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AB InBev CEO Is Thirsty For Deals: “We’re Always Looking For Opportunities, Always”
Carlos Brito is a builder. As CEO of Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) he’s built the company into a massive brewer with 500 beer brands and operations in one hundred countries. And it looks like he’s scouting around for new ways to make it even bigger.
Famous for its Budweiser and Bud Light brands, the Belgium-based brewer’s revenues surged 23 percent in 2018 to about $55 billion. AB InBev is ranked at Number 192 on the Global Fortune 500 list of the largest companies in the world.
“We’re always looking for opportunities, always,” says Brito. “Our portfolio today is an amazing portfolio. But of course as we look beyond beer there are opportunities.”
Another one of those opportunities could be adding cannabis drinks to AB InBev’s lineup. The company is partnering with Canada’s Tilray to research non-alcoholic beverages using marijuana. When asked how those drinks might taste, Brito says it's too early to say.
“No, no, I haven’t sampled anything,” he says, laughing.
Watch the video above for more from my interview with Brito.


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We’ve just published an infographic showing the results of a survey we sent out to our network of B2B Sales Managers, Sales Reps, Account Managers, Business Development Directors and Business Owners – about the impact so far of the Coronavirus and lockdown on B2B sales opportunities, quota attainment and general day to day activities.
The results were interesting… Obviously, it’s a tough time for many people, and sales opportunities are lower than before, but there is hope – there are some people out there still finding that customers are willing to buy, and in some cases, more willing to buy than they were before Coronavirus!
In this article, we’ll talk you through the insights from the research we carried out, but if you want to access the infographic in full, then here it is: B2B Sales Coronavirus Statistics Infographic.
73.9% of salespeople say their sales opportunities have decreased since Coronvirus lockdown started
However, it’s not all bad news, because 26.1% of B2B sales reps surveyed actually found the number of sales opportunities increased where demand for products required for homeworking was higher.
65.2% of B2B salespeople reported losing deals due to the Coronavirus outbreak
The Coronavirus has clearly had a big impact on organizations across the world, resulting in lots of businesses deciding to press the ‘pause’ button on purchases. 34.8% of reps said that they hadn’t reported losing any deals to Coronavirus so far, so we will have to wait and see to understand the full impact of the lockdown and virus on B2B sales revenues at the end of the year.
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50% of reps reported customers postponing purchasing decisions as the biggest struggle they are facing
Clearly a lot of customers have decided to put off any big purchasing decisions amidst all the uncertainty, while 25% of respondents highlighted not being able to meet their customers in person as being the biggest challenge they’re facing currently.
16.7% of B2B salespeople said that not being able to meet with their own team and colleagues was particularly challenging.
Not one person said their biggest fear was losing their job
45.8% of those surveyed highlighted the lack of budget currently available to their buyers as their biggest fear, as this was something that was likely to get worse before it gets better. 33.3% said they worry most about losing even more deals due to the Coronavirus, while 16.7% cited the inability to meet with customers as the biggest fear for the future.
Interestingly, although it was listed as an option, not one person surveyed said that losing their job was their biggest fear which should be a positive to many people out there concerned about not hitting their targets and job opportunities.
Unfortunately, a whopping 83.3% said that buyers’ willingness to purchase at the moment was low
Despite that higher figure, 12.5% of B2B sales roles surveyed said that they felt there was no difference in buyers’ willingness to purchase, while 4.2% said they found buyers’ purchasing willingness higher than average.
54.2% of salespeople are now connecting with customers via videoconferencing
In the absence of being able to meet with customers face to face, 54.2% of sales reps are now holding videoconferences with their customers, while 20.8% say they are using calls mainly. 16.7% are connecting over email, and 8.3% report that they are having no contact at all with customers since the lockdown began.
With the majority of organizations’ staff now working from home or being furloughed, some staff will either be unavailable to connect, or their methods of connecting will depend on their company’s remote working procedures and technology.
Confidence in hitting sales targets this year is low overall
66.7% of salespeople said their confidence was low for them hitting their sales targets this year, while 20.8% said their confidence was at a medium level. 12.5% said their confidence was high – clearly showing the stark difference between some businesses affected negatively and positively by the Coronavirus.
50% of salespeople said their confidence in their sales job was ‘Somewhat Confident’
50% said they were ‘Somewhat Confident’ about their sales job prospects, while 37.5% were sadly ‘Not Confident’. The good news is there is a bunch of people out there who are ‘Very Confident’ about their sales jobs’ prospects.
43.5% of salespeople are using the current quiet period to focus on Account Planning activities
58.3% of salespeople said that the Coronavirus has impacted on their typical daily tasks, while 41.7% said it hadn’t significantly impacted on their day to day activities.
So what are people doing with their time now they’re not meeting with customers and colleagues?
Well, 43.5% are dedicating their time to Account Planning, while 21.7% are focusing on Customer Research activities. Unfortunately 13% are getting stuck into Admin, and 21.7% said they are doing ‘Other’ things – we wished we’d asked what those things are!
Check out the full Infographic: B2B Sales During the Coronavirus
Our research was collated through an anonymous survey sent out to our network of B2B salespeople, managers, business owners and business development roles. We aim to update the figures later in the year to see the continuing impact of the Coronavirus on B2B sales people. If you want to contribute your views to the survey, then here’s the link: https://hello238371.typeform.com/to/QEcPb9

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Baladna Food Industries Co. WLL, Qatar’s largest producer of fresh dairy and beverages, is sponsoring the World Beach Games Qatar 2019, organised by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). The inaugural international beach multi-sport event is currently underway and will conclude tomorrow.
Baladna have a dedicated area called the Baladna Fan Zone at one of the venues — Katara Cultural Village — where they are distributing refreshments to fans and athletes. The products will include fresh dairy drinks and 100 percent natural juices with no added sugar. Additionally, they will be catering to the VIP section with an array of food products.
Commenting on the sponsorship, Baladna Chairman Moutaz al-Khayyat said, “Baladna takes pride in sponsoring ANOC World Beach Games in Qatar. The event aligns with our core value of supporting Qatar in its mission towards Qatar National Vision 2030, in promoting sports and health. In addition, the products distributed will be encourage fans to pursue a healthy lifestyle.”
Commenting on the Baladna Fan Zone, Saba al-Fadala, Baladna’s Public Relations and Communications Director, said, “Baladna’s fan zone has been built to meet a healthy lifestyle in an innovative and creative manner. We have a designated barista to make delicious beverages like milkshakes, iced coffees, and mojitos using Baladna’s products. Our barista will be available daily during the event from 5-7pm.”
More than 1,200 athletes from 96 countries from five continents are competing in 14 competitions at four locations: the Katara Cultural Village, Aspire Zone, Al Gharafa Club and the Ritz-Carlton Doha’s Legtaifiya Lagoon.
Baladna has a dedicated Fan Zone at Katara Cultural Village during the ANOC World Beach Games Qatar 2019.


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The changes, proposed in the Home Office consultation Rebalancing the Licensing Act, include giving local authorities and police stronger powers to remove licences from premises, allowing them to permanently shut any shop or bar that repeatedly sells alcohol to children, and giving powers to charge more for late-night licences to help pay for policing.
Also proposed are the removal of the burden of evidence and the right of appeal, and blanket restrictions on opening hours.
In its response, ACS has warned that licensing changes would be ineffective and would cost convenience retailers at least £11m. Chief executive James Lowman said: "We fear that government is advancing at breakneck speed towards policy changes that are based on poor evidence, and will lead to more difficulties for local authorities, more cost for businesses and more problems for communities."
After a six-week consultation, which has now ended, Ministers are expected to attach many of the measures to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill currently before Parliament, meaning that some could be in force within a matter of months.
Lowman called on government to "reflect carefully on the cost and red tape burden that these proposals would impose".
Proving compliance would add £11m in costs to the convenience sector, he said, and claimed that "introducing arbitrary new powers and removing rights from responsible business owners would reduce trust, and prevent business and agencies from working together."


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FDA Warns That Two Dozen Hand Sanitizers Could Contain Toxic Wood Alcohol
By Bill Galluccio
July 9, 2020
The Food and Drug Administration announced they were adding over two dozen hand sanitizers to a list of products that may be toxic. As consumers rushed to buy hand sanitizers because of the coronavirus pandemic, many stores started to run out of the product.
While companies tried to produce more bottles of hand sanitizers to meet the growing demand, the FDA noticed "a sharp increase in hand sanitizer products that are labeled to contain ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol) but that have tested positive for methanol contamination."
In high doses, methanol can be fatal if consumed. Ingesting methanol can cause blindness, nausea, headaches, dizziness, agitation, amnesia, coma, and seizures.
The FDA noted that many of the products, which are mostly made in Mexico, have been voluntarily recalled by the companies that manufactured them.
The FDA has found 55 different hand sanitizers that were contaminated with methanol. You can view the entire list on the FDA's methanol update page.
Photo: Getty Images


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As the economy continues to falter, the name of the game is product shortages. Supply chain disruptions have left grocery store shelves bare, forced gamers to suffer console and headphone shortages, and led to microchip shortages across the electronics industry. The rise in consumer prices is partly due to this shortage. Now that Republicans have drawn attention to baby food shortages, the question appears to have been politicized: Should supply chain issues be blamed on the party in power?
The answer is that our supply chain issues are global in scope – and in more ways than one. Product shortage is due to the fact that most of our merchandise is transported over long distances for use in manufacture, sale or other use. Imagine a giant spider web extending all over the planet. Like a baseball that crushes every thread, unexpected problems can destroy the major ways that allow our supply chains to function.
Related: Thanks to climate change, supply chain disruptions are poised to be the new normal
This is why climate change in particular is expected to lead to more product shortages. Dr. Thomas Goldsby, professor of supply chain management at the University of Tennessee-Haslam School of Business in Knoxville, told Salon that volatile and unpredictable weather patterns will fundamentally change our economy.
“The frequency and intensity of these unexpected weather patterns alter consumer shopping behaviors as well as the judgments companies make to address them,” Goldsby explained. “Companies have to build more redundancy into their production and distribution networks to compensate for this fluctuation – and this all comes at higher costs.”
In addition to changing consumer behavior, scientists agree that climate change will alter the physical landscape in a profound and transformative way. For one thing, sea levels are expected to rise. Even when that happens, heat waves will cause widespread droughts. Both of these things will have consequences for the economy.
Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to the salon’s weekly newsletter, The Vulgar Scientist.
“Take the alarming low levels of Lake Mead that supply parts of Nevada, Arizona and California with vital water,” Goldsby noted. “Water supplies are cut off and farms lack basic hydration to make them viable. The quality of life for non-farmers is affected as well. I hear the term ‘climate refugees’ more frequently.”
“Beginning around the 1970s and 1980s, there was a dramatic acceleration of something that had been going on for a long time – the job movement.”
As is often the case when it comes to climate change, marginalized communities are expected to take a disproportionate hit. As Shahram Azhar, associate professor of economics at Bucknell University, wrote to Salon last year, “Climate change has a clear negative impact on the planet’s natural ecosystem (pests, coral bleaching, etc.) which is central to agricultural production. People are stratified, and that basically means More food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty through higher food prices on the one hand and instability in jobs and incomes on the other.”
It is not tragically surprising that climate change will impact deeply marginalized groups as it begins to shut down supply chains. These extensive supply chains exist in large part because wealthy interest groups wanted to exploit cheap labor, says Richard Wolf, University of Massachusetts Amherst economist emeritus. This is why supply chain collapse can be described as a “global” problem in more ways than one. Not only are they severely affected by global events such as climate change, but supply chain disruptions occur due to globalization.
“Beginning in the ’70s and ’80s, there was a huge acceleration of something that had been going on for a long time – the movement of jobs, initially in manufacturing although it has since extended to services as well,” Wolf told Salon. “And the motive was profit, as always. Profit is the bottom line. And profit is the goal of the enterprise because that’s what capitalism does. Thanks in part to internet technology and air travel technology, which became natural in these years, it is now possible to take advantage of And there were political conditions as well as much cheaper labor elsewhere in the world.”
Wolf explained, “When wages are rising, the capitalists are always motivated to find an alternative solution, a way to avoid paying their own wages.”
With wages rising in Western democracies like the United States, companies have realized that they can increase their profit margins by manufacturing different products at different points around the world. With lower transportation and communication costs, this will be cheaper than using domestic labor. Once the inevitable long supply chains are established, companies can then claim that this has been an inevitable outgrowth of the economy, as opposed to a buildup of deliberate choices that would not have been made if our global economic system had not been driven by profit.
“Capitals are always motivated, when wages are up, to find an alternative solution, a way to avoid being paid,” Wolf explained, explaining that this extends from automation to outsourcing of jobs. In the process, they leave consumers vulnerable to disruptions caused by environmental issues – and this is even before the era of climate change.
Wolf explained, noting a series of dust storms that swept through the region: the American Midwest due to poor agricultural practices. “Once you make the thing global by going abroad, you obviously become vulnerable to droughts and floods and whatever else is happening now, not just in the continental United States, but on a global scale. You either have to take steps to avoid climate change, or you spend money to accommodate the process. the modification involved.”
“The problem with capitalism is that these issues take time and money, and they don’t want to do that either,” Wolf added.
For more salon articles on supply chain issues:


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Dell remains "very committed" to selling personal computers, Chief Executive Michael Dell told CNBC Thursday.
"You can’t provide an end-to-end solution if it ends, and so you have to have the entire solution to be able to provide what customers are looking for," Michael Dell said. That makes PCs "certainly a big part of our business."
Unlike competitor Hewlett-Packard , where CEO Meg Whitman and the board are still debating whether to keep or spin off its legacy PC business, Michael Dell sees the PCs as part of his company's data center business. The more data a company takes in, the more need there is for Dell's data-management business, he said.
Dell has shifted its main focus to enterprise, rather than consumer, solutions and services, which puts less of an emphasis on making computer hardware. Michael Dell said the company profits even with the increasing use of smartphones and tablet computers over desktop computers and laptops.
"All these devices together are creating enormous amounts of data that have to be managed...This is an exciting time for IT," he said of information technology. "IT can provide incredible [return on investment] to help keep companies and organizations efficient."
Although Dell has made nine small technology company acquisitions this year, Michael Dell wouldn't comment on whether Dell could be a potential buyer of troubled BlackBerry maker Research in Motion .
He also said he wouldn't give HP any advice on whether to keep its PC business intact. However, he said, if HP did spin off the PC business it would be "an opportunity for us and we’ll be all over it."


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Last week, Woodburn Company Stores announced a 23,500-square-foot expansion. On Tuesday the outlet mall said that a Nike Factory Store would anchor the $1.6 million addition.
The Nike Factory Store, scheduled to open in November, will occupy 15,000 square feet of the addition.
Steven Craig, managing partner of Craig Realty Group, owner of Woodburn Company Stores, said the center's sales are approaching $400 per square foot. "We've been working with Nike for a number of years to ensure the best location within the center and maximum exposure for their brand," he said.
The Nike Factory Store will employ approximately 40 people, as well as additional staff needed on a seasonal basis.
Nike's (NYSE: NKE) other factory stores in Oregon are located in Bend, Portland and Seaside. Also, Nike retail stores are located in Eugene and at the Portland International Airport; the company's first NikeTown opened on Southwest Sixth and Salmon in downtown Portland in 1990.
A Calvin Klein outlet is scheduled to open at the Woodburn mall in April.


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Roblox Dev Makes A Big Step By Going Public
Roblox is one of the biggest games on earth, and now anyone can invest in the company.
The company will be trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the name RBLX. The filing of the IPO was rumored for a while now, and it comes this week amid a rally in stocks from US-based companies after the Presidential election.
In its filing, Roblox Corp. disclosed some new financial statistics, including revenue in the third quarter of $242.2 million, which is up 91 percent, according to CNBC.
The game boasts an incredibly impressive 36.2 million daily players globally, and the developer has big plans for the future, as it said it hopes to reach "billions" of users.
The company has a number of plans to grow in the future, including "significant investments" in updates to the game to make characters and worlds look more lifelike. "These investments should enable Roblox to support human co-experience in the entertainment, learning and business markets," the developer said.
Roblox Corp. is also looking to grow internationally, and it is currently investigating the possibility of releasing Roblox in China through a partnership with Luobu. Additionally, the company said it has a lot of room to grow in terms of getting more money out of Roblox.
"First, we are actively working with our developer and creator community to help them improve their monetization. Second, we recently introduced our subscription service, Roblox Premium, which we believe will increase our conversion of our free users to paying users and the retention of our paying users," the studio said. "Finally, we expect to work with leading brands to build unique marketing opportunities on the Roblox Platform."
Regarding the branded opportunities, Roblox recently hosted an in-game concert series where "Old Town Road" singer Lil Nas X debuted a new single. The concert event was massively popular, eclipsing a record set by Fortnite's Travis Scott show.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.


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In April 2009, Frito-Lay launched an eco-friendly bag for its Sun Chips products to great fanfare, touting the bags' compostability, and the fact that they were made from plants not plastic. But, the bags soon became known for something besides their staunch environmentalism: Their noisiness. People complained. Facebook groups and YouTube videos mocked the bags' cacophonous nature. Sales of the snacks dropped by more than 11 percent in the course of a year. Now, Frito-Lay is returning to the old plastic bag for five of the six Sun Chips flavors, saying "We chose to respond to the consumer feedback but still want to show that we are committed." Smart move? (Watch a CBS report about the Sun Chips bags)
The Sun Chips bag is noise pollution: After performing tests on the problematic bags, CBS New York reports that they can yield noise levels greater than 100 decibels — more than a subway or a lawnmower, which weigh in at 90 and 85 decibels, respectively. Sure, the bag may be "healthy for our environment, but [it's] not so healthy" for our ears.
"Sun Chips bags: Louder than a NYC subway"
This is ridiculous: "Seriously? The company is bagging the bag because American couch potatoes can't hear their TVs over the sound of their chip sack," says Kate Sheppard in Mother Jones. I understand that Frito-Lay had to take action because of the decline in sales, but it's aggravating that "a little noise was apparently too much for Americans to handle" when it comes to helping the environment.
"Why we're doomed"
At least the effort was there: "It's too bad this experiment didn't work," says Andrew Price in Good, "but Frito-Lay certainly deserves credit for trying." And, there's "good news." Not all compostable chip bags need be noisy. Another chip company, Boulder Canyon, has made a quieter one using a wood polymer.
"Deafening compostable SunChips bag gets pulled"
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The news just wouldn’t be any fun if we didn’t bring you rumours about some company somewhere, launching some interesting new product, which – if and when released – will likely fall short of all our expectations.
This week, that product would be NVIDIA’s expected GTS 450 video card. EXPreview is claiming to have insider knowledge of the companies next mid-range card that continues their focus on the sub $199 mid-range market.
The GTS 450 is said to feature another redesigned core, the GF106, including 1GB GDDR5 memory and a 128-bit memory bus. However, recent images circling around the web depicting the image of an unknown NVIDIA PCB, indicate that the upcoming card may actually have 768MB of memory, a 3+1 phase power, single 6-pin power connector and SLI capabilities.
The card is expected to launch sometime in late August and while no pricing details have emerged, NVIDIA is likely provide at least a $50 gap between it, and their newly released $199 GTX 460 768MB, in order to not cannibalize sales.


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The Indian cricket team is reportedly not happy with their official kit sponsors Nike.
A report in a leading daily on Tuesday said that the players aren't happy with the 'substandard kits' provided by the official sponsors Nike in recent times and the BCCI has decided to take up the case very strongly.
The newspaper further quoted BCCI CEO Rahul Johri saying that they have scheduled a meeting with the Nike officials to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
"It (Nike’s clothing) has come up for discussion in last COA meeting and chairman CoA (Vinod Rai) took it very strongly. The team cannot have sub-standard kits and we will be engaging with Nike and he has asked to put our case strongly. We have to engage with them, we will have a meeting with them (Nike) next week and try to resolve it at earliest," Johri was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
Nike has been the official supplier of Team India's kits since January 2006, after beating its rivals with a whopping 43 million-dollar deal. In 2011, Nike extended its deal with the Indian cricket team and paid 60 million dollars for the next five years.
Nike's current deal with the team lasts till 2020 after the contract was renewed for a further 57 million dollars in 2015.
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Mitsubishi has announced price cuts and specification increases for its 2015 Lancer line-up with pricing starting from $18,990 (+ORC).
ANCAP has announced a new initiative to add datestamps to its ANCAP safety rating logos to signify the year in which the vehicle was rated.
Lexus has announced local pricing and specifications for its NX 300h SUV, with prices starting from $55,000 (+ORC) when it goes on-sale in October.
South Australia’s consumer watchdog, Consumer and Business Services (CBS), will crack down on unlicensed backyard car dealers over the next four months.
The clever and fuel-efficient Citroen CX 2000 this year celebrates turning 40, the successor to the innovative and beautiful Citroen DS.
Toyota is moving ahead with its fuel cell sedan plans, having been given approval in Japan to self-inspect high-pressure hydrogen fuel tanks.
The Dodge Challenger gets reimagined as an off-roader by Joey Ruiter. Meet the Dodge Challenger A/T Untamed Concept.
Audi Australia will recall 1240 models equipped with its 3.0-litre TDI turbo-diesel engine over potential brakes issues. Only 2012-model cars affected.
Jeep has added a turbo-diesel to the all-new Cherokee line-up (Limited Diesel) with pricing from $49,000 (+ORC).
The 2015 Kia Sorento has been revealed overnight in South Korea, ahead of its world debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.
Jaguar Cars director of design, Ian Callum has revealed his own take on the classic Jaguar Mark 2. It took 18 months to reengineer the classic Jaguar.
Ford has begun production of the all-new Mustang and to mark the occasion, Ford has teamed up with five fashion designers to craft a series of limited-edition T-shirts.
Bored of paper planes? Check out Toyota’s range of paper car kits – We’ve got the GT86, LandCruiser V8 and 70 Series LandCruiser for you to download.
General Motors and Russian partner, AvtoVAZ have unveiled the 2016 Chevrolet Niva at the 2014 Moscow Motor Show.
Suzuki has revealed official images of the new Vitara which makes its return after a 25-year absence, Australian sales expected to begin in 2015.


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Electric cars have come a long way since their inception, and with each passing year, we witness remarkable advancements in this field. The year 2023 is set to bring forth a new wave of electric cars that will revolutionize the automotive industry. In this article, we will delve deep into the world of 2023 electric cars, exploring their features, benefits, and the impact they will have on our environment and daily lives.
2023 Electric Cars: A Game-Changer in the Automotive Industry
The upcoming year, 2023, is expected to witness the launch of several highly anticipated electric cars. These vehicles are not only designed to be luxurious and stylish but also environmentally friendly. With zero emissions and low maintenance costs, it’s no wonder that electric cars are gaining popularity at an unprecedented rate.
The Top Electric Cars to Look Forward to in 2023
1. Tesla Model 3: The Tesla Model 3 has already proved to be a game-changer in the electric car market. In 2023, Tesla plans to introduce an upgraded version of the Model 3 with extended battery life and enhanced performance.
2. Nissan Ariya: Nissan is set to launch the Ariya, an all-electric SUV that promises an impressive range and advanced autonomous driving features. The sleek design and cutting-edge technology make the Ariya a highly anticipated electric car of 2023.
3. Ford Mustang Mach-E: The Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s first foray into the world of electric vehicles. Scheduled to debut in 2023, this electric SUV combines the iconic Mustang design with a zero-emission powertrain.
4. Audi Q4 e-tron: Audi’s Q4 e-tron is set to be a game-changer in the luxury electric SUV segment. With its stunning design, long-range capability, and advanced charging technology, the Q4 e-tron is a highly anticipated electric car of the upcoming year.
The Benefits of Driving a 2023 Electric Car
1. Environmental Impact: One of the key benefits of driving an electric car is its minimal contribution to air pollution. With zero emissions, electric cars help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.
2. Cost Savings: Electric cars offer significant cost savings in the long run. With fewer moving parts and lower maintenance requirements, electric cars require less frequent servicing, resulting in lower repair and maintenance costs.
3. Improved Performance: Thanks to their instant torque delivery, electric cars offer exceptional acceleration, making them a joy to drive. Additionally, electric cars provide a smoother and quieter driving experience compared to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.
4. Energy Independence: Electric cars contribute to energy independence by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. By harnessing renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, electric cars offer a sustainable alternative to conventional vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2023 Electric Cars
1. Are electric cars in 2023 affordable?
Yes, electric cars are becoming increasingly affordable. With advancements in technology and economies of scale, the cost of electric vehicles is steadily declining. Additionally, government incentives and tax credits are making electric cars a more financially viable option for consumers.
2. How far can I drive on a single charge with a 2023 electric car?
The driving range of electric cars varies depending on the model and battery capacity. However, with advancements in battery technology, many 2023 electric cars are expected to offer a range comparable to or even exceeding that of traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.
3. How long does it take to charge a 2023 electric car?
The charging time of electric cars depends on the charging method used. Most electric cars can be charged overnight using a standard home charging station. However, with the rapid advancement of charging infrastructure, fast-charging options are becoming increasingly common, enabling quick charging even on long journeys.
4. Are 2023 electric cars safe?
Yes, 2023 electric cars are designed with safety as a top priority. Just like traditional vehicles, electric cars undergo rigorous safety testing to meet the highest industry standards. In fact, electric cars often feature additional safety measures due to their unique architecture and design.
5. What impact do 2023 electric cars have on the environment?
2023 electric cars have a significantly lower environmental impact compared to traditional vehicles. With zero tailpipe emissions and reduced reliance on fossil fuels, electric cars help combat air pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thus contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.
6. Can I install a charging station at home for my 2023 electric car?
Yes, it is possible to install a home charging station for your 2023 electric car. By installing a Level 2 charger, you can conveniently charge your electric car overnight, ensuring it’s ready for your daily commute. However, it’s recommended to consult a professional electrician for the installation process.
The Future of Electric Cars
The arrival of 2023 electric cars marks an exciting turning point in the automotive industry. With advancements in technology, battery range, and charging infrastructure, electric cars are expected to become the norm rather than the exception in the coming years. As more manufacturers embrace electric mobility, we can look forward to a future where sustainable transportation is accessible to all.
In conclusion, the year 2023 holds great promise for the electric car industry. With the launch of highly anticipated models and the growing awareness of the benefits of electric vehicles, the adoption of electric cars is set to accelerate. From environmental sustainability to cost savings and improved performance, the advantages of driving a 2023 electric car are abundant. Embrace the future of transportation and join the electrification revolution!


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11,000 coronavirus cases tied to three meat processors: report
More than 11,000 cases of COVID-19 have been tied to plants of the three top U.S. meat processors, Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods and JBS, according to a Washington Post analysis.
There were just over 3,000 reported cases at processing plants a month ago.
President Trump signed an executive order to compel meat processing plants to stay open April 28 after coronavirus outbreaks sparked closures and led to shortages at grocery stores and fast food chains.
Worker deaths from coronavirus have tripled in the last month, according to the analysis. There were 17 reported deaths in April and now there are at least 63, according to the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.
Twenty-nine percent of South Dakota’s total cases are linked to processing plant workers, as are 20 percent of Nebraska’s cases and 18 percent of Iowa’s cases, according to the Environmental Working Group.
At Tyson Foods plants alone, more than 7,000 workers have tested positive for the coronavirus, up from fewer than 1,600 a month ago.
More than 700 new cases have emerged from four plants that have reopened since the executive order. Those locations include Tyson Foods plants in Logansport, Ind., Perry, Iowa, and Waterloo, Iowa, and a Smithfield plant in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Nearly all closed plants have reopened since Trump’s order. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said early this month that all closed plants would reopen within 10 days, a goal that fell one plant short.


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West Elm, a division of Williams-Sonoma, will open a store in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Oct. 23rd.
Home furnishings retailer West Elm will make its Michigan debut when it opens a store in downtown Birmingham, on Oct. 2.
Home furnishings retailer West Elm is launching what it calls “We Love Local Small Business Grant” contest, designed to support U.S.-based artists, makers and designers as they grow and scale their businesses.
West Elm is opening its first location in Missouri – at the St. Louis Galleria.
Williams-Sonoma’s West Elm brand will open its first ever pop-up shop, in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., on July 14.


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Buhari lacks business idea needed to fix Nigeria economy – Peter Obi
By Steve Oko
The Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Peter Obi, has avered that the reason President Muhammadu Buhari “cannot fix the Nigeria economy is because he lacks business ideas “.
Obi who made the remarks while addressing Aba business community said Buhari had never done any success business, and lacks the preliquisite business knowledge to effectively run the Nigeria economy.
The former Anambra State Governor said Nigeria’s economy was in bad shape because Buhari who is piloting the affairs of the country has never successfully handled any business.
Obi urged Nigerians to give Atiku Abubakar chance to navigate the country out of the woods based on his vast economic knowledge.
His words : ” Buhari has never done any success business. He lacks knowledge of any business.
” If you have created wealth you will know how to manage wealth. But if you cannot create wealth you cannot manage wealth.
“Atiku has been a business man. He has created wealth and employed people. He has all it takes to rescue Nigeria from economic doldrums.”
Obi said one of the major reasons Nigeria had slidded into poverty was because the Buhari administration “killed manufacturing ” through poor economic policies.
The former banker lamented that where as the manufacturing sector contributed 23% of Nigeria’s economic growth in the 80s, it now accounts for only paltry eight per cent.
Obi mocked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for distributing N10,000 “trader money” to traders, saying the gesture is a mockery to traders.
He said such loan could not afford half bag of local rice and wondered how it could turn around the fortunes of traders.
Obi said Aba, Nnewi, Onitsha and Uyo remained the fasted -growing economies in Nigeria because of the preponderance of entrepreneurs and Small and Medium Enterprises in them.
He said SMEs would be given serious attention under the administration of Atiku.
” It is hard now to give loans to SMEs but under the watch of Atiku, SMEs will not be looking for loans rather loans will be looking for SMEs. “
He also condemned the Abia State Government for the concept of Enyimba Economic City, and challenged the federal government to fully key into the project, which, according to him, is capable of restarting Nigeria’s economy if fully realised.
Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email email@example.com; firstname.lastname@example.org Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.


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The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus raked in over 10 million sales over the weekend, Apple officially announced. Now that there are more iPhones out there, all of which run iOS 8 right out of the box, adoption numbers have obviously started to rise.
On September 18, it was reported that iOS 8 adoption was trending slower than it had with the release of iOS 7. These results, which were tracked by several different sites across the web, came just one day after the launch of iOS 8 into the public, but one day before the official launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. So unsurprisingly, following the weekend sales these same sites have released their tracking information, keeping an eye on iOS 8 as it begins to trend upwards.
As reported by 9to5Mac, these sites include Chitika, Mixpanel, Appsee and Fiksu. The results, across the board, show that iOS 8 is trending around 30 percent adoption rate at this point. While not very high, the more telling number is that it’s trending lower than the 50% adoption rate of iOS 7 the year before, over the same period of time. As noted last week, the changes in iOS 7 from an aesthetic perspective might have been enough to get more people interested in downloading the update a year ago, while the changes in iOS 8 — while massive and impressive all on their own — are mainly under the hood.
It could also come down to the fact that iOS 8 needs quite a bit of space to even get installed on an older device.
There’s also the fact that these sites are also tracking that iPhone 6 is trending more often than the iPhone 6 Plus. Indeed, it was hard for many people to find an iPhone 6 Plus out in the wild, and even shipping dates for the device quickly fell well behind the iPhone 6.
Did you upgrade to iOS 8 on an older device? Or did you wait (or still waiting) for a new iPhone?[via 9to5Mac]


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IVECO launched the new Daily 4x4 at the IAA Commercial Vehicles, with a full line up of off- and on-road vehicles.
IVECO is making history at IAA by showcasing its full commercial offering of alternative traction vehicles on a 100% Diesel Free stand.
IVECO is investing heavily in the New Zealand commercial vehicle market, with work well underway on a new multimillion-dollar facility in Auckland.
IVECO Australia has appointed Scott Slater as general manager – sales. Slater replaces Geoff Buswell, who will take on a new position within the CNH Industrial Group in Australia.
Before IVECO’s forthcoming Australian release of Euro 6-powered Stralis models – years ahead of mandated Australian emissions regulations – the new engines are being put under the ...
IVECO New Zealand country manager Ian Walker and his wife, Kristi, who is product, marketing and network development manager there, have announced their resignations.
IVECO’s new light segment van and chassis cab range fought off strong competition to take the win, just three years after Daily won the 2015 title. The prestigious award is recogni...
CNH Industrial has appointed a new business director for its commercial vehicle brand IVECO in Australia and New Zealand
IVECO New Zealand’s all-makes parts business goes live across their dealer network today. IVECO has partnered with Diesel Technic, one of the largest suppliers of aftermarket commercial vehicle parts worldwide.
News that IVECO would increase the range of models manufactured at its Dandenong, Melbourne facility was welcomed by customers and the broader commercial vehicle industry.
Copyright © 2018 NZ Trucking. All rights reserved.


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Google has a market in the US devoted to its Nexus devices and “all things Google,” but reading a number of Android forums on a regular basis will show you that the search engine giant is beloved worldwide — even in Europe. As a result of this, some European residents are now reporting that the Nexus 6P, Google’s latest flagship device, is available in Belgium and France, along with Spain and other core European countries.
Reddit member Clafou submitted a Reddit post 19 hours ago titled “Nexus 6p also available in Belgium,” with Reddit member mephisst0 confirming that the Nexus 6P is also available in France. Reddit member VMX chimed in to say that Spain has received the Nexus 6P as well, so it seems as though the latest in Android has arrived for European customers who’ve been holding out for some time.
Google’s Nexus 6P is the best flagship the company has ever introduced, with many tech reviewers saying that the Nexus 6P finally gives Google the image it should’ve had years ago. The camera is said to be better than before (even better than the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus), the design is aluminum, the device has a fingerprint sensor (Nexus Imprint), a two-year accident protection plan available (Nexus Protect) for those who want it, alongside of Android 6.0 Marshmallow and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 (octa-core processor). While Google charges US buyers only $499 for the 32GB model, Google is charging Europeans the following prices: 649 euro (32GB), 699 euro (64GB), and 799 euro (128GB). The 128GB model is said to not be available for European customers at this time, but even the 32GB model in Europe is $690 — which is $190 more than US customers pay for the same device. Apparently, Google doesn’t want to play as nicely with European customers as it does US customers.
Google has something of an image problem, outside of the Nexus 6P, with regard to Google Play Store promotionals. Last December, Google’s Christmas deal involved getting the entire Frozen soundtrack album as a free download from Google Play (only for US customers). Google has had tons of albums and music available within the last few weeks, but only US customers could take advantage of free downloads, however. The latest shows Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album on sale, but again, it’s only for US customers. For whatever reason, Google has a bias toward US customers, giving them more affordable devices while European customers pay a pretty penny to buy Google’s Nexus 6P along with the Nexus 6, Nexus 5, and other former devices.
European customers, who’s up for buying the pure vanilla Android Nexus 6P?


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News Monster Release Details and Viz Signature
posted on 2005-11-30 17:53 EST
According to AAAAnime, Monster volume 2 will be released on April 18 as part of a "Viz Signature" line. Viz has informed us that Monster volume 1, which was due to be released late last month, will now be released on February 21. More details on their "Viz Signature" line of manga are expected shortly.
One of the few anime biographies, Nitaboh is surprisingly formulaic for being a true story.
- Psycho-Pass pt 2
- Silver Spoon s2
Mercenary Kings is a tangled mess of a game most of the time, but a fun one almost as often.


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Working around the labor shortage
Finding qualified workers ranks high on a list of challenges for manufacturers in the state
Minnesota manufacturers say they feel positive about the future. But while confidence is reaching record highs, manufacturers are also growing more concerned about being able to find and retain workers, according to an annual survey.
It’s a challenge that businesses in the Marshall area are dealing with as well, said Marshall EDA Director Tara Onken.
“It’s hard to find qualified people,” Onken said. As a result, some companies are partnering with educators to help find and train new employees.
Onken said workforce development was one of the issues brought up at a panel discussion she took part in last week. The event, held in Willmar, came after Enterprise Minnesota released the results of its 2019 State of Manufacturing survey. The survey interviewed 400 manufacturing executives and conducted focus groups across Minnesota.
The survey results said 93% of executives felt “confident” about their companies’ financial futures. This was the same percentage as last year, and the levels of confidence expressed in 2018 and 2019 have been the highest in the State of Manufacturing survey’s 11-year history. Survey results said 59% of executives expected increases in gross revenue, and 58% expected employee wages would increase this year. Large companies, with revenues greater than $5 million or more than 50 employees, projected higher increases in wages.
However, the survey said manufacturers are also concerned about a labor shortage. Attracting and retaining a qualified workforce ranked as a top concern, with 48% of manufacturers saying it was a challenge that might negatively impact their future growth. Over the past two years, employee recruitment and retention has become an even bigger concern than the costs of health insurance, which 30% of manufacturers ranked as a challenge this year.
Finding qualified workers was ranked as a challenge more by bigger companies, the survey said. Machine operators and assemblers ranked as the most in-demand jobs.
In southern and southwest Minnesota, more than half of manufacturers said the workforce was a big challenge, at 54% and 52%, respectively. West central Minnesota wasn’t far behind, with 48% of manufacturers rating the workforce as a challenge. In southwestern Minnesota, 76% of manufacturers said the labor shortage was making it difficult for companies to grow, survey results said.
The majority of manufacturers surveyed, at 54%, said they were trying to work around the shortage by maximizing productivity. Other responses included increasing compensation, which 38% of manufacturers said they were doing, and working directly with technical colleges, which 27% of manufacturers said they were doing.
Marshall City Council member John DeCramer attended the State of Manufacturing presentation in Willmar. The survey “seems to be pretty accurate based on what I’m hearing,” from manufacturing businesses in the Marshall area, DeCramer said.
“It’s going to be more of an ongoing concern for all the manufacturing entities in southwest Minnesota,” said Alan Macht at Action Manufacturing in Marshall. Besides the challenge of finding qualified workers, low unemployment rates mean there are fewer employees for available for businesses to hire, he said. Macht said Action Manufacturing has worked with high school career classes and technical colleges, as well as the Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council, to try and develop interest in manufacturing and connect with potential employees.
Onken said there were “a lot of good conversations” going on at the State of Manufacturing presentation in Willmar.
Part of addressing labor shortages in the manufacturing industry will be working to reduce the stigma of getting trade or technical education, she said. A four-year degree isn’t always necessary for a good career, Onken said.
Retaining young graduates, and finding ways to encourage them to enter job fields like manufacturing, will be important going into the future, DeCramer said.


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It’s that time of year again when the spooky Holiday of Halloween looms over everything. Lots of live service games have been bringing out the scares for it and now it’s time from Rainbow Six Siege, one of the most popular shooters out there, to get this year’s Halloween update.
This year a new update called Doktor’s Curse is now live. With it you’ll get a new Hide and Seek mode that is set in a haunted house version of the theme park map. In that mode Defenders most survive without weapons, using only gadgets and a limited-time ability to turn invisible to escape Attackers.
Along with the new mode comes new Halloween-themed skins for Smoke, Kapkan, Frost, Lesion, Ela, Doc and Bandit. Halloween suits from last year will also be available for a limited time. But there are no dogs, though. You can read details at the official website.
Rainbow Six Siege is available now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. The Halloween update is live now across all platforms and will last until November 6th.
Share Your Thoughts Below (Always follow our comments policy!)


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If you’re feeling good about the market, you’re not alone. Take my hand as we go over some of this week’s more uplifting headlines.
1. CONN’S, Inc. (NASDAQ:CONN) job
The market typically frowns on a company that comes up short on the bottom line. It also doesn’t help when the market’s in a selling mood, and that’s exactly what happened on Wednesday after CONN’S, Inc. (NASDAQ:CONN) reported results for its holiday quarter.
However, despite coming up short on the bottom line, CONN’S, Inc. (NASDAQ:CONN)’s stock rose 8% on the day. What happened?
Well, the consumer electronics chain posted encouraging sales growth. Yes, that often suggests that margins were disappointing, but the retailer made up for that with robust guidance. CONN’S, Inc. (NASDAQ:CONN)’s sees a profit of $2.40 a share to $2.50 a share in the new fiscal year, blowing past the $2.09 a share that Wall Street was penciling in for the chain.
Encouraged by the upbeat outlook, Canaccord Genuity analyst Laura Champine raised her price target on the shares from $41 to $53.
ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino were launched through Zynga Inc (NASDAQ:ZNGA)’s overseas partner Bwin, letting players in the U.K. bet real money on online poker, blackjack, slots, and roulette.
It remains to be seen how lucrative the venture will be. Do folks really want to pull the virtual lever on a FarmVille-themed slot machine? However, it does make Zynga Inc (NASDAQ:ZNGA) less dependent on its social and casual games, where bookings have been slipping lately.
There was good news on Zynga Inc (NASDAQ:ZNGA)’s app front, too. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier in the week that What’s the Phrase — a new Wheel of Fortune knockoff that Zynga Inc (NASDAQ:ZNGA)released a month ago — had cracked the Top 10 list among free iOS apps. The bad news is that as of last night the game had slipped from eight down to 14 on the list. The good news is that the premium $0.99 version of the game is now the fourth most popular pay-app download for iOS devices.
3. The prodigal founder returns
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) shares soared 16% yesterday — hitting a 52-week high along the way — on news that Samsung will open stores within roughly 1,400 Best Buy locations.
Samsung will get to showcase its highly anticipated Galaxy S4 handset as well as other smartphones, tablets, and laptops. This won’t just be up to 460 square feet of display space. Samsung will staff the mini-store, and it will have its own register to close sales on the spot.


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GOLD COAST — Chicago women’s fashion designer Jenny Stecher might be new to the fashion business, but she’s already making her mark.
After almost a year since she first launched her women's fashion line Humane Envy, she’ll be showcasing her spring/summer 2017 collection at New York Fashion week Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I’m so excited,” said Stecher, who has put in lots of long nights to prepare for the annual event. The prep time has been challenging because she also works a 40-plus hour work week as a veterinarian.
“In order to succeed or to attempt to succeed, you have to be willing to work hard and put in those hours,” she said.
She’s looking forward to using the New York event to expand her network of people outside of Chicago, she said.
The 29-year old Gold Coast resident, originally from Iowa, criticizes the fashion industry’s average model size.
“I’m not a size 2 or 4 so why would I have all of my models be?” she said. “I feel like, in general, women of all shapes and sizes are beautiful. Skinny girls are beautiful, but so are curvy girls.”
Stecher said she wants the curvy woman to feel just as comfortable and beautiful in her designs so she offers sizes beyond the standard model size.
Her spring/summer 2017 collection, "Asymmetrically Beautiful," encourages people to accept and love their body.
"The purpose of this collection was to allow people to embrace their uniqueness and not feel ashamed about it," Stecher said. "This collection is supposed to help people push that boundary and accept their unique qualities without feeling ashamed."
LaLa Pinkins will model Humane Envy's spring/summer 2017 collection at New York Fashion Week.
Model and friend LaLa Pinkins said she loves Stecher’s clothes.
“Everything from the color selections, prints and also size variation adds to her versatility and right to be known as an awesome fashion designer,” she said, adding that her style choices create elegance and confidence.
Pinkins said she is proud of Stecher’s accomplishments so far.
“I’ve known her for some time now, [which] has given me the opportunity to not only watch her grow as an artist, but to also be a part of that journey with her,” she said. “With Jenny’s designs now being introduced in New York Fashion Week it’ll be a huge step toward making awareness of Humane Envy.”
To stream the 5 p.m. fashion show live on Tuesday click here.
A portion of Humane Envy’s profits will go to charities like the Chicago Canine Rescue and the Trio Animal Foundation. Shop Humane Envy at www.humaneenvy.com.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:


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Which month do you think most people who are considering buying a home actually start their search? If you’re like most of us, you probably think the surge happens in the spring, likely in April. Not anymore. According to new research, January 2019 was only 1% behind February for the most monthly views per listing.
So, what does that mean? The busiest season in real estate has just begun.
The same research indicates,
“Historically, April launched the kickoff of the home shopping season as buyers would come out of their winter hibernation looking for their new home. However, the spring shopping season now starts in January for many of the nation’s largest markets.”


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Black Bear Diner announced it will be the Official Family Diner for high school athletic organizations in six U.S. states.
Black Bear Diner
Black Bear Diner is looking to move east as it implements a growth strategy into 2022.
Black Bear Diner announced the appointment of restaurant industry veteran Chad Corrigan in the newly-created role of Vice President of Franchise Sales & Development.
In its 25th year, Black Bear Diner continues to serve good old-fashioned family food, and currently has a limited time only Pumpkin menu through the end of November.
Black Bear Diner announced that its celebrating its 25th anniversary by giving away two 8” pancakes to 25,000 guests across the country.
Black Bear Diner’s Anita Adams assumed the role of CEO earlier in January, but the new responsibility comes as no surprise to anyone within the corporate office.
Black Bear Diner announced Thursday the promotion of Anita Adams to CEO and the addition of restaurant veteran Jeff Guido as COO.
Black Bear Diner has hired Joe Adney as Chief Marketing Officer and Camille Chavez as Vice President of Training and Development.
Black Bear Diner wrapped up a year of growth and expansion by announcing the opening of four new Black Bear Diners in four states.
The TA Restaurant Group (TARG), a division of TravelCenters of America Inc., is opening a Black Bear Diner at the TA travel center in Kingman, Arizona, off Interstate 40, Exit 48.


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$473.5 Million Awarded in Lawsuit Over Farm Waste—Now, PETA Piles on With Sham Ham, Soy Cracklins, a Vegan Pork Cookbook and Other Savory Vegan Pig-Out Presents to Plaintiffs
For Immediate Release:
August 7, 2018
Brooke Rossi 202-483-7382
Wilmington, N.C. – In the latest lawsuit against Smithfield Foods over the waste generated by its subsidiary’s filthy North Carolina pig prisons, the jury has awarded a whopping $473.5 million to the plaintiffs—and PETA is adding to it by sending gift baskets of bacon-flavored vegan jerky, sham ham, barbecue soy cracklins, and a vegan pork cookbook, Baconish, to each one of the plaintiffs, along with a plea to them not to eat any more pigs or pig parts, as all of them come from houses of horror like the ones in their neighborhood.
In the letters accompanying the presents, PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—encourages recipients to combat factory farm filth and cruelty by leaving the unlucky animals off their plates.
“Smithfield’s neighbors are familiar with the stench of cesspools on pig prison farms,” says 40-year vegan and PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is encouraging these victorious litigants to keep this disgusting and cruel industry out of everyone’s backyard and let pigs live.”
For more information, please visit PETA.org.
PETA’s letter to the plaintiffs in the Smithfield case follows.
August 7, 2018
I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 6.5 million members and supporters worldwide to congratulate you on your win against notorious Smithfield Foods, whose greedy and cruel practices have caused immense suffering in the Pender County community. Since you’re fed up with the stench of meat production, we’re sending along delicious vegan pork products to show that the best way to move forward is to eat healthy, delicious vegan food.
Meat stinks. Top public-health experts have been issuing warnings for years that the meat industry’s practices—including forcing tens of thousands of animals to live inside cramped and filthy crates, pens, or sheds in which their urine and feces collect beneath them or is channeled into stinking outdoor waste lakes—lead to devastating human illnesses. As pigs on North Carolina’s farms produce about 10 billion gallons of feces and urine ever year, flies can also become a significant problem, spreading bacteria from one area to another. On most of today’s factory farms, the tails of pigs are chopped off, their teeth are cut with pliers, and males are castrated—all without painkillers. At the slaughterhouse, they’re hung upside down—sometimes while they’re still conscious—and bled out.
We’re sending along packages of Louisville Vegan Jerky Co.’s Maple Bacon Vegan Jerky, May Wah’s Vegan Ham, Snacklins’ Barbeque Cracklins, and a vegan pork cookbook, Baconish, to celebrate your victory and show that we can all enjoy the foods that we love—but without cruelty to animals, environmental devastation, and cholesterol. By eating vegan food, Pender County residents can prevent immense suffering and help keep this disgusting and cruel industry out of everyone’s backyard.


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More people are ordering packages and groceries online during the COVID-19 pandemic, but according to a recent survey, “porch pirates” are also waiting for those packages to arrive.
Almost one in five Americans have had a package stolen from their porch or doorstep, according to the recent “Porch Pirates in the Age of COVID-19” report by insurancequotes.com.
“Every time a package hits your doorstep, that’s an opportunity for someone with bad intention to come out and steal it,” said Michael Giusti, senior writer and analyst of the report.
The numbers, he said, should be a warning to those ordering more online these days.
“That shows that there’s a problem that needs to be addressed,” Giusti added.
Scott White, director of the cybersecurity program at George Washington University, said online shoppers need to have a plan.
Have a neighbor watch for a package if you’re not going to be home, he said, or see if your local police department will let you ship it to a station for safety, and have a camera in place if you don’t already.
“Just be situationally aware and you’re going to beat this criminal every time, because they’re not a sophisticated criminal,” White said. “It’s not a very sophisticated criminal enterprise, but the return on that investment can be quite high because of what is now being delivered.”
According to the survey, 18% of people living in cities and 16% living outside of cities said they have had a package stolen from their porch.
Nearly half of survey respondents — 47% — said that all or most of their holiday shopping will be done via online delivery this year. And 7% of Americans said they have had a delivered package stolen just since pandemic-related restrictions began in March.
“We all went into lockdown, and what do you do in lockdown but jump on your phone and see what you can order online?” Giusti said.


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Netflix is now bringing HDR support for Xperia XZ2, Huawei Mate 10 Pro and P20 smartphones. While more and more smartphone with HDR-capable... ...http://www.fonearena.com/blog/252723/netflix-hdr-xperia-xz2-huawei-mate-10-pro-and-p20.html
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 launch might happen very soon as the device is now spotted receiving WiFi certification by the Wi-Fi Alliance. The first... ...http://www.fonearena.com/blog/251346/samsung-galaxy-tab-s4-certification.html
New Delhi: As the tablet market nosedived in India, Lenovo with 26.1 per cent market share led the segment in the fourth quarter of 2017 while its... ...http://www.sify.com/finance/lenovo-leads-as-indian-tablet-market-slides-11-in-2017-idc-news-corporate-sc1mEdjdaighi.html
Unlock AT&T Samsung Galaxy Tab
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LG is getting very, very serious about Android
, and a lot of the devices in its newly-minted Optimus line will be running Google's mobile OS.
The company has invited us
to an LG Optimus press event for the media and tech blogs that will be broadcast online worldwide. LG confirmed that two Froyo devices will be detailed at the event
- the Optimus One and the fashion-centric Optimus Chic. Some leaked specs of the Chic reveal 3.2" capacitive screen and a 5MP camera, but until the event kicks off, we can only play the guessing game.
We will be updating you live through our feed below, or you can follow the event unfolding on Twitter @phonearena. When the conference is over, we will post a separate article to summarize what LG had in store for us, and add some pictures.
"Participants are also going to be treated to opening graphics and video demonstrations of the handset features provided by Garson Yu, Founder and Creative Director of yU+Co, the man responsible for the title sequences of major Hollywood blockbusters including 300, Shrek and Watchmen." Well, we'll try and get you some screenshots of these visuals as well.
Tune in at 10am GMT (5am ET) for the juicy details!
Live event tracker
|04:28||Thank you for joining us!|
|04:28||Seems this was all from LG - in a nutshell, Optimus One and Chic announced, and a tablet is in the works. Stay tuned atwww.phonearena.com|
|04:27||The Q&A is now overhttp://twitpic.com/2ob1vh|
|04:26||A: All LG smartphones will be part of the Optimus line, no matter what OS they are running|
|04:26||Q: Will all Optimus phones be based on Android?|
|04:25||LG is working on a tablet! They believe they will offer the best one. They do not want to make just a large smartphone.|
|04:24||"LG Optimus One is the ticket to the smartphone world" - easy and simple, hope it will be cheap as well!|
|04:21||LG are pretty optimistic, they say the two phones performed well with early testing and expect 10millions units to be sold!|
|04:21||LG Mobile CEO will answer questions nowhttp://twitpic.com/2ob0ik|
|04:19||LG expects the Optimus One to be one of its best sellers|
|04:18||LG CEO introduces the phones!|
|04:17||Fernando Delgado, the Product Manager for Voice Search is presenting Voice Actions on Froyo, that will be present http://twitpic.com/2oazsz|
|04:16||LG shows off Google apps on their Optimus phones|
|04:10||A team of 500 R&D people has been engaged in the creation of the Optimus line...http://twitpic.com/2oayau|
|04:06||LG starts presenting the Optimus One and Optimus Chic. There will be a Q&A session in the end of the presentation...|
|04:04||LG has gathered opinions from people on the street what kind of things do they want their smartphones to perform..http://twitpic.com/2oax1c|
|04:00||LG Digital Press Conference Live Coverage! -http://www.phonearena.com/htmls/LG-Digital-Press-Conference-Live-Coverage-article-a_13231.html|
|03:59||LG Optimus One Media Facade at IFA 2010 in Berlin. LG is warming us up with pictures of its light show in Berlinhttp://twitpic.com/2oavxf|
|03:46||In 15 minutes we will start sending live updates from the LG Optimus Digital Press Conference @phonearena. Stay tuned!|


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It’s an open secret that Apple’s new iPhone(s) will be launching late next month.
An operation that once resembled an airtight container is now more like a leaky sieve, with insider details, hidden code and nefariously gained components giving tech fanatics a clear idea of what to expect when Tim Cook takes to the stage.
Despite recent signs that sales of the iPhone have been slowing, thanks to increased Samsung domination and an ageing lineup, there’s no doubt that both the iPhone 5S/ iPhone 6 and budget iPhone 5C will sell like icepops on a hot day once they hit shelves.
That’s why it’s so worrying that Apple has just seen its iPhone activation servers go down for the second time in as many weeks.
Coupled with the hacking of its developer site, Cupertino is struggling with problems it can ill afford in the run up to its busiest time of the year.
iPhone sales may be slower than normal right now, but users who’ve bought new iPhones and haven’t been able to activate them are understandably annoyed.
If Apple doesn’t get hold of this issue now, imagine the chaos when millions of users start hovering-up the new devices in September/October, only to find they don’t work.
The result would be chaos. And another PR disaster for a firm that once prided itself on rarely screwing up.
After last year’s maps debacle, which saw Tim Cook forced into a public apology for the shoddy app and Scott Forstall shown the door for his part in it, the guys at Infinite Loop will want the smoothest launch possible.
That’s why you can bet right now that Apple will have its engineers making extra sure that its activation servers can cope with the demand that an iPhone launch brings.
In a way, these problems have come at the perfect time. Apple still has a few weeks to get on top of them.
But with Samsung readying its Galaxy Note 3 and a new Nexus smartphone also round the corner, any kind of slip will give succour to Apple’s increasingly confident rivals.
Apple hasn’t commented on the problem, and is unlikely to any time soon.
Its ‘never apologise, never explain’ approach, a hangover from the days of Steve Jobs, means it’ll take something huge in order for it to do so.
But if things aren’t ship shape come the end of September, expect iOS’s share to remain stubbornly low as Android continues to slay all before it.


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Uh-oh! It looks like Kylie Jenner is in trouble AGAIN!
Hmm... so essentially the gorgeous gal's palette is a better deal? You don't say!
Could this be another sign that she’s heading for divorce???
Khloe Kardashian kept up her fitness routine at the gym on Saturday in Woodland Hills, but we noticed something different.
She’s swapped out her wedding ring!
And now Khloe is no longer wearing her wedding ring!
What’s odd is that this ring is even more cumbersome if she’s going to workout!
Don't you think???
[Image via AKM-GSI.]


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Roughly one month after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the Interim Final Rule for Hemp Production, federal banking regulators have articulated that banking and financial services are both legal and cleared for the nation’s hemp farmers, processors, and ancillary businesses — the entire hemp value chain.
On December 3rd, four federal banking regulatory agencies — the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), and joined by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors — issued a guidance clarifying the legal status of hemp and the relevant requirements for banks providing financial services to hemp related businesses. This comes after months of bipartisan urging from Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) and Senator Wyden (D-OR).
THIS IS ESPECIALLY GOOD NEWS FOR FARMERS AND PRODUCERS OF HEMP-DERIVED CBD, AS THE GUIDANCE CITES THE FEDERAL DEFINITION OF HEMP, WHICH INCLUDES CANNABINOIDS AND EXTRACTS—ALL CLEARLY REMOVED FROM THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT.
- The definition used by this guidance document is expansive and follows the broad definition of hemp used in the 2018 Farm Bill. It makes clear that hemp is not marijuana and is excluded from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
- The term “hemp” is defined in the 2018 Farm Bill as “the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol [THC] concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.”
- Hemp-derived CBD — as a cannabinoid — is carved out of the definition of marijuana and is clearly not a controlled substance.
HEMP NOW HAS THE SAME ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES THAT OTHER CROPS ALREADY ENJOY.
This guidance federal banking regulators means that the entire ecosystem of hemp (growers, processors, brokers, brands, retail, direct to consumer, online, distributors etc.) including hemp-derived CBD products, can become part of the standard federal banking system and have access to normal banking and services. Many of the issues that the industry has faced — such as credit card payments, banking services, and access to capital — should soon become a thing of the past.
The guidance emphasizes that banks are no longer required to file suspicious activity reports (SAR) for customers solely because they are engaged in the growth or cultivation of hemp in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
The statement provides banks with background information on the legal status of hemp, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Interim Final Rule on the production of hemp, and the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) considerations when providing banking services to hemp-related businesses.
Normal Anti Money Laundering/Bank Secrecy Act (AML/BSA) procedures apply to hemp in the same way they would for corn and wheat growers, processors, product manufacturers, retailers, etc.
THE INDUSTRY HAS A CLEAR PATH TO CAPITAL.
Despite the legalization of hemp in the 2018 Farm Bill, many hemp farmers and producers in Kentucky and across the U.S. have faced challenges accessing capital and other important financial products. Now that financial regulatory guidance has been released, we expect that this will greatly increase the pool of capital available to those involved in the hemp value chain. This includes farmers using forthcoming crop insurance, processors providing a market for farm output, and those hemp-related businesses closer to the consumer finished goods.
BUT THERE IS MUCH MORE WORK TO DO.
Since the 2018 Farm Bill was signed almost one year ago, the industry has undergone a rapid evolution. The clear intent of this non-partisan Congressional legislation was to give America’s farmers access to another crop in their rotation, especially important in lean commodity times. And while the federal regulators move slowly to provide the normal legal comforts to hemp and hemp-derived products, the multi-agency approach displayed by banking regulators will benefit the entire hemp value chain, from farm to table. The remaining gating issue for the floral hemp industry is the path forward from FDA for federally legal hemp-derived cannabinoids, especially CBD, to be used in foods and supplements. As the process moves forward, Congress has promised to assist, and strong leadership from non-partisan sources is expected to continue.
Stay up to date on hemp industry news and regulatory advancements, visit the U.S. Hemp Roundtable at www.HempSupporter.com.


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Punisher fans rejoice! Marvel's ruthless anti-hero is on his way back to the video game world with "Punisher: No Mercy."
Available exclusively for the PlayStation Network on Sony's PS3, the digitally downloadable game combines arena-based first-person shooter gameplay with Frank Castle and a cast of his most notorious villains and recognizable allies.
Check out the screenshots at left for the world-wide first look and keep reading for the official scoop, courtesy of Marvel and Zen Studios.
No Mercy" art by
ZEN Studios, a video game developer and digital publisher known for its innovative arcade and action games, announced today that it has secured licensing rights for the Punisher from Marvel Entertainment. The studio is currently developing "The Punisher: No Mercy," the first ever arena-based first-person shooter created exclusively for the PlayStation Network.
Powered by Unreal Engine 3, "No Mercy" was designed with fast-paced online multiplayer FPS action in mind. With inspiration rooted in the Punisher's rich comic book history, the game allows players to choose from an eclectic mix of Punisher allies and villains. Battle arenas span from shipyards rife with contraband to the "birthplace" of the Punisher's archenemy, Jigsaw, and up to eight players can blast away at each other in a variety of solo and team-based missions.
"The ZEN developers are huge Marvel fans, and the Punisher is certainly one of our favorite characters," says Zsolt Kigyossy, CEO of ZEN Studios. "With 'No Mercy,' we're creating gameplay unlike anything else found on PSN. This includes unique features like character-specific taunts, many of which were pulled directly from the comics."
In addition to exceptional online play, "No Mercy" also offers a single-player Story mode featuring exclusive artwork from acclaimed Marvel artist Mike Deodato. Fans won't want to miss the Punisher's Marvel team-up with Silver Sable against such foes as Jigsaw, Barracuda and Bushwacker.
"The Punisher: No Mercy" is currently Rating Pending, but is expected to be rated Mature by the ESRB for a true Punisher experience. For more information, please visit www.punishernomercy.com
and check out the first announcement from Sony's PlayStation blog
Check back tomorrow for the first screenshots of "Punisher: No Mercy"!


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Boat marketplace platform, Borrow A Boat, is now seeking £200,000 through its equity crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube as it prepares to expand its website. The platform, which was set up in 2016 by boat enthusiasts, describes itself as a marketplace for boat charter worldwide that features peer-to-peer listings. It is currently listing over 13,000 boats in around 32 countries and has seen between £300-400 gross profit on bookings. While revealing Borrow a Boat’s main goals, the platform’s CEO and Founder, Matt Ovenden, stated:
“Our mission is to open up boating and make it more accessible and easier to access for the masses, by bringing more choice of boat and variety of locations to the charter market, as well as better value charters and ease of booking and going boating. We simultaneously want to help boat owners reduce the cost of boat ownership, by giving them the platform to list and charter their boats.”
Ovenden also reported that he and his team are seeking funds to build on their momentum to date through increased marketing and further development of their web platform:
We are building up our database of boats fast, and are seeking to have all kinds of boats, in as many locations as possible. Everything from a RIB or small day boat, to a holiday yacht, motor cruiser or luxury superyacht. We are bringing a mixture of privately owned and managed boats, and charter boats, for maximum choice for the consumer who wins.
Since its launch, the campaign has successfully secured more than £70,000 from nearly 40 investors. It is set to close at the end of November.
Have a crowdfunding offering you'd like to share? Submit an offering for consideration using our Submit a Tip form and we may share it on our site!


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CRED, upGrad, Groww & Zepto top start-up choices for work: LinkedIn
The list is compiled across four pillars namely employee growth, job seeker interest, member engagement with the company, and its employees, and the ability of start-ups to attract and retain talent.
Groww raises a fresh $251 million in funding
The latest investment—which values the company at $3 billion—nearly triples the fintech startup’s valuation in more than six months.
The year of the unicorns
Last year, despite the pandemic ravaging Indian economy, there was one silver lining: India saw the rise of 11 new unicorns. Here is a list.
Click to save, tap to invest
As more young professionals discover mutual funds as an attractive option to park their savings, demand for easier ways to invest money has given rise to a whole ecosystem of wealth management apps.


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Lucky subscriber wins a brand new car in Airtel Mega Masappe promotion
Today, Airtel Uganda has rewarded the second batch of winners in its 'Mega Masappe' promotion. The winners received their prizes from a team of Airtel Uganda re...
Airtel Uganda in partnership with the Buganda Kingdom handover UGX110,000,000 in health sector to end Sickle Cells
Airtel Uganda and the Buganda Kingdom have handed over sh110m to Central Public Health Laboratories in Butabika as part of contributions towards the fight...
Airtel Uganda Launches 100% Bonus Campaign
Just a few weeks after the completion of the ‘Tulumbe AFCON’ campaign, Airtel Uganda has announced the launch of a new campaign aimed at giving subscribers 100%...
AFRICELL UGANDA LAUNCHES THE ONE BILLION SHILLINGS CAMPAIGN TO REWARD ONE LUCKY SUBSCRIBER
Africell Uganda is unveiling the biggest cash prize ever of one billion shillings. The 7 week nationwide campaigndubbed “One Billion Promo”will see one luc...
Airtel Uganda Rewards Best Performers in Adopted Schools
Best performing students at Airtel adopted schools, St. Ponsiano Primary School in Makindye, Sseke Primary School in Lwengo District and Nanfugaki Primary Sch...
Mokash Has Been Officially Launched In Rwanda
Mokash has officially been launched in Rwanda. Start saving and accessing loans. MokashRwanda is a product that enables customers to save& take loans...
For The First Time in Uganda Now You Can Access Instagram and Snapchat With Africell Social Bundle
As the name #KingofBundles, Africell Uganda has taken the internet to the next level. For the first time in Uganda, Africell has introduced the lates...
How to send Mobile Money directly to MTN users from Airtel Money
Surprisingly sending money across networks has been made easier, now you can send money directly From Airtel Money to MTN the same as from Airtel - Airtel...
AIRTEL UGANDA EXTENDS CREDIT SERVICES TO UGANDANS
Introduces Wewole Service to give customers and agents access to quick loans.


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Apple has racked up another major award, and is a contender for yet another.
For the third year running Apple won BETT awards at the UK IT education show. The flat panel iMac received top hardware prize in the secondary schools category. The company’s iDVD won a prize last year, while AirPort and iBook brought home prizes in 2001, according to Macworld UK .
Meanwhile, Apple is also up for a UK Designer of the Year award, as reported by BBC News. That is, the company’s designer, Jonathan Ive, is up for the award for his work on the flat panel iMac and iPod.
Oddly enough, his competitors are the designers of the “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” video game, jewelry designer Solange Azagury-Partridge, and Dutch product designer Tord Boontje for limited edition chandeliers. The nominees are up for the inaugural Designer of the Year award, launched by London’s Design Museum. The winner of the £25,000 prize will be announced in June.


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As with entry to the eurozone, membership of Europol does not come automatically on joining the EU. Some of the ‘old’ EU-15 expressed concern about the capabilities of the new member states adequately to prevent black market activities and their associated criminal organizations from infiltrating the Union.
Most accession countries share exposure to well-entrenched black markets, trafficking illegal drugs, sex workers/slaves and various forms of counterfeit currencies, pirated intellectual property, as well as forged brands routed through Russia from Asia.
“As a matter of logic and history, illicit trading links will continue to exist after accession,” says Graham Satchwell, a former detective superintendent who now investigates counterfeiting, illegal diversion and fraud in the private sector. Satchwell adds that there is strong evidence that terrorist networks frequently exploit these illegal networks as sources of revenue.
To address these concerns, the EU hopes that implementation of the Schengen system of cooperative border controls will interrupt illicit trading links. On 16 November, the Council of Ministers approved an initiative to combat money laundering by controlling cash movements across the EU’s borders and sent it to the European Parliament.
But the expansion and opening of the EU market has created opportunities for the black market economy to grow, particularly in areas involving brand fraud.
Satchwell is the author of a book published this month, A Sick Business – Counterfeit medicines and organized crime, which documents how organized crime exploits internal markets for illegal profit.
These activities are not limited to forged or fraudulent documents and products, but also include more subtle tactics, such as “diversion” and “parallel trade”, which move legitimate products across borders to escape regulation.
“For some businessmen,” says Satchwell, “counterfeit drugs are just another commodity.”
He alleges that “the free movement of pharmaceuticals within Europe, and the current need for repackaging [in the appropriate language], makes it easier for counterfeit drugs to be sold through the legitimate distribution chain and supplied to hospitals and pharmacies”.
A spokesman for the European Commission’s taxation and customs department is optimistic about the current efforts being deployed in the new member states against counterfeiting of all kinds.
He notes that some member states had no real money-laundering legislation prior to accession.
There is some anecdotal evidence of improvements: a Russian radio station called the Commission to ask why Russians were now being required to “prove where our money comes from” when they tried to enter the EU. According to the Commission spokesman, the explanation is that “for the first time, new member states have to start asking questions” to meet EU anti-counterfeiting requirements. “As far as I know,” he says, “they’re doing a good job.”
But new member states remain more susceptible to corruption because of their less-developed legal and political systems. The relatively low rates of pay for law enforcement authorities are poorly matched against the large illicit profits from black marketeering.
Enforcement is problematic. Many crimes involving branded materials, including counterfeit pharmaceuticals, are pursued by corporate investigators hired by aggrieved businesses.
These investigators do not always receive significant support from public law enforcement agencies for whom brand crimes are not generally a priority.
Counterfeiters need make no such distinction. Many of the companies that print the high-quality, high-security packaging required for pharmaceutical products also print banknotes for governments.
So counterfeiters who can fake drug packaging have already made significant progress towards being able to forge currency and probably already own some of the key equipment.
“Clearly the skills are transferable,” says Satchwell. He believes that a “tremendous opportunity” for investigative synergy between the police and corporate investigators is being squandered.
But the older member states should not be complacent. If the new members are guilty of trafficking in forged brands, the largest illicit narcotics routes run through the ‘old’ EU-15.
According to Europol’s 2004 survey, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom are the largest European entry points for cocaine and marijuana, while the Netherlands and Belgium are the largest manufacturers of synthetic drugs such as Ecstasy and amphetamines.
Nor are the new member states considered uniformly more corrupt than the EU-15. In Transparency International’s recent Corruption Perceptions Index 2004, Italy was rated as corrupt as Hungary and more corrupt than Cyprus.
Nevertheless, in general, the ‘old’ EU-15 tend to score higher on many economic indicators than new member states and this holds true for black market activity. They are thus more attractive for foreign investment.
Black markets are inefficient and dangerous; they stifle the development of legitimate businesses, provide unsavoury employment to unsavoury people, and discourage international confidence. In the case of counterfeit drugs, they are often deadly.


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WASHINGTON — A consumer survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics sees big things ahead for retailers as the holiday season nears its end.
More than 158 million consumers are expected to shop on the last Saturday before Christmas this year, according to the annual consumer survey. This figure is approximately 10 million more than last year’s expected number of Super Saturday shoppers and the highest number since NRF first started tracking this data in 2016. The survey of 7,857 consumers was conducted Dec. 1 through Dec. 7 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.
“Consumers have been shopping in record numbers this year, purchasing holiday items for friends and loved ones,” said Matthew Shay, NRF president and CEO. “With Super Saturday falling eight days before Christmas, retailers are prepared to help shoppers fulfill their last-minute purchases that will make this holiday season memorable.”
Of the 158.5 million anticipated Super Saturday shoppers, 44.1 million (28%) plan to shop only in stores, 42.2 million (27%) plan to shop only online, and 72.2 million (46%) plan to shop both in stores and online.
In line with recent years, as of early December, holiday shoppers said they had completed about half (53%) of their purchases. Additionally, 70% say their shopping plans include buying after Dec. 25. This is on par with pre-pandemic levels for post-Christmas shopping.
“Strong shopping is expected after Christmas as holiday shoppers aim to take advantage of retailers’ sales and promotions,” said Phil Rist, Prosper executive vice president of strategy. “In the week following Christmas Day, we expect to see consumers maximize holiday sales and promotions, use gift cards and return or exchange unwanted gifts.”
Meanwhile, the way consumers prefer to pay for holiday purchases is shifting.
About half (52%) of consumers say they are using alternative payments or digital wallets. This is up from 44% last year and compares with only 39% in 2019. The most common alternative payment is PayPal (32%), followed by Apple Pay (14%) and CashApp (12%).
About three-quarters (76%) of those aged 18 to 24 say they have used an alternative payment method or digital wallet so far this holiday shopping season.
Thomas Lester is Retail Editor for Furniture Today and Digital/Managing Editor for Home Accents Today. A graduate of Emory & Henry College’s Mass Communications program, Lester spent a dozen years working for newspapers in Virginia and North Carolina covering an array of subjects, ranging from community news, government, education, ACC sports, professional baseball and more before joining Furniture Today in 2013. Reach out to me with your story ideas, tips and more at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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The Christmas season at Balenciaga started with an advertising scandal – and the fashion brand, which belongs to the French luxury group Kering, now wants to be compensated for it.
A corresponding lawsuit was filed with the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan last Friday.
Follow I follow
In it, Balenciaga accuses North Six Inc., the production company she hires, and set designer Nicholas Des Jardins of using documents related to a case of child pornography in photos in the advertising campaign without permission.
Papers from the US Supreme Court from 2008 were on display, confirming the constitutionality of the "Protect Act".
The law increases penalties for sexual exploitation and other abuse of children.
The production company is now said to have paid at least $25 million for the fact that the media and the public "wrongly and horribly associated Balenciaga with the repulsive and deeply disturbing topic" through its advertising footage, according to the Bloomberg news service, citing the court documents.
Since such campaigns are never published without the consent of the client, Balenciaga was also remorseful on Monday.
A statement said Balenciaga "takes full responsibility for our lack of oversight and background document control" and that "things could have been done differently."
The fashion house also apologized again for another advertising campaign.
These promotional images featured children with teddy bears wearing leather fetish clothing and harness.
These recordings have already been removed from the company's website.
Even loyal fans of designer Demna, known for his provocative designs, were shocked after the missteps.
Kim Kardashian, who appeared at last year's Met Gala in a full-length Balenciaga costume with fetish details, wrote on her social media channels that she was reconsidering her relationship with the brand.
"Any attempt to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society," the reality star said.


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Samsung to launch W20 5G in China
Samsung’s next device in its W series, the W20 5G, is set to launch in China soon. The W series is a lineup consisting of flip phones.
In the teaser posted by Chinese carrier China Telecom, it’s being suggested that the W20 5G could be a foldable phone rather than a flip phone. Reports say otherwise though, as the teaser poster uses the word ‘folder’ which Samsung uses to describe their flip phones. Not much is known about the W20 5G, apart from the details that it will have 512GB of storage and will come in the colors of black and white. As it says in its name, the device will have 5G support.
It’s being reported that the W20 5G will be launched in China sometime this November. Stay tuned for more details, such as its official specs, once it nears launch.


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Change is brewing at Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The company wants to change its name to Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.
"We wanted to reflect the reality of the company," said Brian Kelley, the president and CEO.
That reality is that Keurig makes up a major portion of the business and coffee does not. In 2013, 92 percent of net sales were Keurig single-cup brewers, K-Cup portion packs and related accessories. The other 8 percent came from bagged coffee and other items.
We spoke with Kelley on the phone. He says brand names will stay, you'll still find Green Mountain Coffee at the store and Keurig products will keep that name. This is just a corporate name change.
"It reflects who we are today," Kelley said. "It reflects the Keurig system has been extraordinarily successful and Green Mountain brand of coffee is most powerful brand in that system."
St. Michael's College business professor Robert Letovsky says the name change means flexibility down the road for the company, but customers could stop thinking of it a Vermont business.
"Now, Green Mountains are the second and third words; people might drop it off," Letovsky said.
As of last September, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters had around 6,300 employees, one-third of them are based in Vermont.
Reporter Gina Bullard: Dropping coffee out of the name is that a sign you're moving away from that side of the business?
Brian Kelley: Umm, no. It's a reflection of the fact that the Keurig system is coffee, plus tea, plus cocoa and we'll continue to expand the beverages.
The Keurig system is partnered with more than 35 brands currently. Green Mountain Coffee has partnered with Campbell's Soup and plans to come out with new soup products later this year.
"Its business model could change," Letovsky said. "And if it changes to selling manufactured products, someone is going to say is the centrality in the state of Vermont the best business decision?"
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters told WCAX News the name change will not have any impact on Vermont, saying it's headquartered here and will stay here.
We wanted to know what you think, and on our website poll we asked if it's a smart move to change the name to Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. As of 5 p.m., 83 percent of people who responded said no.
We also got a big response to this story on our Facebook page with close to 1,000 comments as of 5 p.m. Like our web poll, most comments were against the change.
Here are a few:
Laura Washburn: I don't care for the new name. Doesn't flow well. Maybe they should've held a contest so their loyal customers had a chance to pick the name.
Karen Hathaway: As long as they keep brewing coffee I don't care!! I love the coffee and my Keurig!
Carey Jordan: Instead of picturing a green mountain....now I picture tons of wasted one time use disposable plastic cups clogging up the earth....YUCK
Cecile Constant Phillips: It works! The Company has grown into more than just coffee for retail with teas, soups, hot chocolate, etc. I applaud the change.
Thursday, March 6 2014 11:41 PM EST2014-03-07 04:41:04 GMT
The Randolph man who admitted to murdering his niece in 2008 will be sentenced this spring. In August Michael Jacques struck a deal with federal prosecutors. He gave up his right to an appeal and pleadedMore >>
The Randolph man who admitted to murdering his niece in 2008 will be sentenced this spring.More >>
Thursday, March 6 2014 11:40 PM EST2014-03-07 04:40:13 GMT
It's a real estate deal between UVM and the Queen City that could end up kicking some non-profits to the curb. The Burlington School District voted Thursday night on half of the multi-million dollar deal.More >>
It's a real estate deal between UVM and the Queen City that could end up kicking some non-profits to the curb.More >>
Thursday, March 6 2014 7:53 PM EST2014-03-07 00:53:09 GMT
'Tis the season-- as winter winds down frost heaves and potholes arrive. The ups and downs of the 2014 winter can be seen and felt. No route or road is spared. And just adding to the frustration-- theMore >>
The deep freeze is making for some rough roads across our region and it's also contributing to a fuel shortage. Shelby Cashman has more.More >>
Thursday, March 6 2014 7:56 PM EST2014-03-07 00:56:36 GMT
The pothole problem knows no boundaries. Our neighbors to the north are also dealing with rough roads. The Quebec Transportation Ministry budgeted $260 million for winter road maintenance. But crews haveMore >>
Our neighbors to the north are also dealing with rough roads.More >>
Thursday, March 6 2014 4:23 PM EST2014-03-06 21:23:33 GMT
Investigators now say a fire that damaged a student housing complex at St. Michael's College was not caused by the building's heating system. The fire last month damaged a row of townhouses. All of theMore >>
Investigators now say a fire that damaged a student housing complex at St. Michael's College was not caused by the building's heating system.More >>
Thursday, March 6 2014 4:50 PM EST2014-03-06 21:50:24 GMT
Vermont police say a New Hampshire woman was driving drunk with two kids in her car. The incident happened Wednesday at the Intersection of 1-91 and Route 302 in Newbury, Vt. Vermont state police sayMore >>
Vermont police say a New Hampshire woman was driving drunk with two kids in her car.More >>