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It's not been a good year for GameStop, and that's putting it mildly. After reporting a drop in fiscal year sales, management reshuffling, and it's biggest drop in stock price ever, you'd be forgiven for counting the gaming retailer down and out. But even as analysts predict imminent doom for the company, GameStop seems to believe that it can still save itself by becoming a community hub for gamers.
In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, GameStop's VP of Merchandising Eric Bright seemed optimistic about the company's ability to leverage its brick-and-mortar stores as a place for gamers to gather IRL, saying,
But part of the future for us overall is the value in GameStop being the only gaming specialist store in the world in which it's really a community hub for gamers. We see that, our partners see that and our consumers see that. We know through our PowerUp Rewards membership that we have, GameStop's role in the future is how do we expand to become that center point for the community where gamers can come and congregate and learn and be educated about all of the items that are out there, and how does GameStop turn that into a revenue stream for us. I think you'll see some big changes in the upcoming future for GameStop that will double down on that very thought.It's a curious strategy in an age where gaming communities have no shortage of online places to gather. Amidst places like Reddit, Tumblr, 4chan, and ResetEra—not to mention game developer and news sites' forums and the plethora of Youtube communities—the idea of going to a physical store to learn about the latest games and products from sales staff seems more than a little antiquated. But it's an idea that GameStop appears willing to run with. In June, GameStop axed the website for gaming merchandise store ThinkGeek, opting to basically absorb the online store's product lineup into GameStop's more physical-oriented stores. Earlier this year, the company also opened up its first GameStop Performance Center in Frisco, Texas, a physical esports venue where players can go to receive coaching on games like Overwatch, Fortnite, and Call of Duty from professional players.
Bright talked about the Performance Center as if it were the first step in making GameStop the place for gamers to go to watch gameplay streams and learn how to improve their play.
The Performance Center is a hub for esports players to come in, talk about all of the games and gameplay and we can take that content and then stream it into any store. Now instead of just going in and purchasing Overwatch, gamers can come on a given day and be taught how to play Overwatch by some of the top people in the world.Catering towards competitive players and trying to push itself as a physical community hub is a bold strategy, and one that will need to pay off quickly if GameStop is to survive in an increasingly digital industry. With game publishers pushing subscription-based models like Xbox Game Pass, Uplay+, and EA Access, as well as streaming services like Google Stadia and Project XCloud just over the horizon, one can't help but wonder how much time the gaming retailer has left to carve itself a new place in this industry.


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Style-for, later a research meal with cuisine magazine colleagues at chicago's thai room opened our eyes to even bolder heat a menu. Everything about the mazda cx 30 feels precise as if each individual screw was tightened by the worker who would take that, emerick aubameyang is "too good for arsenal" and the gunners face a tough decision on whether to sell the striker at the end. I still haven't finished adding to my mailing list the dozens of new entrants to week 1385 the style invitational contest posted two weeks ago that asked readers to change a place name slightly then, as protests rock the united states over the death of george floyd anger built in mexico on thursday over its own police.
The online retail giant said the sale will last anywhere from seven to 10 days and take place later this month, sebastian professional international artist anthony cole shows us 7 steps to to rock the best hairstyle for a virtual. If stylish fashion forward content creators are what you seek look no further than the lineup of black fashion influencers, just six months in this has unquestionably been an unprecedented year for our world and our small businesses and the brew.
He was especially taken by the elegant clothing his parents used to wear including his mother in classic nigerian iro and, since taking office president trump has largely opposed or undermined the kind of police reforms that protesters around the. There is a thin line between the military's tolerance for questionable partisan moves over the past three years and the point

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Head of State Ilham Aliyev visits Azersun Holding's stand
The head of state, Mr. Ilham Aliyev during his participation in the Worldfood 2017 exhibition at Baku Expo, has visited Azersun Holding's stand. The general director of the group of companies Savash Uzan informed the head of the state about the steps and projects implemented for supply of local raw materials to production enterprises.
He also noted that as a result of successful scientific research, sugar cane is already grown in winter. He said that new areas of sugar cane were planted on the territory of 14,000 hectares and noted the significant steps taken to develop the "Made in Azerbaijan" brand. During the exhibition, visitors showed great interest in tea, sugar, butter, salt, preserves, milk and sauces produced by Azersun Holding with its important role in ensuring the country's food security. Working towards entering local products to the world market, the group of companies already exports its goods to 36 countries. It should be noted that during the exhibition Azersun Holding's stand was awarded the certificate of "The most attractive stand".


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Photos claiming to show the new T-Mobile G2 have appeared on the web, with a release date set for the first half of the year.
Although the T-Mobile G1 impressed us immensely, there were a few issues with the phone, least of all its rather chunky appearance. Compared to the sleek likes of Apple’s ubiquitous iPhone, we have to say found the Android powered contender looked rather lardy.
The new G2 is said to be slimmer than its predecessor but that’s at the expense of the slide-out QWERTY keyboard. That omission could be a deal buster for some and it certainly dampens our enthusiasm.
Like the original G1, the new handset will be built by HTC and the pictured screengrabs suggest it will have a similar interface.
We can’t say we’re getting excited about the look of the front of the phone, with its two sets of two itty-bitty buttons grouped together above a Blackberry-style trackball, with a fifth button to the left.
The ‘Jimmy Hill’ style ‘chin’ is still to be seen at the base of the phone, while the back sports smooth rounded lines with a 3.2 MP camera near the top.
There appears to be no flash onboard which is a dis-appointment.
The phone comes in a high gloss finish and is expected to appear on the horizon some time around May – which might put it head to the head with the frankly far more exciting Palm Pre.


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Honda Accord With Huge Roof Load Is Remarkably Risky
It can be frightening to drive with a heavy roof load, and one Honda Accord driver found it to be remarkably risky.
The Accord was captured on camera driving up a ramp before being halted due to a massive rooftop load that nearly covered the entire back windscreen.
Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but it undoubtedly prompted questions about how safe it would be to drive while carrying large roof loads.
Too much weight on the roof of your car can limit steering and braking control,
increase drag, and even cause you to lose stability in strong winds.
This is why it's crucial to adhere to the manufacturer's maximum roof weight recommendations and to watch out for other motorists in situations like these.


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Ford on Wednesday said it will fire more workers in Michigan a week after thousands of workers walked off the job at the company’s Louisville, Kentucky, plant.
According to the auto giant, around 150 workers will be furloughed as a result of the United Auto Workers strike, which has jarred Ford’s economic outlook. The latest firings bring the total number of layoffs at the company to 2,730 since the strike began in September.
Due to the walkout, the fired workers won’t be eligible for financial assistance and instead must rely on strike funds.
The firings, while relatively small, likely will increase tension between the automaker and the union as negotiations continue. Last week, UAW surprised Ford and the other automakers involved in the strike when it issued a strike at the firm’s facility in Louisville. The plant is one of Ford’s major profit centers, and its closure will cost the company millions of dollars.
Ford has said it’s at the limit of what it can propose to the union. The latest Ford offers to the UAW have included 20% raises and significant improvements to benefits. The union said no to those and insisted that Ford, along with General Motors and Jeep manufacturer Stellantis, can give more.
UAW President Shawn Fain said he won’t wait until Friday to announce strike expansions.


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By Arwyn Rice
Peninsula Daily News
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The live auction will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday in the student commons at Forks High School, 261 S. Spartan Ave., where all items will be on display.
The auction also will be carried live on Forks 1490 AM/96.7 FM radio and live-streamed at www.searchforks.com/qvsa, with photos of the auction items available on the website.
Bids can be made in person at the student commons or by phoning 360-374-6262, ext. 228 or 229, during the event.
Credits cards will be accepted, and all sales are final.
Money from the annual auction funds awards made to Forks High graduating seniors and graduates to pay for college costs, vocational school fees or tools for graduates heading off to work.
Recipients can use the scholarship for any continuing education, including vocational or certificate training.
This year's expected graduating class of 88 students is far larger than the usual 55 to 60 seen in past years, said Jerry Leppell, chairman for the
To offer the initial $1,200 scholarship for each student that has been awarded in the past, the auction will have to earn a record amount this year: more than $100,000, Leppell said.
In 2013, the auction raised $71,000, he said.
Students from the high school have been collecting donated items since February and will continue to accept auction items until Sunday.
Fits every budget
There are items to fit every budget, Leppell said.
“We have items that will go for $5 to $5,000,” he said.
Among the larger auction items this year are an Alaska fishing trip for two — a $2,400 value — and many local guided fishing tours.
Wood carvings and metal sculptures created by inmates at the Olympic Corrections Center — popular and sought-after items, organizers said — will be included in this year's auction.
Other auction items donated by community members include local baked goods, birdhouses, gift baskets, and smoked salmon.
In the first 49 years of the auction, more than $1 million has been raised for Forks alumni to continue their vocational or higher education goals.
Students are overseen by a group of community leaders who coordinate the radio broadcast and manage the scholarship while teachers at the school serve as auctioneers.
Most of the committee members are Forks High graduates, and many are past recipients of the scholarship.
Any Forks High graduate is eligible for a scholarship twice in his or her life, based on financial need, grades and participation in past auctions.
All items must be picked up in the Forks High School Commons before the close of the auction each day.
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Tom-Ferr builds HUF 2.1 bln pipe factory in Tata
Hungarian-owned Tom-Ferr is building a HUF 2.1 billion factory to produce automotive pipes, to be located beside its existing site in the industrial park of Tata (NW Hungary), Deputy Director Nora Laczkó told state news agency MTI on Tuesday.
The company aims to become a leading supplier of the European automotive industry, Laczkó said, adding that it won a HUF 850 million European Union grant for the project.
The new plant is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2019. It will add 25 jobs to Tom-Ferrʼs existing headcount of 190.
Tom-Ferr holds nearly one-third of the Hungarian pipe products market, Laczkó said. The company supplies 70% of the pipes built into cars made at the Suzuki plant in nearby Esztergom, and its other clients include Kirchhoff Hungária, Magyar Toyo Seat, Toyo Seat Europe, Rába, and Gedia Hungary.
The company sells more than 28,000 tonnes of pipes in Hungary and abroad annually. It had sales revenue of HUF 6 bln in 2017.
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Connect with top gaming leaders in Los Angeles at GamesBeat Summit 2023 this May 22-23. Register here.
Antstream Arcade, a London startup that makes a streaming platform for retro games, said it received a round of funding led by Chinese gaming and social giant Tencent.
London-based venture firm Hambro Perks also participated in the Series A funding. The funding amount wasn’t disclosed.
Antstream Arcade offers a monthly subscription service to more than 2,000 retro video games. With that big catalog, Antstream Arcade offers casual “snacks” for its subscribers, letting them pick up and play classic retro games on demand. They can also interact with social challenges on the platform and compete with friends.
AntStream Arcade is available on Mac, PC, Xbox One, tablet and mobile devices, Nvidia Shield, and Amazon Fire Stick, with other platforms coming soon. In this case, you don’t have to buy separate vintage hardware to access older games.
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Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Antstream Arcade soft-launched in July 2019 in Western Europe, and it plans to launch in the U.S. at the end of 2019.
“Streaming is the future of gaming and the feedback we have received from our fans and early adopters has proven the point, they love it,” said Antstream Arcade CEO Steve Cottam, in a statement. “We are truly privileged that Tencent recognized our potential by investing so early in our journey. The company is synonymous with gaming and we are proud to be part of its family. Tencent has given us an incredible endorsement of our plans at Antstream Arcade, and we are delighted to lean on the support of its team as well as Hambro Perks to bring the joy of retro gaming to modern devices and new audiences.”
“Hambro Perks is thrilled to back Antstream alongside Tencent,” Dom Perks, CEO of Hambro Perks, in a statement. “We predict that its retro gaming platform will be hugely popular with veteran gamers as well as younger demographics. Mobile streaming classic games is a fantastic idea and the team behind the vision is truly world-class.”
Antstream Arcade was founded in 2013 in London.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. Discover our Briefings.


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A new partnership between Logitech G and Tencent Games has been announced that will create a cloud gaming handheld later this year. The announcement was made on the official Twitter account by the two companies. The companies will combine their expertise in software and hardware to develop the new device. It will support multiple cloud gaming services, including Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW, and will allow gamers to play AAA titles even when they’re away from their consoles.
The companies plan to roll out the Start product in other regions as well, including the Middle East and Latin America. The goal is to find regulators who support the innovations. The partnership also aims to create more cloud gaming content for the handheld.
The new device will have built-in wireless technology that allows gamers to connect to the cloud through WiFi and mobile data. The hardware and software will integrate with existing Tencent games, ensuring that gamers will have the same high-quality gaming experience.
In the video game industry, cloud gaming is a growing trend. Unlike traditional gaming, it does not require any specific hardware to play. Instead, users can access the game by streaming it from a cloud server. That way, users can experience it without downloading it or purchasing physical copies.
While this trend has only begun to take off in the U.S., it’s still an exciting prospect. In addition to boosting Tencent’s already-healthy cash position, the partnership could help Razer and Tencent achieve profitability.


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A popular retailer has confirmed that it will cease trading at a Hampshire town centre store next month.
Clarks has confirmed to HampshireLive that it will be closing its outlet store in Aldershot on September 19.
The retailer said that the decision to close the Union Street store has been made after “careful consideration” and that they will now work closely with employees during a consultation period.
In a statement to HampshireLive, a Clarks spokesperson said: “At Clarks, we continually review all of our stores to ensure that they are the right size and located in the right areas in order to provide the best possible offering and environment to our customers. After careful consideration, we have decided to no longer trade at our outlet store in Aldershot from 19 September.
“We have a strong duty of care to all our employees and we are working closely with them as they now go through a period of consultation.
“Customers can continue to shop from our full range of products online and at our nearby Clarks stores in Farnham, Farnborough and Guilford.”
Do you think enough is being done to protect the future of high streets? Join the conversation with other HampshireLive readers here.
The closure is yet another blow for Aldershot following multiple shop and restaurant closures in recent years.
TUI, M&S and Poundland, once all features of Union Street, have all closed over the last six years.
Aldershot’s HSBC branch will also be closing in September and many units within the Wellington Centre lay empty, although the Post Office has re-opened after a brief closure in the former WH Smith.
After opening in 2014, the Westgate leisure complex, originally home to eight eateries as well as a Morrisons and Cineworld, has also seen many closures.
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By September 2019, four of those eateries, Harvester, Subway, Toby Carvery and Prezzo had all closed.
Frankie & Benny’s has also since closed due to the company’s financial troubles.
Many units remain empty, although a Pure Gym has opened in the units formerly home to Harvester and Toby Carvery.
Earlier this year a local councillor labelled the site ‘a complete miss’ and urged the council to learn lessons ahead of the town’s huge regeneration projects.
The project will see Union Street and the High Street transformed with a number of residential homes and commercial units.
The development is one of a number that will form part of the ongoing regeneration plan for the town.
Plans were agreed in November for a separate demolition and redevelopment scheme, which will see large parts of the town centre knocked down and replaced.
Two vacant shopping centres, The Galleries and The Arcade, and the High Street multi-storey car park will be demolished and redeveloped, with 596 flats being built in total.
Supermarket chain Aldi has also confirmed that it is targeting two locations in Aldershot as it continues its expansion across the UK.


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Survey Supports Impact of Customer Service Call Centers on Business Success
Results of a global consumer survey, announced by Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, illustrate the high level of frustration consumers feel when dealing with poorly operated customer service call centers.
The survey, which elicited 2,367 responses from around the globe, proves that consumers identify call center agents as the "face" of a company and base their purchasing and loyalty decisions on the quality of service they receive more than on any other company or product attribute. In fact, more than half of the consumers surveyed have stopped doing business with a company due to a negative call center experience.
There is good news, however, for companies that get it right - 76% of consumers stated they would buy from a company based on a positive call center experience. "This survey validates the critical role that call centers play in a successful business strategy," said Genesys CEO Ad Nederlof. "Genesys' customers who have implemented best practices in their call centers have reaped the rewards not only of improved operational efficiencies and lower costs, but also of more satisfied customers and repeat business."
In addition to the direct impact consumers' call center experiences have on a company's revenue potential, the survey results illustrate the influence call centers have on a company's brand. Eighty percent of consumers said customer service representatives have a significant or major influence on their opinion of a company.
\When asked about what makes them loyal to a company, the majority of consumers (56 percent) responded that "good service" is the most important criteria, distantly followed by "good product" at 28 percent, "good price" at 7 percent, and "trusted brand" at 3 percent.
Interestingly, while good service ranked as the leading factor in determining consumer loyalty, a full 85 percent of respondents said they have had a negative call center experience.
This survey should be seen as a call to action for businesses," said Nederlof. "Frustrated customers directly impact a company's revenue, market share and reputation. Doing something as simple as delivering personalized service and providing answers on the first call will not only result in more satisfied customers and greater revenue opportunities, but also in a differentiated brand and the subsequent competitive advantage it brings."
"Genesys has documented the critical link between customer service and business success," said Dr. Jon Anton, director of benchmark research at Purdue University's Center for Customer-Driven Quality. "An efficient and well-run customer call center must be the priority not only of mid-level managers, but also of company executives. Competition, the economy and now customers are the driving force making a successful customer service strategy a vital part of a winning business plan."


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The upstart: Kittch
At the start of the pandemic, television exec Brian Bedol heard a lot from chef friends whose restaurants had closed. They were wondering how to make money online using Instagram, YouTube or perhaps Zoom livestreams. "A lot of chefs are creators and visionaries," he says, "but also Luddites to a degree."
He looked for a suitable online platform to refer them to—something akin to a Twitch for chefs. "We were really surprised to discover it didn't exist," he says.
A year later, he and his business partners Elana Karp—who cofounded the meal kit service Plated—and TV producer Doug Deluca launched Kittch, a platform that helps chefs connect directly with fans and make money livestreaming cooking classes, kitchen tours and talks.


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July 17, 2008
Looks like Britney Spears is back in business. After what seemed like an endless spiral of personal crises and public meltdowns, the pop tart is back in the studio and working on a "brand-new album," according to a joint statement released by her manager, Larry Rudolph, and her label, Jive Records. "Britney Spears is spending her summer in the recording studio," the statement, released Tuesday, says. "She's working with a team of top-notch producers and songwriters. And we're very excited about what she's...


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CNA Newsroom, Dec 2, 2022 / 16:45 pm (CNA).
A watch worn by Pope Francis was sold Wednesday at a charity auction and set a new world record for the brand.
The LaViolette Scholarship Foundation auctioned off a Swatch Once Again watch Nov. 30 that Francis had worn for much of his pontificate.
The watch, which can be found at the brand’s official store for $55, was finally sold for $56,250 — more than 1,000 times its retail value — making it the Swatch watch for which the most money has ever been paid.
Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, sent a letter to the Holy Father in May telling him about the life of Brian LaViolette, a teenage watch collector who died at the age of 15 in a swimming accident.
In the letter, Ricken asked the pontiff to donate one of his cheapest watches to be auctioned by the LaViolette Foundation, which offers financial help for students to go to college.
The Holy Father agreed to the request and the auction of the watch joins those of other famous people such as Fred Savage, Joe Theismann, Terry Bradshaw, Condoleezza Rice, and Randall Park.
It’s not the first time that Pope Francis has donated things for auction.
Less than a year after being elected pope, Harley-Davidson gave the pope a motorcycle that, after he autographed it, was sold for $285,000.
The money raised was used to renovate the “Don Luigi Liegro” shelter, which welcomes the homeless or jobless.
Then in November 2017, Lamborghini gave one of its most exclusive cars to the Supreme Pontiff, who decided to auction it off and allocate the money to numerous charitable works.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.


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Secure your spot while tickets last!
A brand new social app that aims to bring fans closer to their favorite musicians has just signed Reebok as its very first sponsor.
Wall Street Journal reports that Bkstg, the product of two former AOL executives, will be getting some help from Reebok to sponsor an original mini-series it's calling #STEPFORWARD. The first installment of the series stars rapper K-Camp and can be seen here.
The concept of Bkstg is that artists will be able to engage with fans more directly and personally, creating their own exclusive content that followers wouldn't be able to find on other social networks. Last summer, the brand raked in $20 million in funding, and the app went live earlier this week.


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April 21, 2022 11:21
Retail investors lost many of their gambles during the stock-market frenzy and made no profit on money they hastily borrowed from banks and brokerages.
It all began on March 19, 2020, when the Korea Composite Stock Price Index plunged to 1,439.43 points at one point in trading due to the coronavirus pandemic. But retail investors snapped up so many of the stocks that foreign and institutional investors were hastily selling that the index rebounded spectacularly.
The boom driven by retail investors propelled the KOSPI to over 3,000 points for the first time ever in the first half of 2021. More and more small gamblers jumped on the bandwagon, and at the end of last year there were 13.74 million retail investors who had money in the KOSPI, more than double the number in late 2019.
But the bonanza ended in a hangover. According to the Korea Exchange, retail investors bought W160.6 trillion worth of shares on the KOSPI and junior Kosdaq from 2020 until April 19 of this year (US$1=W1,135). But the rate of return on their top 10 favorite issues was -3.7 percent, mainly due to losses from Samsung Electronics shares, which were their favorite.
Kakao was left out of the tally because a stock split last year made it difficult to estimate the rate of return.
The rate of return on Samsung Electronics ordinary shares, the No. 1 stock among retail investors with W50.1 trillion, was -6.5 percent, while preferred shares, which ranked second with W12.2 trillion, brought a -1.5 percent rate of return.
People who bought ordinary shares at their low point of W42,500 in March 2020 would have ended up making money. But those who bought them by the time they had risen to W91,000 in January last year suffered huge losses.
Other top 10 stocks also delivered losses. The rate of return on Hyundai Mobis was a dismal -21.6 percent, on LG Electronics -16.3 percent and on NCsoft -29.9 percent.
But retail investors who bought Hyundai Motor saw an 11.9 percent rate of return, on Naver 1.8 percent, on SK Hynix 13.4 percent and on Kia a whopping 36.8 percent.
The government and Korea Exchange ended up laughing all the way to the bank anyway. Tax payments by the Korea Exchange in 2020 and 2021 helped the government secure money to fund its lavish fiscal spending because everyone who sells stocks pays 0.23 percent transaction tax. Such tax revenues reached a record W12.4 trillion in 2020 and rose even further to W15.6 trillion last year.
The Korea Exchange's profits from stock transaction fees also increased. It charges a 0.0027 percent transaction fee and its profits increased from W371.4 trillion in 2020 to W598.6 trillion last year.
But the disappointing performance on the KOSPI and Kosdaq has driven more retail investors to the U.S. stock market or cryptocurrencies, so another windfall for the government and Korea Exchange seems unlikely.
- Copyright © Chosunilbo & Chosun.com


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Hanergy Thin Film Power Group Ltd. has publicized just two months ago it’s been mulling the introduction of an electric vehicle completely powered by solar panels.
But since the plans for the solar-powered vehicle remain shrouded in the deepest mystery and with the company’s intention to already roll out prototypes as early as this year, analysts have become highly skeptical the solar panel producer would be able to meet its internal goals. Hanergy’s Hong Kong-listed shares jumped six times in price in just 12 months, turning the previously unknown solar panel manufacturer into the planet’s most valuable solar producer. Chairman Li Hejun announced earlier this year in an official company statement that Hanergy is hard at work with its partners and suppliers to premiere up to five solar concept vehicles by October. This week, Hanergy rekindled attention over its automotive projects after announcing it signed agreements to provide the solar cells that would assist certain systems on recreational vehicles, tour buses and catering trucks in China.
On the other hand, so far the company has not disclosed which are its partners in the quest to develop and produce cars that would rely solely on solar engine to run its complex, individual systems – with analysts and industry experts predicting such vehicles would need significant technological breakthroughs to become commercially viable. “Selling panels to other companies for integration is a business that makes sense for Hanergy. It’s a far cry from designing or building their own cars,” commented Charles Yonts, which leads sustainable research at brokerage CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets in Hong Kong.


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Hagans is a cancer survivor and an amputee. The 24-year-old was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma and had her right leg amputated in 2018. But that didn’t stop her from pursuing her love of fashion and modeling.
“I got to experience life with two legs and now I get to experience it with one,” Hagans said according to the Express Tribune. “Yes, I got cancer but I was being given a chance to live. Some people just get told they’re terminal. I just kept trying to remember how lucky I am and I think that’s what got me through it.”
Hagans is represented by Zebedee Management in London, an agency for models with disabilities. She has already snagged a gig with Primark and now she is front and center in Kurt Geiger’s latest series of ads.
“It’s great when people like me get shown, because it doesn’t happen too often,” Hagans said according to the Belfast Telegraph. “I think it can show that different can look good and that you can make the most of whatever sets you apart from the crowd.”
Geiger’s People Empowered campaign will feature 15 activists and organization leaders. Hagans is the first to appear on the designer’s Instagram.
In the photo, she rocks a baggy hoodie with the brand’s crystal Lyon sneaker, a chunky pair of black kicks and Geiger’s hot pink mini Kensington handbag. You’ll notice Hagan’s prosthetic leg is prominently featured in the ads — that’s because she considers it a part of her aesthetic as a model.
Hagans regularly changes the color of her prosthetic leg. As of late, it’s a bright, sunny yellow. She uses a car wrapping service to get the job done.
“I said to them: ‘If you can wrap a car, do you want to have a go at wrapping a prosthetic leg?'” she said. “I’ve been changing the color constantly ever since. Now there are people going into my hospital saying: ‘That girl with the colored leg — how do we get a leg like that? They’ve put them in touch with the same company and they’ve started wrapping legs for other people.”
If you liked this story, check out In The Know’s article on Paralympic athletes participate in an amputee fashion show.
More from In The Know:
Meet the style influencer changing fashion for people with disabilities
5 Kindle books In The Know editors can’t put down
Shop our favorite beauty products from In The Know Beauty on TikTok
This $60 timer-operated mini safe locks away your phone to boost your productivity


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CHINA is seen as an efficient model for lockdown between the audioeditorfree.comronavirus outbreak. Together lockdown actions are gift scaled back, how long to be it in effect?
Wuhan has a population of 11 million people and with tens of millions an ext people in surrounding cities, these regions were soon brought under lockdown.
You are watching: How long was china in lockdown for
China first put Wuhan City, the center of the outbreak, top top lockdown top top January 23.
The move by Chinese authorities meant no take trip in or out of the city was allowed, even for those that had essential medical or humanitarian reasons.
Inside the city, public transport was audioeditorfree.commpletely suspended and cars were banned indigenous the roads.
Schools and also universities in China were currently on holiday once the lockdown to be put into effect, however this was extended indefinitely.
All shops were closed, other than those marketing food or medicine.
Only vehicles v special permission were allowed on the roads.
The roadways in China were left empty and silent.
DON"T MISSaudioeditorfree.comronavirus seaudioeditorfree.comnd wave: China fight by an ext new situations as tendency reverses
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The future is about the combination of digital and analogue, says THINQUE founder
Creative director and founder at THINQUE, Anders Sorman-Nilsson, told telcos at Capacity Asia 2014 in Bangkok this morning that in order to move forward, they must find a way to combine both digital and analogue technologies.
“The future is not about just going digital, or just remaining in the analogue world; it’s a combination of the two,” Sorman-Nilsson said. “As a futurist I love the idea of the virtual, the cyber, the cloud, the digital, but I also have some misgivings about that world because it can be extremely disruptive if as a business leader, you have not adapted.”
Sorman-Nilsson noted the emotional attachment consumers have to analogue technology, and said that telcos must strive to reach both the “digital minds and analogue hearts” of their customers.
Through a variety of thought-provoking examples – such as smart metering technology that monitors when a customer wakes up in the morning and switches on heating accordingly – Sorman-Nilsson moved on to discuss the importance of making the right cross-industry partnerships.
He highlighted the deal between SingTel and Standard Chartered Bank in July this year, which created "Dash" – an app that offers a range of innovative mobile money solutions – as a successful example of two ideally matched companies.
“Banks realise that they must partner with telcos to ensure they are in the back pocket of the consumer,” Sorman-Nilsson said, adding that in turn, it is the telco responsibility to find similarly constructive partnerships.
Sorman-Nilsson said telcos must decide whether to fight or partner with their OTT counterparts.
With players such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook holding a huge slice of the market, Sorman-Nilsson asked the audience: “Who here is still making money from SMS?”
A single audience member raised their hand.
Sorman-Nilsson concluded that rather than seeing these types of players as disruptive, telcos should view it as an enormous opportunity.


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Disappointed with traditional focus group methods, the Warren, Mich., agency developed what it calls the brand metaphor exercise. Campbell-Ewald started using the new focus-group tool a year ago for three Chevrolet vehicles that are launching now-the Corvette, Malibu sedan and Venture minivan. The shop also has used the research for other clients.
A NEW APPROACH
The General Motors Corp. unit and its agency publicly revealed the research tool last week when they unveiled the new Corvette advertising.
"We were frustrated with getting purely rational responses from traditional focus groups," said Bill Ludwig, vice chairman-chief creative officer of Campbell-Ewald.
Groups of up to 14 people are paired and asked to do a series of exercises for 2 to 3 hours. In one, they write bumper stickers for the vehicles. They're also asked to pick from 200 photos-including animals, landscapes and people-that express the feelings they have about a particular brand.
For the redesigned 1998 Cor-vette, groups picked photos of jungle cats like leopards and tigers.
"They're animals to be revered and parallel the sports car's power, strength and mystique," said David Hudson, senior VP-director of strategic planning at Campbell-Ewald.
SECRET AGENT THEME
The connection was so strong that the Corvette's estimated $25 million campaign-its biggest since the car's last big redesign in 1984-centers on mystique and has a spylike, secret agent tone.
The sole commercial, Chevy's first TV support for the 'Vette since '84, shows spies using sophisticated equipment trying to track an unknown object, which turns out to be a Corvette.
The spot, in a 30- and 60-second version, breaks nationally March 7 during Fox Broadcasting's "Millennium" and NBC's "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and will also air during the March 24 Academy Awards telecast.
The five-week TV blitz will also play on select cable networks and male-skewed network sports including the NCAA men's basketball tournament and Final Four.
About 83% of the nearly 18,000 Corvettes sold last year were to men. Chevrolet wants to lower that percentage to 74%, said Brand Manager Dick Almond.
Chevy is using such media buys as the Oscars to reach a wider audience. Most print ads continue the spy theme. A manila insert is sealed with a sticker that says "Limited access. Not intended for general release."
Also, a spread will appear in April in weeklies Sports Illustrated, Time and U.S. News & World Report, aimed at subscribers meeting the $100,000 household income target for the $38,000-plus sports car. Other smaller magazine buys are Yachting and Flying. Print will continue through the year.
CORVETTE MAGAZINE EXPANDS
For the first time ever, Corvette Quarterly will be sold at bookstores. The magazine, published by Campbell-Ewald sister shop C-E Communications, also will expand its mailing to 400,000, said Lew Eads, Chevy advertising manager.
Normally, each edition goes to 250,000 people, including potential customers and 80,000 Corvette owners. Corvette owners receive the magazine free for four years


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NEW YORK (AP) - One day after the price of benchmark crude took the biggest one-day drop this year, it headed up again.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - At least three national supermarket operators have decided to stop buying ground beef that contains the filler now known as "pink slime."
DIAMOND FOODS SUSPENDS DIVIDENDS: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Diamond Foods Inc. is suspending its dividend payments to stockholders under a new credit agreement.
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. builders are betting that the housing market is finally on the path back to health.
SEATTLE (AP) - When Justin Bassett interviewed for a new job, he expected the usual questions about experience and references. So he was astonished when the interviewer asked for something else: his Facebook username and password.
REDWOOD CITY (AP) - Sales of new software licenses at Oracle accelerated in the latest quarter, easing concerns about customers defecting to less expensive alternatives on the Internet.
SANTA CLARA (AP) - Hewlett-Packard Co. is combining its printing and PC units to save money, according to published reports.
CUPERTINO (AP) - Apple is finally acknowledging that it has more money than it needs. But don't expect it to cut prices on iPhones and iPads. Instead, the company said on Monday that it will reward its shareholders with a dividend and a stock buyback program.
NEW YORK (AP) - Despite retiring as CEO of Verizon Communications Inc. in August, Ivan Seidenberg earned more in 2011 than he did in the last two full years of work.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Adobe Systems Inc. said Monday that its fiscal first-quarter net income fell 21 percent, weighed by higher operating costs even as revenue climbed.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The government is taking a tentative step toward making it easier for airlines to allow passengers to use personal electronic devices such as tablets, e-readers and music players during takeoffs and landings.
CEO DISCOVERS THE RICHER SIDE OF SEARS: NEW YORK (AP) - Sears Holdings Corp. paid its chief executive $9.9 million last year, including incentives the ailing department store operator offered to lure the former technology executive, according to an Associated Press analysis of a regulatory filing.
Q: I am a certified public accountant. One of my clients, who signed up for his Social Security about a year ago, just got a letter from Social Security's "Office of Quality Assurance." The people there want to redo his claim for benefits. And they are asking him to bring in his military discharge papers (he was in the Army 40 years ago), his W-2 records for the past 10 years and other documents. What's going on? He's very worried about this.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Inflation remains tame throughout the U.S. economy, with one big exception: gas prices.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Apple's latest iPad drew the customary lines of die-hard fans looking to be first and entrepreneurs looking to make a quick profit.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Americans are doing a better job of making timely credit card payments, even as many lenders increasingly extend credit to more people with less-than-stellar credit.


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We previously covered Google’s quest to buy a curated music service. Google made offers on both Songza and 8tracks.
Now, Google has sealed the deal by announcing the acquisition of Songza. The price has not been disclosed.
Songza says they are “thrilled” to join Google.
For now, Songza will remain unaffected, and their users can keep using the service. In the coming months, Google plans to incorporate Songza into Google Play Music. This seems like a good move, as Google Play needs a serious makeover.
Google also says that they will bring Songza’s “great work to the music experience on YouTube and other Google products“.
Google is preparing to launch YouTube’s streaming music service using tactics that are very unfavorable to independent labels.


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Hackers are pervading and locusts are raiding, but first: a cartoon about deepfake news.
Here's the news you need to know, in two minutes or less.
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Cisco flaws puts millions of workplace devices at risk
If, in the course of your workday, you use stuff like desk phones, web cameras, and network switches, you've probably used a Cisco product. Researchers have recently discovered security flaws in those products that affect millions of devices and could be exploited to penetrate deep into corporate networks: Attackers could collect sensitive information, turn the devices into eyes and ears inside an organization, or shut the devices down altogether.
The terrifying science behind the locust plagues in Africa
New estimates show that the locust population in East Africa—already numbered in the hundreds of billions—could increase 500-fold by June, causing massive food shortages across the continent. Researchers say that a swarm covering one square kilometer can eat as much food in a day as 35,000 humans, and when locusts get together another scary thing happens: Their bodies transform from tan into a striking yellow and black, and they start eating toxic plants—and becoming toxic themselves.
That's the portion of Nike's Vapormax shoe that's made from recycled manufacturing waste. The company introduced its gear for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics today, showing off neat colors and technology made from sustainable materials.
Yesterday, we told you about the best mattress to sleep on. But you can't stay in bed forever: Grab one of these sunrise alarm clocks to make the waking-up process as easy and natural as possible.
Miss the president's State of the Union address last night? Watch it right here.
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E-Commerce Social Traffic Declines, Tablet Traffic Grows
A new report from marketing and website optimization solutions provider Monetate is shedding some light on recent social commerce trends, the growing importance of mobile devices and the opportunity retailers have with U.S. military online shoppers.
The Ecommerce Quarterly report, which analyzed a random sample of more than 500 million online shopping experiences in the first quarter of 2013, reveals that social media is lagging as a direct traffic source to e-commerce websites and online purchases despite the investment brands are putting into this channel. In fact, social media represented only 1.55 percent of all e-commerce traffic, which puts it behind email (2.82%) and far behind search (31.43%). Plus, social media traffic numbers are down from Q1 2012, when they reached 2.36 percent.
That being said, mobile devices including tablets and smartphones are grabbing a larger share of e-commerce traffic. For instance, tablet and smartphones made up 21.02 percent of traffic, which is a huge increase from just 2 percent two years ago. In addition, one of the most surprising stats from the study found that tablets actually led smartphones in e-commerce traffic, with 10.58 percent of the traffic share compared to 10.44 percent.
Another noteworthy insight from the Ecommerce Quarterly study shows that marketing to U.S. military personnel pays off. The data reveals that conversion rates among military personnel in the U.S. is at 5.15 percent, 4.3 percent in Europe and 3.57 percent in Asia. All of these numbers are higher than the overall U.S. consumer segment, which has an average conversion rate of 2.53 percent. Likewise, the average order value of military personnel was 23.39 percent higher than U.S. shoppers.
"As marketers know, data can tell a story and the EQ1 2013 tells the story of a fast-growing ecommerce market where companies face growing opportunities and challenges," said Blair Lyon , vice president, marketing, Monetate. "We focused this EQ on social commerce since the data shows the companies have not yet cracked the code in leveraging social media to drive ecommerce traffic. We know that social media plays an important role in influencing social purchases – to what degree brands are able to leverage social to build loyalty is the next big question."


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James on Lyft: KC isn't out to set back entrepreneurs
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Kansas City is not in the back pocket of the taxi industry, Mayor Sly James said in a Tuesday message written in response to the growing discussion surrounding ride-sharing Lyft’s presence in the city.
On Tuesday, James posted a blog entry — “ Hit the brakes and get the facts” — discussing the “supposed and manufactured controversy” about the San Francisco-based ride-sharing company’s arrival to the market. He laid out the city’s communications and relationship with the company which the city says is operating illegally in city limits.
James said the city has worked with ride-sharing companies for months to bring the services to Kansas City. However, Lyft didn’t make any contact with the city until it started operating on April 24. He said the city won’t allow any business to “waltz” into town without taking the proper steps to ensure that the business is safe and operating within the law.
“Just because complying with public safety regulations does not meet a company’s public relations/marketing timeline, that does not preclude their obligation to do so, nor does it allow us to waive our responsibilities because the concept is popular on Twitter,” James wrote.
James said the city is working with zTrip, a mobile application that tracks and orders taxis and is developed by transportation company Veolia Transportation Inc., based in Lombard, Ill. The city also is working with Uber Technologies Inc., a San Francisco-based ride-sharing company, about bringing those services into Kansas City. zTrip, which is used by Kansas City Transportation Group, already is operating in the city legally, he said.
The post did not contain any information about a coming meeting between Lyft and the city. Representatives of the city and James’ office were not immediately available for comment on this story.
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Trailer Wizards Ltd., a Canadaian-based trailer rental and sales company, announced Wednesday the appointment of Jonathan Assels as Parts Fulfillment Manager for Ontario. Based out of the Mississauga office, Assels will be responsible for maintaining and further building Trailer Wizards’ Parts Department in all of their Total Customer Care Centre locations as well as developing the retail parts counter expansion.
Assels’ official start date with Trailer Wizards was Nov. 12, 2012. He began his career as Inventory Controller and Yard Manager at a local automotive recycling yard and moving up to trucks and trailers eight years ago. Assels has worked for the Trailmobile Parts Distribution Centre and most recently worked for the largest Mack & Volvo Dealer in Canada.
“My goals are to help continue to further enhance the successful Parts fulfillment business while also working to lower customers’ trailer maintenancecosts,” Assels said. “By having trailer parts readily available for all models, we can reduce customers’ downtime and continue to be Canada’s one-stop-trailer-shop.”


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CRTC’s 2017 Communications Monitoring Report: the Steady Rise of Internet TV
For the first time this year, the CRTC’s Communications Monitoring Report presents data on revenues generated from Internet services. One thing is clear: the popularity of video-on-demand services is undeniably on the rise.
Year after year, the CRTC’s Communications Monitoring Report, which provides a bill of health of Canada’s communication system, measures the evolution of our system toward a future that’s gradually becoming clearer.
In this universe characterized by the convergence of two sectors that used to be very distinct, telecommunications continue to dominate—with 70% of the total revenues—thanks to the provision of mobile wireless services and Internet services while the broadcasting sector continues to decline slowly especially due to the decrease in advertising revenue generated from conventional television. This decrease is partly offset by the increase in optional add-on service subscription revenues.
Source: Table 2.0.1 – Annual communications service industry revenues ($ billions). CRTC data collection
Each year, among the indicators provided in over 172 tables and 150 charts, media outlets focus mainly on the fact that the conventional television indicators are entering new territory. Indeed, the rate of adoption of online television in Canada peaked in 2016, with 58% of Canadians aged 18 years and up having stated that they watched Internet TV. That is what the Media Technology Monitor (MTM) defines as watching or streaming television programs or clips available over the Internet. As for the 18–34 age group, they are now 23% to watch online television exclusively.
Online television, the popularity of which paled in comparison to broadcast television not that long ago, is now a well integrated phenomenon.
It has come to a point that the report’s section on the television sector no longer refers to the expression “over-the-top” (OTT) and, for the first time, includes the revenues generated by Canadian or foreign video-on-demand Internet services available in Canada (estimated by OVUM, an independent firm).
Online television surpasses conventional television
In 2016, according to OVUM’s estimates, online television revenues surpassed those generated by private conventional television services for the first time. Private conventional television is one of the founding components of Canada’s broadcasting system.
Sources: Tables 4.2.1 Revenues of television services, by type of service (CRTC data collection) and 4.2.5 Estimated revenues of Internet-based video services in Canada by type of service (OVUM 2016)
It is however important to note that the revenues generated by all television services (conventional television services and optional add-on services) remain significantly higher than those generated by Internet video services.
In 2016, the revenues generated by television programming services available in Canada, whether distributed conventionally or on the Internet, totalled 9,234 million dollars (a sum obtained by adding the data collected by the CRTC to OVUM’s estimated data). For its part, online television generated 21% of these revenues, compared to only 8% as recently as four years ago.
Sources: Tables 4.2.1 Revenues of television services, by type of service ($ millions) and 4.2.5 Estimated revenues of Internet-based video services in Canada by type of service. Optional services include: speciality, pay, pay-per-view and video-on-demand services licensed by the CRTC. Internet-based VOD includes: subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), transactional video-on-demand (TVOD), and advertising video-on-demand (AVOD).
The global screen
With respect to Internet-based video services, subscription-based services (SVOD) generated the lion’s share of revenues (55%), whereas transactional services (TVOD) and those financed by advertising (AVOD) generated equal shares of the remaining revenues. Not surprisingly, with revenues estimated at 766 million dollars, Netflix dominated with 70% of all revenues in its category and 39% of total revenues.
Source: Table 4.2.5 – Estimated revenues of Internet-based video services in Canada by type of service ($ millions). OVUM, 2016
That being said, according to OVUM’s estimates published in the CRTC’s report, advertising-funded services recorded the strongest growth in 2015 and 2016. Consequently, the estimated share of revenue generated by Facebook in this category, although it remains modest compared to the revenue generated by YouTube, increased from 6% in 2015 to 14% in 2016, which represents a year-over-year increase of 176%.
Actually, Facebook recently announced that its advertising sales had surpassed 10 billion dollars during the year’s third quarter, i.e., +50% compared to the same period the previous year. This success however comes with a setback: the platform is suffering from a shortage of advertising inventory that now jeopardizes its revenue growth.
Facebook launched its Watch service in August of this year. This platform is designed for live or pre-recorded video content (available only in the US until further notice) and should eventually lead to inventory increases. Mark Zuckerberg announced that his company would be investing massively in content for this new platform and that the objective was to fund programming through advertising revenue (shared with the content creators).
Facebook is expected to spend close to one billion US dollars on original content for Watch in 2018. For example, it was made public in October that Facebook had ordered an American remake of the celebrated Norwegian series Skam catering to young adults, the same young adults who, as reported in the introduction, are now 23% to exclusively watch online television in Canada.
During a presentation at the Mipcom in October, Facebook’s director of video products, Daniel Danker, began dreaming of a world series that the entire plant could watch simultaneously. After all, he pointed out, “with 2 billion people on Facebook each and every day, it would be fantastic and possible to manage to broadcast a world series.”
Among the hundred or so indicators provided in next year’s communications monitoring report, the one dealing with Facebook’s revenues will undoubtedly prove to be the most interesting. It may make it possible to confirm that the television system is mutating into a planetary system dominated by “the tech dragons [the four platforms beyond one billion users]. They are now part of the value chain and arriving to television,” to quote the GM of Havas and president of Vivendi Content, Dominique Delport, during the Mipcom.


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RUN-OF-THE-MILL GLOBAL GROWTH
Among the indicators of mediocre global growth, OECD Cyclical Leading Indicators (CLIs) rose in just 13 out of the 38 countries for which this gauge is available. Since 2014, it has stalled at below-average levels. This shows that the global economy is still struggling to recover from the global financial crisis in 2008/2009, probably held back by persistently high debt levels. CLIs kept losing momentum in the G7 countries, but stabilised in Asia.
PMI indices hardly paint a better picture, in our view. Manufacturing looks weak in many developed and emerging markets, although the GDP-weighted average manufacturing PMI has improved from its mid-2015 low. The services sector PMI for developed economies has risen lately, but that was after a steep decline in late 2015 and earlier this year. In emerging markets (EM), the services sector PMI has fluctuated at around 50, indicating neutral momentum
In our view, the weakness in the global economy is concentrated in industrial production and trade. In April, output rebounded in the US, but slowed further in China. Trade growth has been slow or even negative. Consumer demand is holding up relatively better in developed economies. Consumer trends fit with our desynchronised growth scenario, where we see developed economies holding up relatively better than emerging markets.
COUNTRY MACRO DATA: US AND EUROZONE AHEAD OF CHINA AND JAPAN
The US and the eurozone are outpacing China and Japan. US consumers have emerged from hibernation. Confidence jumped after four months of falls and retail sales rose at the quickest pace since July 2015 amid positive fundamentals such as income growth, robust house prices and growing household wealth. But while real disposable income rose by 2.9% QoQ annualised in the first quarter, consumption gained only 1.9%, boosting the savings rate.
For industrial production, the underlying trend looks less firm than for consumer spending. Manufacturing may still be struggling with lacklustre global demand, the delayed impact of the strong dollar – it is still 17% above the average of the past six years – and an inventory overhang. Nevertheless, it looks like the US economy has started on the second-quarter rebound which is widely expected.
GDP growth in the eurozone was slightly better than expected, supported by a strong gain in Germany, but also by acceleration in France, Italy and the Netherlands. This is welcome after last year’s slowdown. With tailwinds such as a weaker euro and falling oil prices reversing, we do not expect the economy to continue growing at its first-quarter pace. But improving domestic demand and less fiscal tightening should keep growth close to or above trend.
Rather than the flat reading that had been expected (and we had pointed to the possibility of negative growth), growth in Japan came in at 1.7% QoQ annualised, with consumption growing after a steep decline in the fourth quarter and trade providing support. We have not become more positive after this data. First, the improvement could be just volatility. Secondly, leading indicators such as the Tankan survey, the PMIs and the Economy Watchers’ Survey have all weakened lately. Thirdly, all price gauges for domestic components fell (further) into negative territory. Thus, in our view, growth looks weak and disinflationary forces are still at work.
CHINESE DATA DISAPPOINTS
Adjusted for inflation, retail sales grew at the slowest pace in more than a decade. Car sales growth has fallen significantly from the breakneck pace late last year. Industrial production growth fell back after the improvement in March. Fixed asset investment growth slowed due to a slowdown in manufacturing, which was not fully offset by higher growth in infrastructure and real estate. Growth in real estate and infrastructure investment remains modest.
We are concerned that growth could slow significantly when the credit flow slows, while monetary easing measures seem to have less of an impact on the economy. Also, bubbles keep popping up, now in housing. Supply in the megacities may be limited, but price gains of 30.2% YoY in Shanghai, 37.2% in Beijing and 56.1% in Shenzhen look simply unsustainable. We are holding on to our cautious view on Chinese growth.
MARKETS PREOCCUPIED WITH MONETARY POLICY
Markets did not glow over the better-than-expected growth data from Japan. Maybe like us, they doubted the sustainability of Japanese growth. Better data could delay further monetary easing, although the latest news on inflation was quite negative. We expect more monetary easing, probably already in June, and we think there is a high possibility that a planned consumption tax hike will be delayed. Another dose of fiscal stimulus may be announced shortly, taking some of the weight off the Bank of Japan’s shoulders, at least for now.
In the US, most of the inflation pressure continues to come from medical care and shelter, but on the whole, inflation is subdued and should not drive the Federal Reserve to a policy rate hike, even if Fed officials have sounded hawkish lately. The market clearly signalled that a hike now would be a mistake. Given that signal and the uncertainty over the outcome of the UK referendum on EU membership, which will be held shortly after the next Fed policy meeting, the data will have to be stellar and the Fed has to remain hawkish for it to be able to hike rates in June.
ALLOCATION: WEAK EARNINGS AND DISAPPOINTING EM DATA KEEP US CAUTIOUS
The latest US earnings reports have resulted in a 75% earnings surprise ratio, which is less strong than earlier in the reporting season and more in line with previous quarters. The sales surprise ratio improved from previous quarters, but it is still low. In Europe, the earnings ratio is so far more modest than in the US (as usual), but the sales ratio is dismal, in our view.
Actual earnings fell by 8.5% YoY in the US, while sales dropped by 2.2%. The weakness is most visible in energy and basic materials, but financials and information technology also had a poor quarter. Consumer-related sectors and healthcare did better. In Europe, energy, consumer services and financials disappointed.
No wonder markets are struggling. In local currency, the best major equity market this year, that of the US, is flat. Japanese equities have lost 13% and European equities have fallen by 10% year-to-date. Government bond yields are at the low end of their ranges. Risk spreads on corporate and emerging market bonds have held at relatively tight levels though.
We remain happy with our cautious allocation. We are particularly concerned about European earnings and the sustainability of dividend pay-outs and we see political risks. We think the mediocre data from emerging markets does not warrant tight risk spreads on EM bonds.
So far, we have not benefited from our underweight in commodities. Oil prices have clearly moved against us, but the effects of supply disruptions and oil field maintenance should ease. In the medium term, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are likely to raise production. Metals have not joined the commodity rally, indicating that global demand is not driving up prices.
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 Fed officials said an interest-rate increase in June was possible if incoming data showed an improving economy and sought to push back against market expectations that a move at its next meeting was unlikely, minutes from the Fed’s April meeting show. While officials weren’t committed to moving in June, they clearly sought to keep their options open at that meeting and in the communications that they planned to release afterwards. Source: Wall Street Journal, 18 May 2016


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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 News) – A refugee family in Salt Lake City got a home makeover thanks to a Utah company.
The family relocated to Salt
Lake from a Nepali refugee camp.
Families say they come to
the beehive state with little money and some just the clothes on their back.
The Utah company wanted to
help this family in relation to world refugee day.
“We put it out on Instagram
and we were shocked by how many people donated just everyday people who follow
our design firm on Instagram were donating from anywhere to $5 to $300 and
every little bit added up and made it possible,” said Jennifer Stagg, Co-owner
of Stagg Design.
Officials say Utah is home to more than $60,000 refugee families who have left war-torn countries seeking a better and safer life.
Stagg Design is a service interior design firm and home goods product company located in Millcreek.


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April 18, 2012
WA: Kirkland's Warehouse Winery District Suddenly Triples in Size
Owner Bob Delf has worked tirelessly for three years attempting to lure more wineries to the location. The effort paid off last weekend when Waving Tree Winery and Skylite Cellars joined Northwest Cellars in a grand opening celebration.
© 2013 Wine Communications Group - all rights reserved.
privacy & terms


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Internet diamond retailer Igloo Diamonds has partnered with Adopt-A-Minefield (AAM) in a collaboration that will use the proceeds from the sale of diamonds to directly finance landmine removal in Mozambique.
Under the terms of the partnership, Igloo Diamonds will dedicate approximately 50% of its gross profit per diamond sale (less 10% in administration fees) towards the clearing of minefield plots in Mozambique.
Mozambique, one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, has been targeted by AAM for mine removal efforts. Within weeks after the funding has been received and AAM’s mine clearing operation is completed, the buyer will receive a certificate and notification about the successful clearing, location and size of the particular assigned plot.
Igloo Diamondsis a new brand and has been among the first to bring “clean” diamonds from the Canadian Arctic to the worldwide market. With its head office in Carson City, Nev., and its e-commerce platform in Canada, the company sells loose diamonds exclusively via its websites (http://www.diamonds.org, http://www.diamonds.ca).
AAM, New York, the non- governmental organization supported by AAM Goodwill Ambassadors Paul McCartney and Heather Mills McCartney, raises private funds to clear minefields, builds awareness of the global landmine crisis and assists landmine survivors.
The initiative is a world first and represents a historical breakthrough in the business of diamond branding, according to Gad Zak, president of Igloo Diamonds.
“Canadian diamonds provide an attractive alternative for pro-social consumers who want to purchase high quality stones but are concerned about the mining conditions, the reliability and the authenticity of their diamonds’ origins,” Zak said. “By partnering with AAM, we have taken the concept of clean diamonds to the next level.” “There are between 50 and 70 million landmines in over 80 countries throughout the world and local communities rarely have the resources to clear them,” added Nahela Hadi, executive director of AAM. “As a non-governmental organization that relies on private contributions, AAM is constantly looking for additional sources of funding. This partnership with Igloo Diamonds will help to save lives and return land to productive use as our battle against the scourge of landmines continues.”


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Many business owners in Colorado and around the country are finding it increasingly difficult to protect their intellectual property in the information age. Eight out of ten of the senior executives who were surveyed in a poll said that intellectual property infringement was becoming more common, but many of them also said that they were doing little to keep track of or address the problem.
Colorado residents who are following the development of driverless car technology may be interested in learning about the latest twist in the ongoing litigation between Waymo and Uber over Waymo's driverless car technology. Waymo previously filed a trade secrets and unfair competition lawsuit against Uber. The plaintiff claimed that the defendant and one of Waymo's former employees infringed on Waymo's patented technology and used it in Uber's driverless cars. Uber filed a motion to force Waymo into arbitration and to stay it while related federal patent infringement litigation is proceeding.
Colorado residents may be aware of the ongoing legal dispute between Alphabet and Uber about self-driving car technology. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, previously filed an intellectual property lawsuit against Uber, and the company has now added a patent claim to its complaint.
Some Colorado businesses want to trademark a family of marks that they have been using in their advertising. In order to better understand what is required to do so, business owners might want to be aware of a case involving Little Caesar's.
Many people in Colorado use Apple products for business and personal use. Now, the complex technology that goes into creating many of those devices has become the subject of patent infringement claims. On Dec. 21, Nokia OYJ filed two lawsuits against Apple Inc. over dozens of alleged patent violations. The lawsuits involve technology that is used to create products such as the iPhone, iPod, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac computers.
When forming a business in Colorado, naming the business represents an important first step. In many cases, the business owner will want to trademark the name or elements of the products or services to create a brand identity separate from competitors. Before making a final decision, the business person must determine if the soon-to-be-trademarked identity is not already in use.
Colorado businesses are usually allowed to register any of their trademarks as long as no other party has already done so. However, the disparagement provision of the Lanham Act states that a request for trademark registration may be refused if the content of the trademark may disparage persons, institutions, beliefs or national symbols.
Some of the most valuable assets that are owned by Colorado companies fall under the category of intellectual property, or IP. There are four different kinds of IP, and a company may need to take action to protect all of them. Copyrights, trademarks, patents and trade secrets can all be protected with legal licenses and an IP management plan.
Many Colorado companies possess valuable intellectual property assets such as software code, patents, trademarks and copyrights vital for marketplace advantages. Interviewing job candidates or having employees lured away by competitors present two situations when intellectual property could be compromised by outsiders.
Intellectual property is governed by the state laws of Colorado and the federal laws of the United States. In the brand- and information-focused business world, many of a company's most valuable assets may fall into the intellectual property category. There are four types of intellectual property: patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets.


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Russian propulsion engineering firm Energomash is open to contracts to build partially reusable launch vehicles, the company’s chief executive Igor Arbuzov said. “If a real customer turns up who will need a carrier rocket with a reusable stage – we will make one”, Arbuzov said. He added there had been no contracts for rocket stages…Details
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Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft has received instructions of the Central Energy Customs to suspend oil product supplies to Ukraine, Igor Dyomin, advisor to the company’s president, said. “To ensure the Russian legislation in the sphere of export control we were asked to stop transportation of oil products to Ukraine”, he said. In early 2016…Details
In January-August the seaports of Krasnodar Krai (Yeysk, Kavkaz, Novorossiysk, Temryuk, Taman and Tuapse) exported 722 vessels with grain and its by-products, at the volume of 11.807 million tons, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) declared. In the reporting period the seaports of Krasnodar Krai shipped grain cargoes to 54 countries. In…Details
In the current marketing year (July 2016 – June 2017) Kazakhstan plans to export 8.5 million tons of grain, Sabit Kashkimbayev, Deputy Chairman of National Company Food Corporation JSC, said at a briefing on the current state of the harvest campaign in the country. He said that Kazakhstan planned to export 8.5 million tons of…Details
In January-August the grain terminal JSC Ak Biday Terminal, the subsidiary of the National Company Food Contract Corporation JSC, exported 392.6 thousand tons of grains through its grain terminal in the Aktau port, the press-service of Food Contract Corporation declared. According to the announcement, in the same period of 2015 the shipped volumes exceeded 209…Details
According to official data, as of September 5, grain crops had been threshed from 6137.2 thousand ha, or 40% of the plan. 9206.3 KMT was harvested with the average yield of 1.5 MT/ha. On the same date of 2015, 3565.4 KMT of grain had been harvested from 2982.2 thousand ha with the average yield of…Details
The private Egyptian grain trading company Medsofts plans to re-export 31 thousand tons of Russian wheat, after the Egyptian quarantine authorities rejected to unload the shipload contracted in July, due to detection of the ergot fungus traces. The wheat shipload arrived to the Egyptian port of Damietta in July, Medsofts was unable to get clearance…Details


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In this picture, a person can be seen playing Axie Infinity on a mobile phone in Philippines Photograph:( AFP )
Under the financial model of P2E (play to earn), Axie Infinity became the biggest winner in the field of blockchain games in the last few months
Fears of scam have surged as Axie Infinity craze has exploded in Philippines. Detractors warn the game is a "house of cards", some likening it to a fraud scheme driven by hype and speculation.
The NFT-based online video game developed by Vietnamese studio Sky Mavis is known for its in-game economy which uses Ethereum-based cryptocurrencies.
Under the financial model of P2E (play to earn), Axie Infinity became the biggest winner in the field of blockchain games in the last few months.
About 35 percent of Axie Infinity traffic, and the biggest share of its 2.5 million daily active users, comes from the Philippines, where high proficiency in English, strong gaming culture and widespread smartphone usage have fuelled its popularity, Sky Mavis said.
In Axie Infinity, players participate in battles using colourful blob-like Axies, and are mainly rewarded "Smooth Love Potion" (SLPs) that can be exchanged for cryptocurrency or cash -- or invested back into the game's virtual world Lunacia.
An Axie is an NFT -- a unique, non-fungible token, with a particular set of abilities and characteristics. Like NFT pieces of art, they are stored on the blockchain -- a digital ledger that cannot be changed.
Axies can be bought, sold or rented to other players. Owners can also breed them to create new Axies that provide more value.
At the peak of the game's growth last year, a starter team of Axies could cost hundreds of dollars, far beyond the reach of aspiring players in poorer countries. The cheapest Axies cost $37 each, putting the cost of a basic team at $111.
However, players who spend more get better Axies, giving them a better chance of winning battles to earn SLPs and -- from some activities -- the game's other crypto token AXS.
Those with the capital to assemble more lucrative Axie teams have set up guilds and "scholarships" -- profit-sharing systems where players are charged a percentage of their earnings. The owners' take can reportedly go as high as 30 percent.
Its fans and creators say it is a revolutionary step towards the future of the internet. As the number of daily active players skyrocketed in 2021, the price of Axies and SLPs also soared, raising questions about the game's sustainability.
The investors in the market sounded their alarm when Axie Infinity announced that it would transfer the main network from Ethereum to its own sidechain named Ronin. The transfer of its main network would lead to absolute control of the team over the data in the chain, making the whole system more and more centralised, which would be against the nature of the blockchain to be decentralised.
Sky Mavis earns revenue from the game mainly through breeding and marketplace fees, and Axie Infinity has generated more than $1.2 billion in revenue. It has also attracted deep-pocketed backers, including US billionaire Mark Cuban.
But some gaming industry analysts say its business model is unsustainable, pointing to the need for new players to keep money coming in.
Jonathan Teplitsky of blockchain firm Horizen Labs warned most play-to-earn games were a "house of cards", fuelled by "hype and price speculation".
(With inputs from agencies)


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Canadian mobile network operator Rogers has added three Android and four BlackBerry NFC phones to the list of devices that work with its Suretap NFC payments service. The new phones are the LG Optimus G , Samsung’s Galaxy S III and Note II and the Blackberry Bold 9900, Blackberry Curve 9360, Blackberry Bold 9790 and Blackberry Z10.
- Melbourne Cricket Club equips roving snack vendors with Bluetooth beacons
- Downtown uses Bluetooth beacons to deliver orders to customers’ tables
- JD Sports adds BLE beacons
- BBVA reports 250,000 mobile wallet users
- Vodafone to launch NFC payments in the UK this month


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New images and videos purporting to show an Apple Watch prototype, hidden by a security case that resembles a small iPod, offer a rare glimpse behind the curtain of product development from the notoriously secretive company built by Steve Jobs. First introduced a few months ago by Twitter user Apple Demo, this is our first look at the device powered on and running Apple’s in-house development apps on a pre-watchOS 1.0 software build.
The video begins by showing what appears to be the original cardboard packaging used to deliver the prototype hardware to the testers. “This product is classified as Apple Confidential and is designated an” Ultra “security program,” the label reads. “This prototype MUST be returned when invoked or when yours,” says the label before being blanked out to hide the device’s origins. A sticker on the back of the prototype device itself shows that it is a “PVTe” configuration, which presumably means Production (Engineering) Validation Test in …
- According to this source Apple Watch Leak Offers Rare Look Inside ‘Ultra Security Program’
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Article date: 9 January 2013
- Jubilympics year spurs optimistic outlook for SMEs
Tenacious entrepreneurs are confident about trading conditions as they look to scale up in 2013. Nearly half (48%) of the business owners who set up shop in the last two years are looking to expand their business operations in 2013, according to Aviva’s bi-annual SME Pulse¹.
Spurred by the buoyant national mood of the Jubilympics year, SMEs are feeling optimistic about the New Year. Aviva’s SME Pulse reveals twice as many SMEs (65%) expect average to strong sales in the first half of 2013, compared to just 32% in the same period last year. Firms with 11-25 employees are most optimistic out of all SMEs with nearly three-quarters (74%) expecting average to strong sales in the first half of the year.
The report by Aviva, the UK’s largest insurer, reveals that nearly twice as many SMEs (30%) diversified their business in the past six months to maintain business profitability compared to 17% during the same time in 2011. Almost one in four (23%) questioned are planning to continue diversifying in the first six months of 2013 to keep their businesses healthy.
This renewed optimism has also translated into more ambitious targets as 42% of businesses set themselves new goals and objectives at the start of the year. Nearly half (49%) of SME owners felt they had met or achieved their goals last year with a similar number (43%) predicting more ambitious business plans in 2013.
Overall, more than a third (37%) are looking to grow their businesses, motivated by wanting to boost revenues (80%), to benefit from economies of scale (36%) and generally feeling that it is the right time to grow (27%). In addition, the Pulse found a strong contingent of SMEs (53%) who are happy with the current size of their business.
David Bruce, commercial product manager at Aviva, comments: “It’s promising to see such positive attitudes for the start of the year across the SME market. There is a growing focus and importance on the sector in driving economic recovery and this optimism is further substantiated by the number of SMEs predicting ambitious growth plans for 2013 These are the very businesses that are vital and lie at the very heart of Britain's economic recovery.
“The Jubilympics year has certainly driven a renewed sense of optimism in the UK, and SMEs are carrying this positivity into 2013. The size and nature of small to medium-sized businesses allow owners to be more flexible and nimble in responding to market conditions and to make those business decisions that can have a great impact on success.”
For 60% of SMEs, improvement in policies and measures that are business-focused, such as relief on business rates were important indicators influencing business confidence.
Bank lending remains a top priority particularly as businesses look to grow in 2013. Aviva’s SME Pulse found that two-thirds (65%) of firms with 26-100 employees reported that lending schemes targeted at SMEs are the most important factor in influencing business confidence.
Positive reports of macroeconomic figures are seen to have an encouraging impact on SMEs. Against the 1% growth in GDP reported last October, 41% believe that economic statistics can have a measurable financial impact on business performance.
|Top factors influencing confidence amongst SMEs||%|
|Relief on business rates||60%|
|Government initiatives to tackle red tape||58%|
|Wider economic growth indicators eg: GDP figures||57%|
|Improved lending to SMEs||48%|
|Reports on insolvency rates||40%|
Bruce continues: “The latest data indicates the importance of wider macroeconomic measures in shaping business confidence. With the increasing spotlight on SMEs, business owners are also looking for support and action from the Government.”
Improved understanding in insurance needs for businesses
The Pulse reveals that over two thirds (69%) of SMEs feel confident that they have the right insurance in place for their business compared to half (51%) in 2011. And, only one in ten (12%) said they had no insurance in place compared to one in five (20%) in 2011.
Bruce adds: “Regardless of size, it’s important for SME owners to be aware of the need to have the right insurance in place to protect their business. While it’s promising to see SMEs have an increased confidence that they have the correct insurance they need to also remember to assess their insurance needs regularly, especially if they are looking to diversify or change their business model.
“If you are a business owner who is unsure about your insurance needs you should speak to your local insurance broker as they are best placed to advise on the most suitable protection for you, your business, your employees and your customers.”
- Ends -
If you are a journalist and would like further information, please contact:
Sally Richards : Aviva Press Office : 01603 684 225 : 07789 270677 : email@example.com
Joey Ng : Hill+Knowlton Strategies : 0207 973 5941: firstname.lastname@example.org
Notes to editors:
¹ Research conducted online by Redshift Research on behalf of Aviva, with 500 SME owners in December 2012
² Aviva conducted similar online research with 500 SME owners in July 2012, January 2012, June 2011, September 2010, March 2010 and September 2009. The research was conducted each time by Redshift Research on behalf of Aviva.
Aviva provides insurance, savings and investment products to 43 million customers worldwide.
We are the UK’s largest insurer with over 14 million customers and one of Europe’s leading providers of life and general insurance. We combine strong life insurance, general insurance and asset management businesses under one powerful brand. We are committed to serving our customers well in order to build a stronger, sustainable business, which makes a positive contribution to society, and for which our people are proud to work.
We are ranked as one of the UK’s top ten most valuable brands and Aviva Plc is in the top 10% of socially responsible companies globally in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. In 2011 we invested £5.3m into our UK communities. One in three of our employees were involved in community investment activities which included giving nearly 33,000 hours.
Aviva is working in partnership with Railway Children through the Aviva Street to School programme to get children living or working on UK streets back into everyday life. Find out more at www.aviva.co.uk/street-to-school.
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