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Ritz-Carlton, along with the Manz family, completed the renovation of a 152-year-old hotel...
Wind Creek Hospitality signs agreement to acquire Pennsylvania resort for $1.3bn
PCI Gaming Authority, which does business as Wind Creek Hospitality has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for $1.3bn.
Jumeirah to manage Al Wathba Desert Resort in Abu Dhabi
Jumeirah, a hospitality company and a member of Dubai Holding, has reached an agreement with Abu Dhabi United Hospitality to develop Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert Resort in Abu Dhabi.
Sotherly Hotels acquires 318-room Hyatt Centric Arlington for nearly $80m
Sotherly Hotels Inc has announced that subsidiary of its operating partnership, Sotherly Hotels LP, has purchased Hyatt Centric Arlington hotel in a $79.7m deal.
Hilton opens first hotel under DoubleTree brand in Vail
Hospitality company Hilton has opened its first hotel in Vail, Colorado, after a renovation.
Hyatt partners with Tianfu Minyoun to expand Hyatt’s presence in China
Tianfu Minyoun Hospitality and Hyatt Hotels have signed a development agreement to expand Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotel brands in China.
Ritz-Carlton resort to open in St. Kitts of Caribbean Island
Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has signed a management agreement with Liamuiga Corporation to open a Ritz-Carlton resort at St. Kitts in the Caribbean Island.
Hyatt affiliate signs franchise deal for Hyatt Place Aguascalientes in Mexico
Hyatt Hotels affiliate has signed a franchise agreement for 144-room Hyatt Place Aguascalientes with affiliates of Promotora Comercial Abadan, S.A. de C.V.


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The Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association, which has 8,000 members nationally, said it is unanimously boycotting delivery services by aggregator Zomato under its Zomato Gold programme with immediate effect...
Registration on the platform by eateries has grown by 6% since August says Goyal; NRAI disagrees...
Two restaurant associations, NRAI and FHRAI are to come up with guidelines for the restaurant aggregator, Zomato, to follow and one of these is to reduce discounts even further for the discounts funded by restaurants are not acceptable
Zomato has announced to take its Gold programme where existing and new Zomato Gold members will be able to use Gold for home delivery orders. The programme is currently available in 16 cities
Last week, Zomato pulled down its contentious Infinity dining programme till further notice
Restaurants launch own discount and loyalty programme in an effort to regain control from food-tech firms
Eat Street Hostilities with aggregators have led restaurants to take control of their loyalty programmes and discounts, tweaking schemes or starting new ones to bring in customers
This comes after member-restaurants launched a logout campaign claiming that the Zomato Gold programme enabled unsustainable deep discounting. The campaign was led by NRAI, which has nearly half a million members
NRAI said restaurants would not come back until ‘deep discounting’ is off the table
Zomato and others agree to tone down and rationalise offers they make to their members
An ‘Eat and Drink All They Can’ offer at over 350 restaurants across Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru
Zomato also added that in 2018 it saw a 60% increase in the number of restaurants accepting online table reservations through the platform.
“Zomato Gold is on the path of hitting the milestone of 1 million (globally) by the end of this month,” said Gupta
Currently, the Piggybank program is available on a loyalty-based access to about 10,000 customers and will be extended to users who order over 5 times per month from Zomato, thus enhancing stickiness for its user base
With over 200,000 customers across 5 cities having subscribed to the program, Zomato Gold currently forms about 12% of Zomato’s revenues covering about 2,300 restaurants under the program
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Indonesia’s efforts to develop an Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure took another step in a positive direction with the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between KADIN, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the West Australian government on Tuesday, which will explore partnership opportunities in critical minerals for the battery and EV industry, report Tempo.
The MoU signing follows commitments made during last year’s G20 Summit in Bali said Arsjad Rasjid, the Chairperson of KADIN on Tuesday. “The partnership between West Australia and Indonesia can open a huge chance in this sector,” he said in a statement.
Tempo are reporting that the MoU will establish industrial partnerships in the supply chains of essential minerals in both regions, as well as share information on legal or regulatory updates and is expected to accelerate cooperation and stimulate the development of the global battery and EV industry.
“We must take advantage of this opportunity to jointly develop a battery manufacturing factory in Indonesia by utilizing Australian lithium and a profitable investment,” said Arsjad who added that Australia and Indonesia have an abundance of mineral wealth to produce EV batteries because Australia is a major supplier of lithium and Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel. Both are vital components in EV batteries.
Source: Tempo, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry


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Aug 18, 2016 By BSM
Motoring news from the past week that you shouldn't miss!
Mar 19, 2011 By Rohin Nagrani
The new turbo Volvo S60 T6 raises the bar in its segment
Mar 16, 2011 By BS Reporter
Aims to strengthen its network after strong response from Indian market
Mar 15, 2011 By Press Trust of India
Swedish car maker Volvo today said the size of luxury car market in India is expected to grow by over 50% to 20,000 units in current year against last year\'s market size.
Mar 10, 2011 By BSM
304 hp petrol; 205 hp twin turbo – Starts at Rs 27 lakhs with lots of tech!
Mar 01, 2011 By BSM desk
Cheapest Volvo for India so far; pricing to start under Rs 30 lakh
Mar 06, 2010 By Rohin Nagrani
Makes its foray into the D-segment saloon space
Feb 18, 2010 By BSM
This BMW 3 Series rival will make it to India before January 2011


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Pharmacy Processor Offers $1M Reward to ID Extortionists
Express Scripts, the nation's third largest pharmacy benefits management company, is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for trying to extort money from the company.
The St. Louis-based firm said last week that in early October it received a letter that included the names, birth dates, Social Security numbers and in some cases prescription data on employees from 75 of its customers. The authors also threatened to expose millions of consumer records if the company declined to pay up, Express Scripts said. Express Scripts handles roughly 500 million prescriptions a year for about 50 million Americans.
Since the company has said it has no intention of paying the ransom, the attackers appear to be trying new tactics. Express Scripts said the extortionists have now moved on to directly contacting companies who use their services, by sending letters to the companies, which include personal and medical information of their employees.
Express Scripts spokesman Stephen Littlejohn said the company is still working with the FBI to track down the extortionists, but that there were no new leads to report. He said the new round of extortion demands targeted a "small number of clients and some members for each of those clients," but he declined to disclose how many.
Express Scripts is among the largest pharmacy benefit management firms, which process and pay prescription drug claims. While it doesn't interact with consumers directly, the company's name is printed on prescription cards of health care plans that use its services.
The company has set up a Web site where consumers can go to learn more about the incidents. In announcing the reward today, Express scripts also said it had contracted with Kroll Fraud Solutions, a New York based risk consulting group, to offer consumers free identity restoration services if they become victims of identity theft as a result of these attacks.
Anyone with information about the extortionists can reach the FBI at 800-CALL-FBI.
November 11, 2008; 5:46 PM ET
Categories: Cyber Justice , Fraud , U.S. Government
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According to the Iranian chamber of Commerce, industry, mines and agriculture, in 1395 the previous Iranian calendar year (March 2016 - March 2017) the country exported about 210 thousand tons of dates in the amount of 208 million dollars. The US, according to Tehran Times.
Recall that Iran is the second largest producer of dates in the world and the largest exporter of this product. In 1395 the past Iranian year which ended March 20, 2017, the production of dates amounted to almost 1.2 million tonnes.
About 20% of the total production for the sum about $300 million was exported to Europe, North America, far East and Russia.
Hormozgan, Sistan-Baluchistan, Kerman, Fars, Bushehr, Khuzestan, Ilam, Kermanshah, Yazd, South Khorasan and Isfahan top the list of Iranian provinces that grow dates.
Translated by service "Yandex.Translation"


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Two icons close doors
Two long-standing downtown Blowing Rock businesses shut their doors for a final time this week.
Capel Rug Outlet on Main Street closed on Saturday, and the Moody Furniture Factory on Sunset Drive will close today.
Moody’s Factory Furniture Showroom, across the street from the actual factory, will remain open.
“Charlie Moody, my great-grandfather, started the furniture factory in 1920, 93 years ago,” said factory and showroom owner Larry Moody. “The four generations that have owned it started with Charlie Moody, then to his son, B.H. Moody, then to his son, my father, Max Moody, then to me.
“Charlie Moody started it as a family business making mission-style furniture and then expanded it, making hardwood furniture for bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms.”
According to Moody, the factory has had as many as six people working at a time producing unique hardwood furniture, but that workforce has dwindled in numbers in recent years.
Moody’s Furniture Showroom will continue to sell hardwood furniture, the majority of it made in America.
According to Moody, the Moody’s Furniture Factory building is in the process of being sold and that the buyer intends to keep the old wooden building standing.
Capel Rug Outlet
Capel Rug Outlet, owned by Len. A. “Al” Capel, closed for good on Saturday after a long-running, going-out-of-business sale.
The building, originally built in 1957, was recently sold for $1.25 million.
According to staff at Capel Rug Outlet, the remaining inventory will be moved to the Capel family’s other store in Raleigh.
Many residents and visitors are familiar with the Capel Rug building on Main Street because of the mural on the side of the building.
Given to the town of Blowing Rock from artist Robert Johnson in July 2006, the mural is titled “Flora of the Mountains” and is made up of several large panels depicting native flowers and medicinal plants from the Appalachian Mountains.
At one time, the 6,708-square-foot building was the site of popular public auctions during the summertime.


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New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio did urge citizens to stop eating at Chick Fil-A after the company announced the opening of a fourth location in Queens. This according to a May 5, 2016 article by Fox News.
The Big Apple's progressive mayor sent out a statement saying, "This group imparts a strong anti-LGBT message by forcing their employees and volunteers to adhere to a policy that prohibits same-sex love. It is outrageous that Chick-fil-A is quietly spreading its message of hate by funding these types of organizations."
Fox reported, "Chick-fil-A responded by pointing out that it has 80,000 employees of all different backgrounds and beliefs and prefers to focus on its food and service."
A company spokesperson told Fox, "The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their beliefs, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender."
In a May 10, 2016 follow up article, Fox reported that the mayor plan may have "backfired."
Fox reported, "The two midtown Manhattan locations are doing big business, with lines often stretching around the block."
The company is planning "12 new locations are expected to pop up around the city over the next year."
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Uber is an app that makes it easy to get paid for giving people rides with your car.
Set your own hours. Be your own boss. Get paid weekly in fares. It's that simple.
Driving for Uber is a fun and safe way to earn money by driving people to business meeting, work, parties and functions.
Riders pay via credit card linked to their smart phone apps and drivers need not carry any cash.
Drivers work their own hours and there are no quotas.
When you are ready to drive, simply get in your car, tap on your your app and wait for the requests.
Get a sign in bonus after completing a number of rides
when you click this link, fill out the application
INVITE CODE: ROUHG


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Amazon Studios' original series productions range from Amy Sherman-Palladino's award-winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel to Philip K. Dick's Man in the High Castle.
On the film side, Amazon Studios produces and acquires original movies for theatrical release and early window distribution exclusively for their Amazon Prime members. At the 2017 Academy Awards, Amazon Studios became the first streaming service to win Oscars for Manchester by the Sea.
Bleeding Cool follows Amazon Studios' efforts closely, with their upcoming duo classic fantasy series, Lord of the Rings (based on a young Aragorn), and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, you can keep abreast of the latest in news, rumors, and happenings right here.
Welcome back to Bleeding Cool TV's Top 10 of 2020- a look at the year in broadcast, cable, streaming, and online television with our focus on the best and brightest in what continues to be an ever-growing pool of quality content. This year, it's important for us to recognize just how much Television stepped up […]
So the last time we checked in on Amazon Prime and showrunner Rafe Judkins' (Chuck, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) series adaptation of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time, series star Madeleine Madden aka Egwene al'Vere was taking viewers back in time to the "Pre-lockdown, Covid-safe evenings in Praha 2020" when production was in bloom. But with […]
While the final days of what's been a righteously s****y year seem to be taking forever, at least The Boys showrunner and EP Eric Kripke, as well as the team behind the Amazon Prime series, are trying to make them a little more tolerable with their 12-day "C*ntdown" to 2021. With a promise of a "present" […]
The Boys showrunner/EP Eric Kripke and the team behind the Amazon Prime series have made it clear that they're looking to get (safely) back in front of the cameras for a third season as soon as possible. We already know that Jensen Ackles (Supernatural) is on board as "OG Homelander" Soldier Boy, Claudia Doumit's (Timeless) Congresswoman […]
If you're reading this then there's a very good chance that you watch Amazon Prime's The Boys– which means there's a very good chance you remember that scene "The Bloody Doors Off." That's when Mother's Milk (Laz Alonso), Frenchie (Tomer Capon), and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) infiltrate the Sage Grove facility for more intel on Stormfront […]
The new year means a return to work for The Boys showrunner/EP Eric Kripke and the team behind the Amazon Prime series. With production on the third season set to kick off in early 2021 (with EP Craig Rosenberg-directed "Payback"), Claudia Doumit's (Timeless) Congresswoman Victoria Neuman and Colby Minifie's (Fear the Walking Dead) Ashley Barrett will […]
Amazon Prime and showrunner Rafe Judkins' (Chuck, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) series adaptation of The Wheel of Time has been stepping up its game lately when it comes to sharing some much-wanted intel with fans of author Robert Jordan's series of novels. Along with both an audio and video preview, Judkins took to social media […]
One of the fun unofficial holiday traditions we've come to look forward to around this time of the year is when President Barack Obama releases his lists of the films, television/streaming series, and books that helped make his 2020 a bit more bearable. Increasing his list of television shows from last year's three to this […]
So remember how we've been telling you that Amazon Prime's The Expanse was ready to blast off on December 16 with the first three episodes of its fifth season (with the season's remaining episodes dropping weekly through February 3, 2021)? Well, it turns out there was a change of plans- and there's a very good chance […]
It was a long, slow, and painful process- but an inevitable one. Once the dust settled over who would be the bigwig in charge of Marvel Studios moving forward and Kevin Feige was left sitting on the iron throne, it felt like it was only a matter of time before Jeph Loeb's creative presence around […]
For fans of Amazon Prime's The Expanse, the wait for the fifth season is now down to only a matter of days, with the series' return set to blast off on December 16 with the first three episodes (with the season's remaining episodes dropping weekly through February 3, 2021). To help make the remaining hours go […]
Nearly two months after news that Amazon Prime was moving forward on a series take on 1997 box office hit horror film I Know What You Did Last Summer, the pilot has found its director in Craig Macneill (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Castle Rock). Written and executive produced by Sara Goodman (Preacher, Gossip Girl), the series […]
With Amazon Prime's The Expanse set to blast off December 16 with three episodes (remaining eps drop weekly through February 3, 2021), the streaming service has been releasing previews over the past two days to clue viewers in on what they can expect. But on Tuesday, they shifted the focus to someone who should be […]
Amazon Prime's The Expanse didn't bother to let things calm down from its appearance at this weekend's CCXP 2020, where they debuted a new preview for the fifth season. With only ten days to go until it kicks off on December 16 with three episodes (with remaining eps dropping weekly through February 3, 2021), the […]
Fans of Amazon Prime's upcoming animated adaptation of the comic book series Invincible learned quite a bit more about what they can expect during this weekend's CCXP 2020 pop culture con. Robert Kirkman, Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons, Zazie Beetz, Gillian Jacobs, and Zachary Quinto took part in the virtual panel and dropped a major casting […]
Even with the shadow of the news that the series would be ending its run with its recently-announced sixth season, there was still excitement to be had on Sunday when fans of Amazon Prime's The Expanse were on the receiving end of a sneak preview of the fifth season. Kicking off the season on December 16 […]
With production currently underway on Amazon Prime's prequel series based on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic fantasy series in New Zealand, The Lord of the Rings series announced on Thursday a massive 20 new names joining the cast (meaning that Amazon Prime now employs 98.72% of all working actors around the world). Lenny Henry (Doctor Who), Peter Mullan […]
Fans of author Robert Jordan's literary world were given a chance to see the journey that a Heron-Mark Blade made from design to build to appearing on set to finally make its way in front of the camera. In addition, showrunner Rafe Judkins (Chuck, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) offered to answer ten questions about the […]
Fans of author Robert Jordan's literary world were given something more to get excited about on Wednesday, with the release of a video from Amazon Prime's live-action adaptation of The Wheel of Time that demonstrates just how true to the source material the series intends to be. In the following clip, viewers are given their […]
Some good news and bad news for fans of History and Michael Hirst's historical drama Vikings. On the plus side, Hirst's family saga focusing on the lives and epic adventures of the Nordic raiders and explorers of the Dark Ages will be back on December 30 in the U.S., UK, Germany, Austria, and Ireland. Even better, […]


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AgLocal, a San Francisco, Calif.-based company that delivers responsibly-sourced, sustainably-raised meats from local family farms to consumers' doorsteps, announced that its farm-fresh, healthful meats are available for order via AmazonFresh.
Crown Equipment Corp. announced that Tonja Rammel, environmental, health and safety manager, recently appeared as a panelist at this year’s Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Compliance Assistance Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
The program will include 15 million francs to assist farmers in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan, and includes plans to increase the recycling of Nespresso capsules and reduce the company’s carbon footprint by 10 percent become carbon-neutral.
The 2014 study revealed that the average purchased adoption rate of fuel-saving technologies has increased from 31 percent to 50 percent since 2003. As a result, these fleets are achieving 6.77 mpg on average, an 8 percent increase since 2011.
Clean Energy and approximately 40 competitors have opened nearly 100 public heavy-duty truck-friendly stations so far in 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center.
The logo, anchored by the iconic image of an American bald eagle, highlights propane as an increasingly American-made alternative fuel at a time when U.S. propane production from natural gas liquids is at record levels.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has released its second report on the consumer products goods (CPG) industry’s progress in environmental sustainability. The report highlights a diverse cross-section of initiatives from CPG manufacturers...


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From 17-18 July 2021
The FIM Motocross World Championship Netherland race will take place in OSS from 17-18 July 2021. Watch the MXGP of Netherland race live stream in full HD on your PC, laptop, and other smart devices from all over the world.
MXGP Oss has been questioned by the Dutch government. A series of new restrictions recently announced are now in effect, and they pose a big problem for the Dutch Grand Prix scheduled for July 17-18.
Here you can watch MXGP of Netherlands live stream without VPN or cable in your country and worldwide. Subscribe at Watchmotocrossonline.com and get your premium subscription at a reasonable price. Your subscription allows you to watch MXGP 2021 live streaming, and many other sports in one little package.
Title: MXGP of Netherland - 2021 Dutch Grand Prix
Event: FIM Motocross World Championship
Date: 17-18 July 2021
Location: OSS, Netherlands
Live Stream: Watch Here


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Global – The value of the global e-scrap recycling market will climb to US$ 34.32 billion by 2022, a report from Transparency Market Research has predicted. This would represent an annual growth rate surge of more than 15%, with Europe maintaining its position as market leader.
In 2014, Europe accounted for around 29% of the overall electronic scrap recycling market. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. ‘Especially countries like China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and Singapore offer several growth opportunities for the electronic scrap recycling market,’ it is suggested.
The report concludes that large white goods accounted for the biggest volume share (roughly 50%) of the e-scrap generated worldwide in 2014. However, the small home appliances market is expected to experience the most growth by 2022. Transparency Market Research believes that the precious metals segment will record a compound annual growth rate of 11.2% and that smelting and refining companies such as Boliden Group, Umicore and Mitsubishi Materials USA Corporation will significantly increase their e-scrap processing capacities.
The report highlights that as much as 50 million tonnes of e-scrap is generated annually around the world.


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People who might have looked at Steam’s official forums this morning might have found them somewhat barren—or even one might say: missing. It seems that last night Valve took their forums offline for abrupt “emergency maintenance” in the wake of what’s being reported as a hack.
Sometime last night Valve took down their official Steam forums for “maintenance;” however, users who happened to be browsing the site at the time report that it happened because the forums had been pwned by hackers.
In the minutes before the forums went down abruptly for the unscheduled maintenance, users reported that a new category had appeared directing users to a site called “Fkn0wned.” In addition, numerous users have reported that their e-mail addresses attached to the Steam forums have received spam ostensively from the site listed.
Kotaku has reported that Fkn0wned.com is denying responsibility, “Fkn0wned Forum is currently unavailable In lights of someone crediting us for the recent breaches of steam forums, the board is offline. Fkn0wned is not responsible.”
Details are still developing and Valve has not yet commented.
For most, we can breathe a sigh of relief: Steam service accounts and the official forums are separate password databases; however, for many who use both, they might share handles and passwords—so it’s time to get those passwords changed stat.


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We have been hearing a number of different rumors about Google’s next Nexus smartphone, the device is expected to be announced before the end of the year, and now according to a recent report the next Nexus device will be called the Google Nexus 5.
The Google Nexus 5 is reported to be based on HTC’s Droid Incredible X, and the handset is rumored to come with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean and will apparently feature a 5 inch display.
The rumored 5 inch display on the Nexus 5 is said to be a full HD display capable of 1080p video, and it is also rumored to come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor.
Other rumored specifications on the Google Nexus 5 include a front facing 2 megapixel camera and a rear facing 12 megapixel camera, up to 64GB of storage and a 2,500 mAh battery.
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Brassware supplier Vado has joined the Builders Merchants Federation
High-end shower, tap and bathroom accessories supplier Vado has joined trade association, the Builders Merchant Federation (BMF), as a member. It joins more than 450 merchants and suppliers to the merchanting industry, which have combined sales of more than £12.5bn and employ over 80,000 people.
The Somerset-based company was established in 1988 and has recently celebrated 25 years trading. It has a turnover of £30million and employs 160 people. Vado UK was recently acquired by the Norcros group, which also owns Triton and Johnson Tiles.
Vado UK managing director, Jim Williams commented on its BMF membership: “We are delighted to be a part of the BMF. Merchants have been a key part of our growth in recent years and are definitely key to our future plans. BMF membership will help us in our aims to get closer to our merchant customer base, understanding their needs and positioning ourselves to better service them.”
Managing director of the BMF John Newcomb, said: “I’m delighted that Vado sees the benefit of BMF membership to help them develop stronger relationships with merchant customers. The formation of the specialist Plumbing & Heating Sector, earlier this year, has given a real impetus to that section of the market with the Federation.”
The association recently held its first Plumbing & Heating group meeting, which it stated was attended by 23 merchant and supplier companies. John Newcomb of the BMF addded: “The value of participation will undoubtedly multiply as more specialists, like VADO, get involved.”


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CONCORD, Calif. -- In a secretive decommissioned Navy base here in the rolling hills just northwest of San Francisco, a dummy stands next to a duffel bag in the road as an autonomous Acura RLX careens toward it.
As the car approaches, it purposefully steers around the static mannequin and back into its lane, before coming to a stop at an intersection. The dummy is unharmed, thanks to a collection of cameras and sensors affixed to the roof and bumpers of the test vehicle.
This was just one of several demonstrations last week by Honda at the GoMentum Station, a 2,100-acre autonomous-vehicle testing site with 20 miles of cracked roads, bridges and faux cityscapes that's off-limits to the general public.
Ostensibly, the event was to highlight Honda's progress in developing and testing autonomous vehicles. But it also served as another reminder that after years of distractions and doubt, Honda is keen to reassert itself as a leader in innovation.
Historically Honda has favored a quiet approach while it developed next-generation vehicles and technologies. But that was before several years of global quality issues, the ongoing Takata airbag crisis and a management reshuffle that put Takahiro Hachigo at the head of Honda Motor Co. last June.
In the wake of that upheaval, Hachigo has pushed the automaker to do some soul-searching and, in particular, to recapture the spirit of innovation that once made the company famous.
Honda is also trying to grab more attention while it does so.
This is why Honda hosted an open house last summer when it moved its Silicon Valley-based Honda Research Institute into new digs. It's also why a dummy in a polo shirt was staring down a self-driving RLX in front of a group of journalists last week.
Honda, long a pioneer in robotics and crash protection, has been largely and conspicuously absent from the autonomous-vehicle conversation, while companies such as General Motors, Mercedes-Benz and even Volvo have emerged as the pacesetters. Toyota, for its part, is investing heavily in safety and mobility research and making acquisitions to rapidly beef up its presence in robotics and artificial intelligence. And BMW is refocusing its i subbrand on autonomous technology rather than electric vehicles.
Looking to emerge as more of a player in self-driving -- particularly among mainstream brands -- Honda has said that by 2020 it wants its suite of semiautonomous features to evolve to enable its vehicles to handle freeway driving on their own. Toyota and Nissan have outlined similar timelines.


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In the movie “Back to the Future Part II,” Marty McFly travels to October 21, 2015, to save his children, yet to be born in the original “Back to the Future” in 1985. Watching these movies in the 80s, who didn’t covet the ultimate time machine, Doc’s DeLorean car? Fast-forwarding to today, the future is now. Cars may not be time machines, but they do have some pretty amazing capacities.
Could Doc have imagined that Silicon Valley — not Detroit, or Germany, or Japan — would hold the future of the automotive industry? Drive through the Valley, and, chances are, you’ll see lots of Teslas, built nearby in Fremont, California. Tesla is not just an automaker; it’s also a technology and design company with a focus on energy innovation. It has revolutionized the automotive industry by taking the maintenance and high gas costs out of owning a vehicle. With a battery that can be recharged at home taking up very little space underneath the car’s chassis, Tesla has changed not only the face of automotive energy consumption and related pollution reduction; it has also altered how we use space in cars, as there are markedly less parts in these low-maintenance electric vehicles.
In Mountain View, California, chances are that you’ll come across one of Google’s self-driving cars. Making the case for such vehicles, their website reads: “Aging or visually impaired loved ones wouldn’t have to give up their independence. Time spent commuting could be time spent doing what you want to do. Deaths from traffic accidents—over 1.2 million worldwide every year—could be reduced dramatically, especially since 94% of accidents in the U.S. involve human error. “ Who knows if and when these vehicles will become mainstream, but those statistics make a compelling case for their ongoing exploration. And rumor has it that neighboring Apple, in Cupertino, California, is also staffing up an automotive division and is about to enter this race for the future of cars.
Amid all of these exciting advances, there remains much work to be done. I wonder, are Americans picking their cars now based, in part, on interface capabilities? The New York Times covered this a bit in September in a piece called “Complex Car Software Becomes the Weak Spot under the Hood.” Advances like automated braking have huge upsides safety-wise, but then, too, there is new potential for multiple points of failure. My friend’s Jeep Grand Cherokee, which has an interface she loves, was recalled for a software upgrade because hackers proved they could take control of one of these SUV remotely. That’s scary!
Innovation in this industry may never reach time-machine capabilities, but the future is exciting, including what’s available here and now. I don’t doubt that Marty McFly and Doc would be surprised at the technological advances they’d find between 1985 and 2015 — or have much sympathy for the inability of my phone and my car to talk. We’ve come a long way in thirty years, and who knows where cars will be in thirty years — perhaps not only self-driving, but flying! After all, the Terrafugia prototypes are well underway. Now that would really be something.
Think you’re a “Back to the Future” fan? Check out these 30 facts about the classic movie trilogy.
Originally published Oct 21, 2015, updated Aug 11, 2020


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According to E24 (in Swedish), Swedish cleantech companies face a dismal outlook, with only 3 out of 14 publicly traded companies making a profit last year.
A few observations could be made however. First of all, these numbers should not be taken as a representation of the whole cleantech market. Many successful cleantech companies are not traded on the public stock market. It is also important to remember that many companies not mentioned in the article work with cleantech in one way or another, but only as a part of their product or service portfolio. For instance: Sweco (consulting), ABB (energy efficiency, etc) and Alfa Laval (biofuel equipment, etc). Further on, in the long term several of the companies mentioned in the article face growing demand for their products.
To invest in a company that is yet to make a profit requires excellent market insight and at least a basic technical understanding of the products being offered. And even more so than in the case of investing young but profitable companies. Rome wasn't built in a day and many cleantech companies will need several years of R&D before being able to launch a competitive product. Ambitious innovators may become early leaders in developing markets. But without an initial knowledge, the outside investor might as well bring her or his money to a racecourse, where the gambling is equally risky but more exciting.


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Consumer Injury Lawyers Investigating Voluntary Darvon/Darvocet Recall From U.S. Market
Last week, Xanodyne, the manufacturer of propoxyphene, which is also known as Darvon/Darvocet, agreed to recall of all their Darvon/ Darvocet drugs after increased pressure from the FDA.
Xanodyne has had a history of scrutiny since 1957 when Darvon was introduced as a painkiller to relieve mild to moderate post-surgical pain.
To date 3,000 serious reports of Darvon and Darvocet problems have been identified, most involving heart problems, suicides, addiction and overdoses. In addition, the FDA indicated that Darvocet and Darvon provide little to no more pain relief than taking acetaminophen alone.
The FDA showed concern for the safety of Darvon/Darvocet users beginning in January 2009, when an advisory committee meeting addressed the health concerns and public safety surrounding propoxyphene. The committee voted 14 to 12 against the continued marketing of propoxyphene products. In the summer of 2009, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) asked the manufacturer to end all marketing and advertising in the European Union. And in the United States, the FDA required that a new warning be added to the drug label which informed patients and health care professionals to the risk of a fatal overdose.
If you or a loved one experienced a serious side effect associated with taking Darvon or Darvocet, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other injuries. For more information about filing a Darvon or Darvocet lawsuit, contact an attorney at Bernstein Liebhard LLP at (877) 779-1414 or at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard has pursued hundreds of cases on behalf of injured consumers and shareholders, recovering almost $3 billion for our clients. For eight consecutive years, The National Law Journal has named the Firm as one of the top plaintiff’s litigation firms in the country.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. © 2010 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.
Contact Information Felecia L. Stern, Esq. Seth Ottensoser, Esq. email@example.com (877) 779-1414


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Stockholm, February 23, 2021 - Internet Vikings, a European global cloud hosting provider from Europe, has announced the launch of a cloud hosting platform in Singapore.
SoftSwiss Game Aggregator statistics further highlight that cryptocurrency is currently actively used by the whole world, with increasing interest in Canada, Russia, and Latin America.
Earlier this month Pariplay received ISO/EIS 27001 certification which is a key criterion for the Swiss Federal Gaming Board ESBK.
Bitcoin Association, the Switzerland-based global industry organization that advances Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV), has named Patrick Prinz, CFA as its new Europe & Operations Manager.
Free-to-play specialist stakes another flag in Colorado’s sports-mad state with a new game leveraging operator’s sponsorship of Denver Broncos.
Betting exchange Smarkets has launched in Sweden after receiving approval from the national regulator.
The concept of The Higher Lower, once a viral web game, is adapted for gambling in BetConstruct’s Live Casino portfolio as a newly launched game Hi Lo.
The company is now able to bring its diverse portfolio of esports betting, skill-based iGaming, and Video Game Gambling™ products to New Jersey casinos and sportsbooks.
Loren Mack is the Latest to Join a Growing List of Top Executives for the Most Innovative and Fastest Growing League in the World as VP of Corporate Communications.
In a move that will bring further efficiencies and business intelligence to its customers, JCM Global® has selected Cash Processing Solutions (CPS) as their partner of choice.


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Consumers kept in dark by Coles’ refusal to go online
Consumer group CHOICE has described Coles’ decision not to publish its in-store prices online as a major disappointment and has called on the supermarket chain to reconsider.
Coles’ announcement means Australian shoppers will not be able to use the internet to compare the cost of shopping at the nation’s two major supermarkets, as is possible for airfares,
“We at least expected Coles might try to put some of its prices online as ALDI does and Woolworths has started doing,” says CHOICE spokesman Christopher Zinn.
“Following the previous government’s backflip on the Grocery CHOICE price comparison website, the supermarkets and Minister Emerson promised to develop an industry solution.
“Coles’ decision makes clear this approach has failed.
“Shoppers will only get information about the prices that Coles wants them to have, such as in brochures and paid advertisements. In practice, it is impossible for shoppers to find out the price of a basket of goods before they hit the checkout. The major supermarkets claim to be introducing state-wide pricing on dry goods, they clearly have the technology and web presence to make pricing information available
and they have spent millions on advertising claiming that prices are coming down across their stores.
“Denying consumers useful price information reflects either a failure of will or a desire to soften competition. Supermarket competition remains a major concern for consumers and real pricing transparency would improve the situation markedly,” said Mr Zinn.


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Here are five things you must know for Monday, Sept. 10:
1. -- U.S. Stocks Seen Higher Despite Trump Trade Threats
U.S. stock futures rose on Monday, Sept. 10, as investors reset their focus on developments in the ongoing trade war between Washington and Beijing.
Donald Trump went after China at the end of last week, saying he was ready to impose tariffs on essentially all of the goods imported from the country. China's trade surplus with the U.S. widened to a record $31 billion in August as exports surged despite the first round of tariffs targeting $50 billion in China-made goods.
Trump over the weekend also pushed Ford Motor Co. (F) - Get Ford Motor Company Report and Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Apple Inc. (AAPL) Report to move their manufacturing operations to the U.S. to avoid the tariffs.
The economic calendar in the U.S. on Monday is quiet. Earnings reports are expected from Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. (HOV) - Get Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. Class A Report and Sonos Inc. (SONO) - Get Sonos, Inc. Report .
If you'd like to receive the free "5 Things You Must Know" newsletter, please register here.
2. -- Les Moonves Is Out at CBS
Les Moonves, the longtime chairman and CEO of CBS Corp. (CBS) - Get CBS Corporation Class B Report, resigned Sunday, Sept. 9, after more than two decades with the broadcaster amid new allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct.
The company also said Moonves, 68 years old, would donate around $20 million to "one or more organizations that support the #MeToo movement and equality for women in the workplace" and that the money would be deducted from any severance he may or may not receive from his departure, based on an independent investigation into the allegations.
The ouster of Moonves followed new revelations in the Sunday edition of the New Yorker magazine, which included allegations from six different women who claimed Moonves used physical intimidation and violence as part of a pattern of abusive sexual behavior, all of which he denied.
"Untrue allegations from decades ago are now being made against me that are not consistent with who I am," Moonves said in a statement on Sunday. "Effective immediately I will no longer be chairman and chief executive officer of CBS."
Joseph Ianniello, the company's chief operating officer, will serve as interim CEO while a formal search for Moonves' replacement is conducted.
CBS shares closed up nearly 3% on Friday, Sept. 7, to $56.06.
3. -- Ford Won't Build Focus Active in the U.S.
Ford said it wouldn't begin building the Focus Active hatchback in the U.S., despite a tweet from Donald Trump that suggested the company could do so instead of importing it from China.
"It would not be profitable to build the Focus Active in the U.S. given an expected annual sales volume of fewer than 50,000 units," Ford said Sunday.
Ford last month announced it was canceling a plan to import the Focus Active, saying the tariffs Trump threatened to impose on vehicles built in China would increase costs too much for the company to hit its profit targets.
Trump hailed the decision in a tweet on Sunday, apparently after he saw a report about the Focus Active on television, The New York Times reported.
"Ford has abruptly killed a plan to sell a Chinese-made small vehicle in the U.S. because of the prospect of higher U.S. Tariffs." CNBC. This is just the beginning. This car can now be BUILT IN THE U.S.A. and Ford will pay no tariffs!," Trump tweeted.
Start, and end, your trading day right with TheStreet's 'Daily Snapshot' on your favorite smart-speaker. Learn more about TheStreet's market coverage for your trusted smart-speaker here.
4. -- Apple: Trump's China Tariffs Will Hurt
Apple shares were up 0.4% in premarket trading after a weekend tweet from Donald Trump that warned consumers would be forced to pay higher prices for its iPhones and computers once fresh tariffs on China-made imports were imposed by the White House.
Apple said Friday, Sept. 7, that the current tariff proposal, which targets $200 billion in China-made goods, could impact pricing for AirPods and the Apple Watch, but didn't specifically mention the iPhone in a letter to the U.S. government.
"Our concern with these tariffs is that the U.S. will be hardest hit, and that will result in lower U.S. growth and competitiveness and higher prices for U.S. consumers," Apple said.
5. -- Alibaba's Jack Ma to Step Down as Chairman
Jack Ma, co-founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Co. (BABA) - Get Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Sponsored ADR Report , said Monday he would step down as chairman of the e-commerce giant in exactly one year on Sept. 10, 2019. He will remain on the company's board until 2020.
Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang will succeed Ma in 12 months. Zhang, who has been CEO since 2015, will continue in that role. Zhang is the architect of Alibaba's "Singles' Day," the one-day internet shopping extravaganza.
Ma turned 54 on Monday. He is one of China's wealthiest men, with his net worth estimated at $40 billion.
American depositary receipts of Alibaba fell 1.3% in premarket trading on Monday.
To be a profitable investor and build long-term wealth, you need the right information and techniques. Join TheStreet Oct. 13, 2018 for a special investing event for sophisticated and active traders. Register for "Invest Like the Pros: Jim Cramer's Boot Camp for Investors" here.


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The Norwegian Competition Authority confirms that it has conducted a dawn raid at the premises of several operators in the grocery business in Norway.
The Norwegian Competition Authority release this information as companies involved have confirmed the control officially.
The inspection concerns the market of selling groceries from stores in Norway. The authority is investigating a possible breach of the § 10 of the Competition Act.
– The aim of the investigation is to establish whether or not anticompetitive behaviour by exchanging strategic information (price-information) has been going on between the chain stores that are under suspicion in this case, says director Magnus Gabrielsen.
The dawn raid has been approved by the court, which allows the authority to seize relevant material.
– When the inspection is complete, we will examine and analyse the seized material, says Gabrielsen.
The authority does not have further information at this point of the investigation. For general process information, please call the press contact.


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COURT PAPERS FILED
Former Star employees suspected of sabotage
Former Steinhoff Africa Retail (Star) employees allegedly conspired to sabotage subsidiary Tekkie Town’s information technology (IT) systems to prevent payments at tills from being executed, as well as steal company information and intellectual property.
This is according to court papers filed last week by Star, which accuses former Tekkie Town employees of conspiracy to sabotage the retailer.
Revelations by IT employee Werner de Bruin, whose affidavit accompanied the court papers, paints another cynical twist in the relations between Star, previous shareholders and Tekkie Town executives.
In a brief statement issued on the JSE’s investor news service on Friday afternoon, Star said it had obtained a court order preventing Tekkie Town founder Braam van Huyssteen, previous CEO Bernard Mostert, previous head of IT Willem Wait and technician Anton Roetz from "conducting certain actions against Star", which included interference and "destabilising operations".
The latter three resigned as part of a larger walkout nearly two weeks ago, while Van Huyssteen resigned with immediate effect from his role as the chairman of the property and speciality fashion and footwear division — under which Tekkie Town reported — in May.
Steinhoff acquired footwear retailer Tekkie Town for R3.2bn in 2016, before hiving it off as part of its Africa-focused operations in Star. Steinhoff itself collapsed in December under the weight of accounting fraud allegedly perpetrated by former CE Markus Jooste.
According to the draft order granted on Friday, the four former executives are restrained from "accessing, continuing to access or interfere" with the Tekkie Town IT system, and the judge instructed the National Prosecuting Authority to investigate the matter.
De Bruin, a business intelligence developer at Tekkie Town, said he felt as if he was on a "holy mission" when, along with about 100 other staff, he resigned on the day that Mostert and chief operating officer Dawie van Niekerk left the company in late June.
He claims the resignations were premeditated and instigated by Van Huyssteen when it was clear neither he nor Mostert would be successful in acquiring Tekkie Town or the entire speciality division from Star.
De Bruin said the resignations were "a test of our loyalty" and if we passed it we would be "taken care of".
Van Huyssteen denied this to Business Day last week, saying he had not incited any employees to resign. He said he had only undertaken to look after them using his own resources.
De Bruin’s affidavit included transcripts of telephone conversations between himself and Wait. In the days following the mass resignations, Wait apparently got a "code red" from Van Huyssteen. "I was told to ‘f*ck up every POS [point of sale] profile’ … so they can’t access any of them, override the terminal names and numbers, and affect the connection between the server and POS terminal and cover it up," De Bruin said. He also claims Roetz, a technician, was instructed to go and buy hard drives with Mostert’s credit card and make back-ups of "all databases and intellectual property" with the purpose of taking it off site.
The affidavit also sets out how Mostert made an offer of R2bn plus accepting liability for all claims, to buy back Tekkie Town, but that Jayendra Naidoo (Star chairman) declined, saying they wanted the R3.2bn Steinhoff had paid for the asset.
Mostert, representing the respondents in the case, says they are seeking legal advice on how to proceed.


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BetterBrand, a food tech company in the carb space, has closed $6 million in Series A round funding, at a pre-money valuation of $170 million.
The round was led by Verso Capital with participation from returning VCs such as Gaingels Fund, Alexis Ohanian’s Seven Seven Six and Craft Lane.
Described by the company as its “hero product”, The Better Bagel – which transforms the carb-heavy bagel into the net carb equivalent of two banana slices – is said to have been the number one new product entrant in the natural retail channel in 2022.
BetterBrand first introduced The Better Bagel via its website in 2021. The high-protein, low-carb bagels are available online and on shelves in over 1,500 stores in the US, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Fresh Market, Gelson’s, Bristol Farms, Giant, Harmon’s, Lassen’s, Plum Market, Wild by Nature, FoxTrot and more.
BetterBrand founder and CEO, Aimee Yang, said: “We are thrilled about this next chapter for BetterBrand to support our rapid global expansion and continued innovation. This is yet another example of how our mission – proving that the impossible is possible – is demonstrated through practice, and touches not only our product innovation but the massive potential of Better’s power and scale.”
Gaingels managing director, Lorenzo Thione, commented: “At Gaingels, we are thoroughly convinced that under her leadership, BetterBrand is poised to redefine our very relationship with carbohydrates, by combining health and taste in one innovative package. BetterBrand’s vision is not just about a product; it’s about a revolution in how we perceive and consume starches, worldwide. We’re excited to support Aimee’s journey in transforming this giant market and look forward to the indelible impact BetterBrand will make.”
The company has announced its plans to unveil 16 new SKUs in the coming months and will begin expanding to new markets across North America and Europe. The products will be available by the end of 2023.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024


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Expenses are settled centrally and itemised in a single invoice Continue reading
Booking.com promises more streamlined service for corporate bookers with AirPlus tie-up
AirPlus and Booking.com have completed an integration to provide payment and billing service to the OTAs corporate travel bookers.
The firms said the tie-up will provide a “seamless booking and payment experience for corporates and their travellers” on the Booking.com for Business platform.
Using AirPlus virtual cards, corporate customers can now generate an individual Mastercard number for their employees to pay for accommodation via Booking.com.
All expenses are settled centrally and are itemised in one invoice.
For existing AirPlus corporate travel customers, setting up their customised Booking.com for Business account takes only a few minutes.
AirPlus users will be able to access Bbooking.com’s entire inventory while benefitting from the fact its virtual cards are automatically integrated into the OTAs platform as a preferred payment method.
This means corporate customers benefit from AirPlus’ payment solution that offers security, data quality and acceptance, said AirPlus.
AirPlus added its corporate payment and internal expense management processes means an easier, more streamlined and highly efficient process.
And it claimed corporates can achieve far higher rates of travel policy compliance among bookers.
Michiel Verhaagen, executive director global sales and country management, at AirPlus International, said:
“This collaboration between AirPlus and Booking.com is promising news for travel managers that are getting aware more and more of the potential that slumbers within corporate hotel booking and payment process.
“It also brings relief for the traveller, who benefits from having less trouble with doing his expenses. We enable him to reclaim his time”.
Ripsy Bandourian, senior director of partnerships at Booking.com, added: “We are very excited about this partnership and integration with AirPlus and what it means for our corporate customers.
“Now even more business travellers can seamlessly find the stay that’s just right for their individual needs while using their company’s preferred payment method.
“With more choice and flexibility for travellers and an easier, more transparent reporting and reconciliation process for corporates, it’s a win-win for everyone.”


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Tim Kane is the researcher who revealed that young companies create all the net new jobs in the country, about three million a year, and it was a startling revelation indeed.
He brought his insights to the Wisconsin Entrepreneur Conference in Milwaukee last week. His corollary is that large companies actually reduce about a million jobs a year. So far, so good.
But a deeper dig on his findings leads to a strategy puzzle.
Kane did his research for the Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City, the $2 billion think tank that pushes entrepreneurship. So, he would agree with the Wisconsin Prosperity Strategy that calls for Wisconsin to be the best state in the union for starting a venture.
But how to do that? Kane refined his numbers to say that most of job growth actually comes from companies in their first year or two of operation, and most are very small. Thousands of small firms create jobs one or two at a time, aggregating to millions.
Asked about strategy to get that growth, he goes to lower tax rates, good schools, reliable infrastructure, economic freedom in terms of less regulation – all the general stuff that adds up to a positive business climate.
He would not target specific industries, which is in direct contrast to the cluster theory put forward by Michael Porter of Harvard.
He would not do cross-border subsidies for recruiting companies, calling it a “zero sum game.” Most states still do that.
He would not promote “gazelles,” high growth startups.
Asked about the strategy of Israel, which decidedly supports gazelles through private-public partnerships and funds, Kane demurred. Israel has ridden that strategy from a poor, desert country to one of the most prosperous.
So, while Kane’s insights are useful, I don’t see much pragmatic strategic guidance in his work. I agree on recruiting being a zero sum game and an expensive one to boot. I agree that targeting too narrowly can be a mistake.
What Kane fails to acknowledge, though, is that small companies, his heroes, need someone to sell to. They need a supply chain to be part of.
Those supply chains could be viewed as the Porter clusters, with a market leading company at the top. The Wisconsin strategy says: “Hug a market leading company.” That would be the likes of MillerCoors, NML, QuadGraphics, GE Healthcare, Bucyrus and Joy Global. Make sure they are happy campers in your state.
They create wealth by exporting and they create a market for smaller companies. Put another way, they maintain the job base, even if they are net job reducers themselves.
The other bet for state’s strategy, one that Ohio is following aggressively, is to promote gazelles. The winners among them create explosive job growth in their first generation of existence and some become market leading companies.
Examples in Wisconsin are Trek in bicycles, now an $800 million company; Quad in printing, with more than 25,000 employees; and Epic in health care IT.
In less than a generation, Epic has grown from zero to 4300 jobs in the Madison area and more than $800 million in sales. It will hire 1000 more workers this year. It is building a giant campus in Verona. Just as importantly, and to Kane’s point, hundreds of small companies will be selling goods and services to Epic.
Direct Supply, a distribution company for assisted living facilities, in the Milwaukee area has grown to 1000 employees in less than a generation and can see 5000 down the road. They buy products and services from lots of small firms.
To help policy makers understand how the new economy works, think about a city like Hartford. If its market leading companies – Broan-NuTone, QuadGraphics and Signicast – pulled out, what would happen to the small shops in town?
Obviously, many would suffer and some would fail. They need the big companies as buyers of their wares. The small shops don’t drive the economy; the market leaders do. In that reality lies the direction for economic strategy.
Most entrepreneurs jump out of the clusters they have worked in to start their ventures. Harry Quadracci, for example, had been a general manager of another printing company before founding his gazelle, QuadGraphics.
So the Wisconsin “hug” strategy needs to go in two directions: to market leading companies and to gazelles.
Wisconsin is executing the gazelle piece with capital gains breaks for investments in Wisconsin companies, with Act 255 tax credits for venture and angel investors and with a proposed fund of funds to match private investment dollars in high growth startups.
When this strategy is successful, Kane’s small shops will do well as a byproduct.


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The year just ending wasn’t a great one but it was a better one, which is probably all Nevadans could ask of it. And the year ahead figures to be pretty much the same.
While the reasons for optimism reflect well on the state economy’s inherent resiliency and strength, many of the negatives have more to do with national and international factors over which we have no control. Thus, the fate of Nevada’s economy is only partly in its own hands.
“The word I use for the state’s economy is swampy,” says Brian Bonnenfant, Project Manager for the Center for Regional Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno. “You’ve got some real soft areas and some firm areas, but nothing’s really rocky-stable anywhere.”
The year ahead, Bonnenfant figures, may be a “real peculiar one. With the elections you’ve still got a good dose of uncertainty, plus this European debt hanging over everybody. It’s definitely going to ride through 2012, so who knows? We’re so inter-related that when anyone anywhere pops now – like Greece — everybody tanks. Until the world gets back up on its feet we don’t know when things are going to come back. We’re in uncharted territory.”
Budget numbers for fiscal 2012, which started July 1 — $2.9 billion for the general fund, excluding federal and other funding sources — are tracking ahead of the Economic Forum’s projections, reports Jeff Mohlenkamp, Director of the Department of Administration for the State of Nevada. That figure is down from the more than $3 billion budget for fiscal 2011 because several revenue sources have been discontinued.
“The budget itself, obviously, is a by product of the business community,” Mohlenkamp points out. “I don’t think it necessarily drives business; business drives the budget in many respects.” Revenue to date is running “a little bit above” the Economic Forum’s projection, he adds, and should continue that way.
Indeed, Mohlenkamp continues, sales tax revenue has been up on a year-over-year basis across the state for at least 14 consecutive months, and fiscal 2011 finished well ahead of budget. “What that tells us is that business has shown some moderate improvement in activity, and we think that’s a positive note.” Gaming tax revenue has been “a bit more volatile, a bit more up and down.”
Applied Analysis, the Las Vegas-based business advisory services firm, sees the state revenue coming in above expectations in terms of both sales and gaming taxes. “I think we will beat the Economic Forum’s expectation, which will leave them with what I think is going to be a relatively healthy overage,” says Principal Analyst Jeremy Aguero. “However, the state will still have a deficit when going into 2013.”
“People are consuming,” Bonnenfant confirms. “You’re seeing visitation numbers popping in Vegas and that’s real good, although that’s not really reflecting in the gaming side, which shows there are still some limitations on how much they’re willing to spend.”
The assumption, Bonnenfant continues, was that the nation would recover before Nevada, the stampede through McCarran would resume and gaming would come charging back. “But as you’re seeing, the country really hasn’t recovered, and now they’re talking about a double recession in Europe, and that is going to have effects over here. I’m not saying we’re going to go into a double recession, but the uncertainty is going to keep you on the sidelines.”
Baby boomers, Bonnenfant adds, are “retiring in masses, and they have a ton of capital behind them. That is a positive on the consumption side.” Automobile sales recovered nicely over the last few months of 2011, “so there are signs that some big-ticket things are being bought.”
While spending on gaming has remained more or less flat, says Bryan Wachter, Director of Government Affairs for the Retail Association of Nevada (RAN), Nevadans are spending “significantly” more on non-gaming consumables. “I’m sure the Strip is going to love to hear that: they’re spending more on eating, on drinking, on shopping, on entertainment.”
People continue to arrive, as well. “What we’re seeing,” says Wachter, “is the population increasing here in Nevada — not to where it was, certainly, before. But we’re seeing more out-of-state drivers license surrenders at local DMVs. We’re seeing more housing units that are connected to the power grid. And we’re starting to see a little bit of a rise in school enrollment, which is something that in the last two years we had seen a dramatic decrease. Those numbers are starting to come back.”
The state is also seeing more retirees moving here, something Wachter calls “one of the strongest strengths that the retail sector has. Retirees, primarily Baby Boomers, are healthier, wealthier and more active than their counterparts were from the World War II era. They’re becoming a constant for the retail market.”
RAN executives say they believe that the strengthening of the consumer base for retail is something to be optimistic about. “We’re also seeing visitor spending rise,” confirms Wachter. “Not only are we seeing more people coming to Nevada, but the amount of money they’re willing to spend has increased from last year.” The restaurant sector – Nevada’s second-largest in terms of taxable retail sales volume — are doing fairly well despite the sluggish economy.
Overall, Applied Analysis looks for modest single-digit retail growth throughout most of 2012. Danger lurks, however, in the form of growing internet-based retail activity. In Nevada, online sales activity is expected to grow two to two-and-a-half times more than traditional retail. Bricks-and-mortar retailers may be seeing an improving market, cautions Applied Analysis’ Aguero, “but will likely be capturing a smaller share of that pie.”
Reason for Optimism
The outlook for a variety of business sectors is mostly optimistic. For example:
When it comes to tourism, Aguero sees continued increases in hotel occupancy rates and average daily room rates. Gross gaming revenues should stabilize and grow at a relatively modest pace going into 2012, he adds. The convention calendar should continue to favor Southern Nevada, while gas prices will remain a crucial variable.
With international travel comprising 18% of total visitation in Southern Nevada and only slightly lower than that statewide, the political tremors and economic uncertainty in the Eurozone have Nevada officials justifiably concerned. Domestic travel continues to improve, and tourism from Mexico, Canada and Brazil remains strong.
Joe Kelley, interim President and CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA), says that the group side of business will almost certainly be weak for the first four or five months of 2012, due in part to a couple of large groups that have dropped out. Coming to town will be the Women’s Bowling Championships but not the Open Championships, which is about double the size. ”It’s still a great piece of business, but not as large as the Open.” From June the picture gets stronger, with groups like the bowling proprietors and Veterans of Foreign Wars due to arrive.
On the tourist side, Kelley says he remains just as optimistic. “As the economy continues to improve, as gradual as it is, people are wanting to take those short trips that they don’t plan out for a year. We’ve got five-million people in the Bay Area, we have good (marketing) presence in that market and we’re seeing some good things.”
Indeed, tourism figures in Washoe County, primarily Reno, Sparks and North Lake Tahoe, have been up for the first several months of the year over 2010. “Of course, I don’t know if that’s because last year was just so bad,” Kelley adds, “but we’re pretty optimistic.”
Getting Back to Work
Statewide, job growth is expected, but nowhere near the scale everyone is hoping for. Employment “may be slightly better, but overall it’s going to be generally flat,” projects Jered McDonald, Economist for the Research and Analysis Bureau of the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR). “We have seen some general trends showing improvement in leisure and hospitality and some of our tourism industries. They’ve kind of picked us up over the last year, and we would expect to see that trend continue into 2012.”
To do better than that, McDonald says, “We would have to see a pretty good pick-up in the growth at the national level, and it would have to trickle down to Nevada.” The state would also need to see its housing market turn around, which isn’t expected any time soon. “Our commercial development is pretty much at a standstill, as well. We have high vacancy rates and really no need to do a lot of building in the near future. It’s just going to take some time to get out of this sideways trajectory.”
Aguero says he is looking for core employment (total employment less construction and government) to be up in excess of 1% in 2012. “Over the past four months you’ve also had rises in construction-related employment in Southern Nevada, which we think is very material when combined with the fact that the tourism industry is adding jobs per hotel room again.”
The employment scene will continue to experience fits and starts, according to Bonnenfant. “There is really no silver bullet out there. This renewable game is being grossly fed by federal stimulus money and other types of outside money, rebates and abatements. But they’re looking at cutting a lot of these support systems.”
The real estate picture is, well, what it is.
Housing, says the Center for Regional Studies’ Bonnenfant, is “still such a mess with all the distressed properties. We’ve got years of inventory still to go through.” Stringent new laws about how banks handle distressed properties, he adds, will slow the process down considerably.
“We have about 100,000 people in the state of Nevada that we would classify as near foreclosure,” notes Aguero. “That ranks among the nation’s highest in terms of delinquency and ‘serious’ delinquency.” Clearly, the housing market isn’t finished struggling. “We don’t see anything in terms of significant upward mobility in prices.”
House prices will likely remain stable throughout 2012. Strategic default on homes brought about by, among other things, payment fatigue will continue, with many deciding they are better off walking away than continuing to pay on a severely upside down real estate asset. As for commercial real estate, the industrial vacancy rate stands at about 18%, says Aguero, with retail standing at 11% to 17%. Both figures, he adds, are at or near all-time highs, “and prices continue to fall.”
The march toward eventual full recovery continues.
At the state level, budget funds will continue to come from the usual suspects, gaming and sales taxes. Sales taxes are growing at a relatively health 5%-plus clip, and should continue to do so. Gaming tax is the second-largest general fund source of revenue for the state, and it has likewise seen improvements.
“Those two items, gaming and sales, make up about 50% of the state’s general fund budget,” Aguero points out, “so if those are moving in the right direction the state is probably not doing too badly.” Also expected are improvements in the modified business tax, which is the state’s payroll tax. Applied Analysis is looking for continued increases in both hours worked and average weekly wages.
“The Economic Forum was very conservative in 2011 when they made their projections on state revenue,” Wachter suggests. “It would be very disheartening to see the revenue not increase from what they projected. The way the indicators are looking, it appears as if the revenues are going to exceed the projections from the Economic Forum.”
“Nevada has still got a long way to go to get back to anywhere near where we were,” Mohlenkamp suggests, “but I think we’re off the bottom now and on an upward trajectory. How steep that upward trajectory is is something that is a little hard to tell.” There remain, he adds, a host of national and even international factors playing themselves out that will have significant impacts on the state’s overall financial health.
“The comparisons are favorable because 2010 was such a difficult period,” Aguero concedes. “The first half of 2011 was also a pretty difficult period, to say nothing of the fact that in 2011 you had a tsunami with nuclear implications, gas prices spiked, and there were domestic and international debt challenges, tornadoes, hurricanes and incredible snow storms all in a single year.”
The state is adding jobs, people are going back to work and consumers are consuming again, says Aguero, “but that doesn’t mean that we can sugarcoat what’s going on with our economy. We are going to remain at or near the nation’s highest in terms of bankruptcy, foreclosure and unemployment. That will be a drag. This recovery is going to be measured in years, not months.”
Nevada should, on the whole, fare better than neighboring California – admittedly, though, a more or less apples-to-oranges comparison. “California is a state that is ten times our size and provides services that are in some ways different than what the state of Nevada provide,” Aguero says. “California is going to have challenges whether the economy is growing or collapsing.”
Aguero warns rightly against painting the entire economy with a single brush. There will, of course, be sectors that will continue to struggle, construction among them. “Construction has lost 70,000 jobs over the past three and a half years. It’s only added back about 3,000 jobs from the trough to where we are today. I would temper any of my comments by noting that some of the favorable nature is due specifically to the fact that when we’re as low as we are, the bar for growth is relatively modest.”
Bottom line: it could be worse and projections are that it will get better.


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Apple Slashes App Store Fees in Half for Most Developers
Apple Inc. is cutting by half the fees charged to most developers who sell software and services on the App Store, marking the biggest change to the store's revenue structure since the iPhone maker launched the service in 2008. That wasn't enough for some developers.
The company is lowering the App Store fee to 15% from 30% for developers who produce as much as $1 million in annual revenue from their apps and those who are new to the store. The change will go into effect Jan. 1 as part of an App Store Small Business Program, Apple said Wednesday. The new structure will apply to the ?vast majority? of developers who charge for apps and in-app purchases on Apple's devices, according to a statement. It won't affect major apps, such as those from Netflix Inc. and Spotify Technology SA.


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Massive Dynamics Inc. (OTCBB: MSSD) a Nevada corporation listed on the OTCQB, has signed a letter of intent to acquire PrintForge 3D Ltd., a Hong-Kong based developer of 3D printers and related accessories. The acquisition of PrintForge 3D Ltd. will help Massive to secure its position in the rapidly expanding additive manufacturing industry.
Massive Dynamics launched in Feb.2013 a new division for acquiromg existing companies in the rapidly expanding 3D printing market. PrintForge 3D Ltd. Will acquire, develop, and refine 3D Printers, scanners and related software with the objective of becoming a One Stop Shop for the additive manufacturing industry.
Industry insiders are calling additive manufacturing, commonly referred to as 3D printing, the "Third Industrial Revolution." Manufacturing is quickly moving from the current mass produced "one for all" model into an era of personalization, where consumers will personalize the color and features of items they wish to purchase and instead of clicking "buy" and waiting for delivery, they'll simply click "print" and watch their purchase materialize in no time at all.
"There can be no doubt about the explosive growth ahead for the additive manufacturing industry," said Oscar Hines, President. "The applications for 3D printing are virtually unlimited; in time 3D printing will usher in a paradigm shift in the way consumers interact with the manufacturing economy."
"We look forward to working with PrintForge over the next several months to launch their line of 3D printers and accessories into the US market; while completing the mutual due diligence required for execution of the definitive acquisition agreement," concluded Hines.
Posted in 3D Printing Companies
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Scott. wrote at 3/6/2013 9:31:33 PM:
Who's PrintForge? They don't have a web presence I can find but Massive Dynamics looks pretty sparse. I don't think this is real...


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Inflation in Hungary has picked up to 2.3 percent, after the Central Statistical Office (KSH) measured annual consumer prices which grew from a 1.8 percent increase in December.
Meanwhile, Hungarian industrial output fell by an annual 0.5 percent in December 2016, while output for the full year rose by 0.9 percent.
According to MTI, London-based emerging market analysts had expected CPI to climb by over 2 percent on the back of a substantial base effect in energy prices.
The National Bank of Hungary said after the release that its measures of underlying inflation “did not indicate any significant change compared to the previous month” in spite of the 0.5 percent rise.
Output of Hungary’s automotive sector, a key driver of industry in the country, fell by an annual 6.9 percent in December.
Output of the computer, electronics and optical equipment segment, another big part of Hungarian industry, climbed by 3.4 percent.


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Nordic Games is to resurrect the THQ label after acquiring the rights to the defunct brand.
Nordic Games who purchased a good chunk of titles during the THQ liquidation last year intends to use the brand to sell some of its upcoming games.
Nordic GM Klemens Kruezer revealed the plans in an interview with Polygon “It was kind of surprise to some industry veterans and players that we were the winner of the auction of the THQ titles,” Klemens said. “The challenging fact is nobody has ever heard about Nordic Games before. There were so many articles with the headlines ‘Who the fuck is Nordic Games?’. We said, okay they were right.
“We are small team. The expectations from outside regarding the IPs of THQ are really high. We see it everyday on our Facebook sites.”
Nordic Games beat many other studios to the sales lot which included over 150 titles with popular IP’s such as Red Faction, Destroy All Humans, Stuntman, MX vs ATV and of course Darksiders included.
Lars Wingefors, owner and CEO of Nordic Games Group AB at the time said “In the long term, we either want to cooperate with the original creators or best possible developers in order to work on sequels or additional content for these titles,”
A lot of fans (myself included) have wondered if another Darksiders would ever come about and it appears that Klemens Kruezer achknoledges the fans are eager for Darksiders 3.
“This is where we need some more patience from the fans, because we want to be able to do it right. The owner of Nordic Games has given [interviews] where he has said that he doesn’t want to make a shitty sequel.”
Kruezer has confirmed that there will be announcements made at Gamescom in August.


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Jagged metal found on some Bowen Island beer cans sparks recall
The recall comes after reports that rims on some of the cans have not been seamed properly, and could have sharp metal sticking out. (BC Liquor Distribution Branch)
CTV Vancouver Island
Published Monday, August 27, 2018 4:37PM PDT
Concerns over defective cans have prompted a voluntary recall of two Bowen Island Brewing products.
The recalled products are Bowen Island Artisan IPA, lot numbers L18207, L18187 and L18215, as well as Bowen Island West Coast Lager, lot number L18207.
The BC Liquor Distribution branch and beer manufacturer Northam Beverages have issued the recall over reports that rims on some of the cans have not been seamed properly, and could have sharp metal sticking out.
All of the products are sold as six-packs and the lot numbers are identifiable on the bottom of each can, the LDB said in a news release.
Private retailers, hospitality customers and BC Liquor Stores are being asked to pull the product from shelves.
Anyone who bought the beer can return it to the point of purchase for a full refund.


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A RETAIL development set to rival current plans for a new shopping park in Hayle has been unveiled.
Walker Developments is seeking planning permission for a 100,000sq ft development including up to ten retail units at the current Hayle Rugby Club ground, as well as creating a new £4.5m sports facility at Carwin Rise.
The proposals, which include shops and catering units, is in direct competition with Cranford Developments, which recently submitted plans to Cornwall Council for a similar retail park on land off Marsh Lane and has already signed up Debenhams and Outfit, subject to planning.
Richard Walker, director of Walker Developments, said the scheme, like Cranford's, would create up to 450 jobs but claims it would provide more benefits for the community.
"It is more like an expansion of the existing retail park. This is really to provide Hayle with a good out-of-town retail offer. The rugby club scheme delivers significant community development. The Cranford scheme just delivers retail," said Mr Walker. "The question we are asking people is do they want to see retail development or retail development and community benefit?"
Mr Walker said the plans for Hayle Rugby Club would see it become one of "the best rugby facilities in the county" with two playing pitches, one of which is artificial, a new clubhouse, four smaller training pitches as well as space for 120 cars.
Should planning permission be granted, Mr Walker said the retail site would generate funding for the sports facility for many years to come. Although retailers have yet to sign up, Mr Walker said he is confident the site would attract big names.
Proposals so far include 550 parking spaces, with a further 80 reserved for staff. Improvements to the A30 at Loggans Moor roundabout also feature in the plans, as well as increased pedestrian links including the creation of a new access point from Guildford Road.
If given the green light the developers said the retail park would be complete in 18 months.
Hayle mayor Jayne Ninnes said two developers competing for sites in Hayle could be a good thing as the town council wants to ensure it gets the right development for the town.
"The prospect of bringing more jobs to our town is exciting and if we can work with developers to provide a scheme that provides the right mix of retail and benefits to the town, while ensuring we improve traffic issues at key junctions and meet the needs of residents of Hayle, including Angarrack, then I can only see the prospect of competition as a good thing.
"It is great the rugby club is coming forward with plans which, if they satisfy planning needs, could provide improved sporting facilities for Hayle."
Walker Developments will hold a presentation for Hayle Town Council tonight to discuss the plans before launching a public consultation. The public can attend from 7.15pm at Hayle Community Centre.


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As part of its plan to return to the big league, Yahoo has decided to cut support for third-party logins. Yahoo has begun the gradual phase-out of letting people access certain services with their Facebook or Google logins. Now, to sign into all services, users will need a Yahoo ID. Fantasy Sports and photo sharing […]
The post Yahoo stops user access of services with Facebook, Google credentials appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.


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State Minister Mehmet Aydin said that Turkey is eager to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with India to further improve the two countries bilateral ties, Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported.
An arbitral tribunal appointed by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (lCSID) of the World Bank hearing a claim brought by a Turkish investor against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has rejected all claims for breach of a bilateral investment treaty between the two countries.
Turkey and Chile were set to sign a free trade agreement, Turkish State Minister Zafer Caglayan said on Monday.
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic and Turkish Minister for Foreign Trade Zafer Caglayan today signed a free trade agreement between the two countries, which will be implemented from January 1, 2010.
South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry intends to embark on a study into the potential for a free-trade agreement between the Southern African Customs Union and Turkey.
Chile and Turkey finished the last round of negotiations on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), announced Friday the Chilean Foreign Ministry.
Syria and Turkey have recently bolstered economic relations by signing new agreements on trade, investment and finance.. Experts say the growing ties are in part a result of Ankara’s ambitions to expand into Arab markets via Syria.
Turkey and Korea have decided to initiate Free Trade Agreement between the two countries soon.
Turkey and Montenegro signed a free trade agreement on the sidelines of a Balkan economy summit in Istanbul.
Seeking to upgrade relations to a new level, India and Turkey today decided to start talks for a free trade accord, double bilateral trade to six billion dollars by 2010 and deepen cooperation in counter-terrorism.
As the global financial crisis pressures economies, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said the best response to the crisis would be enhancing business relations between Turkey and the Arab world.
Deputy Prime Minister for EU integration Bozidar Djelic announced today that next year Serbia and Turkey will sign an agreement on free trade.
Turkey expressed its views to sign free trade agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries, indicating that serious initiatives may be launched within the scope of Asia-Pacific strategies.
Indonesia and Turkey have pledged to enhance their economic partnership, introducing a plan to formulate a comprehensive trade and economic partnership — an initial step toward a free trade agreement.
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the country has started assessing the impact of free-trade agreement (FTA) with Turkey, and is also seriously considering to start formal talks for FTA with Peru, Korea Herald reported Thursday.
A soon-to-be-finalized free trade agreement between the European Union and South Korea is causing concern for Turkey, as its market will be indirectly opened to South Korean products due to its customs union agreement with the EU.
Chile and Turkey ended the second round of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement on Friday, the Chilean Foreign Ministry said, adding that "It’s very important to integrate the private sectors in this process, because they will take advantage of the FTA."
Turkey has signed a preferential trade agreement with the South American trade bloc Mercosur during negotiations in Argentina.
Leaders of the South American trade bloc Mercosur meeting at a summit in Argentina have signed trade agreements with the Southern African Customs Union, as well as with Turkey and Jordan.
Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans to develop large-scale overseas agricultural projects to secure food supplies, revealing that Riyadh is in discussions with Ukraine, Pakistan, Sudan, Turkey and Egypt.


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Plug-in hybrids is likely to be polluting much more than the emissions-test numbers counsel. Portland is re-upping on the Electrical Avenue idea, however for large electrical vans this time. Daimler’s Good plant sale will allow one thing that’s not small and never electrical. And will solid-state battery tech arrive by the center of the last decade? This and extra, right here at Inexperienced Automobile Experiences.
Knowledge teased by California-based QuantumScape on Tuesday prompt the corporate’s solid-state battery technology might be closer to production than beforehand thought. It would probably enable quicker, extra constant charging and, by extension, maybe, a lot smaller battery packs and extra reasonably priced automobiles.
A examine from the UK alleges that plug-in hybrids are polluting significantly higher than automakers claim or than official effectivity and emissions outcomes counsel—partly as a result of their EV operation is insufficient, but additionally as a result of the outcomes don’t characterize precise real-world use.
Portland’s Electrical Avenue, as soon as a public proving floor for electric-car charging, now has a sequel. Referred to as Electrical Island, and sponsored by the native utility and Daimler Vans North America, which relies there, it goals to be an emissions-free testing spot for electric semis, supply automobiles, and different industrial vans.
Daimler’s sale of its long-running Smart plant in France, not too long ago revamped to accommodate upcoming electrical automobiles, will as a substitute allow the manufacturing of the Grenadier, an off-road SUV powered by diesel, gasoline, and maybe hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains.
And over at Motor Authority: GM has teased that the 2022 GMC Hummer EV is now testing at its proving grounds in one thing that intently resembles its manufacturing type. GMC confirmed that it’s the only real prototype thus far.


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Meta Quest Pro Debuted, VUZ raise $20 Million & Déjà Vu Secrets Solved?
Meta Connect 2022: Meta debut Quest Pro. After much teasing and leaks, Mark Zuckerberg finally unveiled the companies new Quest Pro headset. Coming in at a price-tag of $1,500, the device will look to target the enterprise marketplace.
Qualcomm announce new 'premium-tier' chipset. Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 1 will be the driving force behind the next generation of MR and VR devices, delivering 50% higher sustained power and 30% improved thermal performance with many OEM's committing to use the product.
Bonelab becomes fastest-selling title in Meta Quest history. The VR sequel shooter, brought to us by Stress Level Zero, made $1 million in revenue within its first hour of release in late September.
John Carmack's annual presentation relays frustrations. In an unscripted delivery during Meta Connect, the former Oculus CTO admitted to being "grumpy" about the direction of Meta's VR efforts, including questioning the lack of a low weight low cost headset option in the marketplace.
Dubai-based VUZ raise $20 million series B investment. The XR social streaming app claim the investment will allow for expansion into new markets, such as NFT projects, and the supercharging of it's 10% month on month revenue growth.
ORamaVR's post-seed funding round raises €2.4 million. The VR medical training solutions firm from Geneva look to address a growing dearth of global medical professionals with this move.
Didimo conclude $7.15M Series A funding round. The Portuguese organisation have emerged as an industry leader in the production of realistic 3D human avatars from 2D portraits.
Startup MetaStreet achieve $10 million capital raise. The organisation provide a Metaverse based decentralized interest rate protocol, with funds being placed into a new product dubbed "PowerSweep".
Keep an eye on
Schell Games celebrate with $20,000 charity donations. The organisation are a hot property right now, and celebrated their 20th anniversary with this altruistic move to help Pittsburgh based non profits.
VR research takes us closer to solving déjà vu mystery. The technology allowed scientists to confirm the Gestalt familiarity hypothesis as a contributing factor to this strange phenomenon.
Snapchat's AR experience celebrates Rings of Power. The company utilized Landmarker technology to allow fans to turn Sydney Harbour Bridge into the island kingdom Númenor.
Decentraland deflect active user criticism. The Metaverse company, accused of only having 30 daily active users, has announced via a blog that it in fact has 8,000.
Meta "legs" demonstration clarification. Excited developers were left confused after a keynote suggested that avatars could feature legs, with these legs now understood to be the product of motion capture and not live VR.
Events to be at
Oct 18-20 San Diego | Augmented Enterprise Summit
Oct 20 - 21 Lisbon | AWE EU
Nov 08 Online | Insights Live: Games Development and the Metaverse Boom
Nov 16 - 17 London | The Business Show
Nov 28 - Dec 02 Rotterdam | Immersive Tech Week
Dec 02 Rotterdam | The 6th International VR Awards
Our best wishes for a productive day. Please send any news, comments, and ten Meta Quest Pro headsets to email@example.com.
October 17 2022 Edition