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A new avatar
Gold bullion has always been treasured by individuals, central banks, and governments. This year, central banks around the world are buying gold like there is no tomorrow. The resulting sky-rocketing prices of the yellow metal, along with alarmingly low returns of all other assets, have turned it into the most prized investment asset. Legendary investor Warren Buffet, who publicly stated that it had no utility earlier, has just made a major investment, sending the best investors scurrying to re-read their commodity books. India has also seen gold biscuits and coins fly off the showroom displays, even with its price soaring and jewellery sales dipping. It’s time to read between the lines here.
Single pricing and ethical sourcing
The key concern is that smuggled gold is increasingly coming into the market. “We don’t need documentation in India to possess gold, and it has become an easy way out to transfer money. But, like any divergent act against the laws of the land, gold smuggling should invoke punishment,” says M. P. Ahammed, Founder and Chairman of the global jewellery giant, Malabar Gold and Diamonds, who understands the gold industry well. “It’s time we bring in rigour and transparency to the industry. Let us begin by bringing single pricing of gold across the nation, taking away the differences that come in due to prices put out by hundreds of associations, so that customers and jewellers get uniform treatment.”
Why don’t we have standards fit for bullion?
When international prices are standard, GST is the same, purity standard is homogeneous, then why not the price? Gold is an asset. It should have a single price at a given caratage on a given day, but it does not. For hundreds of years, per gram prices differ even within city boundaries, due to local gold associations. When a studied guess of 40% of the industry is not sourcing ethically, these pricing gaps skew the industry further and punish the companies that run the business ethically.
Uniform pricing, ethical sourcing and documentation are essential to bringing in robustness to the industry. “In India, we have shown some will to bring standards with hallmarking, and we can do the same with other aspects of the industry,” says Asher Ottamoochikkal, MD India Operations, Malabar Gold and Diamonds. He recommends that the government should eventually bring in a system to ensure end-to-end ethical transactions.
As per NCAER research, 11% of the household income is spent on gold. India stands second in the usage of gold across the world and 29% of gold is used in India, based on the population. Gold forms 7% of India’s GDP.
The Gold Monetization Scheme
As many would be aware, the government’s gold monetisation scheme (GMS) was launched in 2015 to turn this unused gold lying idle in India’s households into a productive asset. The scheme also aimed to help reduce India’s dependence on gold imports.
Now, amid the crash in gold imports due to the slow economy, the government had approached jewellers and bullion dealers to get insights into how it could tap India’s gold. The industry proposed aligning the income tax law with gold deposit schemes, raising gold holding limits under ‘Streedhan’, tweaking the GMS to make it more attractive, and giving greater flexibility to local refineries to scale up as part of a broader gold policy.
GMS and family gold
It helps to understand that the main aim for GMS was not only to make existing schemes more effective but broaden the scope for mobilizing gold held by households and putting them into productive use. But the existing GMS has reportedly only garnered deposits of 20 tonnes of gold till now.
The GMS did not take off as envisaged, as the banks were not adequately supported with the infrastructure required or warranted for a nationwide proposal such as this. Hence to complement this scheme, jewellery retailers should be taken into confidence. “Families accumulate gold over the years, and even if it’s purchased with legitimate earnings, there may not be adequate documentation to back this. So, many are reluctant to participate in the revamped gold deposit scheme due to fears that they may be questioned by tax officials later,” said a well-known jeweller. The entire proposal should ideally be relooked and realigned to these very real concerns people have.
Niti Aayog recommendations
These assertions by the gold industry are not new. Late last year, government think-tank NitiAayog had suggested to the government that it had to bring down import duty on gold, and, also slash the GST rate. It had also recommended, among other things, setting up a gold board and bullion exchanges across the country to have greater financialization of the yellow metal.
The committee headed by NitiAayog Principal Adviser Ratan P Watal said, “A reduction in the customs duty in the past in India has been argued to support tax compliance coupled with a significant reduction in the quantum of gold smuggled into India. In this context, to create a tax compliant system within the sector, it is important to reduce the basic customs duty on gold to as low as possible.” The committee also suggested exemption of Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST) to be paid by exporter online with custom duty, with a provision of bank guarantee.
Taxes and their impact
Bullion is zero tax in several countries such as the US, UK, Switzerland, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and all gulf countries. Whereas India has an import duty of 12.5% on gold, so does Russia and Sri Lanka. It is a straight 15.5 % taxation with GST, which is a big number. It incentivizes smuggling in a big way. Shailesh Sanghani, MD, Priority Jewels, describing the problems this taxation brings, emphatically says, “We need to implement these changes as an industry. The government must bring in the policy interventions to do so; it will also help them with their tax collection.”
Ideally, the only differential between buying gold from one manufacturer to another should be the value of designing the ornament. Designing Indian jewellery is a world-prized skill, and we as a nation should place it right up there with our Atmanirbhar aspirations.
If glitter of gold is the same across the country, why not price? If obsession for gold is uniform across the nation, why not price? As the country is gradually coming out of the Covid-19 lockdown phase and businesses are slowly coming back on track, the jewellery retail trade must put these three aspects ahead of everything else – consumer interest, transparent business practices and sustainable and inclusive growth.
Chairman, Malabar Group
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- Adani Enterprises Board OKs Raising up to ₹20kcr Via FPO
Adani Enterprises said Friday that the company’s board approved the raising of up to ₹20,000 crore ($2.5 billion) through a follow-on public offering (FPO) by issuing new shares to retail and institutional investors.All Aboard Black Friday Express — From US to India
Samsung, Amazon, Uniqlo and Domino’s were among several companies looking to turn Black Friday, yesterday, into another big sale day in India.Slew of Reforms brings Ease to Insurers
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) allowed private equity funds to invest directly in insurance companies and banks to tie up with as many as nine insurance companies as part of several measures approved at its meeting on Friday that will free up about ₹3,500 crore capital.
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Bangalore-based online DVD rental company Seventymm has received $12.5 million (Rs 50 crore) from NEA Indo US Ventures. This will be the third round of funding for Seventymm, which now has a total capital of around $22 million. While DFJ with ePlanet Ventures had invested $2 million in 2005, the rest was raised from Matrix Partners in 2006. NEA Indo-US Ventures’ MD Ms Vani Kola will be joining the Seventymm board, according to this report. Last year Seventymm had acquired Delhi-based online DVD rental firm Madhouse, which had received angel investment of $228,000.
There is a lot competition in the DVD rental segment in India with entry Reliance ADAG’s Big Flix and Nimbus Communication’s Showtime. ADAG was also reported to be in talks to buyout Seventymm after it made its entry into the DVD rental segment. Nimbus communications also made an entry into this segment in May this year with their entertainment rental and sale business called Showtime. Then there is also Moser Baer, who has released DVD and VCD movies at a price of Rs 34.
Unlike Big Flix, Seventymm does not plan to go into retailing side of the business. This round of funding will be used for expanding the reach of the business and home delivery services. Seventymm currently operates in six cities of Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Chandigarh with a team of 400 people. It also claims to have a consumer base of 70,000 people and is adding 7,000 consumers a month, has an ARPU of Rs 250. Seventymm currently offers more than 18,000 titles covering Hindi, English, 11 regional languages and plans to take these upto 25,000 titles, adding both new releases and old ones.
This story was provided by our content partner VCCircle

domain: news


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Southeast Asian multi-sector company Gojek, which owns Indonesia’s largest mobile ticketing platform, GoTix, is reportedly in advanced merger talks with local e-commerce firm PT Tokopedia.
The move would see the combined company, which plans to go public in the US and Indonesia, valued at around $18bn, with businesses including from ride-hailing, payments, delivery and online shopping.
According to three people familiar with the negotiations, the two entities have signed a detailed term sheet to conduct due diligence of each other’s business over the next couple of months, the Financial Times reports.
The deal has been given an added boost after receiving approval from Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son, whose company SoftBank has invested in Tokopedia.
Jakarta-based Gojek has so far raised $5bn in venture and growth funding to date, while Tokopedia, also based in Jakarta, has raised $2.8bn since its inception in 2009.
“This is potentially a blockbuster deal,” said Usman Akhtar, a partner at Bain & Co. in Singapore, Bloomberg reports. “The deal would have a lot of impact outside of these two companies and have ripple effects that aren’t even all known right now.”
Gojek and Tokopedia have reportedly considered a potential merger since 2018, but discussions accelerated after deal talks between Gojek and ride-hailing rival Grab, which were on going through much of 2020, reached an impasse.
While Gojek’s relationship with Grab has been historically acrimonious, it has maintained a friendly bond with Tokopedia and already partners with the firm for logistics and payments services.
Gojek’s popular GoPay payments platform would likely be leveraged for Tokopedia’s millions of shoppers as a main focus of the merger.
According to the Financial Times, it is likely Tokopedia chief executive William Tanuwijaya will manage the ecommerce business while Gojek’s joint chief executives Andre Soelistyo and Kevin Aluwi handle ride-sharing and financial services.


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Already a digital ordering giant, one startup is betting its new service will speed up food delivery.» Read More
According to data from Kensho, stocks like Sam Adams, AT&T, Southern, and Coca-Cola all tend to perform very well at golf's US Open
At this futuristic grocery store, robots replenish shelves and illuminated tablets reveal the life of the food. The Future Food District is on view at the Milan Expo 2015.
North Korea faces its worst drought in a century, state media say, raising food crisis fears in the impoverished nation. The Financial Times reports.
Mai Kieu Lien, chairman and CEO of Vinamilk, discusses how she transformed the small, state-controlled dairy producer into Vietnam's second-largest company in terms of market capitalization.
Burger King Japan is pushing the burger envelope again with two upcoming new limited-time menu items.
Panera CEO Ronald Shaich said on Tuesday that he is in favor of regulations that require restaurants to post sodium levels for each menu item.
Ron Shaich, Panera Bread Chairman & CEO, discusses Panera's commitment to what consumers really want, and healthy food trends he is following.
The Obama administration is cracking down on artificial trans fats, calling them a threat to public health.
Cane sugar prices are being beaten down – helping to keep processed food prices low around the world.
Whether he's into gadgets, grilling or fly fishing, subscription boxes are a gift-giving strategy for those hard-to-shop-for dads.
Chipotle is working on improving the quality of its tortillas which are mass-produced, reports The New York Times.
The market knew it would be ugly. Now, it's clear just how much havoc the strong dollar is wreaking on corporate America.
In the spirit of a rising tide lifts all boats, several New York brewers have joined together to create the state's first official beer.
An NYC proposal would require chains to add a salt shaker image next to food that contains more than the recommended sodium level.
CEO Charlie Morrison says the restaurant aims to open another 2,500 U.S. locations and doesn't consider Buffalo Wild Wings a competitor.
The relationship between Whole Foods and organic farmers is fraying, as more grocers move in according to the New York Times.
Wingstop CEO Charles Morrison, gives a business outlook as Wingstop soars after its IPO.
Labor's victories in hiking minimum wages stand to "eat into" restaurant profitability, USA Today reports.
The NBA Finals are bringing record numbers to the NBA's official YouTube account, according to data from Pixability.
Discussing revolutionizing the food industry, with AOL co-founder and Revolution LLC Chairman and CEO Steve Case.
Online porn website says its intentions are pure: It just wants to help the millennials that view its site pay for college.
A former Tesla Motors engineer has been charged in federal court with alleged felony computer intrusion for accessing his manager's email account.
Nike has long dominated tennis with many of the biggest stars in the game, but Under Armour is betting on a new star.


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Cap prepaid energy meters, competition authority urges
A cap on exorbitant rates being charged to energy customers on prepaid meters has been proposed by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) after the regulator said households are paying £1.7bn a year more than they should.
Such a cap is long overdue.
According to the CMA, the Big Six power companies, which make up most of the UK market, have frequently let customers using pre-paid meters remain on the most expensive default standard variable tariffs.
The result is that many customers are being overcharged more than £300 a year for their power.
The problem with pre-pay meters
Over four million households in the UK depend on pre-paid electrical meters to get power in their homes, with the majority of these being low-income homes.
The archaic pre-pay system involves customers going to a shop to purchase cardboard electricity tokens, which are then fed into a slot on an electricity meter, and they can then watch as the pounds drip away with every moment an electrical appliance is used.
As anyone who has used this method of electricity supply knows, it is horribly expensive, and when you run out of electricity late in the evening, it can be the case that you can’t get hold of a pre-paid card until the shop selling them re-opens in the morning. All the while you are in the dark with no heating, and the food in the freezer is defrosting.
The CMA wants to see increased competition between energy suppliers to get these vulnerable customers onto cheaper tariffs.
It has proposed that energy regulator, Ofgem, keeps a database of customers that have been on a standard tariff for three years.
This database would then become available to other suppliers, allowing them to specifically target these customers.
The CMA’s Roger Witcomb, who lead the energy market investigation, said: “We have found that the six largest suppliers have learned to take many of their existing domestic customers – some 70% of whom are on ‘default’ standard variable tariffs – for granted, not just over prices, but with their service and quality.
“Yet in those parts of the retail markets where competition is working, customers are benefiting to the tune of hundreds of pounds a year by switching. We’re proposing a wide range of bold, innovative measures to enable competition to grow further across the market so that millions more households will benefit.”
Energy Secretary Amber Rudd said: “This is a wakeup call to the Big Six.
“Energy customers should get a fair deal from a market that works for them. That’s why we called for the biggest ever investigation into the energy market and won’t hesitate to take forward its recommendations.”


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Many organizations struggle with sales and marketing alignment. In companies both large and small, Sales and Marketing are commonly at odds.
In a recent survey of more than 1,200 executives, research firm CSO Insights uncovered that lead generation is one of the top challenges dividing sales and marketing organizations and leaving revenue goals in danger.
- Two-thirds of companies surveyed have cited that their lead-generation functions need improvement.
- Less than two-thirds of sales reps hit their quota for 2012.
- Revenue targets were up 16% in 2012, the largest increase since the 2008 recession, putting a greater stress on the lead generation gap.
Sales and Marketing are two worlds with one mission. Sound familiar?
Click here to read more.


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Somewhat late to the party, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is preparing to launch a Web site consisting of complaints filed with the commission by consumers. The new site, www.saferproducts.gov, is scheduled to launch March 11.
Critics have noted that sites like ConsumerAffairs.com and Ripoffreport.com have been doing that very thing for more than a decade, and that online reviews of products and services are now so commonplace as to be almost ubiquitous.
Nevertheless, it literally took an act of Congress to get the agency to at long last take the wraps off the information it collects and stores at public expense. Congress voted overwhelmingly in August 2008 to beef up the CPSC, giving it a bigger budget and more authority to take action against unsafe products.
President Bush signed the measure just a few days later, quelling consumer advocates' fears that he would capitulate to industry objections.
But that doesn't mean that industry groups aren't keeping up their campaign against the public release of consumer complaints.
"We're not opposed to a database," Rosario Palmieri, vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), told The Washington Post. "We're opposed to a database that's full of inaccurate information."
In a statement on its Web site, the organization says: "The NAM is leading the fight to improve the law’s implementation and move forward with reasonable improvements to the law."
But consumer advocates say making public information public is only logical.
"This is all about transparency," said Ami Gadhia, policy counsel with Consumers Union. "Commission staffers have worked very hard to ensure that the database is fair to everyone."
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has operated a similar site – www.safercar.gov – for years. Information submitted by the public has frequently led to investigations and recalls, including the massive Toyota recall to fix alleged unintended acceleration problems.
The agency will provide a preview of the new database tomorrow (Tuesday, Jan. 11) at 10:30 am, Eastern time. The conference will demonstrate the process for filing a complaint and using the site's search function.
The CPSC will have a second preview for industry representatives on Jan. 20. Besides getting a look at the consumer complaint site, manufacturers and importers will be able to sign up for accounts on the site's business portal.
Currently, consumers and others who want to view safety complaints about products must file a public-records request with the CPSC, which then is required to seek permission from the manufacturer or importer before releasing the information. The company can protest the release and sue to stop it.
Even when the CPSC decides that a product is dangerous enough to be recalled, it must negotiate the terms of the recall with the manufacturer, a tedious process that can take years, all while shoppers continue to buy the dangerous items.
Under the new system, consumer complaints will be published 15 days after they are received. Companies that have registered to receive complaints will have 10 days to submit a response, which will be published alongside the complaint.
However, if companies claim a complaint is false or discloses confidential business information, the agency may decide to withhold it.
Consumers who file complaints must provide their identity but the information will not be published and will be available to manufacturers only if the consumer agrees.
The agency will publish only complaints concerning safety – not complaints about reliability, price or quality.


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There was a time when pre-owned clocks and watches were relegated to the dusty shelves of pawn shops and thrift stores. However, over the past few years, and despite challenges faced by traditional watchmakers, there has been a shift in mindset when it comes to second-hand timepieces in the luxury sector. Collectors are also
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§ Lord Harrison
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they can take to reduce the cost of compact discs to British consumers to the level of their European Union counterparts. [HL775]
§ Lord Sainsbury of Turville
A competition inquiry into the supply of compact discs was launched by the Office of Fair Trading on the 9th February. The inquiry will consider whether the way in which the record companies have responded to imports of cheaper CDs from elsewhere in the EU amounts to a breach of the Competition Act 1998. The inquiry is expected to take six months.


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Net-a-Porter has announced a host of new moves in China, including that supermodel Liu Wen, who has worked with the likes of Chanel, Gucci, and Tods, will be the brand’s new China ambassador.
What Happened: On May 4, Net-a-Porter, the luxury e-commerce platform, announced that Chinese supermodel Liu Wen, who enjoys 26.1 million followers on Weibo and works with the likes of Chanel, Gucci, and Tods, is now its China ambassador. In an interview with Jing Daily, Net-a-Porter said: “Liu Wen perfectly fits with Net-a-Porter’s ethos. And the collaboration is a demonstration of Net-a-Porter’s commitment to representing the power of women’s diversity.”
At the same time, the site unveiled its new Chinese name, “Po Te” (“颇特”) — individually the characters mean “plenty” and “special.” Net-a-Porter also partnered with Tmall Digital Collectibles to launch its “Infinite New Possibility” Net-a-Porter galaxy project. The initiative allows 6,000 participants to creatively build their own Net-a-Porter galaxy NFTs; already invited are Liu Wen, as well as four homegrown designers Samuel Gui Yang, Windowsen, Rui, and Shushu/Tong.
The Jing Take: Here, Net-a-Porter is banking on an undisputed star. As a globally renowned supermodel and style icon, the former Victoria’s Secret Angel has established a solid reputation in China’s upscale fashion market. Her looks are often copied by local shoppers and quickly sell out in stores. She could also provide targeted traffic to Net-a-Porter from well-off fashionistas not afraid of trying new designer brands.
As data shows that the traditional, offline-based luxury retail landscape may drastically change over the next few years, Net-a-Porter will need all the help it can get. Last month, the 2021 China Luxury Digital Report released by Yaok Research Institute pointed out that in 2022 online sales are forecasted to exceed $34.6 billion (220 billion RMB), meaning that they will account for more than 30 percent of the total luxury goods sales in China. Continue to read the full article here


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Nokia doles out cash prizes in Danfo Reloaded competition
VALUE ADDED SERVICES| Aug. 22, 2012, 4:19 p.m.
By Kokumo Goodie, Lagos, Nigeria
Two players, Samuel Afolabi and Etejere Edafeoghene, have emerged as winners of the second draw of Nokia’s Danfo Reloaded Competition, a local game available on the Nokia store. The duo was presented with a sum of N100,000.00 each as reward for being the highest scorers for the week.
Speaking at the prize presentation, which took place at Nokia office today, Teemu Kijaarvi, Head, Developer Experience at Nokia West Africa, said that Danfo Reloaded competition is another way Nokia is reaching out to its loyal subscribers. “At Nokia, our customers are at the heart of everything we do, this is why we will always look for ways to reward their loyalty to the brand and put smiles on their faces.”
One of the winners, Etejere Edafeoghene expressed joy at the gesture. He recounted that he was skeptical about the authenticity of his winning when he got a call informing him that he had been chosen as one of the highest scorers for the week. “I couldn’t believe it when I was told that I had emerged as one the top scorers for the week. I really do not believe in promos. I just tried my luck and here I am, a winner of N100,000.00” He thanked Nokia for the kind gesture and urged Nigerian youths to take advantage of the opportunity.
Explaining the mechanics of the Nokia Danfo Reloaded Game, Olajide Adeyemi, Retail Customer Marketing Manager at Nokia West Africa, said that the Danfo Reloaded is a locally developed mobile phone game that can be played on the Nokia Asha 200, 201, 303 or 302 phones. “Danfo is a common slang for commercial buses in Lagos. In the game Danfo Reloaded, the player plays as a “Danfo driver”, earns money as he proceeds and at the end of one week, the players with the two highest scores win N100,000.00 from Nokia.
The competition will run for 5 weeks. Players are to upload their scores on the Facebook page for their scores to count. For further information and any other updates about the ‘Danfo Reloaded” competition, customers can visit the Nokia Facebook page.
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(NECN: Peter Howe, Norwell, Mass.) - As the U.S. Commerce Department reported Wednesday March home sales were down by 14.5 percent across the country, the Massachusetts Association of Realtors reported the first month of the key spring home ...
Spring hasn't sprung for March home sales
Real Estate: Inventory up, prices rise, sales fall
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May 29, 2008 — -- Clinton vs. Obama it may not be, but the battle of Barbie vs. Bratz is a showdown that could net hundreds of millions of dollars for the world's largest toy maker.
Mattel Inc.'s iconic blond doll is going toe-to-toe with its heavily made-up, pouty-lipped competitor because the company claims MGA Entertainment Inc., which makes the popular Bratz dolls, never had the right to the toys.
The El Segundo, Calif.-based company said Carter Bryant, the man who designed the nine-inch Bratz dolls, worked at Mattel when he came up with the concept, and therefore it owns the dolls because Carter signed an agreement that gave Mattel the right to anything he designed while employed.
"This explains how a small company that never designed a fashion doll … was able in a short period of time to come up with a doll that became a global hit," Mattel attorney John Quinn told jurors during his opening statement in the federal copyright infringement trial Tuesday.
But Los Angeles-based MGA didn't lie down for the buxom blonde and countersued Mattel — guaranteeing the doll brawl would continue.
MGA claims Mattel changed the design of its "My Scene" dolls to more closely resemble Bratz dolls, while using its leverage with retailers to stifle competition.
Mattel also sued Bryant, who worked for the company between September 1995 and April 1998 and then returned in January 1999 until October 2000 —. Mattel settled with the former employee last week for undisclosed terms.
The courtroom battle between the two toy giants mirrors the ones occurring on store shelves since the Bratz dolls arrived on the scene in 2001.
The edgier Bratz dolls have been breathing down Barbie's lanky plastic neck ever since. In fact, this year alone Barbie's sales dropped 12 percent in the first quarter.
Last month, Mattel actually cited the Bratz litigation as part of the reason for its $46.6 million first-quarter loss.
Bitterness between the companies was apparent in 2004 when Mattel originally filed the lawsuit.
"Ken is not going to save Barbie. Barbie is not going to save Barbie," said MGA CEO Isaac Larian said at the time. "It's time for her to retire. She has been around for too long."
"[We] will help her retire. I would throw a party for her," he added.
Mattel answered back.
"He's welcome to throw a party for Barbie any time he wants, but it won't be a retirement party," said Mattel Girl Products senior vice president Chuck Scothon.
While Barbie and Bratz battle it out for the top spot, some of their customers find the entire debate disturbing.
"It's a stupid fight because it is just over dolls," one young girl said.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this story.


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Napoli announces the limited edition shirt for Valentine’s Day: the social post
A few hours from the kick-off for the challenge between the Napoli and the Cremona, the blue club has announced a new shirt! In fact, through a video posted on social networks, the Neapolitans showed the ‘O primmo ammore’ shirt, a limited edition in view of Saint Valentine! Here is what has been highlighted by CalcioNapoli1926.it.
Below is the video published by the blue club on its profile Twitter:
January 17, 2023 (change January 17, 2023 | 21:16)
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Palm announced its Q2 FY06 results yesterday with revenues up 18 percent from a year ago to $444.6 USD million. This marks the eighth consecutive quarter of year-over-year double-digit revenue growth for Palm. Among the highlights were the addition of seven new carriers, including China for the first time and the shipment of more than 1 million Treo smartphones during the first half of fiscal 2006.
More interesting is that Ed Colligan revealed that Palm will not only roll out the Treo 700w smartphone (running Windows Mobile 5.0) but an additional 3 new smartphones during calendar year 2006. Could one of these be the Treo 700p?


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UK’s virus-stricken economy shrinks 5.8% in March as lockdown continues
Services and construction sectors 'saw record declines' as the enforcement of restrictions began
Gross domestic product in the UK suffered a record monthly fall in March, dropping 5.8 per cent month-on-month as the impact of lockdown measures put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus kicked in.
The economy shrank 2 per cent over the course of the first quarter, with almost all sectors reporting declines, according to the Office for National Statistics. The accommodation and food services sector was particularly hard hit, dropping 9.5 per cent over the three-month period.
“With the arrival of the pandemic nearly every aspect of the economy was hit in March, dragging growth to a record monthly fall,” said Jonathan Athow, the ONS’s deputy national statistician for Economic Statistics.
“Services and construction saw record declines on the month with education, car sales and restaurants all falling substantially,” Mr Athow said, adding that global trade was also affected with both imports and exports declining. The balance of payments gap narrowed as imports fell by £13.3 billion (Dh59.96bn), but exports dropped by £12bn.
The UK has rolled out monetary and fiscal measures aimed at softening the blow caused by measures taken to stem the spread of the pandemic, with the Bank of England cutting interest rates to 0.1 per cent and embarking on an asset purchase programme that is on track to buy £645bn worth of treasury and corporate bonds by July.
The government has also pledged to guarantee lending to small and medium-sized businesses and on Tuesday announced it would extend a scheme to pay up to 80 per cent of furloughed workers’ wages to a value of £2,500 per month until October.
However, despite these measures the Bank of England is forecasting a 25 per cent quarterly decline in GDP for the three months to June.
“The UK economy was hit hard by the necessary shutdown at the end of March, and recent data suggests the full impact of that difficult decision is still yet to come,” said Rain Newton-Smith, chief economist for the Confederation of British Industry - a trade body representing larger companies.
“The range of financial support for businesses and workers provided by the government has been a lifeline for many firms so far. These schemes are critical in keeping companies afloat and they will need to adapt as the economy restarts,” Ms Newton-Smith added.
The FTSE 100 index traded 1.4 per cent lower by 1.33pm UAE time, but the pound was trading up 0.23 per cent against the dollar at $1.2288.
Currency traders are more focused on “forward-looking factors such as the prime minister’s three-stage plan to open the economy”, said Naeem Aslam, chief markets analyst at Avatrade.
“What is important to keep in mind is that today’s GDP number isn’t the true reflection of the economy because it has captured only nine days of the national lockdown,” Mr Aslam said.
Jasper Lawler, head of research at London Capital Group, said: "The current quarter is where the real concern lies.
"Confusion over the UK’s exit from lockdown matters more than a record contraction in March."
Updated: May 13, 2020 08:19 PM


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I thought that I’d bring up a somewhat different Android gaming subject, the future of gaming on Google TV. I actually know very little about the current state of gaming on Google TV, but it seems to me that it would be important if Google wants more widespread adoption of Google TV, and I understand that the Android Market is available on the platform.
Microsoft and Sony are adding video services to the Xbox 360 and PS3 that give them many of the capabilities of devices like Google TV and Apple TV. Gaming support on Google TV would make the platform more attractive to consumers who want the video features and would like also like to play some games on their TV. Google TV hardware isn’t nearly as powerful as current game consoles, and this is likely to continue in the future as both Google TV hardware and new consoles become more powerful, but on the other hand, it’s much cheaper. Hard-core gamers will want the power of consoles (and PC’s), but many consumers would be interested in less powerful systems that are less expensive, as we can see from the fact that Sony still makes the PS2.
There are a number of problems, of course. Most importantly, Google TV doesn’t seem to be all that successful, so developers aren’t motivated to make games for it. On the Xbox 360, the Xbox Live Indie Games market is much more open to developers than most other console game markets, but developers aren’t making much money on it, unlike, for example, the closed Xbox Live Arcade market.
Sony, the one Google TV hardware partner that has continued with it from the very beginning, may not be that interested in having Google TV become a significant gaming platform, since the PS2 and PS3 are probably more lucrative. Their portable consoles haven’t been as successful, so the approach they took with the Xperia Play and their Android tablets is less risky to them.


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The former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Director of Planning, Lucas Frank, has joined Brandmotion. Frank will serve Brandmotion as Director of Product Development and Operations. His role will be to lead the company in product development, innovation and operations.
At FCA, Frank was responsible for overseeing the five year plan for all future FCA cars and trucks. Prior to that he led the planning of the new 2019 RAM 1500 Truck, “providing the roadmap for durability, technology, efficiency and convenience with features never before offered in a pickup,” said Brandmotion.
In an earlier position at FCA, Frank was Brand Manager and Mobile Marketing Lead for Jeep. In that role, he launched Jeep’s first iPhone app.
Varick said one of the reasons for hiring Frank was, “I do see many opportunities in front of us, and the adoption of OEM technology coming back to the aftermarket. It used to be aftermarket tech moved to OEM, now I see OEM tech coming back to the aftermarket.”
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join Brandmotion at such an exciting and pivotal time in the industry,” said Frank. “I worked with Jeff [Varick, Brandmotion founder] on several projects in the past and have always respected his unique and innovative approach to recognizing and solving customer needs.”
“Lucas is a tremendously innovative thinker, responsible for many innovative product features at FCA over his 20 year career, including a few that Brandmotion helped him launch,” said Varick. “He was the force behind many noted industry accomplishments including two consecutive awards for Motor Trend Truck of the Year and the cars.com ‘Best in Show’ award from the 2018 NAIAS for the RAM 1500…We are extremely excited to have a leader and proven innovator of Lucas’ caliber helping drive Brandmotion’s continued growth of innovative products.”


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NEW YORK- The next-generation Subaru WRX should turn some heads if it looks anything like the concept unveiled Thursday at the 2013 New York International Auto Show.
“It promises to be a very exciting car indeed,” said Tom Doll, CEO of Subaru of America, regarding the production version.
The WRX concept featured a large grille design, classic WRX hood scoop with a very aggressive front fascia. The rear design, according to Subaru, echoes the “hexagonal design motif from the front grille and features a dramatically curved trunk lid” that also acts as a rear spoiler.
The vehicle, which also featured a new paint color called “WR Blue Pearl III,” debuted following the unveiling of Subaru’s first hybrid, the Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid.
Based on the popular XV Crosstrek crossover introduced for 2013, the 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid model arrives in Subaru dealerships fourth quarter of 2013.
Officials did not release any information about specifications or possible production dates of the next-generation WRX.


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Ravens cheerleaders' calendar shoot in Jamaica [Pictures]
How Maryland fares in national rankings [Pictures]
2015 Nissan Murano
The 2015 Nissan Murano will debut at the 2014 New York Auto Show this week and will go on sale at the end of 2014. It's the third generation of this funky-looking crossover, and the latest version brings new efficiency and refinement to the model.


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Amazon has added some additional robotic muscle and computer-vision chops to its warehouses ahead of the tide of holiday shopping orders.
Germany and France have put pressure on the European Commission to take a closer look at how big tech companies operate in the European Union, a move which could lead to tougher competition regulation for companies such as Google, Apple, Amazon.com a...
Google considers Amazon.com as its biggest search competitor, ahead of traditional rivals like Yahoo and Bing, as people looking to buy something are more likely to search on the online retailer's website.
Amazon.com may have received illegal state aid from tax authorities in Luxembourg, where the company has a subsidiary that records most of its European profit, according to the European Commission.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is taking its first major step toward opening up the skies for commercial drone use, allowing six TV and movie production companies to use drones to shoot video.
Alibaba, an e-commerce giant in China, wants to make new friends in the U.S. Especially friends with money.
Amazon.com is providing more bang-for-the-buck with four new Fire tablets, with prices starting as low as US$99 for a Fire HD with a 6-inch screen.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission's deadline for the public to comment on the agency's proposed net neutrality rules passed Monday with more than 3 million comments filed, by far a record number for an FCC proceeding.
Amazon's Fire Phone will soon go on sale in the U.K. and Germany, but finding success in Europe will be even harder than in the U.S., where the phone has struggled to make a mark.
Google has agreed to pay at least US$19 million to settle a U.S. Federal Trade Commission complaint that the company unfairly billed Android mobile device owners for in-app purchases made by their children, the agency said Thursday.
Amazon will pay US$970 million to acquire Twitch, a site for live video broadcasts of people's video gaming sessions.
Amazon will pay at least US$1 billion to acquire Twitch, a site for streaming video-game play, according to reports published Monday in The Wall Street Journal and The Information.
Amazon plans to expand its small online ad delivery business enough to take on Google's AdWords, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Amazon.com is hoping to attract more consumers from China, with a new agreement that will let the U.S. e-commerce company bring millions of products from its international sites to the country as imported goods.
A new tool called Live App Testing from Amazon lets mobile developers distribute apps to a predefined group of users before the apps are launched.
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A smarter way to print for busy small business owners, combining speedy printing with scanning and copying, making it easier to produce high quality documents and images at a touch of a button.
I've had a multifunction printer in the office going on 10 years now. It was a neat bit of kit back in the day -- print, copy, scan, fax -- when printing over WiFi felt a bit like magic. It’s seen better days though and an upgrade’s well overdue. This HP OfficeJet Pro 8730 looks like it ticks all the same boxes: print, copy, scan, and fax. (Really? Does anyone fax anything any more? I guess it's good to know the facility’s there, just in case.) Printing over WiFi is more-or- less standard these days.
As a freelance writer who is always on the go, I like my technology to be both efficient and effective so I can do my job well. The HP OfficeJet Pro 8730 Inkjet Printer ticks all the boxes in terms of form factor, performance and user interface.
I’d happily recommend this touchscreen laptop and Windows 10 as a great way to get serious work done at a desk or on the road.
Ultimately, I think the Windows 10 environment is excellent for me as it caters for so many different uses. The inclusion of the Xbox app is also great for when you need some downtime too!
For me, the Xbox Play Anywhere is a great new feature as it allows you to play your current Xbox games with higher resolutions and better graphics without forking out extra cash for another copy. Although available titles are still scarce, but I’m sure it will grow in time.
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Inflation in South Africa accelerated to 4.6% in June
Consumer prices in South Africa rose 4.6% in June 2018 compared to the same month last year after rising 4.4% in May, according to figures from the Office for Statistics of South Africa. The acceleration of inflation in June turned out to be ...
Unemployment in the UK kept a record low
Unemployment in the UK, calculated according to the methodology of the International Labor Organization, for the period from March to May this year was 4.2%, keeping the minimum level since 1975 recorded in the previous three months. This is ...
Oil prices stabilized after a sharp fall a day earlier
Oil prices stabilized on Tuesday after the collapse the day before. September futures for Brent crude by 15:01 Moscow time fell by 5 cents to 71 dollars 79 cents per barrel. The price of August futures for WTI oil by this time fell by 8 cents ...
Quarterly profit of Johnson & Johnson grew by 3.1%
American company Johnson & Johnson, the world's largest producer of health products, increased its net profit in the second quarter by 3.1% year-on-year to $3 billion 950 million. Profit without taking into account one-off factors increased ...
Net profit of UnitedHealth exceeded forecasts in the second quarter
The largest US health insurance company UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter increased its net profit by 28% year-on-year to $2 billion 920 million. Adjusted earnings rose to 3 dollars 14 cents per share, the analystshad predicted 3 dollars ...
Annual inflation in Italy was 1.3% in June
In June 2018, consumer prices in Italy, calculated by national standards, increased by 1.3% compared with June last year, the final data of the statistical agency Istat showed. In May, the annual price increase was 1%. Relative to the previous ...
An acceleration of inflation was registered in Bulgariain June
Consumer prices in Bulgaria accelerated their growth in June this year for the second consecutive month, the finversia.ru project writes. According to the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria, in June, inflation was 3.2% compared to 2.6% ...
The slowdown of China's economy threatens global growth
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Retail sales in the US increased significantly in June
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BofA increased net profit by one third in the second quarter
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Growth in wholesale prices in India increased to 5.77% in June
One of the main indicators of inflation in India, the wholesale price index, in June, peaked since December 2013 to 5.77% after rising to 4.43% in May, according to official data. Analysts had predicted the growth of the index to 5.23%. Last ...


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Resale clothing’s growth is off the charts.
By Rieva Lesonsky
According to eMarketer, the used clothing market is booming. ThredUp, itself an online marketplace for used clothing and shoes, released a study about the $20 billion resale market. It’s estimated that ThredUp and other online resale companies, such as Poshmark, Tradesy and The RealReal, will grow 49% this year. Compare that to growth projections for traditional retail (9%), off-price retail (7%) and the apparel category overall (2%).
The report says, “Used items accounted for 11% of clothing owned by second-hand buyers in 2012.” That increased to 24% last year, and is expected to hit 40% by 2022. Plus, according to the study, 33% of women shopped for second-hand clothes in 2017, led by younger millennials (ages 18-24), 40% of whom bought used apparel. Most of these younger buyers buy used clothes for “environmental reasons.”
Some of the other reasons consumers prefer shopping for resale items are to save money and find vintage goods. The ability to search for items makes this an ideal online business.
Small businesses in or entering this market are likely to benefit from the projected growth, since consumers plan to shop off-price stores, such as T.J. Maxx and department stores, less often. Some 71% of off-price shoppers say they expect to buy more used apparel in the next five years. If you’re thinking about starting this type of business, consider specializing in a niche—at least at the beginning.
Photo courtesy: Poshmark


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Honda CR-V gets new midrange trim, higher base price for 2016
Honda‘s CR-V has received a new midrange trim level and a higher base price for the 2016 model year.
The entry-level LX package now fetches $24,475 (including $880 freight) for the front-wheel-drive variant, representing a modest $150 increase over the 2015 model year.
The company has added a Special Edition ‘SE’ trim, positioned above the LX and commanding an $800 premium. Buyers receive larger 17-inch two-tone alloy wheels, tinted rear glass and a security system.
Despite the potential sales cannibalization from the new HR-V, the fourth-generation CR-V has continued to experience growing demand US market. Deliveries were up by 26 percent in September and 7.7 percent for the year overall. It already outsells the Civic and is on track to displace the Accord as Honda’s most popular model.
The company recently confirmed plans to make a larger next-generation CR-V, potentially with seating for seven and a more premium positioning to further differentiate the crossover from the smaller HR-V. It will likely borrow styling cues from the HR-V, with a modernized interior.


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Moment Of Pride: Tata Rolls Out 300th Nexon, 100% Made In India: Here Are The Variants
From its Ranjangaon plant, the 3,00,000th unit of Nexon has been rolled out by Tat Motors. New trims of the SUV have been launched in celebration Tata Motors has announced that its Ranjangaon manufacturing facility has crossed the 3-Lakh unit production milestone for the Nexon SUV. It was in the month of June that the 2 lakh production milestone was achieved. Post this the little crossover has managed to increase the popularity in the Indian Market.
4th Highest Selling SUV
Ad a matter of fact, it was the fourth highest-selling SUV in India last year. To commemorate the same, the brand has launched new variants for the SUV; Tata Nexon now gets the following additional trims – XZ+ (P)/XZA+ (P) and XZ+ (HS)/XZA+ (HS) – available in both petrol and diesel guise.
These new variants will be available in the Dark Edition version as well. A new paint scheme, Royal Blue, has also been introduced.
Alongwith Premium Benecke Kaliko leatherette upholstery, the XZ+(P) and XZA+(P) variants get additional features, like ventilated seats, an air purifier, and auto-dimming IRVM.
As for the XZ+(HS) and XZA+(HS) variants, the additional features available here include an air purifier.
In the Kaziranga edition of the SUV, these new features were recently introduced.
Spanning over a wide range, Tata Nexon now has a total of 22 petrol variants and 18 diesel variants on offer. In addition to this, with over 13,500 units sold to date, as per the manufacturer’s official statement, SUV is available in an all-electric version as well – Nexon EV – which is currently the best-selling electric car in the Indian market.
A Moment Of Pride
“It is indeed a moment of pride to witness the roll – out of the 3,00,000th Tata Nexon – a landmark product in the turnaround of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles. Being an integral part of the New Forever range, brand Nexon has successfully established its popularity in the compact SUV segment since its launch in 2017 and has become a part of many families,” said Mr. Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd.
He added that, “Adding to the popularity of the ICE variant, the Nexon EV too has created a niche for itself and has gained immense recognition from its customers.” The starting prices of the new variants are as follows: XZ+(P) from Rs. 11,58,900, XZA+(P) from Rs. 12,23,900, XZ+(HS) from Rs. 10,86,800, and XZA+(HS) from Rs. 11,51,800.


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Many of us have received the letter at one time or another: there’s been a recall on your car. While never a fun experience, recalls on vehicles serve an important purpose: to fix an ongoing and systemic issue that is faulty in a car, whether the gas tanks leaks or a window switch is faulty. Though often not life-threatening, the decision to do a recall on cars is not made lightly, and, when manufacturers do issue a recall, it is wise to heed the warning. Some of the most recalled vehicles of the past year include vehicles produced by both Ford and Toyota.
Toyota Issues the Largest Recall
The largest recall of the past 16 years was issued by Toyota this past November. Affecting over 2 million cars in the United States and over 7 million in the world, the recall was due to a sticky window regulator that, under extremely limited circumstances, could cause a wire to fray and potentially light a fire. The problem arose if someone applied commercially available lubricants to the switch in an attempt to loosen the stickiness of said switch; the residue could accumulate on the switch’s wires and, eventually, ignite. Though there are no known cases of this actually happening, Toyota, nevertheless, put out the order for the most recalled cars of the past two decades to fix the issue.
Continued Problems with the Ford Escape
Recalls on trucks were happening across manufacturers last year, though, perhaps, no one had a harder time than Ford. The auto manufacturer suffered the embarrassment of having to recall its brand new Escape Crossover, not once, not twice, but three times for a potentially catastrophic engine fire. The older versions of the model joined their brand new cousins not long after the first recall, with stuck throttles potentially making stopping difficult after intense acceleration.
Not all recalls need to be as bad as the Ford Pinto exploding or the Ford Explorer rollovers, however. Perhaps the most relieving recall of all was on the Subaru BRZ, which was issued to replace a few typos on the owner’s manual that gave slightly outdated information on engine performance and tuning.
Nearly all manufacturers recalled cars at least once in 2012, with even the likes of Ferrari and Rolls-Royce having to issue a recall at some point or another. It is important to remember that the vast majority of recalls are to effect minor issues, and, though they are all voluntary, should be performed nevertheless, even if it causes a slight inconvenience. Most vehicles have thousands of parts, and getting one or two occasionally wrong is not unusual, as there is always at least one variable overlooked during the construction process that comes out under real world conditions.


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Top British official to meet social networks over riotsAugust 26th, 2011 - 12:16 pm ICT by IANS
London, Aug 26 (IANS) British Home Secretary Theresa May will soon meet executives from social networks like Facebook, Twitter and BlackBerry to discuss the recent riots in the country.
May announced she will hold the meeting after officials suggested social network websites should be shut down during public disturbances to prevent spreading of trouble, Sky News reported.
Those present at the meeting will discuss whether users of such websites should be blocked when they are seen to be planning violence or criminality.
Services such as BlackBerry Messenger - which allows users to send free-of-charge real-time messages - was said to have enabled looters organise their movements during the recent riots.
The report, however, did not state when the meeting would take place.
A Home Office source, however, said there was “no suggestion” that any of the sites would be closed down.
A spokeswoman said: “The home secretary will meet the Association of Chief Police Officers, the police and representatives from the social media industry.”
“Among the issues to be discussed is whether and how we should be able to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality.”
“Social networking is not a cause of the recent disturbances but a means of enabling criminals to communicate.”
Facebook has said it has already prioritised its review of content on the site that is “egregious during sensitive times like the British riots”.
A Facebook spokesperson said: “We look forward to meeting the home secretary to explain the measures we have been taking to ensure that Facebook is a safe and positive platform for people in Britain at this challenging time.”
The company said some of its pages - Supporting The Met Police Against The London Rioters, for example - had received nearly one million “likes”.
- BlackBerry helped spread riots in London - Aug 09, 2011
- London cops vow to nail Twitter, BlackBerry rioters - Aug 10, 2011
- Government wants to monitor Facebook, Twitter accounts - Aug 14, 2011
- India's death threat for the BlackBerry (Comment) - Aug 12, 2010
- BlackBerry buys software company to beef up apps store - Apr 29, 2011
- RIM launches new BlackBerry smartphone in India - Oct 14, 2010
- MegaFon offers BlackBerry services in Russia - Dec 23, 2011
- Mobile users in UK turn to free instant messaging for communication - Apr 26, 2011
- BlackBerry, other services under telecom department scanner - Mar 08, 2011
- UAE clears use of BlackBerry even as India continues to stall - Apr 17, 2011
- BlackBerry becomes a weapon for rioters in Britain - Aug 10, 2011
- Rumours of 'BlackBerry Cyclone' to take on Apple TV - Jul 16, 2011
- India's Aug 31 deadline for access to BlackBerry data services (Roundup) - Aug 12, 2010
- RIM offers solution on lawful access to messenger services - Jan 13, 2011
- Draw line between objectionable and controversial, say websites - Dec 06, 2011


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Sony Japan today issued a press release that recently announced Sony a7S III pre-orders has greatly exceed their expectations. This means you may not get your a7S III on time on the release date (Sep 24), so you’d better pre-order ASAP to get a7S III early.
According to Tweakers, a spokesperson for Sony told them that existing Sony cameras will not able to get Sony a7S III(B&H/Adorama/Amazon)’s new menu. Sony spokeperson said such an upgrade is ‘technically not possible’.
Sigma will have a product announcement on August 6th, we already know that Sigma will announce the 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lens for Sony E-mount and L-mount on that day. Is there any new products coming along with 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lens ? Stay tuned for more info.
Tomorrow, Tamron will announce a new FE 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD Lens for Sony E mount. The development announcement has already leaked at foto74.ru. The release date is expected in this fall. The size is φ77 x 148mm and the weight is 545g. The filter diameter is 67 mm.


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Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products, announces the launch of the Terra Cacao range: an exciting new innovation in superior tasting chocolate. Based on revolutionary new cocoa cultivation and fermentation methods developed by Barry Callebaut in collaboration with local growers, the Terra Cacao range represents a giant leap forward in terms of both quality and sustainability.
Callebaut has launched its new Fairtrade range of chocolate products.
Barry Callebaut is the first chocolate maker to developed a no sugar added chocolate with an extract from the Stevia plant on an industrial scale. Sugar has been replaced completely by a sweetener solution being high in fibre, with up to 65% less calories than sugar and that does not cause a laxative effect.
US food giant Kraft Foods has signed a new deal with cocoa supplier and manufacturer Barry Callebaut.
Barry Callebaut today inaugurated a new chocolate factory located in Extrema, Minas Gerais, near São Paulo, Brazil – the company’s first chocolate factory in South America.
Barry Callebaut expects cocoa prices to gain further this year on supply concerns in top cocoa regions in West Africa and a recovery in global demand. The Swiss-based firm says prospects of weaker output from top grower Ivory Coast have shifted some of the company’s focus to Asia.


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The Consumer Bankers Association, which represents the retail banking industry, revised the initial cost of the Target data breach to its members last Thursday, up from $153 million initially reported in January to $172 million.
The CBA said in January it had reissued over 15 million debit and credit cards to its members. The average cost to replace each card, according to the CBA, is $10—the cost includes the card itself, informing consumers of a card reissue, shipping and activation and additional communication requirements.
Last week, however, the CBA said its members had reissued over 17 million debit and credit cards to its members.
“When retailers say this data breach comes at no cost or liability to consumers they are right – because its banks and card issuers who are on the hook often at little or no cost to retailers like Target,” CBA CEO Richard Hunt said. “Retailers should recognize the costs of data breaches snowball with time and they should take responsibility when they are at fault.”
The CBA said the cost to replace the cards does not include any fraudulent activity that occurred or might occur in the future, adding that fraudulent activity would push the cost of the Target data breach even higher.
In response to the breach, the CBA and other financial services trade groups have called for the establishment of a national data security breach and notification standard, as well as making entities that experience data breaches to bear the costs of the breach.


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US Bank joins Obama’s long-term unemployed initiative
U.S. Bancorp is one of more than 300 businesses joining an Obama administration initiative to help people who have been unemployed for an extended period of time land jobs.
President Barack Obama announced the program Friday, saying participating businesses agreed to adopt new policies for recruiting and hiring the long-term unemployed.
The Minneapolis-based parent company of U.S. Bank will review recruiting materials and job advertisements to ensure they don’t contain discriminatory language, a spokesperson said in an email. It also expects to reach out to the long-term unemployed through partnerships with workforce centers.
"We are doing so because we believe that our business, our economy and our country benefit when employers tap into the talent, experience and skills of all Americans," the bank said. "U.S. Bank has long held a reputation as an inclusive employer. We are proud of our employment practices and always review our materials and processes to ensure we are avoiding discrimination and complying with all applicable laws."
A White House report released Friday found that nearly 38 percent of jobless workers are long-term unemployed.
Katharine Grayson covers med tech, clean tech, technology, health care, and venture capital, and she writes the Innovation|Minnesota blog
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Pokemon GO sweeps through Coos Bay park
COOS BAY, Ore. -- Pokemon GO is sweeping the nation and in Coos Bay it's taking over Mingus Park.
On any given weeknight, you can find the park crawling with gamers glued to their phones.
For gamers, Pokemon GO is a way to bring their Pokemon characters to life in a virtual reality.
The app serves as a map, showing people where they can find Pokemon, and it turns out Mingus Park is a Pokemon hotspot.
"I usually watch a lot of movies at home, so now when I get home from work I'm like, 'let's go do a couple laps around Mingus and see who's out there and whatnot,'" gamer Levi Green says.
"I've never been back there before yesterday. Went back there and checked it out; gets me outside," adds player Lance Newport.
"We as a health division are excited that people are engaged in some sort of healthy activity. Walking is huge," says health promotion director Eric Gleason.
For some, the app has bridged the generation gap and made the community closer.
"There's, like, no real age barrier,” Green says. “There's way older people and way younger people, and because you guys are all on the same page, it's way easy to talk to each other about it. And so, it's really crazy how it's bringing people together. Like, I can't believe it.”
But gamers are advised to be aware of their surroundings.
"I've heard stories of people so focused on their phone and watching where the Pokemon is located on their phone that they will step out into traffic,” Gleason warns. “Be healthy, get out and walk, just be careful at the same time."
You can download Pokemon GO free on any smart phone.


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PIC: Did Ali Lohan Have Plastic Surgery?
Ali Lohan looks... different.
Lindsay Lohan's 17-year-old sister stepped out in Beverly Hills on Tuesday looking dramatically different. While her trademark eyebrows remained the same, her face appeared more angular and her lips fuller. But is this new look the result of regular aging, or did Ali get major plastic surgery?
Last month, Ali signed a multi-year modeling contract with NEXT Model Management. "She represents the future face of fashion and will be a photographer's dream with her chameleon-like beauty," NEXT LA Director Alexis Borges told Just Jared.
Ali does have plenty of modeling experience; she represented her big sister's 6126 fashion line in its Spring/Summer 2011 campaign.
Tell Us: Do you think Ali Lohan had plastic surgery?
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Fossil, the company who makes watches, wallets, money clips and more, have been working on a new concept. New to them, not to the world. A small team within the company has put together a connected watch which will connect to Android and BlackBerry devices. Yes, there have been plenty of failed attempts at this idea, but Fossil thinks they have learned from others.
It will be at least a few months before these come out. The phones are currently being shown around to developers where they are asked to look at ways to best utilize them. Look for these to have a price tag of around $200 when these arrive. Be sure to head to Scobleizer to check out a few more pictures.
Any desire to wear a watch like this?


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Foursquare is a local search-and-discovery service mobile app which provides search results for its users as part of amex's sync social media strategy foursquare was named a 2011 technology pioneer by the world economic forum in the information technologies and new media category. Sehen sie sich das profil von adeleke emoruwa auf linkedin an strategy is at the heart of every enterprise member, foursquare camp development and management board foursquare gospel church in nigeria. University strategic plan a foundation for the next century and to support technology transfer and other activities that enhance economies check in with texas tech university on foursquare. In january 2013, privco, the research firm, said foursquare would fail by the end of the year granted, the year isn't over--but it's pretty clear privco was wrong on thursday, bloomberg reported that foursquare was in talks with multiple large technology companies about a potential strategic. Some people might describe foursquare's shift from location-based social network to a purveyor of location data as a pivot but steven rosenblatt, newly appointed president of foursquare, prefers the term evolution we've been building the world's largest location intelligence.
Foursquare closed a second venture capital round to fund further development of its mobile app. Transit planning and operations planning transforming the way we move transit technology assessments facilities plans fleet management plans system-wide and agency strategic plans example projects articulated bus evaluation. All the best practices for superuser programs from foursquare's tracey churray as well as insights from ebay, sap, allrecipescom. First and foremost, rosenblatt decided, foursquare is a technology company, not a run-of-the-mill sales-and-marketing operation it needed to capitalize on what made it total technology spend will reach $43 billion and advertisers will shell out $21 billion on location-based strategies.
Csr strategy & communications professional while technology has certainly been empowering in several ways, it has made us more distant by giving us a false sense of foursquare announced that the 4sq ios 70 update removes private check-ins with all previous private check-ins to remain. Pandora is teaming with foursquare to show its advertisers whether their campaigns drive offline sales share verticals attribution by foursquare seems to be gaining steam peter krasniqi, vp of global sales strategy and operations at foursquare christopher heine is technology editor. Learn how foursquare, once considered one of the most exciting technology startups around, intends to finally break through into profitability. We've already shared with you how to start marketing on foursquare and how to set up a special -- now associate director for global search marketing and social media strategy at is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company powered by its own proprietary technology. Foursquare is a technology company that uses location intelligence to build meaningful consumer experiences and business solutions for consumers, we believe the world is full of amazing experiences.
Mobile technologies 7 and commerce chapter mobile technology to disrupt traditional supply chain net-works, developing new products, services and marketing mobile check-in strategymacy's has partnered with foursquare and shopkick to create. Foursquare is a technology company that uses location intelligence to build meaningful consumer experiences and inform business decisions attribution helps marketers measure the efficacy of current media strategies at driving store visits.
Note from beth: i so happy to sneak into last night's 501tech club new york city gathering last night to hear shelley bernstein, brooklyn museum, and naveen selvadurai talk about nonprofits and foursquare i got a warm welcome and in turn i donated a copy of the networked nonprofit for a raffle. Get started start developing on amazon web services using one of our pre-built sample apps foursquare is a technology company that informs business decisions through a deep understanding of the company is also able to deploy its engineering and it staff on more strategic. Foursquare itp developed of arlington county commuter services' (accs) first strategic plan for transportation demand management (tdm) plan in 2008, in which we collaborated with staff at all levels to develop tdm goals, objectives, strategies, and performance measures since the.
Marketing land is a daily foursquare is now going public about its moves over the past year to sell its location data and deliver ads across the web and on mobile gain new strategies and insights at the intersection of marketing, technology. Foursquare's dennis crowley: why i'm not bitter that 'pok mon go that are setting the strategic vision for the company, that get to the company makes a lot of its money from licensing foursquare's location technology which translates your gps position into a plain-english. The company praised rosenblatt's leadership, which continue reading foursquare president steven rosenblatt led advertising sales at quattro wireless and ultimately ran apple's iad strategy following the as we've grown from a consumer brand into the leader in location technology. The latest news, videos, and discussion topics on foursquare. Foursquare goes beyond social media to forecast foursquare's technology gives it the ability to map out where its users are was stepping down from his role as ceo to become executive chairman of the company so he could focus more on long-term strategy and building. Here is the marketing mix of foursquare which is a social networking portal and is associated with media and entertainment sector a proprietary technology for detection of user's location with help of cellular signal strength marketing strategy of abercrombie and fitch.


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CFPB Targets Student Debt Relief
The CFPB requested that a federal district court enter a final judgment that would shut down a student debt relief scheme that allegedly charged millions in illegal upfront fees for federal student loan services. This lawsuit, started in December 2014, alleged that the company charged consumers illegal upfront enrollment fees before providing any services, deceived customers about the costs of their services, and falsely represented an affiliation with the Department of Education. The proposed judgment would order the company to pay $8.2 million in refunds to its customers, require payment of a civil money penalty, cancel all contracts with consumers, and ban the company and its owner from any future debt relief or student loan services.
CFPB Forays into Data Security – No Breach Required
First Bureau Data Security Enforcement Action Taken Against Dwolla
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a consent order (finalized on February 27, 2016) against Dwolla, Inc., an online payments platform, for deceptive acts relating to its data security practices. The enforcement action is the CFPB's first foray into regulating the data security practices of consumer financial service companies, an enforcement area where the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has typically been more active in recent years.
February 2016 Complaint Snapshot: Prepaid Products
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued its February 2016 Complaint Snapshot. The Snapshot's product spotlight covers Prepaid Products.
Prepaid products are a type of consumer financial products that serve unbanked and under-banked households. These alternative consumer accounts can be loaded with funds by either a consumer or a third party and allow people to make payments, store funds, and withdraw cash.
The CFPB Begins Taking Complaints about Marketplace Lenders
On March 7, 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that it will be accepting complaints from consumers about the marketplace lending industry. The CFPB also released a consumer bulletin providing an overview of marketplace lending and tips for consumers applying for credit through these websites.
CFPB Enforcement Settlement Principles Revealed
When companies are faced with a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) investigation and threatened with litigation over alleged violations of consumer financial law, often there is the potential to reach a negotiated settlement. But settling a CFPB enforcement action presents a number of unique challenges, including the CFPB's internal priorities and philosophy regarding the use of negotiated settlements to resolve enforcement matters. This article examines these dynamics.
Government Puts Squeeze on Lead Generation Marketing
Online lead generation continues to face increased scrutiny and regulation on multiple fronts, including from consumer groups, state regulators, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This squeeze is being felt by all participants—publishers, aggregators, and buyers—and, notably, the lines of legal responsibility and accountability continue to blur. All told, the viability of some forms of online lead generation is at stake.
April 24–27, 2016 – "Legal and Regulatory Update: Spotlight on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Regulation of the Debt and Credit Markets" at the Financial Counseling Association of America 2016 Conference
June 17, 2016 – "CFPB Turns Five: The Evolving Legal and Regulatory Landscape for Debt Collection" at the 2016 ACA International Convention & Expo


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Kellogg agreed to sell its cookies and fruit snack brands, including Keebler and Famous Amos to Ferrero SpA for $1.3 billion, as the cereal maker refocuses on the fast-growing parts of its business.
The businesses generated sales of about $900 million in 2018, the companies said Monday. The all-cash transaction is expected to close by the end of July. As part of the deal, Ferrero will acquire six US food manufacturing facilities across the US, plus a leased facility in Baltimore.
“Divesting these great brands wasn’t an easy decision,” Steve Cahillane, Kellogg’s chief executive officer, said in a statement. It “will lead to reduced complexity, more targeted investment, and better growth.” Ferrero, the Italian maker of Nutella spread, has been on an acquisition spree while Kellogg has been seeking to simplify its corporate structure as it struggles to ignite growth in its US cereal and snacks businesses. Kellogg announced last year it was looking for buyers for the snacks businesses as part of its strategic plan.
“Kellogg Co.’s cookie, fruit snack, ice cream cone and pie crust businesses are an excellent strategic fit for Ferrero as we continue to increase our overall footprint and product offerings in the North American market,” Giovanni Ferrero, Executive Chairman of the Ferrero Group, said in a statement.


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SPOKANE--Spokane car lot owners say they're being targeted and they have the criminals on tape.
Employees at Cliff Motors on North Market say they’re being targeted over and over. The latest car theft was caught on camera. Several young men spent nearly two hours boosting cars.
It’s happening across town too.
Rick Harter at Affordable Motors on Sprague was hit in late June. Harter gave his surveillance video to police, but says a BMW and Suburban were taken along with items in his office.
Spokane Police say they're investigating the thefts and it could be connected to a larger burglary ring.
In addition to the stolen vehicles totaling in thousands lost, both car lot owners say thieves are taking hundreds of batteries.
Police say the investigation is ongoing.


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Danbury area shoppers: saving or spending?
DANBURY -- With Christmas just three days away, the pressure is on to grab that last-minute gift. But with the economy in a funk, are local shoppers getting the goods or warily watching the sales?
Ridgefield resident Earl Hagman said his spending this year is unchanged by the economic conditions.
"There's a few people I buy for," he said outside of Best Buy in Danbury.
Anne Murray, of Danbury, also said the economy has had little effect on her shopping habits.
"Right now, I'm just buying a few odds and ends," she said. "I'm buying for the same people I always buy for, so that hasn't really changed."
Danbury resident Stephen Canarozzi said he and his wife were just finishing their holiday shopping. He said they are shopping to get done and not necessarily looking for the best deal.
"We don't normally shop the sales," Canarozzi said. "If there's a sale, then that's great."
Canarozzi added that his 11-month-old daughter has more of an effect on his spending than the economy.
Dennis Piela, of Danbury, said he is a procrastinator.
"I'm a man -- I don't like to shop," he said.
Piela has cut back on his spending a little because of the economy.
"It makes you think twice," he said.
"But when I shop, I like to just get in and get out in a hurry. Then (I worry about the cost) when the bill comes in January."
Contact Emily Froehlich at
or at 203-731-3370.