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This happened on the day when the world shut down and there were no more stores open anymore. Instacart said that they would provide their shoppers with a bottle of individually developed hand sanitizer. Instacart shoppers were in dismay and had refused to shop from there as they said that the company hadn’t been taking care of them during this crucial period.
Shoppers had demanded protective gear and needed instacart to provide hand sanitizers. This lead tot instacart working with a third party organisation and provide the consumers with their demand of sanitizer. They also wanted the organisers to add $5 per hazard payment and expand its sick leave policy. Due to the shortage of essentials such as sanitizers, Instacart developed its own brand with the help of a third party organisation.
The shoppers said that the company had been asking for handsanitizers since weeks and now the company was able to supply these so quickly. They were disappointed but happy that the company took so much time in providing them with the requirements but has now done so. The company stated that they were worried about their workers and customers.
The company also stated that they would provide 14 days of leave for part time workers and shoppers who had been diagonosed with COVID-19 or to those who had been been put into mandatory quarantine. The company has also enabled the tip option in the app.
Avalara Inc, one of the leading providers of cloud-based tax compliance solutions, revealed on Monday that it agreed to its...Read more


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Bostic says inflation overshoot won’t force Fed to make aggressive moves
The Federal Reserve is close to meeting its dual mandate, and while he expects inflation to run higher than 2% for a while, it won’t cause the Fed to respond aggressively, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said Wednesday.
“On balance, I view the economy as on track and believe we are close to mandate-consistent outcomes for both inflation and employment,” Bostic told an audience in Jacksonville, Fla., according to prepared text released by the Fed. “Given that measured inflation is already effectively on target, I won’t be surprised to see a modest overshoot of our longer-run target. In fact, my own forecast is that, even with further gradual removal of monetary policy accommodation, inflation is likely to run a bit above 2% for a while.”
An overshoot of the Fed’s 2% target would not “in and of itself, necessitate a more aggressive policy response. Rather, it is a feature of a well-calibrated approach that moves monetary policy to a neutral stance that will support both strong labor market conditions and our longer-run symmetric inflation goal,” Bostic said.
The reaction to proposed trade policy changes and consumers’ response to tax reform must be monitored, he noted.
Tax reform has yet to spur “a noticeable acceleration in consumer spending,” he noted, while future spending growth, according to anecdotes and surveys, remains relatively stable.
“I expect to see a recovery in consumer spending over the balance of the year, but as of yet I don’t see an acceleration that would risk a development of imbalances between supply and demand,” Bostic said. He expressed concern that tax cuts have not spurred investment spending on equipment either.
“It’s possible that uncertainty about changes in trade policy may be offsetting some of the impact that might otherwise be generated by the tax legislation,” he said.
While his discussions with businesses in his District indicate most are “reasonably satisfied with the current state of the economy,” he added, “their attitude shifts when we ask them about the future. Swelling optimism over tax policy in the beginning of the year has now been replaced almost completely by uncertainty regarding the proposed tariffs and the possibility of a trade war.”
The uncertainty could be pushing companies to defer capital expenditures.
While the labor market is tight, Bostic said he wouldn’t call it “overheated.”
As for the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index hitting 2% on an annual basis, and core PCE at 1.9%, Bostic called it “a significant development.”
Bostic predicts GDP growth of 2.5% this year, slowing to near 1.75% in the medium term.

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Jaguar will cease production of its X-Type car by the end of the year, eliminating 300 jobs at its Halewood plant near Liverpool, England. The entry-level X-Type sedan was introduced in 2001 to attract younger buyers. The company said it also intends to shut down the plant for another three weeks this year because of the weakness of the luxury car market.
“Our industry has been especially badly hit by the recession and the premium sector more than others. We have taken unprecedented actions to cut costs, including reduced production volumes, significant cuts to investment plans and some 2,200 job losses. Ceasing production of the X-Type early, with further redundancies and temporary shutdowns at Halewood, is necessary to protect our other investment plans,” David Smith, chief executive, Jaguar said.


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Italy's UFI Filters opens its first aftermarket-only plant in India
UFI Filters inaugurated its third manufacturing facility in the Bahadurgarh industrial district of Haryana, on the outskirts of New Delhi, on October 18. This facility is also UFI's first dedicated to the automotive aftermarket plant in the world.
With the Sofima aftermarket brand notching double-digit growth in India, Italian filtration systems supplier targets 10 percent market share by FY2022. Along with a plant in Bahadurgarh, Haryana, it is diversifying into CNG filters to derisk itself from reducing diesel filter demand.
The company, which specialises in fuel filters (primarily diesel), air filters and oil filters for passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles under its UFI (OEM) and Sofima (aftermarket) brands, has two other plants — in Bawal (Haryana) and Belgaum (Karnataka). While the 8-million units per annum capacity Bawal plant supplies to Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai Motor India, Tata Motors, Daimler and Ashok Leyland as well as the aftermarket, the Belgaum unit (1.5 million units) caters specifically to exports to the European market with made-in-India parts reaching carmakers of the likes of General Motors, Fiat and Porsche.
UFI Filters’ aftermarket presence under its Sofima brand stands at 7 percent in the organised aftermarket in India. Its bullishness on India stems from the double-digit growth it has been registering in its aftermarket business since 202016 and led to it setting up a brand-new plant solely for the aftermarket.
The new plant, under Sofima Filters India, will now augment existing capacity and enhance its ability to cater to growing demand in the aftermarket. The Bahadurgarh plant, spread over 4,500 square metres, sees an investment of Rs 10 crore in equipment and construction. It will produce 6 million units over two shifts and can reach up to 8 million units on a three-shift basis, employing up to 300 people. The aim is to strengthen UFI's hold on the aftermarket to 10 percent by FY2022.
New plant to make air filters for Maruti and Tata models
The new plant will produce air filter elements for passenger cars from Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors as well as cabin air filter cartridges for models such as the Maruti Dzire, which will be retailed in the aftermarket. While production will commence in November in a single-shift operation with two assembly lines, the company will scale up to two shifts by the first quarter of FY2021. Initially, around 250,000 cabin filters and 300,000 air filters will be produced every month. While major production is intended for local consumption, the company will gradually start exporting to neighbouring markets by the start of next fiscal.
According to Luca Betti, director, Group Aftermarket Business Unit, UFI Filters, "This is a big milestone for us as we set up our first ever aftermarket-specific plant anywhere in the world. Our customers have a growing demand for reliable products and we are glad that we can cater to such needs with our focus on technology and quality."
"We have been recording double-digit growth YoY since 2015 in our aftermarket business globally and thus have been focusing more on this segment," he added. The Group's aftermarket revenues stood at 100 million euros (Rs 782 crore) last year and it expects to continue growing at the same pace over the next five years as well.
While it projects Rs 50 crore in revenue from its domestic aftermarket business in FY2020, the target is to double the number to Rs 100 crore by FY2024. Its current distribution network includes 160 dealers across the country. * According to Hridesh Sharma, CEO, UFI Filters India, "Since the past five years, we have been focusing a lot on the aftermarket space. Unlike smaller players, our intent is to provide the highest standards of quality."
BS VI impact drives shift to CNG filters for UFI's key client
With UFI Filters India being a key player in diesel fuel filtration technology and Maruti Suzuki accounting for a chunk of its supplies (OEM and OES), the company has already been impacted by the slowdown — volumes are down 30 percent. And with the country's leading carmaker having confirmed plans to stop making diesel-engined cars from April 2020, the company is taking rearguard action.
As a result, while UFI will see a lot of its production capacity at the Bawal plant lying unutilised, it is also working to diversify itself into new areas such as getting into supplying CNG filters to Maruti Suzuki, for which it has submitted its design proposals and is expecting RFQs.
Also, with diesel still continuing to remain a key propulsion technology in the CV space, "the biggest bet for a filtration player right now is the heavy-duty segment," said Sharma.
Through its technical centre located at its corporate office in Aerocity, Gurgaon, UFI Filters India is also conducting continuous research. It has developed innovative solutions for BS VI fuel filtration, and also aims to diversify into thermal management systems for battery cooling in EVs. The company aims to place itself into such a position that as and when EV technology improves and there is also a spurt in the sale of electrified vehicles, it will be able to scale up and cater to the market demand with ease.
UFI India's simulation centre sees 32 engineers conducting design and simulation work on various new projects for India and for supporting the Group's European operations as well. Some of the innovations UFI has in its stride are urethane air filters, which are highly flexible in their shape and design, and multi-tube filters. Nonetheless, while the Italian filter major remains bullish on growth in India, much depends how the industry comes out of the slowdown.
(This article was first featured in the November 1, 2019 issue of Autocar Professional)
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HyperActive Technologies, a technology company for the drive-thru restaurant industry, announced a record 57 percent growth in 2012 revenue.
Joe Porfeli, CEO, HyperActive Technologies, says the growth compared to 2011 came primarily because of inroads with new quick-service brands.
“It’s increasingly clear [quick serves] are seeking better performance out of their drive-thru and are looking more to HyperActive Technologies to provide them with the best tools on the market to achieve higher throughput and profitability,” he says. “In 2012, more [quick-service] brands turned to the HyperView Order Confirmation Display (OCD), as well as the newly launched HyperView PE, which provides the longest life of any OCD on the market and the lowest cost of ownership via Power over Ethernet technology.”
The company’s QTimer, a drive-thru management system, and the new DriveTime Cloud, a drive-thru timer that provides and stores data via cloud computing, also helped propel the company’s growth in 2012.
“The engineering experts at HyperActive Technologies are continuing to improve the way [quick serves] achieve greater efficiency,” Porfeli says. “Because our team is doing things other drive-thru solutions companies cannot do relative to boosting product uptime and performance, we are fast becoming the go-to technology solutions company for [quick serves] looking to increase profitability.”
HyperActive Technologies provides the industry’s leading warranty and an extended, multiyear advanced exchange program. Parts and replacement products are available within a few days of any identified issues.
Comprehensive product advancements are provided as part of an annual support and maintenance program. Leasing and special financing options are available for all of the company’s products.


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Oppo India today at the event in Mumbai launched not just the F1 smartphone in the mid-range category, but also announced its elder sibling, the Oppo F1 Plus that is power packed with more specs than what is in the Oppo F1.
While the company didn’t talk much about the specifications of the device in detail, the Oppo F1 Plus is going to be bigger with a 5.5-inch Full HD display, and along with that, there will be 4GB of RAM included as well, which is much better than the 2GB RAM provided in the F1.
We might still see the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 octa-core processor in the F1 Plus, but that is not confirmed. The only other detail that we know, for now, is that it will be more sophisticated and there will be a better front-camera experience.
The pricing of the smartphone is also announced, as the Oppo F1 Plus is going to be priced at Rs. 26990. The phone will be available from April 2016.


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Sleek Huawei Vision with Android Gingerbread unveiled
Chinese giant Huawei has announced yet another Android smartphone – the Huawei Vision. Touted as the company’s sexiest smartphone to date, the Vision comes with a uni-body design, and uses the latest 2.3 Gingerbread OS (just like the Huawei Ascend II, released not long ago in the US by Cricket).
Apart from having a stylish aluminium case, the Huawei Vision offers a pretty nice set of features, including: 3.7 inch WVGA display, 3D carousel UI, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, GPS, 5MP autofocus camera with LED flash, 720p video recording, and a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.
“We are very excited to present Vision, the smartphone which strikes the perfect balance between technology and style. The unique 3D user interface heralds in a new era in Huawei’s leadership, as we continue to create devices that enhance the user experience through stylish design and smart functionality,” declared Victor Xu, chief marketing officer of Huawei Device.
The Huawei Vision will be launched in September, coming with four popular games pre-installed: “Angry Birds”, “Asphalt 6: Adrenaline”, “Guerrilla Bob HD”, and “Order & Chaos Online.” Huawei didn’t unveil the price of the Vision.


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Mississauga – Christmas shoppers looking for something different this year could be forgiven for thinking that the only new board games available these days are yet more “-opoly” variations. But this year, a Canadian game inventor is out to change that. His unique new game, “Sodbusters ”, allows players to relive the adventure of settling and farming the prairie, and is now available in Peavey Mart and selected True Value stores throughout Western Canada.
“Just about everyone has one or two ‘-opoly’ games already kicking around the house,” notes Randal Heide,  designer of Sodbusters. “But how often are they played? Who isn’t tired of games where all you do is roll the dice and move around the board on a track?”
Enter Sodbusters, which was not only designed in Canada but produced by a Canadian artist and a Canadian manufacturer. “When I sat down to design a game based on farming,” says Heide, “I focused on the essence of the profession: acquiring land and deciding what to raise on it. So that’s what you do in Sodbusters – no moving around a board hoping to land on a lucky space.”
Although Heide grew up in Ontario and never lived on a farm himself, he has prairie roots and dreamed for years of making a prairie-farming themed game. “My dad was born in Hepburn, Saskatchewan, his dad broke virgin prairie up there, and I still have cousins farming in the area,” says Heide. “My mother was raised on a dust bowl farm in Oklahoma, and her ancestors were recruited by the Santa Fe Railway to emigrate from the Ukraine to Kansas in the 1870’s. My wife was raised on a farm in South Dakota – she even went to a one-room country school.”
The early design of Sodbusters was a complicated simulation of modern-day farming, and a bit too realistic, says Heide. To make it simpler and more fun, he streamlined it, dropping complexities such as irrigation and crop insurance. That’s when the idea of an historic setting emerged and Sodbusters acquired its turn-of-the-20th-century look and feel. “I never tire of looking at the box cover,” says Heide. “It’s a beautiful piece of art.”
Although Sodbusters was only available online this summer, Heide’s hard work paid off when the two Western Canada retail chains decided to offer the game this fall.


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Competition law can be broken when companies merge even if they do not compete. The European Commission today released new guidelines for assessing these so-called non-horizontal mergers. An expert said these will give some dealmakers greater confidence.
Non-horizontal mergers come in two varieties: vertical and conglomerate. A vertical merger is a merger between two companies at different levels of the supply chain, such as the acquisition of a supplier by a customer, e.g. a steel maker buying a supplier of iron ore. A conglomerate merger is between two companies in different but related markets, such as a company producing razors buying a company producing shaving foam.
There are already Commission guidelines on horizontal mergers, addressing deals between companies who compete on the same markets. The new guidelines are intended to complement these and help companies understand how the Commission will analyse the impact of non-horizontal mergers on competition.
The competition risk of a horizontal merger is usually obvious: it leads to a loss of direct competition between the merging firms by removing a competitor from that market. By contrast, vertical and conglomerate mergers do not immediately change the number of competitors active in any given market, so they are less likely to raise concerns.
But a vertical merger could, for example, deny a competing company access to an important supplier – i.e. the merged entity – or present it with increased prices. That can lead to higher prices for consumers.
Last year the Commission intervened in the acquisition of Pfizer's Consumer Healthcare division by Johnson & Johnson. Without the divestiture remedies imposed by the Commission, the transaction would have given Johnson & Johnson control over key inputs for nicotine patches produced by its main competitor, GlaxoSmithKline. The Commission's concern was that consumers attempting to quit smoking otherwise could have suffered higher prices and less innovative products.
Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said: "These Guidelines show once more the Commission's commitment to providing clear and predictable guidance for businesses."
"The majority of vertical and conglomerate mergers do not raise problems, and they can bring about efficiency gains that benefit both businesses and consumers," said Kroes. "However, the Commission will act decisively to prevent transactions that ignore the clear indications in the Guidelines of the types of mergers that can harm competition and consumers."
The Guidelines provide examples of where vertical and conglomerate mergers may significantly impede effective competition in the markets concerned. They also indicate levels of market share and concentration below which the Commission is unlikely to identify competition concerns, so-called 'safe harbours'.
Christopher Gibson, a competition law specialist at Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind OUT-LAW.COM, welcomed the guidelines.
"The most innovative aspect of these guidelines is the introduction of a safe harbour," he said. "It basically says that the Commission is unlikely to have concerns with vertical and conglomerate mergers where the post-merger market share falls below 30% in any of the affected markets and where the level of market concentration is below a certain, clearly defined level. That's going to give some dealmakers much more confidence about the likelihood of regulatory interference."
Gibson says the Commission has recently been wary of blocking mergers on the basis of vertical and conglomerate effects.
"Vertical mergers rarely present a problem unless they create significant foreclosure effects in the upstream or downstream markets, and the Commission appears to recognise this," he said. "The theory of conglomerate mergers has long been a controversial issue since the European courts in the GE / Honeywell case were very critical of the Commission's approach to conglomerate mergers."
In that case, the Commission blocked General Electric's planned acquisition of Honeywell. The European Court of First Instance found that the Commission made a number of errors in its assessment of the impact of the conglomerate effects of the merger and had failed to prove that the harm foreseen by the Commission would arise.
"As a consequence of that case, the evidential burden that the Commission has to meet in order to warrant prohibition of the merger or its clearance subject to conditions is clearly a high one," said Gibson.
"Hopefully these Guidelines will provide the clear and predicable guidance to the business and legal community in respect of the Commission's approach to vertical and conglomerate mergers that they purport to do," he said.


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It's only January, but we're pretty sure we've just witnessed one of the most impactful red carpets (well, purple, if you want to get technical about it) of the year — and it had nothing to do with awards season. At Monday evening's "Black Panther" premiere in Los Angeles, not only did a jaw-dropping list of buzzy celebrities make an appearance, but they did so in a dazzling array of rainbow fashions, many of which payed homage to Black culture and African design.
Take, for example, Daniel Kaluuya, who plays W'Kabi in the highly-anticipated film, and wore a traditional East African Kanzu (a linen robe) beneath his velvet Burberry jacket. Meanwhile, David Oyelowo chose a traditional African tunic, while Chadwick Boseman, the film's titular star, chose a black, gold and purple printed shirt.
Lupita Nyong'o, who plays Nakia, a Wakandan spy and the Black Panther's love interest in the film, wore a custom Atelier Versace gown in royal purple — which coincidentally happened to match the carpet for the event — inspired by her character's strength. "There's definitely a nod to her warrior character Nakia here, without being costume-y," said Micaela Erlanger, Nyong'o's stylist, of the look in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "It's a really glamorous take on our vision and it's very fierce, certainly."
Bold color choices were also a theme of the evening, with Angela Bassett choosing a canary yellow jumpsuit, Donald Glover in a head-to-toe orange ensemble and Danai Gurira going for a large swath of bubblegum pink.
Many of the women also paid homage to Black culture through their beauty choices; a slew of attendees, including Yara Shahidi, Bassett, Ryan Michelle Bathe (Sterling K. Brown's wife), wore their hair in full Afros, while Janelle Monáe went full-on royal with a literal crown.
It's worth noting, however, that while these looks celebrated Black culture in inspiration and aesthetic, Black designers were indeed glaringly absent from the carpet. With celebrities choosing labels like Versace, Calvin Klein, Naeem Khan, Christian Siriano and Viktor & Rolf, it seems like a missed opportunity for stylists and stars alike.
Click through the gallery below to see a selection of the (many!) memorable fashion moments from the evening.


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Knowsley Council has hit out at a developer that owns Kirkby town centre after it appeared on a list of the worst shopping areas in Britain.
Kirkby , along with Liverpool’s Walton Road, is ranked in the bottom ten of 1,000 shopping areas in a survey published on the Mirror which took into account factors like empty shop units.
Developer St Modwen announced a number of years ago that it had ambitious plans to redevelop Kirkby - and demolition of large parts of the town centre were finished last year to clear the way for new shops.
A Knowsley Council spokeswoman said the authority is ‘disappointed’ in the company's failure to confirm a start date.
And she said major brands were ready to open in the town but couldn’t do so because they’re still waiting for the physical shops to be built.
Morrison’s, Home Bargains and KFC are among the chains that have committed to the new shops.
The spokeswoman said: “Kirkby town centre is managed by St Modwen who committed to bring a major retail scheme to Kirkby but, as yet, have not delivered it.
“Meanwhile, the public sector (including Knowsley Council) has not only committed to regenerate Kirkby town centre but also delivered over £100m of investment by upgrading and enhancing facilities, including an upgrade to the bus station, new leisure facilities, highways improvements and a redevelopment of Kirkby market with 120 stalls.
“We know that a number of retailers are now ready to open stores in Kirkby – they just need them to be built.
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“ The Council has done everything that it can for the retail development to commence, and we are disappointed that St Modwen has still not confirmed a start date for the major retail development despite it having been promised over a year ago.”
Respondng, a spokeswoman for St Modwen said: "St. Modwen reassures Kirkby residents that the company remains committed to its Kirkby town centre regeneration plans.
"Over four years of ownership, St. Modwen has invested heavily in Kirkby town centre and is continuing to invest in preparing the site for development. As previously announced, Morrisons, Home Bargains, and KFC have all committed to the development and St. Modwen continues to progress lettings to other major occupiers.
Alongside the preparations for the development of the new retail, St. Modwen continues to drive improvement initiatives for the existing centre such as:
- The relocation and delivery of a new home for the Citizens Advice Bureau.
- New lettings to Specsavers, Costa Coffee and a new pub, The Market Tavern, which recently opened.
- Growing marketing initiatives to make Kirkby town centre a better place for families to enjoy, with a number of community events delivered or planned for 2019.
She added: "In addition to acquiring the existing centre for £36m in 2015, we have, since May 2018, spent over £2.3m in preparing the site for development, including major demolition works, professional fees, and ordering new and relocating existing services that needed to be diverted to make way for the development. In summary, our preparations to start the development are therefore well advanced."
Here is the full list of the ten worst shopping areas of Britain according to the study.
Worst 10 shopping areas
Stretford, Greater Manchester
Harrow Road, North West London
Tonypandy, Rhondda Valley, Wales
Walton Road, Liverpool
Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
Burnt Oak, North London
Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland


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PHOTO: Getty Images
The 2006 Toyota 4Runner prosecutors called the “murder car” and alleged Aaron Hernandez used during a 2012 drive-by shooting, is up for sale on eBay.
Although Hernandez was later found not guilty, the person who owns the car is now using the notoriety around the trial to drive up the used auto’s price.
The seller is a dealership owner who told TMZ he leased the vehicle to Hernandez early on in his NFL career in exchange for autographs and appearances.
The car was released from the Boston Police impound yard last week and bids have already surpassed $10,000.
The seller says that the “infamous piece of football memorabilia” comes with an autographed Aaron Hernandez jersey.


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* The members of this movement won't wear university apparel that is assembled in sweatshops.
Marion Traub-Werner wants the ""no-sweat"" movement to heat up on campus this fall so that colleges can't profit by selling clothes that carry the school name but are made under sweatshop conditions.
""This grass-roots movement has spread from traditional activist campuses to schools not usually thought of in that mold,"" says the 22-year-old University of North Carolina senior and Toronto native.
Traub-Werner underscored her point by holding up a Tarheels T-shirt she said ""typified what a woman my age in Guatemala might be paid 10 cents an hour to make.""
UNC-Chapel Hill was one of a half-dozen colleges to see ""sweat-free"" sit-ins last spring that started at Duke before spreading to Georgetown, Wisconsin, Michigan, Boston University and Princeton.
Students at dozens of other campuses from Harvard to University of California at Berkeley held rallies, launched anti-sweatshop Web sites and circulated no-sweat petitions. UC-Santa Barbara students staged a mock sweatshop fashion show, and Yale held a ""knit-in"" as the no-sweat movement marked a sudden upsurge in student activism, much of it labor-related and backed by labor unions and human rights groups.
More than 100 colleges and universities have responded by agreeing to join the Fair Labor Association, a sweatshop-monitoring group formed by a White House task force that included apparel firms led by Nike and Liz Claiborne and human rights organizations.
James Wilkerson, head of the Duke University campus stores, was just elected co-chairman of the college group that will work with the Fair Labor Association anti-sweatshop effort. He is quick to acknowledge ""it's going to take time to put an end to abuses.""
""The sweat-free student movement is one of the most exciting things that's happened to human rights,"" adds Charles Kernaghan, head of the National Labor Committee, who drew national attention to the sweatshop issue with his 1995 revelations about Honduran factories used to make Wal-Mart's Kathie Lee Gifford line of clothes.
Many leaders of the student movement complain that the Fair Labor Association's model code is not aggressive enough.
It calls for clothing manufacturers to pay the prevailing wage in the country where the factory is located, not the ""living wage"" the students want. The code also doesn't require companies to make full public disclosure to the universities and colleges with whom they do business precisely where those factories are located.
Student protesters and college administrators on individual campuses, however, have agreed to make public disclosure of factory location a condition of future school licensing agreements with apparel makers.
Even so, university administrators are standing behind the Fair Labor Association effort for now.
""It makes sense to work within the FLA framework at this point to achieve those goals (of fair labor conditions,)"" says Duke University President Nannerl Keohane.
Many in the human rights community agree the Fair Labor Association deserves to get up and running before it gets shot down.
Many colleges and universities have signed on to work with the Fair Labor Association to determine if garment makers are manufacturing clothing that bears their school name or seal under sweatshop conditions. Northwest schools on the list include:
* The Evergreen State College,Olympia
* Lewis and Clark College, Portland, Ore.
* University of Portland


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Metal pensions: Mis-selling scandal ‘already erupting’
One other main monetary mis-selling scandal is “already erupting” based on a report by MPs into British Metal’s pension scheme.
Members have been exploited by “vulture” monetary advisors and “apparently uncared for” by authorities, Tata Metal and regulators, stated the Work and Pensions Choose Committee.
The UK authorities has but to difficulty its response to the “neglect” declare.
The Pensions Regulator stated it might proceed to work to guard savers.
The British Metal Pension Scheme (BSPS) was closed after regulators accepted that Tata Metal UK can be bancrupt if it continued to sponsor it.
It had a membership of 124,000 present and retired steelworkers and pension obligations of £14bn.
About eight,000 individuals are employed by Tata throughout England and Wales, together with three,500 in Port Talbot.
Members needed to determine what to do with their pensions after the scheme was separated from Tata final September.
Between October and December 2017, that they had a selection of coming into into a brand new Tata-backed scheme, BSPS2, or the Pension Safety Fund (PPF).
Each have been much less beneficiant than the scheme that closed however BSPS2 was higher for almost all of individuals than the PPF.
A 3rd possibility was transferring out of the scheme fully – a so-called DB switch – however the committee stated that is “not normally in somebody’s pursuits”.
However circumstances surrounding the BSPS “created good situations for vultures to take benefit”, the MPs concluded.
One Tata employee instructed the Newpaper24 he misplaced virtually £200,000 by transferring out of the BSPS after in search of unbiased monetary recommendation.
The committee famous that a top level view plan to avoid wasting Tata Metal UK, the “sponsor” of the BSPS, had been in place since Could 2017.
But it surely stated these signatories to the deal – Tata, the UK authorities and Pensions Regulator – had uncared for the pension scheme’s members.
Committee chairman Frank Discipline stated: “As soon as once more we discover the pensions regulator fiddling whereas Rome burns, when it ought to have seen this rip-off coming.”
He added: “All of the accountable authorities should act, now, to cease extra folks being cheated.”
The monetary advisers’ regulator, the Monetary Conduct Authority (FCA), additionally faces critical criticism for the way it dealt with considerations over mis-selling.
Different criticisms within the report have been:
Regardless of a “surge in curiosity” in DB transfers in April 2017, the FCA didn’t act till November, by which stage BSPS members have been confronted with a urgent deadline, creating “good situations for vultures to take benefit”
A communication plan by BSPS was “woefully insufficient”, under-resourced and unable to offer primary information for members to make a posh selection. The report stated it was the duty of the Pensions Regulator to make sure members have been well-informed, however “all this failed”
Round 25,000 scheme members didn’t make any selection, thought to incorporate many very aged or in poor health pensioners. These members will transfer into the PPF scheme. The report stated the federal government had not applied a system of “deemed consent” to make sure that any member who would have been clearly higher off in BSPS2 would mechanically be moved, and had not defined its choice. The report really helpful the federal government ought to guarantee deemed consent is in place for related future offers
Responses to the findings:
The FCA stated it was reviewing the principles that apply to corporations advising on pension transfers.
“We imagine the committee’s suggestions are wise,” stated a spokeswoman. “We’re at present wanting on the register to see how we are able to make it simpler to make use of.”
It stated it remained centered on making certain customers are protected.
The Pensions Regulator stated it had fulfilled its main function by evaluating and approving this advanced restructuring of the scheme.
“We imagine this was the absolute best final result for everybody concerned in what was a really difficult state of affairs, bringing higher certainty for 1000’s of scheme members,” stated a spokesman.
“We additionally helped sort out unscrupulous monetary advisers who have been exploiting the state of affairs and the present excessive switch values out there by working carefully with the scheme trustees, the FCA and The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS).”
Tata Metal stated the session course of was a serious enterprise involving “advanced monetary element”.
A spokesman stated it was happy so many pension scheme members made a constructive selection to pick out the very best scheme for his or her future.
“We have been additionally happy to notice the trustee expects the brand new scheme to move the agreed qualifying situations to go ahead,” he stated.
The BSPS trustee welcomed the work being achieved to make sure that members taking transfers from outlined profit pension schemes “accomplish that on the premise of appropriate recommendation”.
He added that the actions of some monetary advisors in the course of the course of was “one thing that the committee rightly highlights as a priority for all concerned”.
A spokesman for the metal unions, together with Neighborhood, stated: “There’s clear proof from this report that some steelworkers have been exploited and given poor recommendation on vastly essential selections.
“Regulators have to toughen up in terms of shutting down irresponsible monetary advisers, and warning folks about which corporations to keep away from.”
He stated they might proceed to help members who imagine they’ve been ripped off “and can preserve lobbying authorities and regulators to make sure measures are put in place in order that such a scandal can by no means once more be allowed to occur.”
Samsung reportedly prowling for brand new OLED patrons after iPhone X gross sales underperform – NEWPAPER24
13 mins ago
February 19, 2018
Samsung reportedly prowling for brand new OLED patrons after iPhone X gross sales underperform
Working below the idea that the iPhone X would promote like hotcakes, Samsung set set off to provide and ship an enormous variety of OLED (or natural light-emitting diode) screens for Apple’s 10th anniversary handset.
Though the brand new telephone was Apple’s greatest earner, it truly bought much less items than another iPhone mannequin earlier than it.
This low demand has brought about Apple to reportedly cut back its iPhone X manufacturing by half, leaving Samsung with a surplus of OLED panels which the South Korean firm is now unable to promote.
In accordance with a report within the Nikkei Asian Assessment, Samsung is in search of new patrons who may probably use the OLED panels on their very own handsets.
Sadly, the potential patrons are the Chinese language producers who produce handsets for the price range or mid-range market and like to stay to low-cost LCD shows.
The iPhone X was probably the most costly handsets launched in 2017, and its pricey OLED shows have been part of the explanation why — Samsung’s OLED panels value over $100 every, which is greater than twice the price of the corporate’s liquid crystal shows.
To sprinkle salt on the proverbial wound, Samsung can also be going through stiff competitors from rival producers. The South Korean large at present controls about 95% of the OLED market, however that might quickly drop with LG Show ramping up manufacturing this yr, as are Chinese language producers like BOE Expertise Group and Tianma Micro-electronics.
A technique to deal with the excess is for Samsung to make use of the panels in its personal merchandise — whether or not the corporate will be capable of repurpose the shows for its personal telephones is one other story, particularly because it’s at present creating its first foldable telephone.
Paytm has appointed Pallavi Shroff, founder and managing companion of Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas regulation agency, to its board of administrators, saying her addition is essential to the expansion plans round its monetary companies enterprise akin to lending, insurance coverage and wealth administration.Shroff will be a part of the likes of Kabir Misra, managing companion at SoftBank Capital, Joe Tsai, vice-chairman at Alibaba Group, Amit Singhal, a former Google government, Mark Schwartz, vice-chairman of the Goldman Sachs Group and chairman of Goldman Sachs in Asia-Pacific, Ravi Adusumalli of SAIF Companions, and Eric Jing, CEO of Ant Monetary.
Shroff has over 34 years of expertise in representing private and non-private companies and different entities earlier than authorized establishments.
“We’re constructing our monetary companies enterprise, and goal to supply entry to lending, insurance coverage and wealth administration options to a big, under-served inhabitants. Her expertise can be key to the following section of our development plans,” Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma stated.”I’m excited to affix Paytm as a board member,” Shroff stated in an announcement. “Paytm’s speedy development trajectory has been fascinating to me each as an entrepreneur and a consumer. I sit up for serving on their board, and guiding them on issues associated to governance regulation and laws.”
ET had lately reported that WhatsApp’s vice-president Neeraj Arora has stepped down from the board of Paytm, a place he held since 2015.
‘Right here’s to freedom’: maker of rapid-fire system, utilized in Las Vegas bloodbath, gives low cost as tribute to Trump – NEWPAPER24
19 mins ago
February 19, 2018
‘Right here’s to freedom’: maker of rapid-fire system, utilized in Las Vegas bloodbath, gives low cost as tribute to Trump
There’s a Presidents’ Day sale on bump shares, the system the Las Vegas shooter placed on his rifles to successfully make them fireplace like a completely automated machine gun, killing 58 folks.
Slide Fireplace Options, a bump shares producer, is providing 10 per cent low cost with coupon code: MAGA.
That’s a salute to the marketing campaign slogan of President Donald Trump, who promised to “Make America Nice Once more”, and who has responded to the lethal massacres previously 5 months by persevering with to oppose any new gun management legal guidelines.
“#HeresToFreedom,” the corporate wrote in a advertising and marketing electronic mail asserting the sale.
Earlier than the Las Vegas capturing, which left 58 folks lifeless and a whole lot injured, bump shares have been an obscure vary system in style with firearms lovers.
The accent makes semi-automatic rifles fireplace quicker, mimicking the speedy fireplace of absolutely automated weapons. Firearms specialists say they don’t have any self-defence worth, since they make weapons very laborious to fireplace precisely.
After the Las Vegas capturing, the Nationwide Rifle Affiliation and Trump’s White Home expressed some openness to additional limiting, if not banning, a harmful system used within the worst mass capturing in current US historical past. Regardless of early indicators of bipartisan help for a bump inventory ban in Congress, the hassle fizzled out. A handful of states and cities, together with Massachusetts and New Jersey, have handed native bump inventory bans.
The White Home didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Slide Fireplace’s alternative to make use of the president’s marketing campaign slogan as a advertising and marketing tactic. It didn’t touch upon whether or not the White Home now helps or opposes additional restrictions on bump shares.
Just a few days after the capturing, White Home press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders mentioned the president was “open” to a dialog about what to do about bump shares and related units. “We want to see a transparent understanding of the details.”
Slide Fireplace didn’t instantly reply to an electronic mail and a cellphone name looking for touch upon what message it was attempting to convey through the use of President Trump’s slogan as a advertising and marketing system. The small firm, primarily based in Moran, Texas, touts its American-made merchandise.
If the corporate had been compelled to shut after the outrage following the Las Vegas capturing, “It could damage the entire city, the college. We pay a really great amount of property taxes,” Slide Fireplace founder Jeremiah Cottle, an Air Drive veteran, instructed The Dallas Morning Information in early October. The newspaper reported that the bump inventory producer had as soon as employed a few 10th of the city’s complete inhabitants, and that it remained one of many space’s largest employers.
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The toy industry’s best toys, games, and individuals were honored at the 16th Annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards and Toy Industry Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Hosted by the Toy Industry Association, the award ceremony serves as the official kick-off to the 113th North American International Toy Fair. David Muir, anchor of ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, acted as the master of ceremonies. [Read more...]
The Toy Industry Association (TIA) has kicked off the holiday shopping season with the announcement of 84 finalists for the 2016 Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY).
Between now and January 17, consumers can visit www.ToyAwards.org to vote for their favorite toy picks in each of the 12 categories to win exclusive prizes. Winners will be announced at the TOTY Awards ceremony as the beginning of the 113th North American International Toy Fair. [Read more...]
The Toy Industry Association (TIA) has received 711 submissions from more than 200 companies for the 16th Annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards more than any previous year. Toy, game, and property nominations were submitted across 12 categories during the nomination period, which ran from August through October 2. [Read more...]
The Toy Industry Association (TIA) is inducting Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be held on February 12 in conjunction with the annual Toy of the Year Awards celebration at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
TIA Members have selected Iger in recognition of his contributions to the industry and the impact his work has had on the lives of children worldwide. Iger joins the roster of 70 toy industry luminaries who have been inducted into the Hall since it was established in 1984, including Jim Henson and George Lucas.
The Toy Industry Association (TIA) will kick off its 100th anniversary celebrations on September 17 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new Toy Halls of Fame Exhibit at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. The event will honor contributors to the toy industry’s evolution and success, including a number of TIA members.
The Toy Industry Association will induct Pat Feely, chairman of the Toy Industry Foundation and retired CEO of Radica Games Ltd., and the late Leslie Berger, founder of Cardinal Industries Inc., into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be held on Feb. 13 in conjunction with the annual Toy of the Year Awards to kick off the 112th North American International Toy Fair.
Feely and Berger have been chosen in recognition of their contributions to the toy industry and the impact they have had on children through a commitment to toys and play, according to the TIA. They will join 67 others who have been inducted since it was established in 1984.
Feely has been in the toy industry for 37 years and engineered a turnaround and expansion of Radica Games and Tonka. He has been serving as chairman for the Toy Industry Foundation for the past eight years. In addition, he has served as chairman of the TIA for two years and was an advisor to the TIA Board of Directors for six years, where he helped form the TOTY Awards program and diversify the TIA Board.
The late Leslie Berger founded Cardinal Industries, one of the oldest privately owned toy businesses in the U.S. He served on the Toy Manufacturers of America, now called TIA, board for several years. He also secured the license to General Hospital from ABC in the early 80s.
After Toy Fair 2013, the words “and there’s an app!” were ringing in my ears for weeks. This year, however, appcessories seemed more like a taboo than anything else, with most companies shying away from toys with app-enhanced features or reliability. Honestly, it was less than disappointing. I think keeping screen time and toy time separate is perfectly acceptable, and apparently, what kids and toy buyers prefer.
This year will truly mark a return to traditional play patterns. Rainbow Loom, a simple bracelet-making kit for kids, was huge in 2013, eventually snagging four Toy of the Year (TOTY) awards, including the overall Toy of the Year. That said, Toy Fair 2014 brought tons of cool innovations in the activities category, with companies fighting to be the next big thing once the Rainbow Loom craze comes to an end. [Read more...]
This holiday season Tegu offers gift options that bring back unscripted play for kids through a variety of construction sets and accessories. Tegu is putting a spin on its Toy of the Year-nominated magnetic, wooden,“click-clacking” blocks that will offer children new building possibilities using safe and durable materials.
Tegu’s designs encourage learning and imaginative play that’s considered to be one of the best forms of learning by childhood development experts. Tegu also plans to spread holiday cheer by giving back to people in need with the Tegu Holiday Elf. From now until December 20, via #TeguElf on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, the Tegu Holiday Elf will randomly grant “wishes” by offering consumers items such as gift cards to local restaurants or coffee shops, and by helping people to “pay it forward” by making donations to local charities.
Holiday shoppers can visit Tegu’s Facebook for #TeguElf holiday promotions, giveaways, and discounts. The Tegu Elf also will be randomly sneaking in extra Tegu Products and surprises to orders fulfilled by Tegu now through Christmas.
Members of the Toy Industry Association (TIA) and other toy industry stakeholders are invited to submit nominations of deserving candidates (living or deceased) for induction into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, the TIA says in a news release. Selected candidates will join 62 current members of the hall of fame during a ceremony to be held in conjunction with the 14th annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards ceremony on February 15 of next year. The nomination period will extend from May 28 through June 28. Membership in TIA is not a prerequisite for submitting a nomination.
Nominees for the Toy Industry Hall of Fame should have longstanding experience in the toy industry; unimpeachable integrity and respect among his or her peers; have made outstanding contributions to the industry and/or to TIA; and be recognized for various accomplishments. Examples include innovative product or marketing introductions; manufacturing process changes, which significantly improved processes or products; a prominent role in promoting the public’s awareness and appreciation of the importance of toys in the lives of children, or promoting the public’s awareness of the toy industry as a significant and responsible member of the business community; and service on the TIA board of directors, or in other important capacities in or related to toys and youth entertainment.
Additional information on the Toy Industry Hall of Fame is available online. Questions and completed nomination forms should be directed to TIA’s Stacy Leistner (646) 520-4858 by June 28.


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What makes a phone great for taking photos? You probably think about the sensor or the megapixel count or the trendy dual-camera system or the fancy expert-made-this-branded lenses. But what about the operating system? Does the operating system really contributes how our phone process the images we captured using our smartphones? Well at least, that’s what Google’s former Senior Vice President for Engineering is trying to explain.
But if you are thinking that he is on Android’s side, you are definitely wrong. Vic Gundotra, Google’s former SVP for Engineering said in a Facebook post last Monday that his iPhone 7 takes good enough photos to replace his DSLR camera.
However, another person on the comment section seems to disagree with his thoughts saying Samsung’s Galaxy S8 takes better photos than iPhone. As a response the user, Gundotra explained why he believes that is not the case for Android or Galaxy S8.
Gundotra cited that Android, as an open source platform, needs to be “neutral to all parties” making it hard for Google to innovate both on hardware and software simultaneously.
“Ever wonder why a Samsung phone has a confused and bewildering array of photo options? Should I use the Samsung Camera? Or the Android Camera? Samsung gallery or Google Photos?” said Gundotra. “It’s because when Samsung innovates with the underlying hardware (like a better camera) they have to convince Google to allow that innovation to be surfaced to other applications via the appropriate API. That can take YEARS.”
Gundotra said that the innovation on the hardware level is just a small part of the puzzle if compared as to how the software behaves as most of the work happens “at the computational photography software.” That is something that the Cupertino company doesn’t have any problem with.
“Apple doesn’t have all these constraints. They innovate in the underlying hardware, and just simply update the software with their latest innovations (like portrait mode) and ship it.” Gundotra added. “Bottom line: If you truly care about great photography, you own an iPhone. If you don’t mind being a few years behind, buy an Android.”


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Former shipping bosses admit using bribery to secure £16m North Sea oil contract
Former bosses at shipping firm FH Bertling handed over in excess of £350,000 in bribes and other payments
Former shipping executives have pleaded guilty to using bribery to secure and exploit a £16million contract linked to a North Sea oil exploration project.
Giuseppe Morreale, who was UK managing director at FH Bertling, and its finance boss Stephen Emler, handed over in excess of £350,000 in bribes and other payments between 2010 and 2013 in a bid to win a contract with US energy group Conoco Phillips.
The shipping contract – known as Jasmine – was eventually worth more than £16million.
Two other executives, FH Bertling managing director Colin Bagwell and Conoco Phillips’ logistics lead Christopher Lane, were also convicted of a separate bribery scheme involving overcharging once the Jasmine contract was secured.
Sentencing will take place on December 11. Three others were acquitted.
Lisa Osofsky, boss of the Serious Fraud Office which brought the case, said the men ‘failed to show any integrity, resorting to bribery to secure lucrative contracts and hide their illicit activities.
Bribery has no place in Britain or abroad’.
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In advance of the 2023 Holiday season and into New Year’s, sawmills sawed more lumber ahead of this period. Many secondary manufacturers took extended breaks during this time in most areas on both sides of the border. This resulted in lower demand for raw materials. In certain areas, obtaining logs and pricing were a challenge thus impacting output. As we move into a new year, facing uncertainty, volatility and complexities will be top of mind, as will be employee retention and recruitment for the Hardwood industry.
Ash production was down in certain areas and green lumber had seen a contraction over the Holidays. Markets are reported to be absorbing developing supplies. Kiln-dried stocks are controlled, however, domestic and international customers are being adequately supplied. Most are purchasing for immediate needs.
Supplies of Hard Maple were ample for most secondary manufacturers and wholesalers. Suppliers are struggling to find new orders, and hope that end users’ inventories will decline sufficiently to provide a boost in activity. Even though markets are slow, it was reported that prices for some grades and thicknesses were rising, such as for kiln-dried No. 1 and 2 White FAS and for Unselected 4/4 through 5/4 FAS. Green Hard Maple output was low compared to the steady demand.
Reports are similar for Soft Maple. Some sawmills are having difficulty finding enough logs or are controlling receipts, thus output is low and prices are rising. Depending on areas contacted, kiln-dried sales are not strong, with inventories low for many grades and thicknesses.
Aspen markets remain the same with demand slow because of low finished goods sales. Some sawmills are challenged to find outlets for production, and prices are dropping. Kiln-dried business is also reported as weak, with rising inventories resulting in competition for orders. The same for Basswood with demand being weak, although business is better for green lumber than kiln-dried sales. Contacts noted kiln-dried inventories are higher for most grades and thicknesses, while green production is limited.
Business for Birch has declined where it was being used as a substitute for Maple. Traditional markets for Birch have held up well even though there has been a drop in Hardwood finished goods orders. Supplies are noted as outpacing demand.
Some sawmills report low log decks. Green Red Oak production in some areas is limited because of this. Supplies of No. 1 Common and Better are identified as marginally sufficient to meet demand. Buyers are controlling receipts of kiln-dried inventories. White Oak sawmill production is also down for certain areas contacted, so green White Oak lumber supplies are limited. Demand is outpacing supply of No. 1 Common and Better grade. Sales of kiln-dried stocks are reported as solid with thin inventories.
In mid-December the Bank of Canada (BoC) reported that interest rates would not be coming down any time soon, putting it on a divergent path from the U.S. Federal Reserve, which said that easing could be on the timetable.
Governor Tiff Macklem said the Fed would do what they needed to do, and the BoC would focus on what needed to be done in Canada.
“We have not started having that discussion (about cutting rates), because it’s too early to have that discussion. We’re still discussing whether we raised interest rates enough and how long they need to stay where they are.”
Money markets expect the bank to begin easing as soon as April and for rates to fall 125 basis points in 2024.
U.S. central bank chief Jerome Powell said the historic tightening of monetary policy is likely over, with a discussion of cuts in borrowing costs coming into view.
The Bank of Canada had previously forecast inflation should hit 2 percent by end-2025 but Macklem – making his last public appearance of 2023 – told reporters it should be closer to target by the end of next year.
“Inflation is still too high. If we don’t do enough … ultimately, we’re probably going to have to raise rates even further to get it down,” he said. Earlier, in his speech, he had said future inflation declines were likely to be gradual.
Macklem also expressed increasing optimism it could bring inflation back down to target but said the next few quarters would be difficult as high interest rates restrict the economy.
“The 2 percent inflation target is now in sight. And while we’re not there yet, the conditions increasingly appear to be in place to get us there,” he said.
Overseas, the European Central Bank said policy easing had not been brought up in a two-day meeting, and the Bank of England said rates would remain high for “an extended period”.
“I expect 2024 to be a year of transition … with the cost of living still increasing too quickly, and with growth subdued, the next two to three quarters will be difficult for many,” said Macklem, adding the jobless rate was likely to rise further.


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Walmart pushes forward private-label strategy with the launch of an online furniture brand
Walmart is laying claim to a growing market for furniture products sold online with a new private-label brand called Modrn.
Anthony Soohoo, svp and group gm of Walmart eCommerce, wrote in a blog post Friday that the brand is geared at customers who want trendier furniture pieces at a lower price; it’s also a response to a 35 percent increase in visits to its Walmart.com’s home products page. Modrn will be sold through Walmart.com, Jet.com and Hayneedle, with prices ranging from $199 to $899 for product categories including sofas, beds, bar furniture, indoor and outdoor dining and chairs.
This isn’t the retailer’s first foray into online furniture brands: It acquired online furniture retailer Hayneedle for $90 million in 2016. By increasing its presence in the market, Walmart is staking out a competitive position against the likes of Wayfair, Target and Amazon by using the lessons from the companies it’s acquired and putting them into practice through newer private-label offerings. In addition to Hayneedle, Walmart has acquired online brands Jet.com, Bonobos, Modcloth and Moosejaw in an effort to expand its digital reach as well as learn about a younger and digitally native customer’s preferences and behavior.
“Walmart has to play in this space. They’re taking an approach from every possible angle, both acquiring brands and building new brands in-house,” said Tom Gehani, Gartner L2’s director of client strategy and research. “They acquired these companies like Bonobos, Modcloth and Hayneedle, and they’ve also started taking those design sensibilities and bringing those into new Walmart brands in their own light — a lot of the George [menswear] products look like Bonobos clothes, a lot of the furniture they’re launching looks like what’s sold through Hayneedle.”
According to Gartner L2, the online furniture and home goods market is expected to double in the next five years. Online furniture and home good sales were valued at $50 billion in the U.S. in 2018, per an eMarketer estimate. Amazon has seen 40 percent sales growth in the home category over the last two years, and Walmart lacks an organic search presence, according to Gartner data. In addition, of the 277 home categories searched on Google, Walmart showed up in only 44 percent of them, compared to Wayfair at 81 percent and Amazon at 65 percent.
By acquiring data and insights from acquired brands, Walmart can reach a new type of customer that’s typically young and urban — a contrast from Walmart’s big-box discount store model.
“With their [acquired] digital-native brands, they have so much data; they’ve been online for a while and the advantage is knowing your customer in and out,” said retail analyst Jane Hali, CEO of Jane Hali & Associates.
An objective of launching online-only brands that have a more upscale air is to attract the type of customer who wouldn’t normally shop there. Bringing in Walmart brands that look and feel like the acquired direct-to-consumer products, Walmart can broaden its customer base. Private label, however, is a competitive game, with Amazon and Target adding to new brands to suit different audiences. What used to be a secondary strategy to push product at higher margins is now a core merchandising strategy, along with brand-exclusives offered only through specific retailers.
“There is a contingent of customers, and Walmart knows this, who might not want to shop at Walmart at all,” said Gehani. “Those customers are able to be served through an acquired brand, but Walmart also wants more people to shop at Walmart, so one way they’re able to do that is start bringing products that look like Bonobos to Walmart.com directly or Walmart stores.”
In recent years, Walmart’s private-label strategy has shifted from budget to upscale products, partly enabled by its DTC acquisitions.
“They’ve likely got access to a supply chain, factory and designer partnerships that have resulted in a better aesthetic than what Walmart used to have,” said Gehani.
While Walmart is carrying some risk launching a new brand, its logistics network through its physical stores, as well as supplier and designer relationships give it an edge over competitors.
“I’m very bullish on this idea; they have incredible trust and distribution,” said Andrew Essex, CEO of Plan A and co-founder of Droga5. “It’s well-branded — it’s crisp and modern and feels like something completely new.”
Walmart’s biggest risk, said Essex, is a lack of patience and a competitive field of companies vying for the online furniture market like Amazon, Target and Wayfair. Despite these hurdles, Walmart’s scale will ensure it can hold its own among a suite of other companies vying for market share.
“The pendulum is swinging back where you have the incumbents learning from DTC unicorns and leveraging their massive hindquarters,” he said.
How gamers’ engagement with short-form video is changing
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Digiday+ Research: Extreme pessimism about the end of the cookie levels off among agencies
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SponsoredWhat the measurement and currency discussion really means to TV advertisers
Ali Mack, head of TV and agency, Experian Major streaming video providers have recently made headlines by adopting new currencies for ad measurement, threatening Nielsen’s long-standing TV ratings monopoly. NBCUniversal, for example, has certified iSpot and VideoAmp as currencies for advanced audiences and formed the Joint Industry Committee with Paramount, TelevisaUnivision and Warner Bros. Discovery. […]
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EV Ads in the Super Bowl – An Inconvenient History
With an audience north of 100 million viewers, the Super Bowl is the most watched television event in the United States every year. As the game within the game that rivals the action on the field for entertainment value, its commercials represent the Boardwalk and Park Place of advertising.
They are an ideal time to push a political agenda, especially with the hope that no one checks up on you years later.
However, it’s time fact check one consistent ad theme from the big game, and no, this isn’t a takedown of FTX or Sam Bankman-Fried. The Department of Justice is handling that one.
It’s electric vehicles, which have been a central theme for their “just around the corner” utopia. Celebrities, hit songs and even a cute robot dog are used to tout the hipness of EVs. Yet, there are some glaring problems. First, the EV in those ads can’t go the distance and second the only people who can afford most of them are the players on the field or those in the owner box.
During the 2015 version of the big game, Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel reunited for a reunion. They lightheartedly embrace their comical skepticism of the Internet in 1994. Fast forward 21 years and they are behind the wheel of a BMW i3. The message is clear: This car will be just like the internet in a few years. Underestimate it at your own peril.
Today, the BMW i3 is no longer in production. It was discontinued in 2021. One article blamed its failure on being just too darn small for Americans. A reasonable person might argue that after eight years in production, a price tag of $45,000 for a car that only achieved a range of 153 miles had something to do with it. Or maybe it was the 11-12 hours to fully charge.
Either way, we can all appreciate how Couric and Bryant seemed to miss the boat again.
During the big game in 2020, the Hummer EV made its debut and the nation’s collective jaws dropped. Here was the poster child for gas-guzzling extravagance switching sides to play for team EV! Labeled the “Quiet Revolution,” Lebron James was in the ad to up its gravitas.
Left unsaid were the two versions of the Hummer in the ad start at nearly $80,000 and go up past $100,000. More good news: the SUV version of the Hummer isn’t available until later in 2023, a full three years after the ad. Production is so slow that one media outlet noted that some of those already waiting in line will have to wait 17 years.
A “quiet revolution” indeed.
Two years ago, Will Ferrell went after Norway because they sell more EV per capita than the United States. Hollywood elites asking why America can’t be more like socialist Scandinavia is nothing new, but left on the cutting room floor were the dirty details: to achieve their “massive” EV sales, Norway offers a bevy of giveaways, including no taxes on registration or fuel, waiving the 25% VAT (sales) tax and a 50% reduction in road taxes and parking fees. Yet, after all the incentives, gas-powered vehicles still make up nearly 80% of the cars on the road in Norway.
Last year we had the Dr. Evil “trying to save the world so he can take over the world” spot. No specific cars are mentioned, but you get to laugh and feel good, and that’s the important part. This year Ferrell is back telling us that Netflix will now embrace EVs. Perhaps the massive film subsidies offered in many states will help get to the streaming screen.
Just like Super Bowl ads from years gone by, the Biden Administration is all-in on EVs and states are now passing laws to make EV sales mandatory. After all, when something is so cool, practical, and affordable as an EV, the government must subsidize and force its transition.
EVs are now old enough that we can examine their track record: over-priced vehicles that don’t deliver on time, can only travel limited distances, and take hours to “fill up.” That’s the final score and the real losers are the American public. No amount of glossy commercials can whitewash that inconvenient truth.
Larry Behrens is the Communications Director for Power The Future, a non-profit that advocates for America’s energy workers. You can find him on Twitter @larrybehrens or you can email him: [email protected]
This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire.


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Business leaders are becoming increasingly reliant upon cloud communications
In the age of digital transformation, businesses are becoming increasingly reliant on and are investing more heavily in emerging technologies in order facilitate further growth.
TeleSign, a communications platform specialist, has released its report named Customers Communications report: how businesses use cloud communications to fuel growth, whereby 500 customer communications stakeholders were surveyed.
The study reveals key insights into how cloud communications are being viewed as a fundamental part of this digital transformation.
“We believe business survival is tied to the ability to engage customers in delightful experiences where, when, and how they want to be reached,” said Aled Miles, CEO of TeleSign.
Within the report, TeleSigns cites from its own studies that 87% of business leaders say that their company’s success depends on the ability to connect with customers via cloud communications.
Firms are seeing a multitude of benefits offered by cloud communications, with 65% recognising an improvement in their customer service, 59% benefitting from improved communications and higher customer satisfaction, whilst 46% surveyed stated that use of cloud communications has resulted in better sales.
“The findings are conclusive that businesses using cloud communications to engage customers are seeing higher customer satisfaction and exceeding financial objectives,” Miles continued.
As many as 99% of businesses classify themselves as undergoing digital transformation, with 64% still struggling to meet the demands of real time communications, and 60% failing to meet customer expectations of 24/7 communication availability.
However, with the current levels of emphasis placed on digital transformation, cloud communications adoption is expected to reach 80% by 2020 according to TeleSign.
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Taiwanese manufacturer HTC has closed its South Korean office as it looks to cut costs in the face of diminishing sales.
HTC has struggled to shift handsets in Korea, the home of close rivals Samsung and LG, and the firm told TechRadar, "Last week's announcement is a decisive action by HTC to streamline and optimise our organisation and improve efficiencies after several years of aggressive growth.
"This is a hard decision that has direct impact on people who have contributed to the growth HTC has experienced the past several years.
"However, to achieve our long-term goals as a business and return maximum value to our shareholders, these are necessary steps to drive ongoing innovation, ensure our ability to create strong products like the HTC One, and forge strong customer relationships that solidify our future."
One percent share
According to analysts, HTC only had a two percent market share in South Korea in 2011, which dropped to one per cent this year.
This is similar to what happened in Brazil, as HTC closed its main office in the country after seeing its market share drop below one per cent.
HTC has been left trailing - although it experienced success with the likes of the Desire and Sensation ranges, the decent One range has failed to get the level of traction HTC had hoped for.


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1 posts tagged "DVF Made for Glass"
Wearables are no longer a hypothetical. They’re here. They’re happening. And now, they’re available at Net-a-Porter. This week, the luxury e-tailer officially began selling DVF Made for Glass, a collection of men’s and women’s smart specs and shades that Diane von Furstenberg (who sent Google Glass down her Spring ’13 runway) has created in collaboration with Google. “Our eyes were on a few different products,” said Net-a-Porter president Alison Loehnis. “But when Diane partnered with Google Glass two years ago, it was amazing. It was the perfect balance of fashion and technology.” Net-a-Porter is the first independent online retailer to sell Glass, and according to Loehnis, this particular project has been in the works for about a year.
Net-a-Porter’s shoppers are discerning, and considering the website’s selection of high-fashion wares, they have pretty great taste. But will the woman who’s filling her shopping bag with Alexander McQueen dresses, Nicholas Kirkwood shoes, and Givenchy handbags buy Google Glass, a product that most would argue has yet to reach its aesthetic peak? “We really think [Google Glass] complements what we already have on the site. Our customers want things first. They embrace newness across all categories,” Loehnis said. As for the specs’ appearance (how does one make camera-embellished frames elegant?), Loehnis thinks Glass is getting there. “They’ve evolved so much from the original product,” she said of DVF Made for Glass, which comes in a range of colors and slim styles. “It’s a hybrid—we look at it as an accessory that’s also a technology piece.” She does, however, admit that Google’s smart shades serve a very different purpose than fashion frames. They’re not a replacement, but a supplement, so don’t fret—Net-a-Porter will still stock your favorite Prada and Chloé sunnies.
I’ve been pretty hard on wearable tech. And I’m still not sold on the idea of being connected to everyone and everything all day via a face computer. But the fact of the matter is, the wearables market is expanding (Apple announced its forthcoming smart watch last week, and yesterday, Google discussed its own line of watches, dubbed Android Wear), and Net-a-Porter’s embrace of Glass lends it a certain fashion cachet. Brands often see NAP as the holy grail of retailers, not only because of its outreach but because of its ability to make products instantly covetable. It’s still early days, but NAP is confident the glasses will sell—and sell well. Though it’s worth noting that for Glass’ $1,800 price tag you could buy a Miu Miu tote, a Rick Owens dress, or two pairs of Nicholas Kirkwood pumps instead.
During our conversation at Net-a-Porter’s New York headquarters, Loehnis made a smart comparison, likening the wearables of now to the tech cases of yore. “If you look back at the accessories market, years ago no one was making tech cases. It was like, you’ve got this new device, but where can you put it? It became quite a big deal when the industry created a whole category around this,” she said. “Technology is part of our world. It’s integrated seamlessly into our lives, so I would imagine that most people—not everyone—but most people are considering [wearable tech]. In meeting rooms around the world, I suspect these conversations are happening.”
And she’s probably (OK, certainly) right. But I had to ask Loehnis how she’ll go about converting Net-a-Porter addicts who are otherwise tech-phobic, like myself, to click buy. “To be honest, our customers tend to be ahead of the pack. I don’t think it will take a huge amount of convincing. And you don’t need to think about Google Glass as a continuous news feed. It can be used in a very targeted way,” she explained when I expressed my concern about being unable to escape the Internet. “For instance, earlier, we were talking about cooking. I think it’s the cutest idea that you could be sitting there making brownies with your children, and you might say, ‘Oh, how do I do this?’ and you can just look it up. So if you’re saying you would find it daunting, I’d say that you’re in control of how you’re using them.” I suppose in this particular baking scenario, Google Glass would help avoid a touchscreen or keyboard or—gasp! —cookbook marred by flour.
Soon enough, you might be able to get more than DVF’s Glass styles at the online shopping destination. Said Loehnis: “I think the [Google Glass] take-up will be very strong, and [wearables] are something we’re looking to develop. So watch this space!” We will—maybe even through Google Glass.


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After years of battling in court to prevent dairies from labeling their milk rBGH-free, Monsanto is apparently udderly fed up. Facing a growing backlash against its genetically engineered Recombinant bovine growth hormone (hence rBGH) that once conquered the U.S. dairy industry, the Gene Giant is selling rights to produce Posilac, its name for the the product.
Posilac had become increasingly marginal to Monsanto’s profit growth, which derives mainly from its dominance of the genetically modified corn, soy, and cotton seed markets.
Whatever company buys it probably won’t have Monsanto’s deep pockets or litigious zeal for trying to prevent dairies from labeling their products rBGH-free. The announcement marks a victory for consumers’ right to know what’s in their food.


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Xiaomi-Backed Cleaning Robot Startup Vacuums Up $563 Million in Latest Funding Round
Dreame Technology, a Chinese startup that designs and makes smart household cleaning and personal care appliances, has raised about 3.6 billion yuan ($563 million) in new funding in a show of growing investor interest in the firm which became part of Xiaomi Corp.’s ecosystem in 2017.
Two investors led Dreame’s recent series C funding round, namely venture capital firm Huaxing Growth Capital and asset manager CPE, Dreame said in a statement on Wednesday.
Several other investors also participated in the round, including Country Garden Venture Capital, Jack Ma-backed Yunfeng Capital, Xiaomi, Shunwei Capital, IDG Capital and Skywalker Capital, among others.
Dreame, which has a manufacturing base in Suzhou and offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, said that it will spend the money to expand its R&D team and recruit top talent. Currently, the company has a workforce of nearly 1,800 people, more than 70% of whom are engaged in technical work.
Since its inception in 2017, Dreame said it has developed a range of products including floor-cleaning robots, cordless vacuum cleaners and premium hairdryers, which are all powered by its self-developed high-speed motors.
Dreame’s latest generation of motor has achieved a speed of 200,000 revolutions per minute, putting it at the forefront of the sector, according to the company, which officially started selling its products in 2019, when its sales totaled more than 500 million yuan.
In the first half of 2021, Dreame generated a revenue of about 2 billion yuan, nearly 70% of which came from its overseas markets that span more than 100 countries and regions, according to the company.
The first-half sales figures indicate that Dreame does not count its home market as its major growth driver. In 2020, Ecovacs, Xiaomi, Roborock and Narwal accounted for a combined 80% of China’s online market for floor-cleaning robots, with Ecovacs taking a massive lead with 41%, according to statistics from All View Cloud, a Beijing-based smart home market data provider.
When it comes to China’s offline market for floor-cleaning robots, Ecovacs took the lion’s share of 80% in 2020, followed by Whirlpool and Midea with 6% and 5%, respectively, according to All View Cloud.
In September, a Tianjin court ruled in favor of Dreame in a lawsuit, in which British vacuum cleaner maker Dyson alleged that the Chinese firm infringed its patents.
Contact reporter Ding Yi (firstname.lastname@example.org) and editor Flynn Murphy (email@example.com)
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- PepsiCo topped Wall Street's estimates for its fourth-quarter earnings and revenue.
- The company is anticipating mid-single-digit growth in organic revenue in 2021 and high-single-digit growth in core earnings per share.
- Pepsi benefited from the continuation of pandemic snacking trends, as well as strong sales of its drinks.
PepsiCo on Thursday reported fourth-quarter earnings that topped estimates, fueled by pandemic snacking and higher sales of drinks like Gatorade Zero and Bubly sparkling water.
On the heels of the strong quarter, the beverage and snacks maker said it expects its 2021 results to meet long-term financial targets.
Shares of the company fell less than 1% in morning trading. Pepsi's stock has fallen 6% over the last year, giving it a market value of $189 billion.
Here's what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by Refinitiv:
- Earnings per share: $1.47, adjusted vs. $1.46 expected
- Revenue: $22.46 billion vs. $21.78 billion
The company reported fiscal fourth-quarter net income of $1.85 billion, or $1.33 per share, up from $1.77 billion, or $1.26 per share, a year earlier.
Excluding items, Pepsi earned $1.47 per share, beating the $1.46 per share expected by analysts surveyed by Refinitiv.
Net sales rose 8.8% to $22.46 billion, topping expectations of $21.78 billion. The company's organic revenue, which strips out the impact of foreign currency, acquisitions and divestitures, grew by 5.7%.
Frito-Lay North America saw its organic revenue grow 5% during the quarter. Tostitos and Cheetos were among the brands that consumers reached for when shopping for at-home snacks. However, the segment's operating profit fell due to higher restructuring charges and increases in some operating costs.
Quaker Foods' organic revenue increased by 8%. As many consumers still work from home, they've turned to buying maple syrup and pancake mix for breakfast. On Tuesday, Pepsi renamed its Aunt Jemima brand to Pearl Milling Company after saying in June that the character was based on a racial stereotype.
Its North American beverage unit saw its organic sales rise 5.5%. Pepsi typically receives less of its sales from away-from-home occasions than rival Coca-Cola does, so the segment's organic revenue turned positive in the third quarter. Gatorade Zero, Bubly and its Starbucks-branded coffee drinks helped drive sales.
For 2021, Pepsi is anticipating mid-single-digit growth in organic revenue and high-single-digit growth in core earnings per share, which assumes constant foreign currency exchange rates. The company is also hiking its dividend by 5%, starting in June.
"For 2021, we are planning for our organic revenue and core constant currency EPS growth to be consistent with our long-term objectives," CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a statement.
CFO Hugh Johnston said in an interview that the pandemic's impact on Pepsi's business has become predictable enough for the company to issue an outlook. He added that the company has "mastered operating in what is a very new normal for us."
The company recently announced a partnership with Beyond Meat to create and sell plant-based snacks and drinks. Executives on the conference call said that it will be a small business for Pepsi in 2021, but it plans to enter the market this year.


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The long wait is over, Microsoft has announced that DayZ is coming to Xbox One, and according to Gamespot’s report, it was announced during the Gamescom 2018 that DayZ will be released on the Xbox One just exactly today! What a great news for everyone. This game was based on a mod of ARMA 2 that became popular on PC’s back on 2013 for having a multi-player zombie survival experience from the fear of human element that was embraced by a lot of gamers back then.
The game’s console version was originally announced at Gamescom 2014 and was just for PS4, but later on, an Xbox One release was announced at E3 2015. Just like the PlayerUnknown’s Battle Ground, DayZ will have its pre-release to Xbox One in early access before having its official launch after the additional patches an updates. DayZ will be launched as a game preview on Xbox One on August 29 (tomorrow). The PS4 version of the game is still on its way of planning, but it will be coming at us soon.
Here is a quick synopsis of the game provided by some sources. “In DayZ, your character wakes up on the edge of a beach with nothing but the clothes on their back, a road flare, and a rag. To survive, you must scavenge for food to satisfy your hunger, water to satiate your thirst, and weapons to keep the zombies and other players at bay. Dying in DayZ causes you to lose everything you own and reawaken on the beach again. To survive, you can choose to team up and share resources with others, such as medical supplies to deal with broken limbs or bleeding wounds, or hunt and kill anyone who crosses your path.”
Expect more, and be escalated more, as this game might become our top choice for most favored and played game. It will surely bring a lot of more surprises and excitement as it will kick-start its launch today. Stay close and don’t get left behind, TechnoCodex will update you every time.
For latest tech news and updates follow TechnoCodex on Facebook, Twitter, Google+. Also, if you like our efforts, consider sharing this story with your friends, this will encourage us to bring more exciting updates for you.


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Save-A-Lot Supermarket Will Replace Whole Foods in Englewood
The former Whole Foods on 63rd Street and Halsted in Englewood, once touted as the start of a new chapter for a neighborhood that has long struggled with access to high-quality fresh food, will now be a Save-A-Lot, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The store will be operated by Yellow Banana, a grocery company owned by Cleveland-based investment firm 127 Wall Holdings LLC. Yellow Banana operates 38 Save-A-Lot grocery stores nationally.
Yellow Banana’s lease on the former Whole Foods building began Jan. 1, co-founder Michael Nance told the Tribune. Nance said the company hopes to open the store in February but has not committed to a date.
Developer Leon Walker of DL3 Realty told the Tribune that Whole Foods had selected Yellow Banana as the sublessee of the Englewood store. The Englewood store will also have a bakery, a hot food bar and a coffee bar, Nance said.
Pictured: A Save-A-Lot location in Dublin, OH. Photo courtesy McHugh Construction.


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Former Big Brother Naija reality TV star, Ike, has announced his first endorsement deal with PTRLifestyle Group.
The 27-year-old made the announcement on his official Instagram page, where he revealed that the lifestyle and hospitality outfit caught his attention when he went partying at the PRTLifestyle owned Kabaal Nightclub.
"I’m pleased to announce that I will be working close with @ptrlifestyle Group, owners of @the_kabaal Nightclub and Beach, as their brand ambassador.
“My love of PTRlifestyle began about a year ago when I partied at Kabaal nightclub. The attention to detail and how they have successfully created a superior brand in lifestyle and hospitality caught my fancy. I look forward to offering my suggestions and influence. I believe there’s so much we can achieve together."
The PTRLifestyle also made the announcement on their official Instagram page.
"Join us in welcoming @iam_ikeonyema to the PTRlifestye family 🥂 On Tuesday, at a private dinner, the former Big brother housemate inked a lucrative brand ambassador deal with your favourite brand Ptrlifestyle. This marks the beginning of a wonderful relationship. Watch this space," they announced.


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Nokia’s decided to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their Research Center by releasing a concept video for a device that they’re calling GEM. It’s a phone that’s basically all screen. The whole thing. There is no bezel, no metal, no plastic, the whole handset is a touch screen surface. The Finnish handset maker thinks that when you’re on a phone call – which by the way takes place in the future exactly the same way it does now, by placing a brick up to your head – the back of your device will show advertisements. The GEM will also take skins to a whole new level since you’ll be able o take a photo of a texture and apply it to the surface of your device. Never mind the battery life issues, the bendable display issues, the reception issues, and the list goes on and on.
There are two theories on concept videos such as the ones Nokia and often other technology companies make. The companies who make such videos are either incapable of being innovative enough to bring their ideas to reality, or their idyllic view of the future is one that everyone should embrace and strive to reach. We tend to believe in the former. If you have a good idea, then shut up and make it work. If you can’t make it work, then shut up and wait until science catches up with your imagination and you can bring your ideas to reality. Think of the car industry for example. Their concept cars never, ever, become production models. They’re made to grab attention at autoshows, that and hot girls wearing little to no clothing. It’s a car company’s racing division that actually has the money to invest in new technology that goes out and creates the stuff that will eventually trickle down into sub $20,000 cars that normal people can afford.
This 600 EUR cap that everyone uses when making high end smartphones needs to disappear and we need to see handset makers put best of breed components into devices that go for over 1000 EUR, pushing the boundaries of what’s capable. They’re not going to ship in volume, but they’ll show off what the future is capable of delivering better than a dinky animated movie.


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Polygon's aim is for the DAO to attract 100 million users.
"We still have support at $44,000 and $42,000, which is the line in the sand for short-term momentum," one investment officer said.
The largest cryptocurrency by market value was trading close to its highest level in more than two months
The fashion house's marketplace partner says the NFTs will bring D&G's work "from the physical to the metaphysical."
Rario already has a pair of international cricket leagues signed on.
Players battle for gaming rewards, while blockchains battle for players
Executives say the move could help drive mainstream adoption of digital collectibles.
Introducing the new list of CoinDesk 20 assets for the third quarter.
Launch partners include StaFi, Xend Finance, Marlin, EasyFi and bZx.
Some DeFi projects on Tron apparently have quietly beaten their peers on Polygon and Ethereum.
NFTs in gaming is one of the hotter blockchain trends of the summer.
The attacks occurred on ApeRocket's Binance Smart Chain and Polygon networks within a few hours of each other on Wednesday.
The layer 2 solution is putting $10,000 behind a crypto gaming platform that uses its tech.


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Till Payments, announce partnership with ASL, a wholesale payments services provider for Australia’s mutual banking and financial service sectors.
Till Payments, has launched its new Pregnancy Loss Leave Policy, as it partners with Kin Fertility on its #WeNeedMoreLeave movement.
Till Payments has acquired ZIPS, the payment processing business unit of the hospitality technology platform company, Ziosk.
Till Payments launches in New Zealand with domestic acquiring license, appoints Nev Cowley as Regional Director
Till Payments has secured its license in New Zealand, with its launch supported by the appointment of Nev Cowley as Regional Director.
Till Payments upsizes recent funding round with top up from Afterpay-backed Touch Ventures and strategic European investors
Till Payments announce a $15 million top up to its latest investment round, with support from strategic European investors and Touch Ventures.
The partnership will enhance the online shopping experience of more consumers across the region by introducing Openpay’s BNPL option at the point of sale.