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3 future trends set to change the digital signage landscape
The Digital Signage Future Trends Report identifies a few key future trends, and we will be focusing on mobile integration, segmentation and dynamic content.
Many believe the biggest competition for digital signage is a much smaller display: a customer’s smartphone. However, these two devices don’t need to be rivals, they can also be partners, especially as mobile integration improves.
“We are going to use that phone as a way to better understand the consumer, engaging on multiple personal levels, measuring impact and impressions, delivering content and engaging with the content itself,” Rich Ventura, vice president of strategy at NEC Display Solutions, said in a blog on the Digital Signage Today Future Trends Report.
Ventura gave an example of this already taking place in airports. Airports already use a large number of digital menu boards, flight information displays and kiosks. Customers also use their phones to make payments and use wayfinding apps to make their way around the terminal. Airports are making use of this data to drive customers to certain spots where they can receive more information.
“The captured data allows the airport to create the journey and drive the traveler through different areas of the terminal. Thus, they are creating a 1:1 relationship that the traveler will enjoy as a valuable service,” Ventura said.
Segmentation is in essence, simply breaking up digital signage content into various parts, based on factors as simple as the time of day or as complex as a customer’s actions. Due to this trend, digital signage end users need a lot more content than before. As this trend continues to grow, we will see businesses start to use different strategies to reach customers and gather data.
“Segmentation will also affect the physical placement and strategic purpose of digital signage. Businesses trying to target specific audiences may begin using multiple smaller screens with unique content on each instead of one large screen,” Rebecca Dowden, director of marketing at CrownTV, said in a blog on the Digital Signage Today Future Trends Report. “This shift in placement will reflect a rising shift in purpose as digital signage becomes an entirely new channel for communication instead of simply replacing traditional signage.”
In order to serve their audiences, companies will need to do more customer profiling to discover exactly how to reach them. This will in turn, drive the demand for more engaging content, such as live social media feeds and weather.
“Some digital signage software packages have already begun offering app integrations with live weather, social media and more. But in 2018, the industry will see more API partnerships and plug-in integrations that will make content creation as quick as a few clicks,” Dowden said.
Both of the previous trends are closely related to this trend of more dynamic, relevant content. Companies are diving in, trying to find new ways to deliver better content, such as facial recognition software and traffic patterns. End users realize they need to stand out to avoid turning into another annoyance to customers.
“The technology has lost its novelty and is now an accepted — sometimes even expected — part of the customer-facing business landscape. So, it has gone well past the time or place in which its mere presence was enough to provoke a ‘wow factor,’ to a time and place at which it is in danger of becoming part of the background noise that consumers unconsciously edit out of their attention zones,” Christopher Hall, managing director of the Interactive Customer Experience Association, said in a blog on the report.
Digital signage, however, will be coming up to the plate armed with more advanced AI solutions to target consumers with truly personalized, dynamic content. Companies are already doing this to lesser degrees. For example, retailers are now using smart beacons to identify customer walking patterns and deliver the best advertising messages. Other companies are experimenting with content that is triggered by customers interacting with a product.
Customers are also getting increasingly more comfortable with the idea of AI guiding their experience. Hall cites, for example, a report from Oracle that found 62 percent of hotel guests already approve of facial recognition technology along with 49 percent of restaurant customers.
This means we are not far away from a world where digital signage can greet a customer by name and give them content unique to their personalized taste.
To learn more about digital signage future trends, click here to download the Digital Signage Today Future Trends Report.


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The next big thing from BMW, at least until after Geneva Motor Show, will be the launch of the new M6.
The new BMW M6, as it’s abundantly clear by now, will be powered by the same 552bhp 4.4 liter V8 engine that you find in the F10 M5. It will also get the same sort of rear-drive chassis and transmission.
But, the new M6 is said to be a much more focused car than the current model. It will be lighter, thanks to a generous use of carbon fiber, lightweight alloy wheels, and even carbon-ceramic brakes. It seems the M6 is turning from a long-distance cruiser into a full-blooded sports car.
BMW M division doesn’t think so. Despite the fact that the new M6 is harder and sportier than the old model, they say it is still a comfortable grand tourer for everyday use. If anything, it gets a bit closer to the supercar BMW always wanted the M6 to be.
That – a bespoke sports car like Mercedes SLS – is what the M division desperately wants to make. They have the expertise and there’s definitely a market for an M supercar, but BMW is yet to greenlight the project.

domain: news


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The anticipation surrounding Netflix Inc.’s upcoming earnings report continues to fuel debate among analysts. While some warn of heightened expectations, others hold a more bullish view of the latest quarter.
Positive Outlook from UBS Analyst
Earnings Release Date
Investors won’t have to wait much longer as Netflix’s second-quarter earnings are set to be released on July 19 after the closing bell.
Crackdown on Account Sharing
Netflix’s recent crackdown on account sharing appears to be yielding positive results. Hodulik notes that third-party data points indicate favorable engagement levels, increased downloads, and heightened search interest in newly launched paid sharing markets.
The future looks promising for Netflix as they continue to navigate this ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.’
Google Search Interest and Netflix’s Account-Sharing Clampdown
During the second quarter, Google search interest in canceling Netflix accounts saw a decline in markets where Netflix implemented its account-sharing clampdown. This was in contrast to Canada and Spain, where Netflix introduced its paid-sharing initiative earlier.
The Impact of Paid Sharing on Revenue
Analyst Hodulik believes that paid sharing will contribute to a revenue increase of over 5%. He also views the roll-out of this initiative as essential in driving advertising growth through a better ad-tier mix and improved targeting. In Canada, Netflix removed its basic ad-free tier (and de-emphasized it in the US), which is estimated to eventually result in a 10% boost to average revenue per user (ARPU). This change is expected to expedite the growth of the ad base beyond previous expectations.
Revenue and Price Targets
While Hodulik anticipates no change in average revenue per user for the June quarter on a currency-neutral basis, he forecasts a 4% increase in the following quarter as the positive effects of paid sharing build.
The analyst has raised his price target for Netflix shares from $390 to $525 in his latest report and maintains a buy rating for the stock. As of Wednesday’s premarket session, Netflix shares were up approximately 1%, with a year-to-date increase of 49%.
Here’s an overview of what’s new on Netflix in July 2023 and what will be leaving the platform.
Learn about the upcoming changes to streaming services that will make them more expensive while offering less content.


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Charleston rolled out a new way to pay for parking today that's aimed at making parking meters more convenient.
Starting Friday morning the city will sell SmartCards, which are essentially debit cards that work in parking meters equipped to accept them. Columbia already has such a system, as do some large cities like Philadelphia.
The plastic cards with microchips will cost $5, plus the cost of parking meter time. The first 100 people to acquire them Friday at the city's Department of Revenue, 180 Lockwood Blvd., will get the cards at no charge.
For motorists, the benefits of the SmartCard include not needing coins for parking meters, and being able to pay for only the amount of time used. Unused meter time can be refunded onto the cards.
Say a person parks at a meter, uses a SmartCard to buy an hour of time, and then finds out the store he planned to visit is closed. He could put the SmartCard back in the meter and get a refund for the remaining time.
Charleston's parking meters charge 25 cents for 20 minutes. The cards can not be used in parking garages.
City Department of Transportation Director Hernan Pena said about half the city's meters have been upgraded to accept the cards, and the rest will be upgraded by the end of the next year. The initiative will cost an estimated $130,000.
"We were at a time where we were going to replace old meters," Pena said. "For a little added funds, we were able to buy the latest technology."


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Emirates’ senior training captain shows us around the flight deck of the $428m aircraftJanuary 5, 2016 2:44 by kippreport
Videos: 8 Amusing iPhone 5 predictions…
Everyone is awaiting Apple's big new release-and what is communal anticipation with some good old fashioned rumours? But, hey, just because they’re fake doesn’t mean they’re not entertaining. Here are some of Kipp’s favourite iPhone 5 prediction videos.
September 11, 2012 3:04 by Jyothi M.V.
HSBC Q1 profit falls 14 per cent as market remains uncertain
UAE non-oil business slows in April as employment stalls
UAE – Jersey trade relations: from a tax haven to taxonomy
No fines for negative comments on economy, Dubai confirms
UAE and Azerbaijan discuss economic, trade ties
Star Wars isn’t the only one, you knowDecember 16, 2015 4:15 by kippreport
We look back at what caught your eye the most in 2015December 14, 2015 3:27 by kippreport
We asked visitors for their reactions and here's what they had to sayNovember 15, 2015 9:03 by kippreport
Auto manufacturer's regional chief talks current market conditions and reveals big new launch plansNovember 12, 2015 11:17 by kippreport
The $87m aircraft boasts the widest and tallest cabin of any intercontinental business jetNovember 10, 2015 1:56 by kippreport


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Heritage Hotels will be sharing the Kenya Tourism Board’s stand at World Travel Market London 2015 to promote the renovation of its Voyager Beach Resort.
The Mombasa property boasts a new pool area and watersports zone, along with a new dining area and extended outdoor space.
The Look Out bar has been expanded and given a fresh new look.
The Swahili lounge now offers new day beds and ‘moon beds’.
New plasma satellite televisions have been installed in all bedrooms and free high-speed Wi-Fi is available across the resort.
Stand number: AF270


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The beautiful city of Da Nang, Vietnam which some have dubbed “Bitcoin Beach Vietnam” will play host to Asia’s first bitcoin & lightning network conference in the region. Neutronpay, BitcoinVN, and Nunchuk who are all Vietnam-based bitcoin-only companies are excited to share what is happening in Asia as it relates to bitcoin projects, bitcoin communities and lightning adoption across the region.
The conference will take place March 22-24, 2023 at the beautiful beachside Furama Resort.
Founder & CEO Albert Buu of Neutronpay, who is Vietnamese-Canadian had this to say, “I am thrilled to announce our company is leading the charge for the Bitcoin Lightning Network in Southeast Asia. Our vision is to showcase the region’s growth and potential, and Lightningcon is the first event of its kind to highlight emerging markets in Asia that have been overlooked in the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Our mission is to create a platform that encourages and supports the growth of Bitcoin and Lightning in the region, while emphasizing the diversity in representation to showcase the potential of the entire region. We are confident this event will not only inspire growth and innovation in the industry but also positively impact the lives of people in the region.
We are excited to bring together prominent Bitcoiners from various countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Vietnam, who will share their insights and experiences to amplify the message that Asia is making waves in the Bitcoin ecosystem.”
Malcolm Weed, COO of Neutronpay, who is the event main organizer had this to say, “We’re extremely excited to be putting on the world’s first bitcoin & lightning event in Asia. Bitcoin adoption is very strong across the region with countries like Vietnam(1), Philippines(2), India(4), Pakistan(6), Thailand(8), and China(10) all being in the top 10 global rankings for bitcoin adoption, making it the world’s bitcoin epicenter. With over 4B people in Asia, representing half the world’s population, 70% of which are unbanked, it is no wonder bitcoin adoption is so strong.”
The event will kick off with a beach meet & greet on the evening of March 22, followed by two days of speakers sharing the latest developments across the bitcoin ecosystem, touching on both the technological and the economic aspects. There will also be a strong representation of companies that are building on the lightning network and will share the current state of affairs and what exciting things are currently being worked on.
As is the case with most events there will be major new announcements so stay tuned for live tweeting from the event as they happen.
There will only be 500 attendees so tickets are limited. General admission two-day passes are currently at $375, with ticket prices going up again on March 1. The non-profit event can be accessed by local Vietnamese at a preferential price of $35 and we highly encourage as many locals to come and learn about the technology, but also meet local Vietnamese companies building on bitcoin and lightning.
If you are a local Vietnamese software developer and are interested in working with the lightning network then please reach out as we’re always looking for more great talent to join the team. email@example.com
As a reminder, this is a BITCOIN ONLY event. There will be no content as it relates to NFTs, Metaverse, Web3, Token sales and all that other nonsense.
We still have a few spots left for speakers, moderators, volunteers, sponsors and media so if that is of interest to you please reach out to [email protected]
About Lightningcon Vietnam
Lightningcon Vietnam is Asia’s first ever bitcoin & lightning conference. It will bring together stakeholders from all sides of the bitcoin ecosystem with local representation from projects and communities across the region with a focus on networking, collaboration and learning over a two-day conference.
More information: lightningcon.org
Neutronpay is a Silicon Valley VC funded startup that provides Lightning Network Infrastructure to businesses who wish to launch lightning products such as remittances, payments, spending, payouts and banking capabilities. It was founded in 2018 by Vietnamese-Canadian Albert Buu and is led by veterans in the payments, compliance, banking and bitcoin industries. Neutronpays global headquarters is located in Ho Chi Minh City where the majority of its staff are located.
More information: neutronpay.com
BitcoinVN was founded in late 2013 by a Vietnamese-German team with the mission to provide locals and expats with access to the digital asset economy and its wider applications. They are stalwarts of the bitcoin scene in Ho Chi Minh City and have grown to be the go-to bitcoin provider in the region as it relates to online and over the counter trades.
More information: bitcoinvn.io Twitter: @Bitcoin_Vietnam
The post Asia’s First Bitcoin & Lightning Conference Lightningcon Vietnam to Be Held This March appeared first on BeInCrypto.
This post was sourced from BeInCrypto


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Dominican Republic 1Q exports jump 5.7% to US$2.5B
Santo Domingo.- The Customs Directorate on Tue. said Dominican Republic’s exports for the first quarter reached US$2.5 billion, presenting a 5.71% jump compared to 2019.
Through the Trade Review of the Dominican Republic (January-March), Customs also said that 43.03% of exports were raw materials, 35.84% consumer goods, while the remaining 21.13% were financial capital.
As to consumer goods, the document indicates that during the first quarter of 2019 they were placed at US$986.76 million compared to US$905.23 million in 2020, a decline of -8.26%.


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The gold price fell to £690 per ounce and silver £9.35 per ounce during Asian trading as the price crashed in a matter of seconds to levels not seen since 2009. The gold price has since recovered to £714 per ounce.
Just before China opened for trading all four of the precious metals tumbled when “someone” sold 2.7bn in gold contacts. The price fall triggered a large number of automatic sale orders which would have wiped out the entire bid stack. This latest price smash could have been a well-orchestrated trade initiated by a high frequency trade or the BIS gold and FX trading desk. The only other explanation could be a Chinese commodity deal unwinding.
Ironically moments before the price fall the Peoples Bank of China announced they have increased their gold holdings by 57%.


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- Gold price settles at Rs158,300 per tola.
- Since Monday, gold gained Rs12,000 per tola.
- Silver prices in domestic market remain unchanged.
KARACHI: Gold lost its shine on Friday as the precious commodity receded nearly half of its gain recorded a day earlier as the Pakistani currency snapped its 10-day losing streak.
Data released by the All Sindh Saraf and Jewellers Association (ASSJA) showed that the price of gold, considered a safe haven, plunged by Rs4,200 per tola and Rs3,601 per 10 grams to settle at a record high of Rs158,300 and Rs135,717 in the local market.
A day earlier, the gold price jumped by a whopping Rs10,500 per tola and the price hit a historic-high of Rs162,500.
Cumulatively, since the start of the week — Monday — gold has gained Rs12,000 per tola in the local bullion market.
“Gold price is climbing high in the local bullion market in line with the prices in the international market — which has surged by $50 per ounce since Monday — and depreciation of Pakistani rupee against the US dollar,” AA Commodities Director Adnan Agar told Geo.tv a day earlier.
The analyst further said that the precious commodity is expected to maintain an uptrend as international prices are once again eyeing a $1,800 mark while there is “no hope of stability in local currency” till the country receives a loan tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The association, however, stated that although gold hit an all-time high in Pakistan, its price still stood below cost. Gold is cheaper by Rs6,500 per tola compared to its price in Dubai.
The latest price for local markets was determined to keep in view the prices at which trades took place among buyers and sellers.
ASSJA President Haji Haroon Chand lamented that their businesses are suffering because of a lack of purchasing power; while the government has also imposed fixed taxes on gold dealers which is also adding to the woes of the dealers.
In the international market, bullion prices increased by $12 per ounce to settle at $1,762 supported by a softer dollar and bets that the Federal Reserve may cool the pace of rate hikes as economic risks deepen.
Meanwhile, silver prices in the domestic market remained unchanged at Rs1,630 per tola and Rs1,397.46 per 10 grams today.


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God of War: Ragnarok, which was originally announced for a PlayStation 5 release in 2021, has been delayed into next year, and will now also launch on PS4 .
Confirming the news on Twitter, developer Sony Santa Monica Studio explained it had made the decision to push God of War: Ragnarok's release back into 2022 in order to maintain the "safety and wellbeing" of its team.
"Since the release of the next God of War teaser last year," the full statement reads, "we've been humbled by the amount of love our community has show us. We're incredibly grateful so see so many people excited to experience the next chapter of Kratos and Atreus' journey".
"We remain focused on delivering a top-quality game while maintaining the safety and wellbeing of our team, creative partners, and families," the developer continues. "With this in mind, we've made the decision to shift out release window to 2022".
In addition to God of War: Ragnarok's revised release date, Sony has confirmed the game will be a cross-gen title - as will eagerly awaited PS5 racing sim Gran Turismo 7 - and will be making its way to PlayStation 4 alongside the previously announced PS5 version.
Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, shared the news as part of an interview on the PlayStation Blog. "Where it makes sense to develop a title for both PS4 and PS5 - for Horizon Forbidden West, the next God of War, GT7 - we'll continue looking at that," he explained. "And if PS4 owners want to play that game, then they can. If they want to go on and play the PS5 version, that game will be there for them."
God of War: Ragnarok is the second of Sony's big first-party 2021 releases to be pushed back into next year. A delay for Gran Turismo 7 - blamed on "Covid-related production challenges" - was announced in February.
According to Hulst, it's currently unclear if Horizon Forbidden West will meet a similar fate. "For Horizon," he revealed, "we think we are on track to release this holiday season. But that isn't quite certain yet, and we're working as hard as we can to confirm that to you as soon as we can."


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Tire manufacturer CEAT has announced that Renji Issac has been appointed senior vice president of R&D and technology, replacing Peter Becker. Issac assumed the new role on May 1.
Becker was responsible for quality tire development and implementation in Europe between July 2017 and April 2023, and spearheaded product and brand development while setting new benchmarks. Becker will still be available to the tire maker’s R&D technology and group strategy departments in an advisory capacity, as it implements new European growth targets.
Frank Gilsdorf, general manager of the CEAT European Technical Center (CETC), has taken over responsibility for the European development department, beginning May 1.
In the coming years, CEAT aims to increase its involvement in the European passenger car market and expand its original equipment segment.


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The SDVoE Alliance has announced Black Box and IDK Corporation have joined founders Christie, NETGEAR, Semtech and ZeeVee as steering members. The six companies have seats on the board of directors along with Grandbeing, a contributing member, and Justin Kennington, president of the SDVoE Alliance. Heading toward its fourth year, pro AV’s fastest growing industry alliance boasts 50 members, over 200 products and more than 1100 certified SDVoE Design Partners.
“We welcome Black Box and IDK to leadership positions in the SDVoE Alliance and look forward to the contributions they will make in their new roles as we continue to have a profound effect on the industry, driving the demise of dedicated matrix switchers and proprietary AV over IP,” said Justin Kennington, president of the SDVoE Alliance.
“As one of the original members of the SDVoE Alliance, IDK Corporation has made a significant investment in product innovation, engineering, marketing and customer support for their SDVoE product line as a crucial part of their strategic roadmap,” added Kennington. “They have many high-profile projects already installed in places like Yale University’s Sterling Law Building and the European Chemicals Agency’s new facility in Helsinki. We eagerly anticipate what they will do next.”
“We are proud to elevate our status to Steering Member of the SDVoE Alliance,” said Ryohei Iwasaki, executive director, IDK Corporation. “We take our expanded responsibility to educate our customers and promote SDVoE solutions all over the world very seriously.”
Iwasaki and Kennington recently discussed IDK Corporation’s promotion to steering member of the SDVoE Alliance on camera. Watch the video at https://sdvoe.org/new-leadership-for-sdvoe-interview-with-idk/.
“Black Box has been an enthusiastic member of the SDVoE Alliance since they joined us just over a year ago,” Kennington continued. “They’ve qualified members of their staff as SDVoE Design Partner trainers and have put on live in-person and virtual events for record-breaking audiences. We’re excited to collaborate on another show with them later this month.”
“SDVoE technology is by far the most promising AV technology in any AV category and Black Box is committed to leveraging our knowledge and know-how in IT infrastructure and AV to aid in the growth of the SDVoE Alliance,” said Jonathan McCune, director of product management, AV & infrastructure at Black Box. “SDVoE is the backbone of our next generation products for both AV/IT solutions and integrated AV/IoT solutions.”
McCune and Kennington recently discussed the promotion of Black Box to steering member of the SDVoE Alliance on camera. Watch the video at https://sdvoe.org/new-leadership-for-sdvoe-interview-with-black-box/.
The next SDVoE Design Partner Certification LIVE training presented by Black Box and NETGEAR is scheduled for July 28. To learn more visit https://sdvoe.org/cdp-live/.
All AV distribution and processing applications that demand zero-latency, uncompromised video can benefit from SDVoE technology, which provides an end-to-end hardware and software platform for AV extension, switching, processing and control through advanced chipset technology, common control APIs and interoperability. SDVoE network architectures are based on off-the-shelf Ethernet switches thus offering substantial cost savings and greater system flexibility and scalability over traditional approaches such as point-to-point extension and circuit-based AV matrix switching.


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Today’s highlight: Get car seat inspected
Get car seat inspected
MEDFORD – Free car seat installation inspections will be offered during Aspirus Medford Hospital’s Baby Fair from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 9. Three certified child safety technicians will be on site to check car seats for proper installation as well as to provide instruction and answer any questions parents or the public may have. People wishing to take advantage of this free car seat check should pull their vehicles up to the front entrance of Aspirus Medford Hospital, 135 S. Gibson St., Medford.


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Scoot is renaming its premium economy service, ScootBiz, from 2nd September 2019.
The product will be rebranded as ScootPlus to reflect the improved experience that the company look to offer. According to a Scoot press released shared by Runway Girl Network, ScootPlus will have a fuss-free, upsized Scoot experience.
A range of ancillaries
There will be a range of extras included in the low-cost carrier’s revised product. Priority check-in and boarding will be the first perk of this upgraded offering. Passengers with an excess of luggage will be able to take advantage of 30 kg check-in baggage combined with a 15 kg cabin bag allowance.
After stowing their bags, they can relax on Scoot’s wide premium leather seats with double legroom. These seats come with in-seat power for electronic devices that can use the provided 30MB of WiFi. While traveling, they will be served inclusive alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Scoot is a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines Group. The company launched this brand in June 2012 before merging with Tigerair Singapore in July 2017. Since its inception, the airline has served over 60 million passengers and has a fleet of 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 29 Airbus A320s.
The airline is also set to add two more Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 37 Airbus A320neos to its holdings. It currently flies to 67 destinations across 17 countries and territories, the majority of which are in China, but also with a significant presence in India and Malaysia.
The Deccan Chronical reported that travelers from India will be able to use Scoot to travel to other Asian destinations more efficiently. Destinations such as Vietnam, Thailand, Jakarta (Indonesia) and Langkawi (Malaysia) will now be more feasible.
These routes depart from various Indian cities such as Amritsar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi and Tiruchirappalli. Coimbatore and Vishakhapatnam are also set to join the network soon.
The carrier joins a heap of other airlines who have placed orders for the A321neo. 2019 has seen many firms take on Airbus’ new aircraft, which has been dubbed as a game-changer, thanks to its 15% greater fuel efficiency.
This advancement is thanks to the ‘new engine option’, which comes in the form of Pratt & Whitney PW1000G turbofan engines. Other overhauls include redesigned winglets, which Airbus calls ‘sharklets’.
Room for improvement
Currently, ScootBiz offers drinks as part of their package but they must be paid for. Passengers only get one meal per flight and they also have to pay for a blanket. It is yet to be seen if ScootPlus revises these policies with the airline’s new approach.
A customer support representative informed us that beverages, inclusive of alcoholic choices will be included in the bundle for ScootPlus in “the same consumption in ScootBiz bundle.”
We look forward to seeing how the rebranding progresses. We will update once hear any further announcements from Scoot.


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Ministers to donate 30% of their salary, Class XI students to be promoted
IMPHAL: The state cabinet during its meeting on Monday decided to relax restriction in 15 sectors including agriculture. The government however laid stressed on wearing of masks and maintaining social distance even as it put out a series of points to prevent and fight against the novel virus, COVID-19.
The various sectors under which restrictions are relaxed are as follows:
Supply of Essential goods:
The government has permitted home delivery of essential commodities while adding that locality based retails shops dealing with essential commodities like grades (or daily use, vegetables, fruits, poultry, meat and fish will be opened in all districts from 6 am to 2 pm on all days except Sundays. The govt stated that social distancing shall be maintained by all and mask shall be compulsory on by any person visiting public place.
Wholesale markets at Imphal shall be opened on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for selling to retails shops as per permit issued by Deputy Commissioners and that movement of people on vehicles is restricted except pass holders.
Movement of Cargo and goods:
All goods vehicles are allowed to cross interstate border at Mao, Jiribam and Jessami, as per the order. Movement of all trucks and other carrier vehicles with two drivers and one helper including empty trucks after delivery of goods or for pick up of goods are also permitted.
All drivers and helpers of the trucks who enter the State from outside the state shall mandatorily follow the Standard Operating Protocol already notified by the Home Department vide Offic Memorandum No.8/b(1)/2020 dated o7/od/2O, 08l04I20 and other instructions issued by the Health and Transport Dept. Any person visiting their homes, shall remain under Home quarantine as per the advice of Hearth Department.
Shops for truck repairs and dhabas on highways are allowed with social distancing prescribed.
Health Related Activities:
Hospitals, Nursing homes, Clinics and Dispensaries, all Chemists, Pharmacies and all kinds of medicine shops including Jan Aushadi Kendras and Medical equipment shops, Medical Laboratories and collection centres, Veterinary Hospitals, diapensaries, clinic and related pathological laboratories and sale and supply of vaccines shall be exempted.
Under this category, distribution of LPG through Home delivery, Postal Services including post office, Telecommunication and internet services, Operation of Water / sanitation and waste management sectors and Petrol pumps (Separate orders will be issued) will be exempted.
Agricultural and related activities:
Farming operation by farmers and farm workers in field in rural areas to be exempted along with agencies engaged in procurement of agricultural produce including Farmer Producers companies
Operations of fish farms and fishing and fish feed plants
Collection, processing, distribution and sale of milk and milk products; Operation of poultry farms and hatcharies, piggery and dairy development; and Animal feed manufacturing
Reserve Bank of India and RBI regulated Financial market and Bank branches and ATMs and Business Correspondents
Operation of Homes for children/disabled/Mentally challenged/senior citizens/destitute/women/widows; Observation Homes, After care homes and Juvenile Homes; Disbursement of Old Age pension /widow pension/freedom fighter pensions; and Operation of Aganwadi centres by distribution of food items and nutrition once in 15 days at the doorsteps of beneficiaries. Beneficiaries should not attend Anganwadi centres.
All Educational Institutions, Training and Coaching Centres shall remain closed; these establishments are expected to maintain the academic schedule through online teaching.
MNREGA works are allowed in rural areas with strict Implementation of social distancing and face mask.
Commercial and private establishments:
Print and electronic media; Courier services; Private securely services; Food processing units; Mineral water manufacturing and distribution; Home delivery of food by restaurants and outlets.
Construction of roads and railway projects including MSMEs in rural areas i.e. outside the limits of municipal corporations and municipalities; Construction and maintenance of rural water supply schemes; Continuation of works in construction projects, within limits of municipal corporations and municipalities, where workers are available on site and no workers are required to be brought in from outside (in situ construction).
Movement of Persons:
Private vehicles for emergency services including medical and veterinary care; all exempted category of employees attending work place.
Offices of Central and State Government:
All State Government offices shall be opened. All Officers of the rank of Under Secretary and above shall attend. In respect of other categories 33 percent of the staff will attend office by rotation; All Treasury offices will function with required staff; All offices dealing with essential services will function normally; All Central government offices may function as per the guidelines issued by Government of India and there shall be total ban on visitors.
Following the cabinet meeting, Education Minister Th. Radheshyam also announced that the state Cabinet took a decision regarding contribution of 30 percent of the annual salaries of ministers to the state government fund for fighting Covid-19.
Addressing a press conference at SSA office at Babupara just after the conclusion of the Cabinet meeting on Monday afternoon, Radheshyam stated that the ministers in the state have also agreed upon and approved the contribution of 30% of their salary of one year to the state government’s fund in fighting against COVID-19. Also an amount of Rs 25 lakh has been approved from Local Area Development Fund of every MLA for distribution of essential food items and commodities in their respective constituencies. However, for Andro A/C which does not have a representative in the state Assembly, these packages will be excluding from the fund as of now. The District Commissioner will carry out the distribution activities after requisition are made according to Disaster Management Act, 2005, the minister said.
He further informed that transportation workers like drivers and handymen will be given an amount of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 respectively per trip and the same has been approved by the cabinet decision. Increase of pay for VDF at Rs 9500 and ration money to Rs 2000 have also been approved.
Radheshyam further declared that students of 11th standard will be given promotion to 12th standard for this year. The formation of Adhoc Committee for the recruitment of the required posts of lecturers for DM University has also been approved by the cabinet and necessary procedures will be taken up after the issues of COVID-19 is tackled and the state is safe from infection.
The newly Chairman of Haj Committee has also been recruited and salary package will be given, he stated.


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TV brands rated for recycling program
As seen in a recent 60 Minutes expose, e-waste is becoming an environmental and public health hazard. The Electronics TakeBack Coalition's Annual Report Card grades TV manufacturers for their recycling programs that reduce this waste, and has just been released. With so many TVs being similar, consider selecting your purchase by which companies offer the best programs.
Here are the results:
Sony was the first TV company to launch a national takeback program. It needs a lot more collection sites to be convenient in many states, but we applaud Sony for its leadership on TV takeback.
C- LG, Samsung, Wal-Mart
LG and Samsung have national takeback programs. Wal-Mart has recently partnered with Samsung to take back Wal-Mart's house-branded TVs.
D- Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba, Best Buy
These manufacturers partner together in recycling under their MRM company. MRM has just started expanding beyond states that require recycling. Best Buy's rating is for taking back its house-brand TVs.
F- Funai, Hitachi, JVC, Mitsubishi, Philips, Thomson, Vizio, Target, Sanyo
These companies have no voluntary takeback programs at all.
So make your selection based on how responsible the companies are for their environmental policies. Of the best selling brands, say yes to Sony, no to Vizio, and urge Panasonic and Sharp to offer the same recycling policies in the US as they offer in Europe.
Phil Baker is a columnist for the San Diego Transcript and author of the "From Concept to Consumer" from Financial Times Press.


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CAPCOM has revealed that they are working on the DLC for RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE, as well as announcing the launch window for RESIDENT EVIL RE: Verse.
The producer Tsuyoshi Kanda has in fact revealed that thanks to the huge demand from fans and the commercial success for the eighth chapter of the saga, the software house will produce additional content. At the moment, however, it has not been revealed what it will be, CAPCOM will release more information regarding the DLCs in the future.
But that’s not all, the software house has finally unveiled the launch window for RESIDENT EVIL RE: Verse which, as previously anticipated, will be released free of charge for all those who have purchased the eighth chapter of the franchise. The multiplayer title it will be released during the month of July, although a specific launch date has not been announced at the moment.
Waiting for more information I remind you that RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X | S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. If you want to know more about the title you can find a lot of information in our in-depth review.
Source: CAPCOM Street Gematsu


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The new BMW X1 xDrive25Le has been revealed as a China-only model, featuring a new plug-in hybrid powertrain offering up to 68 miles of EV range.
The BMW X1 xDrive25Le was the best-selling premium plug-in hybrid in China in 2018, and although the xDrive25Le is built just for China, the UK and Europe do have a similar plug-in powertrain in the BMW 225xe Active Tourer.
Now, BMW has launched a new X1 xDrive25Le in China, which we hope will see the powertrain in the 225xe Active Tourer updated to the same specs.
The 225xe Active Tourer can manage under 30 miles as an EV (probably nearer 20 in the real world) but the new X1 xDrive25Le manages a far more practical 68 miles (admittedly on the NEDC cycle) and, as a result, has official economy 72 per cent better at 217mpg.
The improvement in range is thanks to a new BMW battery technology which uses extra nickel to increase energy density, and uses less rare earth cobalt in the process too, and weighs just 2.5kg more than the battery in the previous X1 xDrive25Le.
The battery powers an electric motor on the back axle which, in combination with the 1.5 litre petrol engine powering the front wheels, delivers a total output of 228bhp.
Even if the real world range of the new BMW plug-in hybrid is more like 50 miles, it still means, for most of the time (and if you remember to plug in) you could be using it as an EV most of the time.
And, without much of an increase in range, the new BMW plug-in powertrain could be eligible for the new plug-in grant which requires a 70 mile EV range.


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Toyota Australia will �fall in to line� with any global recall of the Prius hybrid car if it were to be announced, the company�s senior executive director of sales and marketing David Buttner said.
Speaking at the release of the locally made Camry Hybrid - the first hybrid car to be produced in Australia - Buttner stressed that despite various media reports from respected outlets no recall had yet been issued for the brand�s environmental hero car.
�In markets where there is a common issue then the approach taken towards satisfying the customer is usually the same,� said Buttner. �If there were to be a recall on that particular issue then there�s no reason it wouldn�t happen here.�
Buttner said he expected an announcement from the brand�s Japanese headquarters in the �next few days�.
�There�s no impending recall on Prius. I�d like to hope there will be an official announcement in the next few days,� he said.
He said investigations into the braking issues were being conducted in Australia and around the world.
Buttner said the issue of brake feel did not affect brake performance, despite overseas reports of crashes.
�The brakes work in every instance,� he said. �My understanding is that this issue is to do with the feel of the brakes.�
Of the 1715 Priuses sold in Australia since the car went on sale mid-2009 he said Toyota Australia had received only two complaints of inconsistent brake feel and that there had been no associated crashes.
The on-again, off-again reports of a recall on the Prius � the most hyped environmentally friendly car in the world � comes after a horror fortnight for the brand.
The company was hit by a recall of eight million cars for issues with unwanted acceleration, before reports surfaced that the hero car in the range would be recalled to fix a brake issue.
The reports were particularly poorly timed for Toyota Australia, which this week revealed the locally-built Camry Hybrid. Toyota is hoping the car will shake up the family car and fleet markets with a tempting $36,990 (plus on-road costs) price tag.
Buttner said there had been no discussions about delaying the launch of the crucial new hybrid.
�We have absolute confidence in the vehicle,� said Buttner.
Buttner did not rule out a marketing campaign to allay customer fears that Toyota�s reputation for quality was slipping.
�As always we will continue to work with our dealer network � but there are no plans (for a marketing campaign) at the moment.�


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- Aeropostale will open in-store shops, freestanding stores in Mexico
- Animated mannequins steal show at Gaultier exhibit in New York
- Abercrombie renews CEO’s contract despite dissent; to hire brand presidents
- Converse’s new store in San Francisco is big on customization
- Nineties Nostalgia, Retail IT Style
New York -- Aeropostale announced Wednesday it has acquired online women's fashion footwear and apparel retailer GoJane.com, based in Ontario, Calif.
The purchase of GoJane.com, which generated sales of about $19 million in 2011, is intended to beef up Aeropostale’s already growing e-commerce business.
“We are very excited about our strategic acquisition of GoJane, which complements our fast growing e-commerce business as we expand into new product categories and offerings,” said Thomas P. Johnson, CEO, Aeropostale. “We expect a seamless transition of this new business from a strategic, operational and cultural perspective."
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.


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Telefonica Tech and IBM launch hybrid cloud enterprise solutions based on Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain
These agreements reinforce our strategy of being the best partners for companies to face digital transformation with guarantees, complementing solutions based on our own technology with the best services from our partners
Madrid, June 28, 2021.- Telefonica Tech, Telefonica’s digital business holding, and IBM today announced new hybrid cloud solutions that will help fuel enterprise digital transformation using artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology. These solutions, an AI-powered virtual assistant and a blockchain platform for enterprise assets, are part of Telefonica and IBM’s ongoing work together to embrace an open hybrid cloud strategy that can speed how enterprises innovate to meet the evolving needs of today’s customers.
As many enterprises digitally transform to drive new revenue streams and customer satisfaction, they are increasingly embracing advanced cloud-based technologies like AI and blockchain. For example, almost a third of the IT professionals surveyed in IBM’s Global AI Adoption Index 2021, conducted by Morning Consult, say their business is using AI, with 43 percent reporting they are accelerating AI adoption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But with many enterprises using multiple cloud and IT platforms, deploying and tailoring advanced technologies across these environments can be challenging.
"These agreements reinforce our strategy of being the best partners for companies to face digital transformation with guarantees, complementing solutions based on our own technology with the best services from our partners," said Gonzalo Martín-Villa, CEO of IoT&Big Data at Telefonica Tech.
"IBM and Telefonica share a vision to bring next gen enterprise solutions to customers that address their unique digital transformation needs. The new offerings we’re announcing today are key to accelerating the value Telefonica can drive from adopting an open hybrid cloud strategy that can speed the delivery of these solutions to market. By harnessing technologies like AI and blockchain via an agile platform that enables flexible deployment – on prem or on any cloud -- customers can leverage and tailor these solutions to support their specific innovation strategies," said Steve Canepa, Global Managing Director and General Manager, IBM Communications Sector.
Virtual Assistant Enables Flexibility in Deployment, Customization
Telefonica Tech and IBM have created an AI-powered virtual assistant solution to streamline customer service for enterprises and public entities. IBM Global Business Services (GBS) trained and implemented the solution, which uses IBM Watson Assistant and is deployed on Telefónica Tech's Cloud Garden, a hybrid cloud platform that runs on Red Hat OpenShift. Companies can have a 24x7 customer service capability that is adaptable to different use cases and can be securely integrated into an omnichannel environment.
Telefonica Tech and IBM built the solution based on Cloud Garden’s containers as a service platform. This architecture enables customers to gain greater flexibility in how they build, deploy and tailor the solution across any cloud or on-premises environment depending on their unique needs and requirements. Customers can more easily incorporate these solutions and adapt them to their existing telecommunications platforms.
Using the natural language processing capabilities of IBM Watson Assistant, the new solution is designed to increase efficiency and enhance the customer experience by providing fast, consistent and trusted information across a variety of messaging platforms, applications, devices or channels. The solution helps to remove the challenges of long wait times and tedious searches by automating frequently asked questions and common tasks such as helping with changes to customer information, billing questions, claims processing, and more.
As a result, the automation and movement of customer data frees up human customer service agents to focus on the most complex customer issues. Additionally, the solution helps to automate how companies process internal functions like IT support, human resources processes, collection, debt and direct debit processes, and more.
Blockchain solution optimizes supply chain and asset management
At the same time, Telefonica Tech and IBM have built a new solution using the IBM Blockchain Platform, based on open hybrid cloud technologies, to improve how companies trace their assets throughout the supply chain. The solution provides end-to-end supply chain visibility and securely enables traceability of any type of material with an open standard. Designed to be customized and scaled out, Telefónica Global Technology is first using the solution internally and will start implementing it in its asset management and supply chain ecosystem in Spain and Germany, with the aim of extending it to other operators of the Group.
This platform, built using IBM GBS’ user-centric approach and based on Red Hat OpenShift, allows customization of participants, transactions, locations and status of materials, is adaptable to numerous use cases, and can be deployed via any cloud or on-prem environment a customer chooses.
At any time, the provenance or location of an asset can be reviewed by the manufacturer, suppliers or transformers, quality control companies and the end customer in a common, visible, standard and immutable repository. The blockchain technology enables the entire ecosystem of companies involved in the supply, installation and consumption of assets to interact in an efficient and easily accessible way, ensuring traceability throughout the lifecycle of the asset.
Telefonica Tech and IBM are exploring the possibility of commercializing this solution in the local and international business market, offering a blockchain traceability platform solution that allows companies to establish their own secure data exchange ecosystem with their supply chain partners.


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Residents of New York are likely famliar with the bi-annual event Restaurant Week, in which diners are able to partake in special discounted prices for lunch and dinner at top restaurants in NYC. AMC has teamed up with the City of New York to launch its own special dining week to celebrate the final season of Mad Men, during which restaurant-goers are invited to "dine like it's 1969."
Thirty-four restaurants around the city will be offering special two-course prix fixe menus inspired by the show -- or just two cocktails, at the discounted price of $19.69 (a nod to the era in which the show takes place).
Restaurants that were around back in the day, such as the 21 Club, Delmonicos, P.J. Clarke's, Barbetta, are part of the promotion, along with newer establishments including the Tribeca Grill and the NY-themed Urbo.
Read more on Adage.com.


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Digital MSK company SWORD health tapped Valentina Longo to serve as its next chief financial officer.
This comes months after the company announced a $163 million Series D funding round, bringing its total valuation to $2 billion.
Longo is coming to SWORD from the Financial Institutions Group at Cerbeus, where she served as the managing director. Her experience also includes time as the CFO at Partner Card business at JP Morgan Chase.
“SWORD’s mission deeply resonated with my personal experience and how important it is for a family to have access to high quality Physical Health care. I am thrilled to join this world class innovative company that is disrupting the health sector on a global level. I am looking forward to working with Virgilio and the rest of the organization,” Longo said.
Metabolic health startup Calibrate announced a slew of new hires. Dave Fielding, former head of finance at Verily Health, will join as chief financial officer.
The company hired Scott Hoken as its next chief commercial officer. Hoken previously served as CMO at Rightway and VP of Strategic Partnership at Livongo.
Calibrate named Kim Stephen its new general counsel. She is coming from Virgin Pulse, where she served as general counsel and head of people.
“There has never been a more exciting moment at Calibrate and I am thrilled to bring on this all-star talent at such a pivotal moment for the business,” Isabelle Kenyon, CEO and founder of Calibrate, said in a statement.
“Scott has overseen growth for some of digital health’s darlings, including Livongo, and Dave has guided major high-growth healthcare brands to finance health, and Kim is simply the best in the business as a legal mastermind. Together, these new and talented individuals bring decades of expertise that will help us rapidly grow Calibrate and fulfill our mission to change the way the world treats weight.”
These new hires come less than a year after the virtual weight loss company raised $100 million in Series B funding.
RecoveryOne, a virtual MSK company, announced Dustin Armitage and Matt Cervi will be joining the team as sales leaders.
Armitage has worked with a number of digital health companies, including Sapphire Digital, Welltok and Ovia Health. Cervi is joining the team after working at diabetes-focused company DayTwo.
“With the massive increase in demand for virtual MSK solutions, we continue to expand our team to further empower more individuals with access to a lower cost, clinically-validated solution,” Brian Harrigan, EVP, employer sales and client success of RecoveryOne, said in a statement.
“The addition of tenured sales talent will enhance our efforts to ensure employees gain access to RecoveryOne’s solution via their employers, thereby providing them with the ability to recover from pain affordably, and on their schedule. In turn, we hope to see a reduction in absenteeism and an increase in recovery.”
In September the company announced a $33 million Series C funding round.
Half a year after online pharmacy NowRx closed a $73 million Series C funding round, the company is getting a new CFO. The Mountain View, California-based startup named Mark Marlow its next CFO. Marlow previously served as a managing partner at Omphalos Venture Partners, and as CFO and cofounder at Virtual Radiologic Corp.
“The company is growing quickly, expanding both its geographic reach and the services it offers,” Mark Marlow said in a statement. “And it has been able to do that while still earning five-star reviews from customers. NowRx is out in front of the competition with its focus on improving the collaboration between three parties: physician, pharmacist and patient. Legacy players just don’t have the business model or technology to catch up. I’m excited to join the team and help accelerate its progress.”


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FILMS made in Britain now make more than a quarter of the world’s entire box office takings, it has emerged ahead of tomorrow’s Oscars.
International Trade minister Mark Garnier released the new figures about the booming UK movie-making industry as he called on world talent to keep on coming here after Brexit.
The silver screen is now worth £4.1 billion to the UK economy — including a massive £1.35 billion last year generated in overseas production companies investing in Britain.
The boom saw this year’s biggest films – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Fantastic Beasts and The Jungle Book – all made in the UK.
Mr Garnier last night called the Britain “a cultural capital” adding “our creative talents are the envy of the world.
“That is why we are working with businesses to ensure the film industry goes from strength to strength post-Brexit so that more producers than ever choose the UK as a base for their films.”
“The UK is recognised as one of the few places in the world that has the skills, infrastructure and technologies required to produce major movies.”
And he added: “It has been a fantastic year for the Brits with two of the year’s biggest films being made in the UK and I wish all UK nominees further Oscar success this weekend”.


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Intel is accused of using shady tactics to undermine AMD Intel faces a fine of up to 10 per cent of its annual turnover if it is found guilty of the latest anti-competitive charges filed by European...
As copper and silicon-based CPUs reach their physical limits, what is in the pipeline that will keep compute power growing? Nic Fearn investigates
Huawei's 5G chipset is made by TSMC using its latest 7nm manufacturing process
Intel claims Cascade Lake-X will be twice as fast as Skylake-X, and outperform second-gen AMD Theadripper
Intel claims Cascade Lake-X will offer better price per pound than AMD Threadripper
Facebook has already started using Intel's new 'Spring Hill' AI chip, according to Intel
New AMD Epyc benchmarks indicates that Intel has a big fight on its hands in the data centre


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Samsung Electronics agreed to actively support Sony Corp.’s MemoryStick technology on Thursday, and will build it into PCs and other peripherals.
The move follows a Wednesday price cut of the Sony Memory Stick small-form-factor storage medium, and reflects lower flash prices worldwide. According to Sony, 167 companies worldwide support the MemoryStick technology.
Samsung said it will introduce Memory Stick adapters in notebook and PCs during the second half of 2001, which will also support Samsung’s SmartMedia cards. In 2002, the adapters will be eliminated, and the slots will be designed into the PC chasses themselves.
The price of Sony’s “Memory Stick” now ranges from $24.95 for the 8-megabyte stick to $149.95 for the 128-megabyte stick. As of Wednesday afternoon, the 8-megabyte stick was selling for as much as $29.99 online, and the 128-megabyte stick was selling as high as $279.99, the Reuters news service reported Wednesday.
The price of flash memory has plummeted since December, down to almost 25 percent of its December prices, according to ConvergeNet, which trades and tracks the prices of commodity semiconductors. The low prices have in part caused Fuji Ltd. to announce that the company will largely shut down its flash production for a month beginning August 14, according to ConvergeNet.
Sony also cut prices for its Magic Gate Memory Sticks, which contain an embedded chip that protects digitally secured and copyrighted material. The high-end 128-megabyte Magic Gate stick will now sell for $169.95, the company said.


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European stocks were little changed at a one-week high, while the FTSE 100 index of London-listed blue chips nudged up to a five-month high, as investors anticipated a recovery in corporate earnings and continued to bank on a delay to the Federal Reserve’s proposed tapering of bond purchases until next spring.
The US central bank's Federal Open Market Committee announced a decision on its bond-buying plans after the close of European markets, confirming that it would wait for more sustained progress and "substantial" improvements in unemployment before pulling back from quantitative easing.
The Iseq climbed 0.5 per cent, as major stocks CRH, Ryanair and Kerry all advanced. Cement-maker CRH edged up 0.3 per cent to €17.77, Ryanair climbed 0.8 per cent to €6.13.
There were bigger gains for food group Kerry, which rose 1.6 per cent to €47.10, while dairy processor Glanbia continued to ride high, a day after it said that results for the year are likely to be at the upper end of its previous guidance. It closed up 3.4 per cent at €10.19.
C&C's stock was buoyed by the publication of its half-year results, which showed improved trading conditions in the second quarter, particularly in the drinks group's Irish market. Its share price rose 3.7 per cent to €4.15.
Insulation-maker Kingspan was one of the few fallers, declining 1.3 per cent to €12.51.
The FTSE 100 rose just under 0.1 per cent, its fifth consecutive gain, as retailer Next surged to its highest price in at least 25 years. The retailer raised its full-year profit target to £680 million and said full-year brand sales may increase by as much as 3.75 pre cent, which prompted a 4.7 per cent rally in its share price to 5,450 pence.
Pearson declined 3.6 per cent to 1,316 pence after forecasting that the margins for its education unit will drop in 2013 because of weaker demand in North America for college textbooks.
Standard Life slipped 4 per cent to 354.5 pence after reporting that its asset-management business received net inflows of £1.2 billion in the three months through September, less than half the £2.6 billion that it reported during the same period last year.
Marks and Spencer rose 1.6 per cent to 493.2 pence, after the Financial Times reported Britain's largest clothing retailer has slowed a drop in its share of the clothing market.
The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added less than 0.1 per cent to 320.8 at the close of trading, after earlier climbing as much as 0.7 per cent, while France's CAC 40 and Germany's Dax dropped 0.1 per cent.
Eni rose 1.3 per cent to 18.35 euros after the Italian oil producer posted adjusted net income of €1.17 billion ($1.6 billion) for the third quarter, more than the €998 million that analysts had predicted.
Volkswagen gained 5 per cent to €183.50 after posting quarterly earnings before interest and taxes that jumped 20 per cent to €2.78 billion, exceeding average analyst estimates.
TomTom advanced 3.4 per cent to €6.10. The company forecast adjusted earnings of 25 euro cents a share this year. It had projected 20 euro cents apiece.
Fiat fell 2.2 per cent to €5.70, its lowest price since July. The Italian carmaker lowered its forecast for trading profit this year to €3.5 billion-€3.8 billion, down from an earlier projection of up to €4.5 billion.
On a day of volatile trading, stocks fell as investors assessed economic data and earnings ahead of the Federal Reserve's announcement of its decision on whether to cut monetary stimulus. Western Union tumbled 12 per cent to $16.89 after saying costs tied to regulatory compliance will prevent operating profit from rising next year, while General Motors gained 3.2 per cent as quarterly profit topped estimates. – (Additional reporting: Bloomberg)


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When mall giant Simon Property Group sent out a call for bloggers last year, the company received more than 700 applications for 40 positions.
To engage its online audience, Simon established a pilot blogger program called Style Setter at 38 of the company's 326 retail properties, including one at Coconut Point mall in the south Lee County area of Estero.
The idea is to provide a local opinion on fashion and beauty, enticing visitors to various shops at Coconut Point mall. “Our job is to drive shoppers into the mall,” says Stephanie Jenkins, assistant vice president of digital marketing for Simon Property.
Each mall has its own blogger, who receives an undisclosed stipend for editorial content and mall appearances. “We didn't know what to expect, and we were surprised how many people wanted to blog for us,” says Jenkins.
At Coconut Point mall, Naples fashion blogger Nicole Forbis' insights will be posted on the mall's website (shopcoconutpoint.com), the mall's Facebook page (it has 11,000 “Likes”) and via email to customers. “It's the best way to get a conversation with our audience,” says Forbis. “Your greatest liability is not being part of the conversation.”
“Nicole had that experience and the eye,” says Tara Beauchesne, Coconut Point's director of marketing and business development. The mall's Facebook fans also had a hand in voting for Forbis among the top three candidates from a pool of 30 applicants for Coconut Point.
Forbis already blogs in her spare time about fashion on her website, Fashionistaweekly.com. She's a frequent guest at runway fashion shows in places like New York City while working social media and marketing for Collins & Dupont Interior Design in Bonita Springs.
Forbis says she's going to be writing about fashion trends and will highlight items in various stores at Coconut Point mall that fit into that trend. For example, the trendy color this year is emerald, so she might highlight jewelry, clothing and accessories from different stores that feature this color.
Or perhaps she'll blog about a theme, such as the children going back to school in the fall. “I'll be finding trends that speak to all the demographics,” Forbis says.
Simon's corporate office and Beauchesne will review Forbis' contributions for accuracy, but they say Forbis will retain editorial discretion over the content. “It all comes from the blogger and what they see in the mall,” says Jenkins.
Forbis says she might entice shoppers to try stores they might not have visited. For example, younger women might want to shop at Chico's for accessories even though the store targets older women. “It's my secret weapon for accessories,” she says. “They're always on trend and priced right.”
In addition to blogging 250 to 500 words once a week, Forbis will attend mall events. In particular, she'll help explain the latest trends at fashion shows, such as the recent moms' night out event.
Forbis says she writes with online search engines in mind so her work will appear on Google and other similar search services. Beauchesne says mall customers respond best to Facebook and Instagram. “We use it a lot for our events,” Beauchesne says.


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Medical Franchise News
The latest Medical franchise news.
AlignLife Chiropractic Care Continues to be an Essential Healthcare Resource Amidst the COVID-19 Global Pandemic
AlignLife clinics across the nation have implemented stringent health protocols to ensure all AlignLife clinics are among the safest healthcare resources available in the communities it serves.
March 31st, 2020
My Eyelab and Stanton Optical, retail brands of Now Optics will immediately be switching to virtual eye care at 119 participating locations across the nation.
March 20th, 2020
FirstLight® Home Care, an award-winning provider of non-medical home care, is pleased to announce it is expanding its caregiving services to Canada.
March 6th, 2020
Natural Life Franchise Corp. - a chain of retail stores that specializes in both cannabidiol (CBD) products, as well as other holistic plants - will be exhibiting at Franchise Expo Nashville, March 20-21.
March 4th, 2020
Brain Balance Achievement Centers announced today the creation of its advisory board.
March 4th, 2020
Massage Heights, a leader of professional, affordable and convenient therapeutic massage and facial services, announced today it will be expanding in Colorado with its newest location in North Thornton.
February 24th, 2020
Natural Life Franchise Corp. CBD Retail Store Currently Operates Corporate Stores in Tallahassee, Tampa and Jacksonville
Natural Life Franchise Corp., currently with four corporate-owned locations in Tallahassee, Tampa and Jacksonville, is expanding to a franchise business model.
February 20th, 2020
Sean Hart, CFE, Vice President of Sales and Development of American Family Care, earn a coveted spot on a prestigious council affiliated with Forbes, the driving force behind global entrepreneurship.
February 19th, 2020
Medifast, Inc. to Announce Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year Ended December 31, 2019
Medifast, Inc. (NYSE: MED) will announce financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2019 on Wednesday, February 26, 2020, after market close.
February 14th, 2020
American Family Care (AFC), the nation’s leading provider of urgent care, occupational medicine and accessible primary care is aggressively expanding its healthcare network across New England.
February 10th, 2020
Ideal Image MedSpa, the nation's leading MedSpa specializing in non-surgical aesthetic treatments, launched CoolTone, the latest innovation in body shaping technology.
February 4th, 2020
Seniors Helping Seniors® Identifies Gap in Senior Care Segment - Clients are Asking for More, as Record Number of Seniors Age in Home
Since its foundation in 1998, Seniors Helping Seniors® has focused on the delivery of a superior customer experience through its in-home senior care program.
January 15th, 2020
My Eyelab, a retail brand of Now Optics recently ranked in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500®, the world’s first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking.
January 15th, 2020
To continue on the path of strategic growth, Ideal Image announced today that Yogi Jashnani has joined the company's executive leadership team as the new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), effective immediately.
January 7th, 2020
Massage Heights recently held its annual conference in Miami Beach, Florida, where top performing franchisees were awarded for their significant accomplishments and contributions throughout the year.
January 6th, 2020
Brain Balance Achievement Centers announced their 2020 initiative to ensure all their locations become Board Certified Cognitive Centers (BCCC).
December 18th, 2019
Medifast, Inc. (NYSE: MED announced that its Board of Directors has declared a $1.13 quarterly cash dividend to its stockholders, reflecting a 38 cent or 51 percent increase over the previous quarter's dividend.
December 4th, 2019
D1 Training recently announced plans to bring four facilities to the Chicagoland area with the first location opening its doors early next year in Naperville, a suburb just 30 miles outside the city.
November 25th, 2019
Medifast announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously adopted a limited duration stockholder rights plan (the "Rights Plan") and declared a dividend of one right for each outstanding share of Medifast common stock.
November 22nd, 2019
San Antonio-based businesses, Rodkeys and Massage Heights, are about to make a big impact on national Cannabidiol (CBD) product sales through a new partnership announced today.
November 19th, 2019
Former NBA Player Kevin Ollie Partners with Modern Acupuncture to Make Lives Better, Especially for Stressed Out Youth
Modern Acupuncture™, the nation’s first acupuncture franchise that aims to bring holistic treatment to the masses, has partnered with Kevin Ollie, former NBA player and former head coach for the University of Connecticut men’s...
November 18th, 2019
Ideal Image MedSpa, the nation's leading MedSpa, announced today that their 2019 Black Friday deals are starting extra early this year.
November 15th, 2019
FirstLight® Home Care Signs New Franchisee in the Main Line, PA, Bringing a New Location to Booming Market
FirstLight® Home Care, a leading provider of non-medical personal and companion home care services, is expanding its national network of franchises with a new location on the Main Line in Pennsylvania.
November 14th, 2019
American Family Car is expanding its long-term partnership with 919 Marketing, a national content marketing and public relations company, to target and engage franchise candidates.
November 11th, 2019
Medifast, Inc. (NYSE: MED), a leading manufacturer and distributor of clinically proven programs and healthy living products, today reported results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019.
November 8th, 2019
- Expansions & Growth
- Financial & Earnings Claims
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Personnel Changes
- General Announcements
- Conferences & Events
- Product Announcements
- Media Coverage
- Strategic Alliances


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It’s bad enough that the City of San Antonio couldn’t find a way to help save a 44-year-old St. Patrick’s Day street parade.
This is, after all, a city willing to throw such an event for just about any reason — by land or by river.
It’s also a city with some rich Irish history. A dozen brave defenders of the Alamo were born in Ireland.
You wouldn’t know it. Not this year.
I’ve never had a tough time finding St. Patrick’s Day shirts or hats in the past. This year, however, it’s been slim pickings.
It’s as if the retailers in this city skipped right over St. Patrick’s Day and loaded up on Easter supplies.
It’s a different story in other cities.
According to the National Retail Federation, more than 133 million people in the U.S. will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year. They will spend nearly $5 billion on a variety of green decorations and attire for the home and office.
Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the NRF, says “consumers are ready to shake off their winter blues with a little green.”
In fact, NRF officials say, with Easter falling only two weeks after St. Patrick’s Day this year, consumers will have an opportunity to shop for both holidays at one time.
That’s easier said than done if you live in San Antonio.
I visited several big-box retailers, discount department stores and even drug stores this year, searching for a new St. Patrick’s Day shirt or hat. Most of the outlets had little, if anything, to offer. Most of what was available were throw-away trinkets.
Pam Goodfellow, consumer insights director for BIGinsight, which conducted the St. Patrick’s Day survey for the NRF, says some cost-conscious celebrators will reuse St. Patrick’s Day items from the past.
In some places, folks won’t have much choice.
I reached out to NRF officials to see if retailers in other cities have cut back on sales of new St. Patrick’s Day merchandise in 2013.
“I don’t know if we can speculate this is a nationwide trend without hearing from other regions,” says NRF spokeswoman Kathy Grannis. “Retailers in (the San Antonio) area may have cut back for various reasons — one of them being that the holiday is on a Sunday this year.”
Last time I checked, Easter is also on a Sunday. But you won’t have any problem finding candy, baskets or bunnywear. It’s everywhere.
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W. Scott Bailey covers health care, tourism, sports business, economic development; he also plans and edits some special reports.


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Sep 20, 2022
Everything has a beginning and an end. This year's Jamboshops Anniversary, dubbed "4YEARS TWO-GETHER," marked the 4th year of the online shop offering and delivering its unwavering services to the Kenyan online shopping community.
Aug 24, 2022
The first of its type mid-year promotion runs from August 24th to September 14th; according to the Jamboshop management, the Mid-Year Shopping Festival is an annual celebration of Jamboshop's fourth year in business.


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— An FCA emissions recall has been announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for 863,000 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles in the U.S.
Fiat Chrysler says the emissions recall follows investigations conducted by the automaker and the EPA that shows the vehicles don't meet federal environmental regulations.
Chrysler says the vehicles are front-wheel-drive and three models are equipped with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs).
- 2011-2016 Dodge Journey (FWD)
- 2011-2014 Chrysler 200 (FWD)
- 2011-2014 Dodge Avenger (FWD)
- 2011-2012 Dodge Caliber (FWD / CVT)
- 2011-2016 Jeep Compass (FWD / CVT)
- 2011-2016 Jeep Patriot (FWD / CVT)
FCA says they discovered the problems during routine emissions testing and reported the issues to the EPA which opened an investigation. According to environmental regulators, more emissions recalls may be ordered as the agency continues to investigate additional FCA models.
Every vehicle will need a new catalytic converter and it's likely the vehicle won't pass inspection until the new converter is installed. The emissions recall will be broken into phases spread throughout 2019, giving FCA time to supply dealerships with nearly 900,000 catalytic converters.
Customers will need to wait for official word from Fiat Chrysler, but the EPA says older models will be the first to be repaired.
Model year 2011 vehicles are scheduled to be recalled by the end of March 2019 and model year 2012 FCA vehicles will be recalled during the second quarter of 2019.
Owners of model year 2013-2014 vehicles will have their vehicles repaired during the third quarter of 2019 and from October to December 2019 model year 2015-2016 vehicles will be recalled.
FCA owners can continue to drive their vehicles and the automaker says there are no safety risks, but concerned customers may call Chrysler at 800-853-1403.


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FREMONT — The Niles Antique Faire & Flea Market is like two events in one.
Before the sun rises over Mission Peak on Sunday, hundreds of antique lovers and collectors will descend on the many antique shops along Niles Boulevard.
Shortly thereafter, residents of the fiercely independent and funky enclave in Fremont will hold what might be the Bay Area’s largest community garage sale. Lawns and driveways spanning several blocks will be filled with everything from trampolines, size XXL Hawaiian shirts, 60-year-old glass bottles recovered from the Bay and even the official stuffed animal mascot of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics.
The event is a major part of the antique circuit, especially since other antique fairs have fallen by the wayside in recent years, said Keith Elrod of the Niles Main Street Association, which sponsors the event.
Elrod expects more than 30,000 people to attend this year. He has already booked 250 street vendors who will line Niles Boulevard, and has a waiting list of 10 more who would like to participate.
Besides the garage sales and antiques, there will be food and drink stands as well as the opportunity to ride historic trains to Sunol at the nearby Niles Train Depot. The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum also will be open to visitors.
A 5 a.m. pancake breakfast will kick off the festivities, with sales beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m.
Authorities once again will enforce health and business codes, which means that Niles residents can’t let merchants sell items on their lawns or prepare cooked food without a health permit.
Two years ago, many residents complained that authorities were cracking down too hard on garage sale vendors, but last year’s event went smoothly, Elrod said.
Niles Boulevard from G to I streets, and G, H and I streets from Niles Boulevard to Second Street will be closed for the event. J Street from Niles Boulevard to Second Street will be available only for disabled parking. Paid parking will be available for $8 along Mission Boulevard at the Sullivan Underpass and at the Mission Adobe Nursery at Niles Boulevard and Nursery Avenue.
Reach Matthew Artz at 510-353-7002. Read his blog posts at www.ibabuzz.com/tricitybeat/.


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Buro 24/7 Exclusive: Sole DXB's new 'Sole' video for upcoming D3 event
A sneak peek of what's to come
Sole, the alternative platform for brands and artists to launch their latest creations, is proving to stay one step ahead of the game with a new video for its annual festival/trade fair – Sole DXB.
Calling all cultural enthusiasts in the Middle East, Buro 24/7 Middle East can exclusively reveal Sole's poetic video that expresses what Sole DXB stands for, "When Sole DXB first began, Dubai's urban culture was in its infancy. Four years later, the city has come a long way. And so have we." states Sole.
Promoting urban culture in the Middle East, Sole DXB will be held on November 14 and 15 at Dubai Design District (D3), providing the UAE's cultural aficionados a unique showcase of fashion art, sports and of course footwear.
Keep an eye on this space for more news on Sole DXB and what Buro 24/7 plans to unveil at the event, watch the 'Sole' video below now:


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Microsoft has yet to make a Surface-branded phone, but we know the idea has been passed around the Redmond offices. With the purchase of Nokia’s smartphone unit, it may actually increase the chances of a Surface phone making its way to retail shelves. Why, you say? Well, if Microsoft would have built a Surface phone, then Nokia likely would have built an Android phone and the entire basis for Windows Phone (Nokia) could shift away from the platform and cut the bottom out of Windows Phone growth.
Anyway, this Surface phone concept was released back in October, but we never saw and figured on the day before Christmas, we could share it with our lovely readers.
The phone was mocked up by Phone Designer, and you can check out more shots on his Facebook page.
The design keeps inline with the metal and modern look that the Surface utilizes and to be frank, looks pretty damn good.
While we have no idea if Microsoft will push forward with its own Surface branded phone, we would love to see this concept turn into a reality.
Source: Phone Designer | Images via Phone Designer


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We're Back! pic.twitter.com/EYCH07wz7EJune 18, 2020
At the end of today's EA Play Live (opens in new tab) event, the publisher announced that the Skate series is returning.
"We're back. We're doing it. Skate's happening," said creative director Cuz Parry. "We're rolling ... The Skate evolution continues."
That's really all we know about the next Skate game, which is presumably Skate 4, though EA didn't announce a title. It's still "very early" in development, said game director Deran Chung.
"You commented this into existence," concluded Parry, referring to the frequent calls for a continuation of the Skate series on social media over the years. We don't know if Skate will come to PC, though there are fewer console-only series these days, so it feels likely we'll see it on our platform even if the previous Skate games stuck to Xboxes and PlayStations.
It's not a bad time for skateboarding games. Right now, we're in love with Early Access skateboarding sim Session for its commitment to fidelity, both in terms of foot physics and the skating scene of the '90s and 2000s. Maybe the next Skate will take a few cues from it?


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OSLO: The long flying hours and one too many transits have been identified as prime hurdles for Europeans planning to holiday in Malaysia.
The monsoon season on the peninsula's east coast, which coincides with winter, is another dampener for Europeans who enjoy ecotourism and diving activities.
Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai said his ministry had taken note of the feedback and was taking steps to provide tourists with alternatives.
For instance, he said the ministry, together with the respective state governments, was in the process of promoting ecotourism and island resorts on the west coast.
“Travelling to these states from Kuala Lumpur is nearer and faster,” said Lim who arrived here yesterday for a one-day travel seminar to promote Visit Malaysia 2007 and beyond.
He said European travellers spent an average of 10 nights in Malaysia.
Earlier yesterday in Helsinki, Tuomas Mantysaari, the managing director of Matkantekijat-Tourplanners, said that Malaysia was considered “far away,” when Lim asked whether Finnish companies provided holidays abroad as perks for their employees.
Mantysaari said that holidaying abroad should span at least a week and excessively long hours of flying and transits would mean less time for relaxation and fun.
Source : STAR
[tags : malaysiahotelnews hotels malaysia resorts news travel tourism travel vmy2007]


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(Posted Thu. Jun 18th, 2015)
The following is a statement from National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling regarding the vote in the House of Representatives to advance Trade Promotion Authority legislation.
“We must break down trade barriers and give America’s farmers, livestock producers, and businesses greater access to the world’s consumers. We are one step closer to that goal today. Trade Promotion Authority is essential to negotiating the kinds of global trade agreements that will increase demand for American agricultural products. Thank you to the House for passing this critically important legislation. We look forward to a swift resolution in the Senate.”


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Skeinz, a yarn store in New Zealand,is calling for sweaters for penguins affected by a massive oil spill. The sweaters prevent the oil-soaked bird from poisoning themselves by preening, as well as keeping them warm before it's their turn to be cleaned.
Worldwide campaign to knit and crochet sweaters for penguins affected by an oil spill .The sweaters keep the oil covered penguins from poisoning themselves by preening and keep them warm while they wait for their turn to be cleaned off by cleanup workers. free knit and crochet patterns in the link.
Buy 'Penguins at Bourton' by ajgosling as a Poster, Throw Pillow, Tote Bag, Studio Pouch, Art Print, Canvas Print, Framed Print, Photographic Print, Metal Print, Greeting Card, Laptop Skin, or Laptop Sleeve
Google launched the update of its “Penguin” webspam algorithm on Wednesday afternoon (May 22), continuing its campaign against websites that violate Webmaster Guidelines, especially those that engage in link spam practices. Penguin 2.0, as the update is called, affected 2.3% of English-US language queries, and also rolled out for other languages worldwid
Not all unusual techniques are considered black hat. Let’s face it. Link building is being too mainstream over these past few years, and promoting one’s website is plagued with different problems due to the high competition since now everyone knows about SEO.


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Hilton Garden Inn announced at Africa’s Travel Indaba that it has 14 hotels in the pipeline for Africa, which will bring additional capacity of 2 400 rooms to the continent.
Through these properties, Hilton Garden Inn will welcome several first-in-country properties over the next few years, including Hilton Garden Inn Kampala in Uganda and Hilton Garden Inn Mbabane in Swaziland due to open this month, the first properties to open in the countries for both Hilton Garden Inn and the Hilton enterprise.
Later in the year, Namibia will see the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Windhoek – another first in the country for Hilton Garden Inn; with other countries in the pipeline including Malawi, Uganda, Ghana, Egypt, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa.
Jan Van Der Putten, Hilton’s VP of Operations for Africa and the Indian Ocean, says: “Countries such as Botswana and Uganda are some of the fastest growing economies in the world, with impressive visitor offerings. The Hilton Garden Inn brand appeals to the rise of middle-class travellers into and across Africa, providing an opportunity for us to open hotels and meet guest demand in key destinations.”
John Greenleaf, Global Head of Hilton Garden Inn, said: “We have positioned Hilton Garden Inn for success in Africa with a prototype developed specifically for the region. This prototype has been curated to meet the expectations of both travellers and owners throughout Africa, while maintaining the brand’s signature light, bright and airy design as well as the consistent, core guest offerings and amenities that the brand is recognised for around the world.”
As Hilton Garden Inn expands in Africa, the enterprise as a whole is expecting to double its footprint across the continent – from the 44 hotels it has currently, to almost 100 over the next several years.


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Manila customs seize ASF-infected container
According to the MICP, the container was consigned to Dynamic M Intl Trading Inc and arrived at the Manila North Harbor on 11 December 2019 from China. It was put under an Alert Order for suspicion of containing mis-declared items.
The shipment contained food items such as dumplings, pork-chicken balls, and roast chicken wings.
After an examination of its contents and undergoing laboratory test from the Veterinary Quarantine Services (VQS), the pork-celery dumplings indicated the presence of ASF.
MICP has ordered an inter-agency team to immediately dispose of the contents of the shipment in accordance with the recommendation of the VQS in order to prevent the spread of the ASF virus.
The seized items were not covered by any sanitary permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry. Agricultural items not covered by such permits may carry plant diseases, and pests that can affect local agriculture.
The shipments seized violated Sections 1400, 1113, and 117 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, RA 3720 or the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and RA 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016.
MICP district collector Guillermo Pedro A. Francia IV said: “We remain vigilant in ensuring the safety of the public from dangerous goods. Since the threat of the ASF was raised by the Department of Agriculture, Customs has always been proactive in preventing the entry of pork products in the country.”
In October 2019, authorities seized two containers of pork from China that had been designated as another food product. ASF has already been confirmed in the Philippines, with the disease hitting several provinces.


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Struggling RIM announces new executive hires
(AP) -- BlackBerry maker Research in Motion has hired two new senior executives as it faces its most difficult period in its history.
RIM said Monday that Frank Boulben will be the new chief marketing officer, a job RIM's new CEO says is critically important. Boulben served as executive vice president of strategy and marketing at LightSquared, a struggling wireless company.
Kristian Tear is the new chief operating officer. Tear served as executive vice president of Sony Mobile Communications, another struggling technology company.
Americans are abandoning their BlackBerrys for flashier touch-screen phones such as Apple's iPhone and models that run Google's Android software. Analysts say RIM's futures depends on their new operating platform due out later this year, although many say it may come too late.
©2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Gysemans said that the bad economy has reined in growth. “We’ve had to work with less money,” he said. “We have to control costs. We can’t spend as much on shows.”
But others have begun to feel the limitations of going at it alone. “We’re looking for a new model,” said Filip Arickx who, with An Vandevorst, designs the AF Vandevorst brand. “I’m interested in having a business plan and finding the right way. But we’re not a mass product. And that poses certain challenges.”
As a teacher at the Royal Academy, the school that has given birth to three generations of designers here, Van Beirendonck has been among the most solid supporters of youngsters trying to set up on their own. He has carried their collections in his shop and he has instructed them in the nuts and bolts of running a business.
“There’s a new attitude among the designers graduating from the academy,” he said. “Before they wanted to be experimental as soon as possible. They wanted to have their own collections. They were interested in making a statement. But that doesn’t interest them anymore.”
He continued, “The ambition to start straight up with a collection no longer exists. When the economy got bad, they saw that it wasn’t that easy. Before, everybody that came out of the school was having tons of success right away. They all wanted to follow in their footsteps. But when they started closing down or having real difficulties, they started to have second thoughts.”
But that development hardly signals the death knell for Belgian fashion.
“For a boutique like mine, Belgian designers have become the bread and butter,” said Poumaillou. “They give the added value and individuality that you don’t find in Milan or London. They may be out of the spotlight for the moment. But they’re still there. They are still strong.”


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Did you know you can receive media alerts, news tips and story ideas from UH Bauer by subscribing to our Media Alerts RSS feed at http://bauerticker.uh.edu/category/media-alerts/feed/? In addition to our regular media alerts, we’ll post about upcoming events, breaking news and faculty experts on this RSS feed.
Super Bowl XLIX Arsenal of Ads Overshadowed by Soft TV Ad Market
As the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots play for the national title in Arizona on Feb. 1, companies like Doritos, Coca-Cola and GoDaddy will face off as returning champions of Super Bowl commercials.
But, a Bauer marketing professor says, the soft TV ad market of 2014 is going to change the game. Both Coca-Cola (with an “America the Beautiful” concept) and GoDaddy (with risqué spots featuring NASCAR darling Danica Patrick) are only showing one commercial this year, while Doritos will have two 30-second spots in the ninth year of its “Crash the Super Bowl” campaign, which asks consumers to generate ad content.
C. T. Bauer College of Business Marketing Professor Betsy Gelb is available to discuss the consumer impact of Super Bowl ads.
To schedule an interview, see Media Contact section to the right.


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Latest News From EMJ Plastics
EMJ Plastics would like to welcome aboard our two new starters.
Juraj Cvencek & Jenny Bennett
Hovistar Bridge Prague
EMJ supplies Cantilever Panels to Prague Project.
New website now live
We are proud to launch our new brand and website which will help EMJ Plastics develop it's position as the market leader in GRP formwork.


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Fuel Games has announced a new eSports platform based on Ethereum blockchain where players will have complete control over the economy within the game.
Gods Unchained is a multiplayer online card game in the same vein as Hearthstone and The Elder Scrolls: Legends, but with one important difference. Users will be able to sell their in-game items on markets outside of the game because they’ll have full rights over them.
This game follows on from the success of Fuel Games’ first offering, Etherbots. James and Robbie Ferguson are the sibling founders of Fuel Games, which is based in Sydney. James Ferguson, the CEO of Fuel Games said “Gamers spend tens of billions of dollars and countless hours each year acquiring in-game items. But game studios barely offer their users a licensing agreement for these items, let alone actual ownership – they’re a central bank with no oversight,”
In just a few short weeks, Etherbots sold in-game items worth in excess of $1 million after it’s launch in February, with some items trading for up to $18,000. It also saw volumes of daily transactions overtake CryptoKitties, which is one the biggest blockchain based collectible games.
Developers have capitalized on their understanding of the drawbacks of gaming economies that are centralized, and have created a decentralized approach in response. Users will have complete control within the economy of the game, seeing value and rewards in return for their input.
Robbie Ferguson, Fuel Game’s COO said “Offering players true ownership of in-game items, and the ability to trade those items freely on secondary markets, means gamers can finally be rewarded for their efforts and spending. As the games industry switches to asset-driven revenue models, players have a more urgent need than ever for guarantees about the value and tradability of those assets.”
“Decentralised games will allow people to familiarise themselves with blockchain technology in a fun and user-friendly environment. I won’t be surprised if gaming ends up being blockchain’s first killer application outside the financial space. Gamers have always been early-adopters, and this time will be no different,”
Both publishers of games and consumers alike are set to benefit from the emergence of blockchain in the gaming industry. It is very likely that blockchain technology will become an inherent part of in-game digital economies, thanks to the increasing popularity of revenue models driven by assets.
With the launch of Gods Unchained, Fuel Games is pushing for increased adoption of blockchain. They are already developing Apollo, which is a blockchain infrastructure platform which game developers can integrate. The Apollo platform has taken a big step forward having raised more than $2.4 million in funding from the likes of Continue Capital, Nirvana Capital, Coinbase and Sora Ventures. These funds will support the development of Apollo and the gaming platforms linked to it.