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- March 13, 2022 12:10 AM GMT
- Rishika Raina
- December 14, 2021 10:02 AM GMT
- Sreenivas D Ajankar
Should you buy Blue Prism (PRSM) shares after the new takeover bid?
- December 01, 2021 03:10 PM GMT | Suhita Poddar
Highlights Software company Blue Prism’s shares rose by 3 per cent on Wednesday after the group backed a new takeover bid offer by SS&C Technologies. The group had earlier backed a £1.22 billion offer from Vista Equity just days...Read More...
Should you buy these 2 FTSE midcap retail stocks?
- December 01, 2021 12:49 PM GMT | Suhita Poddar
Shop prices in November rose by 0.3 per cent on a year-on-year basis, increasing for the first time since May 2019, according to UK retail trade body, the British Retail Consortium's (BRC) monthly monitor. Comparatively, the October index had shown...Read More...
5 FTSE 250 high-dividend stocks to buy for 2022
- November 16, 2021 10:04 AM GMT | Sreenivas D Ajankar
Highlights The mid-cap focused FTSE250 index constituent companies from the different sectors that are still in the growth phase of the business cycle. Investing in the FTSE250 listed stocks can be a wise investment decision as investors ...Read More...
Top 10 FTSE 250 stocks to buy in holiday season
- October 28, 2021 09:04 AM BST | Sreenivas D Ajankar
Highlights FTSE 250 index constituent mid-cap stocks attract many investors as these stocks can outperform and give a high investment return. Investors prefer investing in mid-cap companies as they have growth potential and can be part of...Read More...
UK’s gender pay gap widens: Should you buy these 2 FTSE 250 stocks?
- October 27, 2021 08:01 AM BST | Suhita Poddar
Highlights The Office for National Statistics found the gender pay gap increased while earnings rose in 2021 due to the pandemic The pay gap between men and women rose to 7.9 per cent in April 2021, up from 7 per cent in April 2020. The ge...Read More...
Top 5 mid-cap stocks to buy in November 2021
- October 25, 2021 08:00 AM BST | Sreenivas D Ajankar
Highlights The performance of the mid-cap stocks has been much better than large-cap companies as these stocks are still in the growth stages of the business cycle. Investors can invest in mid-cap companies as they still have the potentia...Read More...
Moneysupermarket (MONY) & RHI Magnesita (RHIM): 2 mid-cap stocks to buy
- October 19, 2021 03:22 PM BST | Suhita Poddar
Mid-cap stocks can often offer some interesting investment options as such stocks have less amount of volatility compared to smaller cap stocks. Due to some stocks being temporarily impacted by the ongoing supply chain issues, Brexit and more, some...Read More...
AO World (AO) & Currys (CURY): Should you buy these mid-cap retail stocks?
- October 01, 2021 01:50 PM BST | Suhita Poddar
Highlights Electronics retailer AO World’s shares dropped over 18 per cent after reporting slow revenue growth for the first half due to the ongoing nationwide scarcity of delivery drivers and supply chain issues. The retail sector ...Read More...
Direct Line (LON: DLG): Should income investors buy this FTSE 250 stock?
- September 17, 2021 02:28 PM BST | Suhita Poddar
Highlights UK markets rose in early trading despite weak UK retail sales data report. The FTSE 250 index was trading higher by 0.50 per cent at 23,751.08. Insurance firm Direct Line, an FTSE 250 stock, reported a 39.6 per cent increase in its ...Read More...
Dunelm (LON: DNLM) & Tullow Oil (LON: TLW): 2 FTSE mid-cap shares to buy
- September 08, 2021 01:08 PM BST | Suhita Poddar
Midcap stocks have always attracted investors with the features like good growth prospects, market share and opportunities to increase profit. These stocks are equally beneficial for portfolio diversification. Here we are discussing two FTSE 250 l...Read More...


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Meet, the Scrubba, a portable washing machine, in form of a bag. This wash bag, allows people to do their laundry, on-the-go. The Scrubba is a lightweight, foldable bag that features small nodules to help sc...Read more »
The much-anticipated Facebook PS Vita app is now available for free download on the PlayStation Store.
Following the official US launch of its much-awaited handheld game console, Sony has added a Facebook app to the select free apps that will be available for the PlayStation Vita.
Facebook app is now available for 12MB download on the PlayStation Store, joining Twitter app LiveTweet, Flickr and Netflix in the list of free apps available for the PlayStation Vita.View Article Source »
Paramount becomes the first movie distributor to directly sell UltraViolet movies.
Paramount is the first to directly sell UltraViolet movies, a new ‘cloud-based’ content distribution system which allows you to watch digital copies of films using ‘multiple platforms and devices’.
This new platform was first introduced as a package deal that comes with the DVD or Blu-Ray discs but thanks to Paramount, customers can now stream the movie without having to purchase the physical format first.
Customers can now purchase movies on Paramount’s site which can be streamed and viewed live. Prices start at $13 for the standard definition and $20 for the HD version.View Article Source »
Sony lowers Tablet S price by $100, now starts at $400 for 16GB and $500 for the 32GB version.
Sony has cut down the price of its Tablet S by $100. The 16GB sells for $400 while the 32GB version is now available for $500, following a recent $50 price cut that was announced on December 15th.
Sony’s surprise pricing change puts the Tablet S away from Transformer Prime and iPad 2 price range and joins Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, ASUS Transformer and Toshiba Thrive tablets in the mid-range slates category.View Article Source »
Not able to be at TGS 2011? Don't worry! All We Like has a quick recap for you.
Tokyo Game Show 2011 was not filled with E3-like announcements, unveiling and others. However, as expected, the said event was flooded with Japanese developers and hosted many Japanese developers’ game revelations, announcements and more.
The Tokyo Game Show has increasingly become the home to fewer announcements and several great items. So check out the a brief recap of the Tokyo Game Show 2011 after the break.Read the rest of the article »
Sony Entertainment announces Namco Bandai's Tales of Innocence R title for PlayStation Vita. First game trailer, released!
As announced during Sony’s pre-TGS 2011 press conference in Japan yesterday, Namco Bandai will be releasing the Tales of Innocence R for the anticipated PlayStation Portable Vita. The game, which is known to be the first Tales title on the handheld console, is a Vita remake of the original game — Tales of Innocence (originally launched for Nintendo DS in 2007).
The Tales of Innocence R is expected to feature enhanced graphics, sounds, improved battle system, and comes with an additional playable characters. The “R” in the title describes the game as a “re-imagining” of the original Tales of Innocence, and would consist of more animated movies and a new opening song: “New Day, New Life” by Kokia.
Posted after the jump is the TGS 2011 trailer for Namco Bandai’s Tales of Innocence R.Read the rest of the article »
Expected games and details that will be seen in the upcoming Tokyo Game Show 2011 is now out!
Tokyo Game Show, an upcoming video game expo held yearly in Japan, is usually used by several international video game developers to showcase their newest and upcoming games and even game-related hardwares. It is a great and big event for all the gamers around the world, and it is expected to showcase different upcoming games on different platforms.
According to some details, Tokyo Game Show 2011 is set to show some other products such as game peripherals and other items.Read the rest of the article »
Amazon UK kicked off pre-orders for Sony's PlayStation Vita, ahead of its release date.
Amazon seemingly revealed Sony PlayStation Vita’s release date and UK price, as it makes the portable game console up for pre-order ahead of its New Year Eve’s arrival. But while Amazon UK opened PS Vita for pre-order without concrete delivery date, its US counterpart suggests that it will be available starting December 31.
In relation to this, Amazon UK cites that the WiFi + 3G edition of PlayStation Vita will cost £279.99. The WiFi only device, on the other hand, lands at £229.99. Sony’s upcoming portable game console will feature quad-core ARM Cortex A9 processor, 5-inch OLED touchscreen display, front and rear mounted cameras, touch sensitive back plates, and the usual array of PlayStation controls.
Hit the play button at the video after the cut to learn more about Sony’s PlayStation Vita.Read the rest of the article »
Sony has released the final specifications for the upcoming PSP successor.
After series of rumors, Sony has finally revealed the official specs of its anticipated PlayStation Vita. The company confirmed that the handheld gaming device will be sporting a 512MB of RAM, instead of the 256MB RAM that was rumored earlier.
Last month, Dani Sánchez-Crespo – CEO of PSP games studio Novarama – brought up some possible memory capacity features for the PSP successor. He hinted, “Remember the PSP had 32MB of RAM, we have about ten times that now.” If one would calculate, this statement would mean that the Vita might integrate a RAM memory of more than 256MB.Read the rest of the article »
Sony just announced that its PlayStation 3 models will receive a $50 price cut in all territories.
Sony ended its Gamescom 2011 presentation with the surprising announcement that the PlayStation 3 console device just had its price cut in all territories. The 160GB model is now available for only $250 in the United States, €249.99 in Europe and ¥24,980 in Japan. This new price point is already effective in all countries except for Japan, where the price drop will start on August 18.
Aside from the 160GB model, the PS3’s 320GB system will also get a price cut. The console is now being retailed for $300 in the US, €300 in European countries, and 29,980 yen in Japan. “In addition, a limited edition inFAMOUS 2 bundle is now available at participating retailers across North America,” SCEA’s CEO, Jack Tretton, wrote on a blog. “The bundle retails for $299 and includes a 320 GB PlayStation 3, a copy of inFAMOUS 2 and a 30-day membership to PlayStation Plus.”Read the rest of the article »
Sony is asking their fans on what PlayStation Vita peripheral would they like to see. Would a consensus bring a UMD converter in the market?
Sony asks their fans on what PlayStation Vita peripherals would they like to see. It is obvious that the firm is using their time well, now that the PS Vita will be rolling out in Japan this year, followed by US and Europe early next year. As of this writing, an external UMD drive is taking the lead.
Feedback are collected at the Japanese PlayStation Vita Community Site. And though it is written in Japanese characters, browsing through the pages will tell you that a UMD converter is a top request. Other peripherals mentioned were cradle with HDMI out, full keyboard attachment, and secondary battery.
It is not surprising that a UMD converter comes on top of the wish list, since there are still UMD-only PSP titles like Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core and Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep. Hopefully, this move from Sony could be an indication that a peripheral as such would be considered.View Article Source »
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Usually, location data isn’t relevant for those in the crypto space. Isn’t that the beauty of digital currency?
However, building a culture that normalizes the use of cryptocurrencies requires communities that are fast adaptors to new technologies that offer a stepping stone for users, like bitcoin ATMs.
Bitcoin ATMs make it easy to buy and sell bitcoin and allow access to more users. So, knowing where these machines are concentrated can provide quick insights into local communities supporting the use of cryptocurrencies.
In this latest study from moveBuddha, they’ve found the top cities in the US and around the world with concentrations of bitcoin ATMs (bATMs) compared to city populations and
GDP to uncover some new and unique data-focused insights.
What Cities Stand Out?
The list of cities uncovered includes large metropolitan cities but also hones in on smaller-sized communities with surprising numbers of crypto-minded folks.
For example, have you ever heard of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania? This small town of less than 50,000 ranked as the number one city in the US for the total number of bATMs per 10,0000 residents. Though on the smaller size in terms of population, the crypto community is thriving here.
If you are looking to meet other crypto-enthusiasts, you can sign up to attend an event hosted by the 300 member-strong area Blockchain and Cryptocurrency meetup group.
Another unexpected city that topped the list is Raleigh, North Carolina. Taking a look at local GDP, Raleigh had the most bATMs per $10 Billion GDP.
Using the same metric, the small town of Little Rock, Arkansas, comes in at #9. This is noteworthy because the city’s GDP is not very high, but what’s causing the crypto-craze is that the state is especially popular for mining bitcoin thanks to the affordable cost of power.
See the infographic below for more insights: The World’s Most Crypto-Friendly Cities.
The study goes on to highlight international cities that stand out, like Tbilisi, Georgia.
Did you know that this country of less than 4 million is the 2nd largest miner of cryptocurrency in the entire world? Thanks to hydropower and virtually no federal regulation, this city is a surprising pioneer in bitcoin adoption.
The study even includes a Twitter scrape of +100,000 users actively participating in #bitcoin and #crpyto -conversations.
Conclusion: Where Do Crypto Enthusiasts Actually Live?
Well, that’s the real question. Isn’t it? In the scape of Twitter location data, many users categorizing themselves as #bitcoin or #crypto affiliated cited “Earth” or “Global” or “Moon” or “Luna” or EVEN “Mars” as their location.
While the beauty of bitcoin is that it can be used no matter where you are, just like any new innovation or radical change, there must be real adaptation at the ground level. That’s why looking at cities installing bitcoin ATMs can provide evidence of local communities ready to make systematic changes.
Crypto adoption is indisputably on the rise, and more and more businesses and even governments are accepting it as a new standard. Measuring the adoption of cryptocurrencies is complicated, but what is clear is that communities both large and small are embracing virtual currency.
Keep an eye out on smaller cities with thriving education systems catering to financial technologies or areas offering affordable (ideally renewable) energy for mining.


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A new menu item has appeared on the Popeyes website: the Shrimp Roll. It looks to be a new seafood-themed sandwich ahead of this year’s Lenten season but is not yet widely available.
Popeyes Shrimp Roll features the chain’s popcorn shrimp, shredded green-leaf lettuce, two pickle slices, and blackened tartar sauce served in a buttery, toasted brioche hoagie.
The Shrimp Roll has been spotted in at least one location so far (at a rather reasonable price of $3.99 with what seems to be a generous amount of shrimp; I would guess at a $5 or $6 price for a national release).
Popeyes once regularly offered a shrimp sandwich called the Shrimp Po’Boy but it was discontinued 2019.
Photo via Popeyes.


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Oppo Find N3 Flip India price LEAKED ahead of October 12 launch
Oppo Find N3 Flip was unveiled in August last week in China. Specifications of Indian variant seem to be similar to Chinese version. Oppo Find N3 Flip packs a MediaTek Dimensity 9200 SoC under the hood.
In India, the Oppo Find N3 Flip is scheduled to launch officially on Thursday, October 12. The price for India has been made public online ahead of the official launch. The flagship clamshell foldable smartphone was launched in China in August.
Under the hood, the Oppo Find N3 Flip in Chinese carries a MediaTek Dimensity 9200 SoC and is powered by a 4,300mAh battery that supports 44W cable charging. It has a 3.26-inch cover display in addition to a 6.80-inch AMOLED primary display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz.
On Twitter, tipper Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) (via @LeaksAn1) has revealed the Oppo Find N3 Flip's India price. He claims that the device would cost roughly Rs. 94,999 in India for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage option. It is believed to be offered for Rs. 89,622 at a reduced price.
The Oppo Find N3 Flip will be unveiled on October 12, and the launch event will be live broadcast on YouTube beginning at 7:00pm IST. Its replacement, the Oppo Find N2 Flip, was released earlier this year in India at Rs. 89,999 for the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage option.
The Oppo Find N3 Flip was released last week in August, and the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage model cost CNY 6,799 (about Rs. 77,000). Mirror Night, Mist Rose, and Moonlight Muse—the Chinese name for the color—are the available combinations.
The Indian version's specifications appear to be comparable to those of the Chinese version. The Oppo Find N3 Flip in Chinese includes a 3.26-inch cover display in addition to a 6.80-inch AMOLED main display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. Operating on an eight-core MediaTek Dimensity 9200 SoC, it has 512GB of built-in storage and 12GB of RAM.


text: Fireworks erupted during the first day of testimony at the CRTC’s local service forbearance proceeding in Gatineau QC this week, with Aliant Telecom Inc. harshly criticized by commissioner Stuart Langford for pinning its competitive hopes on achieving forbearance. During a lengthy interrogatory period, Langford accused the Atlantic Canadian incumbent telephone company of reacting in the market as opposed to fighting proactively for customers. "I don’t see anything you are doing to fight back. I don’t get a sense that there is a battle going on here and I want to know why that is. I want to know why you have put so much on this one particular proceeding," he said. "It seems to me that…you have thrown up your hands and you have said, ‘We can’t do anything. Until you lift the rules, we can’t win.’" Heather Tulk, VP of broadband for Aliant, noted in response to Langford’s comments that the company is fighting to win customers but is hampered by the system of current regulatory restrictions. " stands and places hoops one after another, after another, after another that you have to jump through in order to react to something like this," she said in reference to a recently introduced EastLink bundle offering local service for $9 per month, including all optional services such as voice mail and call forward. "How do we respond to that?" Tulk asked in her opening remarks. "In our case, a large part of our response has to be: will the commission let us respond in that way? What has to be filed with the commission? Does it meet the bundling rules and imputations tests? Does it meet the promotion rules? Can we file something without the details being made available to our competitors? Can we get it approved fast enough? And on it goes." It is difficult for Aliant to compete against its primary rival EastLink, which Tulk said is an example of a company having unfettered access to customers and not having to stickhandle through the commission’s regulatory regime, a regime that Aliant is subject to. The regulatory environment doesn’t allow Aliant to respond to the offers that EastLink brings to the market in an effective manner, she said. Langford insists the company can respond in a more proactive manner and has the flexibility to do so: Aliant could lower the prices of local service optional features or could bring in new innovative products like Bell has, he said. Langford downplayed the negative impact of a "few regulatory hoops to jump through" and the 10-day tariff change process, and even questioned the benefits to Aliant of achieving forbearance.  "But if you put together a proactive plan rather than a reactive one, it seems to be me that there is very, very little left that forbearance is going to offer you…It seems to me that you have got too much riding on what isn’t going to offer you what you want," Langford said. "It just seems to me you want it easier and it seems to me that if you get it easier, the consumers might end up paying a very big price." Mike Roberts, VP of regulatory and government affairs at Aliant, noted that there have been some positive changes at the CRTC in addressing ILEC tariff filings, but there are still some "fairly prohibitive" rules governing the way incumbent telephone companies operate.  "We have see over this period of time, these several years, the commission at every turn wrench up the rules and make it more difficult to compete, whether we talk about the winback rules which went from a 90-day to a one-year . We have seen applications for tariffs take up to two years to get approved. We have seen nothing but discouragement by the commission of reducing prices," he said.  Testing the appropriate markets Of the many issues explored during the first day-and-a-half of testimony, much of the focus was on the appropriate product and geographic markets to be considered under a forbearance test, and appropriateness of using the 5% rule as a litmus test for price deregulation, and the level required before forbearance of a market would be considered. The 5% comes from the cable deregulation test established by the CRTC. Tulk said, "The 5% test is not with the expectation that that is where competition stops. The 5% test establishes a signal that competition has fully started." Rick Stephen, Aliant’s director of regulatory affairs, added, "In our minds, as soon as the competitor gets into a new exchange and demonstrates that they are offering service, it doesn’t require a great big number of loss simply to indicate that they are going to be successful." Aliant suggested under questioning that the local exchange and not the local calling area (LCA) is the most appropriate geographic reference point to begin with when considering a forbearance test. Tulk explained that using the LCA as the base could skew the competitive test by including areas that aren’t competitive into the market share loss calculations. "This is why we believe that keeping it at the exchange level prevents that type of occurrence and makes sure that areas outside of a competitive footprint aren’t in fact pulled in through the local calling area," she said in response to a question from commissioner Elizabeth Duncan. TELUS Corp. also believes that only by using competitive areas will the commission be able to determine forbearance properly. Janet Yale, executive VP government and regulatory affairs at the ILEC, stated that if larger areas are used as the baseline geographic area, pockets where competition doesn’t exist will serve to lower actual market share losses, thus making it more difficult to attain forbearance status. Some controversy arose when discussions switched to what should be considered in the relevant geographic markets test. While Aliant didn’t include wireless subscribers in their calculation of market share loss, the company suggested that wireless subscribers, even their own, should be counted as lines lost. Tulk noted that according to Statistics Canada figures from 2004, 4% of Halifax homes have already gone wireless only. "So if customers are choosing then presumably that would tell you that there is a substantive portion of the population that believes it is an acceptable alternative and a reasonable product alternative that is available to them," she said in response to question from commissioner Duncan.


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Honda is apparently putting a successor to the beloved S2000 roadster back on the agenda. It’s set to come in the form of a sporty coupe smaller than the NSX, featuring hybrid and F1-based technology.
When released in 1999, the original S2000 was a landmark car. Its no-nonsense, motorcycle-inspired interior and instruments, and awesome styling were enough to win friends on their own. But combine it with the 177kW, 9000rpm F20C engine (highest specific power of any NA four-cylinder), and you have a classic of legendary proportions.
According to Auto Express, a new model is set to deviate from that formula significantly. Drawing on styling from both the revived NSX and the Japanese-market S660 mid-engine roadster, the new model is said to use a midship layout – the image above was apparently found in an official patent application.
The publication says the powertrain will comprise of a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired to an electric motor for assistance. Overall, combined output is tipped to sit at around the 224kW mark.
Honda is keen to win back the performance fanbase it developed with cars like the Prelude, Integra Type R, Civic Type R, original NSX and CRX. It is doing this by first introducing the new turbocharged Civic Type R and then the revived NSX supercar.
Honda Australia has already confirmed the new Civic Type R and NSX for local showrooms. It is likely it will put its hand up for the S2000 replacement as well.


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Christmas shopping seems to start earlier and earlier every year, and Twitter is playing its part. First, by releasing a Christmas infographic on Halloween, and second, by revealing within that visual its influence on festive spending.
Working alongside GlobalWebIndex, Twitter polled more than five hundred active Twitter users in the UK about their Christmas shopping habits, and discovered that more than half (54 percent) of Twitter users have started thinking about shopping for Christmas in October, and 83 percent go on to make their first purchase in November.
52 percent said that Twitter helps them learn about new brands and products, and 55 percent say they are more likely to purchase from brands that they follow on Twitter.
- The Most Popular Toys On Twitter This Holiday Season [INFOGRAPHIC]
- Consumers Trust Social Media Recommendations (And Facebook Most Of All) [INFOGRAPHIC]
- 10 Effective Ways To Increase Your Twitter Followers [INFOGRAPHIC]
- Is Your Holiday Post Safe For Social Media? [FLOWCHART]


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Bhubaneswar: The second edition of ‘Make In Odisha‘ conclave was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar on November 11, 2018.
The conclave was inaugurated in the presence of a host of dignitaries including Japanese Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu and consul generals of several other countries, besides representatives from industry body FICCI.
Top industrialists including Mukesh Ambani, N Chandrasekaran, Kumar Mangalam Birla along with 800 other industry leaders from different countries attended the conclave.
As Japan is the partner country of the conclave, a dedicated session for Japanese companies was held on November 12.
The conclave showcased the policy & regulatory environment, investment opportunities across focus sectors and the manufacturing prowess of the State.
The event concluded on November 15 and aimed at bringing more investments to the State.


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Ubisoft is no longer creating titles for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and is instead focussing its efforts on developing for the current generation of consoles. We’ve already heard that Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will only be available on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. However, the company says it will make an exception for the Just Dance series which has sold incredibly well on Nintendo platforms.
Ubisoft has confirmed today that they are hard at work developing an unannounced AAA game for a number of platforms which is due to be released by March 2016. The company wouldn’t give any clues regarding what the mystery title is, but we can assume it will be showcased at next month’s E3 event in Los Angeles. The company also revealed that they are now only developing for current generation consoles for their major titles, but Just Dance will come to last generation platforms. What would you like to see Ubisoft working on?
Today, Ubisoft announced that Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, the newest instalment in the blockbuster Assassin’s Creed franchise, will be available worldwide on October 23 for PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft. The Windows PC version will be available this autumn.
Developed by Ubisoft Quebec in collaboration with eight other Ubisoft studios, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is an epic single player experience set in London during the height of the Industrial Revolution, an incredible age of invention that transforms the lives of millions. During this time, the gap between the poor and the rich expands exponentially, making workers’ lives little more than legalised slavery. The lower classes fight for survival by forming a new kind of family – gangs – and adapting to life in the criminal underworld. Players will embody both Jacob Frye and Evie Frye, twin Assassins raised to follow the Creed. Jacob, a determined, hot-headed and rebellious leader of an underground gang, is vastly different than his sister Evie, a master of stealth and control. Together, Jacob and Evie team up to challenge rivals, plutocrats and Templars alike to free the masses from poverty and corruption, and, ultimately, wrestle back control of London.
In Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, players explore the largest, most modern open-world city ever created in an Assassin’s Creed game. The fighting is more brutal than ever, as players combat rival gangs and grow their sphere of influence throughout London using new weapons, including brass knuckles, a kukri knife, a revolver and the Assassin’s gauntlet. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate also includes innovative navigation and transportation throughout the open world, including a rope launcher for scaling tall Victorian buildings, zip-lining from rooftop to rooftop or performing aerial assassinations, and horse-drawn carriages and high-speed trains for free-running, tracking down enemies or escaping after daring raids.
“The ability to lead an underground gang, commandeer any vehicle on hand and use modern tools to take on an expansive and fast-paced Victorian London sets this game apart,” said Marc-Alexis Côté, Creative Director at Ubisoft. “Assassin’s Creed Syndicate has been in development for more than two years and this new modern take on the living open world will please Assassin’s Creed fans and newcomers alike.”
We kinda already know quite a bit about the next Assassin’s Creed game as Kotaku leaked a fair bit of information about the title. The next game is presumably going to be called Assassin’s Creed: Victory and will take place in Victorian London. Ubisoft has announced today that it plans to reveal the next Assassin’s Creed game at 5pm UK time on May 12th. The website mentions a variety of platforms including the Wii U. Guess we will have to wait and see.
Again, this won’t come as surprise to many of you but it seems as though Ubisoft is busy developing Watch Dogs 2. The news was spotted on the LinkedIn profile of Julien Risse, who works at Ubisoft’s Paris studio. The page mentions the follow-up to the 2014 game, which as I’m sure you remember, gathered mixed reviews. Who knows, we may hear something about the game at E3 in June.
Thanks Nintendo Impact Gaming.
Fans of Child of Light should be pleased today as it has been revealed that Ubisoft has more games in the works set within the Child of Light universe. The news was announced by Patrick Plourde who is a developer over at Ubisoft Montreal and worked on the original Child of Light which saw a release on the Wii U eShop as well as the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Hopefully something will be showcased at this year’s E3 event in June.
Dorkly has put together a skit called “If Sega Owned Mario.” In particular, the piece pokes fun at Sonic Boom and how Mario and Luigi could potentially appear in games if Sega was in charge of designing them. The skit ends by taking a jab at Ubisoft and its initial release of Assassin’s Creed Unity, which launched with a number of noticeable technical issues last year.


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We have been listening to rumors about Google’s subsequent Nexus smartphone for some time, the system is claimed to each launch as a result of the Google Nexus R or beneath a model new Android Silver branding, and we now have beforehand heard that LG could be making the system for Google.
According to a present report, LG will not be making the Nexus R smartphone for Google, although the company makes the current Nexus T system, Google is seemingly using one different producer for the next gadget.
An LG authorities has apparently confirmed to DraadBreuk that LG don’t make a model new Android smartphone for Google, actually this may merely be the LG authorities denying that LG are making the gadget, once they’re really engaged on it.
We beforehand heard rumors that LG might be making an Android Silver gadget for Google, they often have been said to be certainly one of many first smartphone makers who’re making models beneath the model new ‘Silver’ branding.
Another danger is that there shall be no additional Nexus smartphones from Google this yr, and in its place of the Nexus R launching, the first Android Silver smartphone will launch, although we beforehand heard that these models would land in 2015.
As shortly as we get some additional particulars on exactly what Google has deliberate for his or her subsequent smartphone, whether or not or not it is the Nexus J or an Android Silver gadget, we’ll permit you to guys know.


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Men stole electronics from UCF for 'fun,' police say
Suspects accused of trying to sell stolen camera on Craigslist
ORLANDO, Fla. – A group of men broke into the University of Central Florida Student Union and stole thousands of dollars worth of electronics, which they then tried to sell on Craigslist, according to police.
The robbery happened around 2:45 a.m. July 26. UCF police said surveillance video showed a group of five men entering the building through an unlocked door, then going to the third floor of the Student Union, checking for unlocked offices.
A Canon digital camera and accessories, a Dell computer tower, a Mitsubishi projector, a Sony camera, a microphone, an Apple Macbook Air, a projector screen and an iPad were stolen, according to the police report.
The day after the burglary, an ad was posted on Craigslist offering to sell the Canon camera and the lens for $500, police said. An undercover officer responded to the ad and agreed to meet with the seller at a Starbucks near campus on Tuesday, according to the affidavit.
Brothers Justin and Jay Reyes met with the undercover officer at the Starbucks and agreed to be taken to the UCF police department after the officer told them that the serial number on the camera matched the one from the stolen camera, the report said.
Police said the men confessed to the burglary and implicated a 17-year-old boy, Jonas Alonso, 18, and Gant Anderson, 20, in the crime as well.
The stolen items were found at Justin and Jay Reyes' home on Carina Drive, according to the report.
All five suspects have been arrested on charges related to the burglary.
UCF police said one of the men told them that the group committed the burglary for "fun." None of the suspects are affiliated with the university.
"UCFPD’s message to potential thieves? Don’t. If people come to UCF and victimize students and faculty and staff members, rest assured that UCFPD officers and detectives will work exhaustively to hold those criminals accountable," the agency said in a news release.
Copyright 2017 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.


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It looks like some people won't be getting their Jeep Gladiators...
Unfortunately, it isn't always easy to transport cars from the factory to dealerships, and in this case, it ended badly. These Jeep Gladiators, Wranglers, GMC Sierras and Chevrolet Silverado's had a bit of a tumble while being transported across the US on a freight train.
This freight train seems to have hit a bump on the rails, resulting in it derailing and spilling all these cars all over Nevada. It almost looks like a scene out of a James Bond film, just more sad. The incident happened at around 5am near Lincoln, just northeast of Las Vegas.
There were a total of 33 vehicles involved in the incident, so you do the maths. That is a lot of moneys worth. On the plus side, no chemicals were spilled so it is just a matter of clearing the cars off of the landscape, but still a catastrophe. This derailment has caused a weeks road closure while the try and move it which I'm sure will mess up a lot of people's lives.
In regard to money involved, I am sure the car companies prepare for incidents like this so I would assume they have insurance to cover this damage but it is the excited owners I feel sorry for. I bet they were really looking forward to picking up their brand new pickup, but it looks like that won't be any time soon...
What would you do if this happened to you?
All images taken by the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office


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Previous research on U.S. consumers details how the products they buy and where they make food purchases are changing. For example, in 1990, 80% of food for at-home consumption was purchased at supermarkets; by 2014, that number dropped to 65% (Ver Ploeg, Larimore and Wilde, 2017). The USDA Economic Research Service has calculated food at home expenditures since 1987, and annual data are available starting in 1929. In their calculation, production value or sales is equal to total expenditures. A 2016 survey of 1,000 Coloradans provides an interesting opportunity to explore how food product attributes (including source information) and other consumer issues affect decisions to purchase Colorado Proud products as well as where consumers choose to shop. The Public Attitudes about Agriculture in Colorado survey conducted by the Colorado Department of Agriculture and Colorado State University’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics is the most recent data from a continuing effort that has taken place every 5 years since 1996. This survey asks Coloradans to answer questions on a variety of topics, including perception of the safety of the food produced by Colorado farmers and ranchers, consumer’s trust of information from particular source, how consumers define local, trust of products labeled as local, familiarity with Colorado Proud, factors that are important to consumer purchasing decisions, and consumer motivations for purchasing more Colorado produce. A national survey group,conducted the Internet-based survey using a panel of Colorado residents between August 24 and September 6, 2016.
Housing start fluctuations and an abundance of timber are limiting the ceiling on stumpage prices in Mississippi now, but expect the market to improve when sawmills begin stocking up for winter. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau National, home construction dropped 13 percent from May to June, which is considered a significant decrease. The seasonally adjusted rate for July -- nearly 1.17 million homes -- was 1 percent above June but 1.4 percent below the July 2017 estimate.“Housing starts did drop sharply in June and only rebounded slightly in July,” said John Auel, an assistant professor of forestry with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. “This was likely due to increased mortgage rates and a limited supply of homes, which drives the prices up, so people are not purchasing at the rate which would improve housing starts.”For Mississippi tree farmers, this data, coupled with favorable harvesting conditions, means now is not the best time to sell their timber.“Dry weather increases the amount of timber on the market because you can get logging equipment on sites that you couldn’t get them on in the winter because they were too wet,” said Extension forester Glenn Hughes. “If you have a site that is on sandy ground or dry soils, you would want to hold off until the first quarter of 2019 to get a higher price when supplies tighten.”
We American consumers are a fickle lot.I was reminded of that again last week when a family-owned local grocery chain announced it is calling it quits after decades serving the Chicago market.The few giant national chains, the product of years of cutthroat consolidation, did them in, just as they have done in thousands of mom-and-pop stores across the land, including here in Wisconsin.All for the sake of saving a buck or two, shoppers unwittingly rush to the latest mega-store while the small businesses that have served as the bedrock of American commerce for centuries drop by the wayside.One of those shoppers wrote an op-ed for the Chicago Tribune last week blaming herself for the closing of the locally owned Treasure Island groceries.
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was first marketed to control broadleaf weeds in 1945 and since that time has become one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. 2,4-D formulations include esters, acids, and several salts (WHO 1989). The dimethyl-amine salt (DMA) and 2-ethylhexyl ester (EHE) formulations account for approximately 90-95% of its total global use (Charles et al. 2001).The loss of access to 2,4-D would most certainly force applicators to switch to more expensive alternative herbicides and would likely result in decreased crop yields. Cost increases for agricultural uses associated with such a ban could be anywhere from $53 to $102 million. Cost increases for non-crop uses range from $130 to $510 million.
The U.S. trade deficit rose in August to $53.2 billion. That’s up $3.2 billion. A decline in soybean and oil exports is what pulled us down. China is not buying our beans – at least, not now. Their companies don’t want to pay the 25% tariff imposed by China on our beans. There is some good news. USA Rice Chairman Charley Mathews, Jr. is cheering a big purchase – 90,000 metric tons of rice by Iraq. That is triple what they had been buying. The National Pork Producers Council is praising President Trump for announcing that the U.S. and Japan are to begin trade talks. National Pork Producers Council President Jim Heimer said: “Fantastic news. Japan has been our top export market for years.”
Also, beef exports are expected to increase to South Korea. The duty has just been reduced to 21.3% from 40% and will be eliminated by 2026. Cattlemen are excited to see the U.S. as the largest supplier of beef to South Korea.We need to make free trade deals with South Korea, Japan, and other Asian countries because we are not part of the Trans Pacific agreement. President Trump withdrew.I said I wanted to talk about a frog. Here we go. Assume that you own a farm and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service came and said they would take it away from you, even though you own it. It would be off limits to you. The dusky gopher frog doesn’t live on your land but the government decided it would be a perfect home for that useless frog. He is an endangered species but to kick a farmer off of 1,500 acres of his land for a useless frog is outrageous.
Canada has not included the United States in an upcoming meeting aimed at saving the international trading system because it doesn’t share the views of the 13 invited countries, says the new Canadian trade minister. Canada will host senior ministers from 13 “like-minded” countries for a two-day discussion in Ottawa later this month to brainstorm ways to reform the World Trade Organization, said Jim Carr, Canada’s newly appointed international trade diversification minister.
Iowa-based land brokerage firm Peoples Company, offering management, investment and appraisal services in 20 states, is partnering with Stine Seed, the largest independent corn and soybean seed company, and one of the most-recognized corn and soybean seed brands, to offer land owners a “paid-in-full, managed cover crops program.” According to a press release announcing the cover crop partnership program, the initiative will demonstrate to land owners that it’s possible to simultaneously protect environmentally sensitive acres, maximize yield on the productive acres and improve overall return on investment.“Peoples Company is committed to helping land owners effectively manage their property to maximize productivity, but also to reduce environmental impact,” said Peoples Company President Steve Bruere. “Our program will show land owners it’s possible to reduce environmental impact while increasing productivity.”The program, called the Sustainability Cover Crop Initiative, will be offered to land owners in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Missouri, for a three-year term, starting in 2019 with two major conditional strings attached.To receive cover crops paid-in-full by the program – a value of up to $30/acre – land owners must agree to have their land professionally managed by Peoples Company during the three-year term and commit to planting Stine Seed.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) announced that its Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) Milk Cooler Grants are now available. The MDA will award up to $22,500 to eligible institutions to increase the use of Minnesota dairy by adding milk coolers to their nutrition programs. “Our goal is to invest in schools and early care and education organizations so they can buy and serve more Minnesota dairy,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “Dairy is a good source of protein, calcium and vitamin D. Kids at a young age are more likely to become lifelong consumers of milk and other dairy products, which benefits Minnesota’s farmers.”The MDA anticipates awarding up to $22,500 to assist Schools and Early Care and Education organizations in purchasing milk coolers for their meal programs. Each school or organization may apply for up to $1,500.00. A maximum of three proposals will be accepted for each organization or school. Eligible expenses include the cost of the milk cooler and associated installation expenses.
U.S. dairy farmers remain hopeful that a new trade deal with Canada could help lift them out of a deep slump, but some are casting doubt that it will make much of a difference in an American market flooded with milk. The deal, announced Monday by President Donald Trump, is “more of the same,” except it hurts Canadian farmers, said Jim Goodman, a Wisconsin dairy farmer and president of the National Family Farm Coalition.“Canadian family farms will go out of business, and Canadian dairy farmers will see their incomes fall due to increased U.S. imports. And while the slightly expanded market will offer small benefits to some U.S. farmers, it does nothing to reduce the overproduction at the heart of our dairy crisis,” Goodman said. The new deal is called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Under the terms, still being finalized, Canada would open more of its dairy market to trade and has agreed to drop its quota and pricing system for “Class 7” milk powders — a move that could help the struggling American dairy industry as it seeks export markets.But it opens only about 3.6 percent of Canada’s market for dairy, poultry and eggs to the U.S., and that’s not much for American farmers.“The impacts will be minimal. Canada’s entire dairy market is smaller than that of Wisconsin,” Goodman said.Tensions over the North American Free Trade Agreement were heightened last year when Canada raised tariffs on ultrafiltered milk used to make cheese and other dairy products.
Millions of 4-H students, parents, and volunteers will celebrate the 76th consecutive National 4-H Week. The festivities run from Oct. 7 through 13; you can find the 4-H youth and alumni sharing the theme, Inspire Kids to Do. This year’s theme hopes to inspire the youth to take advantage of opportunities, empower them with the skills they need to succeed in life and their future career. 4-H gives today’s youth the tools to pursue their passion while creating their own course. It was founded on the belief that the youth can develop their own, unique skills, to allow them to grow and take shape in order to be the leaders of tomorrow in their communities. Research has shown that the young people involved in 4-H are nearly four times as likely to contribute to their communities and twice as like to engage in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs.


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2019 Naples Winter Wine Festival hopes to raise millions for children
Hundreds of guests will donate money to help children in need, all while enjoying the best culinary creations Naples has to offer.
Wine and children don’t usually mix, but this weekend is a different story.
A lot of the people who attend this weekend’s festival are big donors, and they’re ready to open their wallets for a good cause.
The Naples Winter Wine Festival benefits the Naples Children and Education Foundation—an organization that funds nearly 50 different charities in Collier County.
People who come to the Ritz Carlton this weekend will bid on high ticket items like expensive wine, cars and trips around the world. Organizers say without these prizes, the opportunities for kids wouldn’t be possible.
They say they raised $15.2 million in 2017 and then $15.5 million in 2018, and of course, they hope to exceed that goal this year.
Visit their website to access the auction here.


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Cambridge Distillery debuts seasonal gin
UK-based Cambridge Distillery has released a limited edition gin made using botanicals from the spring and summer of 2021 to celebrate the company’s 10th anniversary.
The new Vintage 2021 Spring Summer bottling is described as a ‘world first’ gin with ‘real provenance’.
Master distiller William Lowe created the expression by using a novo-dimensional distillation matrix in which temperature, timing and pressure are just three of the nine variables used to treat each locally foraged botanical.
The separate distillates are then blended, leading to a gin that captures the flavours of the English spring and summer seasons.
The 42% ABV gin is made from botanicals harvested near the Cambridge-based distillery including lemon balm, hawthorn blossom and nettle leaves.
The resulting liquid offers an aroma of the local meadows, with citrus notes and ‘gentle herbaceous lifts’ on the palate.
The sipping gin is recommended served neat over ice or in a Martini.
Limited to 300 bottles, the new expression was released in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Cambridge Distillery.
Lowe said: “It’s the walks through the meadows surrounding Cambridge that inspired Cambridge Distillery’s conception; to create luxury gins that showcase the taste of the English seasons using botanicals grown in and around our home.
“Each year nature expresses itself differently and we wanted to capture these changes in each of our luxury gins – our latest edition, Vintage 2021 Spring Summer, is therefore a true homage to Cambridge Distillery’s origins.”
Vintage 2021 Spring Summer is available to buy exclusively from Berry Bros & Rudd for RRP £150 (US$186).
Last year, Cambridge Distillery launched a gin designed for Martinis, called Three Seasons.


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The introduction of bitcoin in 2009 opened ways to speculation openings in a completely new sort of resource class – cryptographic money. Parts entered the space way early.
Fascinated by the gigantic capability of these juvenile however encouraging resources, they purchased cryptos at modest costs. Thus, the bull run of 2017 saw them become moguls/very rich people. Indeed, even the individuals who didn’t stake a lot of harvested good benefits.
After three years digital currencies actually stay productive, and the market is setting down deep roots. You may as of now be a financial backer/broker or possibly examining taking a stab. In the two cases, it bodes well to know the advantages of putting resources into cryptographic forms of money.
Digital money Has a Bright Future
As per a report named Imagine 2030, distributed by Deutsche Bank, credit and charge cards will get outdated. Cell phones and other electronic gadgets will supplant them.
Cryptographic forms of money will at this point don’t be viewed as outsiders however options in contrast to existing financial frameworks. Their advantages, like security, speed, negligible exchange expenses, criptovalute e come investire simplicity of capacity, and significance in the computerized time, will be perceived.
Concrete administrative rules would promote cryptographic forms of money, and lift their selection. The report estimates that there will be 200 million cryptographic money wallet clients by 2030, and just about 350 million constantly 2035.
Freedom to be important for a Growing Community
WazirX’s #IndiaWantsCrypto crusade as of late finished 600 days. It has become a gigantic development supporting the appropriation of digital currencies and blockchain in India.
Additionally, the new Supreme Court judgment invalidating RBI’s crypto banking restriction from 2018 has imparted another surge of certainty among Indian bitcoin and cryptographic money financial backers.
The 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer Report additionally calls attention to people groups’ rising confidence in cryptographic forms of money and blockchain innovation. According to the discoveries, 73% of Indians trust digital forms of money and blockchain innovation. 60% say that the effect of cryptographic money/blockchain will be positive.
By being a digital currency financial backer, you remain to be a piece of a flourishing and quickly developing local area.
Expanded Profit Potential
Enhancement is a fundamental venture thumb rule. Particularly, during these occasions when most of the resources have brought about weighty misfortunes because of financial difficulties prodded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
While interest in bitcoin has given 26% gets back from the beginning of the year to date, gold has returned 16%. Numerous other cryptographic forms of money have enlisted three-digit ROI. Financial exchanges as we as a whole know have posted grim exhibitions. Raw petroleum costs famously smashed under 0 in the long stretch of April.
Counting bitcoin or some other digital forms of money in your portfolio would ensure your asset’s worth in such unsure worldwide market circumstances. This reality was additionally put forth for by tycoon large scale mutual funds chief Paul Tudor Jones when a month back he reported designs to put resources into Bitcoin.


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Photo by Viajero from Pexels
Photo by Viajero from Pexels
New findings suggest that while financial comfort levels may be up for now, winding back government support could send Australians with "wafer-thin" savings over the edge.
Government stimulus measures such as JobKeeper, JobSeeker and early super access has pushed Australian's household financial comfort to near record highs, according to ME Bank's Household Financial Comfort Report.
The report, which surveyed 1,500 households in June, found that Australian household financial comfort increased 3% to 5.76 (out of 10) in the last six months to June 2020 - just shy of its historical high of 5.78 recorded in December 2014.
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Financial comfort increased the most among typically struggling cohorts, such as casual workers, the unemployed, low income households and single parent households.
ME Bank’s Consulting Economist, Jeff Oughton said government support measures have allowed many who would typically be under financial stress to increase savings and pay off debts.
“Fear of COVID-19 and a very weak labour market triggered many households to increase precautionary savings, reduce spending, draw on long-term savings, such as superannuation, and delay bills or loan repayments,” he said.
“In June, 57% of households ‘spent less than they earned each month’ – up 8 percentage points to the highest level of households saving since the survey began nine years ago."
But the report also found that 21% of households have less than $1,000 in savings, on average about $300 which is significantly lower than the current JobSeeker fortnightly payment. Of those households, just 3% reported they could maintain their current lifestyle for more than six months if they lost their incomes.
More than half (59%) said it would be ‘difficult to find a new job in two months if they become unemployed’, while 30% said it would be 'very difficult'.
Mr Oughton warned that many households will struggle to get by once stimulus measures are wound back.
“Financial comfort levels are up for now, but many households are on the cliff’s edge. They’ve lost income, their jobs and entire livelihoods, their wafer-thin savings buffer is dwindling, and government support is the main action stopping them from falling over,” Mr Oughton said.
“Government stimulus has bought some time and helped boost the financial resilience of Australian households for now. But a household savings cliff remains as government support tapers. Unless the economy gains momentum, tapering government support too soon could have disastrous consequences on the financial comfort of households.
“This survey shows that the financial consequences for households of this pandemic remain critical. Many eyes will be on what governments do in the final months of 2020 and into next year."
40% of households have benefitted from support measures
The report also found that 40% of households have benefitted from Federal Government support schemes such as JobKeeper and JobSeeker, or accessed their superannuation early.
In the six months to June 2020, one in five Australian households had accessed one or both Federal government payment supports − specifically, JobKeeper (12%) and JobSeeker (9%).
- Gen Z was the largest recipient of JobSeeker (20%) and the second biggest beneficiary of JobKeeper (14%) just behind Gen X (18%).
- 12% dipped into their existing savings - rising to 27% among Gen Z
- 8% accessed up to $10,000 of their superannuation - rising to 30% among Gen Z (three times more than Gen Y and Gen X)
- 27% of Gen Z's dipped into their existing savings to make ends meet
- 15% of Gen Z requested rent reductions
- 26% of Gen Z delayed or deferred bills and 11% deferred loan repayments
Mr Oughton said while the impact of the pandemic has been felt strongly by some in this generation, overall the financial comfort of Gen Z increased 4% during the past six months to June, and for young adults living at home this jumped by 13%.
“Gen Z actively took up a variety of support measures to bolster their financial resilience and in turn financial comfort during the first wave of the pandemic," Mr Oughton said.
"This is likely due to many being employed on a casual or part time basis across COVID-19 affected industries such as retail, hospitality and tourism."
Single parents reported the largest gain in financial comfort (up 13% to 5.04), boosted by the introduction of free childcare as well as the increased income payments from government.
However, the overall level of financial comfort of single parents, the unemployed, and households with low comfort and low savings remains well below the average Australian household.
- Macquarie Bank cuts variable rate home loans by 25 basis points
- Which banks increased term deposit rates this week?
- Westpac dynamic CVC reduces card fraud by 80%
- Is Australia headed for a recession?
- Gen-Xers and Millennials driving property price growth in regional areas


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White House planning 'Made in America' week
PISCATAWAY TOWNSHIP, New Jersey - The White House is dubbing the coming week "Made in America week" as it tries to break through the noise surrounding the Russia investigation and focus on issues that matter to President Donald Trump's base.
Director of media affairs Helen Aguirre Ferre tells reporters Sunday that the White House will be holding a "Made in America" product showcase Monday featuring products from all 50 states.
The president is also expected to issue a proclamation Wednesday on the importance of making goods in America.
Trump has pledged to bring back U.S. manufacturing jobs by scaling back regulations and renegotiating the country's trade deals.
But critics have accused him of hypocrisy because many of the products he has sold over the years were manufactured overseas.
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Sunshine Bridge closure affecting local businesses
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Tales of paranormal activity surrounding the Old State Capitol
The Louisiana Red Cross gives out free smoke alarms in two neighborhoods
LSU to wear uniforms saluting fallen WWI heroes Saturday


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The e-commerce market has grown more crowded as established brands and digitally native startups seek to engage shoppers who are spending more time online. As social media platforms double down on tools for enabling in-app purchasing, marketers next year are likely to take a closer look at striking deals with influencers who have dedicated followers as a way to stand out from rivals while driving sales.
"The social platforms are allowing for purchases to happen within their apps, and creators are now able to tag products directly. That opens the door for marketing to be more 'bottom-funnel' for a lot of advertisers," Eric Dahan, co-founder and chief executive of influencer agency Open Influence, said in a phone interview.
This transition comes as spending on influencer marketing grows. It expanded this year by 42% to $13.8 billion worldwide and is forecast to notch $15 billion by the end of 2022, according to a year-end report by influencer platform Collabstr.
Social commerce sales in the U.S. are also growing, but are likely to remain a small percentage of the overall e-commerce marketplace, eMarketer forecasts. U.S. social commerce sales are expected to total close to $37 billion this year, up 35.8%. By 2025, the total is predicted to hover around $80 billion. However, social commerce will account for just 4% of the U.S. e-commerce market in 2021 and 5% by 2024.
A collaborative environment
The expected increase in collaborations between influencers and brands will come as the technology ecosystem makes it easier than ever to set up an online store. E-commerce software maker Shopify said the number of merchants that use its platform reached 1.75 million last year — more than double from two years earlier — amid the pandemic-related surge in online shopping. With social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok adding direct-sales tools for creators and advertisers, traditional online retailers will face steeper competition.
In this environment, collaborating with a social influencer is one way for brands to reach target consumers who pay attention to specialized content and may be ready to shop. That creative work can include everything from dance videos on TikTok to travel destinations on Instagram to product recommendations on YouTube. Viewers can buy what they see in pictures and videos without leaving the app, helping to remove some of the friction at checkout. The transactions help marketers to attribute outcomes in the lower part of the purchase funnel to the content, a difference from the brand-building influencer campaigns of the past.
"Historically, influencer marketing had been very awareness-driven — paying a bunch of influencers to post to build my brand," Dahan said. "Brands weren't really focused on conversions because the attribution was a little bit trickier. And now with social commerce and things like live shopping, that's really going to transform influencer marketing."
Attribution data will be valuable for brands and influencers as they seek to form longer-term marketing partnerships.
Monetizing influencer content
Social commerce not only will open more opportunities for brands to make direct sales, but it also will affect how influencers make money. In addition to revenue-sharing arrangements with platforms like YouTube or affiliate deals with online marketplaces like Amazon, other monetization methods are emerging.
"The ways you can work with a creator are fragmenting. Not only do we have more platforms and more creative niches, but also within the platforms themselves, there's so many more features to be leveraged."
Co-founder and CEO, Open Influence
"With the birth of the creator economy, the focus was on revenue that came from advertising," Dahan said. "In the past 18 months or so, we've seen a pretty big transformation where the creator economy has grown substantially as creators have more ways to monetize than ever."
Creators can charge subscriptions or other fees for premium content, build their own brands and develop intellectual properties that are a source of licensing revenue. Marketers can participate in these efforts by collaborating with creators to co-brand products or by becoming official sponsors of content.
In these ways, many brands are forming longer-term relationships with influencers instead of hiring groups of them for individual campaigns and projects. Dahan said he expects to see more of these kinds of deals between brands and influencers in 2022 and beyond.
"The ways you can work with a creator are fragmenting," Dahan said. "Not only do we have more platforms and more creative niches, but also within the platforms themselves, there's so many more features to be leveraged."
Brands can develop a variety of influencer marketing strategies, including a multi-tiered approach to working with a range of big-name influencers and microinfluencers. Those lesser-known personalities can be powerful allies to brands with their authenticity and dedicated followers.
"Those smaller influencers tend to convert better. They tend to be more focused and do a better job at communicating," Dahan said. "They also tend to get fewer brand deals than some of the bigger influencers. So, when they get a brand deal, they're typically creating better content for their audience or are more engaged in the process."


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Here’s to hoping Craig Johnson hadn’t sold his Oregon home. The former CEO of Musician’s Friend is coming back to Medford, OR as Harry & David’s new CEO, the food and gifts retailer announced Tuesday.
Johnson will succeed turnaround specialist Kay Hong, who came on board in February so Harry & David could restructure under Chapter 11. Harry & David, who also owns the Wolferman’s and Cushman’s brands, exited Chapter 11 last month.
“Craig is a talented executive with nearly 25 years of multichannel retail experience and a proven track record in numerous senior leadership roles,” Hong said in a press release. “Craig is the ideal candidate for this position and we look forward to benefiting from his leadership and ecommerce, catalog and retail store expertise as we begin the upcoming holiday season and continue to implement Harry & David’s strategy for achieving long-term, profitable growth.”
Hong will stay on with Harry & David through the holiday season to ensure a smooth transition, according to the press release issued by the company.
According to his LinkedIn page, Johnson became COO at Gibson Guitar just last month. At the beginning of this year, Johnson became chief supply chain officer at Guitar Center, a subsidiary of Musician’s Friend.


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The retailer said its overseas expansion had yielded a profit at its mainland European operations for the first time and that strong sales had been achieved by the group overall, despite acute supply shortages of consoles over Christmas, contributing to the sales shortfall. Like-for-like sales in the first 11 weeks of the current year to April 16 are up 8 per cent.
Game chairman Peter Lewis said the coming year would be a transitional one and depend greatly on the performance of new Nintendo and Sony handheld formats. He warned it would also be characterised by software price deflation, as suppliers gear up for console launches next year.
He said: 'We expect the trading environment throughout the year, but more particularly in the second half, will be challenging, as a result of strong software comparatives and ongoing price deflation. Nevertheless, we continue to expect a satisfactory trading outcome for the year as a whole.'
The results will come as a relief to shareholders, who were dismayed by reports that a prospective bidder for the retailer had pulled out of discussions yesterday, sending Game's share price plunging by 20 per cent.


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The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, the leaves are falling from the trees, and summer has long faded to autumn, which can mean only one thing.
Christmas is nearly here.
And whilst it's true that we've hardly gotten over Halloween yet, that won't stop us ushering in the festive spirit a little early.
And what could be more Christmassy than a proper Christmas market - fit with mulled wine, mince pies and gifts for all the family?
Luckily, Kent has no shortage of Christmas markets dotted all across the county - and we're home to some absolutely huge celebrations of the festive period that are set to crop up over the next two months.
Often run by or with the help of local businesses, they're a seasonal treat filled with hand-crafted, locally made and love-filled gifts, treats and presents - so there's no better place to celebrate this year than your local Christmas market.
We've pulled together a short list of the biggest Christmas markets happening in and around Kent this winter - and everything you need to know about them.
Rochester Christmas Market
The Christmas market will be held in Rochester Castle Gardens, whilst the Dickensian Christmas Festival will take place on Rochester High Street
The dates the Christmas Market will be open are as follows:
- Saturday and Sunday, November 27 and 28, from 10am to 6pm
- Friday, December 3 from noon until 8pm
- Saturday and Sunday December 4 and 5, from 10am until 7pm
- Friday, December 10 from noon until 8pm
- Saturday and Sunday, December 11 and 12, from 10am until 6pm
What to expect
It's the return of one of Kent's very best and most-loved Christmas celebrations - after a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A post on Medway Council's website said: "The market will once again return to the picturesque Rochester Castle Gardens where visitors will find unusual stocking fillers, unique and personalised gifts and, of course, mulled wine.
"There will be fun for all the family including live performances, a funfair and a Bavarian food village.
"The market is set in the heart of historic Rochester where there are plenty of shops, restaurants and period architecture to explore."
The Dickensian Christmas Festival will also take place on Saturday and Sunday December 4th and 5th, between 10am and 5.30pm, taking place on Rochester High Street.
It will see the return of the parade of familiar costumed characters from Charles Dickens' classic novels, alongside street entertainment and open-air carol concerts.
Out and around Whitefriars shopping centre, along St George's Street, Gravel Walk, Whitefriars street and through Marlowe Arcade
The markets will be open between Friday November 12 to Friday December 24 at:
- Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm
- Saturday 9am to 6pm
- Sunday 10am to 4pm
- Christmas Eve closes at 4pm
What to expect
Canterbury's Christmas market will make it's return with a "colourful array of festive huts full of gifts plus the usual delicious range of seasonal food and beverage offerings," Canterbury Christmas Market says.
Bookings for Father Christmas have been open since October 1, with the Visit Santa Experience priced at from £7.50.
The experience will see Christmas lovers welcomed to the new grotto in the Marlowe Arcade in Whitefriars Shopping Centre.
Children will be able to take part in an elf workshop, receive their own elf hat and take part in more fun-filled activities before meeting the man himself.
Dog owners can also book a Santa Paws session from £4, where their four-legged friends can meet Father Christmas.
The Folkestone Christmas market is back, and this time will make it's home on the Folkestone Harbour Arm, on Harbour Approach Road.
The markets will be held on:
- Saturday and Sunday, November 27 and 28
- Saturday and Sunday, December 4 and 5
- Saturday and Sunday, December 11 and 12
- Saturday and Sunday, December 18 and 19
- Thursday and Friday, December 23 and 24
What to expect
Festive fans will be able to see Christmas bands, choirs and films in Folkestone as the Harbour arm welcomes the festive celebrations.
The food and rink vendors at The Goods Yard will be offering "the very best of their menus with a nice seasonal twist", Folkestone Harbour Arm states.
Visitors looking to buy a gift for their family and friends will be able to see products ranging from fashion, interior products, handmade jewellery, ceramics, crafts and keepsakes, beauty products and illustrative or digitally produced items.


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Ford unveils 2009 "Warriors in Pink" Mustang
Ford unveiled its latest "Warriors in Pink" edition Mustang today at the New York Auto show and announced that it will double its current contribution for breast cancer education and research with each edition sold.
Built in collaboration with the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure, the 2009 Limited Edition Warriors in Pink Mustang will be available on V-6 Premium Coupe and Convertible models. Exclusive to the package are a distinct grille, pink ribbon and pony graphics with badging, charcoal leather seats with pink stitching, and various other pink accented interior pieces.
Ford will be contributing $500 of each sale towards the Cure and has set a goal of donating $1 million this year for the Cure through the sales of the Warriors in Pink Mustangs, Warriors in Pink apparel, and other fundraising events.
The cars will be available in three colors -- Black, Brilliant Silver and Performance White. Coupes can be ordered with a glass roof option as well.
Only 1000 examples of the Warriors in Pink Ford Mustangs will be available and will go on sale this summer at Ford dealers nationwide.


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Uncle Ben’s says it will ‘evolve’ their image
Uncle Ben’s says it’s going to ‘evolve’ its image, which it hopes will help end racial bias.
Its rice products have been fronted by the image of a black man since 1946.
In a statement, food giant Mars says it has a responsibility to take a stand, and it’s the right time to make changes to its brand.
“As a global brand, we know we have a responsibility to take a stand in helping to put an end to racial bias and injustices,” a spokesperson said in the statement.
“We recognise that one way we can do this is by evolving the Uncle Ben’s brand, including its visual brand identity.
‘We don’t yet know what the exact changes or timing will be, but we are evaluating all possibilities.”


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BENGALURU: Instant messaging-based delivery startup MagicTiger has acquired Instano, a Bangalore-based B2C (Business-to-Consumer) eCommerce App that renders on-demand delivery of services over chat.
"Instano was one of our best competitors and had good focus on operations as well as quality. We realized, lots more could be done together than separately," said Pratyush Prasanna, co-founder of Magictiger.
With this acquisition, the core Instano team - Rajesh Ranjan, Pradeep and Prem would be joining the team. Rajesh, an IIT KGP alumnus, co-founded Instano and looked after product, strategy and marketing.
"Pradeep and Prem would be part of the Business development and Operations teams at Magictiger," said Arun Kumar, co-founder of Magictiger.
The company, backed by serial entrepreneurs K Ganesh and Meena Ganesh, had accuqired another AI-based company Zoyo in September.
Magictiger uses AI-tech to anticipate user behavior, predict purchases to help customers make better decisons. On MagicTiger, users can ask for various items like food, groceries, household services and even government services.
In the same time period, the express delivery model, with under 15 minute delivery promise and near perfect fulfilment rates has been getting a lot of traction with customers and expanding rapidly, the company said in the email.


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As widely anticipated, Apple unveiled its latest iPhone during its annual developer conference. The iPhone 4 offers a range of new or improved hardware features including a complete redesign, improved performance, battery life as well as a gyroscope for improved position and orientation data. iPhone 4 also features an improved 5 megapixel back camera and a front facing camera that can be used for the new FaceTime video chat service, which currently only runs on WiFi internet connections. Earlier generation iPhone 3GS replaces the iPhone 3G as the entry-level device and sees its inboard memory reduced to 8Gb.
Software-side, Apple added its iBooks book reading software (introduced with the iPad) and announced a mobile version of its iMovie video editing software that will retail for $4.99. In an effort to reflect its operating system's wide reach across its portable devices (iPod touch, iPhone, iPad) iPhone OS will now be called iOS.
Apple claimed over $60m of advertising spend was already commited to its iAds advertising services by leading brands such as Unilever, AT&T, Chanel, GE, Target, Best Buy, Direct TV, or Disney. Apple believes it will be able to channel around 25% of the 2010 US mobile ad spend.
- Apple also reported a range of statistics during its WWDC keynote including:
- App Store app downloads have passed 5bn.
- It will soon sell its 100 millionth iOS device.
- Apple has paid developers more than $1bn revenues from paid applications.
It has sold 2m iPads, which now have access to 8,500 native applications and have generated 35m app and 2m book downloads (via iBooks).
Due to a preponderance of internet leaks in the run up to WWDC, Apple's launch of the iPhone 4 held few surprises. Widely anticipated new features including a front facing camera, improved rear camera, a redesigned form factor, A4 processor boasting improved battery performance, improved screen resolution and HD video recording all came to fruition.
Despite the lack of surprises, Apple's update is enough to help it maintain its success in the smartphone market. The new hardware and software features are more than enough to match its leading competitors including the latest Android devices.
Confident in the appeal of its hardware lineup, and helped by an unmatched mindshare, Apple chose against lowering its entry price points, which could ultimately hurt volume shipment growth but guarantee healthy margins. Therefore, Screen Digest expects Apple to increase its absolute shipment numbers and remain the global smartphone revenue leader, but at the cost of a smaller unit market share, in the face of mounting competition from lower-priced smartphones from the likes of Nokia, Samsung and HTC.


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IT’S FRIDAY (shh, yes we know it’s actually Thursday)! Do you know what that means? Another #FreeShowFriday, that’s what! Just enough to give you a taste of what our Insiders get daily, along with some other cool perks that you can get here…
With the power of Lego and Blizzard Entertainment combined, some hot new Overwatch merchandise is upon us. Blizzard is now selling the Lego Omnic Bastion set, which has 182 pieces. Lego Omnic Bastion is $25, and you can order it now through Blizzard’s online store. If you are attending the upcoming BlizzCon fan gathering, you’ll also have the option to purchase it at that time as well. BlizzCon begins November 2 and runs through November 3 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Sony is finally giving in to the PlayStation community on a long-held request by throngs of gamers who made a big mistake when they first chose their PlayStation Network IDs: Soon, gamers will be able to change their PSN IDs for the very first time. Once it’s rolled out to all PS4 users next year, gamers will be able to change their PSN ID as many times as they’d like. Here’s where the catch comes into play, however. The first time is free but after that you’ll need to pony up $9.99 for each subsequent change or $4.99 for PS+ subscribers.
Microsoft was the fifth-biggest PC maker in the US in the third quarter of this year, according to industry advisory firm Gartner. The top spot in the US belongs to HP, with about 4.5 million machines sold, ahead of Dell at 3.8 million, Lenovo at 2.3 million, and Apple at 2 million. The gap between fourth and fifth is pretty big—Microsoft sold only 0.6 million Surface devices last quarter—but it suggests that Microsoft’s PC division is heading in the right direction, with sales 1.9 percent higher than the same quarter last year. The company pushed down to sixth place was Acer.
The first time you test something, you check out its design, you try all the new features, but even after an hour or more, the device still doesn’t feel as familiar as something you own and use every day. And yet, the first time I sat down and played a round of PUBG Mobile using the Razer Phone 2, I finished with a chicken dinner. Was it me or was it the phone? I’m still not sure, but here’s how Razer’s gaming phone has evolved for its second tour.
Competitive Pokémon Go players are anticipating a major, upcoming upheaval in the battle scene, thanks to Niantic’s announcement that it intends to rebalance the game. The developer has already hinted at what kinds of changes it plans to make — and it sounds like they’re aimed at kicking the best gym defenders out of their top spots.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 continues the franchise’s history of explosive multiplayer, first-person shooter combat. Old mechanics and features return, such as the fan favorite Zombie mode, but the game implements several changes to the Black Ops formula. We’ve compiled everything we know about Black Ops 4 so far, and will continue to update this post as we discover more about the game.


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The Apple Watch Series 2 was the brand’s first fully waterproof model, and Apple introduced an important feature to keep internal components protected.
As you know, the Apple watch has a water expulsion system in which the speaker expels the water and this is what could now reach the iPhone according to a new patent registered by Apple.
How does this system work?
The Apple Watch’s water expulsion system works by using the speaker to vibrate and make specific sounds that push the water out, which is useful when using the Apple Watch for swimming or during a shower.
As Patently Apple points out, this feature could be available on future iPhone models, as Apple has registered a new patent that shows exactly this system on its smartphones. The patent was originally filed by Apple in 2019, but has now been published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The figures show a built-in water ejection system in an iPhone that works similarly to technology found in the Apple Watch series 2 (and later). It uses the speaker and a sensor module with hydrophobic coating to repel water, which would make the iPhone even more waterproof and would also prevent the speakers from failing right after coming into contact with liquids.
Based on the description of the patent, this system is capable of expelling different types of liquids, including fresh water, salt water, gases and more. It can even detect the presence of salt water crystals on the acoustic mesh barrier.
“When the portable electronic device (iPhone) is exposed to salt water, for example, during a surf session in Santa Cruz, the salt water crystals can leave a residue on the acoustic mesh barrier when the salt water evaporates. Consequently, the diaphragm can be actuated to sufficiently remove the salt water crystals from the acoustic mesh barrier. “


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Over the past few months there has been a fair bit in the industry press about Apple and Microsoft apparently loosing their respective grasps on the market.
Apple has been (from what it appears) struggling to get a new product into the market, and is instead just refreshing existing lines.
Microsoft is slipping in its game too - the latest gaff has to be the way it's handled Windows 8.1. The recent U-turn about not releasing the RTM version to the development and sys admin community was welcome, but it is a disagreeable find to discover that you can not do a straight upgrade of Windows 8 to 8.1. Instead it enforces a clean install, while offering you the ability to save your files. According to all the recent MSDN coverage (literally in the last 24 hrs or so), the "release" version will support this, but I have to ask why Microsoft decided to release essentially an incomplete version?
Historically the whole idea of RTM or Gold copies were that these were the images that were sent for physical manufacture. These days things still follow this pattern, but now companies such as Microsoft tend to "tweak" things before they are actually released - in theory to provide a better quality product, but in this case you have to wonder. Releasing an incomplete, inferior product a month before the General Availability is annoying, and down right disruptive to the development community. Microsoft's attitude? It doesn't matter. You shouldn't be using this release for anything except testing, so why can't you build a new machine.
Has the development industry lost track of what should happen for release cycles? Are we now expecting too much, too quickly from software companies?
Or have the big boys (Apple and Microsoft for example) started to loose their way with handling user experience?


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It's been one year since Australia's major supermarkets removed single-use plastic bags from checkouts and started charging for 'reusable' ones.
Coles says the move has already saved 1.7 billion single-use bags from ending up in landfill, but new research is casting doubt on whether the ban is doing more harm than good.
Watch the full story in the clip above.
Stream Sunrise free on 7plus
The study suggests Australia's plastic bag ban actually contributes to the world's waste crisis, with 'reusable' bags taking longer to break down and alternatives faring no better.
Cotton bags have to be used a whopping 131 times to be better for the environment than a single-use plastic bag. The new thicker bags have to be used four times, and paper bags three times, to be worthwhile.
Sales of small, single-use garbage bags have increased a whopping 120 per cent since the ban came into place.
The study also found that shoppers' behaviour pre-ban was more 'green', because thin bags were often reused as bin liners, to pick up dog poo or to carry things.
Critics say the ban isn't helping us to reduce plastic waste and is instead another way for big business to make shoppers part with their hard-earned cash.
Stream free on


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Friday, October 13, 2006
Nokia's concept phone
Nokia has released images of Aeon, a concept phone that combines two touch-sensitive panels mounted on a fuel-cell power pack.
Each of the panels is capable of being used independently. The touch-screen displays man that all 'buttons' are virtual, so in one situation one panel could operate as the display, the other as the keypad. In another the roles could be reversed. Or each display could serve both functions.
Devices like this are all part of Nokia's vision of 'wearable technology'. Users could wear the lightweight panels as a badge, or connected to a wrist-strap.
Nokia are also keen to establish a new wireless standard. Wibree is basically an upgraded bluetooth which would allow the Aeon to be a 'thin-client', farming out processing and storage tasks to static servers.


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Change is coming to the mobile access tower industry, as EN 1004 is on track to be updated this year. EN 1004 (published in the UK as BS EN1004) is the design standard for mobile access towers used across Europe. It’s been adopted in many other countries too. It tells us what materials, dimensions, design loads, safety and performance requirements these products should conform to. Everyone designing, manufacturing, supplying, buying, hiring or using a mobile access tower in Europe should make sure that it complies with EN 1004. The revision has been a lengthy process. PASMA participated extensively throughout and helped shape the updates. On this page, we are sharing our experience and knowledge of the revision to help the industry prepare for EN1004:2020.
The revision has been approved following a formal vote, which closed on 13th February 2020. The withdrawal date for the old standard has been confirmed as 17 May 2021. We expect BSI to publish the new standard in the UK in Autumn 2020.


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Amazon.com Inc. refused to implement the deal for the acquisition of iRobot Corp.
The mentioned e-commerce giant made the specified decision after facing claims from European Union regulators. The EU authorities threatened to block the deal, which could have cost $1.4 billion.
iRobot, which has been facing difficulties lately, announced that the chief executive officer of this company, Colin Angle, has stepped down. Currently, the brand is starting to implement a restructuring plan. As a result of these measures, the number of jobs in the company will decrease by about 350, which is 31% of the workforce. The share price of the brand, which specializes in the production of vacuum cleaners, in New York showed a decrease of 19%, to $13.80, which is the lowest since 2009. The cost of Amazon securities, which offers the best American delivery service, remained virtually unchanged against the background of the news about the cancellation of the deal, amounting to $159.40.
The e-commerce giant’s decision indicates that it faces serious pressure. In the current terms, the company does not have to state but to prove that its actions in no way violate the norms of fair and equitable competition. In part, the external pressure on Amazon is because the brand is gradually turning into a large-scale multifunctional structure, the ecosystem of which is rapidly expanding. The company’s influence in the retail, entertainment, and cloud computing sectors is currently growing.
Antitrust regulators on both sides of the Atlantic are seeking to block deals for the acquisition of innovative start-ups by large brands before these organizations, which are at an early stage of existence, have a chance to become formidable independent competitors.
The media, citing an anonymous insider who is aware of the so-called behind-the-scenes details of Amazon’s actions, report that last week the company’s representatives met with senior employees of the FTC antimonopoly staff, who announced their intention to file a lawsuit regarding the implementation of the intention to acquire iRobot. There is also information that the executives and lawyers of the e-commerce giant were supposed to meet with three FTC commissioners this week. The relevant data was reported by an insider, noting that currently, the discussion of this topic is strictly confidential.
The European Commission, which is the EU’s executive arm overseeing compliance with antitrust laws, chooses remedies to eliminate any risks to fair competition but does not outright prohibit mergers. Against the background of such actions, companies are abandoning deals, concerning which there is a high probability of a veto.
Adobe Inc. in December halted the acquisition of startup Figma Inc. for $20 billion. This decision was made against the background of disagreements with the antimonopoly regulators of the United Kingdom and the EU.
Amazon will pay iRobot a $94 million termination fee. The e-commerce giant has decided not to offer remedies to concerns flagged by regulators. The European regulator has notified the company of concerns that Amazon may demote other robot vacuum cleaners on its platform and promote products with such labels as Amazon’s Choice or Works With Alexa. The watchdog also said that the e-commerce giant may perceive the shot-out competitors as an economic benefit. The regulator tried to put pressure on the company to force it to make concessions to obtain approval for the implementation of the deal, but these measures were in vain.
David Zapolsky, Amazon’s senior vice president and general counsel, said unjustified and disproportionate regulatory hurdles discourage entrepreneurs who should be able to view acquisitions as one of the paths to success. According to him, these realities harm consumers and competition, which regulators are trying to protect, according to official statements of the motives for their actions. David Zapolsky separately noted that against the background of measures taken by watchdogs, customers are deprived of fast innovations and competitive prices that would make their lives easier and more enjoyable.
The e-commerce giant has considered the possibility of an appeal, but the relevant process is likely to take years. This was reported by the media with reference to insiders who used the right of anonymity since this issue is confidential and does not belong to the category of public information.
The merger agreement expires in the summer of 2024. The e-commerce giant and the vacuum cleaner manufacturer have repeatedly renegotiated the terms of the agreement.
On Monday, January 29, senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence Poonam Goyal said that from a financial point of view, the deal, which has not been implemented, is not significant for Amazon’s sales or profits. The expert also noted that the termination of the contract is a confirmation of the opinion that it will not be easy for large technology companies to close any acquisition in the current regulatory climate in Europe and the United States.
Amazon gets rid of the need to compensate for the losses incurred by iRobot. The vacuum cleaner manufacturer, based in Bedford, Massachusetts, has recorded a significant deterioration in its financial condition in recent years. Last year, iRobot had to raise $200 million in investments.
Sales of the vacuum cleaner manufacturer’s products began to show a downward trend after spending on home improvement decreased, which reached peak levels during the coronavirus pandemic. Since the second quarter of 2021, the company has suffered net losses of about $500 million. The vacuum cleaner manufacturer conducted an initial public offering in 2005. Since then, iRobot has steadily made a profit for 16 years. The company’s financial report, released on January 29, indicates that the adjusted operating loss of the brand for 2023 will amount to about $200 million.
Amazon, which develops the Alexa voice assistant and a wide range of consumer electronics, announced its intention to acquire iRobot in August 2022. This deal could afford the e-commerce giant to expand its presence in the growing smart home gadget market. The company has created its own Astro home robotics franchise, a $1,600 home security robot. The e-commerce giant positions this device as a business security guard.
Amazon and iRobot are partners. The e-commerce giant has been the largest customer of the vacuum cleaner manufacturer for a long period. In the revenue structure of iRobot, Amazon accounts for about a quarter of sales. The vacuum cleaner manufacturer is a customer of the Amazon Web Services cloud computing group.
The deal, which failed to materialize, is a testament to the tension between Amazon’s retail activities and its ambitions related to the smart home ecosystem based on the Alexa voice assistant. The FTC expressed concern that the acquisition of iRobot would give the e-commerce giant too much control over the smart home device market and potentially violate user privacy by giving the company access to data about their homes.
The deal, which Amazon decided to abandon, could be the fourth largest in its history, behind the acquisitions of Whole Foods Market, movie studio MGM, and One Medical concierge health service.
The skepticism of European and American regulators regarding Big Tech deals is growing. In September, the EU regulator rejected Booking Holdings Inc.’s $1.7 billion bid for the Swedish Etraveli Group. The administration of the current US President Joe Biden has set a record for merger challenges.


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On May 5, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its long-awaited proposed rule (Proposed Rule) on the use of arbitration clauses by consumer financial services companies in their customer contracts that restrict a customer’s ability to file or join a class action lawsuit. The Proposed Rule will be open for comment for 90 days after the date it is published in the Federal Register.
Section 1028(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act required the CFPB to study the use of the mandatory arbitration clauses in consumer financial markets. The CFPB released its study early last year and later introduced an outline of proposed restrictions on mandatory arbitration. The study’s results and the outline left little doubt that the CFPB intended to act aggressively to limit the use of arbitration clauses with class action waivers in financial consumer agreements, and in that respect, the Proposed Rule does not disappoint.
The Proposed Rule would enact the following:
- Prohibit providers of “covered consumer financial products and services,” such as credit cards, deposit accounts, other consumer loans, and automobile loans from using an agreement with a consumer that provides for arbitration of any future dispute between the parties and bars the consumer from filing or participating in a class action. Excluded are transactions subject to FINRA arbitration.
- Require providers that participate in predispute arbitration to submit certain records to the CFPB (including the arbitrator’s judgment or award) so the CFPB can monitor arbitration proceedings and determine if further rulemaking is required.
The Proposed Rule would apply prospectively to agreements entered into 211 days after the final rules’ publication in the Federal Register.