel tips.
Cassie De Pecol traveled to all 193 sovereign nations in addition to Taiwan, Kosovo, and Palestine, and is now an advocate for female solo travel.
The Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, and Ford F-150 are some of the best cars to buy if you want your vehicle to last 200,000 miles or more.
GM's trying to fix the worst part of buying an electric car by turning an old Target into a new kind of call center
One of the biggest barriers to EV adoption is a lack of education about owning a plug-in car. GM wants EV Live, its new call center, to solve that.
Long lines and a lack of empty seats inside its Sky Club lounges have prompted Delta to restrict access and increase membership fees.
A Breakthrough Institute study says that Xinjiang-based solar manufacturers using forced Uyghur labor threatens to hurt the global solar industry.
A Southwest passenger accused of 'unruly behavior' tried to open the plane door mid-flight, court documents show
The woman allegedly pushed past flight attendants and pulled at the exit door while the flight was 37,000 feet in the air, according to court papers.
Motoball is a sport that traces back to the 1930s. The sport plays like a real-life version of the video game "Rocket League."
Take a full photo tour of the new electric Hummer, which costs $113,000, weighs 4.5 tons, and can drive sideways
Humongous, fast, and flashy, the 2022 GMC Hummer EV is unlike any electric vehicle that came before it. See the "supertruck" up close.
A Delta passenger says he was told TSA staff would arrive with guns to remove him from a plane after he asked to wait for his wheelchair
The passenger said Delta staff got "immediately got livid" after he refused to leave the plane until his wheelchair was delivered.
A woman missed out on festive drinks after her first plane was struck by lightning and the replacement was struck by birds
Four Air New Zealand flights between Auckland and Wellington were canceled on Wednesday after two planes had to turn back following the incidents.
Tesla has lost its shine among some previously diehard fans, following Elon Musk's chaotic Twitter takeover
Scores of Twitter posts show that once-enthusiastic Tesla fans are shunning the brand after watching Elon Musk's antics at the social-media company.
Tires on hundreds of SUVs have been deflated by climate activists who want to make it 'impossible to own a huge polluting 4x4'
Nearly 900 vehicles have had their tires let down this week in an organized global campaign stretching from New York to Amsterdam.
US rail workers want 15 days of paid sick leave, but companies offered one. A strike could disrupt travel, deliveries, and drinking water.
The wild history of Volkswagen: From Nazi Germany to hippie vans to one of Elon Musk's top electric vehicle rivals
Elon Musk pointed to Volkswagen's Nazi origins after an actress said she swapped her Tesla for a VW because of the rise in hate speech on Twitter.
A new Canadian airline with a smiling emoji logo just launched in September and is coming to the US next year — meet Jetlines
Canada's Jetlines launched in September with a single plane running between Toronto and Calgary.
The Spanish coast guard rescued 3 stowaways who spent 11 days balancing on a ship's rudder as it traveled from Nigeria to the Canary Islands
All three men survived the 11-day journey but have all been hospitalized for mild hypothermia, according to news agency EFE.
Locus Robotics CEO Rick Faulk told Insider the startup is headed for an IPO as soon as the markets wake up.
Thanksgiving travel was still below pre-pandemic levels and it proves air travel isn't back to normal yet
While passenger numbers aren't quite back to pre-pandemic levels, US airlines managed to avoid the travel chaos that plagued previous holiday weeks.
From giant kites to foldable wings, here's what container ships could look like by 2050 as companies race to decarbonize their supply chains
Companies are racing to find a sustainable — and scalable — replacement for gas-guzzling container ships. Here's what they've come up with so far.
Elon Musk slams Tesla founder Martin Eberhard in response to a tweet about the company's origin: He 'could have risked his money, but was unwilling to do so'
Elon Musk's role in Tesla's early history has been a point of contention. Musk's past disparagement of Eberhard prompted a lawsuit that was settled.
My husband and I quit our jobs in Miami to secretly travel the world while working remotely. It's allowed us to pay off debt and improve our quality of life.
A married couple in their thirties quit their Miami-based jobs, accepted remote positions, and now secretly live in South America — here's how.
Photos show a plane after it crashed into live power lines in Maryland, leaving two passengers stuck for seven hours
A small plane crashed into power lines in Maryland, prompting a precarious rescue effort as workers sought to stabilize the plane and turn off power.
Flying with small children can be challenging, but the internet is calling out the parents of kids who disturb fellow passengers.
Trump has refurbished his prized $100 million Boeing 757 private jet as he announces a 2024 presidential run — see inside 'Trump Force One'
The former president bought his luxury Boeing 757 private jet in 2011 and decked it out with gold-plated seatbelts and the Trump family crest.


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P.O. Box 12068, State Capitol
Austin, Texas 78711
Tel. (512) 463-0104
Sen. Williams Files Bill Attacking Identity Theft
Statute of Limitations Would Increase
Austin -- State Senator Tommy Williams, (R-The Woodlands), announced the filing of SB 369 which will increase the current statute of limitations from three (3) years to ten (10) years for identify theft and other crimes involving fraud, deception or false statements.
"Identity theft causes havoc, and our current statute of limitations makes it difficult to investigate and prosecute these cases. Today's consumer must be ever-vigilant in their credit protection activities, and SB 369 will give these consumers and our law enforcement additional time to discover, investigate and prosecute these sinister crimes," replied Williams.
SB 369 increases the statute of limitations for credit or debit card abuse, false statements to obtain property or credit, and fraudulent use or possession of identifying information.
Senator Williams represents Senate District 4 covering all or portions of Jefferson, Orange, Chambers, Liberty, Harris and Montgomery Counties. Williams serves as Vice Chairman of the State Affairs Committee and as a member of the Finance, Transportation, Education and the Sub-committee on Higher Education in the Texas Senate.


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You are here
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Publix Super Markets here said yesterday it has signed an exclusive agreement with The Little Clinic LLC in Louisville, Ky., to open medical clinics within an unspecified number of Publix stores this year. The regional retailer will place the first clinics in the Miami, Orlando, and Tampa markets in the first half of 2006.
The Little Clinic will be exclusively located in Publix stores in certain markets, Publix spokeswoman Maria Brous told Progressive Grocer. The retailer is "still working on the details" as to which Publix stores will have the clinics, but there will be at least several.
Brous said Publix selected The Little Clinic because of its reputation of offering excellent customer service. "Anytime we do a partnership like this, we look for companies that mirror our focus on customer service," she said. "The Little Clinic mirrored us most closely."
The Little Clinic currently operates seven in-store health clinics inside Kroger supermarkets, with an eighth clinic to open soon, Bruce Peacock, c.e.o. of The Little Clinic, told Progressive Grocer. "Kroger was our first partner in this innovative concept. The first clinics were open in Kroger stores in Louisville. We're hoping to further expand in their network even outside the Mid-South division."
The Little Clinic is also "actively seeking discussions with other potential retail hosts" in other parts of the country, including the Northeast and New England regions, added Peacock.
"This agreement marks an important step in The Little Clinic's expansion plans throughout the United States," he said. "We share Publix's commitment to superior customer service and look forward to helping Publix further serve its customers as we install The Little Clinic health care centers in select Publix stores."
The Little Clinic health care centers, around 150 square feet on average, are staffed by nurse practitioners, who can write prescriptions, provide diagnosis and treatment of common ailments and minor injuries, and offer wellness care, such as physicals, screenings, and vaccinations. The clinics are typically open seven days a week, and most of their services cost less than $50.
Although some critics have argued that in-store health clinics take away from the importance of a patient-physician relationship, Peacock maintained that the clinics are designed for fill-in health care trips only. "We're not trying to replace the family doctor. A lot of what we offer is convenience. The nice thing about us being located in the supermarket is that someone can come in and see the nurse and get their prescription filled at the retail host center. A mother with a sick child can visit the clinic, and then pick up Children's Tylenol, sorbet for a sore throat, and a prepared meal for dinner all in the same location," he noted.
-- Jenny McTaggart


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Hyundai Card vice president Chung Tae-young said on Wednesday the rise of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and the metaverse is helping crypto to move past the Dutch tulip mania stage. Fast facts “Although there might be ups and downs, it seems cryptocurrencies are passing the ‘Dutch tulip stage,’” Chung wrote in a Facebook post. Hyundai Card, […]
Top blockchain and crypto news: Asian governments target crypto. Managing MATIC. China’s expanding metaverse.
Cryptocurrency ATM operators in Singapore halted operations on Tuesday to comply with new guidelines issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the country’s central bank, Bloomberg reported. Fast facts Crypto ATM operators Daenerys & Co. and Deodi Pte shut their operations down as they await further clarification from MAS. New central bank guidelines issued […]
The total number of legal judgments involving crypto-related crime in China slightly dipped in 2021 to 5,137 cases, as the nationwide clampdown continues, according to a research report. Fast facts China’s legal system published 5,170 judgments in 2020, a significant leap from 3,474 in 2019, Chinese blockchain data tracker Zhongke Lianan found in its report. […]
The Indian government may not introduce a much-anticipated crypto bill in the upcoming parliamentary budget session, according to a report by the Economic Times of India. Fast facts The government is reportedly seeking to reach consensus with industry stakeholders before proposing legislation. The government may also be waiting for the Reserve Bank of India to […]
Binance partners with Gulf Energy for Thai crypto exchange, meanwhile, Polygon’s upgrade live
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for collective and synchronized global action to tackle the challenges posed by cryptocurrency. Fast facts Speaking at the 2022 World Economic Forum’s annual Davos conference on Monday, Modi said: “The kind of technology cryptocurrency is associated with makes decisions taken by one country inadequate to meet the challenges posed […]
South Korean public broadcaster KBS launched a recreation of its Seoul studio compound on Naver’s Zepeto metaverse on Tuesday, to promote coverage of the upcoming March 9 presidential election. Fast facts Visitors can enter and experience the digital replica of the broadcaster’s news studio, stage sets, take quizzes about the election, stroll around the history […]
Binance signed a memorandum of understanding with Bangkok-based power company Gulf Energy Development to establish a digital asset exchange in Thailand, the Southeast Asian nation with a population of 70 million people. Fast facts According to Gulf Energy’s letter to the Thai Stock Exchange on Monday, its local resources coupled with Binance’s exchange technology would […]
Singapore-based exchange Crypto.com has struck a five-year AU$27 million (US$19.5) sponsorship with the Australian Football League’s (AFL) men’s and women’s (AFLW) competitions on Tuesday. Fast facts The deal is the first sponsorship from a crypto firm in Australia for a major sporting league, and the first major women’s sporting league sponsorship for Crypto.com. Australian rules football […]
Australian Opens just opened in the metaverse and a Chinese university launches a virtual campus.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the country’s central bank, issued guidelines to restrict cryptocurrency service providers from marketing or promoting their services to the general public on Monday. Fast facts MAS warned businesses to refrain from promoting cryptocurrencies and related services to Singaporeans in public areas, including websites and social media. However, firms are […]
In the latest sign of growing blockchain adoption, the tennis tournament expands to the metaverse, offering rewards and participation through NFTs.
Binance’s CEO is now the richest Asian man, but the crypto exchange giant’s presence in Asia—where Binance got its start—is withering under regulatory heat.
A major university in China has become the country’s first academic institution to join the metaverse, after it reproduced its physical campus as a virtual university on Baidu’s XiRang platform. Fast facts The Communication University of China announced last week that the digital campus had hosted an anniversary celebration and awards ceremony on Dec. 26, […]
South Korean lawmaker Lee Kwang-jae announced on Sunday that he has started accepting political donations in cryptocurrencies. Fast facts Donors can use Bitcoin, Ethereum, Kakao’s KLAY, media industry-focused NEWS, and payments-focused Paycoin, while receipts can be issued as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), according to Lee’s website. The first donor was an anonymous professional from the blockchain […]
Wuhan, the major city in central China where Covid-19 first emerged, has announced plans to embrace the metaverse in an effort to boost its pandemic-devasted economy. Fast facts The government of Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province, will push ahead with integrating the metaverse, blockchain, big data, cloud computing, geospatial information and quantum technology […]
Xiamen University of southeast China is warning its staff and students to not use Norton 360 antivirus software for its Ether mining function, citing the nation’s crypto mining ban policy. Fast facts
China’s Blockchain Services Network rolling out NFT infrastructure, while Palau plans to issue stablecoin.
Residents in Beijing recorded 9.6 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) worth of digital yuan transactions in 2021, after several rounds of coupon-driven promotions, according to state media, citing official data. Fast facts
A Chinese state-backed blockchain network plans to launch non-fungible token (NFT) infrastructure that has no link to cryptocurrency by the end of this month, one of its creators told Forkast. Fast facts He Yifan, CEO of Red Date Technology, a developer of the Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN), a project to spur mass adoption of blockchain […]
India may soon get its first Bitcoin and Ethereum futures exchange traded funds (ETFs) pending approval by a financial regulator. Fast facts India INX, the international arm of BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and Torus Kling Block Chain IFSC have jointly sought regulatory approval for a Bitcoin and an Ethereum Futures ETF, according to a […]
State-backed hackers from North Korea stole cryptocurrencies worth about US$395 million last year across at least seven cyber attacks, according to Chainalysis, a blockchain data company. Fast facts Several of the attacks were likely led by Lazarus, a group of hackers believed to be backed by North Korea’s primary intelligence agency, the Reconnaissance General Bureau, […]
Online influencers may be improving crypto-financial literacy for millions of people. But regulators have growing concerns.
A new project in northern Australia is using blockchain technology to improve supply chains in the water market in one of the first applications of its kind. Fast facts More than 1,000 farmers in the northeastern state of Queensland have partnered with blockchain firm Civic Ledger and other groups for the project to address growing […]
Stablecoins and CBDCs will likely co-exist in the city, experts say, as Hong Kong looks to thrive as crypto hub.
Korean prosecutors demand life, as HK plans new crypto regulation.
A computer database at a supermarket in eastern China is being held hostage by cybercriminals demanding 0.042 Bitcoin, which amounts to US$1,832, according to a Chinese media report. Fast facts
Prosecutors in South Korea are demanding life sentences for seven former executives of a now-defunct cryptocurrency exchange who were charged with defrauding investors of just under US$1.9 billion. The executives are not yet convicted, and the trial judge will deliver a verdict on Feb. 11. Fast facts The executives of V Global allegedly took about […]
The Indian government is mulling the taxation of cryptocurrencies as business income, in a decision which could double the tax burden on investors, according to a local report. Fast facts Currently, crypto earnings are taxed as capital gains, which stand at 20%, while business income rates reach as high as 42%. Taxing each crypto transaction […]
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) based on a wildly popular fantasy action digital comics series backed by South Korean internet giant Kakao have sold out soon after launch on Wednesday. Fast facts The NFTs, launched by Kakao Entertainment, are based on webtoon Solo Leveling, which has amassed a whopping 14.2 billion views globally since its launch in […]
China’s No. 3 telecoms provider has started accepting payment for phone bills in digital yuan on its app, in the latest move by a major firm to advance the country’s fledgling central bank digital currency (CBDC) efforts. Fast facts Since earlier this week, China Unicom customers have had the option of using digital yuan, also […]
The Enforcement Directorate in India seized assets of a businessman worth around US$4.9 million in a money laundering case involving a crypto scam, according to a press release on Monday. Fast facts Nishad K and his associates allegedly perpetrated a crypto scam in which some 900 investors were cheated out of approximately US$162.4 million. The […]
Developers adopt NFT technology to promote staple video game franchises, but reaction from a number of gamers has been negative.
Taiwanese’s superstar Jay Chou’s NFT dethrones Bored Ape Yacht Club. Meanwhile Bitcoin dips below US$40k mark.
Internet blackouts are partially restored but access remains unpredictable to support full crypto mining, industry players say.
China’s top economic planning body has officially designated crypto mining as “obsolete,” reinforcing government efforts to stamp out the industry entirely. Fast facts
Klaytn, a public blockchain platform under South Korean internet giant Kakao, announced on Monday five partnerships to drive plans to become a global blockchain benchmark for the increasingly competitive gaming and metaverse space in 2022. Fast facts Klaytn is partnering with Japanese tech giant GMO Group, Indonesia’s Innovation Factory, NFT marketplace East NFT, U.S.-based entertainment […]
Australian cryptocurrency exchange BTC Markets has partnered with the country’s No. 2 tennis star Ajla Tomljanovic ahead of the Australian Open to release limited edition non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Fast facts The NFTs will be in the form of Proof of Attendance Protocol, akin to a digital concert ticket stub proving attendance, that will allow owners […]
A new non-fungible token (NFT) collection backed by Taiwanese superstar Jay Chou has dethroned Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) on the OpenSea NFT marketplace in trading volume, reflecting growing interest in celebrity-endorsed digital collectibles. Fast facts The PhantaBear NFT series, co-created by Jay Chou’s hipster brand PHANTACi, sold out its 10,000 algorithmically-created NFTs on Jan. […]
China’s pilot e-CNY wallet application, currently available in a dozen major cities, topped 16 million downloads in the first week after its launch, according to two data providers. Fast facts
Hyundai plans to open a “Meta-Factory”, meanwhile crypto divergence ahead for the year 2022.
Gaming metaverse the Sandbox announced the partners for its upcoming Hong Kong-influenced virtual cultural hub.
Hong Kong-listed Chinese food delivery giant Meituan, which occupies 70% of the market share, on Wednesday started to accept digital yuan for payments, as tested by Forkast.News. Fast facts Users first need to link their wallets to Meituan in the e-CNY app; then they can pay for an order by selecting digital yuan in the […]
The ability to display, buy and even mint NFTs is seeping into mainstream products from South Korea’s largest corporations.
The Australian Open (AO) is one of the biggest sporting events on the world tennis calendar, and now there is another way to watch, as this year’s tournament will also be held in Decentraland — the decentralized metaverse platform. Tennis fans will be able to participate further through buying non-fungible tokens (NFTs) linked to live […]
Some of India’s largest crypto exchanges, including WazirX, blame ambiguity in the regulation of cryptocurrencies for missed tax payments.
Top blockchain and crypto news: CBDCs at the crossroads. A token gesture from Samsung. NFTs survive in China.
Chinese cryptocurrency mining rig maker Canaan announced Tuesday that it has entered into multiple partnerships in Kazakhstan and deployed over 10,000 mining machines in the country, as the company steps up efforts to expand globally. Fast facts Canaan said in a statement it has successfully launched the last batch of mining machines online under its […]
In South Korea, a new presidential administration will be chosen in March. Here’s where the four major candidates stand on Korea’s booming virtual asset space.
Guangxi, China’s southern provincial-level region, is researching cross-border finance, supply-chain service platforms and e-CNY applications, according to a report by local state-run media Guangxi Daily. Fast facts The Guangxi autonomous region — often seen as a gateway for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) trade — plans to support cross-border circulation of capital, according to the […]
A CryptoPunk non-fungible token (NFT) — CryptoPunk #8690 — was sold at an auction in Shanghai organized by Shanghai Jiahe Auction earlier this week for 5,232,500 yuan (US$823,300), with a starting price of 1.5 million yuan (US$236,000), reflecting growing investor interest in NFTs in China despite criticism from state-controlled media. Fast facts V.V Yu, general manager […]
In South Korea, virtual asset investors with more than 500 million Korean won, or approximately US$418,935, worth of crypto assets in overseas accounts must report to their regional tax authorities beginning in 2023. Fast facts According to a new year guidebook by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, any resident or domestic corporation with overseas […]
The Chinese government published a draft regulation on Dec. 31 stating that no organization or individual is allowed to provide internet marketing for illegal financial activities, which include cryptocurrency transactions. Fast facts The regulation, drafted by the People’s Bank of China — China’s central bank — and other Chinese government institutions stipulates that any organization or […]
Yosuke Matsuda, president of Square Enix — the game developer behind Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Kingdom Hearts — recently reiterated the company’s blockchain ambitions while acknowledging ongoing concerns about the new trend. Fast facts In a new year’s letter posted on the company website, Matsuda emphasized that incorporating blockchain technology into gaming holds “the […]
A regulatory hurricane swept away half of South Korea’s crypto exchanges in 2021. Who are the survivors — and are there larger lessons for the rest of the world?
Countries acted to encourage — or discourage — cryptocurrency and other blockchain-based assets, sending markets wildly up and down.
While China made a big moves in banning crypto this year, US lawmakers appear to be warming up to the industry, setting the stage for next year.
Hackers scam 7,000 Solana, or US$1.3 million, from would-be buyers of a new NFT collection of the Monkey Kingdom project.
China prepares to show off its tech innovation muscles at the Beijing Winter Olympics as it unveils some unusual-looking wallets for its new digital yuan.
Despite the looming parliamentary debate over banning private digital currency in India, the founder of Mumbai-based crypto exchange WazirX predicts thousands of new crypto startups.
Japan’s financial conglomerate SBI Holdings announced a joint investment in Singapore’s virtual asset exchange Coinhako with Switzerland-based Sygnum Bank. Fast facts The investment is made through a fund formed in Singapore named the SBI-Sygnum-Azimut Digital Asset Opportunity fund. SBI expressed certainty in supporting Coinhako’s international expansion and other startups that have growth potential in the […]
Court overturns Korean Bitcoin ruling, also are the days numbered for SWIFT?
An investor who received $1.25M in Bitcoin by accident will not be criminally penalized, raising questions on the legal status of cryptocurrencies.
Delay likely for India’s crypto bill, none the less 2021 becomes crypto’s landmark year.
Asia’s gaming giant Nexon’s US subsidiary supports cryptocurrencies for players in buying items inside its popular online games.
In a contract dispute case, a Beijing court in Chaoyang district on Wednesday ruled a legal arrangement for Bitcoin mining to be invalid, signaling how China’s legal system may view future crypto-related disputes. Fast facts In May 2019, the plaintiff, Fengfu Jiuxin company, signed purchases and services contracts with blockchain technology company Zhongyan Zhichuang, with the latter […]
Games like Axie Infinity are now the darlings of big investors. Does it matter that revenue is falling and many players earn less than the minimum wage?
While China continues to stamp out cryptocurrency mining, the mining rig producers continue raking in the deals. The latest: Canaan, a Chinese crypto mining rig maker, has secured a follow-on contract from Genesis Digital Assets for 30,000 units of Avalon Bitcoin mining machines, with another 150,000 units to be executed. Fast facts Back in August, […]


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UPS has reportedly told drivers across the country to stop picking up packages from six retailers, including Gap, Nike and Macy’s, as the shipping company attempts to keep up with a record-breaking online shopping season amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In an internal message obtained by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by various UPS workers in different regions, the delivery company announced the temporary shipping restrictions on the retailers, which also included L.L. Bean, Hot Topic and Newegg.
“No exceptions,” the message reportedly said.
The move comes amid rising demand for delivery companies’ services, with lockdown orders and other coronavirus restrictions limiting the number of people shopping in person.
The National Retail Federation estimated that online shopping jumped 44 percent over a five-day period that included Black Friday and Cyber Monday, according to the Journal.
The Journal reported that the temporary limits could be a sign of UPS regulating the number of packages within its network in order to maintain high performance amid the holiday season.
A UPS spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill that if demand exceeds planned space, the company “will work with our larger customers to ensure the volume gets picked up and delivered as more capacity becomes available in our network.”
The spokesperson did not say if there were any retailer-specific directives.
“We are pleased with the way the UPS network is performing as we exit the Thanksgiving holiday and move into the month of December, delivering record volume,” the emailed statement added. “UPS continues to work closely with our largest customers to steer volume to capacity and ensure the UPS network is reliable for all customers.”
“This collaboration includes specific capacity allocations last weekend and throughout the holiday season,” the spokesperson continued. “We’ve worked with our large retail customers to ensure they are aware of how much capacity is available to them.”
The representative added that “UPS is prepared this holiday season” and is “well positioned to support our customers’ needs.”
According to ShipMatrix Inc., a software provider that analyzes shipping data, the combination of holiday shipments and continued orders of household essentials amid the pandemic is expected to lead to a surplus of about 7 million daily packages between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
UPS added in its statement to The Hill that the company “is committed to maintaining the reliability of its network for other customers, including small- and medium-sized businesses, which have been hit hardest during the pandemic and are also seeing an increase in holiday volume.”
“The network capacity for our SMB [small- and medium-sized business] customers must also remain strong to help the recovery of this vital part of the economy,” the statement said.
The latest industry estimates showed Cyber Monday to be the biggest online shopping day in U.S. history, with up to $11.4 billion in sales. Amazon announced Tuesday that independent businesses on its platform received more than $4.8 billion in sales worldwide from Black Friday to Cyber Monday.


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Classic Corvette or C7? Father and Son Story Fuels Debate
If given the option, would you pick a classic Corvette or a new C7?
40 Corvettes from the collection of renowned car aficionado Tom Falbo will be auctioned off in Oklahoma next month.
We knew the Corvette was a powerful machine, but perhaps we didn’t realize just how powerful.
If money was no object, would you be swayed to have another classic roadster instead of the Corvette, such as this Maserati Ghibli? There are plenty of similarities.
A new NCM exhibit, commemorating the sinkhole disaster and the restoration efforts that followed, is set to open on February 12th, 2016, exactly two years after that fateful day.


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Text us your news! Start your message Warrington News and send any photos or videos to 80360
CCTV of charity shop scam suspect released
4:05pm Monday 9th December 2013 in News
POLICE are appealing for information after charity shops in Stockton Heath were targeted in a scam.
Police say that on Wednesday a woman entered two shops in the village and conned workers into giving her too much change.
They have released CCTV footage from Age UK on London Road of a suspect they want to speak to in connection to the incidents.
Anyone with information can call Warrington South NPU on 101.


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Zagreb - The Government on Thursday sent to Parliament four tax reform bills which envisage cutting income tax from 24 to 20% and from 36 to 30% as well as profit tax from 12 to 10% for enterprises which make up to HRK 7.5 million a year.
The Government sent to Parliament for first reading bills of amendments to the laws on income tax, profit tax, VAT, and fiscalised cash transactions.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said they were a continuation of the policy of relieving households and enterprises and that the amount would now exceed HRK 10 billion.
Finance Minister Zdravko Marić said the effect of the four tax reform rounds to date, since 2017, surpassed HRK 8.2 billion. He announced that by the second reading, amendments would be drawn up to the law on the financing of local governments. They will regulate how the state will compensate for their losses due to the slashed income tax rates.
Income tax cut from 36 to 30% and from 24 to 20%
In the fifth tax reform round, the Government proposes cutting, as of January 1, income tax from 36 to 30% and from 24 to 20% as well as from 12 to 10% on annual incomes.
The reform envisages the introduction of a national HRK 800 monthly allowance for seniors which will be exempt from income tax.
In case a disproportion between income and assets is established, Marić said the income tax rate would be raised from 54 to 60%.
Profit tax cut for enterprises with annual revenue of HRK 7.5 million
The amendments to the Profit Tax Act envisage cutting from 12 to 10% the profit tax rate for enterprises that make up to HRK 7.5 a year. Marić said this would apply to more than 93% of entities that were obliged to pay profit tax.
Banks to get more favourable tax treatment when writing off or restructuring loans
Minister Marić said an important novelty was that a more favourable tax treatment was proposed for banks in cases when they had to write off or restructure loans.
The aim is to improve the position of debtors, citizens and enterprises, which is achieved by writing off receivables, and not by selling debts to debt collection agencies, the Finance Ministry said. Amendments to the Income Tax Act also envisage that the taxpayer takes account of the compensating adjustment of transfer prices before submitting a tax return.
As of July 2021 VAT on small consignments
In accordance with the European directive on distance sales of goods and imports of low-value goods, the amendments to the Value Added Tax Act envisage abolishing as of 1 July 2021 the VAT exemption for small consignments (up to €22) imported to Croatia from third countries.
The distance sale of goods is also regulated, in the way that once the value exceeds the HRK 77,000 threshold, it is taxed in the member state in which is the place of residence of the recipient of goods who is not a taxpayer.
As of next year cash register limit to be regulated by ordinance
Amendments to the Cash Transaction Fiscalisation Act have also been sent to the parliament, and the law will no longer prescribe a maximum sale amount for cash registers. Instead, the finance minister will issue an ordinance prescribing limits for cash registers according to certain categories of taxpayers.
The amendment should enter into force next year.
Maric recalled that as of 1 January 2021, after two years of adjustment, the obligation to fiscalise sales through self-service devices begins, as well as the obligation to display a QR code on every issued fiscal receipt.
The minister also announced that there would be amendments to the local government financing act.
(€1 = HRK 7.5)


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Rustic Stone, a popular Dublin city centre restaurant co-owned by celebrity chef Dylan McGrath, was among seven businesses to receive a closure order last month for breaches of food safety legislation.
The premises on South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2, was found to have rodent droppings in an under-stairs structure, which was open and led to the kitchen.
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During the inspection on September 15, rodent droppings were also found in a gap in the cavity wall directly behind cooking appliances and adjacent to the dry store. The gap had been loosely covered by wood.
The closure notice by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is the latest headache for McGrath, 45, whose two Dublin restaurants, Rustic Stone and Brasserie 66, have been attempting to maintain ‘business as usual’ as they deal with multimillion-euro debts.
In August, it was announced that both establishments had entered the new Scarp process, having taken a major financial hit due to COVID restrictions. McGrath, former Masterchef presenter and winner of a Michelin star, recently said: ‘We are confident that the restaurants have excellent prospects going forward, once we reorganise the businesses through this process.’
Scarp, which stands for Small Company Administrative Rescue Process, offers the chance to write down debts and restructure using new investment.
The closure order on Rustic Stone was served after an inspection deemed there to be ‘a serious risk of food being contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, likely to render the food unfit for human consumption’.
Under the FSAI Act, a closure order is served where it is deemed that there is or there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health. In the case of Rustic Stone, the order was lifted the next day.
Another closure order under the Act was made for Bow Lane restaurant on Aungier Street in Dublin. It was served on September 22, and lifted five days later.
Rodent droppings were found in the kitchen beneath and behind equipment.
The Lee Kee Chinese Restaurant on Parnell Street, Dublin 1, was ordered to close for reasons which included food debris and grease embedded on the equipment, walls and floors. Ocean Palace in Blackcastle Shopping Centre, Navan, Co. Meath, was ordered to close due to being ‘excessively dirty’.
Mouse droppings on the floor under shelves were the reason Homesavers, a retailer in City East Retail Park, Ballysimon, Limerick, was ordered to halt the storage, display and sale of all foodstuffs.
At Swift Fine Foods in Cooltrimegish Business Park, Laragh, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, mouse droppings were found on food products. And at King Pizza in Knocknagree, Cork, the inspector found an accumulation of dirt, grease, food debris and cobwebs, along with a ‘very large fly infestation’, with flies seen crawling on food.


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By Vinayak Heliwal
National Handloom day 2020 is celebrated on 7th August to honor the hard work and skills of handloom weavers and to create awareness about the importance and benefits of the handloom industry in the social growth of the country. On the Occasion of the sixth edition of National Handloom Day, the government promotes for ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ and urges people to support local handmade items.
The National Handloom Day is celebrated on 7th August every year as a way to celebrate the Swadeshi Movement. The Swadeshi Movement had also been launched on the same date in 1905 and the day is celebrated to protect the heritage and to empower people working in uplifting this sector.
The sixth edition of national handloom day will be celebrated virtually with a launch of a mobile application and a backend website to inject pride in the weaving society.
A handloom is a loom used to weave fabric without using any electricity and is performed on pit looms which are usually located in weavers home. The handloom industry copes up with the basic human requirements and provides jobs in both rural and urban areas which helps in the contribution of GDP growth. The handloom sector approximately contributes 15 percent of the country ‘ s clothes production.
On the eve of National Handloom Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his twitter and shared a video with a proud message, “On National Handloom Day, we salute all those associated with our vibrant handloom and handicrafts sector. They have made commendable efforts to preserve the indigenous crafts of our nation. Let us all be #Vocal4Handmade and strengthen efforts towards an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
Handloom has now become a part of our daily life especially in the COVID times where homemade masks are being preferred.


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Scottish Power has become the latest big six energy firm to hike prices, with its dual-fuel standard tariff to rise by an average of 7.8% from 31 March. But British Gas has announced it's freezing its standard tariff prices until 1 August.
About 1.1 million Scottish Power customers will be affected by its changes, with electricity prices to increase by an average of 10.8% and gas prices by an average of 4.7%.
Today's announcements follow Npower's decision to raise prices for 1.4 million customers from March, while EDF cut gas prices by 5.2% in January but will hike electricity prices by 8.4% on Wednesday 1 March.
'Millions facing above-inflation increases'
MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis says: "Undoubtedly the price pressure is upward right now due to the increase in wholesale prices, the weakness of the pound and the added burden of smart meters. But that's cold comfort for the millions of people facing massive above-inflation increases in their gas and electricity bill.
"With Scottish Power joining Npower and EDF, it's now very clear the rest of the big six will follow suit at some point. The British Gas sticking plaster of a freeze is good news as it does provide some temporary respite, though again, unless there are major shifts in the world market it is virtually unthinkable that a rise won't happen eventually.
"The most important message for all customers, including those with British Gas, is if you are on your company's standard tariff, you are massively overpaying.
"For those with companies who've announced price hikes, after those hikes you will be overpaying on average by £311 or more than the cheapest deals on the market for the same gas, same electricity and same safety. Not only that, those cheapest deals are fixed rates so you're guaranteed not to face price hikes for at least a year.
"Even with British Gas, it's important to remember the price you're being frozen on is its already expensive standard tariff. If you are willing to switch elsewhere with typical use you can save £210 a year with the cheapest deal on the market."
How Scottish Power's hiking prices
Scottish Power's blamed its price increase on rising wholesale energy costs plus the cost of schemes such as smart metering and green initiatives. Here's the detail of what's changing as of Friday 31 March:
- Gas prices for those on a standard tariff will rise by an average of 4.7%.
- Electricity prices for those on a standard tariff will increase by an average of 10.8%.
- If you're on a dual-fuel standard tariff, you'll see an average increase of 7.8%. For a typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit that'll be an extra £86 a year, with the average annual bill rising from £1,161 to £1,247.
- Prepay customers on a standard tariff WON'T face any price hike for the time being – but Scottish Power hasn't ruled out changes to prices ahead of the introduction of an industry prepay price cap on Saturday 1 April.
Scottish Power says it'll write to customers on its standard tariff with a personalised quote, showing what they could save by switching to one of the firm's fixed deals. Yet remember if you're on its standard tariff you can almost certainly save much more by comparing prices from other firms via Cheap Energy Club.
British Gas freezes prices – but most can still save by switching
British Gas has announced today it's extending its current standard tariff price freeze until 1 August. This freeze also applies for customers on the standard tariff offered by Sainsbury's Energy (which is operated by British Gas).
However the extension of the freeze DOESN'T apply to prepayment customers, who'll see their freeze end in April to coincide with the introduction of the industry prepay cap. British Gas wouldn't confirm whether prepayment customers could expect a rise or fall in their bills, but says it'll write to them nearer the time.
Mark Hodges, chief executive of Centrica Consumer, which owns British Gas, says: "We're pleased to give our customers on standard tariffs the peace of mind that the price they're paying will remain unchanged until August... In December we promised to take tangible action to improve how the energy market works for all our customers. That effort continues."
Even though British Gas has frozen its prices, don't be lulled into a false sense of security. If you're one of the 6.6 million on a British Gas standard tariff, it's likely you're paying well over the odds for your energy. Check if you can save using Cheap Energy Club.
Martin says: "It's also worth remembering British Gas operates Sainsbury's Energy, which is just British Gas under a different name.
"Often Sainsbury's Energy substantially undercuts British Gas's main price – it doesn't right now, but if British Gas customers switch across to it, it will pay them £100 in vouchers for doing so. So you'll get exactly the same as you're on, the price freeze still applies and you make 100 quid."
Additional reporting by Callum Brodie and Andrew Capstick.


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You can get a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts for $1 this week
If you’re a big fan of donuts (and TBH, so many of us are), you’re going to love this news. Later this week, Krispy Kreme is offering a deep discount in honor of its birthday, and if you want to grab some glazed treats for cheap, here are all the details.
According to a press release from the company, on Friday, July 27th, in honor of its 81st birthday, Krispy Kreme is offering a box of 12 Original Glazed donuts for just $1 when you buy a dozen at regular price at participating shops all over the United States and Canada. That’s 24 donuts at a ridiculously low price, people. Has there ever been a better excuse for a donut party than this?
All you have to do is visit your local Krispy Kreme on the 27th to cash in on the deal, and if that’s not your thing, there are other deals you can take advantage of as well.
Krispy Kreme also released a Glazed Confetti donut to celebrate this milestone, and it sounds pretty festive. The release describes it as “vanilla birthday cake-inspired dough with confetti sprinkles throughout, glazed in classic Original Glaze, and lightly topped with colorful sprinkles.” Uh, YUM? The flavor is available starting Friday through Thursday, August 2nd, so you have just under a week to get your fix.
“One of our favorite times during the year is when we get to celebrate our birthday with our fans,” Krispy Kreme CEO Mike Tattersfield said. “In addition to offering a delicious dollar deal on an extra dozen of our Original Glazed donuts, we’ve ‘birthday-ed’ up our awesome Original Glazed donut, creating a whole new experience.”
Anytime anyone wants to “birthday-up” a donut, we’re down. You win this one, Krispy Kreme. Don’t forget to celebrate Krispy Kreme’s birthday with your dozen donut deal on Friday. Your snacks for the weekend are covered.


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Classic SUVs are making a big comeback, and Ford
may have just found the most nostalgic formula of all. It involves a white grille and white wheels.
Bronco started this trend, and Bronco will amplify it
The Ford Bronco didn’t kick off the off-road SUV segment when it debuted in 1966. It joined a field already crowded with models like the Jeep CJ-5 and International Harvester Scout.
But it can safely be credited with kicking off an off-roader renaissance this decade. Ford re-introduced the Bronco for the 2021 model year after a 25-year absence. The new Bronco melds modern technology like 360-degree trail cameras with classic boxy styling and the old-school optional roof. It even won a prestigious design award from outside the automotive industry for how perfectly it knitted together classic influences and modern equipment.
The Bronco sold out so easily that Ford is still filling back orders a year later. It created so much buzz that Volkswagen
decided to resurrect the Scout name.
Now, Ford will pay tribute to that 1966 original with a Bronco Heritage Edition and limited-run Heritage Limited Edition.
The Bronco Sport, a smaller SUV built on the Ford Escape’s frame with Bronco-inspired styling, doesn’t have the Bronco’s heritage. But it gets Heritage Editions, too.
Ford will build exactly 1,966 of each Heritage Limited Edition. The company didn’t put a limit on the number of Heritage Editions. They will include both 2- and 4-door Broncos, as well as the Bronco Sport.
The Ford Bronco Heritage Limited Edition
Bronco Heritage editions
The Bronco Heritage will start at $45,900, and Heritage Limited will start at $68,490. Ford also charges a $1,595 delivery fee on all Broncos. The company says the new-old editions will be available for order later this year, but there’s a catch.
The Bronco has been essentially sold out for more than a year. There’s a long line of reservation-holders waiting to order their specific Bronco. Ford will give them first crack at these models and sell them to new buyers only if there are any left. We doubt there will be.
The bigger Bronco gets the mechanical bits from the Big Bend model, with the added Sasquatch package. That means a 300-horsepower 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, 10-speed automatic transmission, and the high-performance off-road stability suspension Ford insists on calling HOSS. Thirty-five-inch all-terrain tires are standard.
But it’s the visual upgrades that make this package work. They include an Oxford White modular hardtop roof to copy the white of the 1966 original. Heritage Editions get white 17-inch wheels, while Heritage Limited Editions get two-tone white-and-black numbers.
Bronco Heritage Limited Edition
The grille is finished in white, too, with red Ford lettering – a look unseen on American roads in decades. The Heritage Edition is available in five vintage colors, while the more exclusive Heritage Limited Edition comes only in classic Robin’s Egg Blue.
Inside, Ford finished the dash in white with the same red lettering, while the seats get plaid upholstery that screams “maybe LBJ shouldn’t run again.”
Little brother Sport gets borrowed heritage, too
The Bronco Sport Heritage Edition will start at $35,840, and the Heritage Limited starts at $46,250.
The Bronco Sport Heritage Edition is once again based on the Big Bend model, with its trick rear differential for flexible grip in slippery conditions.
Heritage Editions get the same white grille with red lettering, white wheels, and white roof. A Heritage Limited Edition comes only in Robin’s Egg Blue.
Sport models get the same plaid seating but lack the white-finished dashboard, giving them a more modern look inside.
This story originally ran on KBB.com.


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AppDynamics today announced that its application intelligence platform will support applications designed for the new Apple Watch. AppDynamics support is based on Apple's publicly available WatchKit extension.
With the tools available in the Application Intelligence Platform, developers and app users will be able to see and understand the performance of their Apple Watch-enabled apps, the WatchKit extension, and the end-to-end user experience.
Is supporting Apple Watch an important capability to you? Do you think this is the future of APM, or marketing hype? Share your thoughts with the community.


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Going on the aggressive as operators scramble to keep any semblance of normal business, the Gambling Commission has published a 2020/21 Business Plan that largely targets issues within the online gaming sector, while also bringing problem gamblers on-board as “Experts of Experience”.
The Gambling Commission has published its 2020/21 Business Plan which outlines key priorities for the year ahead, including bringing on-board problem gamblers, or “Experts by Experience”, to “fully inform the decisions right at the heart” of the regulator.
Chief executive of the Gambling Commission Neil McArthur also threatened the suspension and revocation of licences for those operators that don’t reduce gambling-related harm and protect customers. He outlined the regulator’s plan to deliver recommendations on how to address VIP incentives and making online advertising and online products safer, especially given the current situation.
“We begin a new financial year in extraordinary circumstances, the Covid19 virus will bring significant challenges for us all, including the gambling industry. With social distancing measures in place people are more likely to feel isolated and now more than ever operators must ensure that consumer safety is paramount,” said McArthur.
“Gambling related harm must be drastically reduced and if operators cannot protect customers from harm we are ready and willing to act; if necessary we will use our powers to suspend and revoke operating and personal licences.
“Since our review of online gambling in 2018 we have tightened age and ID verification rules, strengthened rules around customer interaction, and unfair terms and conditions and most recently we banned gambling on credit cards.
This year we will continue to deliver our recommendations by addressing VIP incentives and making online advertising and online gambling products safer.
“The volume and complexity of our work continues to grow. However, we will continue to focus our resources on the areas that have maximum impact for the greatest number of consumers and will make sure we have the capacity and capability to keep pace with emerging issues and risks that regulating a complex industry requires.”
As part of the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harm, the Commission will continue to work alongside partners to ensure improvements in prevention and education, and treatment and support resources are developed.
In 2020/21 the Commission will launch an Experts by Experience Board to ensure that the voice of consumers, particularly those who have experienced harm, “fully informs decisions right at the heart” of the Commission.
As well as running the competition to appoint the next National Lottery licencee, the Commission will also support the Government’s planned review of the Gambling Act and are already working to take account of the findings in the recent National Audit Office Report into gambling regulation.
For the arcades, machines and bingo sector, Q2 will be a defining moment of the 20-21 plan. That will be when the regulator “establishes the case for changes to Gambling Commission fees and provide advice to DCMS.”
Between the three sectors, almost 30 percent of GC fees are drawn from this grouping. Which will beg the obvious question: with the Commission’s attention laser-focused on the online gambling sector, and following a whole financial season decimated by coronavirus, surely the GC cannot justify raising fees for the land-based sector?


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Iran’s threat to close the Straits of Hormuz has only just hit the news tonight in Australia, and it looks like Australian coverage is pretty much in line with the international news organisations, judging by my google search.
It says something about how denuded mainstream media have become of genuine overseas insight that you could have read about this potential threat on On Line Opinion 8 days ago in this article by Ali Omidi from the University of Isfahan-Iran.
While the hyperbole is that the Internet has brought us closer together, in most cases this doesn’t appear to have affected how we get our news, with a few exceptions. And those exceptions seem to be in broadening the range of sources the media can call on after things are current, not before.
So in the Iraq War there were some bloggers who made a name for themselves after the invasion, but this was by way of a supporting cast, not as the leading players.
The challenge to the mainstream media is not really a challenge to their financial model so much as it is a challenge to the value of what they purvey. A recent report in The Australian says that the media ranks last for trustworthiness according to unpublished results from The Australian Electoral Survey. However the graph that illustrates the story uses the term “confidence” rather than “trust”.
Confidence is broader than trust, and encompasses competence, which is the real reason the financial model is under threat.
The print media hasn’t been able to sell its product for what it costs to produce, so has become reliant on advertising to make up the difference. Which has led to a concentration on producing more content so as to have the pages to support the advertising demand.
Now that the advertising is migrating to the Internet and inventory is at a surplus rather than a premium meaning advertisers pay cents instead of dollars to reach audiences the media has to get back to producing something of value in itself.
Fix up the value of what media produce and not only will the financial model fix itself, but so will its approval levels.
Getting on top of stories like the Iranian threat on the Strait of Hormuz before they become urgent is part of that repair. In that respect the Internet can be an ally rather than an enemy, but only if media changes the way that it uses it.
And that’s a message to On Line Opinion as much as it is to any of our colleagues.