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Dollar General's nearly yearlong foray into tobacco sales already has started to pay off, with those customers now beginning to linger awhile and choose more than "a soda and a chip" if they buy something besides cigarettes, the Goodlettsville-based retailer reports.
The company announced last December that it would add tobacco products to all of its stores by the middle of this year, and so far the move is providing a big boost financially, Dollar General Chairman and CEO Richard Dreiling told analysts this week during a conference call to discuss the company's third-quarter financial results.
Tobacco products -- and the additional customer traffic they brought to the stores -- helped Dollar General boost its third-quarter sales 10.5 percent over the same period last year, to $4.4 billion, with comparable-store sales up 4.4 percent, the company reported.
"As we expected, the addition of tobacco products resulted in strong customer traffic growth throughout the quarter," Dreiling said.
"When we started the tobacco journey, one-third of our cigarette sales were by themselves, one-third were what we would call 'a smoke and a coke,' where they would grab a cigarette and maybe a soda or a chip," he said. "And then one-third is where the cigarettes were actually going into a basket that was beginning to grow."
But in the third quarter, 44 percent of cigarette shoppers bought more, and just 26 percent opted for tobacco alone, Dreiling said, adding, "So we're beginning to convert the cigarette customer into a shopper."
Dollar General's stock closed at $60.20 a share on Friday, close to the 52-week high of $60.25. The 52-week low was $39.73.
Dollar General told shareholders in its third-quarter financial report last year that it was moving into tobacco sales after trying them in a few stores, and said the move was precipitated in part by "competitive pressures." Rival Family Dollar Stores had already begun selling tobacco.
The company also noted that its core customers are more likely to smoke than the national average. Family Dollar began adding cigarettes to its stores in 2011, and has said that about a third of its customers are smokers, compared with less than 20 percent of the adult U.S. population overall.
Dollar General began testing tobacco sales in Nevada in 2011, and expanded the test to Florida early last year. The company found that the average purchase per customer was $14 when tobacco was included, versus an average of $11 otherwise.
Tobacco sales haven't increased profits by the same percentage as overall sales, though, as the margins on cigarettes and other tobacco products are lower than for many of Dollar General's other items, the company said. Still, third-quarter operating profit increased 8 percent, to $390 million or 8.9 percent of sales.
"The addition of tobacco products has had a significant impact on growth in our customer traffic, which I continue to believe is the most-important metric with regard to evaluating the success of our tobacco initiative," Dreiling said. "We're very pleased with the progress we made in building our market share in tobacco. Going forward, we expect both traffic and transaction size to build as customer awareness of tobacco products in our stores continues to grow."
The company recently also began testing gasoline sales at a Dollar General Market store in Alabama, and "so far, the store has surpassed our expectations," Dreiling said.
No plans have been made yet to expand gasoline availability, but he said the Alabama store is "pumping gas at the rate a convenience store would, so we're very, very pleased with what we're seeing."
Looking ahead to 2014, Tehle said the company plans to open about "650 new stores for the full year" and an additional 73 stores in the fourth quarter.
Dollar General opened its 11,000th store in October in Murfreesboro. It has added more than 3,000 stores since 2007, more than doubling its revenues.
The company signed an agreement in November to sell and lease back 233 of its stores.
"This transaction is expected to close in January, and result (in) net proceeds to us in excess of $200 million, said David M. Tehle, the company's executive vice president and chief financial officer. The proceeds will be used to repurchase company shares, he said.


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Oracle CEO Larry Ellison typically uses his annual OpenWorld conference keynotes to deliver the company's biggest announcements and strategic positioning, and this year they will apparently involve an in-memory database and Oracle's PaaS (platform as...
Mobile application development tools vendor Appcelerator has acquired Singly, a provider of API (application programming interface) management software, the two companies announced.
Games developers using Unity Technologies' cross-platform tools can now access a translation plug-in in beta that could expand their products' geographical reach.
Microsoft is updating the recently launched beta of Windows Phone App Studio to improve performance and scalability after the new app development tool crossed 55,000 active projects.
SAP's Business Objects BI (business intelligence) product line may soon begin receiving a visual overhaul based on a new "design language" or methodology called LAVA (Lightweight Applied Visual Analytics).
Nokia is hoping to boost the number of applications available for the Asha 501 to make it more competitive with low-cost Android smartphones with the release Thursday of the first version of a software development kit (SDK) for the phone.
Chinese hackers are using an automated tool to exploit known vulnerabilities in Apache Struts, in order to install backdoors on servers hosting applications developed with the framework.
IBM is hoping to help create the next generation of "big data" specialists through a series of partnerships with universities around the world, as well as influence the curriculum.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is offering a new service that aims to make it easier for developers to send push notifications to Android and iOS applications.
Oracle has revamped the user interface for its MySQL Workbench administration software, streamlining a number of routine operations and adding some new time-saving features as well.
Following up on work commissioned by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), IBM has developed a programming paradigm, and associated simulator and basic software library, for its experimental SyNAPSE processor.
Developers can now submit Web apps and offer them alongside native Android-based programs on Amazon's Appstore.
Mozilla and Google have updated their browsers with features to help developers more effectively write and debug their websites.
The World Wide Web Consortium has finalized its specification for Web Storage, a technology that would give Web applications more flexibility in storing data on user machines.
SAP has broadened its partner program for companies that want to develop applications using its technology and then sell them through the SAP online store.
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Six major studios on Monday will begin selling digital movies on the Internet that consumers can legally download and keep through Movielink LLC and CinemaNow Inc., two online movie services. Until now, most movies have been limited to rentals.
Movielink said it signed download-to-own deals with six major studios and will let consumers choose from nearly 300 movies for download from its Web site, which until now has offered mostly online rentals.
Universal Studios said it will begin selling "Brokeback Mountain" on Tuesday through Movielink, with Sony Pictures' "Fun With Dick and Jane" to follow weeks later. "This is an important first step in a digital distribution system," said Kevin Tsujihara, president at Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, during a press conference.
Movielink, owned by Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner; Sony Pictures; Universal; Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM); and Paramount, a unit of Viacom, will offer movies from all owners and 20th Century Fox, held by News Corp.
CinemaNow unveiled similar licensing agreements with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Lionsgate Entertainment Corp., the studio behind this year's Oscar winner "Crash," all content protected with Microsoft Corp.'s digital rights management (DRM) software.


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Licious signs new ad campaign with actor NTR Jr
The collaboration with the leading actor, the company said, ticks a major milestone for the brand’s journey down south.
NEW DELHI: It was a small gathering in the chapel at the Vatican Embassy in New Delhi on Saturday. Lively chatter, mostly in Ukrainian, floated around as friends caught up within the dull yellow walls of the Embassy, formally known as the Apostolic Nunciature.
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NITI Aayog and Gujarat University to Promote Cooperation in Agriculture
A Statement of Intent (SoI) was signed between NITI Aayog and Gujarat University in the presence of NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar. NITI Aayog Senior Adviser Dr Neelam Patel and Indian Institute of Sustainability, Gujarat University, Director Sudhanshu Jangir signed the SoI on behalf of their institutions. An MBA programme in agripreneurship and value chain management was also launched during the event by Dr Rajiv Kumar.
The SoI focuses on technical collaboration between the two institutions to strengthen knowledge-sharing and policy development in India. The objective is to encourage and promote cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. The SoI is expected to give a thrust to India’s efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The very real threat of climate change necessitates the development of mitigation strategies. Agriculture and the associated value chain have a crucial role to play in this regard. While the government will extend all possible support to such strategies, without the private sector developing and embracing climate-smart solutions, our targets are unlikely to be met. There is a need to develop new business models and solutions across the economy. We welcome the partnership with Gujarat University and the Indian Institute of Sustainability (IIS) and look forward to mutual collaboration in joint studies, research and study programmes; policy design, analysis and advocacy; and implementation of the SDGs. IIS has also proposed to open a Centre of Agripreneurship and Natural Farming with the support of NITI Aayog. At our end, NITI will extend all possible technical expertise and advice, including collaborations with agripreneurs and exposure to policymaking, to IIS,” said NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar.
The parties will conduct capacity-building programmes on farm sector development, agripreneurship, natural farming, climate change, etc. The two institutions will also undertake activities to build awareness around the best practices of agriculture value chain management, marketing methods, conservation of natural resources, climate change and other identified areas to improve the generation and uptake of evidence in policymaking.
Offered by IIS, the MBA programme in agripreneurship and value chain management is a uniquely designed course that will provide global exposure to students in understanding the agriculture ecosystem. The programme is a step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat and seeks to engage entrepreneurs and value chain professionals in the agriculture sector.
“IIS’s MBA in agripreneurship and value chain management will empower agribusiness leaders, agriculture entrepreneurs, and value chain experts with the necessary skills, knowledge, exposure and attitude. It will foster an understanding of agribusiness, agro-based enterprises, rural and allied sectors. This is an excellent initiative by Gujarat University. The course is much-needed to develop an appropriate ecosystem for natural farming. We assure full support to Indian Institute of Sustainability and Gujarat University,” said NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar.
Gujarat Education Minister Bhupendra Sinh Chudasama added, “Gujarat has been at the forefront of education and agriculture. Globalization, policy reforms, and consumer awareness have brought about structural changes in Indian agriculture. There is a significant demand for agriculture entrepreneurs and value-chain management professionals. IIS’s MBA course will create enormous opportunities for students and nurture an entrepreneurial spirit to serve the agri-food industry and rural development. We welcome the partnership with NITI Aayog, which will open new frontiers in Indian agriculture.”
Various dignitaries participated in the event, including Gujarat University Vice Chancellor Dr Himanshu Pandya and Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Jagadish Bhavsar, and GUSEC CEO Rahul Bhagchandani.


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Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) is not a new concept in sports. However, college athletes being able to monetize their own NIL is new.
Universities and third parties have been able to monetize the NIL of college athletes for decades. Now the athletes have more control over their own publicity rights. However, former professional and college athlete and current sports analyst, Jalen Rose, wants to see athletes gain even more freedom.
Currently, college athletes are bound not only by NCAA rules and state laws surrounding NIL but also by university and team policies. This limits the brand sponsors college athletes can obtain individually.
For example, LSU athletics has a sponsorship with Nike which limits the sponsors their athletes can have unless they receive a special dispensation to have a conflicting sponsor. LSU women’s basketball player Flau’jae Johnson is sponsored by PUMA Hoops, but she cannot wear their apparel during games. It was a unique deal because Nike could mostly likely not approved of the athlete having a competing brand partner, but they likely realized the optics of that sort of intervention on their part.
Rose wants college athletes to get a piece of the broader sponsorship pie. He wants them to be able to have more freedom in which sponsors they are allowed to partner with and to receive a percentage of monetary compensation from school sponsors.
What I want to see changed about NIL… pic.twitter.com/cLcczZPinI
— Jalen Rose (@JalenRose) April 27, 2023
Currently, there are others in the collegiate sports ecosystem who agree with Rose. A lawsuit, whose intention is to do just what Rose proposed, is currently making its way through the court system with a tentative trial date set for 2024. House v NCAA seeks to claim revenue-sharing compensation from the NCAA and its member schools to athletes along with taking away restrictions on athletes ability to be compensated for their NIL.
“Despite all these NIL deals, the NCAA is doing great. There’s been no harm for consumer interest or competitive balance. I think most people would say that the NCAA and its various sports are successful as they’ve ever been. They just had the highest-watched women’s tournament in history by far and probably the most competitive parity in the men’s tournament,” says Winston & Strawn co-executive chairman Jeffrey L. Kessler.


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The National Beer Wholesalers Association is pleased to announce that Gerardo "G" Carrillo has won the 2019 Share Your Story contest! In its fifth year of sharing stories from beer distribution employees around the country, the annual contest is an opportunity to highlight the industry's 141,000 men and women who make up the independent beer distribution industry.
As the winner, Carrillo received a complimentary trip to the 2019 NBWA Legislative Conference, April 7-10, in Washington, D.C., where he learned more about policy issues surrounding the beer industry and its consumers. Additionally, he had the opportunity to attend meetings on Capitol Hill to educate Members of Congress and their staff about the prominent role independent beer distributors play in their communities.
"I am honored to be this year's Share Your Story winner and represent Silver Eagle Distributors in Washington, D.C," Carrillo said.
Carrillo joined Houston-based Silver Eagle Distributors in 2014 as a Side Loader Driver before working up to his current position as Sales and Marketing Administrator.
"I hope that sharing my passion for my job with lawmakers will help them better understand the importance of beer distributors in communities across the country," Carrillo continued.
"We are a unique industry and truly offer the best jobs in the world."
Check out Carrillo's first-place video below.


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INDONESIA’s new brand campaign Wonderful Indonesia, launched January 1 (TTG Asia e-Daily, January 4), is catchy and faithfully describes what Indonesia has to offer, but critically needs to be backed by improved infrastructure, says the local travel trade.
“Indonesia needs to have wonderful infrastructure too,” said Pacto managing director Susilowani Daud. “Look at the congested airports, the immigration, taxi services, just to name a couple of examples. These crucially need to be addressed.”
Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association board member Carla Parengkuan agreed, saying: “We need to improve public services and the transportation system to make it more convenient for travellers.”
The travel trade also had their views on how best to utilise the campaign.
“The general perception of Indonesia is that of a cheap destination,” said Bali Hotels Association chairman Jean-Charles Le Coz. “The government should use the brand to market Indonesia as a quality destination, and educate the market that we have quality products to offer at reasonable prices.”
The government should also place more focus on regional and medium-haul markets like ASEAN, China, Korea and Australia, Le Coz added.
– Read the full report, TTG Asia, January 14 issue


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Target, like all retailers, has big plans for the holiday shopping season — starting with a week of Black Friday deals beginning Sunday.
The Bullseye offered a sneak peek at some of the discounts that will be available Oct. 31-Nov. 6, as part of Target's first "Holiday Best" deals event. You can see the weekly ad here, but keep an eye out for:
- Beats Solo³ Wireless Headphones — $99.99 ($100 off)
- HP 15.6-inch laptop with Windows Home in S. Mode — $339.99 ($200 off)
- L.O.L. Surprise! Remix Hair Flip Tots — $4.99 ($11 off)
- Various Black Friday-priced TV deals
In addition, Target promised to add new discounts from Nov. 4-6, including:
- Element 65-inch, 4K UHD Frameless Roku Smart TV — $299.99 ($350 off)
- Keurig K-Mini — $49.99 ($40 off)
- Bose QuietComfort 35 Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones II — $179.99 ($120 off)
- Ninja Kitchen System with Auto IQ Boost and 7-Speed Blender — $99.99 ($100 off)
Select Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PlayStation video games — up to 60% off
Target said it will unveil new weeklong "Holiday Best" deals every Sunday during weeks ahead. The retailer will also use the "Holiday Best" tag on certain sales to indicate the price will not go lower during this holiday season. (Though if it does, there is a price match policy in place.)
Its competitors are taking a similar, prolonged approach to Black Friday.
Walmart recently announced its Black Friday deals start Nov. 3 online, and two days later in stores. Amazon already started its "Black Friday-worthy deals" this month. And Best Buy is holding its second pre-Black Friday sale of the season.
The holidays may not be an easy time for many individuals and families, however, as we previously wrote:
Competition for consumer dollars is expected to be fierce in the months ahead.
Deloitte, in a recently released survey, found average holiday spending is expected to be up about 5% compared to last year — but that's mostly driven by high-income earners. Lower-income individuals and families are struggling, Deloitte said. On top of that, retail executives are expecting higher-than-normal prices, driven by markups.


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Facebook Chooses to Pass
August 27, 2010 12:04 PM Subscribe
Facebook, and initially Reddit, have refused to run an ad campaign for the marijuana-legalizing Prop 19 in CA, to much controversy from users. However, Reddit has decided to run the ads for free, since their owner Conde Naste has gone on the record saying they oppose profiting from "this issue" (while they have run ads opposed to prop-19, and controversial organizations like this one for an anti-gay right wing organization). Facebook has said they will consider running an ad which does not include a hemp leaf.
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments


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They're the hottest young stars in business across the globe. They're innovators, disrupters, and job creators; in fact, it's a pretty safe bet you're going to be working for them someday -- if you aren't already!
|Ousted Yahoo exec gets $58 million golden parachute|
|GM's recalled Cobalt was a failure from the start|
|Hybrid laundromat-cafes are popping up across the country|
|Canadians arrest a Heartbleed hacker|
|Obama would cut deficits by another $1 trillion|


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Leading provider of working capital for B2B sellers announces first targeted expansion into B2C merchants
SAN FRANCISCO, May 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fundbox announced today its working capital platform is now embedded within Stripe, a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. A market leader in providing embedded working capital solutions for B2B sellers, Fundbox’s collaboration with Stripe is the first of many new integrations to come as the company targets expansion with B2C sellers, particularly e-commerce merchants.
The Stripe App Marketplace, Stripe’s new ecosystem for financial services, features Fundbox as a leading provider of working capital solutions. These solutions provide financial flexibility, allowing businesses to cover unexpected expenses, make critical payments, like purchasing inventory or making payroll, or invest in business upgrades for future growth.
“This new collaboration enables us to tap into the substantial number of e-commerce merchants, most of which are B2C, that already use Stripe for their payment needs,” says Prashant Fuloria, CEO of Fundbox. “Over the last few years, we’ve cemented our position as a leader in working capital for B2B sellers by embedding ourselves within their accounting and invoicing systems and processes. This expansion into B2C merchants is a natural evolution of our business, and we’re excited to work with Stripe in our next phase of growth.”
Business owners can access Fundbox solutions through embedded experiences with business systems like Stripe or directly through the native Fundbox website and mobile app. Fundbox has unlocked access to over $3B in working capital and connected with half a million businesses on its platform.
Fundbox is an embedded working capital platform for small businesses. Business owners can access solutions through embedded experiences with business solutions like Stripe or directly through the native Fundbox website and mobile app. The company has connected with half a million businesses and unlocked more than $3B in working capital. Fundbox has received numerous awards including the Forbes AI 50, CB Insights Fintech 250, and Fintech Breakthrough Awards. Founded in 2013, Fundbox currently has 300+ employees and offices in San Francisco, CA; Dallas, TX; New York, NY; and Tel Aviv, Israel. Learn more at fundbox.com.
CONTACT: Judy Huang


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The 17th Edition of Heya Arabian Fashion Exhibition, held under the patronage of HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), successfully concluded earlier this week.
Organised by Qatar Business Events Corporation (QBEC) and the first event to take place since the lockdown, the exhibition followed strict hygiene and safety guidelines put forth by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). To maintain safety, all those entering the exhibition had to present a Green Ehteraz status. The organisers also ensured that visitors and exhibitors wore masks throughout. Social distancing measures were also followed, with visitor capacity inside the hall maintained at 30%.
QBEC CEO Ahmed Al Obaidli congratulated all partners, participants and organisers for a successful event. While the pandemic has altered the way in which events were held, he said that the continued collaboration among stakeholders, and the support from partners at MoPH, enabled them to provide a safe and controlled environment for the public, while showing the vibrancy of Qatar’s fashion scene.
More Homegrown Talents
Heya showcased Qatar’s homegrown talent this year, with participation from established brands and businesses, and upcoming designers. Over 150 brands presented high-street apparel, haute couture and luxury, and the latest modest evening gowns and abayas. Well-known local fashion figures, media personalities, influencers, designers and entrepreneurs participated in various talk shows and workshops.
Over the years, many local designers and entrepreneurs made their debut at Heya, moving on to building successful international brands.
A partnership with Bedaya Centre for Entrepreneurship and Career Development featured talks with inspirational figures in the business, who offered advice to aspiring young designers looking to launch their own businesses.
Abdulla Faleh Al Saeed, Board Member and Acting General Manager at Bedaya Center, said the 17th edition of the exhibition has achieved great success by all standards, and they are pleased to be part of this success, providing the opportunity to female start-up business owners to showcase their products and businesses.
We always seek to provide the best solutions to help entrepreneurs achieve their desired goals, and support the SME sector in the country.
Within five days of the exhibition, Heya hosted ten talk shows, four fashion shows and two workshops, all organised for current and budding designers.
Another Heya partner, M7, participated in numerous talks focused on empowering young fashion entrepreneurs. An initiative of Qatar Museums, M7 helps designers explore, collaborate and grow into successful entrepreneurs. Acting Director Maha Al Sulaiti said they believe that there is no shortage of creative talent in Qatar and they aim to create an environment that nurtures and develops these designers into successful entrepreneurs.
Heya has always been a great platform for young designers to showcase their work and engage with the public where otherwise they wouldn’t have that close connection.
Heya partner, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts (VCUarts Qatar) has long been the institution of choice for the country’s fashion design students. Its faculty, alumni and students participated actively in the fashion shows and as panellists in panel discussions.
Elizabeth Yang Soon Ju, VCUarts Qatar Fashion Design Alumna and Adjunct Faculty, said that having her ‘New Normal’ collection featured on the runway has been a great opportunity. She said that she received many positive comments and the whole experience gave her confidence and new connections.
This show really brings together the entire fashion community and gives Qatar’s new generation of designers a platform to be seen and celebrated.
The 17th edition of Heya also endorsed ‘fashion for a cause’, in partnership with Education Above All (EAA). Founded by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in 2012, the foundation works with global and local partners to enrol 10.4 million out-of-school children worldwide.
EAA Communication Manager and Head of Advocacy Mubarak Al Thani, thanked the organisers of Heya, as donation from the event contributes to their mission, enabling the most vulnerable and marginalised children to access quality education.
Heya is the country’s leading exhibition of modest fashion trends, hosted by Qatar National Tourism Council and organised by its subsidiary, Qatar Business Events Corporation.
For more information about the exhibition, visit heya.qa.


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HANOI/BANDAR LAMPUNG, Indonesia, May 14 (Reuters) - V ietnamese coffee prices fell this week, tracking weakness in London prices, while trade in Indonesia was quiet as market participants waited for new harvest, traders said on Thursday.
Farmers in the Central Highlands, Vietnam's largest coffee-growing area, sold coffee COFVN-DAK at 30,000 dong ($1.28) per kg, lower than 31,000-32,000 dong last week.
In London, July robusta coffee settled down $33, or 3%, at $1,147 per tonne on Wednesday after a 1.5% drop in the previous session.
“Global prices eased this week on fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections, resulting in the fall of domestic prices,” said a trader based in Ho Chi Minh City.
“At this moment, both demand and supply are very low. Virtually no new deals have been clinched.”
Vietnam exported 165,799 tonnes, or 2.76 million 60-kg bags, of coffee last month, down 2.5% from March, customs data showed.
Traders in Vietnam offered 5% black and broken grade 2 robusta COFVN-G25-SAI at a $170-$180 premium per tonne to the July contract on Thursday, lower than last week's $200 premium.
Meanwhile, traders in Indonesia’s Lampung province said Sumatran robusta beans were offered at a $260-$280 premium to the July contract, compared with $260-$270 last week.
New supplies have started to come in but remain limited in volume, one of the traders said. The main robusta harvest is expected to start next month.
“Trade is still pretty quiet, maybe it will pick up after the Eid Al-Fitr holiday, which falls on May 23-24,” the trader said.
$1 = 23,365 dong Reporting by Phuong Nguyen in Hanoi and Mas Alina Arifin in Bandar Lampung; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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in the news
John Bean®, a global leader in automotive
The new John Bean EZ-COLLETS app is a unique application to help service technicians identify the best set of tools for their balancers, improve balancing a
With just one click, automotive professionals can visit
The John Bean® EZ-ADAS Recalibration System is the only ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) equipment in the marketplace that features an innovative mobile app to help technicians perform recalibration services quickly and easily, greatly increasing shop productivity.
Conway, AR – Feb. 10, 2020 – Three John Bean® wheel service products will be on display for customers to see in action at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) show held Feb. 14-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
See New Innovative John Bean Equipment at SEMA Booth 10809


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Springfield auto mall keeps motoring
Dealership bought 19 acres to expand
A stone’s throw off Interstate 70 in Springfield sits nine-acres of cars and trucks. Jeff Wyler Springfield Auto Mall sold more than 3,000 new and used vehicles in 2011, making it among the largest car lots in the Dayton region. And the dealership intends to gets even larger after buying 19 additional acres last month.
But operating the massive dealership carries risks and rewards, and getting to this point has taken many crucial decisions.
The auto dealer, which sells eight different brands from its crowded campus on Hillcrest Avenue, has seen revenue growth of 20 percent in the last two years to finish 2011 with $76 million in revenue.
In August, the dealership bought 19 acres about a quarter mile down the street from its campus, with plans of building new Toyota and Chevrolet showrooms, and giving more breathing room to its Kia, Hyundai, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Chrysler showrooms.
The company is poised for growth today because of planning and some tough decisions. For example, it anticipated the downturn in October 2008 and downsized its workforce from 127 to 116.
“We made a bunch of hard decisions with people,” said general manager Jay Lawrence. “We noticed we were fat.”
Lawrence said the employees who were cut were those not directly generating sales, such as office staff and vehicle cleaning staff.
“We trimmed our staff early on instead of waiting, and we rode the downturn out,” Lawrence said.
As sales have come back, Lawrence said the company has gotten more efficient with a smaller staff, and realized savings. Although the employee count is not back to the highs of 2004, it has reached 131, and Lawrence said he anticipates some hires with the coming expansion.
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Hauppauge-based United-Guardian reported second-quarter net income slipped to $1.19 million from $1.22 million, as net sales dropped to $3.74 million from $4 million a year ago following production problems of one of its medications.
The manufacturer of cosmetic ingredients, personal and health care products, pharmaceuticals and specialty industrial products boosted earnings for the first six months of the year to $2.42 million from $2.39 million, even though sales slipped 1 percent to $7.63 million.
Production delays led to lower revenue from Renacidin Irrigation, used to treat urinary tract problems, during the second quarter, partially offset by increases in sales of personal care and medical products, according to President Ken Globus.
“We are currently in discussions with a potential new supplier for our Renacidin Irrigation, which we hope will not only eliminate the production problems we have been having with our current supplier, but will also enable us to bring out a new, more convenient dosage size that we believe could significantly increase our sales of that product,” Globus said.
The company also boosted earnings through “significant reductions in some of our operating expenses and overhead costs,” he said. United Guardian cut second quarter expenses to $2 million from $2.3 million a year ago.
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- Powertech Controls granted PILOT for Ronkonkoma move


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Canadian bank CIBC has released a BlackBerry 10 version of its CIBC Mobile Payment app allowing BlackBerry Z10 owners to make NFC payments. To use the service, customers must also be Rogers Communications subscribers and have a “Suretap” NFC SIM card installed. The service was launched in November 2012 for BlackBerry Bold 9900 and Curve 9360 users.
- Webinar on delivering NFC transport ticketing services at scale — See it now on NFC World
- One in four UK consumers influenced by in-store payment methods
- UK cash payments fall to 48%
- Four in ten UK consumers willing to switch banks for mobile payments
- NXP ‘focused on mobile wallet’


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Sunlight launches ‘Sunlight Tantir Rong’, an initiative to support Bengal’s local handloom weavers
Sunlight detergent, West Bengal’s most loved and iconic detergent brand, today announced the launch of its new initiative ‘Sunlight Tantir Rong’ to support Bengal’s local handloom weavers.
Over the last few years, weavers in Bengal have been struggling given the changing consumer preferences and the rise of power looms. Covid-19 has worsened the situation, severely impacting the lives and livelihoods of these skilled weavers. Thousands of these weavers, who have been dressing Bengal in myriad colours over generations are now facing an existential crisis, signaling a dark future for this traditional craft of Bengal.
This Pujo, Sunlight wants to add back colours to the lives of these weavers who have been adding so many colours to people’s lives. ‘Sunlight Tantir Rong’ will connect these traditional weavers with famous contemporary designers, to give them a platform to showcase their magic and art. Sunlight will launch its first exclusive collection with the fashion designer Parama Ghosh (https://paramacalcutta.com/) in collaboration with 12 local weavers from Bengal. The website will serve as a platform to showcase their skills and also allow consumers to explore the collection and buy the sarees to support the cause.


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Investors are eagerly awaiting Thursday evening when Amazon will present its quarterly balance sheet for the first time under new boss Andy Jassy. Investors are not only hoping for good business development, but are also speculating on the announcement of a corporate action.
Amazon stock: will a stock split be announced?
Investors hope that Amazon will not only present quarterly figures after the market closes, but that the balance sheet could be flanked by the announcement of a stock split.
Such a corporate action would make the Amazon share, which currently costs 3,695.73 US dollars, at least visually cheaper and could bring numerous new shareholders to the company in this way. In the past, various stock market stars had successfully implemented such a capital measure – for example, Tesla had carried out a stock split on its shares after a month-long rally , and Apple had also taken such a path .
Only three stocks are more expensive than Amazon
The speculation is also fueled by the fact that the US corporation’s share is one of the most expensive on the market. By far the most expensive stock is Berkshire Hathaway’s A-share , followed by NVR Inc. and Seaboard . The market capitalisation of Amazon is more than twice as high as that of the three higher-priced stocks combined.
Which would also speak in favor of a stock split: a few weeks ago the management of the company changed. Jeff Bezos has passed the baton to the new CEO Andy Jassy, who could establish himself as the new boss with the announcement of a corporate action and break away from founder Bezos.
Stock split would pave the way for the Dow Jones
If Amazon were actually to announce a stock split in the context of the balance sheet presentation, the company would probably address new buyer groups for whom the current share price is simply too high. In addition, such a measure would initially have hardly any consequences for existing shareholders.
Indirectly, however, such a step would possibly secure the company inclusion in the US traditional index Dow Jones Industrial . Since the index is price-weighted, Amazon stock is unlikely to admit at its current level as the company would dominate the index. Fluctuations in the Amazon share would then have too great consequences for the development of the Dow Jones index. A share split and the associated lower share price would minimize this risk. At the same time, shareholders could hope for higher prices, because inclusion in the Dow Jones would force ETF providers, for example, to stock up on Amazon shares in order to correctly map the index.


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September 11 has raised the cost of doing business domestically and internationally. The dominance of the United States in world affairs exposes US businesses to a multitude of uncertainties, from the growing danger of political violence to investment risks in merging markets. In the past 30 years, 80 percent of terrorist attacks against the United States have been aimed at American business. Since September 11, McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried chicken and Pizza Hut combined have been bombed in more than 10 countries, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Lebanon, and China; most attacks have been linked with militant Islamic groups. There are reasons to expect that businesses will become increasingly attractive to terrorists, both because they are less well defended than government targets and because of what they symbolize. Based on the threats of terrorism and other violence the US State Department posts travel warnings on its Web site (See Exhibit below for recent listing) However many international travelers appear to regularly ignore those warnings.
US State Department Travel Warnings (In order of date of posting, most recent first)
Uzbekistan, Kenya, Iran, Iraq, Congo-Kinshasa, Nepal, Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, Afghanistan, Haiti, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Yemen, Colombia, Lebanon, Central African Republic, Pakistan, Algeria, Sudan etc
Cyber terrorism and Cyber crime:
New on the horizon is the growing potential for cyber terrorism and cyber crime. Although in its infancy the Internet is a vehicle for terrorist and criminal attacks by foreign and domestic antagonists wishing to inflict damage on company with little chance of being caught. On problem in tracing cyber terrorists and criminals is that it is hard to determine if a cyber attack has been launched by a rogue state, a terrorist, or by a hacker as a prank. The I Love You worm which caused an estimated $ 25 billion in damage was probably just an out of control prank. However, the Melissa virus and the denial of service (DoS) attacks that overloaded the Websites of CNN, ZD Net Yahoo, and Amazon.com with flood of electronic messages that crippled them for hours were considered to be purposeful attacks on specific targets.
Each wave of viruses gets more damaging and spreads so rapidly that considerable harm is done before it can be topped. The Slammer for example, brought Internet service to a crawl. It doubled its numbers every 8.5 seconds during the first minute of its attack and infected more than 75,000 hosts within 10 minutes. After infecting hundreds of thousands of computers in Europe and North America the Goner worm traveled to Australia overnight and brought down government agencies, financial and manufacturing sites, and at least 25 MNCs. This virus arrives in an e-mail message with an invitation to download a screen saver. If then infects the computer and sends the virus to everyone in the computer’s address list. Whether perpetrated by pranksters or hackers out to do harm, these incidents how that tools for cyber terrorism can be developed to do considerable damage to a company an entire industry or a country’s infrastructure.
Because of mounting concern over the rush of attacks, business leaders and government officials addressed a Group of eight conference convened to discuss cyber crime, expressing an urgent need for cooperation among governments, industry, and users to combat the growing menace of cyber crime. As the Internet grows, it’s only a matter of time before every terrorist anarchist, thief, and prankster with a PC and a phone line will be waging a virtual war and inflicting real harm. The Internet is a potent tool for cyber crime and, unless systems are designed to safeguard it against these intrusions the costs to governments and industry will be enormous and may prevent the Internet from reaching its full potential.


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As expected before, the all new drone technology now has begun. Amazon Prime Air Drone is finally official and according to Jeremy Clarkson it can deliver the package within 30 Minutes or less than that. We all have been waiting for this rumor to get reality. Finally, the internet’s most popular online shopping site Amazon has taken the trump card to bring back the future to present.
The prime and first service of Amazon is to deliver the goods to the doorsteps of the millions of awaited customers who use to order online with believing that their precious products are on the way to deliver. Now the Amazon’s Research and Development team walked through the line and developed the futuristic delivery system. Well never get surprised if you see any helicopter drone above your head, this is the future.
BEST FEATURES OF AMAZON PRIME AIR
First of all, this is a drone, to be precise a powerful and reliable drone service to deliver the goods to the precious customers of the Amazon with a good care. Though the production of the Drone is already on the way, the system will go official very soon with the hundreds of drones to fly by your house. According to the Amazon’s Official Q/A, “We are testing many different vehicle designs, and delivery mechanisms to discover how best to deliver packages in a variety of environments.” One drone can deliver up to 50Miles radius distance to cover the robotic controls. The significant sense of Avoid Obstacle technology may increase the efficiency on air floating. Well, these all are the technology we wanted for a long time before.”
This is one of the surprising news from Amazon on this Black Friday and Thanksgiving ceremony. We, already have seen around $4.45Billion sales has been occurred during this ceremony. Will we be the biggest witness of the Black Friday and Thanksgiving of 2016 with the Amazon Prime Air Drone?


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For the three months ended July 28, Dell earned $603 million, or 22 cents per share. In the year-ago period, Dell posted a net profit of $507 million, or 19 cents per share.
Analysts had expected Dell to show a per-share profit of 21 cents in the second quarter, according to a survey by First Call/Thomson Financial.
Revenue for the three months was $7.7 billion, up from $6.1 billion in the year-ago period.
The company also offered a positive outlook for the remainder of the year.
"Our second-quarter results and expectations for strong industry demand in the second half of the year keep us on track toward our goal of 30 percent full-year sales growth," said Michael Dell, the company's chairman and chief executive officer.
The results were released Thursday after the end of regular trading on the Nasdaq stock market, where shares of Dell fell 6 cents to $41.75. In after-hours trading, shares fell to $40.19.
Some analysts had expected sales to be closer to $7.8 billion, but Dell still did better than other personal computer companies that have suffered from parts supply problems.
"They're growing above market, which is good news for them and bad news for everybody else," Barry Jaruzelski, an analyst with Booz Allen & Hamilton in New York, said of Dell.
Last month, both IBM Corp. and Apple Computer Inc. met earnings estimates but fell short of revenue projections in the most recent quarter.
Sales of items other than base computer systems accounted for $1.3 billion of Dell's revenue, while sales of services worldwide reached $577 million, up 35 percent from a year ago.
The company, based in Round Rock, Texas, reported that it was shipping 22 percent more units than last year, more than the industry average, which floats in the high teens.
Dell "continues to be this virtually unstoppable machine. They just keep cranking out these huge numbers," Mr. Jaruzelski said.
Analyst Steve Kleynhans of the Meta Group in Stamford, Conn., said the PC industry as a whole has been sluggish but should pick up in the second half of the year.
Dell's strong Internet presence continues to help the company's bottom line, he added.
About 50 percent of total sales came from Dell's Web site in the second quarter, averaging more than $50 million a day.
That's up $20 million from the prior year.


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The most researched vehicles last week in AutoGuide.com’s new car shopping section include SUVs, a sports car and efficient transportation options.
The Toyota Prius was the most researched vehicle this week, followed closely by the Ford Fusion plug-in hybrid. Toyota is the leader in hybrid car technology. The Japanese manufacturer is expected to release its next generation Prius for the 2015 model year with significant efficiency gains. Ford’s plug-in hybrid mid-size sedan is supposed to offer up to 43 MPG while burning gasoline or up to 100 MPGe while running on electricity.
The Chevrolet Tahoe ranked next-highest in this week’s list. It uses GM’s new 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8 and can tow up to 8,500 lbs when equipped with two-wheel drive.
Chevrolet was on a hot streak this week with another vehicle making the list because the 2014 Corvette Stingray was also popularly searched. The 6.2-liter V8 powered and value-packed sports car is monstrously fast and with a starting price of $53,995 it’s hard to argue with.
Finally, the Infiniti QX60 rounded off this week’s list. It offers seating capacity to keep up with large SUVs without requiring nearly as much fuel. There is a hybrid version available as well if you really want the chance to save gas, although those models tend not to be nearly as efficient in cold temperatures so it might not be worthwhile if you live in a climate with snowy seasons.


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A recent survey we at Bizimply conducted showed that operators are ready to implement anti-covid measures.
Bizimply is kicking off 2021 with a new feature release designed expressly for businesses with hourly or salary paid shift workers - contracted hour management.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced one-off top-up grants from 5 January 2021 for hospitality, retail and certain other businesses in the service sector totaling up to £9,000.
It’s no secret that 2020 has been a tough year for businesses everywhere. However, it has also been a time…
Staff motivation is important for productivity in your business. Learn how to motivate your team in 6 different ways as a manager.
Hospitality operators can ensure they and their teams are ready to ‘Bounce Back Better’ in 2021, with the support of a new partnership designed to keep staff focused on delivering great front-of-house service.
Mullins Totalhealth Pharmacy choose Bizimply to help manage their businesses. They want to improve scheduling and better manage compliance.
Five bad practices to avoid and five best practices that will make your tills sing As bars & restaurants begin…
Here are a few ways that retail & hospitality businesses can adapt to current trends and find new success that could revitalise business. Read to find out more!


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What better way to celebrate twenty years of Kingdom Hearts than with Tamagotchi. You remember those virtual pets, right? And this fall, they’re teaming up with Square Enix’s Disney-themed RPG.
I remember first writing about Tamagotchi for Wired Magazine back in 2004, when infrared sensors were introduced, making virtual pet breeding possible. There has been a Tamagotchi revival—renaissance?—of late. Last year saw the introduction of Tamagotchi Smart, a wearable smart device take on the toy, complete with touch and voice controls. Bandai has also reintroduced its more basic Nano line, and rolled out a number of neat collabs, including with Demon Slayer, Evangelion and Jujutsu Kaisen.
The latest is the upcoming Kingdom Hearts Tamagotchi Nano. It was announced on March 28, the 20th anniversary of when the first Kingdom Hearts was released on the PlayStation 2.
The anniversary Tamagotchis comes in two styles: a white, blue and gold Light Mode version and a black, gray and gold Dark Mode one. Both are quite handsome.
As you can imagine, with the Kingdom Hearts iterations you’re not raising the typical Tamagotchi virtual pets, but rather, KH characters. So far, the official website shows Sora for the Dark Mode version and Kairi for the Light Mode one. Sora, for example, will change his appearance and even into different characters, depending on how he’s raised. To do that, you’ll need to dole out Paupu Fruit and take part in mini-games.
According to Dtimes, there are over twenty characters. Early images also tease Donald Duck and Goofy. Siliconera notes that, based on the initial art, it seems like Roxas, Xion, Axel, Aqua, Ventus, Terra and Riku will also be available, as could King Mickey.
Priced at 2,530 yen ($20), the Dark and Light Mode Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Tamagotchis will be released in Japan this October. They are currently available for pre-order, but, as of writing, they have not yet been announced for release in the U.S.


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Valentine’s Day is Wednesday, February 14. This week for Hot Chocolate and Current Events, our weekly effort to help homeschooling families learn about the news, we are taking a look at this sweet holiday. In your holiday homeschool celebration, why not discuss Valentine’s Day as a current event?
This week’s article tells about how much people are spending on Valentine’s Day this year:
Read the article, then kick back with your family with a cup of hot chocolate for a sweet discussion.
Why do people spend money on Valentine’s Day?
Is 19.6 billion total too much for one country to spend on Valentine’s Day? Too little?
Is $143.56 (the average) a good amount for a person to spend on Valentine’s Day?
Why do you think people are spending more money this year compared to last year?
Why do you think consumers ages 25-34 will spend the most?
What do you think of people spending money on their pets?
If you had a Valentine’s Day budget of $1,000, how would you spend it?
On which holiday should we spend the most money?
On which holiday should we spend the least money?
Name one new thing this article taught you about consumer spending habits.
Check out our About Page to learn more about us!


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The incident took place on Saturday night in a home in Brooklyn, New York. According to the boy’s grandmother, the Galaxy Note 7 battery exploded while the child was watching videos on the device. The aftermath of the explosion set off fire alarms in the house, according to the grandmother.
The family called 911 after the event occurred—just before 8pm—and the child was rushed to a nearby medical center where he was treated for burns to his body.
“He doesn’t want to see or go near any phones,” the grandmother told the New York Post. “He’s been crying to his mother.”
The grandmother also said the family had been in contact with Samsung about the incident. Samsung confirmed they have reached out to the family in a comment to the Daily Dot.
“We take every report very seriously and have contacted the Lewis family to learn more about their situation,” a spokesperson for Samsung said. “As we are currently looking into this case, we are unable to comment further right now.”
The incident is just the latest report of the popular Samsung smartphone exploding. The device has already been held responsible for the destruction of a vehicle and hotel room. Samsung issued a recall on the Galaxy Note 7 earlier this month, and said at the time there have been 35 cases reported globally.
The exploding devices led to several airlines as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issuing warnings about using the phone while on flying. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission has also advised owners of the device to stop charging and using the device.


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A video of Live Maps depicted ‘multi-layer representations of the world’ such as projected holographic avatars to hang out with
Facebook Inc. confirmed on Wednesday it is developing augmented reality glasses that should be ready in a few years, and announced a project called “Live Maps” that will create 3-D maps of the world.
Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, vice president of AR/VR at Facebook FB, +0.84% , described the maps project as “a shared virtual map of the world” at the Oculus Connect developer conference, a get-together that normally generates modest headlines but got a whole lot more attention after Facebook late Monday said it had acquired a startup that would let people control computers with their brains.
The proposed acquisition of CTRL-Labs, a 4-year-old company developing software and a bracelet that measures neuron activity in a subject’s arm, has raised interest in the annual AR/VR conference as well as alarms among lawmakers and privacy advocates concerned about how the social-networking giant sucks up the data of billions of people.
How Facebook folds CTRL-Labs, which is designing a hands-free pair of AR glasses of its own, into its Facebook Reality Labs division is sure to be closely scrutinized. Facebook already is the subject of a Federal Trade Commission investigation after it reached a $5 billion settlement with the FTC earlier this year over data-privacy practices.
Last week, members of Congress met privately with Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg to voice their concerns over Facebook’s economic power and its privacy issues. The company acknowledged in a blog post on Friday that it had suspended “tens of thousands” of apps for potentially improper data-collection methods.
A video of Live Maps depicted “multi-layer representations of the world” such as projected holographic avatars to hang out with through traditional maps, crowdsourced data, and footage captured via AR glasses and smartphones. It’s the type of Big Brother-like technology that got Alphabet Inc.’s GOOGL, +2.27% GOOG, +2.28% Google’s Street View system into legal hot water.
Bosworth gave no timetable on the availability of Live Maps, which he said would “bridge the physical and digital divides.”
At the same time, rumors have swirled around Facebook’s AR glasses in recent days. One recent rumor: It is teaming with Ray-Ban to deliver a pair of specs that can live stream the world around you.


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— This is the script of CNBC's news report for China's CCTV on January 8, Wednesday.
Welcome to the CNBC Business Daily.
The extreme winter weather having an impact on some market sectors. CNBC's Sheila Dharmarajan reports:
The big chill is impacting a lot of market sectors, especially in commodities. Natural gas prices soared, hitting a new record today. Winter wheat higher on concerns about crop freeze. Orange juice originally saw a spike, but now down again on news that the orange crop appeared to have escaped the big freeze.
And finally, cattle futures also getting a bump. It takes more feed to keep the cattle warm, temperatures also making transportation harder, which is one reason behind the gains. The retail sector is also being closely watched, as to the impact of the cold weather. On the one hand, cold weather does mean that people tend to stay in more, which means less mall traffic.
Citigroup estimated Storm Hercules could have affected retail sales negatively, by as much as one percent in the fourth quarter. But on the other hand, if you're inside, it seems like a pretty good day to do some online shopping, and folks always need to dress warmly.
That's where companies like VF Corp. come in. The company owns North Face and Timberland brands, which is about a third of its sales and even more of its profits.
Or Under Armour, whose compression shirts are a popular choice among US consumers as an under layer to ward off the cold. And finally, Deckers, parent company of Ugg Boots. Gotta keep the feet warm when it's bitterly cold outside. Star AG said in a recent note that retailers are reporting sales growth of 20 percent in the month of December.
But whether it impacts the stocks or not, get ready to hear a lot of weather talk from US companies. In fact, Geometries and Wendy's were downgraded recently, one reason analysts cited – what else, the weather.
Li Sixuan, from CNBC's Singapore headquarters.
Follow us on Twitter: @CNBCWorld


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Belfast Companies Showcase Wares to Top Tech Execs
(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) BELFAST, Northern Ireland, Oct. 15 - The Belfast City Council issued the following news release:
Twenty companies have enjoyed a busy and productive start to the first ever Belfast Tech Mission, which is visiting California this week, under the leadership of Lord Mayor Mairtin O Muilleoir.
The Mission, which is funded by Belfast City Council, in partnership with Invest Northern Ireland, is providing an opportunity for 20 local companies to showcase some of the new technologies and products being developed in Belfast to leading companies, investors and venture capitalists from the West Coast of America.
In addition to promoting Belfast as one of the leading digitally connected cities in Europe, and a prime location for international investment, the mission aims to increase the number of Belfast technology companies selling and doing business in the US; increase the knowledge of the delegate companies of what it takes to establish and secure venture capital funding in the US; and improve the business networks and partnerships with companies in Belfast and the US.
The delegate companies spent the first day of the Mission at a special 'boot camp' in San Francisco, where they attended a number of workshops and interactive mentoring sessions led by two of the top experts in California - former Microsoft executive Alfredo Coppola and venture capitalist Chris Burry, founder of the multi-national Avande corporation.
Later today (Tuesday), the companies travel to Palo Alto, where they will take part in bespoke showcase event, which will allow them to demonstrate and pitch their products and services to top tech executives and venture capitalists, including 150 senior executives from SVEN, a high profile network representing some of the largest tech companies in the world.
Over the remainder of the week, the companies will take part in a number of top trade shows in and around Silicon Valley, including the CTIA Mobile Con in San Francisco, DEMO Fall in Santa Clara and GigaOm Mobilize in San Francisco, as well as the prestigious Google Developers' Forum and one-to-one meetings with potential investors and partners.
Belfast City Council is supporting up to 50 per cent of the travel and accommodation costs for each participating company, which cover sectors from marketing to tourism, education to online publishing and stress management to sports performance. In addition, representatives from both Queen's University and the University of Ulster are taking part in the mission.
The Belfast Tech Mission is part-funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland.
The companies participating in the 2013 Belfast Tech Mission are:
AirPOS - a software package for retailers, cafes, takeaways and other vendors that allows them to sell in their shops and online by providing ePOS applications for the desktop and tablet devices, a powerful online back office and fully integrated e-commerce web stores offering a truly joined up, multi-channel selling experience.
Beacon - an online tool for creating, publishing and selling digital magazines.
Cargo - a product design company who are looking to bridge the gap between mobile software and physical products, currently developing an intelligent brewing system called Brewbot.
Cirdan Imaging Limited - engaged in the design, manufacture and supply of innovative medical imaging technology for the diagnosis and management of disease.
DigiShare 360 - a fully integrated multichannel creation publishing and engagement platform which enables a business of any size to create, launch and measure multiple fully customised and integrated, mobile, web and social media campaigns from a single dashboard.
DisplayNote Technologies - an app and software development company that focuses on solutions that allow for collaboration and sharing across a variety of platforms, including iPad and Android devices.
Fathom - a user experience consultancy which works with agencies and organisations to improve online performance, using analytics, direct user feedback and design best practice. Customers include Failte Ireland, Invest NI, Irish Times, Equality Commission NI, Savile Row, Telefonica, Tearfund and University of Ulster.
INLIFESIZE brings together two of the film and video same industries' most accomplished talents - Greg Maguire (who's film credits include Avatar and Harry Potter) and Phil Campbell (Tomb Raider, Godfather games) in an exciting new venture designed to create value in the burgeoning mobile entertainment market.
JAR Technologies specialise in application and web performance testing tools.
Kainos provide digital technology solutions that enable companies to work smarter, faster, better: operating successfully for more than 26 years, and employing more than 500 people, with offices in the UK, Ireland and Poland, the company's clients are predominantly in the public, healthcare and financial services sectors, and include well-known global organisations and large government departments.
Lough Shore Investments' mission is to invest in high potential management teams and partner with them to build great businesses.
OLI - an award winning business is designed to meet the growing demand for digital visitor information in engaging, easy to use formats that are both intuitive and technologically advanced, with its new generation of apps which deliver fresh experiences and current information straight into the user's hand.
Performa Sports - a powerful easy to use real-time sports performance analysis tools designed for analysts, coaches, and players that analyses and improves team and individual performances.
Sian's Plan makes healthy eating convenient for today's generation of young professionals and young professional parents who are the most health conscious but time poor ever: a lifestyle solution both online and off Sian's Plan takes the pain and time out of organising a weekly balanced diet, via a web-app, which consists of a color-coded recipe plan to balance diets throughout the week, and a grocery planning system that shows nutritional values and complete online purchases.
SpeechStorm is a provider of enterprise scale customer care solutions into the contact centre market. The company develops software products which are marketed and sold to enterprise organisations through a network of global partners and has a range of products and applications for Interactive Voice Response (IVR), speech self-service and mobile devices, which enable contact centres to better manage and personalise their interactions with their customers.
Taggled makes it easier to find the products and content within videos and allows Vloggers and bloggers to earn revenue by sharing what they are most passionate about.
TakeTen has developed a Biofeedback Software Product designed to reduce stress and boost performance, has been designed primarily for the education market and helping schools to deliver self-regulation skills to enhance the learning process.
Venuebooker is an online marketplace for finding, comparing and booking the perfect venue for any occasion by searching the profiles of hundreds of top venues, viewing high res images and reading client reviews - and finally making a direct booking enquiry.
CC AutoTriage1pm-131016-30TagarumaMar-4518514 30TagarumaMar
(c) 2013 Targeted News Service
[ Back To Technology News's Homepage ]


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Science and Technology
The network of the US –based software maker Adobe Systems which makes software such as Photoshop, Reader and Creative Cloud, was hacked by cyber attackers exposing financial information of its 2.9 million customers.
The attackers accessed Adobe customer IDs, encrypted passwords, encrypted credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates and other information relating to customer orders.
The company is informing customers whose credit or debit card information it believes to be involved in the incident and is resetting relevant customer passwords to prevent unauthorized access to Adobe ID accounts. It has also notified the banks processing customer payments for Adobe.
The Supreme Court directed government to put in place a mechanism to monitor the clinical trials of untested drugs on humans.
The Centre has been directed by the court to convene a meeting of Chief Secretaries or Health Secretaries of all the states to frame a law for regulation of clinical trials of drugs by multinational pharma companies.
The apex court directive came during a hearing of a PIL filed by an NGO which alleged large-scale clinical drug trials across the country by various pharmaceutical firms using Indian citizens as guinea pigs in those tests. The NGO had alleged that the clinical trials by several pharmaceutical firms were conducted indiscriminately in various states.
Previously, the court had said that uncontrolled clinical trial of drugs by multinational companies was creating “havoc” and lambasted the Centre for failing to stop the “rackets” which caused deaths. It had earlier ordered that all drug trials will be done under the supervision of the Union Health Secretary. The Centre had admitted that 2,644 people died during clinical trials of 475 new drugs during the period of 2005 to 2012.
Google has modified its Internet search engine to give better answers to the increasingly complex queries posed by Web surfers. The change has come as part of an update called “Hummingbird” that Google Inc. has gradually rolled out in the past month without revealing the modifications.
Why Google updated its search engine with Hummingbird?
As per Google, Hummingbird is aimed at giving Google’s search engine a better grasp at understanding concepts instead of mere words. Increased reliance on the search engine have made people to enter even lengthy questions into the search box instead of just a few words related to specific topics.
How could ‘Hummingbird’ affect the websites?
The alteration in the search engines could make a major impact on traffic to websites. As per experts, Hummingbird brings the most dramatic alterations to Google’s search engine since it revised the way it indexes websites 3 years ago as part of a redesign called “Caffeine”. The redesign is likely to affect the analysis of about 90% of the search requests that Google receives.
Any rearrangement of Google’s search rankings can have dramatic ramifications because they steer majority of the Internet’s traffic. Google directs about 66% of search requests in the U.S. and its share is even bigger in some parts of Europe. The changes could also escalate the price of Google ads tied to search requests if websites whose rankings are lowered under the new system feel they have to buy the marketing messages to attract traffic. Google generates most of its revenue from the search ads and other commercial pitches related to Web content. Its revenue is expected to approach $60 billion this year.
A plant that produces both tomatoes and potatoes was launched in the UK market. The plant named The TomTato has been developed by the horticultural mail order company Thompson & Morgan. TomTato has the capability of growing over 500 sweet cherry tomatoes and also the white potatoes.
TomTato is not a result of genetic engineering, but it has been created by a technique known as grafting.
Many such plants had been created before but taste had previously been a problem. It is for the very first time such plants have been produced commercially.
How the TOMTATO is made?
- Tomatoes and potatoes can be grafted together because they are members of the same plant family, Solanceae or nightshade, which also includes aubergines and chillies.
- A piece of a size of a pinhead is sliced from each plant, checked for viruses and grown seperately ingel and then compost. Once they are 2in tall, their stems are cut at an ideticak angle so they can be grafted to each other.
- The lower end of the potato, plant, containing the roots, and the top section of the tomato plant, which will bear fruit, are clipped together for about a week until a natural join forms.


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The goal of the program is to provide attendees with information on the licensing industry. Expert-led education topics will include NFTs, TikTok, retail, and more. Passes for Licensing U will become available on April 11 on the online platform.
“The licensing industry must evolve at a rapid pace to stay in sync with the changing needs of consumers, making education and peer-to-peer deliberation more important than ever before,” said Maura Ragan, President of Licensing International.
“We’ve never faced challenges quite like those experienced in the past few years, both as a collective industry and personally. This year’s edition of Licensing U will deliver expert-led, trend-focused education and will also serve as a creative outlet and a platform for much-needed conversation that we are proud to facilitate jointly with Licensing Expo.”
This year, Licensing U content will be available both in-person and online. This will change the nature of the experience for all attendees and exhibitors in a variety of ways.
The in-person content provided by the Licensing U pass includes live sessions followed by Q & As and in-person follow-ups with speakers. These sessions will be occurring at the Licensing Expo on May 24-26.
Attendees can also participate in a show floor tour with Licensing International to help them identify key trends and popular new brands. A drinks reception will be held at the Licensing International booth.
The online content will become accessible via the online platform from May 26. This virtual content will enable participants to prioritize meetings during the live event.
“We’re in a trend-driven industry,” said Anna Knight, SVP of the Global Licensing Group.
“As such, it’s crucial for licensees and licensors alike to have a pulse on the latest trends that are shaping consumer behavior to inspire and drive business forward. Our attending and exhibiting communities rely on Licensing U every year to discover new ways to creatively address current challenges and dig deeper into exciting trends to better leverage brand extension as a strategic tool.”
The speaker line-up of industry experts will be disclosed in advance of the online platform opening on April 11nwhe conference passes will become available.
Here’s the schedule
Tuesday, May 24
9:30-10:00 a.m.: Back to Basics
Learn everything you need to know about licensing if you’re new to the industry. This session answers all your questions about licensors, licensees, agents, and agreements.
10:15-11:00 a.m.: The New Rules of Retail
Forget what you thought you knew about the style guide because fast-fashion retailers’ desire for differentiation is all the rage. And by adapting your creative requirements, you can better respond to global and regional trends.
4:00-4:30 p.m.: Press Play on YouTube and TikTok
The days of relying solely on linear media are long gone. YouTube and TikTok are the new juggernauts, which means it’s crucial to understand how these digital platforms capture consumers’ hearts and drive franchise development.
Wednesday, May 25
9:00-9:30 a.m.: WTF is up with NFTs
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and the metaverse are on everyone’s radar right now. But what exactly are they, and how can you take advantage of this new digital world?
2:00-2:30 p.m.: Information Overload
More research is available than ever before, which is why it’s critical for companies to use that information effectively. Learn what part data should play in your decision-making process without stifling radical creativity.
2:30-3:00 p.m.: The Lowdown on International Distribution Law
Product distribution in the US can be as broad or limited as the licensor permits, but the same can’t be said for the EU and the UK. Learn everything you need to know about global anti-competitive regulations and how to make the right commercial decisions for your business.
The increasing number of exhibitors signing on to the Licensing Expo have locked in registrations from thousands of retailers, licensees, and manufacturers.
New and notable participants for this year’s event include American Eagle Outfitters, Target, Walmart, Zulily, Hot Topic, Mad Engine, Hallmark, Primark, Simba Dickie, Macy’s, PacSun, Pyramid International, and many more.


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da Vinci AiO 1.0
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da Vinci AiO 2.1
In his TCT column Joris Peels outlined the reasons he felt that newcomers XYZprinting could and would takeover the consumer 3D printing market, owing to the fact that their parent company, New Kinpo Group, are a serious players in the Electronics Manufacturing Service industry.
Joris surmised that the $10 billion revenue generating company New Kinpo Group - another subsidiary of a conglomerate whose turnover is that of McDonalds and Starbucks combined – could afford to ramp up the development of the machines faster than any current firm in today’s market. It would appear, certainly from a speed point of view, that Joris was bang on the money as XYZ announce a further two new printers to their product range both with in built 3D scanning capabilities.
XYZprinting will this week launch the new da Vinci 1.0 AiO (AiO meaning All in One) and 2.1 AiO at one of the largest ICT tradeshows in the world, Computex 2014 in XYZ’s hometown of Taipei, Taiwan.
The $499 da Vinci 1.0 won many accolades, including Editors Choice Award when it was launched at the TCT + Personalize sponsored 3D Printing TechZone at CES 2014 in January of this year. The new product range will build on the existing innovations such as the smart filament cartridge system, auto- calibration and nozzle cleaning by adding an in-built scanner.
XYZ claim that the scanners will be able to capture objects within five minutes with resolutions compatible with that of industrial-grade scanners. Scanning at a size of 15 x 15 x 15 cm with an RMS error up to < 0.2mm , the scanner is powered by XYZprinting’s patent pending algorithm that repairs incomplete scanning output automatically.
“Now with built-in high resolution scanning capability, we are hoping the all-in one da Vinci 1.0 AiO printer will make 3D printing even more accessible to users, even for those people who do not know how to build 3D models with software,” said Simon Shen, president of XYZprinting
The scanner will be fitted into both da Vinci 1.0 AiO and 2.1, but as with the current line of printers the 2.1 version will include a host of special features including including; dual extruders, a 5” touch screen panel, a built-in scanner and monitoring camera, WiFi connectivity, and the capability to read a USB stick. Backed with XYZprinting’s crowd-sourced online gallery, da Vinci 2.1 AiO users can access 3D models via XYZprinting’s Android and iOS apps (either files made available to public or uploaded by an individual user) and set up and monitor print jobs through an iPad or Android tablet. These features allow users to see live images of their print job while on the go.
Both machines will launch towards the end of 2014 – start of 2015 and one would imagine will be as competitively priced as the da Vinci 1.0. One thing is for sure XYZprinting are coming into this market all guns blazing and they intend to dominate the market before the other giants in their field do.


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Amazon has ordered a second season of “Transparent,” its half-hour comedy starring Jeffrey Tambor as a retired professor and transgender woman who comes out to her family later in life.
The series was created by Jill Soloway, formerly a writer on “Six Feet Under” and “United States of Tara,” and co-stars Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Landecker and Jay Duplass as Tambor’s character’s three self-involved (and frequently self-destructive) children, and Judith Light as his ex-wife. Though it is not strictly autobiographical, “Transparent” was loosely inspired by Soloway’s own father, who came out as trans a few years ago.
The second season, with an as-yet unspecified number of episodes, will debut in 2015, according to Amazon.
The renewal, not quite two weeks after the first 10 episodes of “Transparent” became available to stream via Amazon Prime Instant Video, comes as little surprise.
The dark family comedy is easily one of the year’s most talked-about and best-reviewed new shows (Times critic Mary McNamara called it “transcendent” and “astonishing to watch”) and is widely seen as the first series from the online retailer/content provider to pose an awards threat. “Transparent,” like Amazon’s other original series “Alpha House” and “Betas,” was developed using an unusual pilot process which allows the website’s users to vote on which projects should go to series.
While Amazon, like its rival Netflix, has not made raw viewership data available, it disclosed Thursday that “Transparent” is currently the No. 1-ranked series on Prime Instant Video and also the most binge-watched, according to its internal measurements.
“We are absolutely thrilled that the response to 'Transparent' has been so positive,” said Roy Price, vice president of Amazon Studios, in a press statement.


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Tigges Farm and pumpkin patch scheduling groups for tours
Tigges Farm and Pumpkin Patch east of Windsor is scheduled to open the last week of September and operate through Oct. 31. The pumpkin patch will be open again as well as a chance to hear a pumpkin patch story. Children will also be able to measure their chosen pumpkin.
According to a press release, a new feature this year is a display of old farm equipment. There is a discount on pumpkins for school and daycare groups of eight or more.
For more information, contact Tigges Farm at (970) 371-2026 or Kathy at (970) 576-8970 between 10 a.m.-6 p.m. to schedule your group.
The farm and produce stand is at 12404 Weld County Road 64.5, about half-way between Greeley and Windsor.


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Stock futures fall ahead of open
U.S. stock futures were lower shortly before the opening bell on a week where the pace of company earnings reports picks up.
The Dow Jones industrial average futures fell 28 points to 16,353. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index futures dropped five points to 1,832 and the Nasdaq futures were down eight points to 3,553.
Lululemon Athletica Inc. shares fell about 13 percent in premarket trading after the fashion retailer said its sales have dropped off in January and its fourth-quarter results will be lower than expected.
Beam Inc., the maker of Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbons along with other liquor brands, jumped 25 percent in trading before the open after it announced that it had agreed to be acquired by Japan’s Suntory Holdings Ltd. for approximately $13.62 billion.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was unchanged at 2.86 percent from Friday. The price of oil fell 99 cents, or 1.06 percent, to $91.76 a barrel. Gold fell $1.40, or 0.1 percent, to $1,245.50 an ounce.


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Jyrney, Grapevine, Atriis and Net Zero Group will promote their expertise at the co-hosted stand at next week's trade show
Travelogix and Midoco to promote tech partners at TravelTech Show 'tech village'
Business analytics specialist Travelogix and mid-office technology developers Midoco have teamed up with four partners for ‘tech village’ at next week’s TravelTech Show.
The partners will be joined by ground mobility specialist Jyrney, remarketing and personalisation firm Grapevine, digital booking tool Atriis and carbon reduction and offsetting solutions specialist Net Zero Group.
The annual TravelTech Show returns as an in-person event again in a new venue at the Excel exhibition centre on June 29 and 30 in London alongside the Business Travel Show.
Chris Lewis, founder and chief executive of Travelogix, said: “As TTS/BTS veterans, we wanted to do something different this year, something more collaborative.
“To that point, we are thrilled to be co-hosting our stand with long-standing integration partners, Midoco.
“To feature such innovative game-changers such as Jyrney, Grapevine, Atriis and Net Zero Group is something we’re particularly proud of as we get to expose the TTS audience to category-leading technology companies from the industry we love so dearly.”
Steffen Faradi, chief executive of Midoco Group said: “We are thrilled to be co-hosting the tech village together with Travelogix and gathering exceptionally innovative companies around us.
The tech village reflects our mission to bring together technology and optimise workflows between systems. Collaboration and partnership are a key success factor to sustainable growth.”
Daniel Price, Jyrney chief executive, said, “the stand brings together some of our closest partners in travel. In working with these companies, we enable a truly connected experience for the business traveller.”
Jack Dow, founder if Grapevine, added: “the idea of a collaborative stand made perfect sense for us.
“I’m a big believer that the future of travel is micro-service driven and having announced our partnership with Travelogix a few months ago, it is a great opportunity to join them and others to not only showcase our own products, but how we can work together as well.”
Kai-Gordon Weiland, senior vice president of sales and customer success at Atriis Technologies said:
“Travelogix and Midoco are leaders in their services and solutions, and we collaborate closely to enhance value and deliver our customers a unique and integrated user experience.
And Mark Hammond, founder of Net Zero Group said, “We know the travel industry thrives on collaboration and falls directly in-line with our values here at Net Zero Group.
“Joining other category leaders who place the same value on collaboration just made sense.
“But also, as we start taking our first steps into the business travel space, we realise this platform would indeed provide a huge opportunity to form long-lasting industry relationships with which we can develop our footing in this space.”


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ID Technologies has appointed Denise Sisson, former major account manager at Dell, as vice president of sales, and elevated Kelly Harris from her post as director to VP of corporate marketing and partner alliances.
Sisson will work to develop and execute a go-to-market sales strategy while Harris will handle ID Technologies' corporate marketing communication plans, customer enablement, brand, partner marketing and management functions, the company said Wednesday.
Sisson currently leads 2Point0 as president and CEO. She also worked as an account manager at Eastman Kodak.
Prior to joining ID Technologies, Harris worked at Spear Inc. as director of corporate development. She also held the post of partner marketing manager at Intelligent Decisions before its split into ID Technologies, the products business, and Applied Insight, the professional services segment.


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Tennis all-star and 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams has signed a first-look TV deal with Amazon Studios to produce scripted and unscripted projects, among which will include an untitled docuseries about her professional and personal life.
Executive produced by Williams, Patrick Mouratoglou, Stuart Cabb, and Tony Pastors, the docuseries is a Plum Pictures, Goalhanger Films, and Amazon Studios production.
“I’m very excited to be partnering with Amazon Studios – they are developing some of the most inspiring and important content for a global audience. I have a lot of stories I’m eager to tell, including a continuation of my own, and I look forward to sharing those with the world,” said Williams in a statement released to the press.
No further details about the docuseries or other projects have been unveiled at this time, but we’re sure Williams’ winning streak will continue in the TV world. Considered one of the greatest athletes of all time, Williams has also become a recognizable force in the business, entertainment, and fashion sphere with her own clothing line S by Serena and Serena Ventures.
“Serena has transformed her sport and become one of the most inspiring athletes, entrepreneurs and women of her generation, admired not only for her unmatched prowess on the court but for her dedication to advocacy as well,” said the head of Amazon Studios, Jennifer Salke, in a statement. “We’re incredibly excited to share her journey in this new series, and to work with her to create new original content for our Prime Video customers worldwide.”
Stay tuned for additional details on Williams’ docuseries and other upcoming Amazon projects.


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Gurgaon/New Delhi: Six more workers have been arrested for their alleged involvement in arson and rioting in Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant on Wednesday, taking the number of those apprehended to 97.
In New Delhi, Maruti Suzuki said it will continue to dispatch cars from its stockyard at the Manesar plant to dealers across the country although it has declared a lockout at the factory.
Awanish Dev, General Manager-HR, lost his life and 100 others were injured in the incident.
Those arrested have been identified as Sohan Lal, a resident of Karnal, Yogesh Kumar, organising secretary of Maruti Suzuki Union and a resident of Jhajjar, Surender Pal of Palwal district, Naveen of Jhajjar, Pradeep of Jind and Satbir of Sirsa districts, police said.
They were nabbed from different locations in the state.
Sohan Lal was arrested yesterday and produced before a magistrate who has sent him to 14 days' judicial custody today. The other five arrested workers would be produced in court tomorrow, they said.
Ninety one workers, who were arrested on 18 July, are lodged in Bhondsi Jail after a court remanded them in judicial custody for 14 days.
"The dispatch operations won't be affected and will continue from Manesar," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Chief Operating officer (Production) M M Singh said.
The stockyard at Manesar plant has inventory of about 26,000 units at present, he added.
The company had resumed dispatching cars from the stockyard to various dealers across the country on Friday.
The Manesar stockyard is also used for delivering cars produced at the company's Gurgaon plant to various dealers across the country.
On Saturday, the violence-hit company declared an indefinite lockout at its Manesar plant, the first such instance in its history, but firmly ruled out the possibility of shifting operations to Gujarat.
The company said it was completely overtaken by the 'Tsunami-like' violence that it had not anticipated and announced they would not employ casual labour from March next year in production related operations, although they would be hired for "non-valued added" work like cleaning, security, canteen services, loading and unloading.
First Published: Sunday, July 22, 2012, 19:04


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Potent 270-Horse GTI R Coming!
Feb. 3, 2009
Volkswagen is developing a high-performance R version of the 2010 GTI (pictured).
Click on image for larger view.
The new GTI is not even out yet but Volkswagen is already prepping a potent 270-horsepower R version, reports Car And Driver.
The spec list should look like this — VW's current 2.0T turbo four-cylinder pumped up to a brawny 270 horsepower, channeled through a manual or dual-clutch-auto six-speed transmission, and dispatched to the asphalt via 4Motion all-wheel drive.
Expect acceleration from zero to 60 MPH in 5.5 seconds or less, with a top speed coming in around 150 MPH.
The exterior should feature an aggressive aerodynamics package.
We knew back in 2007 that the 2.0T was capable of 270 horsepower (see RaVe Concept With 270-Horse 2.0T), so we're pleased as punch to see it slated for production.
Car And Driver suggests the R-tuned hot hatch may be called the R20 Turbo, however, we believe VW should capitalize on the sporty cachet of the GTI and dub it GTI R (similar to the 2006 R GTI show car, see 2006 SEMA: Ultimate 400-Horsepower GTI!).
This news effectively kills the R32, which is essentially an all-wheel-
drive 250-horse V6 GTI that never really lived up to the hype.
Look for official photos and info on the GTI R this spring before the car reaches European dealers later this year and North American dealers sometime after.


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Haier to recruit over 100 for Israeli development center
Haier is seeking a suitable site in Tel Aviv's Ramat Hahayal.Sources inform ''Globes'' that China's Haier Electronics Group Co. Ltd. (HKSE: 1169) wants set up its Israeli development center in Tel Aviv and is seeking a suitable site in Ramat Hahayal. The company plans to recruit more than 100 employees for the center.
Newpan VP business development Yaron Sfadia, who is handling the matter for Haier, noted, "Although the Israeli market is small, Haier is willing to accommodate us and adapt complete product lines to the Israeli market. This is not something that should be taken for granted."
Haier president Zhang Rhiumin commented on the manufacture of Israeli refrigerators as part of the company's strategy. If one thought that South Korea's LG Electronics' attitude towards Israel was amazing, Chinese attitudes towards Jews is astonishing.
Haier notes that Jews further developed the refrigerator to produce cold water, which led to the development of refrigerators with freezer compartment on the bottom designed for the Indian market. It also notes that in the US, there are different uses for the freezer, which gave rise to refrigerators with two freezers, and that people in London have less space for a washing machine, which led to the development of small and amusing washing machines for the British and Japanese markets.
This policy of investigating usage patterns in different countries and manufacturing specialized products for them, which Haier says has greatly boosted sales, is based on R&D centers around the world, a network that the Israeli center will soon join.


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Activision Becomes King of Candy Crush Saga
Activision looks to crush the competition.
In an extremely shocking move as of last night, Activision Blizzard has gone forward with a deal that has just effectively made it the largest video game publisher in the world. Activision went forward with the deal that is expected to be completed as of spring 2016 to buy out King, the publisher of the hit mobile game Candy Crush Saga, for a whopping $5.9 billion.
Although details are still scarce, this might be Activision's big push to compete in the mobile market against EA and Square, who already have a substantial mobile presence. In any case, it'll be interesting to see what Activision has in store for their new acquisition in the months to come.


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The 39th GITEX Technology Week is set to take place on October 6-10 in Dubai, UAE. Gathering over 100 000 visitors and close to 5000 exhibitors, GITEX remains the biggest technology trade show and exhibition in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. The top players in the tech industry will attend in order to unveil the most advanced products and the latest breakthroughs in AI, 5G, smart cities and future transport.
GITEX, or the ‘Gulf Information Technology Exhibition’, is the place where IT experts and enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and startup teams, students and consumers alike all meet to witness how cutting edge technologies are shaping the future in real-time. Among many others, tech giants such as Cisco, SAP, Huawei, Dell Technologies, Kaspersky will make an appearance.
The agenda includes round table discussions, seminars, workshops and conferences, as well as a convenient networking platform for effective business matchmaking. GITEX features 26 exhibiting sectors, which will display various innovations ranging from VR technologies and 3D printing to AI advancements and global smart cities.
Participants will get the opportunity to learn more about 5G technology, which is predicted to revolutionize wireless connection, smart technology and autonomous vehicles. Those interested in the energy sector will discover how virtual and augmented reality assist nuclear plants. AI visionaries will present demos of their latest breakthroughs: robots employed in hotels and hospitals, face recognition systems, cybersecurity solutions and AI-powered chatbots.
Nanosemantics will visit GITEX this year, and we invite you to find us in the Russian Export Center Pavillion at stand H2-E27, where we will share our projects and visions for the future of the technological landscape.
Find out more about GITEX on the event’s website.


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Internet advertisers blow $6.3 billion a year on bogus Web traffic, a new study reveals.
Some 11 percent of digital ads and 23 percent of video ads were served to phantom “bots,” and more than half of the traffic that is purchased from third-party sources is generated by machines, according to the report.
“A criminal element has grown up around us,” said Eddie Schwartz, president and COO of White Ops, which carried out the study for the Association of National Advertisers.
To the unsuspecting advertiser, it appears that a consumer is actively looking at an ad when in fact it is fake traffic using automatic programs to mimic people.
Shady operators are often based overseas and hide behind fake sites. Typically, they collect payments from advertisers through middlemen that pool and resell space across sites for Web publishers.
Advertisers, unaware that the source is fake, pay as if the traffic was coming from legitimate outlets.
Web cheats come from all over the world, but he said Eastern Europe has been a “bot” hotbed. In future reports he hopes to zero in on the perpetrators.
Bill Duggan, a vice president at the ANA, said the fraudulent activity is not limited to more marginal sites.
“Fraudsters get on long tail sites and premium sites as well,” he said.
The ANA has put forth a series of recommendations, and Duggan said he expects it will become a negotiating point between advertisers and publishers in the future.
Cybercriminals tend to target American consumers and hijack their identities from home computers using malware.
It is not as easily detected as more egregious hacks of credit card information. Frequently, the traffic comes in the midnight-to-7 a.m. time slot, when computers may be on but nobody is monitoring the activity to detect suspicious behavior.